Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, 9 of 15

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When God’s judgments fall on this world,
there is often no place to hide.

For the wicked that is. Next swarms of flies are over everything in Egypt, Ex 8:21. However, the land of Goshen, where the people of God lived, there were no flies,

“… to the end you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth.”
Ex 8:22

Some negotiations with Pharaoh do occur, and the flies disappear, completely! But again Pharaoh hardened his heart. Then there was a plague on the cattle of Egypt, and all the cattle died, except for the cattle of the Israelites, Ex 9:6. But still Pharaoh would not relent. Then a plague of boils on man and beast. Even the magicians could not stand before Moses, Ex 9:10-12.

God says He could have already
destroyed all of the Egyptians.

“For now I would have put forth my hand, and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth;”
Ex 9:15

But God wants to show His power, so His name will be honored throughout the earth. Severe hail came next with thunder and lightning, with the hail breaking every tree, the crops which were out of the ground, and unprotected animals and men. However Goshen, where Israel dwelled, was spared, Ex 9:23-26, 31-32. Pharaoh at last said, “I have sinned this time,” Ex 9:27; but it did not last long! Then came the locusts, and mighty hordes of locusts can strip bare even a lush green land. When the clouds of locusts came in they darkened the sky, and ate all that was left.

Again Pharaoh admitted sinning against Yahweh and Israel, and again his repentance did not hold.

Then a plague of darkness fell over ALL the land of Egypt, except for Goshen. This was darkness which could be felt, and no one rose from house, Ex 10:21, 23. Again Pharaoh hardened his heart.

Then came the last plague: the death of all of the firstborn

The first born of every man, the privileged, the heirs, and the first born of every critter that was left. Of course Israel was protected by staying under the blood of the sacrifice, that was painted on the door frames, Exodus 12.

Similarly, you and I must stay under the blood of Jesus, to be spared from the Judgments falling on men for their sins.

God’s saints will be protected from the plagues
falling on the earth just before the end,
much as in ancient Egypt.

In Revelation 12 the dragon (the devil or Satan, Rev 12:9) is thrown out of heaven, and then persecutes “the woman,” God’s people, and it says,

“Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”
Rev 12:14

So while the beast rules, and God’s plagues fall on sinful men who persecute the church, the faithful are “nourished,” one more time IN THE WILDERNESS!

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, 8 of 15

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Now Pharaoh’s magicians also turned water into blood,

as Moses had, but I think without the wide spread results that Moses showed. Still it says,

“… Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.”
Ex 7:22

Then Moses plagued Egypt with frogs

“and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bedchamber, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading-troughs:”
Ex 8:3

Amazingly, the magicians of Egypt were also able to do the same with their “enchantments,” Ex 8:7. The Hebrew word is lat, and it a secret or secret things. Perhaps the New American Standards “secret arts,” is as good as anything. Then Pharaoh reluctantly called for Moses to take away the frogs. Moses agreed and let Pharaoh set the time when the frogs would disappear, and that is what happened! However when the hardship was over, he again hardened his heart. How like us Pharaoh was at times. When the pressure lets up, and we again turn to our favorite sins!

Then another plague fell on Egypt

“16 Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’” 17 They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.”
Ex 8:16-17

Once more then the magicians tried to bring forth lice out of dust, but they couldn’t, and there was lice on everyone and every creature.

Then the magicians said to Pharaoh,
“This is the finger of God:”

But Pharaoh was still hardened. Even so, in both history and our personal lives there comes a point where, for good or ill, we have no choice but to acknowledge it is the hand of God who is influencing events. From this point on the plagues of Egypt seem to get worse.

Mystery Babylon the Great in Revelation

is a world wide religio-political-commercial power. She is clearly pictured in Revelation chapter 18 as facilitating and dominating world trade. The imagery is taken mainly from the prophet Ezekiel talking about earlier dominating commercial powers: Tyre and Sidon. Mystery Babylon is evidently already in place in the first century of our age, and will last until just before the end of our age. A partner of Mystery Babylon, “the beast” and ten horns/kings, will be used by the Lord God to destroy her within history, Rev 17:16-17, near the end.

She will use “sorcery”/witchcraft (pharmakia is the Greek word) to mislead ALL the nations of this world. Worse, she the instigator of all the conflicts and wars on the earth, clearly to make money. In her is found “… the blood … of ALL who have been slain on the earth,” Rev 18:23-24.

Sorcery has age long evil effects.

