ITS TIME TO PIVOT

 

Last Sunday morning, November 4th, the Lord dropped a scripture into my heart, and I knew that it was a "NOW WORD" from the Lord. That text was I Chronicles 12:32, "from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do--200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command."On Monday morning as I began to study this scripture, nothing was coming to me. I just couldn't get a handle on it. So I tried again on Tuesday morning, but again nothing! As I prayed about it, the Spirit whispered to my heart, "you will know what I want to say to you from this Word after the election." Early on Wednesday morning the Word of the Lord came to me. It is that word that I submit to you now in Jesus' Name.

 

In Genesis 30:18, we find that Issachar was the fifth son of Jacob, born to him by his wife Leah.

In the Hebrew language, the name Issachar can be translated, "he will bring a reward." And if you look at the name of Issachar prophetically, and move forward to our text in I Chronicles 12:32, you will see how that this prophecy found fulfillment.

 

According to the Jewish Targum (Jewish commentary on the Old Testament), "the men of Issachar 'that had understanding of the times' were skilled in fixing the beginning of months as well as years; skillful in changes in the moon; in the doctrine of solar periods; and were astrologers in signs and stars." And "they knew what Israel should do." Again, we look to the Targum for commentary. "Their teachers were 200 chiefs of the Sanhedrin and all their brethren excelled in the words of the Law(the scriptures) and they were endued with wisdom and were obedient to their command." From this commentary, it is obvious that Issachar was living up to his name in "bringing a reward" to the chosen people of Israel. Let me break it down a bit further so that we can truly hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to us from this text.

 

The men of Issachar were God's people who had a handle on the time in which they were living. Or said another way: they knew prophetically the time that they were in. They were discerning as to what the Now Word of the Lord was to His people. They were the ones who could say to Israel, "this is where we are in God's plan and there is where we need to go." They had, as it were, their hand on the pulse of the Holy Spirit. You could call them "the eyes of Israel." They were devoted to the prophetic word of the Lord as to what that word was saying to the people AT THAT TIME.  The tribe of Issachar was a prophetic voice of the Spirit to the people of Israel. Issachar was living up to his name, he will bring a reward.

 

As I was thinking about this text, I remembered another "unusual" text in the same book of Chronicles, I Chronicles 4:9-10. Perhaps you are familiar with the prayer of Jabez. You have been reading along for over four chapters the seeming endless genealogy of the chosen people of Israel, and suddenly from out of the blue you read these words, " Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, 'I gave birth to him in pain.' Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 'Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory; let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request." As Jabez was obviously set apart from his brothers, so too does it appear that the tribe of Issachar also had the honor of being set apart for God in a special way. In both texts, it seems that the Holy Spirit is saying, "pay close attention here--something is being revealed that you need to know and understand."

 

Again, it is said of the men of Issachar that "they understood the times and knew what Israel should do." But what exactly does that mean? What did it mean then and what does it mean to us today? To answer that first question, of what did it mean in its original setting, let's examine the context. What was it that the men of Issachar understood? They knew that it was THE TIME to make David king over all Israel! That is actually what is going on in I Chronicles chapter 12. David had ruled over Hebron for seven years, but now the time had come for him to rule over all Israel. The men of Issachar knew where they were on God's calendar of time. This was  not just a chronos time(sequential time) but a kairos time--a special time when God was ready to do something special. That "something special was to set up the Davidic Kingdom in Israel!

 

I also find it interesting that whereas the other tribes of Israel mentioned in this chapter numbered into the thousands, there is only 200 mentioned here from the tribe of Issachar.  Why just 200 instead of the thousands like all of the other tribes? The answer is found in our text which says, "with all of their relatives under their command." This to me, along with the first part of this verse, suggests that the tribe of Issachar was in spiritual order; the leaders and the people were in unity. They were doing things God's way which always leads to greater revelation and blessing. "He will bring a reward."

 

Now, when you put all of this together, what the is the Holy Spirit revealing to us about the tribe of Issachar? They were believers in Israel who knew and understood the time and the season in which they were living. They were not just ploughing along not really understanding what was going on around them and not caring. And this group of believers in Israel not only knew God's time and season in which they were living, but they also knew what God's chosen people needed to do! Again, they knew that it was God's timing to establish the Davidic Kingdom in Israel. This was what the people should be focused on and what should be priority number one!

 

Now, you may be saying, okay, I get it. The tribe of Issachar was spiritually discerning of the times in which they were living and they knew what to do. But what could this possibly have to do with us today? In a word, EVERYTHING!

 

I believe that the Holy Spirit has been grooming and raising up a modern day "tribe of Issachar" in the Church. I will attempt to describe them for you. This group of twenty first century believers within what is called the "church," are those who are committed to the Word of God--taking it literally. And they are not only committed to taking the Word of God for what it really is, the Word of God, but they are also committed to obeying what His Word says. Also, this remnant within "the church at large," have a passion to not just do "church" as usual, but rather they desire to hear the NOW WORD OF THE LORD! They are deeply interested in what "season of God" we are living in. They want to know what God is saying and doing in the earth today. Just like the tribe of Issachar who made it their business to know the seasons of God, so too does this twenty first century "tribe of Issachar."And like the Old Testament tribe of Issachar who was in divine spiritual order and so was experiencing divine unity, I am sensing that the Holy Spirit is at work--setting things up--to bring a supernatural unity into the twenty first century "tribe of Issachar" or the remnant church. And as this remnant church is discerning the season that we are entering into, they are being drawn closer to the Lord and to one another. I further believe that this discernment went to another level with the results or outcome of  the presidential election on Tuesday night. To the church in America, especially, the Lord made it clear that we can no longer look to the government. So many had hoped that with a change in Washington there was a chance to right the moral compass. But it was not to be. The Lord spoke to me very clearly. He said, Jimmy, you must now pivot away from government and turn totally to Me. It is time to pivot away from having any hope or trust in government. We must now look to God and God alone. Let me explain.

 

Months ago I made the statement that if Barack Obama was reelected for a second term, then that would be a sign that we are much further along on God's prophetic calendar of end time fulfillment than we realized. Why do I believe that? Because America reelected a man and a party who affirms the killing of unborn children (abortion); who is for homosexual marriage that is contrary to the Biblical definition of marriage of one man to one woman; and who is no true friend of Israel. And I have told you more than once that these three things always bring the judgment of God on a nation. Consequently, if there is no strong pro-church, pro-Israel America, then we are likely much closer to the last days than we know. Look at it this way. If America was raised up as a superpower in the 1940s to stand with and to protect Israel who became a nation again, ironically in the 1940s, 1948 to be exact, then if America is no longer a superpower that is standing with either the church or Israel, where does that leave us? It means that the only One who can save both Israel and the Church is Jesus the Messiah. And there is a remnant of believers who are truly beginning to discern this unusual season that we are entering into. Like the Old Testament tribe of Issachar, this modern day "tribe of Issachar" or remnant church are believers in Jesus who "understand the times that we are in." Also like their counterpart in the Old Testament, who understood that it was time for the Davidic Kingdom to be established, these believers understand that it is time for the coming of the Kingdom of the greater David--even the Lord Jesus! Yes friends, I believe that the tribulation and the return of the Lord Jesus from heaven is close--yea, even at the doors!

 

The prophetic dominos are even now being made ready to fall: 1. The Middle East is a virtual powder keg ready to be ignited and explode, 2. The global economy is on the verge of collapse as socialistic countries are getting to the point where they can no longer afford to pay entitlements (sound familiar America?) 3.  The last Islamic Caliphate is even now being formed. Just recently the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt made it clear that the goal of the Muslim countries is to form one Islamic state ruled by Sharia law based on the Koran. This is, I believe, the last world empire that will be lead by the Antichrist.

 

Dear friends, this is the season that we are entering into! And the modern day "tribe of Issachar" or remnant church understands this! And as this discernment grows, so too will the supernatural unity among this group of believers. That of itself is exciting! And with one voice these believers will declare what the church should do: PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND! 

 

Now you may be saying, this makes me afraid. It all sounds a little scary--actually a lot scary! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, don't be afraid, we are coming to the Church's finest hour! As God's kingdom draws near, we will see a Church operating in the supernatural power of God with signs, wonders, miracles and healing. And we will see the greatest harvest ever come into the Kingdom of God! Along with this great harvest, the remnant of Israel will be saved as they turn to Jesus as their Messiah--their literal and spiritual Savior! When David was made king over all Israel and the Davidic Kingdom was established, it was not a time of fear or anxiety. Rather, it was a time of great joy! Likewise, as we know that we are in the season of the return of the much greater David--yea even the God-man Himself--the King of all Kings, I tell you it is not a time to be in fear or anxiety! This is the time for the true church to be filled with anticipation, excitement and celebration! Hallelujah, the King is coming!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was back in Israel last November, I took this picture of the old city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. You can see the old city wall as well as the Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock is currently located. As I thought about the history that had happened here, Abraham attempting to offer Isaac as a sacrifice; Jesus being rejected, crucified and raised from the dead, the Holy Spirit reminded me that although there were foundational, historical events that had happened here, the best was yet to come! This would be the place that Messiah would return to and make His Capitol for His millennial reign on earth. At that moment, as a believer in Messiah, I knew why that I felt at home here! I love Israel, because as one who has been grafted into the natural vine of Israel through faith in Messiah, I too am part of Abraham's offspring! Consequently, I am an Hebraic Christian. My roots are not pagan but are Jewish. Shalom

Hi friends, please allow me to introduce to a new ministry: Voice of Judah and Mike Cory. Mike is truly a prophetic voice to the Church and to Israel concerning the last days. When you visit his website, please prayfully consider signing the apology letter to Israel as an important first step in getting in line with the Father's heart for these difficult but opportune end times in which we are living! Shalom

