1996 Don Love Ministries ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Matthew 24:16-19,
Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains:
Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house:
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
And woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

"Then let them which be in Judea flee…." Who lives in Judea? Obviously, the Jews do. So when the Jews see the abomination of desolation (See booklet 4.), they will need to flee out of harm's way. Again, they will be driven into the surrounding mountains, into the same places their idolatrous ancestors would go to build "high places" (altars) on which to sacrifice to the idols of the people around them. They will be forced to flee into the mountains that have seen Israel's glory and her shame, into the mountains prophesied to see the final throes of her dispersion as her inhabitants flee for their lives from the great tribulation which is to try all the inhabitants of the earth.

We should also note the urgency of the hour. Those on the housetops and those in the fields are warned not to take time to take anything from their houses, not even clothes; it is time to flee!

To understand the spiritual significance of this warning, we need to be aware of the custom to which Jesus was alluding. The Israelites would often use areas on their rooftops as part of the family's living quarters. In the cool of the evening, it was not unusual to find the family on the housetop enjoying the evening breezes. Consequently, when He spoke of those on the housetops, He was symbolically referring to His slothful servants who would be at ease in Zion. Of course, those in the field represent those who will be doing what they consider to be the work of the Lord. Just what spiritual message the leaders in Israel are now preaching is not common knowledge to the rest of the world; but to any thoughtful person, Jew or Gentile, it should be obvious that the Jews have not had a true prophet in their midst since the time of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, there are already those in Israel who are working in the name of Jehovah God; and experience teaches us that where there are those who work, there are usually more who do not. At any rate, at the time of the abomination of desolation, those Israelites who are at ease and those who are busily engaged should "head for the hills"; and they should do so remembering Lot's wife!

Verse nineteen also has spiritual significance. "Woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days." Through Moses and the prophets, God taught the Israelites that their children were His heritage; and they were to teach their offspring of Him at all times unless they forget Him. Instead, rebellious Israel became a nation of dusty Bibles. More often than not, they would adopt the idol worship of the nations around them and give their sons and daughters to believe lies. At times, they would even offer their children as sacrifices to the false gods upon the "high places" in the mountains—the very same mountains to which they must one day flee (II Chr. 31:1).

(We have already touched on how speculation enters into the learning process. How, as you read or meditate upon the Scriptures, a thought or a concept comes to mind and you ask yourself, "Hey, could that mean so and so?" For this author, all speculations are grouped into one of three categories. There are those that agree with what Scripture I can find on the matter. These I treat as valid assumptions and they become a part of my doctrine. There are those ideas that just won't gel when scrutinized in the light of the Scriptures, those that come at variance with the Word of God. These I trash! But some speculations are in a class of their own. These are those that I can't find Scripture to discredit, yet I find little to substantiate them other than those passages that must be "spiritually discerned." These speculations I introduce in my teachings, but always with a red flag so the reader will know where I'm coming from. My comments on the next two verses will contain such a flag.)

(Matthew 24:20-21).
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

This passage picks up on the thought begun in verses 15 and 16 wherein the Jews are told that when they see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not, they should flee into the mountains with great haste—giving no thought to their belongings.

Before we go into our speculation, let's review some terms we've been discussing so they'll be fresh in our minds.

First, let’s look at the "ye" of Matthew 24 (See booklet 2.). The most obvious "ye" would be the disciples to whom Christ is talking here on the mount; but remember, through them He can be addressing the Church and/or Israel of another day as well. At the time of the discourse on the mount, they are Jews under the law or the fig tree (See booklet 5.); yet, one day very soon, they will be the founders of the new Church.

Then, there's Israel's wintering period. As we've already discussed, Israel's winter and their dispersion among the Gentiles are both labels for that period of time when they shall be dormant spiritually while the Gentiles are quickened and entrusted with the Words of Life. This dormancy has been in full effect since the birth of the Church at Pentecost (See Acts, chapter 2.). It will continue until the Church is taken up (the mountain being removed) and the fig tree is left alone on the planet as the only body believing in and seeking to worship the one True God.

