Many people that say they are Christians can't seem to grasp how the bride of Christ can be expected to go through "the tribulation". They don't seem to realize that the tribulation is something we go through from life experiences in this world, and from persecutions brought upon us by satan and his minions. These people say, foolishly, that the bride of Christ will not suffer ... He, the Lord, will not be presented with a battered & bloodied bride ... conveniently forgetting the thousands upon thousands of people that have suffered abuse and martyrdom for His name's sake. Here's what Jesus has to say:
Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. - Jesus
Jhn 15:18-21 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. - Jesus
Jhn 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. - Jesus
People really don't seem to -pay attention- to the words in the bible very well. Take, for instance, how in Rev 5:6 no one was able to open the book in God's hand, that was Daniel's sealed book, until the Lamb that had been slain arrived.
Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Dan 12:8-9 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Once the slain Lamb arrived IN heaven, He received the sealed book and began to break the seals ... RIGHT THEN AND THERE. The Lamb of Rev 5:6 is Jesus, He was slain, resurrected, and went back to the Father where He received the sealed book of Daniel 11-12 and began breaking those seals. The four horsemen have been riding for almost two thousand years!
Rev 5:6-8 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
WHEN did He start opening the seals? Right AFTER He arrived at the throne in heaven!
Rev 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
Rev 6:3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
Rev 6:5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
Rev 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
Back to the bride ... we know that most of the apostles suffered and died for Jesus' name, all but John and he suffered torture and imprisonment. Many of the disciples were afflicted and murdered ... thrown to the starved lions & dogs, boiled in oil, crucified on poles and lit on fire as human torches to light the night, beheaded, and on and on. It's been going on for almost 2,000 years! YES, the bride is bloodied, just like her Husband!
I do believe we are IN the 5th seal of Revelation 6 NOW ... I believe these people, spoken of in the following verses, are all those that the Lord liberated when He descended into hell to set the captives free that died before Him ... again, this is happening shortly after the Lamb arrives in heaven:
Rev 6:9-11 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Remember, for the Lord it's just been two days since He died and resurrected ... a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day.
2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The verse below represents all the bride at the "resurrection of the just", which is the first resurrection, including all those that were martyred &/or have died in the Lord since His own death & resurrection:
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
In a recent article I saw the following: "According to a recent report, 2015 was the most violent year with regards to persecution of Christians at global level. There has been an unprecedented persecution internationally. The phenomenon of persecution includes killings, kidnappings, sexual abuse, trafficking, demolition and arson of churches and heinous acts of such kind." (Source: http://www.christiansinpakistan.com/russian-president-pledges-to-protect-christians-across-the-globe-from-persecution/)
So, tell me again how the bride of Christ won't be battered, beaten, bruised, and killed for His name's sake!? Oh wait, "those *Christians* don't count" some would say. WRONG!
We need to differentiate between "tribulation" and "wrath". In the world we WILL have tribulation, even great tribulation by the end of this age. We are promised we will not suffer God's wrath at Jesus' return, rather, we will be caught up (for the first resurrection) to meet Him in the air and then return with Him to rule & reign on this earth for 1,000 years.
1Th 5:9-10 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Thanks for reading ;o}
{Red text is Jesus speaking in the NT.}
01/16/16 ~ Is there a *GAP* in time?
Yes, I do believe so, and I think HIS-story (history) proves it as it's been nearly two thousand years since Jesus' first coming! One such *gap* is here where Jesus is quoting part of Isaiah 61:
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias {Isaiah}. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave [it] again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. {Luk 4:16-21}
Notice what exactly He said:
1) to preach the gospel to the poor
2) to heal the brokenhearted
3) to preach deliverance to the captives
4) recovering of sight to the blind {part of 4 below}
5) to set at liberty them that are bruised {part of 4 below}
6) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord
Did Jesus fulfill all those things at His first coming? Of course He did! However, Jesus did not quote the entire text! What's missing?
{Isa 61:1-3} The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Notice exactly what was prophesied by Isaiah, through the Spirit of the Lord GOD:
1) to preach good tidings unto the meek {1 above}
2) to bind up the brokenhearted {2 above}
3) to proclaim liberty to the captives {3 above}
4) the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound {4 & 5 above}
5) To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD {6 above}
NOT PART OF WHAT JESUS SAID ABOVE,
THUS FUTURE TO THOSE OF HIS DAY
6) and the day of vengeance of our God
7) to comfort all that mourn
8) To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion
9) to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, ...
When Jesus came the first time, He was the One foretold of by Moses:
{Deu 18:18-19} I will raise them up a Prophet {Jesus} from among their brethren, like unto thee {Moses}, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him.
{Jhn 6:14} Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. {Jhn 12:49-50}
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. {Jhn 14:10 KJV}
And, of Jesus' first coming, had Israel accepted Him, He would have given them much joy & happiness. However, they did NOT accept Him at that time, as He knew they wouldn't when He lamented over Jerusalem before His crucifixion:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! {Mat 23:37 KJV}
This lamentation was also presented to them in the parable of the Householder {God the Father}:
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast [him] out of the vineyard, and slew [him]. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out [his] vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. {Mat 21:33-46}
And this testimony from Matthew is also noted in Mark's gospel:
And he began to speak unto them by parables. A [certain] man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about [it], and digged [a place for] the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught [him], and beat him, and sent [him] away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded [him] in the head, and sent [him] away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed [him], and cast [him] out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. {Mar 12:1-12}
Jesus not only reiterated what was past (rejecting and killing the prophets of God) but also what was in His own day (they'd likewise reject and kill Him, the "son"), but He also tells them of the future that would result from their stiff-necked behavior ... that future has been unfolding for the nearly 2,000 years. This is the *gap*. It's otherwise called "the times of the Gentiles":
And they {Israel} shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations {70 AD}: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. {Luk 21:24, read the whole chapter; see also Mat 24 & Mar 13}
Noting, "the times of the Gentiles" is still going on because there are still Gentiles (non-Israelis) trampling the holy temple mount area; and this is NOT the modern-day Jews since they are not even allowed to worship on the temple mount at this point in time. The temple mount is currently under the control of the Arabs, through Jordan. This particular *gap* is also eluded to in a couple of other scriptures:
{Hos 6:2} After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
{2Pe 3:8} But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
So, if *two days* is actually two thousand years ... time is almost up and the *gap* is nearing it's close. On the *third day* (beginning of the third thousandth year) He will raise us up at the "resurrection of the just", which is also known as "the first resurrection" {See Luk 14, Acts 24, and Rev 20}
I do hope you are WATCHING, as we're commanded to do:
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. {Mat 24:42-43}
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. {Mat 25:13}
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. [For the Son of man is] as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. {Mar 13:33-37}
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find [them] so, blessed are those servants. {Luk 12:38}
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. {Luk 21:36}
{1Th 5:6} Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.
{2Ti 4:5} But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. {Rev 3:3 KJV}
I think that about covers it. Be a Berean, search the scriptures, trust God's word. Just like His first coming, most were not aware the time was at hand ... so it is with His second coming. He's coming SOONER than most believe!
{Act 17:10-11 KJV} And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
{2Ti 2:15} Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Thanks for reading ;o}
{Jesus is the English transliteration for His Hebrew name: Yeshua (meaning: Salvation). All scripture quotes are King James Version (KJV); I use {curly brackets} to contain my comments within scriptures when I feel clarification might help; Blue text is God speaking in the OT, Red text is Jesus speaking in the NT}
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias {Isaiah}. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave [it] again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. {Luk 4:16-21}
Notice what exactly He said:
1) to preach the gospel to the poor
2) to heal the brokenhearted
3) to preach deliverance to the captives
4) recovering of sight to the blind {part of 4 below}
5) to set at liberty them that are bruised {part of 4 below}
6) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord
Did Jesus fulfill all those things at His first coming? Of course He did! However, Jesus did not quote the entire text! What's missing?
{Isa 61:1-3} The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Notice exactly what was prophesied by Isaiah, through the Spirit of the Lord GOD:
1) to preach good tidings unto the meek {1 above}
2) to bind up the brokenhearted {2 above}
3) to proclaim liberty to the captives {3 above}
4) the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound {4 & 5 above}
5) To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD {6 above}
NOT PART OF WHAT JESUS SAID ABOVE,
THUS FUTURE TO THOSE OF HIS DAY
6) and the day of vengeance of our God
7) to comfort all that mourn
8) To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion
9) to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, ...
When Jesus came the first time, He was the One foretold of by Moses:
{Deu 18:18-19} I will raise them up a Prophet {Jesus} from among their brethren, like unto thee {Moses}, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him.