Four Monumental Prophetic Events

FOUR MONUMENTAL PROPHETIC EVENTS In Matthew 24 Jesus explained “the signs” of both “the end of the age” and of His “return;” this came in response to His previous statement to the disciples that the Temple would be destroyed. To the Jew, the desolation of the Temple was synonymous with “the end of the age” and the coming of the Messiah (an hour of history referred to in the Hebrew Scripture as “the Day of the Lord”). Jesus explained the precipitous trends and events that would signal the nearness of His return in 24:4-14. And then in 24:15-31 he describes a timeframe of horrendous upheaval that He called “a time of tribulation such has never been nor ever shall be.” He explained how this “time of tribulation” would commence (24:15-16) and how it would conclude (24:29-31). In this article I want to show how important the information contained in 24:29-31 is and why you should understand it – especially in light of the various perspectives on Biblical prophecy. 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31) Jesus describes four events that we need to understand: 1.The tribulation of those days – v. 29a 2.Cosmic disturbance – v. 29b 3.Jesus comes on the clouds in power and great glory visible by all the earth – v. 30 4.Angels gather the elect with a loud trumpet – v. 31 These four events bring this present age to a close. They unfold chronologically (which decisively destroys the theory of a pre-tribulational rapture). They are intended to be understood as literally as 24:15-28. And they occur “after the tribulation.” But not just any tribulation; the tribulation of “those days.” The phrase “those days” is critical. Jesus is connecting these great climactic events in 24:29-31 with the “time of great tribulation” explained in 25:15-28. These events explained in 24:15-31 are inextricably linked to one another in their appointed hour of fulfillment. They constitute “the end of the age.” They comprise what the prophets referred to as “the Day of the Lord” and what the apostles would call “the Day of God.” This is the very climax and consummation of history before the inauguration of the next age; the time of which Peter called “the restoration of all things” in Acts 3:21. WHY IS MATTHEW 24:29-31 IMPORTANT? Many believe that Jesus’ sermon in Matthew 24 was intended to describe the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD (they’re called “Preterists”). They say the “birth pains” of 24:4-14 (including the false prophets, earthquakes and global Gospel proclamation) and the “abomination of desolation” that ignites the “time of great tribulation” of 24:15-28 were fulfilled in the generation of the apostles. They argue that Jesus’ description of His triumphal coming on the clouds was merely metaphorical. To say it succinctly: These are metaphors for events fulfilled in the first century AD. [1] For example, world renowned New Testament scholar N.T. Wright argues that: “When Jewish writers spoke of the sun and moon being darkened; when they spoke of angels gathering people from the four winds of heaven; when, in particular, they spoke of a Son of Man who would come on the clouds of heaven – in each of these cases they were using language in this metaphorical way. It is flagrantly absurd to think that Jesus, in saying that sort of thing, envisaged himself of anyone else literally flying around in mid-air on an actual cloud” (Who Was Jesus? pg. 55). “…the ‘coming of the son of man’ does not refer to the [second coming] in the modern scholarly, and popular, sense of a human figure travelling downwards towards the earth on actual clouds…The ‘coming of the son of man’ is thus good first-century metaphorical language….” (Jesus and the Victory of God; pg. 359-60). Theologian Sam Storms writes: “Although this entire present age intervening between the first and second comings of Christ is one of tribulation, trial and distress, the so-called Great Tribulation mentioned in [Matthew 24] v. 21 (and described in vv. 15-28; and perhaps also in vv. 29-31) has already come and gone. It is to be identified with the siege on Jerusalem during the years 66-70 a.d., which culminated in the destruction of the city and its Temple by the armies of Rome (the latter being the “abomination of desolation” referred to in v. 15). Thus “The Great Tribulation” of Mt. 24:21 (called “days of vengeance” in Lk. 21:22 and “days of affliction” in Mk. 13:19) is not a future event but an established fact of past history.” (from, Matthew 24 and the Olivet Discourse Part 1) “This “coming” [described in Matthew 24:29-31] is not a visible, physical appearance by which Jesus returns to earth (although that will most assuredly occur at the end of history). Rather, they [Israel] will “see” him in the sense that they will “understand”, i.e., spiritually perceive that he is the vindicated and enthroned King.” (from, Matthew 24 and the Olivet Discourse Part 3) J.S. Russell, in his monumental book “Parousia” from which this perspective spawned wrote: “We are compelled, therefore, by all these considerations, and chiefly by regard for the authority of Him whose word cannot be broken, to conclude that the Parousia, or second coming of Christ, with its connected and concomitant events, did take place, according to the Saviour’s own prediction, at the period when Jerusalem was destroyed, and before the passing away of ‘that generation’” (The Parousia, [2nd. ed. 1887], 549). Theologian Kenneth Gentry writes: “This [passages in Matthew 24:29-31] actually refers to Jesus’ ascension [not his second advent]. In the destruction of the temple, the rejected Christ is vindicated as the ascended Lord and shown to possess great power and glory.” Brian MacLaren states that: “…[viewing Matthew 24 as a timeframe in the future is an] eschatology of abandonment….[that] has disastrous social consequences….on issues like…ecology, poverty, sexuality, etc.” (from, Preterist Planet interview) The problems with this perspective abound. Let me point out two: First, those that argue Jesus was speaking metaphorically in 24:29-31 believe 24:4-14 had a literal fulfillment. And they have no problem with this glaring inconsistency. But they should. To suggest Jesus switched hermeneutical gears mid-sermon is ludicrous. Jesus was doing what the prophets before Him did: prophesying about an eschatological military invasion of Jerusalem whereby all nations would level a bloody assault on the “center of the earth” (Ez. 38:8-12) and suffer the fierce judgment of God for doing so (Joel 3:2-21) as the whole cosmic order convulses (Joel 2:29-31; Zech. 14). Zechariah chapters 12-14 is the clearest example of this prophetic juxtaposition of end-time military invasion and cosmic disturbance. Zechariah uses the same straight forward language as Jesus in Matthew 24 to describe a literal military invasion of Jerusalem and then, just like Jesus in Matthew 24, seamlessly moves to describe heavenly shaking and the cosmic trauma. Joel chapter 2:28-3:21 we find the same thing: “All nations” engaging in a vicious battle for “Jerusalem” provoking God to “enter into judgment” with those nations as “the sun” ceases “to give light” and as “blood, fire and pillars of smoke” cover the face of the earth signaling “the Day of the Lord.” The military invasion and the cosmic disturbance of Zechariah, Joel and Matthew 24 must be subjected to the same measurement of interpretation. Jesus no more intended us to receive 24:29-31 as a metaphor than He did 24:4-14. Second, those that suggest Matthew 24 had its fulfillment in the generation of the disciples must of necessity deny the future eschatological nature of “the time of tribulation.” And to do this is to butcher the Scriptural teaching on the Day of the Lord. Let me explain. Matthew 24:21 is a direct quotation of Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 12:1-2. Let’s compare the two: “At that time…there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:1-2) For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. (Matthew 24:21) If Matthew 24:21 is the same event described in Daniel 12:1-2, those who insist on a historical fulfillment of Matthew 24 must overcome a number of insurmountable exegetical odds to maintain legitimacy. Daniel was told that this “time of trouble/tribulation” would conclude with two monumentally significant events: the deliverance of His Jewish brethren (12:1) and the resurrection of the dead (12:2). In addition to these two paramount events, Daniel was told the final tribulation of this age would occur at “the time of the end” (Daniel 11:35, 40; 12:6-12) and that it would be preceded by “the abomination of desolation” (Daniel 11:30, 36) and a gruesome battle for Jerusalem led by a cruel and sinister man (Daniel 11:21-46) who “divides up the land” (Daniel 11:39). Put it together and compare what Daniel is saying and Jesus is echoing: ■There will be a time of unequal trouble (Dan. 12:1; Mt. 24:21) ■It will end in the resurrection of the righteous (Dan. 12:2; Mt. 24:31) ■The Jewish people will be delivered at the end of it (Dan. 12:1; Mt. 24:30 with Rev. 1:7 and Zech 12:10; Mt. 25:31-46) ■It will be preceded by the “abomination of desolation” (Dan. 11:30, 36; Mt. 24:15) ■It will include a gruesome military campaign on Jewish soil (Dan. 11:29-45 with Dan. 9:26-27; Mt. 24:15-22) ■The Jewish people in the land of Israel will be brutally assaulted and “shattered” (Dan. 12:7; 11:30-35; Mt. 24:16-22) If one wishes to argue that Jesus’ prophecy of the abomination of desolation, His visible coming on the clouds and the gathering of the elect in the resurrection is metaphorical and historically fulfilled he must also impose the same regulations on Daniel 11:21-12:11. Unfortunately, my library of commentaries is evidence that many are willing to do so. And its a great tragedy. CONCLUSION Matthew 24:29-31 tells us of four chronological events that occur “after the tribulation of those days.” And the “tribulation of those days” in Matthew 24 are identical to the “time of trouble” of “the end days” in Daniel 11:21-12:11. This time of trouble and tribulation, according to both accounts, includes the raising of the righteous at Christ’s post-tribulational return while Daniel’s people (the Jews) are also simultaneously “delivered” after being “completely shattered.” Therefore any past time of tribulation (including that associated with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD) that did not end in the simultaneous events of the return of Jesus, literal cosmic disturbance, the resurrection of the righteous and the deliverance of Daniel’s people cannot be “the time of great tribulation” described in Daniel 12:1 and Matthew 24:21 (or Jeremiah 30:5-7 and Revelation 7:14 for that matter; where the same phrase is again found). [1] RC Sproul, Brian MacLaren, R. T. France, Rob Bell, N. T. Wright, Peter Walker, Douglas Wilson, David Chilton, Kenneth Gentry, Gary DeMar and Sam Storms are a number of preachers who hold this view.

