Matthew 24:9-20 "The Olivet Discourse: Mid-Point of the Tribulation"
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· 159 viewsMid-Point of the Tribulation and Abomination of Desolation
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Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew 24. We are looking at “The Olivet Discourse”… Matthew 24-25.
These chapters are some of the most hotly debated chapters in the bible because they address things to come… Biblical prophecy.
Some recap, this is Tuesday of Jesus’ final week of ministry. Jesus would be crucified on Friday… just 3 days later in the same week… Passover week.
Tuesday morning Jesus enters the temple and is teaching when He is interrupted and questioned by the religious leaders whom Jesus silenced and then pronounced woes upon.
Matt 24 opens with Jesus departing the Temple and four of His disciples point out the magnificence of Herod’s Temple… the massive stones, buildings and adornments.
Let’s re-read Matt 24:1-8. First, VSS 1-3... “Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Two questions… when and what? With the what question having two parts, but the essence is essentially the same because when Jesus comes again it will be the end of the age.
These questions are prompted by the contrast between the disciples being amazed by Herod’s Temple… a temple which should have stood for ages, and Jesus saying the temple would be destroyed. The disciples must be thinking the end of the world is neigh and Jesus will set up His Kingdom… thus their questions.
Jesus responds... first describing the initial 3.5 years of the seven year Tribulation… a time carved out for the Jews…as we talked in detail about last week. If you are confused that the Tribulation is for the Jews, you can listen to the sermon last week to see my reasoning why, and I’ll explain some of those points again today which comes from the context.
After VSS 1-3, Jesus describes the beginning of the Tribulation… VSS4-8 “And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Last week we also looked at how Rev 6… the “Seal Judgments” align with Matt 24:4-8.
The full seven year Tribulation is also called “Daniel’s Seventieth Week” (Dan 9:20-27) or “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jer 30:7, Dan 12:1).... both of which further supports that the Tribulation is a time for the Jews… to fulfill this final week spoken of by Daniel.
Before we jump in today… let’s get oriented and look at a general Outline of Matthew 24:1-31:
Verses 1-2: The Setting
Verse 3: The Disciples Questions
Verses 4-8: The Beginning of Sorrows / The first 3.5 years of the 7 year Tribulation
Verses 9-20: Mid-Point of the Tribulation… which is broken down by...
Verses 9-14: Predicted Persecutions by Jesus
Verses 15-20: The Abomination of Desolation
Starting next week, we will look at… Verses 21-28: The Great Tribulation (Final 3.5 Years)… and most likely…
Verses 29-31: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
But today, we are going to hone in on the Mid-Point looking at Matt 24:9-20. I’m going to share a Calvary Chapel view on eschatology, which is my view as well (how convenient), and give you biblical reasons to support this view. You may agree or disagree, and either is ok, but please… if you do not have a view on end-times…
I encourage you, as Paul encouraged Timothy, 2 Tim 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Be diligent to study God’s word.
The Title of today’s message is “The Olivet Discourse: Mid-Point of the Tribulation.”
Let’s pray.
Matt 24:9-14 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Last week we looked at the beginning of sorrows… which I believe is the first 3.5 years of the Tribulation. Matt 24:4-8, Rev 6.
In V9, Jesus begins with the word “then.” Then is after the first 3.5 years of the tribulation… so from V9-20 we see a description of events at the mid-point of the Seven Year Tribulation (we’ll come back to the “then” in a moment).
But, also observe, Jesus states in V9... “they will deliver you up to tribulation...”
So, who’s the “you?” It can’t be the four disciples Jesus is talking to… they were not hated by ALL nations.
Jesus mentions this group… the “you” in several other upcoming verses, and it’s evident who this group is...
V15 “… when you see the abomination of desolation… in the holy place… ” Speaking about anti-christ in the temple in Jerusalem.
V16 “… let those who are in Judea...” Judea in Israel.
V17 “Let him who is on the housetop…” Those aren’t roofers.
V20 “And pray that your flight may not be… on Sabbath…”
These are clearly Jews.
