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The Great Escape

Thoughts on Luke 21:36

Well today is the August 22, 2007 and I was just thinking about some of the interesting things that happen to me sometimes. I, in the past, for at least 16 years, was pre-trib rapture because I didn't know any better and because I wanted to fit in with everyone else and because of the peer pressure to believe that message. I did not want to be an outcast. No one wants to be an outcast but as a person grows in the Lord they begin to realize that the truth and walking with God is more important than belonging to anyone's denomination or fitting in with any religious crowd. Of course if you are reading my material you know that I am of the post-trib persuasion and this brings me a certain amount of ridicule from a few that would mock me for it. The mockery and criticism from this used to be a lot greater than it is today mainly because God's people are beginning to realize that they need to study the Bible for themselves and not really depend on their Pastor to know all the answers.

I sometimes get emails from people that say things like; "I'll be waving at you when I leave". I have had some that say a lot worse things but I won't go into any of that. Recently I received an Email from a person that said this; Dear, Writer You stick around for tribulation, as for me I will listen to LUKE 21:36. Although most criticism doesn't have any emotional affect on me this one brought me sorrow. Not for myself but for the person that wrote this email to me. It is typical of so many to think that somehow they have a choice in how God intends to end the world. It also makes me sad that so many people skim the Word without studying the Word to find the truth. You would be surprised how many people do this without giving it a whole lot of thought to how much study it takes to comprehend what was written. One of the things to consider is the purpose for many prophecy scriptures and to whom it was written.

The scripture that I am talking about is the scripture that many call "the Great Escape" because this scripture to them is the very foundation of the belief in the pre-Tribulation rapture. And to some of them it proves without a doubt that anyone that believes otherwise must be a fool.

Let's go to the scriptures themselves: Luke 21:36: Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man

Remember that I said a person would have to study, well this is one of those areas that will require some of this in order for you to really believe what I am about to tell you. Some of this may be a bit confusing if you do not have knowledge concerning anti-types, types and shadow or gaps in time with God. It will be important to understand some of these things in order to understand the scripture that we have just given.

Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 are often called the Olivet Discourse because Jesus gave us an account of many things that were to happen in the future. The reason Jesus did this was because he wanted them to know the things that would happen in their lifetime and also to prepare us for things that are about to happen to the believer in our time. It would also be given to all so that they could basicly tell where they were at in history so that they could live and plan to do God's work accordingly.

The Olivet Discourse was given for another reason; they asked. It is important that if we want to have knowledge from God that we should ask and this is exactly what the Disciples did in this case because they were very curious as to what Jesus was talking about. It is also important to know the setting and why the Disciples were asking the questions that they asked. To assume that a person can began at Matthew 24:1 where Jesus is talking about the destruction of the Temple and be able to understand the questions that the Disciples asked would be a terrible mistake. This applies to Mark or Luke as well. Jesus had been teaching in the Temple for several days and retiring every evening with his disciples. This question was presented to Jesus after he had finished his last teaching at the Temple and they were running out of time. The question itself was covering almost every thing that he had been talking about during the last few days in the Temple, in particular the last day he taught. They had just left the Temple for the last time.

The things that Jesus talked about in the Temple concerned the resurrection from the dead, the final judgement of God, God's judgement on Israel and the destruction of Jerusalem along with the Temple. It is no wonder the Disciples were curious. You can almost feel their pain after hearing that the city of Jerusalem was going to be destroyed and as they looked at the Temple and how beautiful it was it was hard to understand how that God could allow this to happen. But Jesus only confirmed their fears over the destruction of the Temple but at the same time would comfort and warn them of the things that they themselves would endure for his namesake.

We will approach the very first question which was when shall these things be. This question was in regard to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. When was this going to happen? It would happen in their lifetime. Jesus said that this generation would not pass away until all things were fulfilled. This was concerning the city and the Temple not the coming of the Lord. But this story of the destruction of Jerusalem is an anti-type. It is a story of an event that will happen at that time but included in this story is another story of a similar event that will occur beginning and ending at a particular place in time. This is where we need wisdom. When Jesus spoke of the abomination of desolation he said; "he that readeth let him understand". This is why we need wisdom in order to put all of these things together and only God can help us to understand. Jesus will actually tell of an event that he had prophesied to the Jewish leaders. He told them that because of their treatment of his prophets that he had sent to them in the past, because of their rejection of him and his disciples and because they would kill some of his disciples in the future that he would bring them into judgement. This he would do and it would be a time of vengeance on Israel because of it. This is not speaking of vengeance on the whole world. To accomplish this judgement this is what he said that he was going to do: Mt:22:7: But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. He also told them that he would take the kingdom away from them and give it to another nation. This he was speaking of the Gentiles.

