Matthew 24:17-27 (NKJV)

Matthew 24:17-27 (NKJV)

Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For 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. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

These warnings describe the severity of the situation.

Great tribulation: Some may say the world always has had troubles; however, this period of testing will be greater than anything before or after it. It is unique (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 3:10).

Those days will be shortened (cut short) refers to the seven year period, especially the last three and a half years of the Tribulation. If the Tribulation had not been limited to seven years, all humanity would be destroyed. Note the “good news” of the kingdom in vv. 13, 14 (Zech. 14:2–4). Christ will intervene and stop a genocide.

Miracles by themselves do not prove something is of God (Matt. 7:21–23, 2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 13:13–15). Miracles must be tested by correct doctrine (Deut. 13:1–5; 1 John 4:1–3) and the witness of God the Spirit (John 10:3–5, 27).

It is impossible for Christ after His death and resurrection to be in some desert or inner rooms because when He comes again His coming will be so spectacular it will be impossible to miss. It will be self-attesting (v. 30).