By means of his Son, Jehovah provided instructions for survival to Christians who were living in Jerusalem and Judea prior to the city’s destruction in 70 C.E. Jesus said: “When you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, . . . then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains.” (Matt. 24:15, 16) But how would Jesus’ followers recognize when this prophecy was being fulfilled?

14. How did the unfolding of events make the meaning of Jesus’ instructions clear?

¹⁴ As events unfolded, the meaning of Jesus’ words became clear. In 66 C.E., Roman armies under Cestius Gallus arrived in Jerusalem to quell a Jewish rebellion. When the Jewish rebels, known as the Zealots, sought refuge inside the temple fortress, Roman soldiers began to undermine the temple wall. For alert Christians, the meaning was plain to see: A pagan army with its idolatrous standards (“the disgusting thing”) got as far as the temple wall (“a holy place”). It was time for Jesus’ followers to “begin fleeing to the mountains.” But how would they get out of a city that was under siege? Events were about to take an unexpected turn.

15, 16. (a) What specific instruction did Jesus give, and why was it vital that his followers obey it? (b) On what will our deliverance depend?

¹⁵ For no apparent reason, Cestius Gallus and his troops withdrew from Jerusalem and began retreating. The Zealots gave chase. With the warring parties away, Jesus’ followers suddenly had an opportunity to flee.

¹⁶ As events unfold during the great tribulation, Christians will need to heed instructions from God’s Word and organization. For example, Jesus’ command to “begin fleeing to the mountains” has a modern-day application. Just what form our flight will take remains to be seen.b However, we can be sure that Jehovah will make clear the meaning of those instructions when the time comes for us to follow them.