Pray for a Non-Winter Flight - Matthew 24:20

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus said, “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso reads, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!”, and in chapter twenty-four and verse twenty of his book, Matthew writes how Jesus said, “pray that your flight be not in the winter” where we read:

But pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

The verse reads, “But pray that your flight be not in the winter, ...” Matthew began with the words, “but pray” which means “moreover and offer supplications with earnest prayer” “that your flight” which means “that the fleeing and escape of the people who are living during the horrific times of which Jesus shared” “be not in the winter” or “not happen in the stormy, rainy, tempestuous winter season”. Matthew shared how Jesus instructed those who would be living in the time of the “abomination of desolation” to “call out to God” and ask that the time of their fleeing and escape not be in the “stormy winter season”.

The verse continues, “... neither on the sabbath day:” Matthew added Jesus' word, “neither” or “no and not in any way” “on the sabbath day” which means “on the seventh day of each week which was a sacred festival on which the Israelites were required to abstain from all work”. Matthew shared how Jesus instructed those who are living during the “abomination of desolation” should pray that it will not occur on the “Sabbath” or rest day of the week.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus instructed people to pray that the abomination of desolation would not occur during “winter” or the “Sabbath”. The “winter” would make fleeing and travel difficult, and the “Sabbath”, because it is a day of rest, would insure everything to be “shut down”. God's desire to “save” people in this time is another indicator that He wants to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus. Even when cataclysmic events happen upon the earth, He is concerned for the safety of those who put their “faith and trust” in Him. Let all who read these words be encouraged and warned by the loving and caring Almighty God.

Next time Matthew writes how Jesus says, “then shall be great tribulation”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.