Petra, Tribulation Refuge

Petra, Tribulation Refuge

A. The Tribulation Period
The Tribulation Period is a period of seven years from the Rapture to the Revelation, known as the 70th Week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27), and Jacob’s Troubles (Jeremiah 30:6-7).
B. The Great Tribulation
This is the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation Period when Israel will experience her greatest persecution. This is described in Matthew 24:15-22.
“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15)
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: (Matthew 24:16) Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: (Matthew 24:17)
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. (Matthew 24:18) And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! (Matthew 24:19)
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: (Matthew 24:20)
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21) And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matthew 24:22) 
We also know from Isaiah 6:13 that 9 out of 10 Jews will die outside of Palestine. Zechariah 13:8-9 lets us know that 2/3 will be killed in the land.
If the Devil could exterminate Israel, he would prove the Word of God to be false; but, God protects His chosen people, Israel. His Word can never be broken. In the past he saved an ungrateful, rebellious Israel simply “for His names sake” (Psalms 106:8), which he had magnified above His name. (Psalms 138:2). In Matthew 24:35, Christ assures all humanity that,
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35
In the middle of the Tribulation Period, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel. He goes into the Jewish Temple and declares himself to be God.
Christians that witness for the Lord are the best friend a lost person has. God is trusting his children to be faithful to tell others that Heaven is a free gift.
“But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4)
His pursuit to kill the Jews is previously given in Matthew 24:15-22. For the Jews that are able to escape, God has a sanctuary for their protection for the last 3 ½ years until Christ returns. Revelation 12:6 explains,
“And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” (Revelation 12:6)
The woman is Israel (Jeremiah 3:6-10). The 1,260 days are the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation Period, known as the Great Tribulation. Revelation 12:14-17 gives us some insight concerning their escape.
“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. (Revelation 12:14)
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. (Revelation 12:15)
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. (Revelation 12:16)
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:14-17)
a. Revelation 12:14 : “...wings of a great eagle.” God uses many things in nature to illustrate a Biblical truth. Here, He is using an eagle to illustrate His power, and “wings to fly” is illustrating the swiftness by which He takes those who have escaped from the Antichrist (Satan).
b. Revelation 12:14 : “that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place,”
The area to which she (Israel) will flee will, undoubtedly, be south of Jerusalem in a great stretch of wilderness known as the land of Moab and Edom. It is in this region where the ancient city of Petra is located. Petra is almost 120 miles from Jerusalem. The prophecy of Daniel in 11:41 states that this land escapes the control of the Antichrist.
“He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even EDOM, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.” (Daniel 11:41)
The rock city of Petra is a natural fortress of solid rock, which is almost invulnerable. The Moabites and Edomites dug out caves and carved temples centuries ago. These are now ready-made shelters for the Jews. There is only one entrance, and that is through a narrow gorge about one mile long. In some places it is not more that 10 to 12 feet wide. Once inside, one man could hold off an army. Many years ago, a Bible teacher by the name of Blackstone, realizing this prophecy; wrapped many Bibles in wax, waterproof coverings; and hid them in these caves. They were put there for the Jews to find when they arrived.
c. Revelation 12:15 : Satan’s army tries to overtake the fleeing Jews.
“And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.”
“And the serpent (Antichrist) cast out of his mouth.” Satan gave the orders to some of his army, likened unto a flood to pursue and bring the Jews back for public execution. This same figure of speech was similar to that concerning the nation of Egypt. Notice in Jeremiah 46:7-8.
“Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers? (Jeremiah 46:7)
Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.” (Jeremiah 46:7-8)
d. Revelation 12:16 : “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood...”
God had prepared a place of refuge, and it was to be used. I should say that Satan sent a division of his army after the Jews. He sent them on a death march! The Lord just ordered an earthquake. The earth just opened up and down went the whole division. This is nothing new to the Lord. In Numbers 16, “Korah” and his followers rebelled against two of God’s servants, Moses and Aaron. God handled these rebellious ingrates as recorded in Numbers 16:32-33.
“And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. (Numbers 16:32)
They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.” (Numbers 16:32-33)
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)
Now, back to Petra, of which we have inserted 4 pictures. We hope this will give you some idea of what this place looks like where some of the Jews will be kept safe until Christ returns.
We will be watching from the windows of Heaven for we will be with Christ when this takes place. Israel will no doubt be singing Psalms 124 after their deliverance.
"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say; (Psalms 124:1) If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: (Psalms 124:2) Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: (Psalms 124:3)
Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: (Psalms 124:4) Then the proud waters had gone over our soul. (Psalms 124:5)
Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. (Psalms 124:6) Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. (Psalms 124:7)
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalms 124:1-8)
No matter what dispensation of time we are living in, our help is certainly in the name of the Lord!
e. Revelation 12:17 :
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:17)
Satan hates Christ and his followers. In Matthew 4, Satan could not defeat Christ, so he directed his attention to His children. Christ defeated him by the Word of God, “as it is written.” Satan could not destroy Christ, nor the Word of God, and neither can he defeat us if we read and obey what God says.
Just as God has sealed the 144,000, He has set His seal upon Israel. In Numbers 35, God appointed refuge cities for those who were guilty of manslaughter. Those guilty could flee to one of the cities.
Israel was also guilty of manslaughter; but God in His gracious mercy, many believe, has provided a refuge city for them called Petra. Israel was not responsible alone for the death of Christ. The whole world was, “For all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and God sent His Son to pay for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16). Just as God provided a refuge for Israel’s physical safety; so also has he promised provision for our spiritual safety. Our refuge spiritually is in Christ.

