And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Christ's woe expresses the special severity and hardship that pregnancy and nursing would add to urgent flight from Judea in the days of calamity, destruction, and great tribulation. It belongs to the blended Olivet prophecy about Jerusalem's fate, the experience of His followers until His return, His second coming, and the end of the world, given both for the disciples and for those living in earth's final scenes. Jerusalem's overthrow and ruin partly fulfilled it, and that destruction typifies the world's final ruin by fire, so the warning applies still more directly to the last days. The warning was to be heeded forty years later, when Christians obeyed it in flight and none perished in the city's destruction. Therefore it portrays the condition of the church at Christ's coming and calls believers to watch and be ready because they do not know the hour, to warn those perishing in sin and carry the gospel where it has not been heard, recognizing that the peril presses with special weight upon those with child or caring for young children now.
Setting and Meaning
Matthew 24:19 belongs to the blended prophecy of Matthew 24-25 concerning the fate of Jerusalem, the experiences of followers until Christ's return, His second coming, and the end of the world. It was given both for the disciples and for those living in earth's final scenes. It stands as a discourse of predictions and warnings spoken shortly before Gethsemane.
The woe expresses the special and severe hardship that being with child and giving suck would bring in days of calamity. Pregnancy and nursing would make urgent flight from Judea especially difficult at the time of Jerusalem's destruction. That hardship belonged to the destruction of Jerusalem and the great tribulation in those days. The warning was to be heeded forty years later, when Christians obeyed it in flight and none perished in the city's destruction.
The overthrow and ruin of Jerusalem partially fulfilled the verse. That destruction typifies and symbolizes the final ruin that shall overwhelm the world and its destruction by fire. The verse therefore has a more direct application to the last days.
In one presentation the prophecy is shown foretelling persecution and suffering for Christ's people across the ages without explaining the specific reference to those with child and those giving suck.
Prophecy and Fulfillment
Matthew 24:19 is among the signs given while describing events from the first advent to the second, forming an outline and history of the present dispensation to the complete restitution of all things. That outline tells what is to come upon the world, dwelling more particularly on the perils of the last days and the thrilling and momentous closing scenes of this world's history. It enters into sympathy with the church in her warfare and sufferings as she passes on to promised redemption, and describes the final triumph of the people of God, the destruction of Satan and all his followers, the total and eternal extirpation of evil from the universe, and the renovation of the earth as the everlasting inheritance of the saints when the great controversy is concluded. It expresses the severe hardship that the destruction of Jerusalem and the great tribulation would bring to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, and with it the calamities and punishment that threaten those who reject God's commandments and warnings.
The warning was to be heeded forty years later, when Christians obeyed it in flight from Judea and none perished in the city's destruction, since pregnancy and nursing would make such urgent flight especially difficult. The verse stands among the waymarks showing that the things foretold in Matthew 24 will come to pass. Its prophecies are being fulfilled in the present time, showing that Christ's coming is at hand. Its woe belongs to the perils of the last days now present, when those perishing in sin must be warned, calling everyone entrusted with the talent of means to give money to advance the work of giving the world the last message of mercy rather than spending in self-gratification, which brings eternal loss.
The overthrow and ruin of Jerusalem partially fulfilled the verse, as a symbol of the final ruin that shall overwhelm the world, so the verse has a more direct application to the last days, pointing to great and solemn events now at the threshold and to a crisis such as the world has never witnessed. Even so God's kingdom still rules over all, and the program of coming events remains in the hands of the Maker who holds the destiny of nations and the concerns of His church in His own charge. The verse stands in the description of Christ's second coming to this world with the sign of the Son of man in heaven, the mourning of all the tribes of the earth, Christ coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and angels sent with a great trumpet to gather His elect from the four winds. Of that day and hour no one knows but the Father only, and as eating and drinking and marrying and ignorance continued until Noah entered the ark and all were taken away, so will the coming of the Son of man be. The verse was foretold to the disciples to give instruction to those who would afterward believe and help them prepare for the great conflict, and discerning these signs of the times in this age of the world requires reaching a higher standard.
Warning and Responsibility
Matthew 24 outlines what is to come upon the world, including the perils of the last days and the calamities and punishment that threaten those who reject God's commandments and warnings. The warnings given concerning Jerusalem extend to impenitent cities, which face calamity when they reject God's messages of reproof and warning.
These words portray the condition of the church at Christ's second coming and should arouse earnest zeal in the true believer. That coming brings the sign of the Son of man in heaven, mourning of all the tribes of the earth, Christ coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and angels sent with a great trumpet to gather His elect from the four winds. Of that day and hour no one knows, not the angels but the Father only, and as eating, drinking, marrying, and ignorance continued before the flood until Noah entered the ark and all were taken away, so the coming of the Son of man will be. Therefore believers must watch because they do not know what hour their Lord comes, and be ready because the Son of man comes in an hour they think not. The faithful and wise servant gives meat in due season and when found so doing is made ruler over all goods, while the evil servant who says his lord delays, smites fellow servants and eats and drinks with the drunken, will be cut asunder and appointed with hypocrites with weeping and gnashing of teeth when his lord comes unexpectedly.
The woe belongs to the perils of the last days now present, when those perishing in sin must be warned. Everyone entrusted with the talent of means is called to give money to advance the work of giving the world the last message of mercy, rather than spending in self-gratification, which brings eternal loss. Its fulfillment should awaken those who know the truth to their responsibility to carry the gospel into places that have not yet heard it. The peril applies to those who are pregnant or caring for young children now, for the time is short and little children will largely be swept off before it ends. Having children now is unwise when those able to work for God could instead teach salvation to many.