{Jhn 6:14} Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. {Jhn 12:49-50}
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. {Jhn 14:10 KJV}
And, of Jesus' first coming, had Israel accepted Him, He would have given them much joy & happiness. However, they did NOT accept Him at that time, as He knew they wouldn't when He lamented over Jerusalem before His crucifixion:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! {Mat 23:37 KJV}
This lamentation was also presented to them in the parable of the Householder {God the Father}:
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast [him] out of the vineyard, and slew [him]. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out [his] vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. {Mat 21:33-46}
And this testimony from Matthew is also noted in Mark's gospel:
And he began to speak unto them by parables. A [certain] man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about [it], and digged [a place for] the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught [him], and beat him, and sent [him] away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded [him] in the head, and sent [him] away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed [him], and cast [him] out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. {Mar 12:1-12}
Jesus not only reiterated what was past (rejecting and killing the prophets of God) but also what was in His own day (they'd likewise reject and kill Him, the "son"), but He also tells them of the future that would result from their stiff-necked behavior ... that future has been unfolding for the nearly 2,000 years. This is the *gap*. It's otherwise called "the times of the Gentiles":
And they {Israel} shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations {70 AD}: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. {Luk 21:24, read the whole chapter; see also Mat 24 & Mar 13}
Noting, "the times of the Gentiles" is still going on because there are still Gentiles (non-Israelis) trampling the holy temple mount area; and this is NOT the modern-day Jews since they are not even allowed to worship on the temple mount at this point in time. The temple mount is currently under the control of the Arabs, through Jordan. This particular *gap* is also eluded to in a couple of other scriptures:
{Hos 6:2} After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
{2Pe 3:8} But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
So, if *two days* is actually two thousand years ... time is almost up and the *gap* is nearing it's close. On the *third day* (beginning of the third thousandth year) He will raise us up at the "resurrection of the just", which is also known as "the first resurrection" {See Luk 14, Acts 24, and Rev 20}
I do hope you are WATCHING, as we're commanded to do:
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. {Mat 24:42-43}
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. {Mat 25:13}
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. [For the Son of man is] as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. {Mar 13:33-37}
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find [them] so, blessed are those servants. {Luk 12:38}
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. {Luk 21:36}
{1Th 5:6} Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.
{2Ti 4:5} But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. {Rev 3:3 KJV}
I think that about covers it. Be a Berean, search the scriptures, trust God's word. Just like His first coming, most were not aware the time was at hand ... so it is with His second coming. He's coming SOONER than most believe!
{Act 17:10-11 KJV} And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
{2Ti 2:15} Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Thanks for reading ;o}
{Jesus is the English transliteration for His Hebrew name: Yeshua (meaning: Salvation). All scripture quotes are King James Version (KJV); I use {curly brackets} to contain my comments within scriptures when I feel clarification might help; Blue text is God speaking in the OT, Red text is Jesus speaking in the NT}
01/14/16 ~ Can you *name it and claim it*?
I replied to a post last year on Facebook regarding an article on this subject and I think it's important that I put down what I think, and what scripture says, on this blog as well ...
Yes, you can *name it and claim it*, however, there are limitations:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Luk 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Jhn 14:13-14 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Jhn 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Jhn 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Jhn 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
1Jo 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
I believe many of today's *name it and claim it* preachers, now very rich at the expense of the innocent, will not make it to heaven because they're misapplying these truths. I don't believe they're gaining their wealth from the Lord but rather from satan. They mislead their congregations by quoting scriptures in order to benefit themselves, not those they bilk into giving to them or their causes. God is surely watching, and retribution is coming!
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
And yes, by all means we should give to the needy, the widows, orphans, homeless, as we are able. Do random acts of kindness whenever safely possible, but don't be fooled by those living high on the hog by their own selfishness. If pastors are driving around in high priced vehicles with suits made by high dollar designers, I'd say you should steer clear of them! I'm reminded of the -Lazarus and the rich man- parable in Luke 16 when I see this sort of thing going on. I think it's better to be among the poor, Jesus was drawn to such people. I am far from rich though I can testify from my own life that the Lord has been true to provide for my every need, not necessarily my wants, but ALWAYS for my needs.
God is a good and gracious Father. If you don't know Him, now would be a good time to give Him your heart by asking Jesus to come in to your heart & life to be your Lord & Savior. Know this, you cannot just have head knowledge of God, you must seek Him earnestly and then allow Him to clean out your life where ever He needs to. Trust Him, it may hurt (cleaning out those old dirty chambers within your heart) but it's the only way to heal properly from any *soul wounds* you may have encountered. You cannot do it alone, you need the Lord Jesus in your heart & life. Trust Him, He will make you a new creation if you allow Him to work in you to expel the old things that are not of Him. Here's His promise to you ...
Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
A halfhearted effort won't do it, you need to be committed to searching for Him with ALL your heart & soul, then you will find Him. God's not into half-baked fake relationships, for Him it's all or nothing, as it should be. No relationship works when you both don't give it your all ... God will do His part but, being a perfect gentleman, He won't intrude in your life without an invitation. Do that today, won't you!?
Here's the link to the article (not the Facebook post but to the actual article) ...
http://www.gotquestions.org/name-it-claim-it.html
Thanks for reading ;o}
{Blue text is God in the OT; Red text is Jesus speaking in the NT.}
Yes, you can *name it and claim it*, however, there are limitations:
- you must ask *believing* you will receive
- you must ask it of the Father, in Jesus' name
- your motive for asking must be from a pure heart and not of greed or other worldly reasons
- you must keep His commandments and do what's pleasing in His sight ... in other words you can't live like the devil and profess to be a Christian
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Luk 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Jhn 14:13-14 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Jhn 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Jhn 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Jhn 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
1Jo 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
I believe many of today's *name it and claim it* preachers, now very rich at the expense of the innocent, will not make it to heaven because they're misapplying these truths. I don't believe they're gaining their wealth from the Lord but rather from satan. They mislead their congregations by quoting scriptures in order to benefit themselves, not those they bilk into giving to them or their causes. God is surely watching, and retribution is coming!
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
And yes, by all means we should give to the needy, the widows, orphans, homeless, as we are able. Do random acts of kindness whenever safely possible, but don't be fooled by those living high on the hog by their own selfishness. If pastors are driving around in high priced vehicles with suits made by high dollar designers, I'd say you should steer clear of them! I'm reminded of the -Lazarus and the rich man- parable in Luke 16 when I see this sort of thing going on. I think it's better to be among the poor, Jesus was drawn to such people. I am far from rich though I can testify from my own life that the Lord has been true to provide for my every need, not necessarily my wants, but ALWAYS for my needs.
God is a good and gracious Father. If you don't know Him, now would be a good time to give Him your heart by asking Jesus to come in to your heart & life to be your Lord & Savior. Know this, you cannot just have head knowledge of God, you must seek Him earnestly and then allow Him to clean out your life where ever He needs to. Trust Him, it may hurt (cleaning out those old dirty chambers within your heart) but it's the only way to heal properly from any *soul wounds* you may have encountered. You cannot do it alone, you need the Lord Jesus in your heart & life. Trust Him, He will make you a new creation if you allow Him to work in you to expel the old things that are not of Him. Here's His promise to you ...
Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
A halfhearted effort won't do it, you need to be committed to searching for Him with ALL your heart & soul, then you will find Him. God's not into half-baked fake relationships, for Him it's all or nothing, as it should be. No relationship works when you both don't give it your all ... God will do His part but, being a perfect gentleman, He won't intrude in your life without an invitation. Do that today, won't you!?
Here's the link to the article (not the Facebook post but to the actual article) ...
http://www.gotquestions.org/name-it-claim-it.html
Thanks for reading ;o}
{Blue text is God in the OT; Red text is Jesus speaking in the NT.}
01/11/16 ~ Will Jesus come for His bride @ Shavu'ot?
Friends, you should drill down a little deeper and research on how Shavuot originally represented Israel being married to God at Mt Sinai. We know that Israel was married to God because He says so here ...
{Jer 31:31-33 KJV} Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And, many, many times He calls her {Israel/Judah} an harlot as she's strayed from Him into idolatry. Bearing these things in mind, then Shavu'ot (the 50th day after Pentecost) at some point in the future likely also represents the Bridegroom, Jesus/Yeshua, coming for His *ready* bride, the church ... just as when He married Israel at Mt Sinai but didn't come for her again until His first coming.
Shavu'ot ... -shavu- means "weeks" (as in counting the Omer of 7 days x 7 weeks = 49 days and then the following 50th day is a holy day to the Lord); the -'ot- at the end indicates "feminine plural". Counting from the day after Passover up to the 50th day of Shavu'ot is done annually in Israel. However, what if the bigger picture is years rather than days? By that I mean, instead of 7x7=49 days of a year, the Long Count (as I call it) would be 7x7=49 years and then the Jubilee year is the 50th? Could thinking about this in a Long Count actually represent the bride of Christ who should be ready to go after what I call -the Long Count of 40 Jubilees- being that 50 is the number of days (years) in a Jubilee multiplied by 40 Jubilees equals 2000 years?
