Matthew 24:15-22

Matthew 24:15-22

Therefore, whenever you all should see the horrible thing that defiles having stood in the holy place that was being spoken about through Daniel the prophet – let the one who reads understand – then let the ones in Judea flee into the mountains.  Do not let the one upon the rooftop come down to carry off the things of his house.  Do not let the one who is in the field return behind him to carry off his cloak.  And woe to the ones who have a child in the womb and the ones who nurse in that day!  And pray in order that your flight should happen neither in winter nor on the Sabbath.  For at that time there will be great persecution – the kind of which has never become from the beginning of the world until now nor should surely not become.  And unless those days should be reduced in number, all flesh is not being saved.  But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The phrase “the horrible thing that defiles” – sometimes called the abomination of desolation – is a Hebrew phrase that is largely transliterated into the Greek.  It is not a Greek phrase, it is a Hebrew phrase derived from Daniel 12:11.  It is a difficult phrase to understand, because it is from a prophetic book in which Daniel is clearly speaking about the future.  Many people have interpreted the Daniel reference to Antiochus Epiphanes, who around 170 BC captured Jerusalem, erected a statue of Zeus in the temple, sacrificed a pig to Zeus, and then converted all of the priests chambers in the temple into temple prostitution chambers.  Yes, he knew what he was doing and he was being intentional about how much that would offend the Hebrew people of that day.  While that absolutely makes sense as the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy, you will notice that when Jesus is speaking here He is speak about the future, not the past.  Jesus is telling His disciples that once more the temple would be defiled.  However, in this great defiling there won’t be a purification or a cleansing.  There won’t be a Judas Maccabaeus to drive off the foreign influence and cleanse the temple.  Jesus is using a point in Hebrew history to help His disciples understand just how bad things will get in the world against God.  Jesus is setting the stage for an ultimate rebellion – a time when the world turns away from God and is in full and utter rebellion.

How do you think those days will feel?  What may likely be the internal motivation for turning away from God and His ways?  How can the answer to that prior question help us understand the true spirit of rebellion present in all human beings?

Second Thought:

Notice Jesus advice in those days.  Jesus says that when great persecution comes, flee!  Don’t try and save your stuff.  First of all, you can’t ultimately take your stuff with you into the life to come anyways.  Second, your stuff will just slow you down as you try and escape persecution.  Third, as we often see, people who turn to protect their things often get trapped.  Then a siege starts, and the person who has hunkered down to protect their stuff is now on a limited supply of resources and a waiting game ensues.  This is why Jesus tells people to flee.  When great persecution comes, get out and get out quickly!  Get out as quickly as you can.  You can always rebuild and re-gather supply so long as you aren’t trapped.  But if you become trapped by your stuff, then life becomes a downward spiral of waiting for the end.  I find Jesus’ advice here to be incredibly wise.  So often our gut instinct when persecuted is to dig in our heels and adamantly stay with fierce resolve.  But in most cases it is better to let go, flee, and start over somewhere new.

Do you agree with Jesus’ advice here?  Why is there usually a strong human tendency to stick around and fight?  Why is it often easier to flee and rebuild in safety than stick around and battle fiercely for every inch?  Even if we hunker down and battle, what is likely to be the emotional and spiritual state of those who might come out victorious?

Third Thought:

Finally, notice the urgency about which Jesus speaks.  When the end comes, it will come swiftly.  It will be upon us almost before we can see it coming.  Those who are paying attention will know and see the signs.  But even those won’t have time to protect all that they have.  As Jesus speaks these words He speaks very much in the tone of urgency.  We should realize this.  This is why it is important to pay attention and keep alert.  When persecution comes, often the speed of our reaction and the urgency in our plan will determine our options and how much damage we endure before we get ourselves clear of the persecution.

Do you hear the urgency in Jesus’ words?  Why do you think Jesus would want to stress urgency in this passage?  In the end, as we look at this point and the second point that I make, what do you think about Jesus’ position to flee and not fight?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 24:23-28