Where does consciousness reside?

Since the passing of my father, I've given considerable thought to death, perhaps more than is healthy. I've looked deeply into the nature of reality, heaven and hell experiences, how our physical world works, and how the unseen spiritual realm might work. I came across this random comment on my internet travels and thought I would share my thoughts.

Quote: sorry. regardless of what has been written about others, the fact is that when I am given anesthesia or go to sleep, I am UNCONSCIOUS. Consciousness is a product of the biological brain and can be blocked there. Remove the biology and the consciousness is GONE. Indeed it makes one wonder what one’s ‘spirit’ really is (other than a simple life energy perhaps). It doesn’t seem to have any functionality when one is ‘out’.

I appreciate that sacred writers tell us it is not so, and it indeed may not be so for them. But it’s hard to get past one’s own experience. Awareness can be blocked in the brain, so with out that brain we have none.

I wish it weren’t so.

I would say there's quite a big difference between being unconscious and being dead, and we don't know that consciousness is purely the product of the biological brain. Science can't tell us where consciousness resides because it deals with the material, tangible world. Consciousness is intangible and subjective. There are theories, but nothing is proven. Consciousness is very much a mystery.

I have my own theory. I think the brain acts as an interface of sorts for the consciousness, which exists elsewhere, possibly outside our three spatial dimensions (think extra dimensionality). There are certain physical and biological processes that can interfere with that connection, such as sleep, comas, or brain damage, but the connection isn't lost until death. Once the body dies, the connection is severed, and our consciousness unplugs, as it were, and becomes fully aware of the spiritual world around us.

The body/brain acts as a receptacle for our spirt/soul/consciousness (whatever you want to call it). If you've seen the movie Avatar, you'll get the idea. Near-death experiences, while circumstantial, would support this hypothesis. In many accounts, people were accurately able to describe what was happening to them when they should have been dead or at the very least unconscious.

The reality of hell & why it exists

The existence of hell is a concept that some find difficult or unwilling to grasp. They are unable to reconcile the seeming paradox of such a place existing alongside a loving God who wants the best for us. Alternate explanations have existed to explain it away. However, I believe that not only does such a place exist, but that it is necessary. I will give my theological justifications for the existence of hell while also addressing some of the common criticisms. My reasoning is based upon free will, rather than determinism, playing a major role in how God deals with humanity and by taking a literal interpretation of scripture (by literal, I don’t disregard such things as symbolism and idioms). If either of those precepts cannot be agreed upon, then a consensus will not be reached.

Let’s start at the beginning. When Adam sinned, it caused a spiritual separation between him and God. And because Adam was the first, the master template if you will, all humanity became separated from God and born into a fallen state at birth. The result of this fallen state resulted in a physical death followed by a second death, which is the final judgment and the lake of fire (Rev 20:14, 21:8).

The reason for this second death is because God and sin cannot mix. It would be like trying to mix oil and water, an impossibility. A fallen being cannot withstand being in the presence of a holy God. That meant that humanity, when they physically died, could not automatically ascend to heaven with God. A divine intervention was needed.

The remedy, of course, was sending Jesus to atone for the sins of humanity. He became the perfect sacrifice to bear the wages of sin and pay the price in our stead. And because of His divinity, He was able to atone for everyone's sins, past, present, and future, simultaneously, once and for all. But just because He paid the price for all does not mean that it comes automatically. We still have to receive it. God has opened the door, but it’s up to you to walk through it. It must be our choice to accept that pardon or not because God wants people to come to Him willingly. So, He has offered humanity a choice: to live with him for eternity or to live apart from him for all eternity. Those are the only two possible outcomes.

Before I continue, I would like to dispel the erroneous assumption that everyone wants to be saved and go to heaven. That is not true. There are countless people who want nothing to do with God (Jhn 3:19). Such individuals would never be content in heaven being around a God they have no interest in serving. Our heaven would be their hell. Moreover, they would have no desire to be around believers who willingly worship God. There would be eternal contention between the two groups, making it no different than how it is on earth. 

