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CORPSE/EAGLE ALLEGORY
At Luke 17:37, after recording that Jesus taught “one will be taken” (the
believer), and “one will be left” (the unbeliever), the disciples ask,
“where?”
However, they are NOT asking about where the ones taken will go, but they
are responding to the question that is RECORDED back at verse 17:24. They
are asking about where the Son of man will be revealed. It is that ARRIVAL
of the Son of man that is the primary focus in Luke’s record at this point.
Luke 17:22-37.
Luke’s placement of this “vulture” image is different from Matthew. The
order of the various events and teachings of Jesus recorded by Luke is not
the same as recorded by Matthew, Mark and John.
Luke’s gospel record is not chronologically precise when it comes to the
general teaching and travels of Jesus. His chronology is accurate as to the
historical setting in relation to the political contemporaries of the day.
Luke has taken some of what was taught by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse, and
placed it at different locations throughout his gospel account, out of
chronological order, but related TOPICALLY. Luke was not an eyewitness, but
gathered his information from others. This does not deny the principle of
inspiration. The CONTENT is accurate and its integrity is preserved by the
Holy Spirit. But chronological precision was not a concern to either The
Spirit or to Luke in the recording of what Jesus taught.
One such example is the teaching about “the days of Noah” and the “one
taken/one left” section. Luke did not record this teaching in his chapter 21
on the Olivet Discourse, which is where this information was originally
taught according to Matthew 24. But he recorded it at Luke 17:26-30 and
34-36.
This question and answer do not belong here RIGHT AFTER Jesus teaches that
some will be taken and some left, as if to suggest that the disciples are
asking where they will be taken. Matthew records this statement in
connection with the coming of the Son of Man like lightning flashing across
the sky, but not in connection with the gathering of the elect (Mat.
24:27-28).
Matthew did not record the question, just the answer.
So when the disciples asked this question, "Where," they were asking where
will be the ARRIVAL of Jesus when He appears?
They were thinking of a specific location. But the corpse is not in a
specific location. They didn't understand yet, about the universal arrival
and appearance of Jesus at His return.
The answer Jesus gave is allegorical that reflects a common image not only
from Jewish culture as can be seen from the Old Testament (Job 39:30; Prov.
30:17), but from the laws of nature as well.
What we need to determine is the significance of this image as Jesus related
it to His arrival at the Day of the Lord.
The word that is translated as eagles is aetos.
This is the standard word for that specific classification of bird.
There is no need to translate it as vulture just because of the carrion
context.
Carrion is a part of the eagle's diet although not the most favorable as
they prefer hunting their prey.
Many ancient writers class vultures among the eagles.
Although many have attempted to identify a specific location for the corpse,
it seems to me that the best view is that the corpse is the entire corrupted
and sinful world.
Evil has progressed through the advance of the mystery of lawlessness, and
the earth is now filled with a DEAD BODY that needs to be removed by the
vultures. When Jesus returns, it is to begin the removal of the DEAD BODY
through the Day of the Lord judgments in preparation for the earthly Davidic
kingdom.
We know that this event will be universally visible. Every eye will see the
arrival of Jesus in the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. It
will be visible like lightning flashing across the sky to every geographical
location on the earth.
The cosmic and earthly signs that will precede the actual arrival of Jesus
will be universally visible. The response of ALL the people is described as
"men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming
upon the world."
It is the corrupt condition of the world that brings the judgment from God.
This is portrayed in the vision shown to John at Rev. 14:14-16.
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one
like a son of man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His
hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling out with a loud
voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the
hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 Then He
who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was
reaped.
Isaiah 24:20.
The earth trembles like a heavy drinker And sways like a hut,
For its wrongdoing is heavy upon it, And it will fall, never to rise again.
And Isaiah 13:11, So I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked
for their wrongdoing; I will also put an end to the audacity of the proud
And humiliate the arrogance of the tyrants.
