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This reference links the passages up still more. The reader is prevented from
spiritualizing "the mount of Olives" by the topographical statement, "which is before
Jerusalem." This and much more in Zechariah (as indeed in all the so called minor
prophets) throws light upon the time and locality of Rev. 1: 7.
Referring again the Matt. 24: 29, 30, we learn one more item:--
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon
shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens
shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, etc."
Rev. 1: 7 then takes place not only in direct connection with Jerusalem, but
"immediately after the tribulation." Now there is no possibility of doubt as to when this
tribulation takes place. Matt. 24: 15-21 says:--
"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the
prophet, stand in the holy place . . . . . then shall be great tribulation, such as was not
since (the) beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be."
There can only be one such tribulation in history, and therefore to this Rev. 7: 14
refers:--
"These are they which came out of the tribulation, the great one."
Rev. 1: 7 must therefore take place after Rev. 7: 14. Further, this tribulation is
directly the result of setting up of the "abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the
prophet." This is set out in detail in Rev. 13: and the tribulation is connected with
refusing to receive the mark of the beast. The unparalleled tribulation of Matt. 24:,
which is immediately followed by the coming of the Son of man as in Rev. 1: 7, is
referred to in Dan. 12: 1-3:--
"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the
children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there
was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every
one that shall be found written in the book. And many that sleep in the dust of the earth
shall awake, these to eonian life, and those to shame and eonian contempt. And they that
be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to
righteousness as the stars unto the age and beyond."
This passage emphasizes the "overcomer" as plainly as does the book of the
Revelation. The reference to Michael takes the reader on to Rev. 12: 7-10:--
"And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon . . . . .
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God and the power of His
Christ."
The whole teaching of the Prophets and the Gospels bears one united witness to the
fact that Rev. 1: 7 is the hope of Israel, is to be literally connected with the Mount of
Olives, (as Acts 1: 11, 12) and Jerusalem, that it will immediately follow the great
tribulation, which takes place when Michael drives Satan to earth and the Antichrist