So, what does God do with those who don’t wish to spend eternity with him? They cannot go to heaven for the reasons already established, and He will not violate their free will choice. Besides, why would God want to spend an eternity with someone who doesn’t want to spend an eternity with him? The only solution is to give them a place of their own. But how do we reconcile the reality of souls going to a place of eternal torment? And I would distinguish between being tormented and being tortured; they are not the same thing. We can do so in several ways.

First and foremost, it’s not God’s will that anyone should perish (2Pe 3:9), and hell was not originally created for humans but for Satan and his fallen angels (Matt 25:41). If it’s not God’s will for anyone to perish, then whose will is it? This is where human free will comes into play. As previously mentioned, salvation is a choice. God will not violate our free will and force anyone to be saved. It is therefore not God who sends people to hell, but the free will choices people have made that determine their eternal destination.

But one may ask, what if they change their mind after they die? Is it fair that they should spend eternity in hell for the decisions they made in this short life? I don’t believe they can. Once they step out of time, they step into eternity. In an eternal present there is no more “time” to change. The choices that we made in this life become solidified. Also, sin, by its very nature, hardens a person’s heart. If their hearts were turned away from God at death, they will be turned even more so once sin is fully blossomed and unrestrained. So, not only can’t they change their minds, they won’t want to. They may experience regret, but that’s not the same as being repentant.

Second, it’s true that God is a God of love, but that’s only one facet of His character. God is also a judge. If hell didn’t exist or lasted a temporary duration, then there wouldn’t be any true justice or accountability for our actions. It would mean that someone like Hitler, who never repented, should receive the same reward as someone like Paul, who repented of his sins and faced many persecutions for his faith. That would not be just. Moreover, there would be no incentive to do good in this life if there was no such thing as eternal justice, recompense, and accountability.

Third, hell is not a terrible place because God made it terrible. Hell is terrible because God is not there. Hell is the antithesis of everything that God is. God is love, so hell is devoid of love, kindness, and compassion. God is life, so hell is a place of death. God is light, so hell is a place of darkness. God is merciful, but in hell, there is no mercy. And so on. On this fallen earth, bad things happen, but good things happen too. We experience pain, suffering, and loss, but we also experience joy, hope, and love because God hasn't abandoned us. But in hell, there’s none of that. Nothing good ever happens in hell because it’s completely devoid of God. But why couldn’t God give them a paradise of their own? For the same reasons as already stated. Without God, it wouldn't be paradise. God is life and the “glue” that holds everything together. Without him, paradise would quickly descend into hell.

Fourth, imagine you were locked in prison with the worst human beings imaginable with no guards around and anarchy reigned supreme. If faced with that situation, it would be preferable if everyone, including yourself, was confined in chains. At least that way, there would be a little sense of security and safety. Now, imagine if you were confined in hell with not only the worst humans who have ever lived but also with the worst demons in existence. Except this time, it’s multiple magnitudes worse than any prison on earth because the full extent of evil is expressed. The worst horrors on earth wouldn’t even compare to the horrors the beings in hell can inflict on one another. When hell is thrown into the lake of fire, the flames serve to constrict and immobilize the beings in hell, much like chains in a prison, to contain their evil. That is a far better fate than what they could do to each other. However, I believe the severity of the flames will be proportional to each individual’s capacity for evil. Someone like Jack the Ripper, for example, would not suffer to the same degree as the average Joe. In this way, the flames of hell can be viewed as a form of mercy.

Fifth, the flames are there for them to atone for their sins. For those who have accepted Christ, our sins have already been forgiven. Jesus, in his divinity, was able to atone for our sins in ways we cannot. The lost souls in hell who haven’t accepted Jesus’ atonement must atone for their own sins. Plus, we can't assume that once they die, they will stop sinning. They will still have the capacity to sin and to an even greater degree. However, they have no animals to shed their blood to make at least a temporary atonement like they did in the Old Testament. The only thing they have left to sacrifice is themselves. The problem is because they are not divine like Jesus, they can’t permanently atone for their sins. That means they have no other choice but to perpetually atone for their sins as a self-sacrifice. 

