Matthew 24 : 23 - 29 The Climax of the Distress of the Great Tribulation.

Jesus warns the Disciples about False Messiahs, False Prophets, False Appearances and the Signs in the Planets above

Mat 24:23  "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it.

Mat 24:24  For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People.

Mat 24:25  Remember, I have forewarned you.

Mat 24:26  If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it.

Mat 24:27  For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man.

Mat 24:28  Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together.

Mat 24:29  "But immediately after those times of distress THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, THE MOON WILL NOT SHED HER LIGHT, THE STARS WILL FALL FROM THE FIRMAMENT, AND THE FORCES WHICH CONTROL THE HEAVENS WILL BE DISORDERED AND DISTURBED.

Introduction

The Abomination which causes Desolation, The AntiChrist Dictator, the Suffering of the Jews and Jerusalem, fleeing to the Mountains. Wars and Rumours of wars. Things are heading to a Climax. Read Revelation Chapters 4→ 20 and you will get a detailed account from Heaven’s Perspective.

Comments

Mat 24:23  "If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'Here!' give no credence to it.

Maitreya: Ascended Master, False Messiah or Antichrist?

Notes

"If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!...

Our Lord had cautioned his disciples against false Christs and prophets before, Mat_24:11; but He seems here to intimate that there would be especial need to attend to this caution about the time of the siege. And in fact many such impostors did arise about that time, promising deliverance from God; and the lower the Jews were reduced, the more disposed they were to listen to such deceivers. Like a man drowning, they were willing to catch even at a straw, while there was any prospect of being saved. But as it was to little purpose for a man to take upon him the character of the Christ, without miracles to avouch his Divine mission, so it was the common artifice of these impostors to show signs and wonders, σημεια και τερατα; the very words used by Christ in this prophecy, and by Josephus in his history: Ant. b. xx. c. 7. Among these Simon Magus, and Dositheus, Adam Clark,,

Mat 24:24  For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People.

Notes

False Christs. While this may refer to the impostors of the first century, it now points to ‘Antichrist,’ or the many ‘antichrists’ (1Jn_2:18), constantly arising.—False prophets. Such arose among the Jews, but have arisen ever since.

Show great signs and wonders, in appearance probably, but this cannot be insisted upon. See 2Th_2:9-12.

So as (the tendency and purpose) to deceive, if possible, implying that it is not, even the elect. Others will be deceived, led astray from our Lord, the real Messiah and true Prophet. It indicates that a period will come, when the ‘deceivableness of unrighteousness’ shall be augmented.

They will Impress even the Elect.

Since the Elect are God's own people, and kept by His power it will not be possible for them to be lead astray. However he knows what they will have to go through, it will be a further strength to them that He has foretold that all this will come to pass. When this happens they will surely remember this prophecy. Leon Morris p. 607

Mat 24:25  Remember, I have forewarned you.

Jesus’ disciples must not be duly impressed by those who claim to know precisely where the Messiah is located. Some will say He is in the desert. John the baptist had appeared in the desert. Others might say He is in the inner rooms. This may be to put him out of reach to the ordinary person or to lure them in to get killed.

Mat 24:26  If therefore they should say to you, 'See, He is in the Desert!' do not go out there: or 'See, He is indoors in the room!' do not believe it.

Notes

. Some will say He is in the desert. John the baptist had appeared in the desert. Others might say He is in the inner rooms. This may be to put him out of reach to the ordinary person or to lure them in to get killed.

Mat 24:27  For just as the lightning flashes in the east and is seen to the very west, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man.

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN WILL BE NO SECRET THING SUCH AS THOSE WITH SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE WILL BE ABLE TO SAY WHERE HE IS LOCATED.

The whole sky will be lit up from the East to the West. It will be open and public nobody will need to be told where He is.

Mat 24:28  Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures flock together.

The Moral Corruption attracts the Vultures who will quickly devour the people.

