Category Archives: Mankind

Psalm 46, A Synopsis of Revelation, Part 7

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So Scripture pictures an open revolt against God, and His authority, and ALL rule and authority on earth. This is one of the main subjects of the book of Revelation, but is probably first pictured clearly in Psalm 2.




See the books
Prophecy Principles
and
Revealing the Christian Age
for more information on the end of this universe. Available through your bookseller.

“Why do the nations rage,
And the peoples plot a vain thing?”
Psa 2:1

So it is the “nations,” plural that are in an uproar, are raging against God and His commandments, and it is “peoples” plural that are plotting against God! Further it is also the kings and presidents and dictators of the earth taking a stand against God Almighty.

“2 The kings of the earth take a stand,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against Yahweh, and against his anointed, saying, 3 “Let’s break their bonds apart,
And cast away their cords from us.””
Psa 2:2-3

They want their connections to Almighty God ended, their bonds to Him ended. Historically, such a wide open revolt against God has never happened! It is clearly pictured in the book of Revelation. This is, indeed, insanity in the extreme. Clearly they do not understand about God that,

“14 If he set his heart on himself,
If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath;
15 All flesh would perish together,
And man would turn again to dust.”
Job 34:14-15

As we have seen, this world wide raging against God is also pictured in Psalm 46.

So how does an Almighty God respond
to this insanity?

“4 He who sits in the heavens will laugh.
The Lord will have them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his anger,
And terrify them in his wrath:”
Psa 2:4-5

In Psalm 46 this is pictured as,

“He lifted his voice,
and the earth melted.” Psa 46:6c

That is a summary of those chapters 19 and 20 in the book of Revelation.

There were some preliminaries of course. Trumpets of warning included famine, sword and plagues turning the sea to blood, and more, Revelation chapters 6 to 8. Other things are listed in Revelation chapters 14 to 16. Remember always that Revelation is a series of parallel visions, with the final visions placing more emphasis on the end things. David speaks of some of these things in Psalm 65.

“Who stills the roaring of the seas,
The roaring of their waves,
And the turmoil of the nations.”
Psa 65:7

Jesus says,

“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves;”
Lk 21:25

These are signs of the end.

“But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
Lk 21:28

Then will come the earth melting

“… and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
2Pe 3:10

But it will be alright for God’s chosen ones.

“Yahweh of Hosts is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge.”
Psa 46:7

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Psalm 46, A Synopsis of Revelation, 2 of 9

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So if “God is our refuge … A very present help in trouble,” Psa 46:1

“Therefore we won’t be afraid,
THOUGH THE EARTH CHANGES,

“Though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;”
Psa 46:2

Such will of course happen, and it is mentioned of those final times of this earth in passage after passage. In a section of Revelation which mentions those powers at work during the Christian Age, it talks about the end of this universe this way.

“12 I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. 13 The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. 14 The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”
Rev 6:12-14

The powers of the heavens being shaken

is mentioned in almost every description of the end. In a parallel description in Isaiah 24 it says,

“19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is torn apart, the earth is shaken violently. 20 The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway back and forth like a hammock; and the disobedience of it shall be heavy on it, and it shall fall, and not rise again.”
Isa 24:19-20

Of course there are huge changes that have already happened. There has a indeed been an ice age, and world wide flood for which there is abundant evidence. Moses mentions,

“To Eber were born two sons. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his days was the earth divided. His brother’s name was Joktan.”
Gen 10:25

This is speaking of the third millennium BC. Clearly huge disasters come near the end “on the throne of the beast,” Rev 16:10. Something like an asteroid falls into the ocean (“a great burning mountain”), and the sea turns to “blood” and a third of the ships at sea are sunk, and a third of the fish in the sea die, Rev 8:8-9.

Psalm 46 mentions the waters of the sea roaring.

“Though the waters of it roar and are troubled,
Though the mountains tremble with their swelling.”
Psa 46:2

That would clearly be a climate change issue.

“25 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Lk 21:25-26

However Jesus mentions these things, not as something to fear, rather as signs of approaching deliverance of God chosen ones.

“But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”

Surely these things are nothing to fear if our redemption is near.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Psalm 46, A Synopsis of Revelation, 1 of 9

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“For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.” This is the introduction our psalm. The sons of Korah were Levites who were charged with part of temple care and services.

“God is our refuge and strength,

“A very present help in trouble.”
Psa 46:1

If you wanted to pick a key theme of psalms, and Revelation, and indeed all of Scripture, is that God is a very real help when men are in trouble. This is an incredible assertion to many men of all ages, for sure including Bible times. The wicked say of such things,

“They say, “How does God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?””
Psa 73:11

The wicked trust none of these things. They trust in their own preparations, their lands, their money, their swords.