But what about the people who never heard the gospel, one may object? Why should they go to hell for their ignorance? There are three groups of people who have ever lived. Those that have heard the gospel and accepted Christ, those who have heard the gospel and rejected Christ, and those who never heard the gospel and died in ignorance. The latter group is the one we want to focus on. 

The Book of Romans reveals to us that God is revealed in nature (Rom 1:20), and each of us has a God-given conscience (Rom 2:14–15). We are all born with an innate sense of right and wrong; it’s what we do with what’s revealed to us that matters. For some, more has been revealed than to others, like those who have heard the gospel and rejected it. For them, they will be held to a higher standard. For others, like the American Indians who never heard the gospel, I believe their ignorance will be taken into consideration to a degree and grace may be granted. After all, Abraham and Moses never heard the gospel, but does anyone doubt they are in heaven now? That’s not to say that ignorance alone is enough to be saved. They will be judged on how much they knew and what they did with it. I believe grace is also given to babies, small children, the mentally handicapped (those incapable of knowing right from wrong), and anyone else who has died before the age of accountability, which varies with each individual (the concept for the age of accountability can be found in Deu 1:39, Isa 7:15-16, Rom 7:0, and 2Sa 12:22-23).

To conclude, hell is, in essence, a byproduct of free will apart from God. God has given us the gift of free will because he wants us to love him willingly. Love, by its very nature, can’t be forced or coerced; it must be freely given. But in doing so, God also knew that there would be those who would reject and rebel against him. Hell is the only solution to the problem of free will. The only alternative is if God were to create us without a free will, but then we would never be able to experience true love, and we would just be like puppets in God’s divine play. So, to put it simply, hell exists because it has to.

The night I lost my father

My father passed away on 7/16/25. He had always been healthy and robust except for the last 2 years of his life. It was then his health began to decline rapidly. He started eating less and less and losing a lot of weight. Then he started moving less and less. I admit, I got frustrated with him at times because I didn't think he was trying hard enough to help himself. Now, I understand it wasn't his fault. He was sick, more sick than even I realized. Looking back, it was obvious, but at the time, I couldn't see it or maybe I didn't want to. I just thought it was his age or that he was being stubborn. Obviously, I could see his health declining. He was wasting away before my eyes. We did try to help in every way possible, from doctors to supplements, but to no avail. I even went on a three-day prayer fast for him.

On that final day or two, I knew his time was short. I closed the door and talked to him alone. I told him all the things on my heart, all the things I didn't say before because it would be an admission that he was going to die. I don't know if he heard me. By then he was comatose and unresponsive. Maybe it was more for me than it was for him, but I told him everything I wanted to say. I told him he was the best dad I could ever ask for, and that I was proud to be his son. I told him that he can go home now and that I would see him again. I held his hand one last time and gently caressed his head.

I can't remember if he passed that night or the following night. I remember dinner was ready and it was time to eat. I looked over at my wife, and I could see she was starting to cry. I think she knew before I did that he was about to pass. I went to check on him before I went to eat, and I noticed his breathing had changed. It was much more shallow. With tears in my eyes, I told my mother that I think he was about to go. We all huddled around his bed. It was not maybe more than 20 minutes later that I saw my dad take his last breath and die. We all were crying. I heard my mother cry harder than I think I've ever heard her cry before.

Nothing can prepare you for that. It never crossed my mind that one day I would watch my father die and be carried out in a body bag. It was a very surreal experience. Even now, it almost doesn't seem real. My father can't die; it seemed like an impossibility. For 50 years he was a part of my life. Except for a few weeks during all that time, I saw and talked to him every single day. And now, suddenly, he was gone. When he died, it felt like he took a piece of me with him. There's a void in my heart that cannot be filled. I've never been much of a cryer, but sometimes it still hits me. I suppose I will miss him for the rest of my life until the day we are reunited. A part of me wants to join him now. However long I have left on this earth, 30 or 40 years if I'm lucky, feels like an eternity without him in it. But I know in the scheme of things a few decades is just a blip in time. Soon enough, I will be joining him.

