In Matthew 24:9- 14, Jesus is talking about the spiritual condition of those during the first half of the seven-year tribulation period. It is not a pretty sight. Since believers will be persecuted and put to death, extreme pressure will be on believers, especially Jewish believers to flake out and fall away from serving Jesus the Messiah...
As our Lord’s discourse approaches the mid-point of the seven-year tribulation, verse 14 raises a number of interpretive issues. What exactly is meant by "the gospel of the kingdom?" Is this proclamation still a future event? What does "a witness to all nations" mean? What is meant by "then the end shall come?" ...
We have now reached the midpoint of the tribulation in the chronological progress of this passage. Christ mentions the key event upon which the entire passage turns when He speaks of the abomination of desolation. What is He speaking about? ...
Previously, we saw that verse 15 describes an event that fixes the chronological mid-point of the seven-year tribulation. Verses 16–20 describe the recommended response of the faithful who see the abomination of desolation in Jerusalem. They are to “get out of Dodge” as fast as they can. Why? It is because the second-half of the tribulation will be a time of persecution and great tribulation for the Jewish remnant...
Our Lord’s prophetic discourse continues dealing with mid-tribulational events. He says that the second three and a half year period will not only be "tribulation," as noted of the first half (Matt. 24:9), but a time of "great tribulation." In fact, it will be the greatest time of tribulation since the beginning of creation (cf. Mark 13:19), or will ever be. The focus of this time of tribulation will revolve around the Jewish people and their land of Israel...