Is the curch raptured to heaven or taken to a Place of Safety on earth?
Is there a type and antitype? In 68AD a voice was heard in the Temple "Let us remove hence" and the church migrated to Pella. When the invading Romans came into Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, the church was already gone. They went to a "Place of Safety". This is a type for the end time church who will go their "Place of Safety". There has been much conjecture as to where it is. The Bible gives some strong hints but does not plainly say where, only that the church goes somewhere...
Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
There is indication in verse 17 that some will not go. Either by choice or unpreparedness...
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
There is a section on this flight...
Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Notice this is not THE DAY but the dayS.
Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
The ark was Noah and his family's place of safety.
Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Zoar was Lot's place of safety.
In both of these cases it is physical protection that is granted. Now notice what is said about the end time...
Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
It will be the same type of circumstance, physical safety from physical destruction.
Luk 17:31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
If this were the return of Christ, why would one even think about going into the house and gathering up a change of underwear and a toothbrush? You would not. But if you were going to a desert place for 3-1/2 years, these amenities would look pretty important to you. Christ says leave it there and run for your life.
Luk 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.
What was it Lot's wife did? She looked back longingly for her way of life, her city and her circle of friends. She did not want to go.
Luk 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Why this emphasis on saving life? If one is converted, the question of eternal life is settled. It is obvious from the context we are speaking of saving human life.
Luk 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Luk 17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luk 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Reading Revelation about the Trumpet Plagues, does anyone think that at that time life will just be going on as always? This is speaking of the time just prior to the 3-1/2 years of Great Tribulation.
Luk 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
What body? The body of Christ, the church
Is there a type and antitype? In 68AD a voice was heard in the Temple "Let us remove hence" and the church migrated to Pella. When the invading Romans came into Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, the church was already gone. They went to a "Place of Safety". This is a type for the end time church who will go their "Place of Safety". There has been much conjecture as to where it is. The Bible gives some strong hints but does not plainly say where, only that the church goes somewhere...
Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
There is indication in verse 17 that some will not go. Either by choice or unpreparedness...
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
There is a section on this flight...
Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Notice this is not THE DAY but the dayS.
Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
The ark was Noah and his family's place of safety.
Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Zoar was Lot's place of safety.
In both of these cases it is physical protection that is granted. Now notice what is said about the end time...
Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
It will be the same type of circumstance, physical safety from physical destruction.
Luk 17:31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
If this were the return of Christ, why would one even think about going into the house and gathering up a change of underwear and a toothbrush? You would not. But if you were going to a desert place for 3-1/2 years, these amenities would look pretty important to you. Christ says leave it there and run for your life.
Luk 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.
What was it Lot's wife did? She looked back longingly for her way of life, her city and her circle of friends. She did not want to go.
Luk 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Why this emphasis on saving life? If one is converted, the question of eternal life is settled. It is obvious from the context we are speaking of saving human life.
Luk 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Luk 17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luk 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Reading Revelation about the Trumpet Plagues, does anyone think that at that time life will just be going on as always? This is speaking of the time just prior to the 3-1/2 years of Great Tribulation.
Luk 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
What body? The body of Christ, the church