THE REVEALING – a conclusion

What is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?

The disciples asked the very same questions 2000+ years ago that we also ask today. His answers are the same today as they were to those disciples;  and given an option, it’s probably not what we would choose to hear either. According to Yeshua/Jesus own words, it is not going to be a pleasant time, as this is the time of Gods’ judgment on the rebellious world system.

These following verses which give Matthew and Luke’s account of the same event would seem to indicate that the words parousia and apokalupsis do refer to the SAME ONE COMING OF CHRIST.

In Matthew 24:37 it says …“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming [parousia] of the Son of man be.” … And the same account in Luke 17:26, 30 says … “As it was in the days of Noah … Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed [apokalupsis].” This is how we are to find out the TRUTH. We need to compare scripture with scripture.

So why are the two Greek words used?

Parousia means presence, a VISIBLE return. And Apokalupsis means to reveal, a REVEALING OF THE TRUTH.

So to turn these two words into two separate comings would appear to make no sense.

They both describe the ONE event, the physical, visible, loud, fiery second coming of Christ, in which the truth will be REVEALED!!

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

29 “Immediately after the distress of those day the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

30 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Yeshua said,

“…when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the midst of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein.

For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”

Luke 21:20-28

Here are 2 separate events,

the sign of your coming and of the end of the age,

that we may have not really read but have just believed what someone told us without taking the time to check it out for ourselves. People tell you the truth as they know it, especially when they have believed what they were told. We have no reason to doubt someone’s sincerity, however they can be sincerely wrong and what we choose to believe will never change truth.

Loving Caveat:

This post may challenge long held beliefs, as it has for mmm, however living in ignorance and deception due to exposure to false teaching/doctrines in the past does not serve us well for the future. Knowing TRUTH is the only WAY that leads to LIFE and makes us FREE in HIM.

This is not about proving or disproving doctrine, or being right or wrong, as always its about TRUTH and the fact remains, that the ‘rapture’ in and of itself, is not as important as the TRUTH that, Messiah IS coming back for His Bride.

The attempt to condense this post failed miserably!!! To divide again would cause loss of focus in the content….so grab some coffee, or whatever is your yen, get comfortable, an apocalypse is coming, so enjoy the ride! This is most assuredly a Megamannamoment! Much Shalom from 1gratefulheart!

Most important and critical to all studies and conclusions is…What does the scripture say?

What does Yeshua/Jesus say?

1 The sign of your coming

2 The end of the age

The end of the age has the signs of the days of Noe/Noah and Lot. This look into the days of Noah has its own apocalypse, revealing facts that have been obfuscated and lost in time..

The sign of His coming. vs. 27-31

Days of Noah, days of flesh– Natural pursuits of the consumer flesh body.

Verse 28, days of Lot

Eating

(Consuming resources, all of these things are fleshly desires and indulging the flesh)

Drinking

Buying

Selling

Planting

Building

Until the day Lot came out of Sodom and it rained down fire and brimstone/meteors and killed them all!

Days of Noah, verse 26.

Eating

Drinking

Marrying

Being given in marriage, (much perverse unrestrained

behavior and lasciviousness).

Sinned against the animals and plants.

This one above on closer examination, could include genetic modification and interbreeding because they ‘sinned against the animals and plants’. No different to todays scientific trends.

Often overlooked for one reason or another, giants, the offspring of intermingling/interbreeding between humans and fallen angels! (Yes apparently it did happen! Og, Goliath, his brothers and the ones the spies encountered, (The Fallen Ones, Rephaim, etc.) were very real. Gives new meaning to ‘we were as grasshoppers in their sight’ and would explain the oversize/genetically modified grapes?!

They came from somewhere and there were more than just one or two. It’s simply that no one talks about it much as it’s become too controversial! The past gets buried, (literally,) or secreted away in vaults which are generally inaccessible to the public and over centuries, the various cultures collective memories fade as generations pass away. What was once common knowledge becomes the stuff of legend and no 21st century person is going to believe such ‘nonsense’! This may be quite a shock to the senses, however it is no joke and yes, that is 36ft or 10.97 meters! Too many bones have been documented to dismiss this simply as a hoax.

