Matthew 24:20-27 • Does prayer actually change things, or is everything already fixed? And when God says "great tribulation" — who is that really for?

⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • April 5, 2026.

Most believers have never been taught to rightly divide the judgments of Scripture. When you put Daniel's people in the church's seat, the whole Bible becomes a junk drawer. This lesson clears the clutter — walking through Matthew 24:20-27, connecting Daniel 12, Romans 11, and Zechariah 14 to show exactly who is being addressed, why the nation of Israel goes through the tribulation, and why the church is not subject to that judgment.

Along the way, Pastor Fortunato tackles one of the most important theological questions in the Bible: what does "pray ye" mean if everything is already decreed? God's foreknowledge is not a single fixed timeline — it includes certainties, contingencies, and tendencies. That truth alone dismantles Calvinistic philosophy at the root.

The lesson closes with the lightning flash of Matthew 24:27 — the same light that hit Saul on the road to Damascus is the light that will save a national remnant. Israel is not finished. God is not done.

This lesson walks through Matthew 24:20-27, explaining:

• Why "pray ye" proves real contingency exists in God's foreknowledge

• The three dimensions of God's foreknowledge: certainties, contingencies, and tendencies

• Why Matthew 24:21 is a direct quote from Daniel 12:1 — and what that means for interpretation

• Why "no flesh be saved" refers to physical, not spiritual, salvation

• Israel's current status: enemies of the gospel, beloved for the Father's sake (Romans 11:28)

• The "elect" in context — four distinct biblical uses rightly divided

• Why Zechariah 14:4 destroys every "secret chamber" deception

• The lightning flash of Matthew 24:27 and the salvation of a national remnant

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