The difficult thing I've had to deal with is the way he died. I never thought my dad would die sick and infirm. That's not the way I wanted him to go. I didn't want him to go at all, but I would have preferred if he passed away in good health. I don't know why he died the way he did or why our prayers didn't work. I've known some other good, faithful Christians who were taken from this earth by sickness and disease. I know healing works; I've seen evidence of it. Why it didn't work for them is a mystery. Maybe on the other side it will all make sense. It has made me think a lot about death, maybe more than is healthy.

I take solace in knowing he's not suffering anymore. He's whole again, and I know where he's at; he's happier than he's ever been. Whatever he went through on earth doesn't even compare to the glory he is experiencing now. He wouldn't want to come back now even if you asked him to. And while I don't understand why he died the way he did, the time he was sick was relatively short. He had far more good, healthy years than not. I'm also thankful to have had him in my life for half a century; not everyone gets that, and I know I will see him again. So Dad, it's not goodbye; it's see you later.

Is the story of the rich man and Lazarus a parable?

Some think the story of the rich man and Lazarus is just a parable. But this particular story stands out from other parables. For one, it uses specific names and mentions real people that have lived (Abraham and Moses). If it's a parable, it would be the only parable in the bible to use specific names. It would also be the only parable to mention the afterlife. Second, Jesus never says that it's a parable. Usually, but not always, it will say if it's a parable or not. But there's another reason that lends credence to the idea that it's not a parable. Recall what scriptures tell what us where Jesus went and what he did after he died on the cross:

He descended to the lowest parts of the earth (Eph 4:8-10)

He went to the heart of the earth (Mat 12:40)

He went to paradise (Luk 23:43)

He preached to the spirits in prison (1Pe 3:18-20)

Scriptures tell us Jesus went to hell (Hades), but it also says he went to paradise. So, which is it? It seems like a contradiction unless we take the story of the rich man and Lazarus literally. It also makes perfect sense.

The saved souls who died prior to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ couldn’t automatically ascend to heaven because their sins had not been atoned for. It would have been necessary for God to partition off a part of hell as a temporary paradise for the pre-Christian saints to reside. He placed a gulf between them and the lost souls, so it could not be crossed. Jesus, however, in his divinity, was able to cross the gulf, as he holds the keys of Hades and of Death (Rev 1:18). After he descended to hell, to paradise, aka Abraham’s bosom, he was able to cross the gulf to preach to the spirits in prison.

After Jesus was resurrected, what happened? The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who died were also raised from the dead (Mat 27:52). Who were they, and where did they come from? They were the saints that were in Abraham’s bosom. After Christ ascended to heaven and shed his blood on the mercy seat, the pre-Christian saints were able to finally ascend to heaven with Christ. Thus, the story of the rich man and Lazarus is more than a parable.

The nature of reality: Is this all there is?

The materialist would tell you that the universe, and everything in it, is all there is, all there will ever be. They only believe in what they can touch, taste, feel, etc., and can’t possibly envision something more. However, a physicist, if they were being honest, would know better. A physicist would know that what we can see and feel is merely a stubborn illusion. The reality is, what we can perceive is a very small fraction of all that exists. We are limited by our five senses and three spatial dimensions. Beyond that, we can’t detect more. Even our senses are limited in what they can detect. 

Take sight, for example. We identify objects by their shapes and colors. However, what we perceive as color is merely light waves bouncing off objects, entering our eyes, and then being interpreted as colors by our brains via electrical signals. So, not only do colors not physically exist, but we can only see a mere 0.0035% of the entire light spectrum. If we could somehow see the world apart from our limited human perspective, it would look very different.