We have already discussed Israel's Sabbath and its controversy among some scholars because of its emanation from the controversial seven-day doctrine (See booklet 5.); nevertheless, the concept is supported by many passages—this being one of them. With all this in mind, let's begin our speculations concerning the "fleeing" or "flight" of end-time Israel.

Matthew 24:20 reads, "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath."

Let's think now on the "ye" of verse 20. This was probably directed first to the early disciples, instructing them to intercede for end-time Israel. If you'll remember our study, the disciples had already got to pray that Israel's mountain would be removed. Regardless, the Messiah is seen here as speaking to the seed of Abraham that must one day go through the time of "Jacob's trouble," to the end-time Jew! "Pray ye," He is saying to those who will have just seen the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniye'l (Daniel the prophet)—"pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath."

Let's look now at the following illustration, which is a time line that includes Israel's flight. The time line is constructed on the thesis that, at the least, a loose interpretation of the seven-day doctrine is correct (See booklet 5.). In the illustration we again see the last three main peaks of prophecy (See booklet 2.), but this time entirely from Israel's perspective.

As per the illustration, the virgin birth signifies the end of the second segment of Daniel's seventy weeks (See booklet 1.): the sixty-two weeks unto the Messiah (Dan. 9:25). The cross at the summit of the first peak represents the "cutting off" of the Messiah (Dan. 9:26) and brings to an end the time of Israel's visitation. If the seven-day doctrine proves to be valid, then the valley connecting the first two peaks will span approximately 2,000 years; it is labeled "Israel's winter." The valley between the second and third peaks represents the 1,000 years of peace, and it is labeled "Israel's Sabbath."

Next, let's consider the last two peaks on the time line. Although the law in the hearts of men will function as long as men are born to the seed of Adam, the law as a dispensation has only one more "week" to function on the earth and that will be during the two final peaks of prophecy. (During the valley of the millennium, the dispensation belonging to Israel the palm tree [see booklet 2] will be in effect, for Israel will not be under the law, but under King Jesus.) From Daniel's perspective, because the peaks were so far off, the two 3 ½ year periods appeared as only one peak of one prophetic "week" or seven years—the final amount of time determined upon Israel the fig tree to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins. Although we don’t know if Daniel fully understood the two divisions of the final week (The matter was sealed until the time of the end [Dan. 12:8-9].), it was revealed unto him that the final "week" would be "troublous times." In Revelation, John presents these "troublous times" for Israel as two 3 ½ year periods of flight from Satan's henchman, the beast. In Daniel and Revelation the "week" is shown to be a full seven years determined upon Israel; yet, from the wording here in Matthew 24, Israel's flight may not be limited to just the two 3 1/2 year periods of the seventieth week.

Let's look again at our time line in illustration #7. This time we'll look at the two sets of question marks located at the ends of each valley of time. The larger question mark at the end of the wintering period is labeled "the tribulation" while the smaller is labeled "Israel's flight." The larger question mark at the end of Israel's Sabbath is labeled as the time of "Satan's release" while the smaller is identified as "Israel's flight."

The reason for the choice of question marks as symbols representing the tribulation, the time of Satan's release, and the two periods of Israel's flight is because the time of the beginning of each period is not known. And as to the length of the periods represented by the question marks, we are left in the dark there as well.

Let's look now at the first of the larger question marks, the tribulation period. If the first part of Israel's flight is to be extended, then it must spill over into this time of awful tribulation. Let's consider for a moment the nature of that tribulation. Although it is ordained of God, it will not come at His hands. It seems strange that the period of tribulation to precede the time of God's wrath could be more vicious than God's wine press of fury; but we are told that the time of great tribulation will be so terrible that it will not be allowed to run its course—that God Himself will have to intervene or no flesh will be saved (Mt. 24:22).

There is precedent for this in the Old Testament. God would often turn Israel over to their rebellion, to their sinful natures, so that their backslidings might reprove them and the grievousness of their ways might correct them. In the process, it seemed that their backslidings always put them into the hands of cruel men with devastating results. David's understanding of the viciousness of man was reflected in his choice of the three punishments offered him when he sinned in numbering Israel. David's response to his dilemma is recorded for us by Samuel the Prophet.