Even so, yes! We will have problems.

God disciplines and punishes both men and nations. Elihu talks about climate change for correction or for love.

“11 Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture.
He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning.
12 It is turned round about by his guidance,
That they may do whatever he commands them
On the surface of the habitable world,
13 Whether it is for correction, or for his land,
Or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.”
Job 37:11-13

We are told,

“It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, …” Heb 12:7

Further,

“For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;”
2Cor 4:17

Clearly though, not all have discipline / chastisement.

“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” Heb 12.8 KJV

Even death is not permanent for those God loves

Of the babies that Herod the Great had murdered in an attempt to kill the Christ, the prophet says,

“16 Thus says Yahweh: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says Yahweh; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. 17 There is hope for your latter end, says Yahweh; and your children shall come again to their own border.” Jer 31:16-17

God promises,

… “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”
Heb 13:5

Or as Jesus promises,

… “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he die, yet will he live.” Jn 11:25

God will speedily answer calls to Him

“7 Won’t God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, … ? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. …”
Lk 18:7-8

If we will turn to Him in true repentance, the Lord will turn the hardships away. It is only when we harden our hearts and will never turn, that punishments become relentless. Just as it is in the book of Revelation of those final times of our universe.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, 15 of 15

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And the grand Exodus occurs … from this world itself!

The beast is able force the entire world to worship him as god, except for a few Christians. Evidently many Christians also worship the beast. Many also are killed or imprisoned. But also there is

Once more in the wilderness, just like ancient Israel!

Many Christians also seek refuge from the beast by fleeing into the wilderness!

“The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.”
Rev 12:6

So many are protected in the wilderness during the entire reign of the beast, in “a place prepared by God,” Rev 12:6; and away “from the face of the serpent,” Rev 12:14.

It is true that they try to pursue them in the wilderness, and it is daunting to think of such pursuit thinking of modern imaging techniques. But it says,

“15 The serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. 16 The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon spewed out of his mouth.”
Rev 12:15-16

So even the earth will help the righteous in those terrible last days.

It will be terrible times on ALL men, not just Christians. Even Jesus, though, asks,

“… Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Lk 18:8

Then will come the greatest Exodus of all time.

There will all sort of signs on the earth and in the heavens. Notice carefully, we will NOT know the day or the hour, but we will know when it is near.

“But you, brothers, aren’t in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief.”
1Thes 5:4

Jesus says,

“25 There WILL be SIGNS in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Lk 21:25-26

Again Jesus says,

“But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
Lk 21:28

That is clearly not written of the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem. That did NOT bring redemption near for either Jews, or gentiles, or Christians. It only fits the end of this universe.

And finally to heaven itself … the true promised land.

This will be when God’s faithful of all ages are raised from the dead, in sight of all of their enemies. The angels will gather God’s

“… chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Mtt 24:31 KJV

“17 then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.”
1Thes 4:17

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.

KJV is the King James Version of 1611

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, 14 of 15

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By Mighty acts of Judgment God delivers His people

When God’s people in the Old Testament were totally under the power of Pharaoh, and needed deliverance from the power of the Egypt of this world, so that they might have their own land in the promised land of Canaan, God led them to freedom by mighty acts of judgment on an evil ruler, the Pharaoh of Egypt and his people.

When in the New Testament God’s people will be totally under the power of the beast, and need deliverance so that they might have their own land in the promised land of Heaven, God will lead them to freedom by mighty acts of judgment on an evil ruler, the beast of this world and those who worship him.

This is for a relatively short period of time.

Satan is allowed to reign only for the short time a of time of 3-1/2 years, which called 1260 days (Rev 11:3), 42 months (Rev 11:2, 13:5), and “time, times, and half a time,” (Dan 7:25, 12:7, Rev 12:14). It does say that the beast “overcomes” the church, the saints. Daniel is told that this will last,

“… for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Dan 12:7

Further it should be noted that Daniel deals with both the final events, and also with ancient kings who are symbolic of the final events. So how is the release of God’s people to be accomplished?

God will respond with might acts of judgment on
the kingdom of the beast and his followers

Always remember that the book of Revelation is a series of parallel, overlapping, cumulative visions. Putting them end to end, makes no more sense than putting the parables of the kingdom in the Gospels end to end.

These mighty acts of judgement are mentioned Revelation 11 with the testimony of the two witnesses. More is in chapters 15 and 16 when it talks about the seven last bowls of wrath, the last plagues which will be poured out on the earth. It mentions specifically,

“The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain,”
Rev 16:10

The plagues that fall toward the end, are remarkably similar to the plagues
that fell on Egypt in the book of Exodus!