In Lev 25 https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/lev/25/1/s_115001, we see the account of a land Sabbath and then a Jubile(e) afterward. The days counted from Passover until the 50th day, which is Shavu'ot, is called "the counting of the Omer" in Israel. It is a count from the firstfruits of the barley harvest up to the wheat harvest. What if this *counting* also represents a Long Count (as I call it) of thousands of years? As I said, looking at the *big picture* ... after all, we are living in the days of the greatest harvest, that of souls, in the HIS-story of mankind. The counting of the Omer, as well as the land sabbath years concluding in a jubilee are both significant in my Long Count theory. Let's look at Lev 25:8-13 ...
{Lev 25:8-13 KJV} And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth [day] of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather [the grapes] in it of thy vine undressed. For it [is] the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.
And then we are promised that the Lord would return sooner as we see here ...
{Mat 24:22 KJV} And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
{Mar 13:20 KJV} And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
This shortening could represent either His coming sooner for His bride, sooner than the 50th day, perhaps more like the 40th day as in the day He ascended He will return in like manor ... or ... it could represent His returning sooner for the nation of Israel lest she be completely destroyed during Jacob's Trouble (the great tribulation). I lean more toward this meaning of coming sooner for His bride whom I think are the chosen/elect, see a previous article here http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2016/01/010616-is-2017-ad-significant-to.html
Looking at part of Mat 24 where the Lord says (giving us a *clue* as to when He will return) the following ...
{Mat 24:36-39 KJV} But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Now, before we try to figure this timing out, let's consider our calendar is NOT the same as the biblical calendar. The 2nd month (when Noah entered the Ark) for Israel is not February as it is for us. Here's a short article that will explain it ... http://www.apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=2&issue=773&article=2019. As the article explains, the true 2nd month is March-April by our calendar. So somewhere between March-April is the true first month, April-May is the true 2nd month, May-June is the true 3rd month, and so on. This could bring together not only similar days to that of the days of Noah, but also IF the first recorded Shavu'ot (Israel at Mt Sinai hears God) occurred in the month of April-May then we can expect it to happen similarly for us. I haven't figured out the *math* on this yet, perhaps I'll tackle it another day. And again, some believe the Jews have miscalculated up to a month further so we could be looking at May-June sometime in the future for the Lord to return for His bride.
As we see in Mat 22 https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/mat/22/1/s_951001, Jesus speaks in a parable of how He was betrothed to the nation of Israel and He came (1st coming) to bid them to the wedding supper but they would not come ...
{Mat 22:8 KJV} Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
NOTICE: "The wedding IS ready", it has been ready for 2000 years! "They that were bidden" was Israel, which was mostly Judah by this time. But He did say He came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel in Mat 15:24, I do believe He was referring to the spiritually lost of both Israel & Judah since He preached in both kingdom lands, and beyond. Since the called would not come, He then sent His servants to go bid others (Gentiles) to come. At some point in the future He will come back and again extend His hand to those of us waiting for Him to come to the wedding supper ... yet, Israel again will not be ready!
Let's turn our attention to Luke where Jesus says something peculiar in speaking to His apostles ...
{Luk 12:35-36 KJV} Let your loins be girded about, and [your] lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
The "lights burning" is very reminiscent of the wise virgins (Mat 25) ready to go! Also notice, He says "they may open unto him immediately", not "you" (the apostles, but rather others). According to Jesus, He is returning from a wedding and He expects that when He comes thereafter "they" may open unto Him immediately. This implies that He came beforehand and took a bride (the church, wise virgins), but that others (Israel, foolish virgins) were not ready ... again!
Then we see this question from Peter, and Jesus' response regarding those that were ready ...
{Luk 12:41-44 KJV} Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom [his] lord shall make ruler over his household, to give [them their] portion of meat in due season? Blessed [is] that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
The "faithful and wise steward" is akin to the ready, wise virgins of Mat 25 https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/mat/25/1/s_954001. And then Jesus says what will happen to those that are not ready ...
{Luk 12:45-47 KJV} But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for [him], and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not [himself], neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes].
(Mat 25:10-12 KJV} And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
The above passages indicate that some will be ready when He comes, and others will not be ready and since the door is shut those not ready will be "beaten with many [stripes]" ... they will have to go through the great tribulation. Those that are ready will not have to go through the great tribulation. It seems to me that we need to keep the church (when I say church I mean believing Jews & Gentiles) and the state of Israel (those that, for the most part, don't believe Jesus is God's Son) separate as God will be dealing with them after He's removed the church, in particular any believer that is sealed by the Holy Spirit will be taken to be with Him while national Israel, and those remaining on the earth, will suffer great tribulation. Why do I believe the church may be removed for a period of time while national Israel goes through the great tribulation, otherwise known as Jacob's trouble?
{Jer 30:7 KJV} Alas! for that day [is] great, so that none [is] like it: it [is] even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
{Isa 26:20 KJV} Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
{Zep 3:8 KJV} Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination [is] to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, [even] all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
{Mat 24:21 KJV} For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
When I speak of Rachel & Leah, they were the two brides of Jacob (who was later renamed by God to Israel). Jacob served seven years to marry Rachel but the girls' father gave him Leah (you can read more about this from Gen 29 onward). The point is, Jacob (Israel) being a type of the Lord, got Leah (Church) before his intended bride of Rachel (Israel). The sisters are a type of the Church & Israel ... both Brides. One ready (Church), one not ready (Israel). Every *story* we read in the bible is a type, or shadow, of things to come. This is why we cannot separate the Old Testament/Covenant from the New Testament/Covenant. Jesus is still fulfilling the Old, the New is a witness and testimony of such. The Lord has not changed, what He decreed will come to pass.
I feel the LORD has given me an *epiphany* on this subject, a parallel to compare to as it were, in that: when Jesus/Yeshua came into Jerusalem - just a couple of days before He would be crucified, to present Himself as their (Israel's) Bridegroom/King the first time - He was coming to take Israel (Rachel) for His bride, but they were not ready/willing (Mat 22:3-8). When He comes the 2nd time He'll take the Church (Leah), the believers of the "times of the Gentiles" (Mat 22:8-10, Mat 25). Israel (Rachel) will again not be ready and the door will be shut, she will have to go through Jacob's trouble! It may well be another "seven days" (years) of serving before the Lord gets to come for Israel (Rachel) again, at which time He will come to save her from utter destruction and will take His rightful place in Jerusalem as King to rule & reign on this earth for 1,000 years!
I have come to think of Shavu'ot as the best timing for Jesus/Yeshua to come for us, His *ready* bride. I'm not dogmatic about it but by my studies this is the most logical reasoning since we're still in the "time of the Gentiles" where it was opened to us with the Holy Spirit being given as our betrothal gift. I believe these end times will close with the consummation (redemption) at this same time, on the 50th day after an upcoming Passover, which is Shavu'ot, possibly as early as the 40th day (sooner than later) in honor of His own ascension into heaven. This is why the counting of the Omer is so significant, but also we have to look at it from the bigger picture, that being, our current time frame as the "age of grace", or the "times of the Gentiles" (some 2,000 years +/-).
.:: And now, for a brief interlude ::.
Remember, to God a day is as a thousand years ... 2,000 years to us is only two days to God ...
{2Pe 3:8 KJV} But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
And for those of you that have always wondered ... why did the bible say that Adam & Eve would die the *day* they fell from grace. Well, they DID die within that 1,000 year day! Adam died at 930 years old, 70 years shy of ONE GOD DAY. Think of what eternity means, AND more importantly ... where you want to spend it ... in light of this! Heaven ... or hell? Your choice, as it's been from day one. The tree of Life (God's ways) or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (satan's worldly ways), you are in ultimate control whom you choose to believe and where you will spend eternity.
Back to the subject at hand ...
The coming of the Holy Spirit, in my honest opinion, has not fulfilled the middle branch of the menorah (the times of the Gentiles), rather, He (the Holy Spirit) is our betrothal gift/promise, like an engagement ring, the gift given us at the time of our confession to make Jesus/Yeshua our Lord & Savior, thus our Bridegroom. The Holy Spirit IS the *seal* of every believer, and anyone that has Him IN them will be resurrected/taken as we see in Mat 25's the parable of the 10 virgins. It may well be that those that are NOT ready are the nation of Israel (whom I think is represented by Rachel), as well as any other UNbeliever in Jesus, while at least half of the church IS ready (represented by Leah), again, see Mat 25.
{2Co 1:22 KJV} Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
{Eph 1:13 KJV} In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, ...
{Eph 4:30 KJV} And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
As for the Hebrew *Fall Feasts*, I believe they are still very relevant but perhaps more for national Israel than Gentiles believers. I believe the church age begins, and ends, on the same day, Shavu'ot ... but in a Long Count of thousands of years that we've called the "age of grace" and the bible calls the "times of the Gentiles". I will be intently watching from Pentecost to Shavu'ot for the arrival of my beloved Bridegroom. If not this year then we'll move forward and watch to see how the fall feasts go in Sep/Oct.