Light is interesting in that it can behave like a particle or wave depending on how it is observed. Certain experiments, such as the double-slit experiment, indicate that physical objects do not have an independent, objective reality on their own but that they only appear when we observe them. That means that consciousness doesn’t merely affect reality; it creates it too. That also begs the question, where does consciousness reside? Is consciousness solely a product of the brain, or does it exist externally, perhaps in another reality? There are theories, but scientists don't know for sure.

Then there is touch. We think that what we can touch is solid. However, if you were to place your hand against a wall, it wouldn’t actually touch. What you would feel is the electrometric fields at play between the atoms in your hand and the atoms in the wall, much like two magnets repelling each other. What is also interesting is that atoms are mostly empty. Atoms have a nucleus composed of protons and neutrons that are orbited by electrons. If you had an atom the size of a football stadium, the nucleus would be like a marble in the center with the electron cloud occupying the rest of the space. An object may appear solid, but it's not. It's been said that if you removed all the empty space in an atom, our bodies would be reduced to less than the size of a pinhead. 

All this is to say, there’s much more to reality than we can perceive. Our senses can’t detect even 99.9% of the world around us. The problem is that people have difficulty envisioning something beyond our limited human perception. That's understandable. We were born into a world of three spatial dimensions and one dimension of time, it’s all we’ve ever known. Our minds can’t truly grasp anything beyond that. But what if there are more dimensions beyond our perception? How different would things be?

The best way to visualize what adding an extra dimension would be like is by taking one away. Imagine a flat two-dimensional world. Life would be drastically different. In fact, I doubt complex life could even exist. But if it could hypothetically exist, such lifeforms couldn’t perceive anything beyond their two-dimensional world. A three-dimensional object could hover a millimeter over their two-dimensional world, and they would never even know it unless the three-dimensional object chose to intersect with their two-dimensional world.

Now, imagine if you add a fourth or even a fifth dimension to our own. How different would our reality be? Suddenly, things that would have been impossible before would suddenly be possible. String theory leaves the door open for such a possibility. In string theory there exists 10 to 11 dimensions, depending on the model. So, even science acknowledges the possibility of more dimensions beyond our own. Reality is far bigger and wilder than we can imagine. Even at the quantum level, things behave in odd ways that defy the laws of physics, such as a particle existing in multiple locations at the same time.

In conclusion, there is much more to reality than meets the eye. This universe we live in is a closed physical construct, governed by certain laws like a computer code that dictates how it behaves. Such a physical construct could only have been created by an outside force. As Christians, we understand that force to be God. This world we live in is just a shadow of a much larger reality. When we die, we leave this physical reality and move into a higher reality that is more real than our own.

The spiritual sixth-sense

I've never had many supernatural experiences in my life. The only two that might qualify were when I was a child. I tend to think children are naturally more sensitive to the spirit due to their innocence, which is probably why I experienced them. They were more like spiritual senses than anything, but on opposite ends of the spectrum.

The first occurred when I was really young. It was in the morning; I think I may have been going to daycare. My parent, I can't remember which one, pulled the car out of the driveway with me in the passenger seat. They got out of the car briefly to do something, I don't know what, and left the engine running. I was left alone for a moment, and a strange feeling came over me. It was a sense of urgency, like something was about to happen, but I didn't know what. I have not felt anything like it before or since. Then, suddenly, the car started backing out of the driveway into the street. This, of course, freaked me out. I was too young to know about stepping on the brakes to make it stop. I only knew that it scared me. Luckily, there were no cars coming, and the car gently backed into a chain-link fence and stopped. I believe this was an angel trying to warn me, but I was too young to know what to do with it.

The second one occurred in school; I was maybe in the third grade. This time was darker. I was minding my own business when another strange feeling came over me; it was more like an impulse. I had a sudden, intense urge to jump onto this other kid's back. Mind you, such things were out of character for me. I was a shy kid, and it wasn't in my nature to jump on other kids' backs for no reason. But I acted on the feeling, and unbeknownst to me, he had several sharp pencils in his back pocket pointing up. Luckily, it only left some red welts, and I didn't get into any trouble. In retrospect, I believe this was an evil, mischievous spirit trying to do me harm. And that's it. Not very spectacular, I know, but there it is.