In Rev 16:2 it mentions “a harmful and evil sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image.” In Rev 16:3-4 “the sea become blood,” and the rivers and springs of water became blood. All of which seems to be described from a different point of view in Rev 8:8-9. These things are specifically mentioned as punishment for spilling the blood of Christians, Rev 16:5. The world is also scorched with heat from the sun. And Rev 9:3-11 seems to speaks a plague of locusts, which seem to spiritual locusts, to afflict only those who do not have the seal of God.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, Part 12

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And the Christian is called out of Egypt

“1 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.”
1Cor 10:1-4

In such symbolism then Pharaoh represents the god of this world, this age, 2Cor 4:4. He has indeed held in us bondage. Christ came and took part of flesh and blood,

“14 … that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Heb 2:14-15

The fear of death has kept us in line with “those who by nature are not gods.” Gal 4:8. Egypt represents the world system which is so corrupt.

“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”
1Jn 5:19

“… If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him.”
1Jn 2:15

Baptism is our separation from this world.

“3 Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.”
Rom 6:3-4

“7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him;”
Rom 6:7-8

We do our own wandering in a wilderness in the Christian life.

Just as ancient Israel did, we often lose our bearing when things do not go as expected. As they often fell apart and blamed God, and reject their faithful leaders in the Lord, so do we very often when things seem to go wrong, when it seems things are beyond even God’s control. Of course things never are beyond God’s control.

It would be a blessing to enter the promised land early.

It would have been a blessing if Israel had been willing to enter Canaan when they were first instructed. But ancient Israel was intimidated by their worldly adversaries, as we also often are, and then fell into sin, as we frequently do.

Sometimes, like ancient Israel, we may just wander around
in our desolate places until we perish.

We were delivered from Egypt, but loved our bondage to sin so much we perished in it, after being delivered to where we could live. Israel’s sins are warnings to us.

It doesn’t have to be that way!

“Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”
1Cor 10:11

Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, 6 of 15

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Sometimes judgments come on men because of sin. Scripture Is full of such stories.

Mighty Judgments of God come on men and nations
who oppose Him, or oppress His people.

These are facts of life for Pharaoh, you and me, or whoever.

“For thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘For honor he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.”
Zech 2:8

About the Egyptian army that perished, Moses sang,

“6 Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power,
Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.
7 In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you:
You send forth your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.”
Ex 15:6-7

But for God to support us, it takes some focus.

“But if you indeed listen to his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries.”
Ex 23:22

Sometimes even you or I may think to oppose or ignore God.

We are warned against smugly ignoring God and thinking everything will still be alright. We may turn out to be like the man Moses describes who abandons God.

“and it happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, …”
Deut 29:19

What might God do to such a man, a mere man like perhaps even us?

“20 Yahweh will not pardon him, but then the anger of Yahweh and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse … in this book shall lie on him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under the sky. 21 Yahweh will set him apart to evil … according to all the curses of the covenant …”
Deut 29:20-21

Like Pharaoh, the beast, or you and I can be singled out
for curses until we are destroyed

We too are called to come out of the Egypt of this world to serve the Lord in love and in truth. We may think we have control of, or are due this or that, when really we may not due any of it. Rather it is God’s to do with as He pleases. Like Pharaoh, or the beast of later times, we may trip and fall in our delusions.

Esau was such a man. He was technically the first born, but lost it all in his arrogance. We should be careful,

“15… lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled; 16 lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, as Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal. 17 … when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.”
Heb 12:15-17

The warnings are not just for kings, or the beast of Revelation, but also for us.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, 5 of 15

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God often lets the wicked balk and bluster for a while

David talks about those who oppose God in Psalm 37. The whole psalm is good in this respect.

“12 The wicked plots against the just,
And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord will laugh at him,
For he sees that his day is coming.”
Psa 37:12-13

We need not worry. God will ALWAYS win in the end.

“No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness which is of me, says Yahweh.”
Isa 54:17

Pharaoh had his time.

Moses and Aaron do some minor signs of God’s work before Pharaoh, and then Pharaoh has his magicians do the same and it says

“Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.”
Ex 7:13

God had explicitly said earlier that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart, and that is what happened. Even so, it also clearly says at times that Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

“Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.”
Ex 8:32

There seems to be a little of both. Again it says.

“When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.”
Ex 9:34

The same may be with us. If we do not want to listen God, we want to harden ourselves against Him, so God may say to you and I, Okay, you want to harden your heart? I will help so you will do it good! So, it says,

“But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t let them go.”
Ex 10:27

There is a time to listen for all of us.

