http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/june2013/garryb61-3.htm

Dear John, Garry B, and Doves:

There are some chronological problems in the posting linked above which, I believe, lead to some incorrect conclusions.  In Matthew 24, Jesus gave us a chronology which maps perfectly (surprised?) to the further revelation given by John.  Jesus said there would be the "beginning of sorrows" which would be characterized by deception, wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes.

Then there would be tribulation and martyrdom by all nations, then a second wave of deception (false prophets), lawlessness, and the preaching of the "gospel of the kingdom" to the whole world.  All this happens, and "then the end will come."  Clearly, all these events ramp up to, but happen before, "the end."  This activity also all occurs before the 'abomination of desolation' and it is all explicitly mentioned within the first 20 verses of Matthew 24.

At verse 21 Jesus says, "For then there will be great tribulation, such has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be."  Jesus Himself said that the events listed above came BEFORE the "great tribulation" and He also said the "great tribulation" would be a period of unprecedented and unrivaled severity.

Compare this passage to Revelation and you will see that the "beginning of sorrows" maps exactly to the effects of the Four Horsemen.  Matthew 24:9 maps to the Fifth Seal, and the "great tribulation" maps to the wrath of God which is seen by men as having arrived when the Sixth Seal is opened.

Revelation 6:8 speaks of "a fourth of the earth" but does not specify that it's geographic.  It could just as easily (and with no violence to the text) be a fourth of the earth with respect to population, instead of a fourth of the earth with respect to real estate.

Luke 23:28-29 has a correlating passage in Matthew 27:25 - Pilate offered the mob Jesus but they preferred Barabbas ('Bar' means 'son of' and 'abbas' means 'father' - so literally 'son of father' which describes any man; equivalent to "John Doe") and when asked about Jesus and claiming innocence in the deed, the mob responded to Pilate with "His blood be on us and on our children."  Jesus may have been referencing that in Luke, that the Jews had called down a blood curse on themselves.  It is believed by some that the curse fell on that generation in AD 70 with the Roman seige and destruction of Jerusalem.

In Luke 21 Jesus was clearly referring to a period of severe judgment, but it is an error to say that the "great distress in the land and wrath upon this people" is the same as THE "great tribulation."  It is also clear just by reading Matthew 24 and Revelation that the Four Horsemen come before the "great tribulation."

In Revelation 6:12 there is a great earthquake, the sun becomes black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon becomes like blood.  These signs clearly happen before "the great day of His wrath."  In Matthew 24:29-31 we see the same signs AFTER the great tribulation.  Obviously the same signs are used twice by the Lord:  first to indicate the beginning of the "great tribulation" and then to indicate the end.  Rather like bookends - error and confusion is the result if one attempts to make these two verses point to the same time.

Best,

Steve
Anakypto Forum

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