(II Samuel 24:14)
"...I am in a great strait, let us fall now in the hands of the Lord; for His mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man."

No such choice will be given the unbelieving segment of the end-time population; for they must go through both times of judgment; i.e., the cruelty of Satan and man and the fury of God. The only light in this menagerie of beastly woes will be the long-suffering of God; for through the time of tribulation up to the Rapture of the Church, it will still be His will for all men to repent and to be converted. The tribulation will be a tool to that end. A radical tool for sure, but this will be a time for radical measures.

Since we are concentrating on the times of Israel's flights, we will not say much about the fate of the Church in this chapter, only that the Church will go through the tribulation period. Nevertheless, it will be taken out of harm's way before Daniel's week, the day of God's wrath, begins (Ro. 5:9; I Th. 1:10, 5:9).

Keeping this in mind, let's go back now to our key verse.

(Mt. 24:20).
"But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day"

As we've already mentioned, this verse of Scripture is directed to the end-time Jew. Their Messiah is directing them to pray for the welfare of their little nation in the latter days. (Incidentally, this term "end-time Jew" speaks of the Jews at the end of their wintering period as well as those at the end of their Sabbath, which in many cases, due to the restoration of longevity, may well be one and the same). Let's first give thought to those at the end of their winter. For them, the 3 ½ years in the wilderness under the auspices of Almighty God will be bad enough. But to be fleeing in the wilderness any time before this at the mercy of Satan and man would be the direst of straits! It's possible that this is one of the reasons that this Gospel of the Kingdom must first be preached in all the nations before the end. Israel will be given the opportunity to pray that her flight be not in the winter; and if she will so pray, God will hear, for that is according to His Word! That is according to His will!

The history of Israel reveals a unique people often given to extremes: from King David, a man after God's own heart, to a generation who would do the will of their father, Satan; from the wisest man of Adam's seed, King Solomon, to generations of fools who would fall down before sticks and baubles to worship; from the very courageous wherein one man could put a thousand to flight to the cowardly who would sell out their soul and their family just to stay alive. It's from this stock, spread throughout the nations, that God is going to call a generation with which to finish His purpose with Israel and to fulfill His promise to Abraham. Consequently, in this end-time generation we can expect to see many of the good attributes that have graced Israel in the past.

In today's Israel we've already seen a courageous nation, one that will fight for what it believes. We've seen a new nation that is not ashamed to stand in the name of the one living God—a nation that is seeking to fulfill its destiny. If this were to be the end-time generation, we might also expect to find in its midst those who have studied the law and the prophets, those who have looked at the past two thousand years of their history and arrived at the conclusion that their nation has had a problem. In fact, their realizing that they have not known the power of God for the past twenty centuries, except as it has had to do with their regathering, might very well be seen as a part of their end-time "lamp trimming" (Mt. 25:7).

Israel is now in their wintering period because their forefathers rejected the Messiah promised to David and Abraham and the prophets, and what a Messiah he proved to be! He is right on schedule fulfilling the things the Father of Abraham gave Him to do. During His visitation, He displayed the power of God in His miracles; He exhibited the compassion of God in His healing and deliverances; He showed His own authority by laying down His life and taking it up again; and He fulfilled Isaiah's prophesy being a Light given unto the Gentiles (Is. 49:6).

He also fulfilled all the prophecies concerning the rejected Messiah. It was He that Isaiah spoke of when he wrote the following prophetic passage concerning our Lord and Savior.

(Isaiah 53:3-5)
"He is despised and rejected of men... and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our grieves, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed"

It was He of whom David wrote in the twenty-second Psalms,

(Ps. 22:16).
"For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked hath inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet"

On the cross He gave up the ghost—it was true—but death could not hold Him! The Spirit of God resurrected Him from the grave and He is now at the right hand of God the Father. The Captain of our salvation was made perfect by His suffering and He now sends His Spirit to continue the work of Jehovah God on the planet (Heb. 5:8-9).

Because Israel's forefathers played the devil's advocate at the time of their visitation, the prophecy of Malachi came to pass.

(Malachi 1:11)
"I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts."

If Israel would only consider the nations that for the past two thousand years have made a positive difference on the world's scene, they would see that they have been nations that have aligned themselves with the rejected Messiah of Israel. History records for us many such nations, but it also records for us many nations like Israel of old that turned from Him and lost their favored state.

Also, the Jew should consider that their God never changes. As He was in the days of Abram, Jacob and Isaiah; so is He still the God of the individual today. He is still the God of Jeremiah who promised, "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:13).

But Israel hasn't "found" the God of their father Abraham all these centuries; for like their ancestors who fulfilled Isaiah's prophesies of rejection, they, too, have not only brought the curse upon their own heads, but they have passed their yoke of darkness down to the next generation as well. Yet, God is still the God of Abraham. And for all who would know the truth of Abraham's seed, of the promised Messiah, of the suffering Messiah (led as a lamb, dumb to the slaughter)—Indeed, for all who will honestly inquire of God if the Jesus who has been the light of the Gentiles the past two thousand years is their Mashiyach (Messiah), God will make the truth known.

And there is a promise for that end-time generation of Jew who will be earnestly looking for their Messiah. In Zechariah 12:10 we read:

Truly, the end-time generation of Abraham's descendants through Isaac, the son of promise, shall stand in need of their Messiah, but not a "suffering Messiah." At the time of the end, they will need a defender who is strong in power and might! During the time of the great tribulation, they will need—and they will have a Messiah that will intervene lest all flesh, Jew and Gentile alike, be destroyed. In a day when all flesh will be tried, they will need a Messiah that will hear should they pray, "Oh God, don't let our flight be in the winter. Restrain Satan until it's time to go into the wilderness, into the place that You have prepared for us."

As for the Church, it’s already past time for action. The way things are looking, we're heading for the time of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 full speed ahead. The cry is being made: "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him" (Matthew 25:6b). If things continue in their present trend, we could very well find ourselves to be living in the final moments before the Clock of the Ages strikes the midnight hour. Granted, regardless of the prophetic hour, today’s Church should shake itself awake; but we’d best not discount that this just might be the time of which Jesus spoke when all ten virgins are to awaken from their slumber, trim their lamps, and prepare to meet their Lord.

The next passage in the chronological order of our study is found in Matthew 24:23-27. Because we looked at this passage when we considered the matter of the lying spirits in chapter eight of our study (See booklet 3.), let's move on now to the short declaration found in Matthew 24:28.

(Matthew 24:28)
"For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together."

Matthew 24:28 is one of the shortest prophetic passages in the Bible, yet it speaks one of the most awesome increments on the Clock of the Ages! Here we see the bones of Israel, the posterity of Abraham, being preserved for a unique work as per God's promise. Also, these bones have not only been preserved, but at a moment in time, God began gathering them together into a carcass just as promised. (This is not the first mentioning in the Scriptures of this end-time lifeless state of Israel. In Ezekiel chapter 37, we're given a vision immortalized by the old spiritual "Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem Dry Bones," which very accurately portrays the state of Israel at the end of its dispersion. In the vision we’re given a picture of a valley full of dry bones coming together and being covered with sinew, flesh, and skin. This depiction is a perfect portrait of the carcass of Israel being formed in the last days as God compels the Hebrews to gather in Jerusalem in preparation of the Kingdom Age [Ez. 37:14]). To add to the incredibility of this short verse of prophecy, the mighty armies of the world, the "eagles," have already been gathering around this carcass—a fulfillment of prophecy that defies all odds of happenstance, especially when we consider that all the other tribes of Abraham's era are just so much forgotten dust in the corridors of time.

And we should note the preciseness of the choice of language in this short passage. A carcass is a lifeless body; and, for the end-time, this describes Israel perfectly. A body they will be, we're told, but a body void of the Spirit of God. Spiritually, they will be dead, having no oil in their lamps.

And speaking of oil, this is the hook that God is using to draw the big nations to the Mid-east. The eagles (big predators) are ominously gathering around Israel because of the oil, and it's not as though they have a choice. A short time without the oil and the comfortable life style the industrialized nations now enjoy would be in jeopardy. The big nations are gathering there, with big guns, to protect their big interests—their share of the oil.

