For many years the Churches of God have considered Petra to be the place of safety or protection !! But is it? Let's start by examining first the location of Petra and then what we find there. Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary states: Petra "In the early history was the capital of Edom. It is situated about 170 miles south-west of modern Amman and 50 miles south of the dead sea. It is situated in a basin that is about 3000 feet wide and about one mile long. The city is surrounded by massive sandstone cliffs of a dark red color".

The word Petra is not mentioned by name in the Bible. Some scholars believe it was the same place called Sela in the Bible, Sela means rock in Hebrew and Petra means rock in Greek. The area of Petra is described as heavily Polytheistic. "The ruins consist of about 750 carved monuments most of pagan origin. The most famous is called the treasury; it is the first carved building you see when leaving the mile high walled gorge, called the Shiq. The treasury, which has been called "Petra's Gem," is a temple carved out of sandstone to "Isis." Who is Isis? Isis is the pagan Egyptian goddess of fertility and is like Astarte, the Phoenician goddess. Both images were represented standing on a Crescent moon. "Many ruins of Roman construction may be seen there: a triumphal arch, an amphitheater, remains of baths, temples, tombs, and sections of a road. Above the city are the great high places, containing sacrificial altars hewn from solid rock. Further study of Petra reveals: The Nabataneans who lived there at one time worshiped the sun god Dushara, the great mother goddess of Arabia, whose symbol was an uncut black stone. Two mighty obelisks are still standing on high places that are associated with idolatrous worship. Pagan temples and altars with carved pagan images are everywhere you look." (i.e. Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary).

Does this sound like a place God would take His people to for protection, when He said, "Meddle not with them, for I will not give you of their land, no not so much as a foot breadth, because I have given Mount Seir unto Esau (the land of Moab) for a possession... And the Lord said unto me, distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you of their land for a possession" (Deut. 2:5,9). When reading Jeremiah 48--- Ezekiel 25---Amos 2--- Isaiah 15, you will read of the whole area being under a curse. I ask you, will Petra be the place of protection God will choose to teach His chosen first fruits for three and half years during the tribulation? Is Petra, the rock in which we are to put our protective confidence? I DON'T THINK SO!!!

JESUS CHRIST IS THE ROCK that will protect us from the tribulation and troubles ahead! The song of Moses says: "Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of My mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distill as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe you greatness unto our God. HE IS THE ROCK, His work is perfect: for all His ways are Judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He" (Deu. 32:1-4).

Who does David say the ROCK is? "I will love you, O Lord, my strength. THE LORD IS MY ROCK, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God my strength, in whom I will trust, my shield and the strength of my salvation and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies" (Psa. 18:1-3). So, Moses and David knew who their ROCK was. They did not look to physical Petra for their protection and salvation. "As for God, His way is perfect, the word of the Lord is proved, He Is a shield to all those who trust in Him. For who is God, save the Lord? Or who is a ROCK SAVE OUR GOD? It is God who girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect" (Psa 18:30-32). "The Lord lives; and blessed be my ROCK and let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God who avenges me, and subdues the people under me. He delivers me from my enemies, yea, he lifts me up above those who rise up against me. You have delivered me from the violent men. Therefore will I give thanks unto You, Oh Lord among the nations and sing praises unto Your name" (Psa 18: 46- 49). Our God is a jealous God who permitted no rivals. Remember the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me" (Exo. 20:3).

Would God be angry with us if we let a man take us to a place where He has not lead? We must remember God said that even the very elect could be deceived (Matt 24:24). Yes, a person could be deceived if he takes his instruction from sources other than God's word. Moses describes a nation that took its eyes (mind) off God, "They are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? For their rock is not as our ROCK, even our enemies themselves being judges. And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted" (Deu 32:28-31,37).God has shown us there is none like Him. He is the Eternal and He is our Rock and refuge in time of need.

There are two other possibilities for us to look at when speaking of a place of safety, meaning, protection and deliverance from tribulation and trouble. We find an interesting verse in Isaiah that says, "Come, My people, enter you into your chambers, and shut the doors about you: hide yourself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over past" (Isa. 26:20). This is speaking of a time when God's final indignation takes form in what is known as the seven last plagues or the third woe found in Revelation chapters 15 and 16.

"For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them to the slaughter. For My sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, (Greek–pertaining to Edom) and upon the people of My curse, to judgment. For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion" (Isa.34:2,5,8). It does not sound like PETRA is a place to be during God's wrath. This time of divine indignation against the wicked is also the time of deliverance and triumph for the first fruits that are God's.

Maybe our homes will be our place of safety. Why would one think that? There are two reasons: one is that God is responsible for scattering His holy people. "---- When He shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished" (Daniel 12:7). It is hard to notice people in homes, when gathered in small groups.

For a second example, there is the slaying of Egypt's first born. God's people were to remain within their own homes, they were to be given protection. They were to be identified by the blood on the doorpost. "You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you" (Exo.12:22-23). The blood on the doorpost was their sign! Our sign for protection is keeping the right day for the weekly Sabbaths and God's annual Holy days! "It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever" (Exo.31:17). Isaiah has more to say about those who are going to obey God! "Thus saith the Lord: keep justice and do righteousness; for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that does this and the son of man that lays hold on it, that keeps the Sabbath from polluting it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil" (Isa. 56:1-2).

