Well, let's take a closer look at these three passages as we should...
(1) Isa 26:20 NIV Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by.
(2) Matt 17:4 NIV Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
(3) John 14:1-4 NIV "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going."
(1) Answer: Isa 26:19-21 NIV But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. 20 Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. 21 See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no longer.
As we can see here, Isa 26:19 NIV speaks of the first resurrection with language such as (But your dead will live, their bodies will rise, you who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy, the earth will give birth to her dead.)
As we can see here, Isa 26:20 NIV the rapture follows the first resurrection with language such as (Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while) We also see these rooms spoken of in Matt 17:4 NIV and John 14:1-4 NIV. I will get to that soon.
As we can also see here, Isa 26:21 NIV speaks about the power and justice of heaven being moved and God's wrath being poured out on earth and nonbelievers that remain after rapture with language such as (the LORD coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins, the earth will disclose the blood shed upon her)
(2) Answer: In Matt 17:4 NIV, we see a vision described here. The word shelter here is Greek for a tent, booth, tabernacle, abode, dwelling, mansion or habitation. The Transfiguration is a vision of the first resurrection, rapture and the feast of tabernacles Matt 17:4 NIV. Moses represents those who are dead in Christ. Elijah represents those who are alive at rapture, and Jesus represents himself in Matt 17:2 NIV. Let's take a look at the definition of transfigure to get a better idea...
verb (used with object), transfigured, transfiguring.
1. to change in outward form or appearance; transform.
2. to change so as to glorify or exalt.
1 Cor 15:50-54 NIV I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
Matt 16:27-28 NIV For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. 28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Matt 17:1-4 NIV After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
Lev 23:33-34 NIV The LORD said to Moses, 34 "Say to the Israelites: 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD's Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days.
Psalm 27:5 NIV For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.
Zeph 2:3 NIV Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD's anger.
tabernacle / noun
1. any place or house of worship, especially one designed for a large congregation.
5. a temporary dwelling or shelter, as a tent or hut.
6. a dwelling place.
(3) Answer: John 14:1-4 NIV "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going."
As we can see here, this passage also speaks of rooms and speaks of rapture with language such as (I am going there to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am, you know the way to the place where I am going.") Where is Jesus right now? He resides in the third heaven, and that is where we will be at the first resurrection and rapture. We will be able to dwell in the third heaven by then because we will obtain our resurrected bodies and will be able to dwell in His holiness with Him.
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