Knowing he would be murdered by his enemies, (Luke 12:50 of 49-53) but that he would be resurrected, (Psa 16:10 of 8-11; Psa 49:15; Acts 2:31-32) Jesus promised his first century followers he would come again at a future date to provide salvation to the righteous; as well as to execute judgment against the wicked. (Matthew 24:3; Micah 4:1‑5; Isaiah 2:3‑4; Isaiah 1:16‑20) That is the day righteous mankind has awaited since the first sin in the Garden, and, it is the natural thing for those who love our Creator (people defined righteous by their faith in the words of Christ) to look forward to. (Luke 21:28) Gaining a better understanding of the Bible strengthens faith, and, may help us put ourselves in line for eternal life by giving protection from those who "wish" to deceive us; (Mat 7:15; 2 Timothy 3:13) or, have themselves been deceived. (Matthew 7:21‑23) When asked by his disciples about when he would return, or more accurately "where he would come back, Jesus mentioned, among other things, a "gathering of eagles." (Luke 17:30 & 37) We want to help everyone understand what Jesus meant by saying he would return to a gathering of eagles, because that understanding illustrates the purpose of this website Bible study effort: To provide YOU the opportunity to make the wise choice to "gather with eagles." (Deu 30:19‑20) Please consider how:
Jesus said world conditions would get worse and worse nearing the time for his return: That the escalating tribulation would cause people to look back to bygone [better in their mind] days; they would look back to the days of Jesus first coming. He also said at that time some individuals would be falsely claiming: "Here is the Christ," or, "there is the Christ." (Matthew 24:23) He told his followers not to believe such claims as he said his second coming would not be such that any man or woman could point to it. Jesus there said his second coming would be like lightening that lights up the sky in the east and shines clear to the west: The lightening strike not actually visible, yet clearly evident none the less. (Matthew 24:27) No rolling thunder, just the brilliant flickers of illumination. Before his second coming, though, Jesus would be rejected and killed; and be resurrected. (Mark 8:31) Jesus went on to compare his second coming to the days of Noah and Lot, when the righteous were preserved alive while the wicked were destroyed. (Luke 17:26-37) When Jesus used the illustration of Noah and Lot, and told his listeners their salvation out of this system would be similar; it was that illustration which prompted their question about where and or when it would happen. Where would they need to go to gain the salvation he promised? They didn't understand, of course, but Jesus's answer wouldn't apply to them until after their death and resurrection. Note Jesus answered in Luke 17, verses 30 and 37, there would be a "gathering of eagles" as part of the evidence identifying those being approved at his presence. Jesus answer thus applies to us during these last days. You should know, then, what did Jesus mean by saying the eagles would be gathered around the body?
The Bible sometimes uses eating in a symbolic way: Jesus told his first century followers to eat his body and drink his blood. (Matthew 26:26-28) Clearly, he didn't intend them literally to eat him, but to strive to become like him, by consuming and living [spiritually] on what he taught. To further help us arrive at that meaning, Jesus said "his food" was for him to do the will of his father. (John 4:34) In similar fashion, "our food" is to learn from and follow Christ. In the Bible, Christ is referred to as the manna, or bread of life, (John 6:48-51) that came down from heaven. (John 6:31-35) The Bible thus compares our feeding on Christ, to the Jews eating the literal manna that came down from heaven and fed them for forty years in the wilderness. (Exodus 16:14-18 & 31 ; John 6:28-33) The teachings of Jesus are life sustaining for us, just as the literal manna was for the ancient Jews. Jesus is also referred to as the word of God. (Revelation 19:11-14) The Bible, as God's word then, is the spiritual food coming down from heaven that we today must feed on. Since the central theme of the Bible includes our salvation through faith in Christ, studying the Bible [and more specifically the words of Christ recorded (Gal 3:23‑25) in Matthew, Mark, Luke and
] is comparable to eating the body of Christ. Since Jesus gave his life to bring and give glory to what is recorded in the Bible, we eat the value of his life by consuming and being nourished by his words. (2 Sam 23:13‑17) When Jesus was doing the preaching work, people sat at his feet to learn. (Mark 3:31-35) Since Jesus died and was resurrected to heaven, studying the record of what he taught is the closest we can come to gathering at his body. In other words: Our studying his words from the Bible is as close as we can get to sitting at Jesus feet and being taught by him personally. When Jesus taught people, he also healed their infirmities (Luke 6:17-31) and fed them physically, (John 6:5‑11) so they could be free of pain and hunger to think about what he taught them [what he fed them spiritually]. The Bible identified a time when physical healing would again accompany "feeding on his body" [exercising faith in Christ]. (John 11:25‑26) That is the hope of the eagles Jesus spoke of as "being gathered" in these last days. (Isaiah 40:29-31 ; Job 33:24-30) Their common hope in Christ "is" the "gathering" of them. Our very lives depend on our feeding on the remains or body of Christ in that way. (John 6:53‑58; John 6:66‑69)
In another Bible illustration using the idea of "feeding" on God's word, John was told in Revelation to take a little scroll and eat it up, so he might know and be able to share what was in that scroll. (Revelation 10:8‑11; compare Ezekiel 2:9‑3:6) The scriptures herein considered, then, help us understand why Jesus Christ would say of these last days: "Where the body is, the eagles will be gathered together." The eagles are those individuals feeding on Christ; who is the word of God. (Rev 19:11‑13 of 11‑16) The eagles are those expending their energies to learn what the Bible teaches; focusing on the words of Christ. In answer to his disciples question of where their deliverance would occur, Jesus told them they would simply need to be feeding on the words he was speaking; which words God had recorded and protected. (Mat 17:5; Heb 1:1‑2) The words Jesus spoke are alive, in that they have the ability to judge us by means of our own conscience. (Hebrews 4:12 ; Romans 2:15-16 ; John 12:48 ; Luke 7:48-50) The eagles learn what Jesus taught, build faith they will have salvation through obedience to those teachings, and then, according to Jesus, it will become so. (Matthew 24:36-39 ; Matthew 8:13; Mat 9:27‑30; Mat 9:22; Eph 2:8; Mark 10:52; Luke 7:50; Luke 17:19; Luke 18:42; Acts 14:9; Luke 8:48 of 42‑48; John 7:37‑39; John 19:34) The men and women to whom Jesus spoke about the gathering of eagles are all long dead, of course, but the salvation of the righteous will be a reward to them [to them by means of the resurrection], as well as to us who are alive to see his revelation. Faith in truth affords a special reward of eternal life without ever dying, however, for those feeding on Christ at his return. (Job 33:24‑30; Psa 37:29) Please realize: Many of those fortunate to be alive at Christ's return, and wise enough to be feeding on his word, will never die at all. (John 11:26; Psa 91) The Bible and world events (the escalating tribulation) indicate that is our day in time! What a wonderful day...
Because Jesus tied the "gathering of eagles" to his second coming, and to deliverance for the righteous; we examine the Bible to see anywhere else it mentions "eagle" in the context of deliverance. There are two occurrences well in advance of the birth of Jesus: