17“Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22Unless 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.”
The coming time of tribulation will be severe, Jesus warned. The difficulty will be unprecedented in the history of the world. So extreme will life be that God will cut the trajectory short lest all human life be lost.
Images of the ancient prophets’ warning of God’s wrath must have been evoked in the minds of Jesus’ hearers. During the time of King Josiah, for example, Zephaniah spoke God’s word, “ ‘I will completely remove all things from the face of the earth,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will remove man and beast; I will remove the birds of the sky, And the fish of the sea, And the ruins along with the wicked; And I will cut off man from the face of the earth,’ declares the Lord” (Zeph 1:2-3). But in tribulation, there is mercy, “Seek the Lord, All you humble of the earth who have carried out His ordinances; seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger” (Zeph 2:3).
God’s message of warning was a reflection of His mercy. Jesus mercifully warned people of God’s coming wrath, not because He was uncaring, for if that were the case, judgment would come unannounced. God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9), and He shows mercy by warning of His anger.
Who were those that Jesus was speaking about who would experience this tribulation? This refers to the seven year tribulation period, that is, Daniel’s 70th week. Jesus’ immediate audience would not be going through that experience, as it turns out. It could be, as seen in our previous meditation, that the 70th “week” of Daniel (i.e. the seven years) was delayed, and it would be another generation of believers that would experience it. However, Scriptures like 1 Thessalonians 4 would seem to indicate believers will be removed from the earth before the tribulation period. Jesus could be referring to people who would come to faith during that seven year period. These things are debated among Christians today. Be that as it may, as with the prophets of old, Jesus likewise predicted God’s judgment, and that we can count on. He will vindicate His holiness and righteousness.
Father, when I think about Your terrible judgment and anger against sinners, I thank You that You have already rescued me from that awful fate.
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