The Jewish calendar has Shavu'ot for 2016 as: June 11-13. However, if they're dating isn't accurate it could be plus or minus a month or thereabouts, time will tell. The key is to be WATCHING and always *ready* ;o}
I had written briefly on this subject before, here's that link ...
http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2015/05/051615-shavuot-epiphany.html
And I'd given a brief mention of this subject here also ...
http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2015/11/110615-porters-watchmen.html
Here's some links from a friend of mine, Helena Lehman of The Pillar of Enoch Ministry ...
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2016/01/my-hope-in-coming-rapture-despite-dire.html
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2015/03/why-rapture-may-not-be-on-feast-of.html
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-parable-of-wise-and-foolish-virgins.html
Here are some other website links relating to Shavu'ot ...
Interesting, note how they say that Shavuot at Mt Sinai was the birth of Judaism ... and yet Pentecost (& Shavuot) is also the birth of the church. Two leavened loaves perhaps?
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Shavuot/shavuot.html
https://prophecywatchers.com/the-mystery-of-pentecost/
https://web.archive.org/web/20150503125222/http://www.prophecyinthenews.com/the-pentecost-prophecy/
https://twelvebooks.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/mar-31-2011-j-r-church-wrote-his-last-article-for-the-magazine-of-april-about-the-rapture/
http://www.theseasonofreturn.com/DOES_SCRIPTURE_SUPPORT_A_PENTECOST_RAPTURE_VER_1.docx.pdf
http://separationtruth.com/resources/Pentecostal+Rapture+new.pdf
http://royalheir.blogspot.com/2013/05/shavuot-pentecost-rapture.html (part 1)
http://royalheir.blogspot.com/2013/05/shavuot-pentecost-rapture-part-ii.html (part 2)
http://royalheir.blogspot.com/2013/05/shavuot-pentecost-rapture-part-iii.html (part 3)
http://royalheir.blogspot.com/2013/05/shavuot-pentecost-rapture-few-final.html (part 4)
http://www.jerusalemcornerstone.org/resources/articles_main-page/shavuot-marriage-of-ruth-and-boaz
http://www.feastsofthelord.com/live/biblical-feasts/pentecost/
http://jewishroots.net/holidays/shavuot-pentecost/shavuot-pentecost-holiday-page.html
https://www.facebook.com/22738684968/photos/a.86889944968.20323.22738684968/10150552757849969/?type=3
Here are some video links ...
https://youtu.be/7ugvJSYnXXI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X-JJdzxPJw
I watched this playlist, interesting that in Hebrew the first two letters of Genesis are BR (pronounced BAR, or BER) and it means SON ;o}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbHhtl13lBM&index=1&list=PLVXH1_3_2UO_TwNdsUh2rzGwo5cvyknhx
I know, I have elsewhere discussed how the church will go through the tribulation but will not suffer God's wrath ... and I do still believe that in the Long Count scheme (the past 2000+/- years) of things ... I'm just not sure how it all fits together and I don't think anyone else knows for sure either. Unlike others, I'm not insisting that you believe ME because *I'm right* and everyone else is wrong. I'm simply sharing my findings as an FYI and hoping you are Berean enough to do your own research as well. In the timing of things, on God's divine calendar, which is NOT our current Gregorian calendar, in these end of days, there may be a short period of time from the time the church is resurrected (the Lord appearing in the clouds) until the Jews are forced to call on Jesus at which point He will return to rule & reign on this earth for 1000 years (the Lord's second coming). It seems to me that these are two separate events for two separate peoples (believing Gentiles & Jews vs national Israel & the world). Everyone else's writings would also be speculation since -no man knows the day nor the hour-. I write these things for you (and me) to keep in mind while we wait on the Lord's return. I am certainly no expert ... I am just a mere *Porter* watching the door http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2015/11/110615-porters-watchmen.html ... the point is to be watchful with me!
Think of these "end times" as yourselves walking down a path, you see something up ahead but can't make it out until you are *close enough*. As time goes by, and you get closer to your destination, things begin to come more sharply into view. I didn't really see the light of Shavu'ot before my previous writings and so now I need to work on how this fits in with all the rest. How things will come together in the future is like a giant puzzle that takes much time & research to put together ... I know I have many of the pieces but I'm unsure of where they all fit at the moment, I am still working on it though!
Rather than dismiss any of what I've said, I would recommend you keep it all in your heart, perhaps you can put the pieces together before I do, and let's continue to watch for Jesus. One thing we believers ALL know, He is coming ... and ... in my honest opinion (IMHO), the time is much sooner than most believe!
Thanks for reading! Be blessed in Jesus' name ;o}
{03/15/16-This page was revised to correct a few typos and to clarify some areas I felt needed such. Curly bracket comments within scriptures are mine. Blue text is God speaking in the OT; Red text is Jesus speaking in the NT.}
{Jer 31:31-33 KJV} Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And, many, many times He calls her {Israel/Judah} an harlot as she's strayed from Him into idolatry. Bearing these things in mind, then Shavu'ot (the 50th day after Pentecost) at some point in the future likely also represents the Bridegroom, Jesus/Yeshua, coming for His *ready* bride, the church ... just as when He married Israel at Mt Sinai but didn't come for her again until His first coming.
Shavu'ot ... -shavu- means "weeks" (as in counting the Omer of 7 days x 7 weeks = 49 days and then the following 50th day is a holy day to the Lord); the -'ot- at the end indicates "feminine plural". Counting from the day after Passover up to the 50th day of Shavu'ot is done annually in Israel. However, what if the bigger picture is years rather than days? By that I mean, instead of 7x7=49 days of a year, the Long Count (as I call it) would be 7x7=49 years and then the Jubilee year is the 50th? Could thinking about this in a Long Count actually represent the bride of Christ who should be ready to go after what I call -the Long Count of 40 Jubilees- being that 50 is the number of days (years) in a Jubilee multiplied by 40 Jubilees equals 2000 years?
In Lev 25 https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/lev/25/1/s_115001, we see the account of a land Sabbath and then a Jubile(e) afterward. The days counted from Passover until the 50th day, which is Shavu'ot, is called "the counting of the Omer" in Israel. It is a count from the firstfruits of the barley harvest up to the wheat harvest. What if this *counting* also represents a Long Count (as I call it) of thousands of years? As I said, looking at the *big picture* ... after all, we are living in the days of the greatest harvest, that of souls, in the HIS-story of mankind. The counting of the Omer, as well as the land sabbath years concluding in a jubilee are both significant in my Long Count theory. Let's look at Lev 25:8-13 ...
{Lev 25:8-13 KJV} And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth [day] of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather [the grapes] in it of thy vine undressed. For it [is] the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.
And then we are promised that the Lord would return sooner as we see here ...
{Mat 24:22 KJV} And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
{Mar 13:20 KJV} And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
This shortening could represent either His coming sooner for His bride, sooner than the 50th day, perhaps more like the 40th day as in the day He ascended He will return in like manor ... or ... it could represent His returning sooner for the nation of Israel lest she be completely destroyed during Jacob's Trouble (the great tribulation). I lean more toward this meaning of coming sooner for His bride whom I think are the chosen/elect, see a previous article here http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2016/01/010616-is-2017-ad-significant-to.html
Looking at part of Mat 24 where the Lord says (giving us a *clue* as to when He will return) the following ...
{Mat 24:36-39 KJV} But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Now, before we try to figure this timing out, let's consider our calendar is NOT the same as the biblical calendar. The 2nd month (when Noah entered the Ark) for Israel is not February as it is for us. Here's a short article that will explain it ... http://www.apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=2&issue=773&article=2019. As the article explains, the true 2nd month is March-April by our calendar. So somewhere between March-April is the true first month, April-May is the true 2nd month, May-June is the true 3rd month, and so on. This could bring together not only similar days to that of the days of Noah, but also IF the first recorded Shavu'ot (Israel at Mt Sinai hears God) occurred in the month of April-May then we can expect it to happen similarly for us. I haven't figured out the *math* on this yet, perhaps I'll tackle it another day. And again, some believe the Jews have miscalculated up to a month further so we could be looking at May-June sometime in the future for the Lord to return for His bride.
As we see in Mat 22 https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/mat/22/1/s_951001, Jesus speaks in a parable of how He was betrothed to the nation of Israel and He came (1st coming) to bid them to the wedding supper but they would not come ...
{Mat 22:8 KJV} Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
NOTICE: "The wedding IS ready", it has been ready for 2000 years! "They that were bidden" was Israel, which was mostly Judah by this time. But He did say He came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel in Mat 15:24, I do believe He was referring to the spiritually lost of both Israel & Judah since He preached in both kingdom lands, and beyond. Since the called would not come, He then sent His servants to go bid others (Gentiles) to come. At some point in the future He will come back and again extend His hand to those of us waiting for Him to come to the wedding supper ... yet, Israel again will not be ready!
Let's turn our attention to Luke where Jesus says something peculiar in speaking to His apostles ...
