The Scriptures appear to indicate that the saints will be forced to leave the cities of the earth and hide in the wilderness, under the protection of the Lord.

We think that the killing of the witnesses means that the Christian testimony will be driven from the large cities of the earth, not that all of the elect will be slain. We know there will be Christians who will remain alive until the Lord returns.

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. (Revelation 13:7)

And the woman 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. (Revelation 12:6)

And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. (Isaiah 4:5)

It seems that the saints will hide in some wilderness area, and all who go out to them will be delivered.

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:32)

We understand also that the elect Jews are not to remain in Jerusalem when Antichrist takes his place in the Temple and proclaims himself to be God.

Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: (Matthew 24:16)

It may be true that the account of Jacob and his family fleeing to Egypt during the famine, there to be nourished by Joseph and his Gentile bride, is a type of the elect Jews fleeing into the wilderness, there to be nourished by the Lord Jesus and His Gentile Bride.

There will be a place of deliverance throughout the great tribulation. Multitudes will be saved.

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:13,14)

"Came out of [the] great tribulation"!

The remnant, the "two sticks," the elect Jews and Gentiles, will remain alive until the Lord returns. Then they will be filled with unprecedented glory and herald the Lord's return.

In the days of Noah, the fountains of the deep gushed forth before the rain fell. So shall it be at the coming of the Lord. The Light of God shall shine from the saints—those on earth and those in the spirit realm—until the Divine Light is as lightning that shines from one end of the heavens to the other.

To be continued.