“I’ll Say Yes, LORD, Yes!” (Lynn Keesecker, 1983). Psalm 29:1-4.
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Joel. Joel 3:11 is where the Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind:
Joel 3:11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
Luke 17:37 came to mind when I read Joel 3:11: “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” (Luke 17:37).
Along the still waters, I considered the context of this statement in Luke 17. Jesus was answering a question about the coming of the Kingdom of God. The Pharisees demanded that He tell them when the Kingdom would appear. They were talking about the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel (Luke 17:20; Acts 1:7). Jesus explained His kingdom would not appear with observation.
Then He turned to His disciples and spoke to them of His return to the earth. He contrasts the offer of the kingdom that comes without observation (Luke 17:20-21), with the observable and unmistakable return of Christ in wrath to execute His judgment upon the nations (Luke 178:22-37). It’s important to remember that He returns to the earth with all His saints (1 Thessalonians 3:13).
He explained that before the observable coming of His kingdom, the Son of man would be rejected and suffer many things from both the Jews and the Gentiles (Luke 17:24-25). He explained that the days leading up to His return will be like the days of Noah. People will eat, drink, and marry, as they did before the flood, until Noe (Noah) entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them (Luke 17:26-27). He uses the destruction of Sodom as His second example: they carried on living their lives as usual until Lot went out of Sodom, then it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them (Luke 17:28-29). Noah and his family were removed, then judgment came. Lot and his family were removed, then judgment came. Jesus made it clear that there would be a removal of His own from the world before He returned to the Earth.
He followed this with a warning that, at the time of His return to judge the earth, anyone on the rooftop should not come down to gather his things. Nor should anyone in the field return to his house for his possessions (Luke 17:31). This does not represent the rapture, described by the Spirit through Paul as occurring in the twinkling of the eye (1 Corinthians 15:51-53), immediately after the resurrection of the saints (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).
The Bible teaches clearly that Christ descends from Heaven to the clouds, where He gathers us to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). This is His coming for His saints. But when Christ returns to the earth, He will come with all His saints. The coming “with” comes after the coming “for.” The coming “for” concludes the first coming. The coming “with” initiates the Second.
As I looked at Luke 17:37, I considered the fact that some think the “body” represents Christ, to which the “eagles,” representing the saints, are gathered. But I don’t think verses 30-33 can be taken as descriptive of the rapture. No one has a decision to make about gathering his possessions in this life or acting to save or lose his life. This describes those on earth at the time of His return. Hence, I don’t think that verses 34-36 describe the rapture, but a gathering of people who are taken to judgment. It’s a sifting of those who would “save their lives” from those who would surrender to Christ’s judgment. Those who “seek to save” their lives will lose them. These will be “taken.” Those who do not seek to save their lives, but who give themselves up to the judgment of the returning Christ, will be spared (Luke 17:33-36).
The Bible prophecies of a great gathering of the flesh of kings and men into Armageddon, where God prepares a feast for the carrion (Ezekiel 39:17-20; see Isaiah 18:6; Joel 3:9-14). Consider Revelation 19, where the Bride is in heaven, given to Christ, Who then returns to the earth with her: ”And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19:21). This follows Christ’s coming to the earth with His Bride (Revelation 19:7-21).
Jesus’ answer to the disciples about “where” those “taken” would be gathered sent them to the Scriptures to find the answer. They would find it in Ezekiel 39:17-20, Joel 3, and Isaiah 18. His answer said it will be where the Bible says God will prepare His feast for the fowl—the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:12).
This turned into more of a Bible study than a devotional. But consider that the same thing that will preserve the lives of those present on earth at His return is a principle guiding us today. Jesus was facing the cross when He said the following:
John 12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
In the valley of the shadow of death, shadowed for us by His Cross, He calls to us today, and every day: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed, as Jesus led me into His harvest.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
A great blessing. Our family going through a lot of challenges. In the midst, greatly encouraged by reading through Daniel.