As always we encourage personal research. The mere fact that Genesis 6 mentions them and in connection with the Days of Noah, the correlation to End Times is enough to spark our curiosity. (If that’s you, type Gensix Giants in your browser for a site with information and one that also believes in Jesus.)

Here are several pictures of artifacts that appear to be genuine however, we know not everything on the internet is to be believed. First one was from 1895 before photographs could be manipulated.

Further information can be found at http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/6658-giants

Indulging the flesh.

Opposite of abstinence, until the day Noah entered the box/ark and the floods came and killed everybody.

His days were noted by increased fallen angel activity.

Production of Nephilim offspring.

Transhumanism, i.e. creation of hybrids/clones.

Advanced technology.

Rebellion and hostility toward God.

Corruption of Gods creation, human and animal and plant GMO foods and animals.

Inter-dimentional Portals, breaching the barriers between natural and spiritual realms.

Men thinking of themselves as gods.

Worship of other gods.

E.g. 17 August 2018

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/satanic-temple-sparks-uproar-unveiling-083816170.html?guccounter=1

Satanic temple sparks uproar by unveiling statue of goat-headed, winged creature called Baphomet in Arkansas state capitol of Little Rock. U.S.A.

The days of Noah included the building of the ark and of course the flood itself.

Noah was pure/righteous in his generations meaning his DNA was undefiled. His bloodline was directly from Adam. 100% human DNA.

Some of the signs are not immediately obvious and many of the writings mentioned in the scriptures that shed much light on the end times; were not included in the canon of the Bible. (As determined by a small group of men at the council of Nicea.)

One of these is the book of Enoch.

Enoch was a important person, he is mentioned in Genesis 5:24. Enoch was the 7th from Adam, the son of Jared (Gen. 5:18) and the father of Methuselah (5:21; Luke 3:37). ‘He walked with God and was not for God took him’. So he had a very close relationship with God.

 

A little information about Enochs’ book:

We first learn of Enoch in Genesis 5 but it leaves us with questions. Hebrews 11 has the answers and Jude quotes Enoch! How did Jude come to know the words of Enoch? They are not in the Bible. The answer is The Book of Enoch. A book which is actually quoted not only by Jude, but also James the natural brother of Yeshua/Jesus.  The Book of Enoch chapter 68:1 “And after that my grandfather Enoch gave me all the secrets in the book…

The Book of Enoch; (also 1 Enoch; Ge’ez: መጽሐፈ ሄኖክ mets’iḥāfe hēnoki), is an ancient Jewish religious work, ascribed by tradition to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. The older sections, (mainly in the Book of the Watchers,) of the text are estimated to date from about 300 BC, and the latest part (Book of Parables) probably to the first century BC.

The Book of Enoch is not accepted as part of the Canon of Scripture as used by Jews, apart from the Beta Israel canon; nor by any Christian group, apart from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Eritrean Orthodox Church canon.

It is mentioned in Jude 1: 12-15. quoting Enoch 1:9

The quote is as follows: “In the seventh (generation) from Adam Enoch also prophesied these things, saying: ‘Behold, the Lord came with his holy myriads, to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners spoke against him’.”

James 4:5 Jesus quoted it and so did the apostles

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (Mat 5:5) The elect shall possess light, joy and peace, and they shall inherit the earth. (Enoch 5:7 {6:9}) 

the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the son (John 5:22). the principal part of the judgment was assigned to him, the Son of man. (Enoch 69:27 {68:39}) 

shall inherit everlasting life (Mat. 19:29) those who will inherit eternal life (Enoch 40:9 {40:9}) 

“Wo unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. (Luke 6:24) Woe to you who are rich, for in your riches have you trusted; but from your riches you shall be removed. (Enoch 94:8 {93:7}). 

Ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Mat. 19:28) I will place each of them on a throne of glory (Enoch 108:12 {105:26}) 

Woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born. (Mat. 26:24) Where will the habitation of sinners be . . . who have rejected the Lord of spirits. It would have been better for them, had they never been born. (Enoch 38:2 {38:2}) 

between us and you there is a great gulf fixed. (Luke 16:26) by a chasm . . . [are] their souls are separated (Enoch 22: 9,11{22:10,12}) 

In my Father’s house are many mansions (John 14:2) In that day shall the Elect One sit upon a throne of glory, and shall choose their conditions and countless habitations. (Enoch 45:3 {45:3}) 

that ye may be called the children of light (John 12:36) the good from the generation of light (Enoch 108:11 {105: 25}) 

the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14) all the thirsty drank, and were filled with wisdom, having their habitation with the righteous, the elect, and the holy. (Enoch 48:1 {48:1})

Sep 14, 2016 – In several of the Dead Sea Scrolls there is a complicated network of parallel … papyri showing portions of the Book of Enoch in Greek (P.Mich.inv. … Fragments of these books, Enoch and Jubilees, were also found at Qumran Cave 4: I Enoch in Aramaic,Sep 14, 2016 – In several of the Dead Sea Scrolls there is a complicated network of parallel … papyri showing portions of the Book of Enoch in Greek (P.Mich.inv. …

Doesn’t it seems strange that his book was not included? Reading his descriptions of the things God revealed to him may shed some light on why he was dismissed! Controvertial is a word often associated with Enoch. Makes one want to know why! What did they not want us to read?

For the curious a Free copy can be downloaded as a pdf at this link

The Book of Enoch – Scriptural-Truth.com
or paste the following in your browser
http://scriptural-truth.com/images/BookOfEnoch.pdf

Luke 17:30 it will be according to these things on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Lightning from east to west, clouds, power and great glory, (doxa or shekinah), angels with loud trumpet calls gathering the elect who apparently are still on earth.

It’s Not going to be hard to miss!

There is another option to Daniels 70 weeks suggesting that 69 have already passed and with 1 week left. The thought is that the last week which is indicative of a 7 year period began when Yeshua Messiah was born and further that the half of that ‘week’ was fulfilled by His 3 1/2 years of ministry. The conclusion being that the final 3 1/2 years is the time of Jacobs trouble/tribulation in the last days just prior to His return? An interesting interpretation!

On researching this subject there was no specific reference found in the scriptures pertaining to a literal period called the 7 year tribulation! Like most having been taught and believed in a rapture, it is somewhat disturbing to find the Word of God doesn’t seem to support that belief!

 

Remember when you believed in things like Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy/Father Christmas.

We are ensnared by half truths and fables, (lies) and make believe, since we were little children. We were told stories that were pure fiction and when we find out they are not true we inevitably go through a process.

Shocksomeone we trusted told us something that’s not true

Disbelief don’t want to acknowledge the 1st and still want the ‘lie’ to be truth, so we may choose to continue to believe it until one day there is undeniable proof.

Angerwhy did they do that and now I have to get over the issues

Realitypeople don’t know everything and sometimes they lie! so can you trust what people say?

Sense of loss/sadness our bubble has been burst, our sense of reality has changed. Innocence is being diminished a little more.

Disappointment and disillusionment that we believed something that seemed wonderful only to have the illusion taken away.

There are similar feelings that accompany learning and realizing other ‘truths’. Especially spiritual ones!

Some are much more serious than a bunny and old men in red costumes.

However there is nothing worse than finding out something after the fact that is contrary to our strongly held opinions and doctrines and worse someone knew and could have told you.. Wouldn’t we rather know the truth however unpalatable and inconvenient at the time and have to deal with it now, and not when it’s too late? How many millions are going to cry out, ‘Why didn’t you tell me about salvation through Jesus/Yeshua’? Why didn’t you make me listen?

The Truth will make you free and it is the Way that leads to Life.

How can we be prepared if we don’t know what to be prepared for?

Charts showing various sequences of end time events

There is no debate of whether or not a type of rapture (as in Messiah/Jesus is coming for the saints) will occur; the Bible is clear on that question. There are 2 Comings He came the 1st time and He will return which is the second coming.

The catching away does not scripturally fit with a separate rapture, that is, apart from at the second coming!

What if there is not such a thing as the rapture as has been taught?