Now let's consider what happened. Forty years later in 70AD Titus encircled Jerusalem and destroyed the city. It is recorded that 1,100,000 Jews were killed and thousands were drug off and scattered into the nations of the world. But there is an interesting thing that happened that most people are unaware and not educated about concerning this event. Josephus and Eusibus recorded from that time period that all of the Christians living in Jerusalem at that time and those living around that area escaped to a city called Pella. Josephus in his writings about this marveled that before Titus came that Cestius Gallus brought his army to Jerusalem, surrounded and besieged the city. All who were inside the city was trapped including thousands of Christians. All of sudden without any cause Cestius Gallus withdrew his army. No one knows why, but when he did all of the Christians within the city walls escaped the city and went over Jordan to a place called Pella. Eusibus a writer from that time also confirmed this story.

When Titus came and encircled the city all of the Christians were gone they had obeyed the words of Jesus and God had made a way of escape for them at that time. They were also told to flee to the mountains and they did. One of these mountains was Mount Libanus. They escaped to other places but it was all according to the Word of the Lord. They had been found worthy. Some theologians today believe that instead of escaping to Pella that they escaped to Cochaba a city east of the sea of Galilee, but it doesn't matter to me. They all escaped this horrible destruction and went on to preach the gospel to the world. This all happened because they heeded the warnings of Jesus. Jesus told them that when they saw armies encompass Jerusalem to flee, not to waste anytime to get their coat or try and save anything but flee to the mountains for it would be a time of vengeance on Israel. This is what Luke 21:36 is talking about. That these people should pray that they would be found worthy to escape this horrible situation in Jerusalem and that they would possess their souls in doing so. To stand before the son of man meant to be justified through the blood of Jesus. Standing in his righteousness through grace in the day of Judgement.

To rightly divide the Word on all of this we must be able to sort according to prophecy what happened then and what is to happen in the future. The city was burned, the people were killed and driven into the nations just as he said. The Christians were spared and escaped this horrible thing because they understood and believed what Jesus said. The logic of many today could bring harm to thousands if we do not interpret scripture the way that Jesus intended it to be interpreted. This story of Jerusalem being surrounded is an anti-type of a true story with true events that will re-occur at a later time. The next time Jerusalem is to be surrounded by armies will be at the time the anti-Christ himself invades Israel. But there will be a difference. God's vengeance on Israel has already been fulfilled and it will not happen again. We are not looking at a repeat on God's vengeance on Israel but these events will happen in Israel. This will not be a time of vengeance but will be a time for the travail of Israel to bring forth her children. This is speaking of a spiritual thing. What God will accomplish through his driving Israel out of the land again will not be his vengeance but will be allowed to open the eyes of Israel to bring about repentance and acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ so that they can be saved. It is an entirely different purpose.

It is Gentile mentality to think that God takes some kind of delight in punishing Jews. Think on this a little bit, consider what I am saying. At the time Israel is invaded by the anti-Christ there will be thousands of Christians living there. This time God wants us to warn all of Israel to escape. Millions will but it won't be because of the pre-tribers. It will be because some people are willing to listen to what God says instead of trying to prove points of doctrines and criticizing those who are listening to the voice of God. The warning at that time is to those who are in Judea. Do you live in Israel? If you do, you need to think about this and consider the possibility of what you are going to do at that time. If you don't live in Israel you need to pray for those people because this event is coming and it will come quickly. The stage is being set in the Middle East everyday. God doesn't intended for it to be a snare or a trap but was telling us that it would be a trap to those who were not ready escape at the right time. I pray to God that people take to heart what I am saying and take it seriously. We are going to be held responsible for the garbage that we teach and for the carelessness that we encourage. We are not going to escape but will be involved in helping those people get out of the land when they are invaded. Millions will escape and it will be up to us to help. Please help me pray that God will open the eyes of the Church and enlarge their hearts to have a burden for the Christians and Jews living in Israel.

Yours in Christ,
Brother Tommie

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