Israel as the Prodigal Son

 Israel is often compared in the Bible to the unfaithful wife who cheats on her husband, in their case, God. However, another comparison can be made in the parable of the prodigal son (Luk 15:11-32). In the parable, a man had two sons. The younger son took his inherence, traveled to a faraway country, and wasted his money on wild living and prostitutes. The young man became destitute but eventually came to his senses. He returned to his father and repented of his sins. The father forgave him and welcomed him back into the fold with a celebration. However, the older son was not pleased and rebuked his father. The father simply reminded his older son that everything he had was his, but his younger brother was lost, and now he’s found.

The parable of the prodigal son is a narrative about forgiveness, repentance, and restoration. As with all parables, it can have more than one application. I believe the prodigal son can also represent Israel. Israel too wasted their inherence (their land and covenant relationship with God) by prostituting themselves with other gods and was forced to travel to faraway places (the diaspora and being scattered among the nations). This was prophesied about in Leviticus 26:14–46. For their disobedience, their enemies would occupy their land, the land would become desolate, and they would be scattered among the nations. Hosea 3:4 expounds on this period, saying, “Israel will go a long time without a king or prince, and without sacrifices, sacred pillars, priests, or even idols!”

However, just as the prodigal son repented and was accepted back, I will make the case that so too will Israel repent and be welcomed back into the fold. Leviticus 26 ends by declaring God will not utterly reject Israel but will remember the covenant He had with their ancestors and be their God once again. A repeated pattern can be found in scripture. Time and time again, God calls on Israel to repent and promises that if they do, they will be forgiven:

Isaiah 44:22 I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

Hos 14:1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for your sins have brought you down.

Hos 14:2 Bring your confessions, and return to the LORD. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises.

Zec 1:3 Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.’

Other supporting scriptures: Jer 3:12-14, Jer 31:34, Eze 18:21-22, Isa 43:25, Joel 2:12-13

Moreover, it’s prophesied that not only can God forgive Israel, but that they will be forgiven and restored:

Hos 3:5 But afterward the people will return and devote themselves to the LORD their God and to David’s descendant, their king. In the last days, they will tremble in awe of the LORD and of his goodness.

Isaiah 10:21 A remnant will return; yes, the remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God. (Remember the remnant, it will become relevant soon)

Deu 30:1 “In the future, when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you, and when you are living among the nations to which the LORD your God has exiled you, take to heart all these instructions.

Deu 30:2 If at that time you and your children return to the LORD your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today,

Deu 30:3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you.

Isa 54:7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will take you back.

Other supporting scriptures: Jer 3:22, Jer 50:4-5, Eze 11:17-20, Eze 36:24-28, Eze 16:60–62, Isa 11:11–12, Hos 6:1-3, Hos 14:4–7 

If there are any doubts about whether the above verses are to be interpreted as literal or figurative, Romans 11 should clear up any confusion: 

Rom 11:1- 4 Paul clearly states that God is not done with the nation of Israel, making a distinction between the Church and Israel.

Rom 11:5-10 God chose a remnant from Israel; the rest he hardened their hearts and blinded them for a time. Otherwise, Christianity would have remained an insular Jewish sect.

Rom 11:11 God brought salvation to the gentiles in part to provoke Israel to jealousy.

Rom 11:12-16 Israel will eventually accept God’s salvation, and their descendants will be holy.

Rom 11:17-22 Israel is the olive tree, and the gentiles are the branches. The gentiles were grated into the olive tree but did not replace it. The branches are not the root. For this reason, we shouldn’t become haughty because God can just as easily break us off.

Rom 11:23-24 God declares that if Israel turns from their unbelief, He has the power to graft them back into the tree.

Rom 11:25-36 Israel’s heart is hardened until the full number of Gentiles come to Christ. Ultimately, God, in his mercy, will take away their sins, and all Israel will be saved.

