Prophecy in the Bible can be as puzzling as viewing distant mountain ranges - it is difficult to work out if the peaks are close together or far apart. So, some of the Old Testament prophetic passages might refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in 587BC or AD70 or the Tribulation at the end of time; some refer to two or all three events even though the first two are separated by half a millennium and the last event is yet to come.  

Today's passage starts in Daniel (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11). The 'abomination' is a person who destroys the holy place.  Its first fulfilment was in 167BC when the Syrian ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes, offered pig sacrifices to the pagan god Zeus over the Temple altar.  Jesus used the same expression to point forward to AD67 when Jewish Zealots would profane the Temple; and to AD70 when the Temple would be razed to the ground by General Titus.  However, Jesus is also predicting the end of the Last Days when the Anti-Christ will come (also predicted in Daniel 9:25-27 and reinforced by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).  1 John 2:18 says, "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour."

So, readers in different times would need to interpret the signs in a contemporary way according to the Scriptures. The message of needing to respond wisely to persecution remained the same.  There is a time to passively accept the persecution and remain as a witness for Christ (Luke 12:11-12).  At other times persecution is the sign to move on and 'shake the dust from our feet' (Mark 6:11) – and move on to another place with the gospel (Acts 11:19).  In the circumstances Jesus was teaching about, it was a time to get out ... to evacuate without any delay (Matthew 24:15-25).  Such opposition has no appetite for listening to anything, especially the gospel.

It is so important to understand that God sees the entire future timetable and will tell us how to respond.  Between the 'stand firm' of v13 and the 'flee' of v14 is a big decision - what shall we do?  But we are not left alone to work it out for ourselves: the Holy Spirit, who caused the Bible to be written, will also show us how to apply it - so that we will understand God's will (John 14:26; 16:13).   We also need to pray (Philippians 4:6), pouring out our hearts to the Lord, sharing with Him the information we have and our emotional reaction, opening our hearts to Him to give us the wisdom we need.  Then we will be able to respond rightly to any form of persecution, up until the day that Jesus comes again.