A temptation many people experience here is to read the church into V9 because Jesus is talking to four of the disciples (Peter, James, John, and Andrew… according to Mark 13:3)… certainly a unique group because they are Apostles of the church…
But, we must remember these men are also Jews… and coming from Jerusalem… from the Temple… at Passover… talking about Messianic fulfillments of prophecy.
I’ve been driving a lot lately, and I’ve listened to a number of sermons on Matt 24, and it amazes me how many Pastors that I deeply respect, even within Calvary Chapel, view this passage differently… just listen to 5 Pastors you respect on Matt 24… you’ll hear various views as well...
Of all the Pastors I listened to, I would say I align best with Pastor Joe Focht at Calvary Chapel Philly, so for a similar take on this passage, check out the CC Philly app or website. I think I aligned with Skip Heitzig, Calvary Albuquerque, as well.
But, in listening to these teachings… I heard some Pastor apply Matthew 24 to the times we live now… or flip flop between the church and the Jews in this passage... and there’s other views as well, but the correct view (my view of course) is this passage primarily focuses on Jews during the tribulation...
I want to re-emphasize a point that I made last week... it’s ok to see eschatology differently. Many God loving… Jesus following scholars… authentic Christians… see end times differently… don’t divide over these things.
Regardless of your view, we likely can agree that this discourse of Jesus is intended to prepare His audience. Jesus’ first words of this discourse, in V4, are “Take heed that no one deceives you.” “Take heed...”, “Watch out”… these are warning words to prepare minds.
So, be prepared. Have an eschatology… a view on end times. Learn from the mistake of the Religious Leaders as Jesus rebuked them in Matt 16:1-3 where we read, “Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.”
The dawn of the Kingdom was upon them… Messiah had been revealed and they did not recognize Him. Don’t repeat their mistake. Have a view on end times.
So, here’s what’s tricky. You read Matthew 24, and you may see applications to the past -or- to our present day… and it’s easy to do because there are “types” that foreshadow the Tribulation.
Some scholars see Matthew 24 as completely fulfilled in the past.... specifically 70 A.D. After all, that was still future when Jesus spoke those words around 32 A.D… and the passage in many ways seems to fit. It applies to the Jews... Rome destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem and hung their ensigns… and some speculate Titus sacrificed a pig in the temple… I guess while it burned… the abomination of desolation (I certainly did not read that in Josephus’ account)…
2 Thes 2:8 states, “And then the lawless one [the Anti Christ] will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”
That didn’t happen in 70 A.D. Titus wasn’t the lawless one… he became emperor in 79 A.D… he wasn’t destroyed with the brightness of Jesus’ coming… he died of fever.
And, Jesus didn’t return in 70 A.D.... nor since (no matter what the JW’s say).
Further, 70 A.D. is not in agreement with Jesus’ words in V21 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
As bad as 70 A.D. was…the world has seen greater atrocities. World War II is at the top of the list. 50-80 million soldiers and civilians killed. Nazi death camps… the holocaust… 5-6 million Jews killed… ethnic cleansing… Roma gypsies… the handicapped… POWs… war crimes.
And, even as bad as World War II was… it still does not fulfill what Jesus spoke about in Matt 24.
Other scholars look at the words of Matt 24:4-8 … religious deception… wars… famines… pestilences… earthquakes… and they see Matt 24:4-8 as general signs of the times in which we live today. And, they say all these things have increased in frequency in the last century… just like Jesus described… V8 “the beginning of sorrows” or “birth pains.”
As the baby is coming, contractions continue to become longer, stronger and closer together. And, natural disasters, wars, fallout from war, famines, deception… all have been on the rise.
And, these things are bad and have been increasing… but, I think they are indicators of what’s to come… a precursor, but not as bad as the Tribulation.
I don’t think Covid Vaccines are the mark of the beast, but they sure do seem like a precursor.
One day the people of the world will yield in worship to Anti-Christ and take his mark.