Even the beast of Revelation is given time to listen

It is illustrated in more than one passage. It seems that Ahab King of Israel is also a type of that final man who opposes God, and whom all the world worships. The drought on Israel is for 3-1/2 years, Jas 5:17, and the beast himself rules for 3-1/2 years. When Ahab is faced with his sins by Elijah in 2Kings 21, for a while he is repentant. It says

“27 It happened, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 28 The word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 See you how Ahab humbles himself before me? because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son’s days will I bring the evil on his house.”
1Kgs 21:27-29

The word of the Lord had its effect on Ahab, and it brought a response from the Lord, but his repentance didn’t last.

We are all given perhaps more time than we deserve. It is important to seize that time while we can.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, 3 of 15

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Pharaoh of old represents the god of this age,
Satan’s rule over US!

Moses after more objections finally headed toward Egypt with his brother Aaron as his spokesman. They were able to present their case before Pharaoh.

Pharaoh did NOT want to release Israel, but to grind them down in oppression.

“Who is Yahweh that I should listen to his voice,” Ex 5:2. He told them to “Get back to your burdens!” Ex 5:4. He figured they had too much time on their hands, so he increased their work load.

“The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble …”
Ex 5:19

The people began to blame Moses, and Moses was close to unhinged, and pleaded and asked the Lord why He had cause this. Moses was sure Pharaoh would never listen to him, especially now. God responds,

“I am Yahweh. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you.”
Ex 6:29

Further, God confirms that Pharaoh will NOT listen you. God in fact says that He will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will NOT listen. God says.

“… I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring forth my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.”
Ex 7:4

God says that in the end, the Egyptians will know that “I am Yahweh,” and assures Moses that the people of God will be released, Ex 7:5

So Jesus came with powerful works of God

As Moses came to release Israel from slavery, Jesus came to release us all, Jew and gentile.

“Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,”
Heb 2:14

Satan also does NOT want to release us.

The false teachers of our age all promise us liberty in sin.

“promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for by whom a man is overcome, by the same is he also brought into bondage.”
2Pe 2:19

However, instead of liberty, sin results in enslavement to those evil habits which we detest in ourselves. Here is my own literal translation.

“Don’t you know that to whom you present yourselves as slaves to obedience, his slaves you are whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?”
Rom 6:16 nf

Soon, what we thought we could just play with, is indeed our master. Then our very wrongs become part of the blinding power of Satan, the god of this age.

“in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.”
2Cor 4:4

It is only by powerful acts of God that we are delivered from sin and death. These began with Jesus works before men, and climaxed in His resurrection from the dead.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are from the World English Bible,
a copyright free revision of the original ASV
American Standard Version 1901

nf is my own translation based on the WEB.

The Rapture? Part 3 of 3. There is no Pre-Tribulation “rapture.”

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There will be many special problems near the end of this present universe. Near the end of our present age the mystery of lawlessness (2Thes 2:7) and a religio-economic-political entity called Mystery Babylon the Great will be able gain absolute control of this world by God’s permission.These will be severe times for the entire world for 42 months, 1260 days, 3-1/2 years. The entire world will be forced to worship the beast or not be able to buy food Rev 13:17 or even exist!

Special protection is given the faithful in those days.

In Revelation chapter eleven those days are discussed under the imagery of the temple. Now the physical temple of the Jews was divided into two main parts. The temple over all is called the hieros. When for instance it says in Mtt 21:12 that Jesus entered the temple, it says that he entered the hieros. This included those parts which all believers could go, and much of Jesus teaching preaching was in the hieros. This part is what in Rev 11:2 is call the court or courtyard of the temple.

Even so, the innermost part of the temple is called the naos. This is that part of the temple where only the priests could go, and it included the holy place, and also even more secluded holy of holies where the ark of the covenant was supposed to rest. Now in Christianity ALL believers are priests and have access to God, Heb 4:16, etc.

In Revelation 11 only the naos is given protection. The rest of the temple will be destroyed.

“Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the gentiles. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.”
Rev 11:2

It seems that the inner part of the temple, the naos, represents the true and dedicated believers, and it indicates they will be protected. On the other hand, the outer courts represents those who claim to believe, but have not really given their lives to the Lord. And it indicates that they will given over to their enemies.

Similarly, Revelation 12 points to the faithful
as being protected.

The faithful of God’s people seem to represented by a woman. Then it says of this woman,

“The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.”
Rev 12:6

So the woman flees into the woods to place prepared by God, for protection during those 1260 days during which the beast rules the world. Once again, indicating special protection for those who really belong to the Lord during that terrible 3-1/2 years.

But the church, those who are really faithful, are still there,
are still in the world during those time.

Yes they are given special protection, special nourishment, but she is still in the world, she is still hiding out in the wilderness from the beast. She is still undergoing stress and temptation.

But there is no special Pre-Tribulation “rapture.”

Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.