WARRIOR ASSEMBLY OF GOD JULY 11, 2012 THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION “THE UNVEILING OF JESUS CHRIST” OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND I. GOD’S ETERNAL PLAN A. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOD’S PLAN TO HAVE A PEOPLE AND DWELL WITH THEM FOREVER. THEREFORE, AS I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES, GOD BEGAN IN THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION AND NOT IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS. SAID ANOTHER WAY, GOD BEGAN WITH THE END IN MIND. THE BOOK OF GENESIS WAS THE CREATION OF THE TIME AND SPACE UNIVERSE FOR THE PURPOSE OF MOVING ALL THINGS TO GOD’S DESIRED END IN THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION. ONCE AGAIN, THAT DESIRED END WAS THAT GOD WOULD HAVE A PEOPLE WITH WHOM HE WOULD DWELL FOREVER. 1.REVELATION 21:1-5 “THEN I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH, FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH HAD PASSED AWAY, AND THERE WAS NO MORE SEA. I SAW THE HOLY CITY, THE NEW JERUSALEM, COMING DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN FROM GOD, PREPARED AS A BRIDE BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED FOR HER HUSBAND. AND I HEARD A LOUD VOICE FROM THE THRONE SAYING, LOOK! GOD’S DWELLING PLACE IS NOW AMONG THE PEOPLE, AND HE WILL DWELL WITH THEM. THEY WILL BE HIS PEOPLE, AND GOD HIMSELF WILL BE WITH THEM AND BE THEIR GOD. HE WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES. THERE WILL BE NO MORE DEATH OR MOURNING OR CRYING OR PAIN, FOR THE OLD ORDER OF THINGS HAS PASSED AWAY. HE WHO WAS SEATED ON THE THRONE SAID, I AM MAKING EVERTHING NEW! THEN HE SAID, WRITE THIS DOWN, FOR THESE WORDS ARE TRUSTWORTHY AND TRUE.” II. THE PLAN BEGINS TO UNFOLD WITH THE FIRST MAN. A. AFTER GOD HAS CREATED THE TIME AND SPACE UNIVERSE, AND THEN FASHIONED THE EARTH TO BE HABITABLE FOR LIFE, HE BROUGHT FORTH THE CROWNING ACT OF HIS CREATION. 1. GENESIS 1:26-28 “THEN GOD SAID, LET US MAKE MANKIND IN OUR OWN IMAGE, IN OUR LIKENESS, SO THAT THEY MAY RULE OVER THE FISH IN THE SEA AND THE BIRDS IN THE SKY, OVER THE LIVESTOCK AND ALL THE WILD ANIMALS, AND OVER ALL THE CREATURES THAT MOVE ALONG THE GROUND. SO GOD CREATED MANKIND IN HIS OWN IMAGE, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED THEM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM. GOD BLESSED THEM AND SAID TO THEM, BE FRUITFUL AND INCREASE IN NUMBER; FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT. RULE OVER THE FISH IN THE SEA AND THE BIRDS IN THE SKY AND OVER EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT MOVES ON THE GROUND.” a. IT IS CLEAR FROM THIS SCRIPTURE THAT GOD GAVE MANKIND DOMINION OVER THE EARTH. AND THIS WAS A DOMINION THAT GOD WOULD NOT REPEAL OR RESCIND EVEN THOUGH MAN WOULD REBEL AGAINST HIM. 2. GENESIS 3:1-7 “NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY OF THE WILD ANIMALS THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMAN, DID GOD REALLY SAY, YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN. THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, BUT GOD DID SAY, YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT OR YOU WILL DIE. YOU WILL NOT CERTAINLY DIE, THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN. FOR GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT FROM IT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED, AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL. WHEN THE WOMAN SAW THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD AND PLEASING TO THE EYES, AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM, SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS WITH HER, AND HE ATE IT. THEN THE EYES OF BOTH OF THEM WERE OPENED, AND THEY REALIZED THEY WERE NAKED; SO THEY SEWED FIG LEAVES TOGETHER AND MADE COVERINGS FOR THEMSELVES.” a. IF YOU READ THE REST OF GENESIS CHAPTER 3, ALTHOUGH YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS SIN HAD DISASTOROUS CONSEQUENCES, GOD DID NOT TAKE FROM MANKIND HIS PLAN FOR THEM TO HAVE DOMINION OVER THE EARTH. b. HOWEVER, THE SERPENT OR THE DEVIL HAS NOW ENTERED THE PICTURE CONCERING THE RULERSHIP OF THE EARTH. 1. LUKE 4:5-8 “THE DEVIL LED HIM UP TO A HIGH PLACE AND SHOWED IN AN INSTANT ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD. AND HE SAID TO HIM, I WILL GIVE YOU ALL THEIR AUTHORITY AND SPLENDER; IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME, AND I CAN GIVE IT TO ANYONE I WANT TO. IF YOU WORSHIP ME, IT WILL BE YOURS. JESUS ANSWERED, IT IS WRITTEN; WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.” a. THIS SCRIPTURE INDICATES THAT THE DEVIL USURPED THE AUTHORITY OF THE EARTH AWAY FROM MANKIND BY GETTING HIM TO SIN AGAINST GOD AND JOIN HIS REBELLION. 2. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 “THE god OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED THE MINDS OF UNBELIEVERS, SO THAT THEY CANNOT SEE THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL THAT DISPLAYS THE GLORY OF CHRIST AS LORD, AND OURSELVES AS YOUR SERVANTS FOR JESUS’ SAKE.” a. IN THIS TEXT, THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS THAT THE DEVIL IS THE god OF THIS PRESENT WORLD SYSTEM. AS SUCH, HE CURRENTLY HAS DOMINION OVER THE EARTH AND NOT MAN AS GOD ORIGINALLY PLANNED. b. THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS GOD’S ANSWER TO THIS APPARENT DILEMMA? GOD GAVE AUTHORITY TO MAN TO HAVE DOMINION OVER THE EARTH FOREVER, BUT SATAN USURPED THAT DOMINION AWAY FROM MAN BY GETTING HIM TO ENTER INTO HIS REBELLION AGAINST GOD. HOW THEN CAN GOD’S ETERNAL PLAN NOW BE CARRIED OUT? III. JESUS CHRIST—THE GOD MAN (THE SECOND MAN) A. GOD’S SOLUTION TO THIS APPARENT DILEMMA WAS THE GOD-MAN, THE SECOND MAN WHO CAME FROM HEAVEN. GOD THE SON WOULD COME TO EARTH AND BECOME A MAN. AS A MAN HE WOULD DEFEAT SATAN; REDEEM MAN BACK TO GOD BY SATISFYING GOD’S JUSTICE FOR MAN’S SIN BY DYING ON THE CROSS; RISE FROM THE DEAD AS THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW CREATION OF GOD! ASCEND BACK TO HEAVEN, BACK TO THE GLORY OF GOD; AND ONE DAY RETURN TO THE EARTH TO FULFILL GOD’S PLAN BY FULLY TAKING BACK THE DOMINION OF THE EARTH AS A MAN; AND SETTING UP THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF THE FATHER WHERE GOD WILL DWELL WITH MAN FOREVER! 1. PSALM 2:7 “I WILL PROCLAIM THE LORD’S DECREE: HE SAID TO ME, YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BECOME YOUR FATHER.” a. IN THIS MESSIANIC PSALM, A PSALM ABOUT THE MESSIAH-JESUS, THE FATHER SAYS TO THE SON, “TODAY I HAVE BECOME YOUR FATHER.” THIS DID NOT HAPPEN 2000 YEARS AGO BUT RATHER SOMETIME IN THE ETERNAL PAST. THERE WAS A TIME, ONLY THE LORD KNOWS WHEN, THAT THE ETERNAL FATHER BEGOT THE ETERNAL SON! 2. JOHN 1:1-2, 14, 18 “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. HE WAS WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING.THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND MADE HIS DWELLING AMONG US. WE HAVE SEEN HIS GLORY, THE GLORY OF THE ONE AND ONLY SON, WHO CAME FROM THE FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN GOD, BUT THE ONE AND ONLY SON, WHO IS HIMSELF GOD AND IS IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER, HAS MADE HIM KNOWN.” a. THESE VERSES MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD LEFT THE GLORY OF HEAVEN AND CAME TO THE EARTH AND BECAME A MAN. HE BECAME, IF YOU WILL, THE GOD-MAN. THIS IS RECORDED IN LUKE 1:26-35. 3. COLOSSIANS 2:13-15 “WHEN YOU WERE DEAD IN YOUR SINS AND IN THE UNCIRCUMCISION OF YOUR FLESH, GOD MADE YOU ALIVE WITH CHRIST. HE FORGAVE US ALL OF OUR SINS, HAVING CANCELED THE CHARGE OR OUR LEGAL INDEBTEDNESS, WHICH STOOD AGAINST US AND CONDEMNED US; HE HAS TAKEN IT AWAY, NAILING IT TO THE CROSS. AND HAVING DISARMED THE POWERS AND AUTHORITIES, HE MADE A PUBLIC SPECTACLE OF THEM, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM BY THE CROSS.” a. GOD SATISIFIED HIS JUSTICE FOR SIN BY NAILING OUR SINS TO CHRIST ON THE CROSS, THE GUILTLESS DYING FOR THE GUILTY, AND AT THE SAME TIME DEFEATED THE SATANIC POWERS THAT HELD US IN BONDAGE BECAUSE OF OUR SIN. 4. I CORINTHIANS 15:20-28 “BUT CHRIST HAS INDEED BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD, THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP. FOR SINCE DEATH CAME THROUGH A MAN, THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD CAME ALSO THROUGH A MAN. FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, SO IN CHRIST ALL WILL BE MADE ALIVE. BUT EACH IN TURN: CHRIST, THE FIRSTFRUITS; THEN WHEN HE COMES, THOSE WHO BELONG TO HIM. THEN THE END WILL COME, WHEN HE HANDS OVER THE KINGDOM TO GOD THE FATHER AFTER HE HAS DESTROYED ALL DOMINION, AUTHORITY AND POWER. FOR HE MUST REIGN UNTIL HE HAS PUT ALL HIS ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET. THE LAST ENEMY TO BE DESTROYED IS DEATH. FOR HE HAS PUT EVERYTHING UNDER HIS FEET. NOW WHEN IT SAYS EVERYTHING HAS BEEN PUT UNDER HIM, IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE GOD HIMSELF, WHO PUT EVERYTHING UNDER CHRIST. WHEN HE HAS DONE THIS, THEN THE SON HIMSELF WILL BE MADE SUBJECT TO HIM WHO PUT EVERYTHING UNDER HIM, SO THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.” a. JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD AS THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW CREATION OF GOD. HE IS THE FIRST OF MILLIONS WHO WILL BE RAISED FROM THE DEAD WITH NEW BODIES. 5. ACTS 3:21 “HEAVEN MUST RECEIVE HIM (JESUS) UNTIL THE TIME COMES FOR GOD TO RESTORE EVERYTHING, AS HE PROMISED LONG AGO THROUGH HIS HOLY PROPHETS.” a. JESUS WILL REMAIN IN HEAVEN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER UNTIL IT IS TIME FOR HIM TO FULLY TAKE BACK DOMINION OF THE EARTH. 6. REVELATION 5:1-7 “THEN I SAW IN THE RIGHT HAND OF HIM WHO SAT ON THE THRONE A SCROLL WITH WRITING ON BOTH SIDES AND SEALED WITH SEVEN SEALS. AND I SAW A MIGHTY ANGEL PROCLAIMING IN A LOUD VOICE, WHO IS WORTHY TO BREAK THE SEALS AND OPEN THE SCROLL? BUT NO ONE IN HEAVEN OR ON THE EARTH OR UNDER THE EARTH COULD OPEN THE SCROLL OR EVEN LOOK INSIDE IT. I WEPT AND WEPT BECAUSE NO ONE WAS FOUND WHO WAS WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL AND LOOK INSIDE. THEN ONE OF THE ELDERS SAID TO ME, DO NOT WEEP! SEE, THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, THE ROOT OF DAVID, HAS TRIUMPHED. HE IS ABLE TO OPEN THE SCROLL AND BREAK ITS SEVEN SEALS. THEN I SAW A LAMB, LOOKING AS IF IT HAD BEEN SLAIN, STANDING AT THE CENTER OF THE THRONE, ENCIRCLED BY THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES AND THE ELDERS. THE LAMB HAD SEVEN HORNS AND SEVEN EYES, WHICH ARE THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD SENT OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH. HE WENT AND TOOK THE SCROLL FROM THE RIGHT HAND OF HIM WHO SAT ON THE THRONE.” a. GOD HIMSELF COULD NOT OPEN THE SCROLL BECAUSE IT MUST BE A MAN WHO TAKES BACK THE DOMINION OF THE EARTH. AND THE ANGELS COULD NOT OPEN THE SCROLL BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PART OF MANKIND. THAT IS WHY THAT ONLY JESUS WAS FOUND WORTHY TO TAKE THE SCROLL AND OPEN IT! b. IN VERSE 9 OF REVELATION 5, THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES AND THE 24 ELDERS SANG A NEW SONG DECLARING WHY THAT JESUS WAS WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLLS. “. . .YOU ARE WORTHY TO TAKE THE SCROLL AND TO OPEN ITS SEALS, BECAUSE YOU WERE SLAIN AND WITH YOUR BLOOD YOU PURCHASED FOR GOD PERSONS FROM EVERY TRIBE AND LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE AND NATION.” c. JESUS WAS FOUND WORTHY TO NOT ONLY TO TAKE THE SCROLL BUT TO OPEN IT! HE ALONE COULD BE TRUSTED TO RIGHTEOUSLY AND JUSTLY RELEASE THE JUDGMENTS CONTAINED IN THE SCROLL. ONLY HE WOULD HAVE THE LOVE, WISDOM, HUMILITY, COURAGE AND TENACITY TO DO WHAT HAD TO BE DONE AND TO DO IT PERFECTLY! d. BUT COULD JESUS BE TRUSTED TO RULE AND REIGN OVER THE EARTH AS A MAN, FOREVER AND EVER, WITHOUT EVER MISUSING HIS POWER FOR SELFISH PURPOSES? WHAT WOULD CAUSE THOSE IN HEAVEN TO KNOW THAT? IT IS STATED IN THE NEW SONG THAT WAS SONG ABOUT HIM, “. . .YOU ARE WORTHY. . . BECAUSE YOU WERE SLAIN AND YOUR BLOOD PURCHASED FOR GOD PERSONS FROM EVERY TRIBE AND LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE AND NATION.” e. LET’S PROBE A LITTLE DEEPER TO DISCOVER WHY JESUS’ DEATH MADE HIM WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLLS AND THEN RELEASE THEM. 7. PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 “IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER, HAVE THE SAME MINDSET AS CHRIST JESUS: WHO BEING IN VERY NATURE GOD, DID NOT CONSIDER EQUALITY WITH GOD SOMETHING TO BE USED TO HIS OWN ADVANTAGE; RATHER, HE MADE HIMSELF NOTHING, BY TAKING THE VERY NATURE OF A SERVANT, BEING MADE IN HUMAN LIKENESS, AND BEING FOUND IN APPEARANCE AS A MAN, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF BY BECOMING OBEDIENT TO DEATH—EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS. THEREFORE GOD EXALTED HIM TO THE HIGHEST PLACE AND GAVE HIM THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME, THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, AND EVERY TONGUE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.” a. IT THE SIMPLEST TERMS THAT I CAN THINK OF, JESUS WAS FOUND WORTHY TO TAKE THE SCROLLS AND OPEN THEM BECAUSE HE CAN TRUSTED FOREVER TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND PERFECT. IF HE WAS WILLING TO HUMBLE HIMSELF AND GIVE UP HIS PLACE OF GLORY THAT HE HAD WITH THE FATHER—NOT HAVING TO DO SO— AND THEN DYING ON A CROSS SO THAT WE COULD SHARE IN THE FATHER’S ETERNAL PLAN--THEN IT CAN BE CONCLUDED THAT HE CAN ALWAYS BE TRUSTED TO RULE AND REIGN OVER THE EARTH IN PERFECTION! HE ALONE IS THE PERFECT MAN WHO WILL FULFILL THE FATHER’S ETERNAL PLAN TO LIVE AND DWELL FOREVER WITH HIS PEOPLE ON THE EARTH! b. SHOULD NOT THIS UNFATHOMABLE HUMILITY OF THE ETERNAL SON WHO GAVE UP HIS EQUALITY WITH GOD THE FATHER TO BECOME A HUMAN BEING AND DIE FOR US SO THAT WE CAN SHARE HIS GLORY THAT HE HAD WITH THE FATHER BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN MOTIVATE US TO KNOW HIM, LOVE HIM AND PURSUE HIM AS THE DESIRE OF OUR HEART? THERE IS NO ONE LIKE HIM. HIS BEAUTY AND WISDOM AND POWER SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF OUR WORSHIP AND OUR PRAYERS. WE SHOULD ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO REVEAL HIM TO US. AS PAUL SAID IN COLOSSIANS 2:3 “IN WHOM (CHRIST) ARE HIDDEN ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE.”

