The Flight of The Remnant
Chapter 8 of Corrupting the Image 3 : The Flight of the Remnant
Jesus instructed that when the abomination of desolation happens we should just leave everything and flee. Believers (the Remnant) living in the region of Judea will put two and two together—considering the words of Jesus and the Two Witnesses. They will also be on alert because the Beast has occupied the recently erected temple (or a designated holy place / tabernacle).129 In fact, if he dies and rises at this point, then the Remnant will know that the window to escape will not stay open for long. They will heed Jesus’ mandate and get out of town.130
“Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (Matt 24:16). Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house (Matt 24:17). And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes (Matt 24:18). But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! (Matt 24:19). And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath (Matt 24:20). For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt 24:21).
Based on Jesus’ warning, it sounds like time is of the essence; there will be no time to go home to get your bug-out bag. If the Beast has not killed the Two Witnesses at this point, then they may provide the covering the Remnant needs to get out of town. They could potentially provide just enough of a window (maybe hours, days) for the faithful to get out.
However, once the Two have been eliminated Satan (merged with the Beast) will no longer be able to access the spiritual realm, and he will realize he must act quickly to ensure his reign continues. As we mentioned before, for his immunity to stick, he must have all humanity adhering to his covenant. The Revelation 12 Woman (the Remnant)131 and any other would-be mark-refusers will pose an existential threat to him. As such, they must either toe the line or be removed. However, the presence of the Two Witnesses may provide a deterrent to Satan pursuing those escaping to the wilderness, and hence they must be killed first; though, they may have been eliminated already (and it is difficult to completely ascertain, since we are considering events that likely occur within days or hours of one another; and, because the sequence is not precisely stated in Scripture). Thus, we do our best to piece together these future events from Scripture and add a bit of logic. It could be that the final events happen in a different order. If the Witnesses are already dead, then we can appreciate the even greater urgency to leave immediately. We will examine the slaying of the Two in the next chapter.
Nevertheless, Satan (the dragon) / the Beast (hybridized) will deal swiftly and sternly with the group fleeing to escape his rule.
“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child” (Rev 12:13).
Those who flee by faith will be aided by God:
“But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent” (Rev 12:14).
We see this same imagery in Exodus 19, when God told Israel: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself” (Exod 19:4). God did not get on a giant eagle, like in the Lord of the Rings, and fly them on the backs of the eagles out to the desert. God was speaking metaphorically that like an eagle will protect her chicks, he will protect his people from harm.
Satan will pursue those fleeing, hoping to overtake them before they reach their safe haven:
“The serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood (Rev 12:15). But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth” (Rev 12:16).
What is the water that he spews out of his mouth? It is possible that Satan could come to planet Earth and cause a flood of water. However, an angel in the book of Revelation defines this representation: “The waters … are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues (Rev 17:15). Thus, it is a multinational elite army sent in the pursuit of the Remnant and coming in like a flood (a motif used in Scripture: “Who is this coming up like a flood, Whose waters move like the rivers?” Jer 46:7. Egypt rises up like a flood … (Jer 46:8).132 Satan is going to send out an army to destroy the faithful remnant. The humans pursuing them may well see the supernatural protection of the God of Israel.
Anyone supporting the Two will be seen as traitorous, and the Beast will be delighted to murder them. God, however, will protect the Remnant by a cataclysmic cave-in of the surface of the earth where these armies will perish, like at Korah’s rebellion.
God will see to it that the Remnant, the woman, is taken to a safe place and will be nourished for 3.5 years, 1260 days or 42 months. In the expression “time, times and half a time,” the first “time” denotes one year. This is verifiable later by the same timeframe expressed in days:
“Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days” (Rev 12:6).133
While there will be a group who arrives to a safe haven, “the rest of her offspring” numbering in the millions will not have had that chance.
“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 12:17).
Of course, if you are a believer today and consider that we might be going through this terrible time, the question is naturally: how can I get my family to the safe haven? Insofar as I can tell, Scripture does not give us the answer. This is likely something that calls for steadfast faith and a spirit of sacrifice, knowing that God will never forsake the faithful.
With that group out of reach, Satan will turn his attention to the millions still within his grasp:
“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 12:17, see also 13:10, 14:12 15:4, 16:15, and 19:8).
The book of Daniel gives witness to the unbridled onslaught against God’s people.
- The same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing (Dan 7:21).
- His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people (Dan 8:24).
- “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done (Dan 11:36).
Daniel also confirms this terrible time will come after the abomination, which happens in the middle of Daniel’s seventieth week, and will last 3.5 years:
- But in the middle of that week he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt. On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys (Dan 9:27).
- it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished (Dan 12:7).
The persecution against the saints will increase in intensity. First, there will be a mandate that everyone must receive the mark of the Beast to buy and sell, and then the penalty will be elevated to beheading (Rev 13:17, 20:4).
In Revelation, John saw souls under the altar asking how long until God avenged their blood.
“Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed” (Rev 6:11).
In the next chapter, John saw them clothed in their white robes:
“A great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Rev 7:9).
According to one of the elders, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:14). This group of people are the same who “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 12:17) with whom the dragon made war.
While this will be a horrendous time on planet Earth, the Remnant will grow. Many will discover their real faith in Jesus for the first time; what used to be a cold relationship with God will become alive like never before. Even in the face of persecution and the death of loved ones, and self, the Remnant stand strong.
“Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits (Dan 11:32). And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering (Dan 11:33). Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue (Dan 11:34). And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time (Dan 11:35). Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done” (Dan 11:36).