Okay, last time I started to go on, but took a moment to back up and say a little about the term "Great Tribulation" or rather "huge pressure." Today, I'd like REALLY to go on with the investigation of the Olivet Discourse found in Matt. 24 (and 25), Mark 13, and Luke 21:
But pray so that your flight may not be in [the] rainy season (“winter”) nor on Shabbat (the Sabbath); for then those days shall be the huge pressure - no - nor has been its like since [the] beginning of Creation of [the] habitable world which God created until the present - no - nor ever shall be, and if [the] Master had not shortened those days, there would not have been any flesh rescued. But on account of the chosen [ones] whom He chose, He has shortened the days [and] those days shall be shortened.
Now, we have a "promise" given to us in Yeshua`s words, namely that the time of the "huge pressure" will be "shortened," so that at least someone would be rescued. What is He talking about? Some (in fact, almost all) have suggested that the actual period (usually of 7 years) will be shortened to something somewhat less, i.e. 6.5 years or 6.6 years or 6.7 years or ...(?)
Others have suggested that the days themselves are shortened from 24-hour days to something less, like a 23-hour day or a 22-hour day or ...(?)
After investigating it and comparing it to the rest of this discourse, I don't think that either of these is what He meant. I now believe that Yeshua` was saying that during the 2000 years of pressure that would be put on the Jews, believing or nonbelieving, that there would be periods of rest in between periods of pressure. It wouldn't be a constant pressure under which there'd be no escape. In other words, He shortened the number of days of pressure or distress WITHIN the time period it would take to get their attention, their submission, and their cry for His help. Yeshua` didn't say that the time period would be shortened, just the DAYS would be shortened.
We now call such periods of pressure by various names: persecutions, inquisitions, Crusades, pogroms, and the Holocaust under Adolf Hitler's domination in Europe. Lately, I believe that the terrorist attacks in Isra'el fall under this category, as well.
For huge distress will be upon the Land and violent passion in this people. And they shall fall by the edge (mouth) of [the] sword and shall be led away captive into all the Gentile nations, and
Now, He zeroed in on the near future for His listeners again. This time, the "huge distress" is more of a "huge constraint," or "huge necessity" or "huge compulsion" or "huge duress." The Greek words are "anagkee megalee." I believe this is talking about the tyranny of the Roman Empire on the Jews, especially following the suppression of the Bar Kokhba Revolt of 132-136 A.D. when all of the Jews were ordered out of their Land. More can be read at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Kokhba_revolt.
And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here's the Messiah!’ or ‘Here [He is]!’ or ‘Look, there!’ Don't (you) believe (it)! For lying Messiahs and lying prophets will arise and will produce great signs and miracles to the deception so as to mislead if possible even the chosen (ones).
Do you see how close Matthew and Mark are within these words? All of the orange is spoken in both accounts; the little bit of red was recorded solely in Matthew and the little bit of gold was recorded solely in Mark. Again, one should be able to see that this is written primarily to the Jews; who else would be looking for the Messiah to come? Some non-Jewish believers might be looking for the Messiah - the Christ - to come, but not as diligently as the Jews, believers or nonbelievers, would be in the first and second centuries. This is why the Bar Kokhba Revolt, led by Simon bar Kokhba, happened!
He was just a man who came along that some claimed could do miracles, and one person called him the Messiah. But, he ended up making so much of the claim and belittling God in his prayers ("We pray Thee, do not give assistance to the enemy; us Thou needst not help!" This was found at http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2471-bar-kokba-and-bar-kokba-war.) He started to believe his own press, and thought he didn't need God's help.
However, people will generally only follow one leader at a time, and Yeshua`s words said there were "lying Messiahs and lying prophets" plural! So, the time He was implying was at least through 136 A.D. and probably more time than that!
But ye, watch out! Look, I have forewarned all (things) to you! Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look! [He’s] in the wilderness!’ don’t go out there! ‘Look! [He’s] in the chambers!’ Don’t you believe [it]! For as the lightning flashes out from [the] east and shines as far as [the] west, so too the Revealing of the Son of Man shall be. For wherever the carcase may be, there the vultures will be gathered together.
Here, Yeshua` was emphasizing His warning to His listeners, and warned them not to believe people when they said that the Messiah was out in the wilderness or within a closet, and revealed that His coming - His return - His uncovering would be as apparent as seeing the lightning flash at night in the east and light up objects in the west! It would be VERY obvious when the Messiah actually did return!
He also gave an analogy that is a simple metaphor: "Wherever the carcase may be, there the vultures will be gathered together." It's not that difficult to understand: the Jews, believers or nonbelievers, were the carcase, and the Romans and Roman sympathizers or whoever were attempting to mislead the Jews with the promise of "Here's the Messiah" were the vultures.
That's enough for now.
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
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