Like many, I grew up with fears of encroaching cataclysm and disaster. Drawing on a patchwork of verses from Matthew 24 and Daniel 9, the preachers during my youth insisted humanity was hurtling towards a seven-year tribulation—presided over by a malevolent antichrist. This figure, dubbed the "Beast," would broker a deceitful peace treaty with Israel, only to betray them midway through, triggering global chaos culminating in the battle of Armageddon.
The apocalyptists loved to cite Matthew 24:21 from their dog-eared King James Bibles: "Then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
These messengers often prodded us with unsettling questions:"Do you truly believe God will shield you and your loved ones from the horrors of the Great Tribulation?" When I heard these kinds of things, it made me feel anxious and unsettled
The story line looked a lot different when I finally had a chance to study scripture for myself. I noticed that Matthew 24 was framed up differently than I thought. I could see it was specifically addressed to first-century Israel. After all, those men and women were living at the turning point of history. At that time, the Jewish nation was in "the fullness of times" when the kingdom of God had "drawn near" (Mark 1:15). They were witnessing things that "many prophets and righteous men desired to see and . . . hear" (Matthew 13:17).
It’s not difficult to see first-century Israel was on the verge of a covenantal transition—and some important choices had to be made. Obviously the consequences of failing to live up to the agreements that Moses instituted on Sinai would eventually arise. Take a moment to read the terms of disobedience in Deuteronomy 28 and you will see what might happen at the end of the old covenant (This is an idea that deserves its own blog post so I won't go into it here).
Along with rejecting Moses, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, other things were also in flux. Whther people knew it or not, the priesthood was changing (Hebrews 8-9), and the long-anticipated age of the Holy Spirit was set to commence (Numbers 11:29; Joel 2:28-32; Isaiah 59:21). Most significantly, the New Covenant was on the verge of being instituted (Jeremiah 31:31-33; Luke 22:30).
All of these dynamics were setting the tone as Jesus warned his first century audience about an encroaching "Great Tribulation." The messiah really didn't have the distant future in mind, or even the entire population of the earth when he made this address. Jesus was speaking to first century Jews—addressing the tumultuous era they were living in.
One of the ways that we know that this decree was directed to Jesus’ original audience is because it discussed those living near Judea. The Lord said,
"Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath" (Matthew 24:15-20).
Why would Jesus encourage Christians from around the world to flee to the Judean mountains or pray that the disaster would not occur on the Sabbath? How could this warning have a direct application to Christ-followers living in twenty-first century America?
Throwing off any confusion about the audience, Jesus declared: “I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.” (Matthew 24:34). The messiah's words are unmistakably clear. He was talking about a judgment that would transpire within 40 years of his utterance.
Luke, in his parallel account (Luke 21), makes this particular reading clear. He says the tribulation would be “in the land” and that the devastation would be “against this people.” This phrase—“the land”—is a common expression for “the promised land.” Also, one finds Judea and Jerusalem specifically mentioned in verses 20, 21, and 24. Naturally, Luke’s use of the phrase “this people” is also a clear reference to the family of Abraham.
Earlier in the text, Luke recorded the following:
"And when Jesus approached, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, 'If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you when your enemies will throw up a bank before you, and surround you, and hem you in on every side, and will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation'" (Luke 19:41-43).
Jesus' declarations about what was going on in Jerusalem should not be discounted or glossed over. The meaning of the Great Tribulation must be interpreted within these concerns. We should keep our readings within the context and scope of the text. There are indications in these passages that judgment was to be localized in first century Israel.
History reveals that immense trouble arose in Israel in the mid-60s under the Roman emperor Nero. At this same time, John the Revelator acknowledged he as a "partner in the tribulation" (Revelation 1:9). Israeli society and worship collapsed in AD 70, precisely a generation after Jesus addressed the people in Matthew 24:34. Tragically, Jerusalem was turned upside down. The historian, Josephus, reported that 1,100,000 Jews perished in these atrocities. The accouterments and forms of the old covenant system—the land, the city, the priestly records, and the Temple—were destroyed.
Keep in mind that the Great Tribulation referenced in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 transpired just as Jesus promised—before that first generation passed away—and is, unquestionably, a past event.
It has transformed my worldview to understand that tribulation is no longer in my future. From now on, I’m looking for restoration, not devastation.
How would this change of perspective impact you?
It was an interesting article but after reading all of Matthew 24, it shows that the Great Tribulation will be at the end of the world when Jesus comes back as stated in Matthew 24:29-31. The YLT states that immediately after the Great Tribulation, the sun and the moon will not shine and then Jesus will appear.
Well stated. A very convincing viewpoint and well explained. I don’t necessarily agree but loved your exegesis of this.