Election, Grace, and the Historical Continuum of Jew-Hatred

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Election, Grace, and the Historical Continuum of Jew-Hatred Posted: 26 Jun 2012 08:31 AM PDT Below is an excerpt from an email exchange with Reggie Kelly on election, grace, Israel, and anti-semitism: There is a root that is deeper than anti-Semitism; it is anti-election! Israel represents the “Godness of God” in the freedom and sovereignty of a divine choice not made on the basis of human merit. It is His wise use of the ‘scandal of particularity’ that tests and exposes the presumption of claim on God by anything in man, of man, or generated by man. Israel exists to demonstrate and enforce God’s continual war on the pride humanism, the belief, secret or spoken, that there is something, anything, in man that can commend one over another to the holiness (‘apartness’) of His free gift. … There is no crisis until one is favored in some particular way more than another, but when this happens, something is exposed in the natural heart. It is the presumption of claim upon God, as though a special favor towards one sets up an obligation to do the same for all others equally (the question of ‘fairness’). However, logically, the presumption of obligation presupposes a debt based on justice, which is antithetical to the principle of grace. There was not a crisis until Jacob’s act of special favor towards Joseph. Special favor, as in the special election of Israel, sets up the occasion for envy. It evokes and surfaces something deep in the fallen hearts of men, as though a special gift or act of favor binds the giver to some imagined law of equal distribution. Inherent in our fallen nature from earliest childhood is a perverse expectation and demand. It is a driving force behind all revolution. The crisis begins when there is a perceived supply that is not distributed equally to all. There is no complaint of injustice or deprivation until something is done for one that is not done equally for the other. God is committed to the destruction of this ill-conceived presumption that cannot comprehend the true nature of grace, and He has especially ordained Israel’s election to that end. Until there is the word of election, there is no crisis, but when God speaks, whether it be concerning an individual, a people, or a chosen location, it immediately sets up a war with the principalities and powers who invariably raise the question that forms the great contest of history, “has God really said?” Such envy quickly turns to contempt and hatred. We see this in Satan, in Cain, in Esau, in Joseph’s brethren, in Saul, and on we could go. The very fall of Satan in the five “I wills” of Isa 14:13-14 can be traced to the envy that was stirred when God announced His prophetic purpose to establish the Elect Son as ruler over all nations from Jerusalem (compare Ps 2:6-8; Ps 48:2; with Isa 14:13; noting the key connecting phrase, “the sides of the north”). The freedom of the giver is especially called into question when the gift is by divine design impossible to associate with any virtue or quality in the recipient (Ro 9:11). This is the offense that is contained in that great defining statement of redemptive history, that will become a divine touchstone of testing in the crisis that concludes the age, namely, “Jacob have I loved.”

THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION LESSON 1 INTRODUCTION In this lesson, we will look at the purpose and primary themes of the Book of the Revelation. It is the strong, prophetic Word of God, history written in advance, to help every believer to walk victoriously in what will be the darkest hour in human history. TEACHING 1. THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION A. The book of the Revelation records in great detail God’s aggressive plan to take over the kingdoms of the earth through His Son the Lord Jesus. It reveals the heart and leadership of Jesus at the end of this present age like no other book in scripture. Consequently, the book of the Revelation gives us more information on the end times than any other book in the Bible. B. Many people avoid reading and studying the book of the Revelation either because they don’t understand it, or because they can’t reconcile the loving Jesus with the Warrior-King who releases such devastating judgments upon the earth during the Great Tribulation period. But when rightly understood, this prophecy is designed to fill us with hope and confidence. The Church will be victorious, both in the midst of the Great Tribulation and afterwards, as we rule and reign with Christ during His millennial kingdom. C. The content of the book of the Revelation was not given to terrify us, confuse us, or to be something to stir up centuries of academic debate! It is called the “Revelation of Jesus” (1:1) because it reveals His heart and brilliant leadership. Secondarily, it is a book about events in the end times, and it gives us understanding of the great shakings that are going to be released upon the earth at the very end of the age. The Father gave us this book to reveal the beauty of His Son, and to help us prepare for all that is to come, so that we would endure until the end (2 Thessalonians 2:3). D. The book of the Revelation could be seen as an end time prayer manual to prepare the Church for the events of the end times. It is the end-time book of Acts, given to us in advance, so that we may walk in a unified prayer focus. Revelation is a record of the acts of the Holy Spirit through the end- time Apostles and prophets. E. As Moses released the plagues on Egypt through prayer in the book of Exodus, and as the first apostles released God’s power through prayer in the Book of Acts, the end-time judgments will be released in agreement through the praying church. F. It is my belief that God is now, currently, preparing the end-time intercessors, prophets, and apostles for the times that are coming. These ministries and ministers will be crucial in helping to lead the Church through the difficult and yet glorious days ahead. This season of preparation that has been so rigorous and hard may be an indicator that the days of the book of the Revelation are close at hand! “You are not what you need to be now, but you will be when the time comes!” We are approaching the time of the greatest darkness and light that the World has ever witnessed. Therefore, stay the course and allow the Holy Spirit to complete in you what needs to be completed. He will not rest until the “wineskins” of the last day Church are ready! G. The book of the Revelation is focused on four things: 1. The character and personality of Jesus as the heavenly Bridegroom, King, and Judge. 2. God’s action plan to take over the earth. 3. The role of the Church in partnering with Jesus to release the judgments of God. 4. The Church’s necessary preparation to endure and overcome in the midst of great trouble. H. Studying the book of the Revelation is essential for believers. It provides important information to prepare us to persevere through the greatest season of tribulation the Church has ever known. I. Revelation is unique in being the only book in the Bible in which God promises a special blessing to those who read, hear, and keep the words of the prophecy, as well a curse to anyone who adds to or takes from it. The primary way in which believers will be blessed is by being equipped to over- come in the darkest hour of human history. J. The book of the Revelation does not picture the people of God escaping the Great Tribulation through a secret rapture. Nor does it picture the Church defeated by the devil or offended with the temporal judgments of Christ. In contrast, Revelation paints a picture of a glorious Bride who stands victorious in the midst of great trouble as she worships her heavenly Bride- groom. K. In the final years before Jesus returns, the Church will undergo unparalleled tribulation, which will be cut short by the return of Jesus. The picture is not of a bride that is simply enduring trouble while she waits to be rescued by her heavenly Bridegroom. Rather, this time of trouble is the Church’s most glorious hour, in which she shines in bright righteousness and partners with the Lord, in releasing His judgments against unrighteousness. L. The book of the Revelation is a call for the Church to overcome in the midst of the darkest hour of human history. During this time, the rage of Satan, the wickedness of man, and the temporal judgments of God will be released on the earth in fullness. M. Revelation chapter one spells out many amazing truths about the majesty of Jesus that are meant to equip our hearts to overcome in times of great trouble. The letters to the seven churches in Revelation chapter two and three focus on the issues of overcoming in the midst of persecution and divine delay. The remainder of the book contains critical information to help the Church makes sense of circumstances, and stay faithful in the midst of greatest time of trouble that the world has ever seen. N. The Lord will use this time of trouble to purify His Bride and cause her to shine with His glory and righteousness. The book of the Revelation is the story of the ultimate triumph of the Saints over all of her enemies. At the end of the story, the Lord does not come to deliver a defeated Bride, but people who have made themselves ready to meet their King. O. As we enter into understanding the message of the book of the Revelation, we will be empowered to overcome in the midst of tribulation, as God brings us into agreement with His plan and purpose. Those who overcome will be those who know their Godd and remain faithful to Him, despite the fierce assault of the enemy.

The Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles, like the other six feasts, is found in the Book of Leviticus chapter 23. In verses 39-43 we are told that this Feast, also known as Sukkot--the plural form translated "tabernacles or booths"--was to be celebrated from the 15th day of Tishri(our September/October)to the 22nd day of Tishri. During these days the nation of Israel was to dwell in "booths" to remind them that God had brought them out of the land of Egypt. It was actually a week long celebration of their deliverance from slavery and bondage. This was to be a time of great joy! In Deuteronomy 16:16, the Word of God tells us that the men of Israel were to appear in the place that God would choose three times during the year. This would be 1.Passover/Unleavened (barley harvest) 2. Shavu'ot/Pentecost (wheat harvest) 3. Sukkot/Tabernacles(Fruit harvest--olives, pomegranates, and grapes). Exodus 23:16 says that the Feast of In gathering/Tabernacles was to be celebrated at the end of the year. The point is this: This seventh and final feast at the end of the year will be fulfilled at the end of the age with the gathering of the final harvest. I will say more about this a little later. For now, we need to set the context for the Feast of Tabernacles so that we might truly know what God has always been after--what has always been in His eternal heart!

John 1:1,14 is the revelation of God's Son becoming a man: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . .V.14 And the Word became flesh . . ." Then in Luke 2:22-24 we have Joseph and Mary bringing Yeshua/Jesus to the temple to be dedicated. "When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord as it is written in the law of the Lord, every first born male is to be consecrated to the Lord. V.24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: a pair of doves and two young pigeons." But when you look back to the Old Testament text found in Leviticus 12:6-8 we read, "When the days for her purification were over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting A YEAR OLD LAMB FOR A BURNT OFFERING, and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. BUT IF SHE CANNOT AFFORD A LAMB, she is to bring two doves or young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and one for a sin offering. . ." That tells you that Joseph and Mary were not a wealthy family. But here is Mary with this awesome experience with the Holy Spirit and a powerful word from the angel Gabriel about her Son. Don't you just know that she wished that she could have offered a lamb to God on such a special occasion? Actually she did offer a lamb--THE LAMB OF GOD! And that is where I want to begin my message to you on the Feast of Sukkot or Tabernacles.

Back to John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and made His DWELLING among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. The Greek word for "dwelling" is "eskeenoosen," from the root word "skenoo" which means "to tent," or "to tabernacle." In Jesus, God was TABERNACLING AMONG US! The question is this: to what end? Why did God tabernacle among us in Jesus? Why did the Son of God become a man? I believe the answer to that question is found in the seven feasts of God. Although God revealed the seven feasts to the chosen nation of Israel to be rehearsed at set times each year, ONLY GOD HIMSELF COULD FULFILL THE FEASTS. That is why He "pitched His tent" among us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth!

First there was Passover. It was here that God laid the foundation through the blood of the Passover Lamb. On the 10th day of Nisan(our march/April) the Jews took a lamb into their homes to be inspected for four days to make sure it had no blemishes or imperfections. On the 14th day of Nisan, the Passover Lamb was to be killed and its blood applied with hyssop to the top and two sides of the doors to their homes. At midnight when the destroyer came into Egypt to kill the firstborn, the homes that had applied the lamb's blood were "passed over," delivered from God's judgment! It was in this way that God broke the power of Pharaoh and set His people free from slavery and bondage. For hundreds of years the Jews "rehearsed" this Passover celebration at a "set time" each spring in the month of Nisan. But then about 2,000 years ago, on Palm Sunday, THE 10TH DAY OF NISAN, Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the Jewish people CHOSE HIM as their Passover Lamb when they welcomed Him into the city waving palm branches and shouting Hallelujah. On the 14TH DAY OF NISAN, they killed THEIR LAMB when they turned Him over to Pilate and said, "crucify Him." He was crucified at 9AM on Nisan 14th, the same time the High Priest bound the Passover Lamb to the altar at the Temple, the same way it had been done for hundreds of years. Then at 3PM., after all the other passover lambs had been sacrificed for the Jewish pilgrims who were there for the Passover Celebration, the High Priest went to the last lamb to be sacrificed--the lamb that was bound to the altar--and said "it is finished," and then cut the lamb's throat. It was also at 3PM that Jesus said, "It is finished," and gave up His Spirit! Jesus, the last Lamb to be sacrificed, had once and for all taken upon Himself the sins of the world! To what end? To remove the obstacle that stood between a holy God and sinful man. But why? So that God could dwell or tabernacle among us--have a relationship with us! This was the foundational feast in God fulfilling His eternal plan of dwelling with His people. Let me ask you friend, are you trusting in Jesus' blood as the sole basis of your relationship with the Father? Have you chosen Jesus as your Passover Lamb?

Unleavened Bread began after sunset on Nisan 15. That would be Thursday night following the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb at 3PM. The Israelites were to eat unleavened bread as a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt. They left in such haste that the bread did not have time to rise. It was actually baked without leaven--leaven being a type of sin. More importantly this unleavened bread pointed to the "bread that came down from heaven." He, Jesus, was without leaven, without sin--pure and spotless. Consequently death could not corrupt or decay His body as David prophesied in Psalm 16:9-10 and as Peter preached in Acts 2:22-27. Why? because this was all part of God's plan to tabernacle among us BEYOND THIS LIFE. And that leads to the next feast.

On the 17th day of Nisan, sometime before sunrise on Sunday morning, Jesus arose from the dead on the very day of the Feast of Firstfruits!(Firtfruits in the Old Testament was the celebration of the barley harvest. An unleavened loaf of bread made from barley was waved before God with the expectation that the rest of the harvest would also come in). Jesus was the firstfruits to rise from the dead with a new and resurrected body as Paul makes clear in I Corinthians 15:20-23. But why? The only way that God could tabernacle among us beyond this life was for Him to come and defeat death by dying and then rising from the dead! As the firstfruits of those who die, we have the guarantee that the "rest of the harvest--believers in Jesus--" will also rise from the dead with new and resurrected bodies just like His glorious body. But more about that later.

Fifty days from the Feast of Firtfruits was the Feast of Shavu'ot or Pentecost. This feast was a celebration of the giving of the law to Moses at Mt. Sinai and also a celebration of the wheat harvest where the priest waved two loaves of LEAVENED BREAD before the Lord as a thank offering for the rest of the harvest that would come in. On this day, the risen and exalted Son of God, poured out the Holy Spirit on 120 believers in the city of Jerusalem. Whereas God wrote the Torah on two stone tablets in the Old Testament, Jesus wrote the Torah on the hearts of believers in the New Testament. The Spirit was poured out first on the Jews and then later on the Gentiles. Both were sinful or leavened, but both were cleansed by the blood of the Passover Lamb! And it was through this indwelling of the Spirit that God began to "tabernacle" with His people in a more intimate way! I ask you friend, have you been filled with the Holy Spirit? God longs to dwell in you!

With the fulfillment of the Feast of Shavu'ot/Pentecost, all of the spring feasts were fulfilled. That means that there are three feasts yet to be fulfilled: Yom Teruah/Trumpets, Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement, and Sukkot,the Feast of Tabernacles. It is to these feasts that we now turn our attention. Important to know is that the rebirth of Israel in 1948 and the retaking of Jerusalem in 1967 are both significant prophetic signs that let us know that we are close to the fulfillment of the Fall Feasts!

