Flee For Your Life

"Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), 

 then let those who are in Judea flee upon the mountains. 

Let the one on the housetop not go down to take the things out of his house. 

And let the one in the field not turn back to take his clothes. 

But woe to those women who are pregnant, and to the women nursing a baby in those days! 

But pray that your flight may not take place in winter, nor on the Sabbath. 

For then there shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until now, nor by any means shall be. 

And unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, those days will be cut short. Mat 24:15-22

For wherever the carcass may be, there the eagles will be gathered together. Mat 24:28.

Double Prophecies

Matthew 24 can be divided this way:

1. Verses 1-8 - life, in general, will be worse than normal just before Rome's fatal attack (or just before Christ's return). 
2. Verses 9-14 - Christians will become the "scapegoats" for the problems in Jerusalem (or anywhere in the world just before Christ's return).  
3. Verses 15-28 - The fall of Jerusalem (or the return of Christ). 
4. Verses 29-34 - Destruction at the hands of the Roman army (or the rapture of the Church.
5. Verses 35-51 - Examples of lifestyles before the fall of Jerusalem (or before the Rapture).

It has been observed that there are prophecies in the Bible which serve as a prophecy of things close at hand as well as a distant prophecy.    One example of this is the birth of Isaiah's son.  That birth was predicted before the baby was born (Isa. 7:14-17) but then, about 700 years later, Matthew took that prophecy and applied it to the birth of Christ.

It is obvious that the words of Christ, as recorded in the first part of Matthew 24, must be applied to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.  Nevertheless, they also serve as a warning to future generations. there could ... have been “a more remote” reference to events lying far in the future, in which there would be a more complete fulfillment ... of the meaning of the words. Barnes.  The secondary message is, Christ will return unannounced and as quickly as a bolt of lightning.  After that, there is no time for repentance. 

Rome Attacks Jerusalem

From the time of Moses, the Jews were under strict orders not to make any graven images of any life form.  

when you see the 'abomination of desolation ... standing in the holy place.  When the Roman army invaded Jerusalem they were, of course, carrying their "standard" which had an image of an eagle on it.  The Romans took their "standard" directly into the temple, and to the Jews, this was the ultimate in sacrilege.  

This is what Daniel's prophecy was about - the abomination ... standing in the temple.  This happened before Rome actually intended to destroy Jerusalem.  They wanted to honour Ceaser by putting his ensign into the Jewish temple.

Essentially, the abomination of desolation speaks of the ultimate desecration of a Jewish temple, an idolatrous image in the holy place itself, which will inevitably result in the judgment of God. It is the abomination that brings desolation.
The abomination of desolation is “the object of religious nausea and loathing who has to do with desolation.” (Wuest) Guzik.

Let the one on the housetop not go down to take the things out of his house.  In the Eastern nations, it was common for houses to have flat roves.  These were used in a similar way we use our patios - to catch a few refreshing, cool, evening breezes.  Christ warns the believers He is talking to when you see the army coming, run for your life.  There are a lot of caves in the mountains; go hide there.  If you happen to be on the rooftop when you see the army approach, don't take the time to collect your belongings - just flee.

woe to those women who are pregnant.  Religious history shows that the Roman soldiers were particularly ruthless to women, and so women "with child" or with a baby in arms did not stand a chance at escaping.

pray that your flight may not take place in winter because, without shelter, you will probably freeze in the higher altitudes of the mountains or you will starve to death because you will find nothing to eat.

pray that your flight may not take place on the Sabbath - This is not because the Lord is hung up on the law that allows only a Sabbath days journey (2/3 mile) on the Sabbath.   It was the Jewish leaders who would vehemently condemn those who broke their law. 

For then there shall be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until now.  Reading the history that Josephus wrote about Rome's invasion of Jerusalem, at times, is so repugnant that it is very difficult to continue reading. 

unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved.  History says that Titus laid a siege against Jerusalem to starve the inhabitants of the city. However, because of military problems in other parts of the Roman empire he lifted the siege and, for awhile, the Jews were free to leave the city and escape - so some were saved.

The elect are "God's chosen people - the Jews".  

For wherever the carcass may be, there the eagles will be gathered together. Christ did not see the Jewish religious leaders as being alive; they were like a carcase and so He said, Jerusalem is where the eagles (the Eagle was the Roman symbol as it is America's) will gather together to devour the spiritually lifeless Judeans.