Rev 13:16-17 states, “He [the false prophet who points to Anti-Christ] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
We’re not there yet, but this Covid season sure does seem like a test run.
These things in Matt 24:4-8 are presently being restrained. (Turn to 2 Thes 2). Things are bad, but they will get worse when there is no restraint. Presently, the Holy Spirit who dwells in believers is restraining these things from full force… which we’ll see in 2 Thes 2.
You are the light of the world dispelling darkness.... your are the salt of the earth preserving this world from rot… but there will be a day that you will no longer be here. The church… the temple of the living God will be taken up.
2 Thes 2:1-9a “Now, brethren, concerning the coming [parŏusia] of our Lord Jesus Christ [the parŏusia...the 2nd Coming] and [a separate event] our gathering together to Him [the rapture], we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [the 2nd coming] will not come unless the falling away comes first [“falling away” Gk. apŏstasia- Is this “church apostasy” or the “rapture”… a departure? Either way, both are true of what comes next…], and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, [the 3rd temple] showing himself that he is God. [But, Anti-Christ will break the treaty, desecrate the Temple, and claim he is God... the Abomination of Desolation]. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining [better said as… “you know what holds him back”… speaking about Anti-Christ], that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He [“He” is capitalized in my Bible] who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. [The Holy Spirit is restraining until He is taken out of the way at the rapture of the church. And, look at the order of events… ] 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan…”
So, while I don’t disagree with the assessment that there are currently reflections of Matt 24:4-8 in our present age, the Holy Spirit is currently restraining evil.
Again, the problem I have applying VSS4-8 to the present age is the context of Matthew 24 it’s Jewish… to apply present turmoils into this passage causes confusion (at least in my mind).
The phrase “divorcing the text from the context” comes to mind… a common error in interpretation.
One scholar wrote, “Taking verses out of context leads to all kinds of error and misunderstanding. Understanding context begins with four principles: literal meaning, historical setting, grammar and synthesis (comparing it with other parts of Scripture)."
As I look at the highly Jewish context of Matthew 24, I especially do not see the church. In V37 of the previous chapter Jesus laments “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem...” Not “O Church O Church”… Not “O Christians O Christians”…
Speaking to Jerusalem… not the city, but the people… the nation of Israel… Jesus says in V38 “See! Your house is left to you desolate...” Then Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple… which is Jewish… which led to the all these future predictions… for the Jews.
I believe the church is raptured prior to the events of Matthew 24. Go ahead and turn to 1 Thes 4 which is probably the strongest passage to support the rapture of the church. I want to take a moment and back up prior to the tribulation and look at the rapture.
If Matthew 24 is for the Jew… what does God have to say to the church? 1 Thes 4
Context: Thessalonica in the first-century was a major city on the Macedonian coast (modern day Greece)… a Greco-Roman culture (not Jewish)… and the context of this epistle, from Paul, is that it is clearly written to the Christian Thessalonian church.
Paul does not write to “Jerusalem, Jerusalem…” 1 Thes opens “To the church of the Thessalonians...” which, according to Acts 17, was comprised of “a great multitude of the devout Greeks”, several “leading women”, and ‘some Jews.’
Beginning in 1 Thes 4:16-18 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. [believers of this dispensation]. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
“Caught up” [Gk. harpazō… Latin raptus or rapturo… where “rapture” derives]
Now listen to this… in light of our passage today… Continuing in 1 Thes 5:1 “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. [Speaking about the Tribulation… Revelation 6–19…Matthew 24] 3 For when they [non-Christians… those left behind] say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. [sounds like Matt 24:8 “The beginning of sorrows”… birth pains]. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, [Paul is writing to Christians of the Church Age… context.] are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, [God’s wrath…the Tribulation...starting with Jesus opening the seals in Rev 6] but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. [and that’s why Paul say in V11...] 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”
Twice the church is encouraged to comfort one another because the church is not going to go through the Tribulation. It’s not God’s nature to pour out His wrath on His righteous.