The Griffon Vulture - Birds of the Bible

Mat 24:29  "But immediately after those times of distress THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, THE MOON WILL NOT SHED HER LIGHT, THE STARS WILL FALL FROM THE FIRMAMENT, AND THE FORCES WHICH CONTROL THE HEAVENS WILL BE DISORDERED AND DISTURBED.

Notes

Jesus is now speaking of Significant Celestial Phenomena in language like that used in the OT. Ezek 32:7; Joel 2:10.The most striking thing is that neither the sun nor the moon will give their light the whole earth will lie in darkness. With that the stars will fall from heaven. No light and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. There will be disorder and chaos everywhere.

Jesus, the Son of Man is coming back to bring  the Kingdom of God to reign over all the Earth.

Matthew 24 15 The Abomination that causes Desolation.

More from the Word of God about the AntiChrist

Mat 24:15 Jesus said  "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) the 'ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION', standing in the Holy Place" --let the reader observe those words--

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Introduction

Adam Clark in yesterday’s blog refers to The Abomination of Desolation as the Roman Army destroying the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

This may have been a primary prophetic view but sometimes Prophecy has a near fulfilment and also a long term fulfilment. It  like looking at Mountain Peaks but  you do not see the huge valleys in between.

Clarence Larkin

Mat 24:15  "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) the 'ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION', standing in the Holy Place" --let the reader observe those words--

Notes

Daniel’s prophecy.

Dan 8:13  Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one who spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering, and the transgression that maketh desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

Dan 8:14  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. ASV

Notes

The transgression which makes desolate - transgression of desolation — literally, “making desolate,” that is, Antiochus desolating profanation of the temple (Dan_11:31; Dan_12:11). Compare as to Rome and the last Antichrist, Mat_24:15.JFB

Antiochus Desecrates the temple in Jerusalem

Most scholars agree that in the first instance this prophecy of Daniel refers to Antiochus EPIPHANES who desecrated the temple when He built and altar to Zeus in the Temple of God in the Jerusalem and offered swine and other unclean animals on it as sacrifices 1 Maccabees 1:41-61 he intended to assert sovereignty over the Jews by dethroning their God and replacing Him with His own “gods” as conqueror.

At the Roman Siege of Jerusalem many horrible things took place when they captured the city. Zealots fought for their temple and defilement by the Romans took place.

Dan 9:26  And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined.

Dan 9:27  And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.  ASV

Adam Clark comments: And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate - “This clause is remarkably obscure. כנף שקוצים משמם  kenaph shikkutsim meshomem, “And upon the wing of abominations causing amazement.” This is a literal translation of the place; but still there is no determinate sense. A Hebrews MS., written in the thirteenth century, has preserved a very remarkable reading here, which frees the place from all embarrassment. Instead of the above reading, this valuable MS. has ובהיכל יהיה שיקוץ  ubeheychal yihyey shikkuts; that is, “And in the temple (of the Lord) there shall be abomination.” This makes the passage plain, and is strictly conformable to the facts themselves, for the temple was profaned; “

I personally believe the Long term View is that the AntiChrist will come and set up an abomination in the temple in Jerusalem. He will completely destroy the Rebuilt Temple of the Jews in the very near future midway through the One Week of the Great Tribulation

At this time, halfway the "Last 7 Years", the Antichrist causesthe Jewish Daily Sacrifice to be stopped by armed force. They erect, under the auspices of the False Prophet, within the rebuilt Jewish temple area, an idol or image of the AC,that the Bible calls the "Image of the Beast." Jesus called it the "Abomination of Desolation", as idolatry is always anabomination to all three monotheistic religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity alike!

This "Image of the Beast" will probably be some kind of highly sophisticated, super-scientific, computerised tele-communications & Internet system for the perfection of the new One World Economy of the A.C. one World government, as it will speak and somehow even cause those who refuse to worship it—by rejecting the economic Trading "Mark of the Beast"—to be executed! It may even be in the form of some computerised robot or statue perhaps, as it will be "placed" and "stand in the "Holy place", the temple area in Jerusalem!

Dan 11:30  For ships of Kittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and shall return, and have indignation against the holy covenant, and shall do his pleasure: he shall even return, and have regard unto them that forsake the holy covenant.

