Should we, as Christians, ever ‘run and hide’? If so, WHEN?
Jesus warns of such a time. Jesus tells us, in Matthew 24:15, “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), verse 16. Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Verse 17. “Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. Verse 18. “Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. Verse 19. “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! Verse 20. “But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.
First, you should know that Jesus is speaking to His Jewish disciples who lived in and around Judea. They knew about the past destruction of the Temple and the significance of the events surrounding the Abomination of Desolation in 149 BC and the necessity to “run and hide”.
Also, Jesus is speaking of a ‘coming desolation’ which must be understood in the context of the verses which come before and after this statement.
Jesus begins by describing a past event in Matthew 24, verse 15, through verse 20, with an eye to the future. He is recounting the urgency for escape from the destruction of the first Jewish Temple and the slaughter of thousands of Jews, in 425 BC, comparing it to a similar event which will occur at some future date.
It would be easy to speculate, as many have, that the ‘future date’ was during the destruction of the 2nd Temple in AD 70. The problem with that, is found within the warning Jesus gives in verses 21 through 31.
Jesus speaks of a “a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will”.
He goes on to say, that, “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. A tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
Obviously, nothing on that scale has ever occurred. Jesus is speaking of an event which is yet to come and will occur after the destruction of the second Jewish Temple in AD 70.
Although we do not know the exact date or time, we can know the “season” and we are told to be prepared for what is coming, and we are told what to do when certain events occur. (Matthew chapter 24)
It is urgent that we are ready for what is coming, because Jesus tells us that “the SON OF MAN (is) COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
Unfortunately, most Christians are not to be bothered with “getting ready”. One has to wonder, do they not believe such fantastic things could happen or is it that they just cannot be inconvenienced?
Others, perhaps, just don’t understand what it means ‘to get ready’. They have been taught, or conditioned to think, that ‘getting ready’ is walking an aisle in a church and repeating a ‘sinner’s prayer’ is all that is necessary to ‘be ready’.
Some think getting ready means to “Go Off Grid” or becoming a “Survivalist” or a ‘Prepper’.
Please watch this short video excerpt, “Going Beyond ‘Off the Grid’” for one possible explanation why many Christians are not “Ready” for what is coming:
I would suggest “The Grid” is just another name for the “This World System”. So, “Going Beyond Off the Grid” does not just mean moving to remote locations and disappearing from view or becoming a “Survivalist” or a ‘Prepper’. Instead, as Jesus has said, although we, as Christians, are in this world, we are not of this World System.
DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE? DO YOU CARE?
Jesus warns against indifference and ignorance on these matters. He tells us, in Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Verse 37. “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. Verse 38. “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, Verse 39. and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Verse 40. “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Verse 41. “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
Verse 42. “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. Verse 43. “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Verse 44. “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
Verse 45. “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Verse 46. “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Verse 47. “Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. Verses 48 and 49. “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; Verses 50 and 51. the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
(Read Matthew chapter 24 and Matthew chapter 25).
Until the time comes, as spoken about in Matthew 24:15-20, we are to busy ourselves as disciple makers. But, even that does not excuse us from having contingency plans, “to be ready”, beyond these days.
BEING READY – WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Stay Alert –
Matthew 24:32 says, “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; Verse 33. So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”
Matthew 24:42 says, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. Verse 43. “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.”
Remain Vigilant –
Verse 45. “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Verse 46. “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Verse 47. “Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. Verses 48 and 49. “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’. and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; Verse 50 and 51. the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Stay Ready –
Matthew 25:1 says “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Verse 2. “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. Verse 3. “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, Verse 4. But the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.
Remain Faithful –
Matthew 25:14 says, “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. Verse 15. “To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Verse 26. “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Verse 27. ‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Verse 28. ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’
This is a difficult question and an elusive answer. But, what do you think? Is living a life of ease and luxury, wrong? Or, does it simply and gradually replace following Jesus?
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
(Please leave a comment about what you think)
Whitestone Fellowship 