Page 11 - February 2025 - Truth & Tidings

13 predicts that the worship of this man that day is great, so that none is like it: it
will be encouraged by the setting up of an is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he
“image to the beast” (vv11-18). shall be saved out of it” (30:7).
The setting up of this abomination Further indication of the dreadful sever-
marks the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week. ity of the suffering is in Mark 13:20: “And
It signals the commencement of three and except that the Lord had shortened those
a half years of unprecedented suffering days, no flesh should be saved: but for
and persecution for those who refuse to the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he
worship the image. The Lord declares hath shortened those days.” According to
the proper reaction of believers in Judaea Zechariah 13, “it shall come to pass, that
when this event takes place: “Then let in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts
them that be in Judaea flee.” They are to therein shall be cut off and die; but the
flee to the mountains for safety. They are third shall be left therein” (v8).
to let nothing deter or delay their flight.
The Severest Suffering (vv17-20) The Satanic Seduction (vv21-23)
“But woe to them that are with child, We have already seen that the arch-
and to them that give suck in those days! deceiver is always busy (vv5-6). But dur-
And pray ye that your flight be not in the ing this period of great tribulation, “false
winter. For in those days shall be affliction, Christs and false prophets shall rise, and
such as was not from the beginning of the shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce,
creation which God created unto this time, if it were possible, even the elect” (v22).
neither shall be” (vv17-20). Disciples of Christ are warned to not
The Lord expresses deep sympathy for believe anyone who says, “Lo, here is
expectant and nursing mothers during Christ; or, lo, he is there” (v21). They are
this period. All who anticipate this period exhorted, “Take ye heed: behold, I have
of suffering should pray that circum- foretold you all things” (v23).
stances be congenial to their flight and The major deception in that day will
that nothing will delay it. Why? Because concern a trinity of evil – the dragon, the
the affliction of those days will be greater beast and the false prophet (Rev 13). But
in intensity than anything people have the indication here is that satanic deceit
experienced or ever will otherwise experi- will be so pervasive that even true believ-
ence (Dan 12:1). ers in Christ would be deceived if that
A historical survey of Jewish suffering were possible.
confirms that no nation has been perse- The Great Tribulation will involve the
cuted as they have. The time predicted in
these verses will bring greater suffering vilest desecration, worst persecution and
to that nation than any period in their most rampant deception the world has
history. Persecution will exceed that ex- seen or ever will see. For believers of that
perienced in Egypt or during the Babylo- period, the assurance that it is curtailed
nian captivity. It will be worse than was will bring tremendous comfort. In the re-
inflicted by Antiochus Epiphanes. It will mainder of Mark 13, the Lord directs their
be more severe than the Russian Pogroms, attention to His coming as the Son of Man.
the Nazi Holocaust and present-day anti- In our next article we will conclude our
semitism. As Jeremiah puts it, “Alas! For study of the Olivet Discourse.

TruthandTidings.com I February 2025 43 43