{Luk 12:35-36 KJV} Let your loins be girded about, and [your] lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
The "lights burning" is very reminiscent of the wise virgins (Mat 25) ready to go! Also notice, He says "they may open unto him immediately", not "you" (the apostles, but rather others). According to Jesus, He is returning from a wedding and He expects that when He comes thereafter "they" may open unto Him immediately. This implies that He came beforehand and took a bride (the church, wise virgins), but that others (Israel, foolish virgins) were not ready ... again!
Then we see this question from Peter, and Jesus' response regarding those that were ready ...
{Luk 12:41-44 KJV} Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom [his] lord shall make ruler over his household, to give [them their] portion of meat in due season? Blessed [is] that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
The "faithful and wise steward" is akin to the ready, wise virgins of Mat 25 https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/mat/25/1/s_954001. And then Jesus says what will happen to those that are not ready ...
{Luk 12:45-47 KJV} But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for [him], and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not [himself], neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes].
(Mat 25:10-12 KJV} And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
The above passages indicate that some will be ready when He comes, and others will not be ready and since the door is shut those not ready will be "beaten with many [stripes]" ... they will have to go through the great tribulation. Those that are ready will not have to go through the great tribulation. It seems to me that we need to keep the church (when I say church I mean believing Jews & Gentiles) and the state of Israel (those that, for the most part, don't believe Jesus is God's Son) separate as God will be dealing with them after He's removed the church, in particular any believer that is sealed by the Holy Spirit will be taken to be with Him while national Israel, and those remaining on the earth, will suffer great tribulation. Why do I believe the church may be removed for a period of time while national Israel goes through the great tribulation, otherwise known as Jacob's trouble?
{Jer 30:7 KJV} Alas! for that day [is] great, so that none [is] like it: it [is] even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
{Isa 26:20 KJV} Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
{Zep 3:8 KJV} Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination [is] to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, [even] all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
{Mat 24:21 KJV} For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
When I speak of Rachel & Leah, they were the two brides of Jacob (who was later renamed by God to Israel). Jacob served seven years to marry Rachel but the girls' father gave him Leah (you can read more about this from Gen 29 onward). The point is, Jacob (Israel) being a type of the Lord, got Leah (Church) before his intended bride of Rachel (Israel). The sisters are a type of the Church & Israel ... both Brides. One ready (Church), one not ready (Israel). Every *story* we read in the bible is a type, or shadow, of things to come. This is why we cannot separate the Old Testament/Covenant from the New Testament/Covenant. Jesus is still fulfilling the Old, the New is a witness and testimony of such. The Lord has not changed, what He decreed will come to pass.
I feel the LORD has given me an *epiphany* on this subject, a parallel to compare to as it were, in that: when Jesus/Yeshua came into Jerusalem - just a couple of days before He would be crucified, to present Himself as their (Israel's) Bridegroom/King the first time - He was coming to take Israel (Rachel) for His bride, but they were not ready/willing (Mat 22:3-8). When He comes the 2nd time He'll take the Church (Leah), the believers of the "times of the Gentiles" (Mat 22:8-10, Mat 25). Israel (Rachel) will again not be ready and the door will be shut, she will have to go through Jacob's trouble! It may well be another "seven days" (years) of serving before the Lord gets to come for Israel (Rachel) again, at which time He will come to save her from utter destruction and will take His rightful place in Jerusalem as King to rule & reign on this earth for 1,000 years!
I have come to think of Shavu'ot as the best timing for Jesus/Yeshua to come for us, His *ready* bride. I'm not dogmatic about it but by my studies this is the most logical reasoning since we're still in the "time of the Gentiles" where it was opened to us with the Holy Spirit being given as our betrothal gift. I believe these end times will close with the consummation (redemption) at this same time, on the 50th day after an upcoming Passover, which is Shavu'ot, possibly as early as the 40th day (sooner than later) in honor of His own ascension into heaven. This is why the counting of the Omer is so significant, but also we have to look at it from the bigger picture, that being, our current time frame as the "age of grace", or the "times of the Gentiles" (some 2,000 years +/-).
.:: And now, for a brief interlude ::.
Remember, to God a day is as a thousand years ... 2,000 years to us is only two days to God ...
{2Pe 3:8 KJV} But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
And for those of you that have always wondered ... why did the bible say that Adam & Eve would die the *day* they fell from grace. Well, they DID die within that 1,000 year day! Adam died at 930 years old, 70 years shy of ONE GOD DAY. Think of what eternity means, AND more importantly ... where you want to spend it ... in light of this! Heaven ... or hell? Your choice, as it's been from day one. The tree of Life (God's ways) or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (satan's worldly ways), you are in ultimate control whom you choose to believe and where you will spend eternity.
Back to the subject at hand ...
The coming of the Holy Spirit, in my honest opinion, has not fulfilled the middle branch of the menorah (the times of the Gentiles), rather, He (the Holy Spirit) is our betrothal gift/promise, like an engagement ring, the gift given us at the time of our confession to make Jesus/Yeshua our Lord & Savior, thus our Bridegroom. The Holy Spirit IS the *seal* of every believer, and anyone that has Him IN them will be resurrected/taken as we see in Mat 25's the parable of the 10 virgins. It may well be that those that are NOT ready are the nation of Israel (whom I think is represented by Rachel), as well as any other UNbeliever in Jesus, while at least half of the church IS ready (represented by Leah), again, see Mat 25.
{2Co 1:22 KJV} Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
{Eph 1:13 KJV} In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, ...
{Eph 4:30 KJV} And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
As for the Hebrew *Fall Feasts*, I believe they are still very relevant but perhaps more for national Israel than Gentiles believers. I believe the church age begins, and ends, on the same day, Shavu'ot ... but in a Long Count of thousands of years that we've called the "age of grace" and the bible calls the "times of the Gentiles". I will be intently watching from Pentecost to Shavu'ot for the arrival of my beloved Bridegroom. If not this year then we'll move forward and watch to see how the fall feasts go in Sep/Oct.
The Jewish calendar has Shavu'ot for 2016 as: June 11-13. However, if they're dating isn't accurate it could be plus or minus a month or thereabouts, time will tell. The key is to be WATCHING and always *ready* ;o}
I had written briefly on this subject before, here's that link ...
http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2015/05/051615-shavuot-epiphany.html
And I'd given a brief mention of this subject here also ...
http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2015/11/110615-porters-watchmen.html
Here's some links from a friend of mine, Helena Lehman of The Pillar of Enoch Ministry ...
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2016/01/my-hope-in-coming-rapture-despite-dire.html
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2015/03/why-rapture-may-not-be-on-feast-of.html
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-parable-of-wise-and-foolish-virgins.html
Here are some other website links relating to Shavu'ot ...
Interesting, note how they say that Shavuot at Mt Sinai was the birth of Judaism ... and yet Pentecost (& Shavuot) is also the birth of the church. Two leavened loaves perhaps?
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Shavuot/shavuot.html
https://prophecywatchers.com/the-mystery-of-pentecost/
https://web.archive.org/web/20150503125222/http://www.prophecyinthenews.com/the-pentecost-prophecy/
https://twelvebooks.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/mar-31-2011-j-r-church-wrote-his-last-article-for-the-magazine-of-april-about-the-rapture/
http://www.theseasonofreturn.com/DOES_SCRIPTURE_SUPPORT_A_PENTECOST_RAPTURE_VER_1.docx.pdf
http://separationtruth.com/resources/Pentecostal+Rapture+new.pdf
http://royalheir.blogspot.com/2013/05/shavuot-pentecost-rapture.html (part 1)
http://royalheir.blogspot.com/2013/05/shavuot-pentecost-rapture-part-ii.html (part 2)
http://royalheir.blogspot.com/2013/05/shavuot-pentecost-rapture-part-iii.html (part 3)
http://royalheir.blogspot.com/2013/05/shavuot-pentecost-rapture-few-final.html (part 4)
http://www.jerusalemcornerstone.org/resources/articles_main-page/shavuot-marriage-of-ruth-and-boaz
http://www.feastsofthelord.com/live/biblical-feasts/pentecost/
http://jewishroots.net/holidays/shavuot-pentecost/shavuot-pentecost-holiday-page.html
https://www.facebook.com/22738684968/photos/a.86889944968.20323.22738684968/10150552757849969/?type=3
Here are some video links ...
https://youtu.be/7ugvJSYnXXI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X-JJdzxPJw
I watched this playlist, interesting that in Hebrew the first two letters of Genesis are BR (pronounced BAR, or BER) and it means SON ;o}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbHhtl13lBM&index=1&list=PLVXH1_3_2UO_TwNdsUh2rzGwo5cvyknhx
I know, I have elsewhere discussed how the church will go through the tribulation but will not suffer God's wrath ... and I do still believe that in the Long Count scheme (the past 2000+/- years) of things ... I'm just not sure how it all fits together and I don't think anyone else knows for sure either. Unlike others, I'm not insisting that you believe ME because *I'm right* and everyone else is wrong. I'm simply sharing my findings as an FYI and hoping you are Berean enough to do your own research as well. In the timing of things, on God's divine calendar, which is NOT our current Gregorian calendar, in these end of days, there may be a short period of time from the time the church is resurrected (the Lord appearing in the clouds) until the Jews are forced to call on Jesus at which point He will return to rule & reign on this earth for 1000 years (the Lord's second coming). It seems to me that these are two separate events for two separate peoples (believing Gentiles & Jews vs national Israel & the world). Everyone else's writings would also be speculation since -no man knows the day nor the hour-. I write these things for you (and me) to keep in mind while we wait on the Lord's return. I am certainly no expert ... I am just a mere *Porter* watching the door http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2015/11/110615-porters-watchmen.html ... the point is to be watchful with me!