C. Petra, "City of Refuge"
Petra, which in the Greek means "πέτρα" "rock; or fortress; and in the Hebrew, "sela," which has a similar meaning. It is a historic city that has rock cut architecture and a water conduits system. It was established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans. It lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in a prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon.

Pliny the Elder and other writers identify Petra as the capital of the Nabataeans, the Aramaic-speaking Semites, and the center of their caravan trade. Enclosed by towering rocks and watered by a perennial stream, Petra not only possessed the advantages of a fortress, but controlled the main commercial routes which passed through it to Bosra and Damascus in the north, to Aqaba and other locations on the Red Sea, and across the desert to the Persian Gulf.
Excavations have demonstrated that it was the ability of the Nabataeans to control the water supply that led to the rise of the desert city, creating an artificial oasis. The area is visited by flash floods and archaeological evidence demonstrates the Nabataeans controlled these floods by the use of dams, cisterns and water conduits. These innovations stored water for prolonged periods of drought, and enabled the city to prosper from its sale.

27. Petra, City of Refuge #1

(Above) The narrow passage, called "The Siq" leads to Petra, looking toward "The Treasury.
Petra is known as the Rose-Red City for the color of the rocks in which Petra is carved. A little further from the Treasury (below), is a massive theatre, so placed as to bring the greatest number of tombs within view. At the point where the valley opens out into the plain, the site of the city is revealed with striking effect. The amphitheater has been cut into the hillside and into several of the tombs during its construction. Rectangular gaps in the seating are still visible. Almost enclosing it on three sides are rose-colored mountain walls, divided into groups by deep fissures, and lined with knobs cut from the rock in the form of towers.
Evidence suggests that settlements had begun in and around Petra about 1550-1292 BC. It is listed in Egyptian campaign accounts and the Amarna letters as Pel, Sela, or Seir. A sanctuary has existed there since very ancient times. This part of the country was biblically assigned to the Horites, the predecessors of the Edomites.
The habits of the original natives may have influenced the Nabataean custom of burying the dead and offering worship in half-excavated caves. 2 Kings 14:7 gives the meaning of "Sela, the rock-city of Idumæa :- rock, Sela (-h)." In the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 25:11-12, however, "Sela" means "from an unused root meaning to be lofty; a craggy rock, literal or figurative (a fortress) :- (ragged) rock, stone (-ny), strong hold. " 2 Chronicles 25:12 calls it the "Valley of Salt," which recalls the salt caravans of ancient and modern History.

28. Petra, City of Refuge, Amphitheatre. On the authority of Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews iv. 7, 1-4, 7) Eusebius and Jerome (Onom. sacr. 286, 71. 145, 9; 228, 55. 287, 94) assert that Rekem was the native name and Rekem appears in the Dead Sea scrolls as a prominent Edom site most closely describing Petra and associated with Mount Seir.
Under Roman rule, in 106 AD, that part of Arabia under the rule of Petra was absorbed into the Roman Empire as part of Arabia Petraea, becoming its capital. The native dynasty came to an end; but, the city continued to flourish. A century later, in the time of Alexander Severus, when the city was at the height of its splendor, the issue of coinage comes to an end. There is no more building of sumptuous tombs, owing apparently to some sudden catastrophe, such as an invasion by the Sassanid Persians.
Christianity found its way to Petra in the 4th century AD, nearly 500 years after the establishment of Petra as a trade center. Athanasius mentions a bishop of Petra. At least one of the tombs (the "tomb with the urn"?) was used as a church. An inscription in red paint records its consecration "in the time of the most holy bishop Jason" (447).
Petra declined rapidly under Roman rule, in large part due to the revision of sea-based trade routes. In 363 an earthquake destroyed many buildings, and crippled the vital water management system. The ruins of Petra were merely an object of curiosity in the Middle Ages, and the first European to describe them was Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. Because the structures weakened with age, many of the tombs became vulnerable to thieves, and many treasures were stolen.
Here is Dean John William Burgon's Poem Petra. He is referring to it as the inaccessible city which he had heard described; but had never seen.
"It seems no work of Man's creative hand,
By labour wrought as wavering fancy planned;
But from the rock as if by magic grown,
Eternal, silent, beautiful, alone!
Not virgin-white like that old Doric shrine,
Where erst Athena held her rites divine;
Not saintly-grey, like many a minster fane,
That crowns the hill and consecrates the plain;
But rose-red as if the blush of dawn,
That first beheld them were not yet withdrawn;
The hues of youth upon a brow of woe,
Which Man deemed old two thousand years ago,
Match me such marvel save in Eastern clime,
A rose-red city half as old as time."