The children of Israel saw the miracles God performed such as the parting of the red sea, the water flowing out of a flint rock, the darkness in Egypt three days before Egypt's first born were put to death, the pillar of fire at night that followed them. God can do the same thing for us!!! Psalms 46 tells us God is our refuge and strength. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Vs. 7, "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations He has made in the earth. Vs. 10, "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (Psalms 46:1-3,7-8,10-11). The time of God's indignation against the wicked is also the time of deliverance and triumph for His people.

Now let's take a look at the third possibility of "WHERE THE PLACE OF PROTECTION MIGHT BE?" Lets begin to find this third possibility with two very familiar verses found in Revelation 12. We have all read and studied these two verses before. "And the woman (a woman is recognized as the church) 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. 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 (so, we see the millennium had not started yet because Satan is still alive and loose). 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. (A flood symbolizes an army in the Bible) 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. 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" (Rev 12:6,14-17).

What is the meaning of wilderness? Wilderness is Strong's number 2048-----meaning: Un-habited, Desolate, Lonely, Leading through a desert, Deprived of aid and protection, Deserted by others, Desert----wilderness, An uncultivated region that's fit for pasturage. So, where is this wilderness? And does it show us any hope for escaping the Tribulation? (troubles ahead?). Will the scattered elect be brought to the wilderness, and see God face to face?

Exodus. "As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: and I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out." God is going to gather His elect, those who have kept His sign, His Sabbaths by not postponing them. John 17:17 says "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth"(not Hillel II). God tells us in verse 35, "And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God" (Ezek 20:35- 36). God's servant Isaiah adds to this thought by saying in the first part of verse 9), "I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, (a seed represents only a small portion of a plant that produces it; it may appear insignificant but the seed is of the highest and greatest importance of any plant). Continuing with verse 9, "Out of Judah an inheritor of My mountains: and Mine Elect (my chosen) shall inherit it, and My servants shall dwell there" (Isa 65:9).

Those who are God's elect will be those who obey Him and keep His Sabbaths and annual Holy days Holy by not profaning them!!! "You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is Holy unto you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed."(Exo 31:14,16-17) God's elect are sealed and known to God because they don't postpone any of His Holy Sabbaths, meaning all of them.

Continuing in Isaiah 65 verse 10, "And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, (and) For My people that have sought (obeyed) me." The Valley of Achor (meaning trouble) because this world is going to be in tribulation and trouble, while God's people are in a place of protection from trouble.

The Valley of Achor has a lot of history behind it. It is a plateau that stretches north and south of Jericho, near the north west corner of the dead sea. Some have identified the Valley of Achor with the Wadi el Qilt, a ravine-like torrent valley that passes near Jericho. However, the description of its position as given at Joshua 15:7 appears to place it more to the south, and the statement at Isaiah 65:10 would indicate a broader, more spacious area. In view of this it is tentatively identified with el Buqeia, a barren low lying plateau or basin, that stretches north and south across the wadi Qumran, near the Northwest corner of the Dead Sea. Archaeological investigation there has revealed sites of ancient towns or forts as well as systems of dams. This is the land Moses saw when he asked God, " I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. God told Moses, "Get you up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, (the first place Moses was told to look was westward from Mt. Pisgah to the Valley of Achor) and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see" (Deu. 3:25,27-28). This valley of Achor is where Achan and his family were stoned to death and buried, for keeping gold and silver when Israel invaded Jericho. That story is found in Joshua 7.

We read in Isaiah 65:10, the "Valley of Achor, a place for the herds to lie down in, (and) for My people that have sought (obeyed) Me." What happens to those who forsake God's laws and won't accept God's Sabbath as their sign? "But you are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my Holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, (a name given to the god of fortune) and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, you did not answer; when I spake, you did not hear; but did evil before Mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. (Polluting God's annual Sabbaths). Therefore thus saith the Lord God, behold, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry: behold, My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty: behold, My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed: behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, but you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit" (Isa. 65:11-14).

Today, the elect (the bride) is being invited to the marriage, but only a few are accepting the invitation. Why?? It's because they don't want to obey the sign of God's annual Sabbaths. The traditions of men have become more important. "Christ said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition" (Mark 7:6-9). "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?" (John 5:46-47).

Hosea the prophet, joins Ezekiel and Isaiah for more evidence of this, our third choice, for a place of protection. "Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly unto her and I will give her her vineyards there, and the Valley of Achor for a door of hope" (This door of hope is a door opened for us to escape the Tribulation and troubles of life that the rest of the world is going to experience during the Tribulation) and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (Take note of this next verse), And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that you shalt Call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more baali" (Hosea 2:14-16).

ISHI--using Strong's number 376 means My Husband----(you shall call me My Husband). This is used in the same way wife is used in Rev. 19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made Herself ready." BAALI--using Strong's number 1180 and 1167 means "My lord or master," (shall call Me no more Lord or master). Continuing with verses 18 thru 20 of Hosea 2, "And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword (abolish all battle equipment) out of the land, and will make them to lie down safely (meaning PROTECTION). And I will betroth you unto Me forever; yes, I will betroth you unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth you unto Me in faithfulness: and you shalt know the Lord."

"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the Valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi (my husband); and shalt call me no more Baali" (Hosea 2:14-16).