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, 7 of 15

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Egypt is also a place of magic and enchantments.

Much is told about these things history, and in the monuments of Egypt, and it shows up in Scripture from time to time. When the Pharaoh of the time of Joseph had his troubling dream, he first approached “all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men of it,” Gen 41:8. Such was common in the ancient world.

So when Aaron threw his rod down and it became a snake,

Pharaoh called “his wise men and the sorcerers,” and they did the same with “their enchantments,” Ex 7:11.

Paul compares the magicians of Egypt to
false teachers of the Christian age.

There has always been a certain fascination among some with secret knowledge. Some of this was mere tricks such as is seen with modern stage magicians. Some of this was primitive forms of chemistry and drugs, and indeed the later alchemists of medieval times sort of morphed into what is now modern chemistry. Some of this relied on hypnotizing the audience, with or without drugs, so that people “saw” what was intended.

Finally, some at least pretended that they were relying on supernatural spirits or so called “gods.” This last is the most ambiguous of all. It is true that angels are more powerful than men, 2Pe 2:11. Satan is powerful angel who has gone bad, and we saw in earlier lessons that he is capable of powerful works in nature (Job chapters 1 and 2), and that he can put ideas into men’s heads, as we can also see in Job 1 and 2, and also in our own lives. He is called “the devil and his angels,” Mtt 25:41. Further, these angels turned bad are also called demons, and “principalities” and “powers” and “the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age,” Eph 6:12, and that is what we as human beings are fighting against. Moreover when we worship other “gods” we are actually worshiping demons, Deut 32:17, 1Cor 10:19-20.

Two of the Egyptian magicians are named by Paul in 2Tim 3:8, Jannes and Jambres, and they are viewed as men who know that their own claims were fraudulent, but were still opposing Moses. Modern false teachers are said to be like these men.

“Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.”
2Tim 2:8

These are things we should avoid.

It is not a matter of whether these things sometimes may seem to “work.” Sorcery/witchcraft is one of the works of the flesh in Gal 5:20.

“There shall not be found with you anyone … who practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, 11 or a charmer, … or a wizard, or a necromancer.”
Deut 18:10-11

Spectacular signs will be given by Satan before the
final Exodus out of this world.

The man of lawlessness/the beast,

“even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”
2Thes 2:9

These signs will almost be enough to fool the chosen of God, Mtt 24:24.

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, 4 of 15

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Satan can do his own signs … up to a point.

Satan did some powerful works in Job 1. By God’s permission Satan is is able to hurt Job and all he has. He is able to stir up the Sabeans to make a raid and capture Job’s oxen and donkeys, and kill the men tending them. Then Satan was able to make fire fall from heaven and burn up seven thousand sheep and their herdsmen! Also Satan stirred up the Chaldeans to make a raid on Job’s camels, and take them all, and kill the men tending them. Then he made a strong straight line wind come across the plains of Mesopotamia, and hit the house where Job’s sons and daughters were having a get-together, and knock the house down, and kill all of his children. All in one day. All by God’s permission.

Still Satan has his limitations, He has great influence over many, perhaps even us. Even so, just like you and I, he can only do what God allows him to do!

And Pharaoh could do his own signs … up to a point.

In Exodus 7 Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh and Pharaoh asked them to perform a sign from God. First Aaron threw he rod on the floor and it turned into a snake. Then Pharaoh called for his magicians and sorcerers, and they did the same “with their enchantments,” Ex 7:11-12. But then Aaron’s rod swallowed up the rods of the magicians. But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not listen to the words of God through Moses and Aaron.

Again by God’s command, Moses and Aaron met Pharaoh in the morning as he went out by the Nile River. They told, “Let my people go, that they might serve me …” Then Moses and Aaron struck the waters of the Nile so that they turned to blood, and the fish died, and the water became undrinkable, Ex 7:14-21. Then the magicians did the same with their enchantments. So Pharaoh would not listen.

One day another great champion of evil will oppose God.

Revealing the Christian Age discuses asteroid size bodies hitting our earth, “something like a great burning mountain.” Rev 8:8-9

Someone called “the beast” is given, “Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation,” Further, he is given to “make war with the saints, and to overcome them,” Rev 13:7. This beast is opposed by “two witnesses” in Revelation 11, who “have power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain” and over the waters “to turn them into blood,” Rev 11:6. These two witnesses sound a little like Moses and Aaron, and little like Elijah.