On the Feast of Trumpets Jesus will rapture the church and return to the earth. This will occur in the month of Tishri(our September/October). In I Thessalonians 4:16-19, the Word of God tells us the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ will rise first and we which are alive and remain will be caught up together with them to MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR; SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD! Notice that we are going TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR AND BE WITH HIM FOREVER! God will be a step closer to His heart's desire: to tabernacle with us in an even greater way through the rapture and His second return to the earth. In I Corinthians 15:51-52 we read, "Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in 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 all be changed." Changed? why? We will have new bodies so that we can live with God forever as part of His New Creation in Christ! One more text before we leave this feast. In Revelation 11:15,19 the Word of God reveals the following truth: V.15 "The seventh angel sounded his trumpet. . ." Please keep in mind that the number seven is the number of completeness. Therefore, the seventh trumpet is the same as "the trump of God" in I Thessalonians 4 and the "last trump" I Corinthians 15. This is the rapture and the second return happening at the same time! V.19 says "Then God's temple in heaven was opened. . ." At the time of the end, God will merge the natural and spiritual together ( See Ephesians 1:9). This again is another step in God's ultimate plan of tabernacling among His people.

Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement will follow the Feast of Trumpets. It will be during this time that Jesus will pour out the seven bowls of wrath on His way to Jerusalem. After He has raptured His Bride and circled the globe where "every eye will see Him," He will then make His ascent from Bozrah (modern day Jordan) killing Israel's enemies as He makes His way to the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem (Please see Isaiah 63:1-3;Revelation 16:1). He will then kill the Antichrist and False Prophet as well as the rest of the armies of the Islamic beast kingdom (Revelation 19:11-21). It is at this point, on Yom kippur, that the "veil" covering Israel's eyes is removed and she will receive Jesus as her Messiah!(The whole nation of Isarel will be saved in one day--on the Day of Atonement). God will have actually used the Antichrist's attempt to annihilate Israel(Revelation 12) to break their stubbornness and cause them to humble their hearts in preparation to receive Jesus as their Messiah. On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement Zechariah 12:10 will become a reality for the Jewish nation. That text says, "And I(God) will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, THE ONE THEY HAVE PIERCED, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." In a word, Israel's willingness to repent and fulfill Matthew 23:39 will literally open the door for the Feast of Tabernacles to begin! That verse says, "For I(Jesus) tell you(Israel), you will not see me again UNTIL you say, Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord." When Israel repents, Jesus will make Himself known to them even as Joseph--a type of Christ--revealed Himself to his brothers when Judah repented(Genesis 44-45). This will be a great and glorious day!

Zechariah 14:16 says, "Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty and celebrate THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES." On the Day of Atonement Israel will be saved and the nations will be judged. And then the 1,000 year reign of Jesus will begin which will be Feast of Tabernacles! Think of it friend: God will literally tabernacle among us for 1,000 years in the person of His Son! These will be golden days on the earth(Please read Isaiah 2:2-4). Then after the 1,000 years are ended, we will enter into the transcendent life of God Himself. This will be the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles--the day of new beginnings! Eight is the number of new beginnings. What is the transcendent life of God? I don't know, but I do like its description found in Revelation 21:1-5, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no more sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! God's DWELLING PLACE IS NOW AMONG PEOPLE, AND HE WILL DWELL WITH THEM. They will be His people and God himself will be WITH THEM AND BE THEIR GOD. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the older order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new. . ." Hence, in these words we see God's ultimate plan fulfilled: Fully tabernacling with His people forever!

I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Shalom

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

The Day of Atonement is found in Leviticus 23:26-32 and also in Leviticus 16. After the High Priest had made atonement for himself and his family, he would then take two goats and presnet them before the Lord. Lots were then cast for the two goats. The goat whose lot fell to the Lord was sacrificed as a sin offering. The other goat was known as the scapegoat from the Hebrew word "azazal." "Az," means "goat," and "azal" means "to go away." Both hands were laid on the azazal, Israel's sins were confessed, and the goat was led away into the wilderness. Hence the term "scapegoat." The purpose of this sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, known in the Hebrew as "Yom Kippur," had to do with the importance of the shedding of blood to take away the sins of Israel. To what end? that Israel's sins would be atoned for so that they might have the favor of God upon them! Yom Kippur occured on the 10th day of Tishri--the seventh Hebrew month(our late Septemeber or early October). It was the most solemn day in all of Israel and was the one day that Israel was "to afflict their souls" through fasting from the evening of Tishri 9th to sundown on Tishri 10th(24 hours).

The first Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement occured when Moses went back up on Sinai a second time for another 40 days. When he went up on Mt. Sinai the first time to receive the 10 Commandments, the nation of Israel sinned a great sin against God by making the golden calf! The result was that God was very angry. So Moses went up on the Mount again. This time he went up for the purpose of making "atonement" for the nation because of the sin of making the golden calf. According to rabbinc tradition, Moses went up on the first of Elul(our September 1). When he came down it was Tishri 10--40 days later--(our October 10th). So Moses actually came down on the Day of Atonement letting all of Israel know that atonemnet been achieved for them. That is why that the 40 days between Elul 1 and Tishri 10 are known as the 40 days of repentance or the season of Teshuvah. The point is this: the Day of Atonement is God's forgivness for the nation of Israel. Also it should be known that when Moses came down the mountain from his meeting with God, his face was radiant(Exodus 34:29-33). That is why that the expression "face to face" is an idiom for the Day of Atonement. I will say more about this a little later. One further point here. When Moses had made atonement for Israel--their sins as a nation being forgiven--he then began collecting the materials for the construction of the Tabernacle. God was essentially saying, now that atonement has been made for you, I want to come down and tabernacle among you! This is when the Tabernacle was built!

I'm going to get a little ahead of myself here, but please understand that all of this prophetically points to the Day of Atonement in the Tribulation period--when all Israel will repent and be saved. This will result in Yeshua the Messiah living and TABERNACLING among them in the Millennial Reign! Yeshua will return on the Feast of Trumpets(Yom Teru'ah--rapture and second return); He saves Israel on the Day of Atonement from the Antichrist and the Islamic Beast Kingdom by pouring out the seven last bowls of God's judgement(Revelation 16; 19:11-21); and He begins His Millennial Reign on the Feast of Tabernacles! Back now to a little more context for the Day of Atonement.

Some may be asking this question: what is the difference between Passover and the Day of Atonement? Passover speaks of individual redemption whereas the Day of Atonement speaks of the national redemption of Israel. In individual redemption we make the choice to personaly "apply the blood to our lives by faith" and so be saved. But when we get to the ultimate fulfillment of the Day of Atonement, God says "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Yeshua/Jesus is Lord." All governments, whether they like or not, are going to bow to God on that day! So all of the Fall Feasts, beginning with the Feast of Trumpets, speaks of national redemption and restoration of all the nations back to God and His Son(Revelation 11:15-19); the Feast of Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement in particular speaks of the nation of Israel and her redemption and restoration back to God. The Feast of Tabernacles marks the 1000 year reign of this redemption and restoration.

In an attempt to shorten this article somewhat, I am going to make a statement and then give you the scriptures to validify what I am going to tell you. You will have to look up the scriptures and do the comparisons. It is impossible to understand the Book of the Revelation without understanding Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement! Said another way, there is a Yom Kippur service in the Book of the Revelation. Leviticus 16:12-15 which is describing the Day of Atonement is found in the language and imagery of Revelation 8:3-7: the number 7, incense, and the golden altar. Also, Revelation 11:15-19 is replete with Day of Atonement language: the nations angry, God's temple and the Ark of the Covenant. Keep in mind that once a year the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies where God's Presence dwelt over the Ark of the Covenant! Also, when the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies he was wearing a white linen robe. When he offered the sacrifice on the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant, his white robes would be stained with blood! Please take a moment and read Isaiah 63:1-4 and Revelation 19:13. All of this in the Book of Revelation is to let us know that this is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement! Time will not allow me to develope this fully, but Yom Kippur happened at the end of the year in Israel--the final harvest. And what did they harvest in the fall of the year? Fruit, but particularly grapes from which wine was made. Revelation 14:18-20(please read) is language about the final harvest on the earth and it is full of the Day of Atonement imagery. God is telling us that Yom Kippur will happen at the end of the age when Yeshua returns to rapture the church, redeem Israel, and judge the nations that fought against Israel!

I will try and bring this to a close by hopefully making a modern application to the times in which we are living. Please take a moment and read Ezekiel 20:34-35. This speaks of what God will do with Israel in the last days. Especially notice the term "face to face," another term for Day of Atonement. During the last three and one half years of the Tribulation period, God is going to take Israel into the "wilderness," and there He will break their stubborn pride and remove the veil that has blinded their eyes to the truth. Revelation 12:6 says "The woman(Israel) fled into the WILDERNESS, to a place prepared for her by God, where she will be taken care of for 1,260 days(the last three and one half years of the tribulation period)." The whole nation of Israel, that has survived Antichrist's attempt to annihilate them, will at this time on Yom Kippur realize that Yeshua/Jesus is their Messiah! Zechariah 12:10 describes this incredible moment on that day: "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one THEY HAVE PIERCED, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns or an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn Son." This will fulfill the prophecy of Yeshua in Matthew 23:39, " You(Israel) will not see me again until you say,'blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'" Romans 11:25-27 says " I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:Israel has experienced a hardening in part UNTIL the full number of the Gentils has come in (been saved) , and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: The deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob(Israel). And this is my covenant with them WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." "When I take away their sins," is Yom Kippur! On the Day of Atonement Yeshua will remove their veil and they will recognize Him as their "atoning sacrifice."

In Acts 3:17-21, the Word of God makes it clear that Messiah will not come or return until Israel is ready to receive Him as a nation. This means that the Feast of Trumpets(the rapture of the church and second return of Yeshua); Yom Kippur--the Day of Atonement--the national salvation of Israel; and the Feast of Tabernacles--the millennial reign of Yeshua--are all tied to Israel! This is God's heart and God's plan. If we are wise, we will make God's heart and plan our top priority. By so doing, we will be positioning ourselves for the blessing of God in these last days. Genesis 12:3 was true yesterday, it is true today, and it will true in the days ahead. "I will bless those who bless you(Israel), and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Shalom

The Feast of Trumpets

The Spring Feasts, 1.Passover--Nisan 14; 2.Unleavened Bread--Nisan 15; 3.First Fruits--Nisan 17; and 4.Pentecost--Sivan 6, all recorded in Leviticus 23 and observed/rehersed by Israel for hundreds of years, were amazingly and precisely fulfilled by Yeshua/Jesus to the very day, and in one Feast, Passover, to the very hour! In Yeshua, the Lord has redeemed us--has brought us back to Himself. But the story does not end there! But before we move on to the Fall Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles, lets take a brief look at what is known as the "summer gap."

