Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 8/1/2007

Question
My husband is a pastor and was asked the following questions.  We have tried to come up with the answers but it is hard when neither of us have studied any theology or customs of these times.  But the questions are this:
In Matthew 24:19-20 what does Jesus mean when he is talking about the pregnant women and not taking flight in the winter or the Sabbath?  We think that the pregnant woman who is not a Christian would have her child ripped from her womb during this time.  But, we are unsure of the winter and the Sabbath.  The Sabbath maybe meaning days of inactivity.  Those times when no one is telling others of Christ and salvation.  Also, in Matthew 24:34, is the generation that He is talking of here speaking of mankind in general.  I know that the original Greek word here is genea which translates to "the whole multitude of men living at the same time."  To me, this would mean the whole world.  There will always be a group of people alive until after all the things Jesus spoke of are complete.  Please help clarify these things.  A new Christian has posed these questions and we do not want to lead them the wrong way.
Thank you

Answer
Hi Ronda,

Thank you for this great question.  I am sorry for the late response.  I hope that it will still help you.

Let us consider together what is happening in Matthew 24.

First of all the question that Jesus is answering is when then END shall be.  From a Jewish perspective, they were looking for the things that would end life as it is and bring in the Kingdom of Christ on earth.

Matthew 24:3
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Now Jesus speaks of a specific time period in verse 15, I will post several verses so you can get the context.

Matthew 24:15-21
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

This is speaking of a period of time called Daniel's 70th week, a seven year period of tribulation and judgment following the rapture and preceeding the kingdom.

Daniel 9:25-27
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.    26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.   27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.    

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Half way through this 7 years, the Anti-CHrist will sit on the holy of holies and declare himself to be God.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Jesus is warning the Jews that if they see this happen, if they see the Anti-CHrist sit in the re-built temple and claim to be God.... RUN!  THis is when satan will enter him and he will kill all believers who do not take the mark.

Revelation 13:14-17
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  16 And he causeth all, both small and great,  rich and poor,  free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:  17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Jesus sais woe to those with little babies because they will not be able to run away from the Anti-Christ fast enough.  Pray that it does not happen in winter because [people will be forced into hiding in the wilderness in the cold.  As Jews they are not supposed to travel far on the Sabbath day, yet if the Anti-Christ ascends to the temple, committing the abomination of desolation on the sabbath, then they will either have to break the sabbath to run or die.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don