Signs of His Coming - Part 2

Author: Joseph

Date: March 17, 2024.

Continuing His prophesy regarding what happens in the end of days, Yeshua details the coming of an abomination that they must flee from when it appears:

“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains…”

Matthew 24:15-16.

This abomination of desolation is spoken of this way in the prophesy given by Daniel:

“Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to many; yet they will fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days. Now when they fall they will be granted a a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy.”

Daniel 11:31-32.

The abomination of desolation will turn people to evil who already have their minds set against the covenant of God and he will overcome the people of God with violence and persecutions. This is why Yeshua says the people of God must “flee to the mountains.” For they must make their escape from this abomination and all the destruction he brings.

The expediency of fleeing that Yeshua describes is severe. The one who is on their rooftop must not go down into their home. The one in the field cannot get the coat that they took off before they began to work. Those who heed Yeshua and flee must have haste to leave everything behind to escape before it is too late.

Yeshua sympathizes with the great tribulation that will come upon them:

“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!”

Matthew 24:19.

The urgency of fleeing will be of great stress upon the vulnerable and the needy. The abomination of desolation will be merciless so as to even cause great distress during the cold of winter or on the sabbath, times that the people of God should be able to rest and reserve their strength (Matthew 24:20). What kind of distress was this abomination of desolation to bring? We already read above in the prophesy of Daniel that the abomination will cause many to turn to godlessness, but he will also pursue his enemies by the sword and by fire, plundering and capturing God’s people. But more than what has been done in times before, his persecution of God’s people will be incomparably worse:

“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short”

Matthew 24:21-22.

"...nothing will compare with what the abomination will do..."

This means that in all of history, nothing will compare with what the abomination will do in his hatred against the people of God. Nothing in the past, nor anything to come after it would compare. If his murderous rampage was to go unhindered, none of the people of God would live through it, but God plans on intervening and cutting those days shorter than what the abomination plans to do. Yeshua stated, without reservation, that this time to come would be a merciless extermination. And His followers would be vulnerable because of their weariness:

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold here is the Christ,’ of “There He is,’ do not believe him”

Matthew 24:23.

Those days will make His followers desperate for His return and many false Messiahs will rise up claiming that deliverance from the tribulation is near, but instead deceiving them to fall away from enduring. They will even be able to perform signs and false miracles in an attempt to create credibility to their claims (Matthew 24:24). But Yeshua calls His disciples attention to heed His words well, saying, “Behold I have told you in advance” (Matthew 24:25). He is revealing to them something crucial to their endurance: how to discern the many lies that are to come.

People will claim that the Messiah has come, misleading the wavering hearts into the wilderness and into hidden places, but they are not to be trusted (Matthew 24:26). When Yeshua returns, it will not be a secret return, but rather, a bold and undeniable appearance:

“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be”

Matthew 24:27.

His appearance will be an abrupt interruption to the chaos of the tribulation and just as the lighting shines across the sky when it flashes, His appearance will be unmistakenly known by all. There will be no denying when He comes because there will be no doubt of His appearance, no hidden sign to look for. It will be bold and it will be astonishing, unexpected by evil men and praised by the people of God. And when He comes, He will gather His own to Him:

“For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together” Matthew 24:28 (NKJV).

Just as the eagles are drawn to a carcass, so will His people be drawn to Him when He comes. They will not have to look for him in the wilderness or in the inner rooms as those who wish to mislead them will rumor. They will be drawn to Him, having known His coming very clearly. These will be those who endure, waiting on the Lord, and they will be restrengthened by His arrival:

“Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” Isaiah 40:30-31.

Do you think you have the kind of faith and endurance necessary to endure great tribulations such as those Yeshua spoke of? What will you do if you have to endure such persecutions from the abomination that seeks to kill and destroy all that is God’s? There was not and never will be another persecution like it when it comes. This warning directly from Yeshua needs to be taken with severity and humbly so that you can make up your mind to endure all the way until His return. Take time to meditate on this and ask God to help you prepare for such persecution. If you do not see the end of days during your life, perhaps even still you can be prepared for the persecutions you will face as a disciple of Yeshua.

Matthew 24:15-28

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org

Regarding quote from Matthew 24:28. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.