Think of these "end times" as yourselves walking down a path, you see something up ahead but can't make it out until you are *close enough*. As time goes by, and you get closer to your destination, things begin to come more sharply into view. I didn't really see the light of Shavu'ot before my previous writings and so now I need to work on how this fits in with all the rest. How things will come together in the future is like a giant puzzle that takes much time & research to put together ... I know I have many of the pieces but I'm unsure of where they all fit at the moment, I am still working on it though!
Rather than dismiss any of what I've said, I would recommend you keep it all in your heart, perhaps you can put the pieces together before I do, and let's continue to watch for Jesus. One thing we believers ALL know, He is coming ... and ... in my honest opinion (IMHO), the time is much sooner than most believe!
Thanks for reading! Be blessed in Jesus' name ;o}
{03/15/16-This page was revised to correct a few typos and to clarify some areas I felt needed such. Curly bracket comments within scriptures are mine. Blue text is God speaking in the OT; Red text is Jesus speaking in the NT.}
01/08/16 ~ Did Jesus abolish the commandments?
Which of the commandments is Jesus talking about here?
*** {Mat 5:17-19 KJV}
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
He continues on ...
*** {Mat 5:21 KJV}
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ...
*** {Mat 5:22 KJV}
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
*** {Exo 20:13 KJV}
Thou shalt not kill.
*** {Mat 5:27 KJV}
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not commit adultery: ...
*** {Mat 5:28 KJV}
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
*** {Exo 20:14 KJV}
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
*** {Mat 5:33 KJV}
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: ...
*** {Mat 5:34-37 KJV}
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
*** {Exo 20:7 KJV}
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
*** {Exo 20:16 KJV}
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
*** {Lev 19:12 KJV}
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I [am] the LORD.
*** {Mat 5:43 KJV}
Ye have heard that it hath been said,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
*** {Mat 5:44 KJV}
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ...
*** {Lev 19:18 KJV}
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but
thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I [am] the LORD.
If THESE commandments (listed above) were NOT done-away-with by Jesus, why do men teach this one is???
*** {Exo 20:8-11 KJV}
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
This short post is just something to think about on this beautifully created "day of rest". In every instance, and this is not all of the 10 commandments Jesus reiterated, Jesus adds to the 10 commandments, or further expounds on them, He never removed any!
And NO, I am not SDA or any other *Sabbath keeper* denomination ... I just believe the Lord's words over man's words. I believe Acts 15 instructions to the church is speaking in-addition-to the 10 commandments, not the exclusion thereof. Since these passages, (shown above) are not abolished by Jesus then neither is the Sabbath day commandment, for which God had a lot more to say about it than any of the others.
God doesn't do anything without a purpose, so it is with the Sabbath day. If you'd like to see all the verses in which the word "Sabbath" is used, here's a link on BLB https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=sabbath*&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1
Thanks for reading!
{Blue text is God speaking in the Old Testament/Covenant; Red text is Jesus speaking in the New Testament/Covenant. All scripture is KJV via Blue Letter Bible (BLB) online search.}
*** {Mat 5:17-19 KJV}
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
He continues on ...
*** {Mat 5:21 KJV}
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ...
*** {Mat 5:22 KJV}
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
*** {Exo 20:13 KJV}
Thou shalt not kill.
*** {Mat 5:27 KJV}
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not commit adultery: ...
*** {Mat 5:28 KJV}
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
*** {Exo 20:14 KJV}
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
*** {Mat 5:33 KJV}
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: ...
*** {Mat 5:34-37 KJV}
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
*** {Exo 20:7 KJV}
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
*** {Exo 20:16 KJV}
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
*** {Lev 19:12 KJV}
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I [am] the LORD.
*** {Mat 5:43 KJV}
Ye have heard that it hath been said,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
*** {Mat 5:44 KJV}
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ...
*** {Lev 19:18 KJV}
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but
thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I [am] the LORD.
If THESE commandments (listed above) were NOT done-away-with by Jesus, why do men teach this one is???
*** {Exo 20:8-11 KJV}
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
This short post is just something to think about on this beautifully created "day of rest". In every instance, and this is not all of the 10 commandments Jesus reiterated, Jesus adds to the 10 commandments, or further expounds on them, He never removed any!
And NO, I am not SDA or any other *Sabbath keeper* denomination ... I just believe the Lord's words over man's words. I believe Acts 15 instructions to the church is speaking in-addition-to the 10 commandments, not the exclusion thereof. Since these passages, (shown above) are not abolished by Jesus then neither is the Sabbath day commandment, for which God had a lot more to say about it than any of the others.
God doesn't do anything without a purpose, so it is with the Sabbath day. If you'd like to see all the verses in which the word "Sabbath" is used, here's a link on BLB https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=sabbath*&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1
Thanks for reading!
{Blue text is God speaking in the Old Testament/Covenant; Red text is Jesus speaking in the New Testament/Covenant. All scripture is KJV via Blue Letter Bible (BLB) online search.}
01/06/16 ~ Is >2017 AD< significant?
Is >2017 AD< significant to Christians & Messianics?
Here are my thoughts on the potential significance of 2017 AD, I am NOT date setting, I'm simply doing the math and posting my findings! I report, you decide because you alone are ultimately responsible for your own life choices ...
By my math the Dome of the Rock (DotR) began to be erected in 682 AD as a wooden structure, then around 688 AD they began to rebuild it as we see today, completing it in 692 AD according to tradition. This is the abomination that maketh desolate according to Daniel, from the beginning of it's erection as a wooden structure it has made the temple mount completely UN-usable to the Hebrews. If my 682 AD date is correct ...
.:: OLD TESTAMENT (COVENANT) ::.
And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. {Dan 11:31 KJV}
And from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, [there shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed [is] he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. {Dan 12:11-12 KJV}
.:: NEW TESTAMENT (COVENANT) ::.
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) - Jesus {Mat 24:15 KJV}
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: - Jesus {Mar 13:14 KJV}
I have, in previous posts, spelled this out but I feel it bears repeating due to the lateness of the hour so to speak ... here's my math once again:
682 AD + 1290 (years, not days) = 1972 AD
Now we add on the additional years Daniel spoke of from 1290 to 1335 ... a difference of an additional 45 years.
1972 AD + 45 (years) = 2017 AD
As I've said before, I could be off in my math by a couple of years either way but ... 2017 AD is significant math-wise in so many other relating ways regarding Hebrew/Israeli history ... such as (all of these explained in other posts):
1897 + 120 = 2017 (120 = Gen 6:3)
1917 + 100 = 2017 (100 = two Jubilees)
1947 + 70 = 2017 (70 years = Psa 90:10 & Isa 23:15)
1967 + 50 = 2017 (50 years = one Jubilee)
1972 + 45 = 2017 (45 years is the difference between 1290 & 1335 years)
Have a look here at "Key Dates in Israel's History" ... https://www.adl.org/education/resources/fact-sheets/key-dates-in-israels-history
It's uncanny how the years shown above are noteworthy years in Israel's history! I don't know what will happen in 2017 AD, I do believe it will be a significant year for believers in Jesus/Yeshua ... time will tell. BTW, all of the years above would be +/- a year, probably + ... such as: 1897-1898, 1917-1918, 1947-1948, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 2017-2018 ... this would account for the Hebrew years starting in what we call today Sep/Oct rather than our Gregorian years starting in Jan.
One other note of interest is that Jesus said that He would come sooner than expected because if He doesn't no flesh would be saved. So, this may indicate His coming will be this year sometime, at least for His bride, the church. This year (which began on Tishri 1-2, 5776 correlating with our Sep 14-15, 2015) is believed to be a Jubilee year, a year of release. It may be the Lord allows the devil his reign up until the last day of this Jubilee year before He returns to take back what is rightfully His.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. - Jesus {Mat 24:22}
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. - Jesus {Mar 13:20}
Isaiah tells us WHO the elect/chosen are:
Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. {Isa 43:10-12}
I don't know about you but I surely consider myself to be a *witness* to the saving grace of my Lord & Savior Jesus/Yeshua and therefore I am counted among the elect/chosen. I will do another post sometime about WHO are the chosen/elect/witnesses (as I understand the subject) because there is much more info on this in the bible.
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. - Jesus {Mat 20:16}
For many are called, but few are chosen. - Jesus {Mat 22:14}
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. {Jhn 20:29}
I'll be watching, as Jesus instructed, I hope you will be too!
