What is the reason Jesus is telling the Jews to pray their flight doesn't happen on a sabbath, which would be between Friday evening thru Saturday evening?
Matthew 24:
19 But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days!
20 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a sabbath:
21 for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.
Mark only mentions winter:
Mark 13:
17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!
18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter
19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be.
I will jump in after I waited to see what others get to say about this. God was not talking about Jews in 70AD having to flee from Romans by praying about not have to observe Sabbath while escape or need to flee during winter or face swords of the Romans. No. Rather it is about the spiritual condition of the New Testament congregation prior to Second Coming after the testimony of Two Witnesses for salvation is finished.
I look at the winter of Matthew 24 as
a season of hardship, a
time of no growth, meaning no salvation. Christ bids them to pray that their flight is not in winter because in winter it is too late for fruitage or production. The harvest has come and gone. For example, the season for growth is over and there is no more chance for salvation. However, those sealed of God (Revelation 7) do not lack for the living waters in summer or winter. Again, I believe this is just another illustration of why the saints all over the world have to be sealed
"before" this time of the great fall and desolation Matthew 24 speaks of.
Revelation 7:3
- "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."
Thus my understanding of Zechariah is that this water flowing "in summer and winter" illustrates that for the true believers, they are secured to have the life-sustaining waters continually, no matter what the condition of the world. Christ is the daily (continual) sacrifice, the living waters from Jerusalem, and He never ceases
for His people. Winter cannot be so harsh as to hurt the true believers who "still has life" in this season. They cannot lose it. Indeed, by the Spirit, they are renewed day by day. But after the fulness of the Gentiles be coming in and the sealing of God is finished, the winter comes and those who HAVE NOT YET SEALED BY GOD (Revelation 9:4-6) in the church who try and make the flight to salvation
in winter, I believe signify those who have waited to flee the abomination and
it is too late. They were as the foolish virgins in Christ's Matthew 25 parable, high minded, hard headed and unprepared of the Spirit. These are those not truly saved people, and so for lack of oil for their lamps, they are not able to have light for the way of their escape in time of trial and temptations. Unlike the redeemed, they will not endure in time of temptations.
1st Corinthians 10:12-15
- "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
- There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
- Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry!
- I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say."
Thus, in time of trial, some have the oil and the wine and judgment, and some just come up short.
The context of Zechariah to me illustrates that Christ is the living waters that will continually flow to give life to God's people in summer and winter. In a time of plenty and in time of famine. In bad times and in good times. The same principle as when God commands,
Revelation 6:6
- "And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine."
Some people are being judged, while there is left a portion of oil and wine for the elect. In other words, there is a famine of hearing the word of God, but for the Saints, they do not lack for the anointed Spirit of the blood of Christ. They continue to have communion with God through the wine, which is the blood of Christ, and the oil representing His Spirit. It is cryptic imagery illustrating that the elect are always secured by Christ. Likewise, the cryptic language of Zechariah, that these living waters from Jerusalem will always flow for the elect. In good times and in bad, the Lord is always their life sustaining energy.
To wrap up, the winter in scripture is the time of hardship, deprivation and storms where there is a lack of stores in the field. It is a time when all the harvest (for savlation) is done and there can be no more increase. A time when the work in the field has ended. Just like the Sabbath, I believe it signifies a time of rest, when the earth rests from its work.
And I also think that (Like the Sabbath in Matthew) it also symbolizes a time when salvation has ended on earth and there can be no more work in the field. There are no more fruits of the field to harvest. It is the time when no man can work to bring an increase.
Song of Solomon 2:11
- "For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;"
Here God is illustrating that the rain of the winter storms is past. The time of privation and hardship is gone, and with summer comes flowers and new life. But winter preceding it is illustrated as tempest, storm, trouble, a time when life is dorment. That's why I believe Matthew 24 warns, "
pray our flight be not in winter."
Jeremiah 8:20
- "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."
I believe this is what it is talking about. A period when a time has run out for man to be delivered or saved. Pray that man's flight from Judea is not at a time when salvation has already ended and no man can work. Because if we are not saved then, we will be under judgment and wrath of God.
