Zechariah tells of a future event when the Lord will split the Mount of Olives creating a rift valley running from east to west with half of the mountain moving to the north and the other half moving to the south [
Zechariah 14:4-5]
The eastern extent of this valley will run to Azal, the location of an ancient city in the Jordanian wilderness east of Jerusalem [the area of ancient Edom: Petra/Bozrah]
He speaks to a future believing returned remnant of Israel and these will flee from Satan’s beast in the little horn of Daniel’s visions for 1260 days of protection leading up the visible return of their Messiah and King
His action will include destroying the beast’s garrisons surrounding the protected remnant [
Isaiah 34:1-8; 63:1-4] and then His routing of the beast’s followers who will be occupying Israel [
Daniel 11:41] and driving them to the wider conflict of Armageddon [
Isaiah 62:1;
Ezekiel 38; 39;
Joel 2:20;
Micah 5:5-6]
This event of the fleeing remnant is the same as His admonition given in
Matthew 24:15-16 and recorded in
Daniel 12:11 and
Revelation 12:6; 12:14 [when they see the abomination of desolation being set up on the temple mount by the invading followers of the beast at the middle of the 70th week decreed they will flee thru the rift valley created by the Lord; He is the eagle symbolized in
Revelation 12:14]
The additional 30 days added to the second 1260 days of the 70th week decreed [1290 days] is for the Lord’s routing of the beast and his followers from the occupation of Israel, Jerusalem, and the temple mount culminating in the battle of Armageddon
The Lord will not be seen at the splitting event by earth dwellers just as He was not seen parting the Red Sea for the fleeing of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, and He will not appear visibly to the world until just after Armageddon [
Matthew 24:29-31;
Revelation 1:7]
One also needs to notice that the immortal pre-tribulation church and the believing martyrs of the tribulation period will be with Him to contend with the beast and his followers at Armageddon [
Joel 2:2-11;
Zechariah 14:5:
Jude 1:14-15;
Revelation 16:1-16; 19:11-21]
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