And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. - Jesus {Mar 13:37}
Thanks for reading my post today, I consider myself a "Porter" {a Doorkeeper - Watcher - Guardian} at the door and nothing more.
Maranatha (COME) Lord!
{Curly bracket comments are mine. Red letter text is quoting Jesus in the NT; blue letter text is quoting the LORD in the OT. KJV used unless otherwise specified. Updated 08/06/16 to include this section and to enlarge the text for easier reading.}
Here are my thoughts on the potential significance of 2017 AD, I am NOT date setting, I'm simply doing the math and posting my findings! I report, you decide because you alone are ultimately responsible for your own life choices ...
By my math the Dome of the Rock (DotR) began to be erected in 682 AD as a wooden structure, then around 688 AD they began to rebuild it as we see today, completing it in 692 AD according to tradition. This is the abomination that maketh desolate according to Daniel, from the beginning of it's erection as a wooden structure it has made the temple mount completely UN-usable to the Hebrews. If my 682 AD date is correct ...
.:: OLD TESTAMENT (COVENANT) ::.
And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. {Dan 11:31 KJV}
And from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, [there shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed [is] he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. {Dan 12:11-12 KJV}
.:: NEW TESTAMENT (COVENANT) ::.
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) - Jesus {Mat 24:15 KJV}
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: - Jesus {Mar 13:14 KJV}
I have, in previous posts, spelled this out but I feel it bears repeating due to the lateness of the hour so to speak ... here's my math once again:
682 AD + 1290 (years, not days) = 1972 AD
Now we add on the additional years Daniel spoke of from 1290 to 1335 ... a difference of an additional 45 years.
1972 AD + 45 (years) = 2017 AD
As I've said before, I could be off in my math by a couple of years either way but ... 2017 AD is significant math-wise in so many other relating ways regarding Hebrew/Israeli history ... such as (all of these explained in other posts):
1897 + 120 = 2017 (120 = Gen 6:3)
1917 + 100 = 2017 (100 = two Jubilees)
1947 + 70 = 2017 (70 years = Psa 90:10 & Isa 23:15)
1967 + 50 = 2017 (50 years = one Jubilee)
1972 + 45 = 2017 (45 years is the difference between 1290 & 1335 years)
Have a look here at "Key Dates in Israel's History" ... https://www.adl.org/education/resources/fact-sheets/key-dates-in-israels-history
It's uncanny how the years shown above are noteworthy years in Israel's history! I don't know what will happen in 2017 AD, I do believe it will be a significant year for believers in Jesus/Yeshua ... time will tell. BTW, all of the years above would be +/- a year, probably + ... such as: 1897-1898, 1917-1918, 1947-1948, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 2017-2018 ... this would account for the Hebrew years starting in what we call today Sep/Oct rather than our Gregorian years starting in Jan.
One other note of interest is that Jesus said that He would come sooner than expected because if He doesn't no flesh would be saved. So, this may indicate His coming will be this year sometime, at least for His bride, the church. This year (which began on Tishri 1-2, 5776 correlating with our Sep 14-15, 2015) is believed to be a Jubilee year, a year of release. It may be the Lord allows the devil his reign up until the last day of this Jubilee year before He returns to take back what is rightfully His.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. - Jesus {Mat 24:22}
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. - Jesus {Mar 13:20}
Isaiah tells us WHO the elect/chosen are:
Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. {Isa 43:10-12}
I don't know about you but I surely consider myself to be a *witness* to the saving grace of my Lord & Savior Jesus/Yeshua and therefore I am counted among the elect/chosen. I will do another post sometime about WHO are the chosen/elect/witnesses (as I understand the subject) because there is much more info on this in the bible.
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. - Jesus {Mat 20:16}
For many are called, but few are chosen. - Jesus {Mat 22:14}
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. {Jhn 20:29}
I'll be watching, as Jesus instructed, I hope you will be too!
And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. - Jesus {Mar 13:37}
Thanks for reading my post today, I consider myself a "Porter" {a Doorkeeper - Watcher - Guardian} at the door and nothing more.
Maranatha (COME) Lord!
{Curly bracket comments are mine. Red letter text is quoting Jesus in the NT; blue letter text is quoting the LORD in the OT. KJV used unless otherwise specified. Updated 08/06/16 to include this section and to enlarge the text for easier reading.}
01/01/16 ~ four sore judgments, four horses/horsemen ...
THESE are the "four horsemen of the apocalypse" ...
Eze 14:21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
* the sword
* the famine
* the noisome beast
* the pestilence
Better explained here ...
1Ch 21:8-11 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing {see 1Ch 21:17}: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying, Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee
1Ch 21:12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
And in Jeremiah we see ...
Jer 21:7 And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.
You can read more on your own here, as I did a BLB search for "sword" and "pestilence" but you could change the search to "sword" and "famine" or "famine" and "pestilence" and get even MORE results! https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=sword*+pestilence*&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1
These "four sore judgments" are also seen in Zechariah ...
Zec 1:8-12 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that [were] in the bottom; and behind him [were there] red horses, speckled, and white. Then said I, O my lord, what [are] these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these [be]. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These [are they] whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? {As you can see, these *horses* represented the sword, famine, and pestilence in the scattering of Israel into Babylon.}
* red horses
* speckled horses
* white horses
No black horses mentioned above but they are mentioned later as an added judgment ... along with chariots ... again, from Zechariah ...
Zec 6:1-8 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains [were] mountains of brass. In the first chariot [were] red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What [are] these, my lord? And the angel answered and said unto me, These [are] the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. The black horses which [are] therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these {black and white} that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
* red horses
* black horses
* white horses
* grisled and bay horses
The "two mountains" of Zec 6 represent two heads or two kingly leaders or two kingdoms/empires {Rev 17:9}, and being of brass probably signifies they were out of the Grecian (belly) empire that became the Roman & Ottoman (thighs) empires {Dan 2:32}. More on Dan 2's statue and how they become the beast(s) of Revelation at another time, God willing.
Now let's move on to John in Revelation, when the Lamb (Yeshua/Jesus) breaks the first four seals, and see if we can't put the puzzle together using the clues above ...
Rev 6:1-8 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse [that was] red: and [power] was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and [see] thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
* white horse
* red horse
* black horse
* pale horse
NOTE that the seals began to be broken when the Lamb (Yeshua/Jesus) ARRIVED AT THE THRONE IN HEAVEN (as we see in Rev 5, since He alone is the only One worthy to open the sealed book -the sealed book of Dan 12!)
Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
John was instructed to NOT seal up his book of Revelation, which is the revealing of Daniel's book ...
Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
And how can we know when the "time of the end" is? John tells us ...
1Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Jesus told John, "the time is at hand". This means Yeshua/Jesus has been breaking the seals since His resurrection, these are not things to come ... they have been happening for the past two thousand years -to God it's only been two days- and as the time remaining gets shorter these things will happen with more frequency & intensity. John wrote both books, 1John and Revelation, within his own lifetime, probably within just a few years of each other.
So now, the thing we need to do is to go back and study, rather ... compare, Daniel's sealed prophecy to John's revealed prophecy. For now tho, it is my hope that this post has shed some light on the horses/horsemen of the bible. They are, and always have been, God's "four sore judgments" for a backsliding, idolatrous people, whether they be Israel/Judah or any other nation proclaiming to belong to Him.
It is interesting to note that there are currently 12 nations bearing ALL FOUR of these colors in their national flags, those colors being: red, green (bay = Greek: chloros), black, and white. Of those 12 nations, 3 are not *fully recognized* as nations, leaving us with a count of nine that are fully recognized ... but ... ONE of those three nations is in the process of recognition ... can you guess which one? When that occurs, and I believe that will be soon, there will be 10 fully recognized nations with all four colors in their national flags. Could this be the conglomeration necessary to form the 10 nation beast? Time will tell!
03/28/16 ~ Thanks to my husband for pointing out some additional info that I'm adding here.
Although this article is mostly about the colors of the horses/horsemen and what they may represent as seen in both the OT & the NT, this new revelation is of interest so I've added it here. There are yet other, BIGGER, nations with some of the "four horsemen colors":
1) Saudi Arabia's flag (not listed above) only has two of the four colors.
2) Egypt's flag (not listed above) only has two of the four colors.
3) Iran's flag (not listed above, aspiring for nuclear power) has three of the four colors.
4) Pakistan's flag (not listed above, a nuclear power) has two of the four colors.
5) China's flag is red (one of the four colors) and yellow.
6) Russia's flag is red, white (two of the four colors) and blue.
7) USA's flag is red, white (two of the four colors) and blue.
The point being, if all four colors possibly represent the end-time beast kingdom of 10 heads and 7 horns from Daniel's beast prophecies that also relate to John's beast(s) in Revelation; then they don't include the nations that only have some of the colors but not all ... or ... those that don't have all the colors play a lesser role, if any. So, the nations/kingdoms such as: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, China, Russia, and USA ... not having ALL FOUR colors, but having some of the colors ... may, or may not, be significant. They either play a small role, perhaps being the driving forces behind the ones that do have all four colors ... or ... they play no role at all. It's interesting to note that Iraq does have all four colors, yet today it is not a *major* world power.
