Matthew 24:21
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this
time, no, nor ever shall be.
The language that Jesus used in Matt. 24:21 is a hyperbole, an extreme exaggeration to make a point. Jesus applied this verse to the destruction of Jerusalem in the Jewish War (66-70 A.D). This kind of symbolic language was common in the Old Testament whereas if it is taken literally it yields
contradictions. For example compare the following two verses.
2 Kings 18:5
He (Hezekiah) trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.
2 Kings 23:25
Now before him (Josiah) there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all
his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him
How can Hezekiah and Josiah both be the most devoted kings of all time. They cannot. The language is
obviously hyperbolic. This hyperbolic language was also applied to other earthly judgments besides 70 A.D.
Exodus 10:14
And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very
severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them.
Exodus 11:6
Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor
shall be like it again.
Ezekiel 5:9
And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of
all your abominations
Daniel 9:12
And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing
upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to
Jerusalem.
Daniel 12:1
"At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch 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.
And at that time your people shall be
delivered,
Joel 2:2
A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
Like the morning clouds spread over the
mountains.
A people come, great and strong,
The like of whom has never been;
Nor will there ever be any such after them,
Even for many successive generations
So Matt. 24:21 is a hyperbole borrowed from the Old Testament used to describe the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
Another line of thinking is that the first century Jews crucified Jesus. Their crime was the worst in
history. Therefore their punishment was the worst in history covenantally speaking. Worst crime = Worst
punishment. Israel was divorced by God as His covenant people. Never again would the Jews have a special
status with God. Now in Christ their is neither Jew nor Greek.
Finally, the futurist believe the upcoming tribulation will kill only 1/4 to 1/2 of the world's population. They also believe Noah's flood wiped out the entire world's population except for one family! So shouldn't Noah's flood be the greatest tribulation in their view?
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