"For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Mt. 24:28). This is an end-time event that is fast coming to pass; and the gathering of the eagles has understandably added to the confusion and distress this much beleaguered little nation is experiencing—for it knows all too well that the big guns in the area are there to be used!

These two verses when combined with the passage just before them (verses 15-27) could very well give us the chronological order of Israel's end-time events. If so, then the order would be as follows:

(1) Israel will see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place (vs. 15).

(2) Israel will flee into the mountains (vs. 16).

(3) Israel (and the world) will be infected with false Christs, lying prophets, and the supernatural.

(4) Israel (and the world) will experience great tribulation of an unprecedented nature.

(5) All the big nations will be hovering around Israel .

(6) Then, some spectacular things will take place in the heavens that will effect the whole world—especially Abraham's offspring.

Let's take a look now at those spectacular things. First, the sun shall be darkened. How shall this come about? Will the sun weaken or will it be somehow blotted from view? If it were weakened, we would probably be warned of severe cold—but we're not. We do know, however, that volcanoes and burning oil wells on large enough scale could cause this dilemma. A few A-bombs on the side might help as well. Regardless of the cause, in the near future, it looks like ol' planet earth is in for some rough times, rough enough to blot out the light of the sun and the moon.

In Matthew 24:29-30 Jesus is also telling His disciples that the stars shall fall from heaven. Although there may be shooting stars at this time, we should probably view this statement as having spiritual significance. We find a similar verse in Revelation 6:13: "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shakened of a mighty wind." Hmmmh!?! If the fig trees represent Israel, who are these stars of heaven that have fallen to the earth?

That the fallen stars are Satan and those angels that followed him in his rebellion against God can be deduced from the twelfth chapter of Revelation. In Revelation 12:3-4 we read, "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth."

Then in Revelation 12, verses 7 and 8, we read more about Satan and his fallen stars or angels. "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found anymore in heaven."

Up to the end-time, even though Lucifer has lost his authority, it's apparent that he has had access to heaven—even audience with the Ancient of Days. We can see this in Job 1:8 when God called Satan forward and said, "Have you considered my servant Job?" Satan is also known as the accuser of the brethren as we see in Revelation 12:10, "...for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."

However, there will come a day that Satan no longer has access to heaven. And here in Matthew 24 in prophetic language Jesus is giving us the chronological feel of when this event will take place. After the five events just listed, " the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shakened" (Matthew 24:29b). We read of the results of this action in Revelation 12:12, "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them..." (Hey, they're glad to get rid of the varmint, but look out earth!) "...Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea!" writes John, "for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."

After all this, says Jesus, then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and then shall He send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet to gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Mt. 24:30-31)—and all this in the twinkling of an eye (1Cor.15:52).

Let's take a moment now and consider this trumpet for it is very significant. The trumpet of God shall be blown, but this time it will not be blown for Israel alone. Always in the olden days when God was ready for the Israelites to make a move in the wilderness, He would have Moses to blow the trump in preparation. Once again, the sound of the trump will be associated with their time in the wilderness under God's watchful eye; but this time, the sound of the trump will also be music in the ears of the Church for it will be the sound of their Rapture.

We're told that at the sound of the trump, Jesus will gather His elect from the four winds. Four is the number of the earth and wind is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. So, from the four corners of the earth (all of it), all who are temples of the Holy Ghost will be taken up. First, though, the graves must give up their bodies. In preparation for this, He'll gather the souls of the departed saints from one end of heaven to the other and have them reunited with their bodies, which will have been resurrected and glorified. We read of this in I Corinthians 15:51-52: "... We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." To the Thessalonians, Paul explained these events at the time of the Rapture thusly: "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Th. 4:16-17).