He protected Noah in the Ark… which is a great type for the 144,000 Jews being preserved during the tribulation; and Enoch who is said “God took him” (Gen 5:24... he did not die) was a type of the raptured church. Enoch didn’t go through the flood, just as the church will not go through the tribulation.
God protected righteous Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah… 2 Pet 2:7-8 states God “... delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds).”
Lot had plenty of flaws, but he was vexed by unrighteousness. Seeing the sin of Sodom tormented his soul… and that’s why he was considered righteous… of course he also had to be a man of faith to be righteous.
Rev 3… The Church of Philadelphia… Jesus Christ extends a beautiful promise to that faithful church.
Rev 3:10 “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from [ĕk “out of”… not through, but from…] the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
How…? The rapture of the church prior to Rev 6/ Matt 24.... prior to The Tribulation.
God has a different plan for the church… for the bride of Christ. He’s not going to beat up the bride prior to the wedding. He will keep her from the hour of trial.
So, back in Matthew 24… VSS4-8 describe the 1st half of the Tribulation… then in V9 we see the word “Then” which is a time stamp that attaches to V15 “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation...” Mid-point of the Tribulation...
The “you” of V9 is Jews, and what Jesus is describing in VSS9-14 is what will happen to the Jews in Judea at the mid-point of the tribulation… the “then.”
In the first 3.5 years, Anti-Christ is revealed, he will make peace with Israel… not necessarily total peace on earth… We read Rev 6 last week… plenty of turmoil on earth… not as bad as the last 3.5 years, but still bad.
But, Anti-Christ will make a covenant with Israel. Dan 9:27 states, “Then he [anti-christ...the prince or ruler to come] shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate..."
V15 of Matt 24 states “...when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place...” “Holy Place” is commonly accepted as meaning the Temple. In Dan 9:27 “…he shall bring an end to sacrifice...”
That was done only at the temple, and it would not surprise me if as the Anti-Christ establishes a covenant with Daniel’s people.... Israel… that the 3rd Temple is built… on the Temple Mount next to the Dome of the Rock.
The 1st Temple was Solomon’s Temple… 2nd Zerubbabel’s Temple which was later renovated and expanded by Herod, but still the 2nd Temple. And, in The Tribulation there will be a 3rd Temple.
Rev 11:1 speaks about a temple during the Tribulation, “...the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”
Today, the Temple Institute in Jerusalem has recreated all the vessels and furnishings… check out the gallery of pictures on their website… they are ready for a Third Temple. I think there are only two things they are missing… The Ark of the Covenant (which they believe is hidden in a chamber beneath the Temple Mount and will be revealed with the building of the Third Temple), and they are finalizing breeding the Red Heifer (Num 19:2).
The Stage is set… many pre-cursor signs at present… next the rapture… Anti-Christ revealed… and then 7 years til the Millennial Reign of Christ!
Comfort one another! Jesus is coming soon!
We’ll look at that next week… But, in the middle of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, Anti-Christ will “bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” He will turn on the Jews, as Matt 24:9 speaks about… persecution will come upon the Jews. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”
Even today, we are seeing precursors of all nations hating Israel… that rocky land of Israel is the most contested real-estate on the globe.
And, perhaps behind the world powers that hate Israel is Anti-Christ… the worldwide dictator spoken of in Dan 7:25 “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.” …during the Great Tribulation… the final 3.5 years.
“A time” meaning one year, “times” two years, and “half a time” six months. Or 1,260 days (Rev 12:6) or 42 months (Rev 11:2; 13:5). All speak of 3.5 years.
Now, buckle up because I want to get to V15, so we are going to fly through VSS 10-14…which are relatively easy to understand...
V10 “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.”
During 70 A.D., Josephus accounts that the most significant loss to the Jews was due to infighting… Jew killing Jew. How much more will this be amplified during the Tribulation when some Jews come to Christ, and are betrayed by non-believers… even non-believing Jews.
V11 “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”
When you turn out the lights, the cockroaches come out. And, during the tribulation there will arise many false prophets.... especially THE False Prophet in Rev 13.
