Part 6 – When will “the EAGLES BE GATHERED”?

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Is the Rapture Pre-Trib or Pre-Wrath?.

In Matthew 24:27-28 we read how that the “carcasses” of the dead warriors who will come against the Holy City and the Nation Israel in ‘the battle of Armageddon’ will die and their bodies will be eaten by “the eagles.”

27For as the lightning [suddenly] cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN [Jesus] be. 28 For WHERESOEVER the [dead] CARCASE is, there will the EAGLES BE GATHERED TOGETHER

(This is a prophecy, not a parable. These gathered “eagles” will eat the carcasses of the dead of the ‘Great Tribulation.’ These eagles are the “fowls” of Rev. 19:18. Consider the many other Bible references to fowls, eagles, and ravens eating the dead after judgments. Jesus also said these events will occur before He comes again to earth.

Luke also writes of the same event, referring to these “eagles gathered” to eat the flesh of men.

36Two men shall be in the field; the ONE SHALL BE ‘TAKEN,’ and the other LEFT. 37And they [Jesus’ disciples)] answered and said unto him, [Taken] WHERE, LORD? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body [the flesh body of the carcass] is, thither will the EAGLES be gathered together.” (Read Luke 17:33-37.)

Note the word “taken” in verse 36. These “taken” ones are not being raptured to a better place. No! They are taken’ in the death of judgment, after which the “eagles (fowls)” will eat their flesh. In Rev. 19:18, John writes similarly, confirming the fact that “fowls” will “eat the flesh” of the dead.

“And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all THE FOWLS that fly in the midst of heaven [the atmosphere], Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may EAT THE FLESH of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

Jesus is not at all referring to the Rapture in His words concerning the Tribulation period as seen in Matt. 24, or Lk. 17 and 21. The false religious idea and teaching among Christendom today is that the “one taken is Raptured, while those ‘left behind’ will suffer the Tribulation, but this is exactly wrong because these verses apply to Israel only at the end of the Tribulation period.

Now note how that Jesus continued in Matt. 24 by saying; As The Days Of Noah were, So Shall It Be In The Days Of The Coming Of The Son Of Man(Matt 24:37).  In Noah’s day the flood took them ALL away in death, except Noah and his family of eight souls, who were left behind’ ALIVE to replenish the earth.” So, shall it be “of the coming of the Son of Man” when the lost are to be “taken,” while the Messianic Kingdom believers of Israel are to be left ALIVE on the earth. Jesus continued here in Matt. 24:29:

29 Immediately AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days [of ‘signs and wonders,’ cf. vs 23-24] shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven [asteroids?], and THE “POWERS[Satan’s evil angelic ‘powers’] OF THE HEAVENS SHALL BE SHAKEN [Gk. saleuo, toppled]” (Matt 24:27-29).

(Thus, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and the fallen angelic powers who are today still reigning in the heavenly government over the earth… will be toppled at the time of the 2nd coming of Christ in “power and glory” (v 30).

Let me summarize.

  1. First, these judgments on earth will occur several years after the Rapture of “the body of Christ,” in the 7-year Tribulation period, thus having nothing to do with the Rapture of “the body of Christ.”
  2. Those taken are taken to death in these judgments. As seen earlier their ‘carcasses’ are to be eaten by the fowls after the final Battle, at Armageddon.
  3. By contrast, those of Israel who are NOT “takenin death due to their “FAITH” are the faithful Messianic Kingdom believers who will survive the Tribulation period. They will be left alive on earth to enter Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom alive. They remained faithful and did not take “the mark of the beast.” Those not martyred, surviving the Tribulation judgments will go on to live in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom on the earth, still living in human bodies that are still capable of physical reproduction.
  4. We can conclude that it will be a good thing for the ‘Messianic Kingdom believers’ to be Left Alive On Earth, and Not taken in death.

So, Paul’s words of the coming of “sudden destruction” and devastating judgments during theGreat Tribulation” were NOT to be a problem to trouble the Thessalonian grace age believers. All grace believers should know they are saved eternally and “sealed with the Spirit” (Eph. 1:13), thus having the eternal security of the “blessed hope” of the Rapture… before these judgments occur. The Thessalonian grace age believers were NOT to be concerned with Antichrist or the Tribulation judgments, since they were to be Raptured before Antichrist shows up.

Now, what again was the concern of the Thessalonians that Paul was addressing in 1Thes. 4:13-18?

As we’ve previously discussed, their concern was whether their deceased loved ones, who “sleep (are dead in Christ), had missed the Rapture. As noted earlier, Paul’s answers this directly saying

the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord.”

There would be no “comfort in the “sudden destruction of 1Thes. 5:3. In 1Thes. 4:13-18 (below) and 1Thes. 5, Paul’s words are to contrast the comfort” of expecting the Rapture for grace believers withthe “Day of The Lord” with its “sudden destruction” coming on the unbelieving lost … who receive God’s “vengeance” under God’s “wrath.” Paul says grace believers of today can “… COMFORT ONE ANOTHER with these words(below).

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [have died], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep [are dead] in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep [dead]. 16 For the LORD HIMSELF shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be ‘caught up’ [Raptured]  together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore Comfort One Another With These Words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (KJV)

We should neve permit any false understanding rob us of our “blessed hope [expectation].”

“Looking for that blessed hope [Gk. elpis, expectation, confidence], and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Titus 2:13)