The Key to Understanding Scripture

by James B. Hartline

© 1998

To understand the Bible, we must first find the "key" which unlocks the Scriptures and makes them clear to us. That "key" is not a complicated matter. It is simply to find the context in which the Scriptures are written. That is done by reading well before the Scripture and continuing to read well past it. Once the proper context is established, the Scriptures become much clearer and easier to understand.

I recall a time, when I was much younger, and had just begun to search out truth in the Bible, that I spent an entire Sunday afternoon reading a Scripture over and over, trying to understand it. I was so determined to be sure of what it was saying, but it was still not clear. Then I stopped and prayed, and I started reading it again. Only this time, I started one paragraph earlier and it was very easy to see its meaning. At first I felt as if I had wasted the whole afternoon, but then I realized, that I had learned a very important principle.

The Bible is not a book of great mystery, if we take the time to read more than just selected verses. However, it does require diligent study to understand some of the truths to be found there. When we study enough to dig out all the facts on any Bible subject, we will have a good understanding of what God is saying to us.

What specific facts about the "great tribulation" are recorded in the Bible, which will give us the context of these Scriptures in Matthew 24?

Journalistic Approach

Anyone who has studied journalism will know that to be thorough in reporting on anything, his story must contain, at least, the answers to these questions: "Where?" "Who?" "Why?" "When?" "What?" and "How?" So let us apply this journalistic principle to our investigation of these Scriptures concerning the "great tribulation." Let's find answers from the Scriptures to the following questions:

What?

What does the Bible say that the Great Tribulation would be like?

This is clearly answered in Luke 21:23-24, which states that it will be vengeance, and great distress, in the land, and wrath upon this people, the Jews. They would be killed by the sword and their survivors led away captive into all nations. According to Matthew 24, nothing has ever been this bad before and will never be this bad again. This means that it can only happen ONCE. Note also that this prophecy was only for Judea, NOT for the whole world.
Read our next page and you will see.

Where?

Chapter twenty three of Matthew's Gospel begins to set the stage for Chapter twenty four. The first "key" to the location of the "Great Tribulation" is found in Matthew 23:37-38: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."

In the foregoing Scripture, Jesus was addressing Jerusalem, and pronouncing a sentence of desolation upon the city and the temple (their house of worship).

Luke 21:20-21 is another "key" to where this "Great Tribulation" would occur. "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh, then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto."

Here we see again, that this "great tribulation" is to occur in Jerusalem, which is in Judea, and that those who are outside Judea (anywhere outside) are not to enter into it.

Jesus told His disciples to depart out of it (Judea) in order to escape the judgment which was about to come upon the Jews.

So the answer to our question, Where was the "great tribulation" to occur? is: Judea, specifically Jerusalem.

A very common misconception about the "Great Tribulation" is that it is on a worldwide scale. The prophecies of Jesus, however, do not indicate this, but confine it to Judea, as vengeance against the Jews who killed the prophets and Jesus. If you disagree with this, study in your Bible and you will see that it is true.

When?

When would the Great Tribulation occur?

This is vital information. For an answer, we have only to read Luke 21:20:
"and when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh." Since Jerusalem has already been compassed with armies several times, it is important to determine to which time Jesus referred. We will give a very clear explanation of this one.

Who?

Who was to be affected by great tribulation?

For our answer, let's look at Luke 21:23-24.

"But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Luke 21:23-24.

Obviously, "the land" refers to Judea, from which the disciples were warned to flee, and "this people" (on whom the wrath would come) refers to those inhabitants of Judea, the Jews. They were to fall by the sword's edge and to be led captive into all nations. And again, Jerusalem is named as being trodden down of the gentiles.

The answer to Towards whom is the great tribulation directed? is, the Jews.

Why?

Why was it to occur?

This is answered in Luke 21: "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." Luke 21:22.

Luke 21:23-24, makes it clear that the vengeance is upon the Jews. The reference to the fulfilling of "all things written" tells us that the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:37-38 and all foretold events are fulfilled during the "great tribulation period."

The answer to Why was it to occur? is clearly, to bring the promised vengeance and wrath of God upon the unbelieving and wicked Jews in exact fulfillment of Scriptural prophecy.

How Does the Great Tribulation Occur?

How the "Great Tribulation" occurs is what you will learn as you continue through this webpage.

Review of Journalistic Approach

Now let us review our answers to our six questions:

Q. 1. Where was the great tribulation to occur?
A. 1. Jerusalem.
Q. 2. Toward whom was it to be directed?
A. 2. The unbelieving Jews.
Q. 3. Why was it to occur?
A. 3. Vengeance and wrath of God upon the Jews.
Q. 4. When would they know it was imminent?
A. 4. When Jerusalem was surrounded by armies.
Q. 5. What would it be like?
A. 5. Great distress in the land, wrath upon this people, death by sword and famine, survivors led captive into all nations.
Q. 6. How would it occur? As was stated on the previous page, HOW is the story of the remainder of this WebPage.

To Continue Click: "Here" to Identify the "Great Tribulation."

Return to "Index" page.

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws