THE WORST DAY EVER IMAGINABLE #27
THE WORST DAY EVER IMAGINABLE
Today’s reading is from Matthew 24:15-19
Our key verse is found in Matthew 24 verse 15 {highlighted}
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!” (Matthew 24:15–19 ESV)
Some people are intrigued that the disciples of Jesus were so intent on knowing the future, but they are no different than many of us.
When they had the Lord in their midst, they asked, “Lord, when will these things be? What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
They wanted to know about the future, and Jesus answers are recorded in the Olivet Discourse. This is the one time in the Bible where Jesus speaks about what is going to happen in the future.
No doubt Daniel and Revelation is the word of the Lord… but here is the word of the Lord in RED-letter edition! Jesus points to a time of great anguish for the Jews, a period Israel refers to as “The time of Jacob's trouble.” Of course, the Jews have had many times of trouble. However, the times in which Jesus spoke of will be unmatched and unparalleled.
6 million Jews were killed by Adolf Hitler's evil regime and the Holocaust still overshadows us. Elie {Eli} Wiesel, who won a Nobel Prize has devoted his life to making sure that no one forgets what happened to the Jews.
As he remembers his first night in a concentration camp he says it cost him his faith. As he stood and watched his mother and little sister, his dreams, his faith, and even his desire to live went up in smoke.
As he recalls that night, he wrote, “Never shall I forget those moments which murdered God and muscle… The child that I was had been consumed in the flames. There remained only a shape that looked like me.”
Those are the words of a Jewish patriot who lived through a former evil. Still the Bible says that there is a black day that is coming, when Israel shall once again experience national pain on an unimaginable scale. The world has not known the pain that these days hold.
I want in this devotional to focus on THE ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION.
All of the things, up to this point that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24 have been precursors, a build up so to speak to the great tribulation. Jesus was asked a question concerning the signs that would be fulfilled!
He answers that in the first few verses. We have studied that in the previous devotionals. Many of the signs will begin prior to the rapture and will be full blown after the rapture as the tribulation begins.
As I told you, I see many of the signs already finding their place on the landscape of this world. The heart has begun to beat and soon after the rapture the child will be born. In verse 15 he speaks of an event that initiates the most awful period in the history of Israel. In Verse 15 there is a major shift in his discourse. All of the things up through verse 15 have to do with the Beginnings of Sorrow. The build up of the tribulation.
There is a certain event that will usher in The Great Tribulation. It is called the “abomination of desolation.”
A term you may have read before, heard before, but not one commonly preached on. I can remember as a Bible student at the Criswell College, trying to wrap my mind around understanding this phrase.
For the first 3 1/2 years, the growing signs of distress will be in the world, but the antichrist will proclaim that he brought peace to the world. And there will be peace {of a sort} particularly in the Middle East where Israel will finally think she is at peace with her neighbors. But the abomination that causes desolation will occur. It will be an event and that event will usher in the last part of the Great Tribulation period which will last, a second 3 ½ years. This time frame will be worse than any Holocaust story of the past.
What in the world is the Abomination of Desolation? The word abomination is a word that means: “DISGUST” or “repulsion.” In the Scriptures, it is primarily used to describe things associated with idolatry or gross ungodliness.
The Hebrew equivalent was often used to refer to pagan ceremonies where wicked conduct took place. In the book of Revelation, the word is used to represent immoralities and spiritual uncleanliness of false religion.
We are told that in heaven there will be no uncleanliness and no one who practices abominations will be in Heaven. The prophet Daniel, referenced here by Christ, used the term 3 times in the book that bears his name.
In Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. Daniel mentions the abomination that causes desolation; and based upon his description, we know exactly what that event is all about. As you study alongside of me I want to ask you to keep in mind, that Biblical prophecy often has a present and future fulfillment.
Theologians sometimes refer it to as the Law of Double Fulfillment. That is, the prophecy is fulfilled now in a time frame close to the prophecy and it also has a greater fulfillment out in the future! This is one of those prophecies!
