Signs of the End
For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. Matthew 24:21 · Berean Standard Bible
Jesus says the suffering during that time will be worse than anything the world has ever experienced or ever will again. It's the darkest moment in all of history.
As terrible as this sounds, the next verse brings a crucial ray of hope. God is still in control, even in the worst of times.
Jesus speaks solemnly about the unprecedented severity of the coming tribulation.
It's a terrifying prophecy, but Jesus doesn't leave you there. Even in describing the worst of times, He's about to remind you that God's love sets limits on suffering.
Jesus describes 'great tribulation' (thlipsis megalē) unmatched in all of history — 'from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again.' This superlative language echoes Daniel 12:1 and indicates an unprecedented period of suffering.
Whether this refers primarily to 70 AD, to a future tribulation, or to both in typological fulfillment is debated among scholars. The language of uniqueness suggests a singular, climactic event.
Jesus describes the magnitude of the coming suffering in the strongest possible terms.
Jesus describes suffering beyond anything the world has ever seen or will see again. It is the darkest chapter in human history, but as the next verse shows, God sets limits on even the worst darkness.
19How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!
20Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath.
21For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again.
22If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
23At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
Read all of Matthew 24 — The disciples ask when the end will come. Jesus answers with wars, earthquakes, and a warning: stay awake, because no one knows the hour.
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