So then, for Israel, who has already suffered much for Christ's name's sake, there is much she must yet go through at the hands of unreasonable, hate-filled men and a furious Satan. But she should not despair for God never forgets a promise. Accordingly, Jesus tells us that after the tribulation of those days, just before the Clock of the Ages strike midnight, there shall appear signs in the heavens, not the least of which shall be Israel’s sign and the Church’s deliverance—for all these things shall take place, says He, AND THEN, THE RAPTURE

Since we've already covered in some detail the fig tree of Matthew 24, verses 32-36; let's go now to the end-time type given in verses 37-39, remembering as we do that certain events in history can serve as types for other important events on the prophetic Clock of the Ages.

Matthew 24:37-39,
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the Ark,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.

As we begin to examine the Old Testament types pointing forward to the second peak of prophecy, we need to note that there are three such types:

* the days of Noah,

* the days of Lot, and

* the exodus of Israel from Egypt.

In this passage Jesus is referring to the days of Noah and the flood by explaining that as it was in the days of Noah spiritually and morally, so shall it be when He returns. The account of the flood is recorded in Genesis Chapter six; and even though the event was major from man's perspective, God had little to say about it. What He did have to say, though, is pertinent. In the first thirteen verses He recorded the mindset of man, the two major sins that grieved Him greatly, and His response to their decadence.

Before we look at the first offense of man recorded in the passage, we need to recall the children of Adam and Eve. Of their first two children, Cain, the older, was not pleasing to God; and he slew his brother Abel whose offerings pleased his Maker. In Genesis 4:25-26 we read:

(Genesis 4:25-26)

"And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord."

We can deduce from the account of Cain and Abel that God had given commands to Adam concerning the offerings and sacrifices He required. This is because Cain's offerings of the efforts of his own hands were unacceptable to God; whereas, the blood offerings by Abel, God accepted. Instructions in righteousness given to Adam and passed on down through Seth and Enos would help to explain some of God's anger with mankind at the time of the flood. In this short passage we're told that God had grown weary of striving with man, indicating that whatever it was that He required of them, they were unwilling to do.

The first recorded disobedience of the pre-flood generation was the intermarriage of believers and unbelievers; i.e., the union of the descendants of Seth with those around him who had the heart of Cain. The writer of Genesis put it this way: "...the sons of God [the elect of God, the descendants of Seth, as well as the faithful of all ages for whom Christ shed His blood] saw the daughters of men…and they took them wives of all which they chose" (Gen. 6:2).

This command of separation was carried forward to the Hebrew children and to the New Testament Church as well. We are taught in the Scriptures not to be unequally yoked with the unbeliever for they follow a bully spirit of unbelief, a spirit that will wear down the believer and pull him away from his God. Generations of experience have proven this to be so; and for the descendants of Seth, their intermarriages with the unbelievers had brought them to the point that there was only one family left on the earth that feared God! (Gen. 6:6-8).

In this passage in Genesis, we're also told that every imagination of the hearts of men were evil continually. So much so that it repented the Lord that He had made man and grieved Him in His heart. This had to be one of the very low points in God's existence, and it demonstrates that His foreknowledge is not the same as preexperience. He knew this would come; but when the time came that He had to experience it, it grieved Him. Perhaps at this moment, He was made to wish that He had never made man with his total independence of thought and freedom of choice; nevertheless, even at the cross, He never lost sight of His original intent. In fact, when we grow weary of the static we receive as we try to live for Christ, the writer of Hebrews would have us to look unto Jesus, "...the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God" (Heb. l2:2).

Also, in the New Testament in I Peter 3:18-20, Peter gives us some insight into the heart of our Lord at the time of the flood. He tells us that this event wasn't something that Christ viewed from afar; but that by the same Spirit that resurrected Christ from the grave, Christ was with Noah during the time that he was building the ark. Through Noah, He was preaching and imploring the people to turn from their sin, to turn to their God, but to no avail!

As to the heart of man at the time of the flood, we're told twice in this short account in chapter six of Genesis that the world was corrupted and filled with violence. Here in the type given us in Matthew 24, Jesus adds a little more insight. He not only underscores the fact that those in the blood lineage to Christ were marrying unbelievers, but that they were "eating and drinking" as well. The word "eating" as used in the type is like "living to eat" rather than eating to live. At the time of the flood, apparently they were all caught up in the things of the flesh—especially those things that people get drunk to do; and this would serve very well as a type for the lifestyle of much of today's civilization.

The characters in this type are Noah and his family and the corrupted population of the world that perished in the flood. In chapter six of Genesis, it is said that Noah walked with God. Noah is the second person to have lived before the flood of which this was said. Enoch was the other and he was translated which would make him a type of the Church taken up in the Rapture. Noah and his family would be types of the seeds left to repopulate the earth. The fruit of their loins were destined to be the Hebrews (the blood lineage to Christ) and the Gentile populations. Sadly, those who perished in the flood would be types of the many, many, many unbelievers and scoffers that will perish in the end-time.

It's interesting how few were saved out of the multitudes living at the time of the Deluge. The scarcity of believers brings to mind the words of Jesus, "... strait [restrictive] is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Mt. 7:14).

Just as the Spirit of God was striving with the men of Noah's day, so is He in the world today. At the time of the flood, the call was urgent: come into the ark and be saved! Yet, they would not. When speaking of those at the time of the flood, Peter made this reference to those of our day.

(II Peter 3:3-7)

"...there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now by the same word, are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

But then Peter explains that even in the face of such rejection by His creation, that it is not God’s will for anyone to perish.

(II Pet. 3:3-7,9)

"...The Lord is not slack in His promises, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

At the time of the deluge, only one family was saved from the deadly waters of the flood; i.e., Noah and his family. And here at the end-time, when the Lord comes with the sound of the trump, again only one family will be drawn up out of the waters of judgment; i.e., the family of God—the blood-washed, blood-bought family of the Redeemed. At the time of Noah, the door of the ark was open to "whosoever will"—open until God said, "that's enough" and closed the door Himself. In our Age Christ, the Son of God, is the only door to the ark of God's grace. The door is still open to "whosoever will." It will remain open until the Father says, "that's enough" and sends the Son for the Family. Church, the world may not believe it, but we can count on it. "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." (Mt. 24:37).

In the seventeenth chapter of Luke, immediately following the type of Noah, Jesus presents Lot as a type for the end-time.

Luke 17:28-30,

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Like the people before the flood, the Sodomites were also given to "eating and drinking" (Genesis 18 and 19). In addition, the people of Sodom, Lot’s family included, were caught up in the things of the world. (Lot's wife didn't want to leave her possessions. She even looked back longingly, in disobedience, as the angels led them away from the doomed city; and for this she was turned into a pillar of salt.) Of course, the things of the world cost money even in those days; so, they bought and sold—the stock market was bullish—and they planted and builded—the commerce was booming!

In the story of Lot, we are told that Christ and two angels came to Abraham and Sarah and told them that because of the sin in Sodom and Gomorrah, they had come to earth to destroy the cities. The two angels then went on to Sodom to the house of "righteous" Lot and told him to get his family out and not to look back as they fled. They left; but, as we've said, Lot's wife did look back and was turned into a pillar of salt. Lot went on into the mountains with his two daughters who proceeded to get him drunk and to become pregnant by him.

All of this is not a pretty picture, but it is a type of end-time characters and events. In the passage Abraham is a type of the faithful, warned in advance of what was about to happen. Sarah is a type of Israel, the mother of the male child (Rev. 12:3-6), the "seed" (Gal.3:16). Lot is a type of the lukewarm Church, prepared at the last minute to "come out." Lot's children are a type of the children raised in the churches, raised in the atmosphere of Sodom. Lot's wife is a type of those in the religious world in love with the things of the world, hardened by the deceitfulness of riches. Of course, the angels are the Lord's harvesters, the instruments of His wrath. Lot's deliverance from Sodom is a type of the Church's Rapture, and the total destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah points forward to the total destruction of the ungodly sodomites during the day of God's wrath at the end of our age.

