Matthew 24:21 a tribulation such as has never been before

In the previous blogs we saw how dire the situation is in Israel at the start of the great tribulation. There will only be a short time to flee the country, but if one does not take advantage of that opportunity, it will no longer be possible.

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever will be.

labor pains
What we read here is terrible and if we do not have a view of the gospel, we could easily stare blindly at it. We saw earlier that these things must happen (:6) and that they are compared to labor pains (:8). We often find in Scripture that this affliction is compared to labor pains (1 Thess. 5:3) and even the suffering of the entire creation is said to be like that (Rom. 8:22).

We may keep in mind that God uses these things to accomplish His great plan for His people and that labor pains are necessary to bring forth new life: a new creation!

Daniel
Earlier in this speech, the Lord referred to the prophet Daniel, when He said that Daniel had spoken about an idol that will stand in the holy place and that this is the sign that the great tribulation will begin very soon. The words of Jesus in Matthew 24:31 are also taken directly from the book of Daniel.

Daniel 12
1 And at that time Michael shall stand up, the great ruler who stands over the sons of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time (…)

What is called great tribulation in Matthew 24, is called in Daniel: a time of trouble. Jeremiah 30:7 speaks of a time of trouble for Jacob. We also read here that this great tribulation has a national character. Daniel is told that it concerns your people, the Jewish people.

Michael
Notable is the mention of Michael in Daniel 12:1. He appears at the beginning of the great tribulation. Michael is the archangel (Jude :7) and also marks the event of the snatching away (1 Thess. 4:16). These events also take place (approximately) simultaneously. They follow each other closely.

But that is not all. In Revelation 12 we find a depiction of the rapture. A woman gives birth to a male son and this son is snatched away to God and His throne (:5). This takes place immediately before the 1260 days of the great tribulation (:6). This sign is a symbolic representation of the snatching away of the ecclesia.

At that same moment there is war in heaven, Michael and his angels fight against Satan and Satan is cast out of heaven. The ecclesia takes its heavenly position and Satan and his angels are cast out of heaven (Rev. 12:7-9). Thus we find a number of events within a specific period in which Michael plays a major role and these events are connected to each other.