In between the Spring Feasts and the Fall Feasts there is a fairly significant period of time. That period or season is of course summer. In the context of the feasts cycle, the "summer gap" as it is called, symbolizes the span of 2000 years that began at the day of Shavu'ot/Pentecost right up to the present time. This time period also called the "summer harvest" represents the growth of the Lord's Church and the salvation or redemption of those who have accectped the Gospel. The question that needs to be answered is this: What next? What comes after the summer gap or harvest? What is the next big thing on God's calendar and when will it occur?

To answer the above questions, lets start with a couple of events that I believe are signs that "summer" is almost over. First is the rebirth of God's chosen people, Israel, on May 14, 1948. As I have said before, it is a fact that no nation that has been without a homeland for more than 40 years has survived as a nation. But Israel survived for 2000 years without a homeland! That is a miracle of God and a sign that things are changing. Secondly was the retaking of Jerusalem by the Jews for the first time since 70AD. That too was a miracle having been accomplished against all odds! The point here is this: by the rebirth of Israel and the retaking of Jerusalem God has laid the foundation for the next three "Jewish Feasts" to be fulfilled. I believe that they will be fulfilled in this generation! And the very next Feast to be fulfilled is the Feast of Trumpets. Therefore, our subject today will be to take a deeper look into this amazing event to be fulfilled by Yeshua.

The Feast of Trumpets occured in the Hebrew seventh month of Tishri(our September or October). Between this Feast and the Day of Atonment, there are ten days that are called the "High Holy Days," or the "Days of Awe." The Sabbath that falls within this ten day period is called "Shabbat Shuv'ah" or "The Sabbath of Return." It is important to know this because several themes associated with the Messiah's second coming are associated with the fall feasts, beginning with the Feast of Trumpets. In this article I will deal with three of those themes.

The first theme associated with the Feast of Trumpets is "the sounding of the Shofar or trumpet" which also is connected to the rapture of the Church and the second return of Yeshua/Jesus. On this feast day, there were 100 blasts made with the shofar or trumpet. The last blast that was made was known as "the last trump." Consequently, in I Corinthians 15:52 when Paul is speaking of the rapture of the Church and the second return of the Lord, he describes it as happening "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at THE LAST TRUMP; for the TRUMPET/SHOFAR will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." In the Torah, this feast is referred to as "Yom Teruah," or "the day of the sounding of the shofar," which can be translated as "an awakening blast." Also, Teruah can be translated as "shout." Not surprisingly then we read these words from the Apostle Paul in I Thessalonians 4:16-17, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the voice of the archangel and the TRUMP of God; and the dead in Christ will rise first; then we which are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so will we ever be with the Lord." The Last Trump, the Awakening Blast, and the Shout are all part of the Feast of Trumpets and consequently speak to us of the rapture and second return of Yeshua on this feast! But lets keep building on this theme.

The second theme of the Feast of Trumpets is the "wedding of the Messiah with His Church." The Jews considered marriage to be the ideal model depicting the relationship between God and Israel. This theme is found throughout the Old Testament(see particularly the book of Hosea). Consequently, the Jewish wedding ceremony was understood by early Christians to be a picture of the joining of Christ with His Church. That is made clear in Ephesians 5:25-27 where Paul compares the marriage relationship with that of Yeshua and His Church. Also in a parable speaking of the Lord's second return, the Jewish wedding is spoken of by Yeshua(Matthew 25:6,10). In the Jewish culture it was customary that after a bride-to-be had accepted the groom's proposal, the bridegroom would depart and return to his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber. It was understood to be the man's duty to go away to be with his father, build a house, and prepare for the eventual wedding. However, before he departed, he would make the following statement to the bride: I go to prepare a place for you, I will return again unto you. If those words sound familiar, they are the words that Yeshua spoke to His disciples in John 14:1-3 just before going back to His Father's house in heaven! The point here is that the rapture and return of the Lord is connected with the Jewish wedding. And here is where things are going to really get theologically interesting!

In Matthew 24:36 Yeshua said of His second return, "But of that day and hour knows no man, not not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." According to Jewish tradition, the timing of the wedding was contingent upon the Father's approval of the groom's preparation of the bridal chamber. So when someone asked when the wedding would be held, the groom would customarily answer, "only my father knows." Why is that important to know? Considering that other scriptures make it clear that the Jewish wedding is symbolically linked to the rapture and resurrection of the righteous, it is also clear that it is linked to the Feast of Trumpets as we have seen above. Therefore, when Yeshua said "no one knows the day or the hour. . . but my father only," He was actually telling us that His second return would definitely be on the Feast of Trumpets! I will enforce this truth with my last point.

The third theme of the Feast of Trumpets is that it was known as "Yom HaKeseh" or "The Hidden Day." The term "Keseh" is derived from the Hebrew root word "Kacah" which means "to conceal, hide or cover." Part of the reason why the Feast of Trumpets is considered mysterious or "hidden," is due to the fact there was a fair amount of uncertainty with regard to observing the feast on the correct calendar day. The Feast of Trumpets fell on "Rosh Chodesh," or the "New Moon." And because this feast hinged on the sighting of a tiny sliver of the new moon, even in Jerusalem it would be difficult to let everyone know when it had begun, not to mention all of Israel. Therefore, to solve this problem, a two day Feast of Trumpets was practiced. In the Rabbinic view, these two days are regarded as "Yoma Arikhta" or "one long day." For this reason when speaking of the Feast of Trumpets, the Jews would typically say, "of that day or hour no one knows." So then what we have here is another clear reference to Yeshua's words in Matthew 24:36 ". . .of that day and hour knows no man. . ." refering to the Lord's return. When you take this reference along with the previous mentioned Jewish wedding reference of "only my father knows, what you have is a stunning revelation and confirmation that Yeshua will, without a doubt, return on the Feast of Trumpets.

For the people who quote Matthew 24:36 as the reason why they are not interested in prophecy, they simply are not rightly dividing the Word of God. Yet for those who are watching, these words of Yeshua could not be more clear: He is telling us that He is coming on the Feast of Trumpets. And He will fulfill this feast to the very day just like He did Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits and Pentecost. What a great God we serve!What an incredible Hope we have! Dear Friend, the God who has so precisely and powerfully revealed and fulfilled the feasts, and will fulfill what remains, has a great plan for your life! Put your trust in Him and in His strong Word. (Please take a moment to read and meditate on Jeremiah 29:11).

I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Shalom

"The Feast of Shavu'ot or Pentecost"

Let's begin by first of all looking at the different name or names for this feast. The Hebrew name for the feast is "The Feast of Shavu'ot." The Hebrew word "Sheva" means "seven;" "Shavu'ah means "week;" and Shavu'ot means "weeks." Hence this is the "Feast of Shavu'ot" or also known as the "Feast of Weeks." From the day of the "Feast of First Fruits," the Hebrews were to count off seven sabbaths. Then on the next day after the seventh sabbath,(that would be Sunday) they were to celebrate the Feast of Shavu'ot or as it is also known "The feast of Weeks." This then would be a period of fifty days from the "Feast of First Fruits" to the "Feast of Shavu'ot." Consequently, since the New Testament was written in Greek, the translators used the word "Pentecost," which means fifty, to describe this Jewish Feast. Hence that is how we have the different names of this feast. With that established, we can now move on to discover what this feast was all about and how you can personally experience it today! We will begin that process by looking at the two Old Testament backgrounds for this feast.

First, we will look at a momentous event that took place on Shavu'ot. That grand event was the giving of the 10 Commandments through Moses at Mt. Sinai. Rabbinic tradition says tht the Torah(10 Commandments) was given on the sixth of Sivan(third Hebrew month and late May or early June on the Gregorian Calendar). Exactly seven weeks after the Exodus from Egypt the children of Israel gathered at the base of Mt. Sinai where the Lord descended amidst thunder, lightning, billowing smoke, fire and the blast of the Shofar. The result of that Divine visitation was that the finger of God wrote the greatest moral code ever given to man on two stone tablets! So on the day of Shavu'ot, the Lord came down to man and gave him the 10 Commandents. And that is a very important foundation or background for the Feast of Shavu'ot/Pentecost as we will see shortly.

The second Old Testament background for Shavu'ot is agricultural. Just as a sample of the First Fruits barley harvest was waved before the Lord during the "Feast of First Fruits," so on the "Feast of Shavu'ot/Pentecost" a sample of the first of the wheat harvest was to be brought to the priests, baked into two loaves of LEAVENED BREAD and then waved before the altar(See Leviticus 23:15-21; Deuteronomy 16:9-11). Notice that the "Feast of Shavu'ot" stands in contrast to the "Feast of Passover," which required UNLEAVENED BREAD(matzah), whereas in this feast two loaves of wheat bread were to be used with leaven (chametz) before being waved before the Lord. I will explain why in just a moment. But now that you know the two Old Testament backgrounds for this feast, lets discover how Yeshua/Jesus fulfilled this feast.

In John's Gospel, chapter 1 and v.33 we read these words about Yeshua, "I (John the Baptist) myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'" This is a prophecy about Yeshua the Messiah and how He would be the One who baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit. Fast forward to the Day of Shavu'ot/Pentecost. On the very day of the "Feast of Shavu'ot/Pentecost," Jews had come to Jerusalem from everywhere to celebrate and affirm their commitment to the covenant made through Moses at Mt. Sinai. And at the very same time that the priest was waving the two wheat loaves of leavened bread at the altar as thanksgiving to the Lord for the harvest, the resurrected and ascended Yeshua/Messiah was baptizing believers in the Holy Spirit at Mt. Zion in Jerusalem! Acts 2:33, "Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear." What was happening? At Mt. Sinai, on the day of Shavu'ot/Pentecost, God wrote the law--the 10 Commandments--on stone, but now at Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, on the day of Shavu'ot/Pentecost, the Messiah was writing the new law of the Spirit on the hearts of believers(Jeremiah 31:33)! And as the priest was waving the two loaves of leavened bread before the Lord(the TWO loaves of LEAVEN being symbolic of Jew and Gentile--both being sinful), Yeshua, the UNLEAVENED BREAD of Heaven (the sinless one) was waving/beginning the harvest of His Church(those cleansed by His Divine and spotless blood as the Passover Lamb) through the outpouring of the Holy Spirt. And this outpouring, this harvest, would soon include the Gentiles (Acts 8,10,19). There is so much more to say, but I will conclude now with how you can experience the Feast of Shavu'ot/Pentecost.

