We read in both Matthew 24 and Revelation 12 about a flight of part of Israel, which takes place before the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21; Rev. 12:6). It concerns a flight to mountainous area (Matt. 24:16), to the desert (Rev. 12:6).
1260 days later, at the end of the great tribulation, the remnant of Israel will call on the name of YAHWEH and the Lord will appear on the Mount of Olives. It will split, so that an escape route is created and then too people will flee to the same place in the desert (Zech. 13:8; 14:4-5; Jer. 31:2).
a reserved place
In Zech.14:5 it says that the escape route will reach Azel, or other translations say: Azal. We do not know such a place and it is therefore not a place name, but the name of a place. Azel means reserved, it is a reserved place. That corresponds to a place, prepared by God (Rev.12:6). From the description in Zechariah we cannot deduce where exactly this is, but there are other Scriptures where we can see this.
Micah 2
12 I will surely gather you, Jacob, all of you.
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel.
I will gather them like the sheep of Bozrah,
like a flock in the middle of their pasture.
It will be buzzing with people.
13 The Breaker will go up before them.
They will break through, enter through the gate
and go out through it.
Their King will go before them,
YAHWEH will go up first.
Bozrah
Israel will be gathered, outside the land, in the desert of the peoples (Ez.20:35). Bozrah means sheepfold. The people of Israel, who are presented in the prophecies as a flock of sheep (Ez.34:11-15), will be gathered in Bozrah, in the territory of Edom. It is from Bozrah that a faithful Israel will return to the land: the Breaker advances before them. He is then the King of His people and will establish His Kingdom over the whole earth from the throne in Jerusalem.
In the area where the faithful remnant is preserved, the Lord will also judge the nations.
Isaiah 63
1 Who is this who comes from Edom, in bright red garments from Bozrah,
in a garment of honor, who goes forth in His great strength?
I am he who speaks in righteousness, who am mighty to save.
2 Why is Your garment red? And Your clothing like one who treads the winepress?
3 I have trodden the winepress alone; there was none of the people with Me.
I have trampled them in My anger, I have crushed them in My wrath.
Their blood is sprinkled on My garments, I have stained all My raiment.
4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.
(…)
6 And I trampled the people in My anger, I made them drunk in My wrath, and I caused their blood to flow to the ground.
the Lord will fight
When the nations are gathered against Jerusalem at the end of the great tribulation (Zech. 14:2), the Lord will appear and fight against those nations Himself (Zech.14:2-4). Apparently, the armies of the nations will not leave it at that and will pursue the remnant that escapes via the escape route into the desert and there will have to deal with the Lord again. The Lord will fight for His people and defeat the armies of the nations.
a third part
Two thirds of the people have perished in the great tribulation. The faithful remnant that has called on the name of YAHWEH has fled through the Mount of Olives into the desert and concerns one third part (Zech. 13:8).
At that time there is no longer a living inhabitant in the land, the city of Jerusalem and the temple have been plundered and destroyed (Zech.14:2; Matt.24:2). God has gathered His people in Bozrah and the Messiah will go up with His people to the land and take possession of it.
a hostile world
That will take place in a world that is hostile to the Messiah and His people. In Psalm 2 we find that the nations are arrayed against YAHWEH and His Anointed (>Messiah) and that they do not want to submit (Ps.2:2-3).
And Psalm 110:2 says about this: “Rule in the midst of your enemies!”.
Some point to the city of Petra as a hiding place for the faithful remnant. Is Petra the same as Bozrah? More about that in a next blog.