Dan 11:31  And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt-offering, and they shall set up the abomination that maketh desolate.

Dan 11:32  And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he pervert by flatteries; but the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

From this verse, v.30 however, to the end of the chapter, there is no little diversity of opinion. One portion suppose that the description of Antiochus and his deeds continues still to be the design of the prophet; another, that the Romans are here introduced, and that a part of the predictions in the remainder of this chapter are yet to be fulfilled; another, as Jerome, and most of the Christian fathers, suppose that the reference is to Antiochus as the type of Antichrist, and that the description passes from the type to the antitype.Barnes

Scriptures concerning the Anti - Christ

2Th 2:1  But with respect to the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to meet Him, we entreat you, brethren,

2Th 2:2  not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled--either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us--through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here.

2Th 2:3  Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against,

2Th 2:4  and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God.

2Th 2:5  Do you not remember that while I was still with you I used to tell you all this?

That man of sin - Ὁ ανθρωπος της ἁμαρτιας· The same as the Hebrew expresses by איש און  ish aven, and איש בליעל  ish beliyaal; the perverse, obstinate, and iniquitous man. It is worthy of remark that, among the rabbins, Samael, or the devil, is called איש בליעל ואיש און  ish beliyaal veish aven, the man of Belial, and the man of iniquity; and that these titles are given to Adam after his fall.

The son of perdition - Ὁ υἱος της απωλειας· The son of destruction; the same epithet that is given to Judas Iscariot, Joh_17:12 (note). The son of perdition, and the man of sin, or, as some excellent MSS. and versions, with several of the fathers, read, ανθρωπος της ανομιας, the lawless man, see 2Th_2:8, must mean the same person or thing. It is also remarkable that the wicked Jews are styled by Isaiah, Isa_1:4, בנים משחיתים  benim mashchithim, “children of perdition;” persons who destroy themselves and destroy others.

Bow down and worship the beast

2Th 2:6  And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time.

2Th 2:7  For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed,

2Th 2:8  and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming.

2Th 2:9  The appearing of the Lawless one will be attended by various miracles and tokens and delusive marvels--for so Satan works--

2Th 2:10  and by every kind of wicked deception for those who are on the way to perdition because they did not welcome into their hearts the love of the truth, so that they might be saved.

2Th 2:11  And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie;

Matthew 24 : 15 - 22 The sufferings surrounding the Abomination of Desolation.

Great Suffering the like of which has never been seen before.

Mat 24:15  "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) the 'ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION', standing in the Holy Place" --let the reader observe those words--

Mat 24:16  "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills;

Mat 24:17  let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house;

Mat 24:18  nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment.

Mat 24:19  And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!

Mat 24:20  "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath;

Mat 24:21  for it WILL BE a time of great SUFFERING, SUCH AS NEVER HAS BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TILL NOW, and assuredly never will be again.

Mat 24:22  And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short.

When will these things be?

Introduction

We have looked at the wars associated with nations rising against nations,the famines and earthquakes which have begun to devastate the earth. The false prophets and the falling away in the church. is a great need for perseverance in the faith. Persecution is on the rise everywhere and the spirit of Antichrist is already in the world where they ridicule and blaspheme the Word of God and the Lord Himself. Now we turn to Vv 15-22 which speak of the Abomination of Desolation.

Comments

Mat 24:15  "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) the 'ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION', standing in the Holy Place" --let the reader observe those words--

Notes

When you therefore have seen…... the abomination of desolation.

This abomination of desolation, St. Luke, (Luk_21:20, Luk_21:21), refers to the Roman army; and this abomination standing in the holy place is the Roman army besieging Jerusalem; this, our Lord says, is what was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, in the ninth and eleventh chapters of his prophecy; and so let every one who reads these prophecies understand them; and in reference to this very event they are understood by the rabbins. The Roman army is called an abomination, for its ensigns and images, which were so to the Jews. Josephus says, (War, b. vi. chap. 6), the Romans brought their ensigns into the temple, and placed them over against the eastern gate, and sacrificed to them there. The Roman army is therefore fitly called the abomination, and the abomination which maketh desolate, as it was to desolate and lay waste Jerusalem; A.C.