Is. 26:21,
For behold, the Lord is about to come out from His place To punish the
inhabitants of the earth for their wrongdoing;
And the earth will reveal her bloodshed And will no longer cover her slain.
Just as is described at Is. 13:6-11
Wail, for the day of the Lord is near! It will come as destruction from the
Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, And every human heart will
melt. They will be terrified, Pains and anguish will take hold of them;
They will writhe like a woman in labor, They will look at one another in
astonishment, Their faces aflame.
Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger,
To make the land a desolation;
And He will exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and
their constellations Will not flash their light;
The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light. So
I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their wrongdoing; I
will also put an end to the audacity of the proud And humiliate the
arrogance of the tyrants.
It is at this time that the wrath of God and of the Lamb will begin to judge
the beast and his kingdom. Rev 6:16-17.
The fulfillment of the corpse image is the sinful earth, and those who are
spiritually dead. These will be subject to horrendous physical judgments
through the trumpets and bowls of God's judicial wrath.
The fulfillment of the vulture IMAGE is the arrival of Jesus in the clouds
of the sky to bring the DOL judgments on the sinful earth.
The REASON Jesus uses the eagle image to refer to his return is because that
is the specific counterpart to the corpse image.
The application is that in the same way that eagles pounce upon carrion, so
likewise will Jesus pounce upon the corrupt and sinful earth.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS about the allegory
1. Matthew and Luke are in apparent conflict.
That is resolved by the preceding paragraphs, and more completely by the
discussion on the correlation of the three Synoptic Gospels.
It seems quite unreasonable to me for this image to be spoken on two
different occasions for TWO DIFFERENT reasons.
Accordingly, one has to decide WHICH writer they are going to follow
concerning the placement of the statement.
Luke inserts parts of Christ’s discourses ALL OVER THE PLACE and does not
follow the precise order of content as Matthew and Mark do.
It is more reasonable TO ME that Matthew is to be followed as to where this
statement should be located in the chronology of Christ's discourse.
If we can’t agree on that placement, then there can be no resolution when
trying to figure out what the “vulture” statement means.
WE FIRST have to agree about what the disciples are asking.
If Matthew is followed - THEN - the question is asking, “WHERE will the Lord
arrive when He comes back.”
If Luke is followed (literally) - THEN - the question is “WHERE will the
taken-ones go to.”
2. However, it is quite unreasonable for this image to be used to answer a
question as to “where the TAKEN OUT ones will go,” as it APPEARS to do in
Luke’s account. Even if, as with the pre-trib camp, the “taken ones” refers
to unbelievers being taken to judgment, it still does not make sense, for at
Armageddon there really is no “taken in judgment.” There is simply a
physical destruction (death) of those who are assembled on the earth, and
the vultures will eat up the dead bodies afterwards. And at the separation
of the sheep and the goats at Matthew 25:31ff, there is no one being taken
from a work site or a bed.
3. Matthew’s account answers the question as to “where the Lord will come
upon His initial arrival.”
And since His arrival/appearance is probably instantaneously visible, the
answer would be WHERE THE “evil” CARCASS is located.
It is located ON THE EARTH. In other words, Jesus is not telling them to
think of any ONE particular geographical location, but it is the earth in
general that is in view with specific reference to the CHARACTER of the
earth as a dead corpse that needs to be dealt with.
4. Another option for this initial ARRIVAL LOCATION is Palestine, where the
Beast has set up the abomination of desolation in the Holy Place. But this
is a moot point IF the arrival constitutes a universal appearing, for if
“every eye will see Him,” then it matters not WHERE He first appears.
5. Some have suggested that the use of this image identifies the location of
Christ’s return as “on the mountains of Israel” (Ezek. 39:4, 17), and “on
the open field” (Ezek. 39:5). In this case, it would certainly refer to the
battle of Armageddon, although there is still controversy over that. This
will be dealt with in more detail when I get to Matthew 24:29-30.
Luke ends the section with this allegory.
In Matthew's account, Jesus continued with telling them what signs will
precede and basically announce His coming. Mat. 24:29-30.
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