Is there more scriptural support that Israel will turn from their unbelief? Yes, and it happens during the Great Tribulation. Let’s examine the end-time sequence of events. Zechariah 14 is very prophetic. It says of those days that the nations of the world will fight against Jerusalem and it will be captured (Zec 14:1-2). Half the population is captured; the rest flee the city. Zechariah gets more into the details and says two-thirds will die, but one-third will be left. But this remnant will go through the fire (i.e., the Great Tribulation) and be refined. They will call on the Lord, and He will answer them. That’s when Jesus will intervene to fight against those nations attacking Israel (Zec 14:3). He will set his foot on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, but that may not be where He goes first.

This Jewish remnant will flee to Jordan, likely the rock city of Petra. How do we know this? Because of Micah 2:12:

I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

The Hebrews knew it as Bozrah, which means "sheepfold" or "fortress," but most people today know it by its Greek name, Petra. There is another clue in Daniel that tells us this is the right location. Daniel 11:14 says there are three ancient nations that will escape the Antichrist’s grasp: Edom, Moab, and Ammon. Those ancient nations no longer exist, but the geographical locations they once occupied do. Those three nations encompass the territory of what is today modern-day Jordan, where Petra is located.

Why Petra? Well, aside from the fact that it appears to be supernaturally protected during this period, it’s the perfect hiding place. Petra is literally a rock city surrounded by mountains and cliffs. The primary entrance is a very narrow gorge only accessible by foot or horseback, making it easy to defend. Water is also not a problem because the city has hundreds of underground cisterns and aqueducts. This is the woman who flees to the wilderness (desert) for one thousand two hundred and sixty days or 3.5 years in Revelation 12:6. Jeremiah 49:13-14 suggests the Antichrist forces will prepare to invade Bozrah (Petra), likely near the end of the 3.5 years:

"For I have sworn by Myself,” says the Lord, “that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. And all its cities shall be perpetual wastes. I have heard a message from the Lord, and an ambassador has been sent to the nations: 'Gather together, come against her, and rise up to battle!'"

This will be a Red Sea moment for the Jewish remnant. They will be surrounded by their enemies with nowhere to go. God will allow them to be put in a position where they have no other recourse but to turn back to Him and call upon His name. In fact, this appears to be a precondition for Jesus’ return:

Mat 23:39 “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”

Hos 5:15 I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

The “offense” mentioned by Hosea is outlined in the Book of Daniel:

Dan 9:24 “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.

Daniel says the purpose of the Great Tribulation, among other things, is to “finish the transgression." This transgression is the corporate rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. Once they acknowledge their offense and accept Jesus as the Messiah, their transgression will be finished, and that’s when Jesus will intervene and save them:

Zec 12:10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Rev 19:13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.

Rev 19:14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses.

Why is Jesus’ robe dipped in blood? Because he had just destroyed the Antichrist forces at Bozrah. Isaiah expounds on this:

Isa 63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with his clothing stained red? Who is this in royal robes, marching in his great strength? “It is I, the LORD, announcing your salvation! It is I, the LORD, who has the power to save!”

Isa 63:2 Why are your clothes so red, as if you have been treading out grapes?

Isa 63:3 “I have been treading the winepress alone; no one was there to help me. In my anger I have trampled my enemies as if they were grapes. In my fury I have trampled my foes. Their blood has stained my clothes.

Isa 63:4 For the time has come for me to avenge my people, to ransom them from their oppressors.

The tribulation is, in part, about dealing with Satan, the anti-Christ, and judging a Christ-rejecting world. But the other part is God dealing with Israel. That’s why the Great Tribulation is called Jacob’s Trouble (Jer 30:7). It's not a coincidence that Revelation centers around Jerusalem. The Two Witnesses are from Jerusalem (Rev 11:8). The sealed 144,000 are all from the tribe of Israel (Rev 7:4-8). The Battle of Armageddon takes place in modern-day northern Israel. Why? Because God is taking care of some unfinished business. The only way to get around it is to allegorize scripture.