Galatians 3:1-5 "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you (led you astray)? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or BY BELIEVING WHAT YOU HEARD? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal BY HUMAN EFFORT? V.5 Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you BECAUSE YOU OBSERVE THE LAW, OR BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEARD?" There it is friends in plain language. The only way that you can receive and continually be filled with the Holy Spirit is by trusting completely and totally in Yeshua--Who He is and what He has done for you! No one ever gets "good enough to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." God dosn't give the Holy Spirit to those who are trying to earn it by "keeping the law." The Person of the Holy Spirit is a gift--given to those who humble themselves and realize that it is by God's grace through faith and not works or human effort. This is the truth about Shavu'ot/Pentecost. And the power of Shavu'ot/Pentecost is that as you continue to trust and depend totally on the Person of Yeshua, He will continually supply or fill you with the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is the One who empowers you to live a life that is full and fully pleasing to the Lord. And it is this kind of life empowered by the Holy Spirit that makes us His witnesses. It is how we see others come to Yeshua and so become a part of His harvest!

So then what do you do to experience Shavu'ot/Pentecost for yourself? Trust in Yeshua as your Passover Lamb; as your Unleavened Bread from Heaven; as your First Fruits who rose from the dead; and as the One who baptizes you continually in and with the Holy Spirit.


I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Shalom

"The Feast of First Fruits"

Let's begin by looking at the Feast of First Fruits in it's original setting. Leviticus 23:9-12, "The Lord said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf(omer) of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the sabbath. On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect." In Israel the first grain to ripen would be barley. At the time of planting, the Jewish people would mark off certain barley in the field. Later when the harvest season arrived, they would carry a sickle and a basket and reap this specially designated grain. They would then go to the Tabernacle bringing a sheaf of the "First Fruits" of the harvest to the priest. The Priest would then wave the sheaf before the Lord accompanied by burnt offerings and meal offerings. The First Fruit's offering was a way of giving thanks to God for the rest of the harvest that lay in the field. And so, you have the Old Testament foundation for the celebration of the Feast of First Fruits.

Let's begin to see how Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah fulfilled this feast. Take notice of two things here: First, a male lamb was to be offered to the Lord along with unleavened bread mixed with oil and wine. Remembering that Yeshua was the Passover Lamb and the Unleavened Bread that came down from Heaven, it is telling that the BREAD and WINE in this ceremony were the very symbols that Yeshua used to recall and remember His sacrifice at the Last Supper(the bread symbolizes His broken body and the wine His shed blood). Secondly, Leviticus 23:14 says, "You may not eat any bread or roasted or new grain UNTIL the very day that you bring THIS OFFERING to your God. This tells us that Yeshua/Jesus must be the First Fruits who had to come first before the rest of the harvest would be accepted.

We will now look a little more closely at how Yeshua/Jesus is the fulfillment of this Old Testament feast. Yeshua was crucified and buried on Nisan 14, a Thursday afternoon (1/2 day); He was in the tomb on Nisan 15 from sundown to sundown (1 day); He was also in the tomb on Nisan 16 (1 day); Again on Nisan 17 after sundown(our Saturday night, the Jewish Sunday, 1/2 day); But He arose from the dead later that day on Nisan 17 before sunrise on Sunday morning. If you add these days up, you will get 1/2+1+1+1/2= 3 days and nights thus fulfilling what Yeshua said in Matthew 12:40 "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Said another way, Yeshua/Jesus was crucified on Thursday Nisan 14 before sundown and was resurrected on Sunday Nisan 17 before sunrise. He was raised on the very day of the Feast of First Fruits, the first day after the sabbath! The disciples then encoutered the Risen Lord on Nisan 17, on that Sunday morning (Matthew 28:1-10).

I will conclude my thoughts by explaining what this means to you and I! The Wave Offering of First Fruits and the Resurrection of Yeshua are linked together by the very Jewish Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15:20-23 "But in fact Christ(Yeshua/Jesus/Messiah) has been raised from the dead, the FIRST FRUITS of those who have fallen asleep(died in the Lord). For as by man came death, by man also has come the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also IN CHRIST shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the FIRST FRUITS, then at His coming those who belong to Christ." Yeshua's resurrection was like a "wave offering" presented before the Father as the first fruits of the harvest to come! Actually, Yeshua is also revealed in the Word of God as "the first begotten of the Father" (Hebrews 1:6); the first born of creation (Colossians 1:15-16); the first begotten of the dead (Revelation 1:5); and as the first fruits of those who have been resurrected (ICorinthians 15:20-23). And as the fist fruits of those who are resurrected, having been accepted by the Father, He is our guarantee that we too will be accepted by the Father! Our confidence of being resurrected from the dead and living forever with God in an exalted state of existence is not based on who we are or on what we can or cannot do. Rather, it is based on who Yeshua is and what He has done for us, AND IN OUR FAITH IN HIM ALONE! For when the Father raised Yeshua from the dead, He was declaring His acceptance of Yeshua as the First Fruits of the rest of the harvest(all those who put their complete confidence in Yeshua) that will also one day be raised from the dead!

Dear friend, can you see it? When Yeshua fulfilled the Feast of First Fruits by being raised from the dead, He answered forever the deepest longing and most searching question of our heart: What happens when I die? For those who are trusting not in a religion nor in their own good works, but are trusting completely and entirely in the person of Yeshua, they can have confidence that just as sure as Yeshua was raised from the dead as the frist fruits, they too will be raised from the dead as part of the harvest of the New Creation of God! (See ICorinthians 5:17)

The old song simply but powerfully says, "Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone, because I know He holds my future, life is worth the living just because He lives!" Hallelujah!!!

I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Shalom

"Israel, Iran and Biblical Prophecy"

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger made this statement,"If you can't hear the drums of war, then you are deaf." He was referring to the current crisis in the Middle East involving Israel and Iran. Dr. Kissinger believes that there will be a nuclear war in that region and that it will proliferate. Is he right? Will there indeed be a nuclear war in the Middle East, perhaps ignited by the conflict between Israel and Iran? The answer to that question will form the basis for what I want to share with you in this article.

Let's begin by looking at a Biblical prophecy from the book of Daniel. In Daneil 9:27, the Holy Spirit is speaking about a time in the distant future, a future that has now become PRESENT TENSE. He says in that verse, "He(the Antichrist) will confirm(make strong of firm) the covenant with many for one seven(the context makes it clear that this seven is seven years). In the middle of the seven (3 1/2 years, 42 months or 1260 days-based on the 30 day Jewish month) he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the Temple(the rebuilt Jewish Temple) he will set up an abominaton that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." Revealed in this verse are two very significant Biblical signs that will alert the church that the second return of the Lord Jesus is near. The first is a seven year peace treaty signed between the Antichrist and Israel, and the second is the breaking of that peace treaty by the Antichrist after three and a half years into that treaty.

Is there anything going on right now in the Middle East that could bring this seven year peace treaty to fruition? Will this treaty become a reality in order to prevent a nuclear war between Israel and Iran? Or will this treaty become a necessity because of a nuclear exchange between Israel and Iran? Will world pressure become the context for such a treaty to be signed?
I believe that this treaty will become a realtiy in the not to distant future. Exactly when and what will bring it about remains to be seen, but it is coming! Now with that said, is there anyone who fits the profile of the Antichrist who will sign this seven year peace treaty with Isral only to break it half way in? The answer to that question may surprise you, but please keep reading.

First, listen to the Koranic or Islamic teaching about who they believe will be the Islamic Savior at the time of the end. This person is known in Islam as the Mahdi, the Guided One, the 12 Imam or final Caliph. (1). He will appear at the time of the end to preside over the earth as the final Islamic leader, (2). He will be a supreme political and military leader, (3). During his reign, he will be victorious over all religions--especially Judaism and Christianity, (4). Fourth and this is very revealing. It is said that he will "direct affairs of this Islamic national empire/caliphate for SEVEN YEARS, AND THAT HE WILL RESIDE IN JERUSALEM." Now listen to this quote from the founder of Islam, their prophet Muhammed: "There will be four peace agreements between you (Muslims) and the Romans (Christians/the West). The fourth will be mediated through a person who will be from the progeny of Hadrat Aaron, (honorable Aaron) the brother of Moses and will be upheld for SEVEN YEARS." At an Islamic execution back a few years ago, the terroists called President Bush, "You dog of the Romans." I don't have time here to elaborate, but I hope you can see that the devil has set up Islam as the vehicle he will use to try and carry out his endtime diabolical purposes! Think of this, he has already deceived 1.5 billion muslims! Before I go to my last point, I hope you saw three stunning facts in the above quotes: First, that the Antichrist and the Isalmic Mahdi are one and the same; second, that he will rule for seven years; and third, he will reside in Jerusalem. These facts fit Daniel 9:27 perfectly!

But what about breaking the seven year peace agreement? In Islam there is a term called al-Hudaibiyya. Yassar Arafat often used the expression, "Hudaibiyya" when he spoke to his people in Arabic, or when he met with the Arab National Council. Essentially "Hudaibiyya' is a well understood word which means "kiss the hand of your enemy until you can cut it off!" But where does it come from? From the founder of Isalm of course, Muhammed! In 628 AD Muhammed signed the "Treaty of Hudaibiyya" with the people of Mecca because he did not have sufficent numbers to conquer them. However, when Muhammeds troops increased from 1,400 to 10,000 men, after only 18 months into the 10 year treaty, he entered into Mecca and annihilated the Jews of the Quarish tribe who lived in Mecca. In doing so, he established forever the obligation of every muslim to enter into covenants with non-muslims when necessary--with the understanding that these agreements would be broken as soon as it was expedient to do so! The fact that the Antichrist will utimatley break his treaty with Israel suggests a muslim acting in the tradition of his prophet Muhammed. Be sure that neither honor, nor ethics, nor obligations can be allowed to hinder the advancement of Isalm! However, rest assured that Islam will be stopped! As Daniel 9:27 makes clear, the Antichrist will come to the end "that is decreed for him." That end will come at the hands of the Strong Son of God as it is revealed in Revelation 19:11-21!

I close by simply saying that as Christians we should pray for and support Israel in every way possible. And we should open our hearts to where we are on God's prophetic calendar. I would also add that if what I have written challenges your currently held theological beliefs about the endtimes, then I would say please take the time to pray and search the scriptures.

I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Shalom