This week we will continue to discover the real meaning of the abomination of desolation and what is behind it.
Today’s reading is from Matthew 24:15-19
Our key verse is found in Matthew 24 verse 15 {highlighted}
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!” (Matthew 24:15–19 ESV)
Some people are intrigued that the disciples of Jesus were so intent on knowing the future, but they are no different than many of us.
When they had the Lord in their midst, they asked, “Lord, when will these things be? What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
They wanted to know about the future, and Jesus answers are recorded in the Olivet Discourse. This is the one time in the Bible where Jesus speaks about what is going to happen in the future.
No doubt Daniel and Revelation is the word of the Lord… but here is the word of the Lord in RED-letter edition! Jesus points to a time of great anguish for the Jews, a period Israel refers to as “The time of Jacob's trouble.” Of course, the Jews have had many times of trouble. However, the times in which Jesus spoke of will be unmatched and unparalleled.
6 million Jews were killed by Adolf Hitler's evil regime and the Holocaust still overshadows us. Elie {Eli} Wiesel, who won a Nobel Prize has devoted his life to making sure that no one forgets what happened to the Jews.
As he remembers his first night in a concentration camp he says it cost him his faith. As he stood and watched his mother and little sister, his dreams, his faith, and even his desire to live went up in smoke.
As he recalls that night, he wrote, “Never shall I forget those moments which murdered God and muscle… The child that I was had been consumed in the flames. There remained only a shape that looked like me.”
Those are the words of a Jewish patriot who lived through a former evil. Still the Bible says that there is a black day that is coming, when Israel shall once again experience national pain on an unimaginable scale. The world has not known the pain that these days hold.
I want in this devotional to focus on THE ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION.
All of the things, up to this point that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24 have been precursors, a build up so to speak to the great tribulation. Jesus was asked a question concerning the signs that would be fulfilled!
He answers that in the first few verses. We have studied that in the previous devotionals. Many of the signs will begin prior to the rapture and will be full blown after the rapture as the tribulation begins.
As I told you, I see many of the signs already finding their place on the landscape of this world. The heart has begun to beat and soon after the rapture the child will be born. In verse 15 he speaks of an event that initiates the most awful period in the history of Israel. In Verse 15 there is a major shift in his discourse. All of the things up through verse 15 have to do with the Beginnings of Sorrow. The build up of the tribulation.
There is a certain event that will usher in The Great Tribulation. It is called the “abomination of desolation.”
A term you may have read before, heard before, but not one commonly preached on. I can remember as a Bible student at the Criswell College, trying to wrap my mind around understanding this phrase.
For the first 3 1/2 years, the growing signs of distress will be in the world, but the antichrist will proclaim that he brought peace to the world. And there will be peace {of a sort} particularly in the Middle East where Israel will finally think she is at peace with her neighbors. But the abomination that causes desolation will occur. It will be an event and that event will usher in the last part of the Great Tribulation period which will last, a second 3 ½ years. This time frame will be worse than any Holocaust story of the past.
What in the world is the Abomination of Desolation? The word abomination is a word that means: “DISGUST” or “repulsion.” In the Scriptures, it is primarily used to describe things associated with idolatry or gross ungodliness.
The Hebrew equivalent was often used to refer to pagan ceremonies where wicked conduct took place. In the book of Revelation, the word is used to represent immoralities and spiritual uncleanliness of false religion.
We are told that in heaven there will be no uncleanliness and no one who practices abominations will be in Heaven. The prophet Daniel, referenced here by Christ, used the term 3 times in the book that bears his name.
In Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. Daniel mentions the abomination that causes desolation; and based upon his description, we know exactly what that event is all about. As you study alongside of me I want to ask you to keep in mind, that Biblical prophecy often has a present and future fulfillment.
Theologians sometimes refer it to as the Law of Double Fulfillment. That is, the prophecy is fulfilled now in a time frame close to the prophecy and it also has a greater fulfillment out in the future! This is one of those prophecies!
This week we will continue to discover the real meaning of the abomination of desolation and what is behind it.
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