It's interesting to note that on the Clock of the Ages we find two complete sets of types representing the people who will be living at the end of our age: i.e., the Jews, the Gentiles (those without a covenant), and the Church. The two pre-flood types of Noah and Enoch make up the first set. In Enoch, who walked with God and was not (Gen. 5:24), we see the pre-flood type of the raptured Church. In the type of Noah and the flood we see the seed of Israel, and the Gentile remnant which will repopulate the earth during the Kingdom Age. (Just as the countless ungodly and depraved were destroyed at the time of the flood, so shall they be at the end of our age [See the book of Revelation for the particulars.]). On this side of the flood, Lot is the type for the Church, and the Sodomites are a type for the worldly and the depraved at the end of our age. Also, as we'll see in the next chapter, Israel and the Exodus function as a post-flood type of herself and her flight; after which, we'll make a comparison of the three main types.

The third major Old Testament type for the end of this age is the exodus of Israel from its bondage to the Pharaoh of Egypt (see Exodus chapters 1-14). There's so much in this type!

First, Moses is a type of Christ the Deliverer. Like Jesus, there were miracles around his birth. Moses was raised up out of the water; Christ was raised up out of the grave by the Holy Spirit. Moses renounced all that he could have had as Pharaoh's grandson; Christ refused Satan's offer of all the kingdoms of the world. Just like Christ, in his first attempt to liberate his blood kin, Moses was refused by his blood kin. He then went to his bride's father and waited for the word to go again to free his kin. When the word from the Lord finally came, he went in the power of the Lord and delivered them mightily!

Pharaoh is a type of the hardened and the reprobate. He typifies the political leaders of the world that will be on the scene as our age comes to a close.

Pharaoh's magicians are types of false Christs and prophets that will show signs and wonders at the close of the age; so much so, that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect. That we would know the real from the impostor by their fruit and not by their gifts and miracles has held true throughout our age, but this will be especially so at the end time. The spiritual activity during the final days will be dramatic and dreadful; nevertheless, after Satan's deceptions and after many plagues and deaths, Israel will be delivered from those who hate her.

Just as Israel of old plundered the jewels and gold of the Egyptians during the Exodus, the Old Testament prophets tell us that many cities will be left desolate after the Day of Judgment. These cities will be given to Israel as booty. Matter of fact, the wealth of the entire deposed world system will be at the Hebrew's disposal under King Jesus!

Also, the opening of the Red Sea to swallow Pharaoh's army is a type of the earth opening and swallowing the flood that will come out of the dragon's mouth against Israel as she flees for her life (Rev. 12:15-16). This time, though, there will be no forty years in the wilderness! At the end of the 3 1/2 year period, Christ will return and set up the kingdom promised to David.

It is interesting to note the similarities of all three types. The depths of the depravity of man, the harshness of God's judgments, and the deliverance of the remnants are very similar in all three. Also, If we'll look closely, we'll see a similar basic purpose for all three types. Along with having an element of judgment upon sin, the effect of each was to slow down sin. Also, each type was a witness to the world that God is, that He'll deal with sin, that He'll deliver those who put their trust in Him, and that He'll always save a remnant to perpetuate His purpose on the earth.

It’s also interesting that the types fit the cast of most of the signs given to the Church; i.e., the things in the types that the Church is to watch for will not be unique to the end of our age. Rather, it is their magnitude and intensity that we are to watch for. For the scoffers and doubters, this element of the signs only adds to their skepticism. Consequently, the end-time will be filled with those who will be saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (II Pet. 3:4). This attitude will undoubtedly spill over into the Church at the time of the great falling away so that even believers will be saying, "Oh, there’s always been that kind of stuff—no need to worry." But Church, we need to wake up. True, there has always been sodomy; but rarely has it been accepted into society as a "normal" way of life. There has always been violence, but rarely has it filled the whole earth and become an accepted form of entertainment. And there has always been evil, but the earth cannot sustain the every imagination of man being evil continually for a long period of time. At the time of the flood and of Sodom and Gomorrah, God had to intervene to put the course of mankind back on track; and as we’ve already pointed out, God Himself will have to intervene at the end of our age or no flesh will be saved. Just how God will intervene to save mankind from extinction, we do not know; but we do know that after the period of Great Tribulation, He will intervene on the behalf of His virgins (See booklet 8). In our next chapter, we’ll consider just how He will do this.