The verses you're thinking of are for those in Judaea. But I think Douggg just gave a great scripture showing it will be global (Revelation 3:10)
This proves this is where New Testament Congregation went with the Gospel. Not national Isarel.
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: ... Matthew 24:16-20
Again, Judaea is spiritually church in the New Testament, not a land in the Middle East. Spiritual Discernment, remember?
It is not untypical to see God describe himself, or His protection of the saints by the use of
mountains. God in scripture often uses worldly examples to illustrate "spiritual" truths. Here, God is illustrating the fleeing of the faithful from a situation that is abominable to God (and which will have judgment come upon it), to the safety and total protection His kingdom (
the mountains). The mountains are
spiritually where He dwells, the place of His feet. This is illustrating at this time, Christians must flee from unrighteousness in Judaea to the "place" of righteousness. A place of righteousness and protection, which only God's spiritual mountains can provide. We see the "Spiritual picture" of this refuge of righteousness and protection of the mountains illustrated in such passages as:
Psalms 36:6
- "Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast."
Here God signifies the righteousness of His kingdom is what preserves man, and He likens it to great "mountains." So when Matthew 24 says believers flee the
unrighteousness of his house on Earth (local churches where abomination of desolation stands), these are the mountains to which
they are to flee to! Or again we read:
Psalms 125:2
- "As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever."
Here again, we see the Kingdom of God is likened or equated unto "mountains" which are around all His people, signifying His own strong righteous protection of them. Using scripture as our guide and interpreter, we understand that when we see the context in Matthew 24 speak of these false prophets arising deceiving many, iniquity abounding, love of many waxing cold, and this abomination standing in the Holy place,
these are the mountains Christ is telling His servants
to flee to. Flee to the Spiritual kingdom of God where His righteousness protects them. Even the context illustrates it is for God's righteous protection. It is the only place of true Peace and Safety.
Psalms 87:1
- "His foundation is in the holy mountains.
- The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
- Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah."
Zion is the Kingdom of God, the
spiritual city of God, the place of God's feet. The holy mountains illustrate where His foundation is where His people can never be moved. Mountains is plural to illustrate it's all-encompassing nature, as when God pointed out to His people that He is the "mountains" that were all round about Jerusalem (Psalms 125:2). In other words, there is no breach point, God is as "many mountains" surrounding the Children of God that they are protected completely.
Let me show you some example:
When a church falls away from the faith (1st Timothy 4:1), symbolically the New Testament Congregation (kingdom) has been
apostatized where it has become separated from God, and Christ is no longer dwelling in the midst of it. This is what is illustrated in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2:6-7. When this occurs, God's servants are to flee from that church which has forsaken or separated from God, to the place (mountains) of God, which now is separated from them. And what we do is what Christians have always done.
Preach the whole gospel message.
As a practical example, when God told Israel that the Kingdom of God had been taken from them and given to another (Matthew 21:43), the overwhelming majority of those congregation members, the Jews, didn't like it and didn't see any change in the physical congregation. They didn't have a clue what Christ was talking about when He said the Kingdom was taken from them. All they knew is that Christ was condemning them, and so they hated Him for telling the truth.
The reason is that they "wrongly" equated the promises of God to Israel to promises of a physical land and a physical (worldly) kingdom just as the Judaizers and Premillennarians do today!!
Nevertheless, the Kingdom promised and given to the New Covenant Israel (taken from them) was
not a physical land nor kingdom, or
of a physical reign in physical Jerusalem,
but the true promised land which the physical merely foreshadowed. Israel is spiritual! Period! Sadly, there are many people
STILL looking at the natural Jews, land, nation, city, Kingdom, temple, and mountains in prophecy,
are likewise missing the whole point. Just as their fathers did in their measuring.
1st Corinthians 2:14
- "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Once again, those who are of the Spirit, receive the things of the Spirit
because they are spiritually discerned. It's not by who is smarter, or who went to seminary, or who has a better memory, or you are taught by Thomas Ice. It is about who
has the Spirit to understand in the wisdom of Christ. The only true wisdom. The unfaithful will not hear God, will not recognize unfaithfulness and rebellion in the churches, will not forsake it for righteousness sake, nor cry out for all of the abominations therein (Ezekiel 9:4), because the natural man secretly "wants" to compromise, and is not actively as a watchman. Look at the spiritual condition of many, many Churches all over the world today! He deceives himself and therefore he will not warn, will not flee to the mountains,
but will delay, and rationalize, and making excuses. The mountains 'signify' the place where the Lord dwells. You will not find Him in Judaea (symbolically unfaithful church) anymore because she has become an abomination , ie. when the Abomination stands in the Church, His place will no longer be in the church. It will be with the people in the fields, on the rooftops, in the mountains.
Isaiah 52:6-8
- "Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.
- How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
- Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion."
Christ's feet were upon the mountains and the Lord's house was established in those mountains, but at this appointed time, the church will not be upon those mountains, as it will be removed out of its place (Revelation 2:5) because there is no repentance for their sins. The point is, this speaks of the gospel going forth by those who dwell in Zion, the habitation of God. The house on the mountains represents those who are "in Christ." And these are the mountains true believers flee to when they escape abominations. The place the church has been removed from in judgment is the place of retreat or refuge.
Psalms 90:1
- "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations."
And as we make our dwelling place in God, we continue to be a witness to the truth. Those inside the unfaithful church having been judged by that witness (Revelation 11:5-6), are what we see and mourn. The only thing that remains
after this is the return of Christ.