V12 “And because lawlessness will abound, the love [agapē] of many will grow cold.”
As the law of God is forsook, the love of people will increasingly fade. When you don’t have a love for God in your life, it’s really difficult to love other people. Selfishness increases and love grows cold.
This will be thematic during the Tribulation.
V13 “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
There will be people who survive the 7-year tribulation. Again, Jewish audience in mind.
Non-Jews… the Nations in Matt 25:32... will be sifted by Jesus Himself… the Sheep and the Goats.
But, Jesus is promising salvation to Jews who endure to the end of the tribulation.
Not spiritual salvation… salvation is not earned by toughing it out in a bunker for 7 years… salvation here speaks about ‘deliverance’… ‘physical rescue.’
Mounce defines “saved” Gk sōzō as “to save, rescue; to preserve safe and unharmed...”
Dan 12:1 uses similar language… “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.”
As does, Jer 30:7 “Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.”
And, both of those verses give further support that the tribulation is a time for the Jews.
Jesus is going to come back and rescue the Jews… in person… and you’ll be there… coming with Jesus on the clouds!
V14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
During the Tribulation, there will be several groups witnessing the gospel to the world.
The 144,000 Jews… who are suspected be very evangelistic. “144,000 Billy Grahams”… Pastor Joe Focht likes to say.
There will also be the 2 Witnesses in Rev 11 who will prophesy 3.5 years.
There are also the martyred saints who refused the mark of the beast (Rev 13) and were “slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” Rev 6:9
And, if those voices were not heard… finally, Rev 14:6 declares, “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people...”
And, many will get saved. Rev 7:9-10 states, “...I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
And in Rev 7:14 they are identified...“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
So, the gospel will be preached in the tribulation… and then the end will come.
Jesus will return with His saints… Rev 19:14 “… the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.”
And, let’s close today where Jesus now points out the most observable sign of the Tribulation… The Abomination of Desolation.
Matt 24:15-20 “Therefore [noting all the previous signs… here’s the key sign] when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” [the temple] (whoever reads, let him understand) [let the reader understand the true meaning of Dan 9], 16 “then let those who are in Judea [Jews] flee to the mountains [likely Petra]. 17 Let him who is on the housetop [not roofers] not go down to take anything out of his house. [Jews socialize on their flat rooftops… you do not] 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. [this will be a time of great distress, and they are warned to ‘get out of Dodge.’] 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! [An added difficulty on top of great difficulties]. 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.” [Sabbath is for the Jews. Winter and Sabbath both limit travel, so it would be difficult to flee at these times. Regardless... they will flee Jerusalem and Judea... from Anti-Christ... to the mountains.]
And, note… Jesus takes His audience back to Daniel… which has some of the most specific prophecies in all of scripture. So much so, that critics question it’s authenticity.
But, note, Jesus does not question Daniel’s authenticity… nor should we.
The passage Jesus references is probably Dan 9:27, though Dan 11:31 and 12:11 also reference the abomination of desolations.
Dan 9… the Seventieth Week of Daniel prophecy is marvelous and mind-blowing… definitely worth the time to invest in studying.
It’s a time noted “For your people and for your holy city” Dan 9:24... a time for the Jews.
This prophecy takes the reader to the tribulation, when Anti-Christ will declare himself as God… at the temple desecrating it.
I believe this was properly foreshadowed by Antiochus Epiphanes when he sacrificed a pig to Zeus in the temple sparking the Maccabean revolt from 167-160 B.C.
But, ultimately fulfilled during the mid-point of the yet future tribulation.
The near and the far.
We will pick up in V21 next week, which states “For then there will great tribulation...” and we will look at the Great Tribulation and perhaps the Second Coming of Christ next week.
Unless we are raptured between now and then, and that would be preferable.
Let’s pray.
I love that Paul did not shy away from end times theology... in one of his earliest Epistles to a young church… the Thessalonians.
What does that say about the importance of understanding these things?
I think it appropriate to close with Paul’s closing in 1 Thessalonians… “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”