The Great Tribulation is a time like the world will never see twice
What should we make of the words of Jesus regarding the great tribulation?
People exaggerate all the time, but did Jesus exaggerate when he gave his description of what he and others call the great tribulation? While we consider his words in the Olivet Discourse we’re also taking into account the various interpretations of the text. Probably the most popular one is that most of his words were applicable to the time shortly after his death and resurrection.
In A.D. 70 the Romans entered Jerusalem to squash a rebellion among the Jewish People.
A Historical Perspective:
The Jewish Wars began in 66 A.D. and they were a direct revolt by the Jews against Rome’s authority. Titus with his Roman legions arrived at the outermost northern Wall of Jerusalem, the Passover of 70 A.D. The Romans built embankments of earthen work, placed battering rams and the siege began.
The Roman army numbered 30,000; while the Jewish army numbered 24,000. According to Tacitus, they were 600,000 visitors crowding the streets of Jerusalem for the Passover. After five months the walls were battered down, the great Temple was burned down, and the city was left ruined and desolate, except for Herod’s three great towers at the northwest corner of the city. These served as a memorial of the massive strength of Jerusalem’s fortifications which Titus of Rome had brought to rubble.
The legions of Rome brought the captives to Caesarea and after over one million Jews were killed, 95,000 captives were taken as prisoners, and among them was Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian. According to Eusebius, the Christians saw the might of the Roman army and through prophetic warning, fled to Pella.
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Well-known history
The destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 is a well-known historical fact. The debate in the field of Bible prophecy isn’t about history, it’s about answering the questions as to when and where the prophecies apply or don’t apply. God’s inspired messages to the prophets were true, but the interpretations of the messages are where the debate rages.
In this article, we’ll look at just two verses from Matthew 24. The verses focus on the severity of the great tribulation. In the Preterist model of Bible prophecy, the great tribulation happened during the time when the Romans conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the Jewish temple.
In the futurist’s model of Bible prophecy, which I support, the words of Jesus concerning the great tribulation pointed to a future event. Jesus’ prophecy foreshadowed the Roman destruction but also looked far into the future to something worse. The modern state of Israel will experience future destruction, one immeasurably worse than before. Jesus used the words of the prophet Daniel, but he added important qualifiers that make it a future event.
Let’s compare Jesus’ words about the great tribulation and consider how bad the earlier destruction was in order to see if he exaggerated or was referring to something worse in the future.
Matthew 24:21 The great tribulation. The worst-ever event
“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
Let’s recap so we can keep the context in mind. Jesus sat with his disciples on the Mount of Olives. They asked him about the existing temple. He said it would be destroyed. They asked him when it would happen and what would be the sign of His return and the end of the age. Right there we see an immediate problem with the view that this sermon deals primarily with past events. The end of the age is the future, not the past.
In verse twenty-one, the Lord took from the words of the prophet Daniel. He also added to the words of the prophet. The words he added push the context to a distant future. We’ll see why shortly. First, let’s see what Daniel wrote.
Daniel 12:1
At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people–everyone whose name is found written in the book–will be delivered.
Daniel said that Michael, the great angel who protects Israel, would stand up. When he did there would be a time of distress worse than at any time since the nations had existed. The focus of this prophecy is Israel, not the other nations. But they get included in the prophecy. You could argue, and many have, that this pointed to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.
But there is a glaring problem. Jesus added some important words. He added these words, “nor ever shall be.” If Daniel’s words pointed to 70 A.D. then what did the additional words of Jesus point to? They pointed to a future event. Consider the number of slain Jews in the Roman destruction. The numbers vary but they’re roughly around one million. That’s an insane number, especially considering their weapons of warfare back then.
More from Daniel: The Antichrist strikes the Holy People and What role does Turkey play in Daniel’s prophecies?
But what about the Holocaust
Now jump forward in history to Hilter’s war with the Jews. The numbers soar to six or seven million Jews. That was horrific, but the words of Daniel give us other important clues.
Michael’s Deliverance and the End Times Daniel 12: 1-4
1 At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.
2 And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
4 But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro and knowledge will increase.”
This gives us a better look at Daniel’s prophecy. Now we can see that his words were not about the Roman destruction. The words prophesied about a future deliverance. When did that happen in the first century? It didn’t. Daniel’s words also mentioned the still-future event that all the Jewish people look forward to. There will be a resurrection in the future when the righteous dead will live again. The unrighteous dead will also face their judgment during this same time frame. Did that happen after Rome conquered Jerusalem? Of course, it didn’t.
The rising of the dead didn’t happen in A.D. 70, Daniel was told specifically that the words of the prophecy applied to the time of the end. Jesus used Daniel’s words, and many have applied them to the first century. The Lord concurred with Daniel that it would be very bad but never be that bad again.
Let’s look at another troubling passage in the book of Zechariah. We see a two-thirds annihilation of the Jewish people. Was that the Roman destruction or something future?
The Shepherd Struck, the Sheep Scattered Zechariah 13:7-9
13:7
Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, against the man who is My Companion,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones.
13:8
And in all the land,” declares the LORD, “two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it.
13:9
This third I will bring through the fire. I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”
Two-thirds will die
In this passage, we have a prophecy about two-thirds of the Jewish people dying. Many argue that was the Roman destruction. But there is a problem with their argument. Those who support that view also make the point that the Jewish nation fell out of favor with God and the blessings and promises once given to the Jews are now applied to the Church. So if that’s true that would mean that a Jewish prophet, Zechariah, is giving a prophecy saying 2/3’s of Christians are going to die and God will protect the final third.
Why would a Jewish prophet do that? He didn’t. The prophecy is about two-thirds of the Jewish people facing a terrifying annihilation. Look for yourself in that book and you will see these words, like Daniel’s and Jesus’, are pointing to the end of days, not the first century.
But keep in mind, that Jesus said nothing worse will happen than the tragedies that will be seen in the great tribulation. World War Two was bad and so was the first century, but unfortunately, something much worse will happen. That’s not good news.
Matthew 24:22 Nobody will survive.
“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved, but for the elect’s sake, those days shall be shortened.”
Let those words sink in. No flesh would be saved if God didn’t put a stop to it. The destruction will reach much farther than the boundaries of the nation of Israel.
Now that we’ve combined the words of Zechariah, Daniel, and Jesus we see near destruction of the Jewish people. Jesus said there won’t ever be anything worse. He quoted Daniel and every good Jewish believer would know where the words came from. Daniel and Zechariah put the words in context at the end of the age.
Let’s look at a few more words from Daniel.
Daniel 12:8-13
12:8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”
12:9-10 “Go on your way, Daniel,” he replied, “for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.
12:11-12 And from the time the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation set up, there will be 1,290 days.
12 Blessed is he who waits and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
12:13 But as for you, go on your way until the end. You will rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
The Abomination of Desolation
Daniel’s prophecy ties the sign of the Abomination with a final countdown until the end. Jesus already warned in this discourse that those who see the Abomination should run. The reason is not exclusive to the Roman destruction in the first century. Something worse than that and the Holocaust is on the horizon. Pray for peace but know that God’s Word will be fulfilled.
The great tribulation won’t be great at all, it will be horrible on a scale never seen before.
Let me know what you think.