Why did Jesus tell people to pray their flight would not be in winter or on the Sabbath?
Jesus gave this instruction because winter would make their flight cold and miserable, while the Sabbath, under the law, would limit how far they could walk. Since they needed to cover many miles to the mountains, a weekday flight would carry no such restriction.
Les explains that this instruction is set when they will be back under the law, if they had the temple worship for the first three and a half years. He says they should pray their flight is not in winter, when it would be cold and miserable, or on the Sabbath day, which would limit how far they could walk according to their law. On a weekday there would be no limitation, because they would have to cover quite a few miles to get down to the mountains. This follows the prophecy of great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world, and those days will be shortened, not going an hour over, for the elect’s sake. Les identifies the elect as believers.
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
More Questions
Why did Jesus say to pray that the flight from Jerusalem would not be on the Sabbath?
Jesus told them to pray the flight would not occur on a Sabbath day because they would have to travel many miles, and Sabbath walking restrictions would hinder them.