The great judgment

This prophecy was by no means exhausted by what happened to Jerusalem. Though it begins there, it does not stop there. History repeats itself.

1. Were the last days of Jerusalem calamitous days, times of great tribulation, violence, and war-so will it be at the ending period of the present world.

2. Jerusalem’s day of judgment come on in a seemingly natural course of things-so also will it be at the coming of the great day. It will have much less of the immediately supernatural than we imagine.

3. Were those last clays of the old economy days of abounding falsehood and deception-the same is to occur again.

4. The zealots in the days of Jerusalem’s troubles would by no means believe what was before them, or what wickedness they were enacting in the name of truth. They relied on their covenant privileges. So will it be in the end.

5. We are not left without consolation and hope. There was an elect who escaped the destruction when Jerusalem fell. Jesus will save His own in the day of doom. (J. A. Seiss, D. D.)

Bible Illustrator

Mat 24:16  "then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills;

Notes

Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains - This counsel was remembered and wisely followed by the Christians afterwards. Eusebius and Epiphanius say, that at this juncture, after Cestius Gallus had raised the siege, and Vespasian was approaching with his army, all who believed in Christ left Jerusalem and fled to Pella, and other places beyond the river Jordan; and so they all marvellously escaped the general shipwreck of their country: not one of them perished. A.C.

Pella In Jordan

This may well happen again at the end of the Age.

Mat 24:17  let him who is on the roof not go down to fetch what is in his house;

Mat 24:18  nor let him who is outside the city stay to pick up his outer garment.

Notes

v.17 Let him which is on the house top - The houses of the Jews, as well as those of the ancient Greeks and Romans, were flat-roofed, and had stairs on the outside, by which persons might ascend and descend without coming into the house. In the eastern walled cities, these flat-roofed houses usually formed continued terraces from one end of the city to the other; which terraces terminated at the gates. He, therefore, who is walking on the house top, let him not come down to take any thing out of his house; but let him instantly pursue his course along the tops of the houses, and escape out at the city gate as fast as he can.

Any thing - Instead of τι, any thing, we should read τα, the things; which reading is supported by all the best MSS., versions, and fathers.

Mat 24:19  And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!

Mat 24:20  "But pray that your flight may not be in winter, nor on the Sabbath;

Mat 24:21  for it WILL BE a time of great SUFFERING, SUCH AS NEVER HAS BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TILL NOW, and assuredly never will be again.

Notes

for it WILL BE a time of great SUFFERING WNT

for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be.MKJV

Notes

This shows that this is a future event at the End of the Age

In the Days of Josephus he says” The account given by Josephus, the Jewish historian who witnessed and recorded the war, is almost an echo of the predictions of Christ. Women ate their own children from starvation; the Jews within the city fought each other as well as the Roman army; on August 10, A. D. 70, the city was stormed and there was a universal massacre; 1,100,00 persons perished, and 100,000 survivors were sold into slavery.PNT

What will these days be like?

In Christian eschatology, the great tribulation (Greek: θλίψις μεγάλη, thlipsis megalē) is a period mentioned by Jesus in the Olivet discourse as a sign that would occur in the time of the end.[1] At Revelation 7:14, "the great tribulation" (Greek: τῆς θλίψεως τῆς μεγάλης, literally, "the tribulation, the great one") is used to indicate the period spoken of by Jesus.[2] Matthew 24: 21, 29 usestribulation (θλίβω) in a context denoting afflictions of those hard-pressed by siege and the calamities of war.[3]

Mat 24:22  And if those days had not been cut short, no one would escape; but for the sake of God's own People those days will be cut short.

Notes

No flesh would be saved. If such awful work should continue, it would exterminate the human race.

For the elect's sake. On their account, because there is salt to save the earth, and end shall be put to the awful work of death. The elect are the believers in Christ (Rom_11:5-7).