Thought for July 23rd. “A TIME OF GREAT TRIBULATION SUCH AS HAS NOT BEEN …”

‘The Olivet Prophecy’ as most of today’s reading of Matthew 24 is known – is full of challenging language about events future to that time.   Jesus in this chapter gives clarity to his parable that we looked at in Ch.22:1-14. In verse 7 talking of the Jews Jesus said ‘when the king heard he was angry and sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city”. And so the roman armies destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the temple worship in AD70. Matt.24 is about the destruction of Jerusalem and ultimately the return of Jesus or “his coming’ 

The key question the disciples asked Jesus was, “What will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” [v.3]  Part of his answer is to say, “if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved, but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” [v.22].  The previous verse says, “there will be a time of great tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now” [v.21]  These verses speak of the very difficult times experienced by the faithful leading up to Jerusalem’s overthrow and the close of the Jewish “age”. 

Jesus said, “the powers of the heavens will be shaken” [v.29].  And so it was that the Jewish  governing powers or heavens were indeed shaken and the people dispersed throughout the then known world.

Verse 31 tells us the angels will be sent out to gather the elect!  The prophecy now 2000 years later after the return of Jesus Christ (V30) the angels are sent out to gather the remnant of Israel (elect) (Rom.11:25-28). Consider that Israel is also called God’s “elect” (see Isaiah 42 v.1, 45 v.4, 65 v.9,22) and they now exist again after 1900 years in oblivion, we suspect the reference by Jesus to “the elect” is primarily to them – it is for the sake of Israel that “those days will be cut short” – while the the angels are the glorified saints. (1Thess.4:15-17).

God will act for “the elect’s sake” but there may well be awesome events to occur as “the angels gather his elect” [v.31].  What will Israel’s situation be at this time of world crisis?  In Micah 7 v.18,19 are the words, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance … He will again have compassion on us”

For ourselves, let us live in a way that will ensure we are among “glorified saints ” spoken of as coming in the clouds of heaven (v30)  because we have established a relationship with him..