How is this to be? A parallel vision in Revelation 8 says,

“The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood, 9 and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.”
Rev 8:8-9

There is more than one reference to waters turning to blood and becoming undrinkable in those final conflicts.

The contest between Moses and Pharaoh is evidently
symbolic also of this final contest in history.

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.

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, 2 of 15

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As that 400 years was coming to a close,

God prepared Moses

to lead the children of Israel out of their bondage. The purpose was to “bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Ex 3:10. However it was not be anything like Moses had started out 40 years earlier. It seems Moses was so completely stung by his earlier experience that he no longer had any thought of himself as able to deliver Israel.

Still, God personally called Moses

at Mount Sinai. God says He, the Lord, will do it.

“I have come down to deliver them …”
Ex 3:8

God says He will send Moses to Pharaoh that he might bring forth God’s people, Ex 3:10. Moses is now 80 years old, not an eloquent man, herding sheep way off in boonies. He painfully feels his limitations, and is no longer aggressive but very humble in attitude. Moses replies.

… “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
Ex 3:11

God explains how to talk to the Israelites and assures Moses they will listen to him, Ex 3:18

Further, God explains that Pharaoh
will NOT listen.

God says He will strike Egypt.

“I will put forth my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst of it, and after that he will let you go.”
Ex 3:20

Moses still protests his inability. He says they will not listen to him, or believe that Yahweh has spoken to him. God gives Moses a series of signs to demonstrate God being with him. The rod turning into a serpent, his hand becoming leprous, and turning the water of the Nile to blood,

Likewise the prophet like Moses (Deut 18:15), came
with powerful signs from God.

In fact, Jesus Himself was a sign.

“and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.”
Lk 2:34

Jesus works indeed were signs of His divinity, and His approval by God, and many were believing.

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did.”
Jn 2:23

Some of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews, were also convinced, and Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to discuss these things, saying,

… “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
Jn 3:2

The ultimate sign of His Sonship was His
resurrection from the dead.

This focus on spectacular feats irritated Jesus.

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Mtt 12:40

All to lead God’s people out of slavery to sin, in a wicked world.

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, 1 of 15

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Egypt was the big metropolis of safety

early in the book of Genesis. In Genesis 12 there was a famine in Palestine, and Abram went to live in Egypt with his entire family, Gen 12:10 ff, Gen 31:1. Later God promised Abram,

… “To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:”
Gen 15:18

A promise yet to come to its full.

There were many connections with Egypt. Hagar, Sari’s handmaid, was an Egyptian. It was by Hagar of course that Abram had Ishmael, the forefather of the Ishmaelites. In one later famine in Palestine, God told him to NOT go down into Egypt, Gen 26:2.

Then Joseph was kidnapped and sold as a slave, and ended up in Egypt. That was the lead-in to all of the descendants of Jacob going to live in Egypt in a super famine which affected both Egypt and evidently all of the eastern Mediterranean world. There it was that the Israelites grew into a nation, a separate people living among the Egyptians. Also there it was that Israel came to be distrusted by the Egyptians and enslaved. God promised Abram,

“13 … “Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years. 14 I will also judge that nation, … Afterward they will come out with great substance.””
Gen 15:13-14

So Egypt came to symbolize both worldly safety
and prosperity, and cruel bondage.

The bondage was severe in those days. Taskmasters were set over them for the very purpose to “afflict them,” humiliate them, Ex 1:11. “and they made their live bitter with hard service … in which they ruthlessly made them serve,” Ex 1:14. Also genocide was planned, but it didn’t work. All of the male babies were to be killed. During a very severe period, Moses was born. By a series of events he escaped death, and was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter.

So Moses was raised as royalty,

but was a given a sense of who he was and his true heritage, and started his work of delivering his own people, killing a cruel Egyptian guard. He seems to have assumed the Hebrews would understand and allow him to lead them. Such was not the case. A cantankerous Israelite would not allow anyone to rule over him.

“He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian?” Moses was afraid, and said, “Surely this thing is known.””

So Moses fled to a far country, Midian, where he lived for 40 years.

So Moses is called from this far country,
to lead Israel to safety.

Of course Moses is a type of the Christ, Deut 18:15. So it was that another worldly ruler, Herod the Great, attempted to kill Jesus at his birth. Jesus also was of royalty, the Son in His Father’s house. He also came from a far country, heaven, to save His people.

The story is part of the prophecy.

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

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.