I am more inclined to believe the four horsemen of the first four seals in Revelation 6 are not specific to nations but actually relate to God's four sore judgments sent into all the earth as I noted above.
As for the beast(s) of Daniel & Revelation, my personal feeling is that it may be the UN, which (I think) at some point in the future will recognize 'Palestine' as a nation and set the land of the -state of Israel- back to the 1967 so-called borders (with mutual land swaps) ... this of course will cause a war. Unless, they can get Israel to attack Iran to avoid allowing Iran to get itself nuclear capable. I suppose time will tell.
Here's another interesting graphic, this one shows 8 of the 12 nations with all four colors.
I believe that these four horses/horsemen were released when "the Lamb that was slain" {Jesus ~ Yeshua, of Revelation chapter 5} arrived at the throne of God in heaven. IMHO, five of the "seven seals" have been open for almost 2,000 years and their destruction is well documented from then until now. As time gets closer for Jesus {Yeshua} to return, these signs will become more frequent and severe, just like birth pangs. The kingdom of God is about to be revealed. More on how I come to that understanding can be found in another article I did here ... http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2016/01/011116-will-jesus-come-for-his-bride.html
Even so, whether the horses represent the nations/kingdoms listed with all four colors, or only some of the colors, or don't relate at all, I am going to keep looking up ... our redemption draweth nigh. I do believe that Jesus {Yeshua} IS coming soon!
I hope you have enjoyed this post. Thanks for reading ;o}
{Revised: 09/21/16, fixed a typo, made the text larger for easier reading.
Revised: 03/28/16, corrected a couple of typos, added info about bigger nation flags, a link to another of my blog posts, more of my thoughts, and I added another graphic. I did not create the graphics shown, I saw them on posts in facebook, I have no idea who made them. Curly bracket comments within scriptures are mine; KJV used throughout this site. Blue text is God speaking; Red text is Jesus speaking.}
Eze 14:21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
* the sword
* the famine
* the noisome beast
* the pestilence
Better explained here ...
1Ch 21:8-11 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing {see 1Ch 21:17}: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying, Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee
1Ch 21:12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
And in Jeremiah we see ...
Jer 21:7 And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.
You can read more on your own here, as I did a BLB search for "sword" and "pestilence" but you could change the search to "sword" and "famine" or "famine" and "pestilence" and get even MORE results! https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=sword*+pestilence*&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1
These "four sore judgments" are also seen in Zechariah ...
Zec 1:8-12 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that [were] in the bottom; and behind him [were there] red horses, speckled, and white. Then said I, O my lord, what [are] these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these [be]. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These [are they] whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? {As you can see, these *horses* represented the sword, famine, and pestilence in the scattering of Israel into Babylon.}
* red horses
* speckled horses
* white horses
No black horses mentioned above but they are mentioned later as an added judgment ... along with chariots ... again, from Zechariah ...
Zec 6:1-8 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains [were] mountains of brass. In the first chariot [were] red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What [are] these, my lord? And the angel answered and said unto me, These [are] the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. The black horses which [are] therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these {black and white} that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
* red horses
* black horses
* white horses
* grisled and bay horses
The "two mountains" of Zec 6 represent two heads or two kingly leaders or two kingdoms/empires {Rev 17:9}, and being of brass probably signifies they were out of the Grecian (belly) empire that became the Roman & Ottoman (thighs) empires {Dan 2:32}. More on Dan 2's statue and how they become the beast(s) of Revelation at another time, God willing.
Now let's move on to John in Revelation, when the Lamb (Yeshua/Jesus) breaks the first four seals, and see if we can't put the puzzle together using the clues above ...
Rev 6:1-8 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse [that was] red: and [power] was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and [see] thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
* white horse
* red horse
* black horse
* pale horse
NOTE that the seals began to be broken when the Lamb (Yeshua/Jesus) ARRIVED AT THE THRONE IN HEAVEN (as we see in Rev 5, since He alone is the only One worthy to open the sealed book -the sealed book of Dan 12!)
Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
John was instructed to NOT seal up his book of Revelation, which is the revealing of Daniel's book ...
Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
And how can we know when the "time of the end" is? John tells us ...
1Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Jesus told John, "the time is at hand". This means Yeshua/Jesus has been breaking the seals since His resurrection, these are not things to come ... they have been happening for the past two thousand years -to God it's only been two days- and as the time remaining gets shorter these things will happen with more frequency & intensity. John wrote both books, 1John and Revelation, within his own lifetime, probably within just a few years of each other.
So now, the thing we need to do is to go back and study, rather ... compare, Daniel's sealed prophecy to John's revealed prophecy. For now tho, it is my hope that this post has shed some light on the horses/horsemen of the bible. They are, and always have been, God's "four sore judgments" for a backsliding, idolatrous people, whether they be Israel/Judah or any other nation proclaiming to belong to Him.
It is interesting to note that there are currently 12 nations bearing ALL FOUR of these colors in their national flags, those colors being: red, green (bay = Greek: chloros), black, and white. Of those 12 nations, 3 are not *fully recognized* as nations, leaving us with a count of nine that are fully recognized ... but ... ONE of those three nations is in the process of recognition ... can you guess which one? When that occurs, and I believe that will be soon, there will be 10 fully recognized nations with all four colors in their national flags. Could this be the conglomeration necessary to form the 10 nation beast? Time will tell!
Red, green, black and white
Afghanistan
Iraq
Jordan
Kenya
Kuwait
Libya
Palestine (de facto state, limited recognition)
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (de facto state, limited recognition)
Sudan
Syria
United Arab Emirates
Somaliland (de facto state, limited recognition)
03/28/16 ~ Thanks to my husband for pointing out some additional info that I'm adding here.
Although this article is mostly about the colors of the horses/horsemen and what they may represent as seen in both the OT & the NT, this new revelation is of interest so I've added it here. There are yet other, BIGGER, nations with some of the "four horsemen colors":
1) Saudi Arabia's flag (not listed above) only has two of the four colors.
2) Egypt's flag (not listed above) only has two of the four colors.
3) Iran's flag (not listed above, aspiring for nuclear power) has three of the four colors.
4) Pakistan's flag (not listed above, a nuclear power) has two of the four colors.
5) China's flag is red (one of the four colors) and yellow.
6) Russia's flag is red, white (two of the four colors) and blue.
7) USA's flag is red, white (two of the four colors) and blue.
The point being, if all four colors possibly represent the end-time beast kingdom of 10 heads and 7 horns from Daniel's beast prophecies that also relate to John's beast(s) in Revelation; then they don't include the nations that only have some of the colors but not all ... or ... those that don't have all the colors play a lesser role, if any. So, the nations/kingdoms such as: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, China, Russia, and USA ... not having ALL FOUR colors, but having some of the colors ... may, or may not, be significant. They either play a small role, perhaps being the driving forces behind the ones that do have all four colors ... or ... they play no role at all. It's interesting to note that Iraq does have all four colors, yet today it is not a *major* world power.
I am more inclined to believe the four horsemen of the first four seals in Revelation 6 are not specific to nations but actually relate to God's four sore judgments sent into all the earth as I noted above.
As for the beast(s) of Daniel & Revelation, my personal feeling is that it may be the UN, which (I think) at some point in the future will recognize 'Palestine' as a nation and set the land of the -state of Israel- back to the 1967 so-called borders (with mutual land swaps) ... this of course will cause a war. Unless, they can get Israel to attack Iran to avoid allowing Iran to get itself nuclear capable. I suppose time will tell.
Here's another interesting graphic, this one shows 8 of the 12 nations with all four colors.
I believe that these four horses/horsemen were released when "the Lamb that was slain" {Jesus ~ Yeshua, of Revelation chapter 5} arrived at the throne of God in heaven. IMHO, five of the "seven seals" have been open for almost 2,000 years and their destruction is well documented from then until now. As time gets closer for Jesus {Yeshua} to return, these signs will become more frequent and severe, just like birth pangs. The kingdom of God is about to be revealed. More on how I come to that understanding can be found in another article I did here ... http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2016/01/011116-will-jesus-come-for-his-bride.html
Even so, whether the horses represent the nations/kingdoms listed with all four colors, or only some of the colors, or don't relate at all, I am going to keep looking up ... our redemption draweth nigh. I do believe that Jesus {Yeshua} IS coming soon!
I hope you have enjoyed this post. Thanks for reading ;o}
{Revised: 09/21/16, fixed a typo, made the text larger for easier reading.
Revised: 03/28/16, corrected a couple of typos, added info about bigger nation flags, a link to another of my blog posts, more of my thoughts, and I added another graphic. I did not create the graphics shown, I saw them on posts in facebook, I have no idea who made them. Curly bracket comments within scriptures are mine; KJV used throughout this site. Blue text is God speaking; Red text is Jesus speaking.}
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