Christ's woe expresses the special severity and hardship that pregnancy and nursing would add to urgent flight from Judea in the days of calamity, destruction, and great tribulation. It belongs to the blended Olivet prophecy about Jerusalem's fate, the experience of His followers until His return, His second coming, and the end of the world, given both for the disciples and for those living in earth's final scenes. Jerusalem's overthrow and ruin partly fulfilled it, and that destruction typifies the world's final ruin by fire, so the warning applies still more directly to the last days. The warning was to be heeded forty years later, when Christians obeyed it in flight and none perished in the city's destruction. Therefore it portrays the condition of the church at Christ's coming and calls believers to watch and be ready because they do not know the hour, to warn those perishing in sin and carry the gospel where it has not been heard, recognizing that the peril presses with special weight upon those with child or caring for young children now.
Setting and Meaning
Matthew 24:19 belongs to the blended prophecy of Matthew 24-25 concerning the fate of Jerusalem, the experiences of followers until Christ's return, His second coming, and the end of the world. It was given both for the disciples and for those living in earth's final scenes. It stands as a discourse of predictions and warnings spoken shortly before Gethsemane.
The woe expresses the special and severe hardship that being with child and giving suck would bring in days of calamity. Pregnancy and nursing would make urgent flight from Judea especially difficult at the time of Jerusalem's destruction. That hardship belonged to the destruction of Jerusalem and the great tribulation in those days. The warning was to be heeded forty years later, when Christians obeyed it in flight and none perished in the city's destruction.
The overthrow and ruin of Jerusalem partially fulfilled the verse. That destruction typifies and symbolizes the final ruin that shall overwhelm the world and its destruction by fire. The verse therefore has a more direct application to the last days.
In one presentation the prophecy is shown foretelling persecution and suffering for Christ's people across the ages without explaining the specific reference to those with child and those giving suck.
Prophecy and Fulfillment
Matthew 24:19 is among the signs given while describing events from the first advent to the second, forming an outline and history of the present dispensation to the complete restitution of all things. That outline tells what is to come upon the world, dwelling more particularly on the perils of the last days and the thrilling and momentous closing scenes of this world's history. It enters into sympathy with the church in her warfare and sufferings as she passes on to promised redemption, and describes the final triumph of the people of God, the destruction of Satan and all his followers, the total and eternal extirpation of evil from the universe, and the renovation of the earth as the everlasting inheritance of the saints when the great controversy is concluded. It expresses the severe hardship that the destruction of Jerusalem and the great tribulation would bring to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, and with it the calamities and punishment that threaten those who reject God's commandments and warnings.
The warning was to be heeded forty years later, when Christians obeyed it in flight from Judea and none perished in the city's destruction, since pregnancy and nursing would make such urgent flight especially difficult. The verse stands among the waymarks showing that the things foretold in Matthew 24 will come to pass. Its prophecies are being fulfilled in the present time, showing that Christ's coming is at hand. Its woe belongs to the perils of the last days now present, when those perishing in sin must be warned, calling everyone entrusted with the talent of means to give money to advance the work of giving the world the last message of mercy rather than spending in self-gratification, which brings eternal loss.
The overthrow and ruin of Jerusalem partially fulfilled the verse, as a symbol of the final ruin that shall overwhelm the world, so the verse has a more direct application to the last days, pointing to great and solemn events now at the threshold and to a crisis such as the world has never witnessed. Even so God's kingdom still rules over all, and the program of coming events remains in the hands of the Maker who holds the destiny of nations and the concerns of His church in His own charge. The verse stands in the description of Christ's second coming to this world with the sign of the Son of man in heaven, the mourning of all the tribes of the earth, Christ coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and angels sent with a great trumpet to gather His elect from the four winds. Of that day and hour no one knows but the Father only, and as eating and drinking and marrying and ignorance continued until Noah entered the ark and all were taken away, so will the coming of the Son of man be. The verse was foretold to the disciples to give instruction to those who would afterward believe and help them prepare for the great conflict, and discerning these signs of the times in this age of the world requires reaching a higher standard.
Warning and Responsibility
Matthew 24 outlines what is to come upon the world, including the perils of the last days and the calamities and punishment that threaten those who reject God's commandments and warnings. The warnings given concerning Jerusalem extend to impenitent cities, which face calamity when they reject God's messages of reproof and warning.
These words portray the condition of the church at Christ's second coming and should arouse earnest zeal in the true believer. That coming brings the sign of the Son of man in heaven, mourning of all the tribes of the earth, Christ coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and angels sent with a great trumpet to gather His elect from the four winds. Of that day and hour no one knows, not the angels but the Father only, and as eating, drinking, marrying, and ignorance continued before the flood until Noah entered the ark and all were taken away, so the coming of the Son of man will be. Therefore believers must watch because they do not know what hour their Lord comes, and be ready because the Son of man comes in an hour they think not. The faithful and wise servant gives meat in due season and when found so doing is made ruler over all goods, while the evil servant who says his lord delays, smites fellow servants and eats and drinks with the drunken, will be cut asunder and appointed with hypocrites with weeping and gnashing of teeth when his lord comes unexpectedly.
The woe belongs to the perils of the last days now present, when those perishing in sin must be warned. Everyone entrusted with the talent of means is called to give money to advance the work of giving the world the last message of mercy, rather than spending in self-gratification, which brings eternal loss. Its fulfillment should awaken those who know the truth to their responsibility to carry the gospel into places that have not yet heard it. The peril applies to those who are pregnant or caring for young children now, for the time is short and little children will largely be swept off before it ends. Having children now is unwise when those able to work for God could instead teach salvation to many.