The Rapture is the belief that faithful Christians will be bodily caught up from the earth, suddenly taken out of the world, avoiding all the bad end time tribulation, to be united with the Lord in the air.  

However, not only did Yeshua/Jesus not mention a rapture, but the word “rapture” as such, does not occur in the Bible. 

What if we are looking for the wrong event?!

It’s all in the timing.

Reading the scriptures carefully gave pause for thought and after confirming some facts, the findings are presented here.

Yes, Messiah Yeshua/Jesus is coming

for the believers who are ready

and looking for His coming.

However, it clearly says in Thessalonians that those who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with Him in the clouds

BUT..it also says..

that our being taken up to be with the Lord will not precede the resurrection of the dead in Christ!

So when is the resurrection of the dead? Whenever that occurs….we are next!

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.

And the dead in Christ will rise first. 

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:13–18,

The Greek term meaning “caught up” is harpazo, which means to seize suddenly or snatch. In Latin the word is rapio, which means to seize and carry away; it is from this Latin word that the term “rapture” comes.

The word ‘rapture’ is in the Bible if you have the Latin Vulgate!

Seems like we should be looking for the resurrection of the saints instead!

1 Corinthians 15:50-52 tells us that we shall be changed at the last trump. The LAST, that means there is not another trump after that one!

While it is true, that the word rapture is found no place in our English Bibles, it comes from the Latin word rapturo, (Latin) which means the very same thing as the Greek word harpazo (Greek) in 1Thessalonians 4:17.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Yeshua will Elohiym bring with Him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Father/YHWH, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Father/YHWH shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Father/YHWH himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of Elohiym: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [harpazo, rapturo] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Father/YHWH in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Father/YHWH.

 

This Greek word harpazo in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 means the following: to seize, to catch away, to pluck, pull, take (by force), and it has the very same meaning as the Latin word rapturo.

It is also the same word in Hebrew for taken in 2 Kings 2:11 which is laqach when Elijah was taken in a chariot of fire:

#3947 laqach law-kakh’ a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of application): —accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, up), use, win.

It is important to point all of this out because there are some that would try to argue that there is no such thing as a rapture/catch away but this is not the case. The issue is timing and that it has a different name. 

As already stated this word does not appear in our English Bibles, the word rapturo (Latin) or harpazo (Greek) or laqach (Hebrew), all mean the very same thing, as when the bridegroom comes and seizes his bride and carries her away into the marriage.

The five wise virgins will be taken into the marriage, while the five foolish virgins will be left out of the marriage, and then the door will be shut.

Interestingly, the Hebrew & Greek meaning for taken means to take into marriage while the Hebrew & Greek meaning for the word left means to divorce or forsake.

Some teach and believe, the ones who are taken is the bride of Messiah into a set-apart place, and then she returns with Him on white horses after a seven-day wedding.

The ones who are left behind are the ones who are going to be eaten by the birds of prey down here on earth on the Day of Wrath! (Revelation 19:21).

Matthew 24: 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

There is no debate among Bible scholars as to whether there will be a catching away/rapture, but much discussion has occurred over when the catching away/rapture will occur.

We must guard against the ‘itchy ears’ and ‘superficially interested’ in doctrine, or the desire for knowledge; just because we are satisfying our curiosity and want to be ‘in the know’! For we are to be doers of the Word and put into practice what we learn or it is not worth anything.

There have been five main theories put forward as to the timing of the rapture and they all surround what is known in prophetic biblical teaching as the “tribulation” period, which is mentioned by Jesus/Yeshua in Matthew 24 and described in great detail in Revelation 4—19.

The five hypotheses are:

First: Post-tribulation – believers are raptured at the end of the tribulation period, when Messiah returns in judgment  (Revelation 19).
Second: Pre-wrath – believers are caught up somewhere between the sixth and seventh seals described in Revelation.
Third: Mid-tribulation – living believers are taken in the middle of the tribulation period.
Fourth: A Partial rapture – only faithful believers are taken to be with Messiah at the beginning of the tribulation, with unfaithful Christians being left to endure it.
Fifth: (and most favored) A Pre-tribulation – believers are caught up to be with Messiah before the tribulation begins.

 

Here are a few brief historical facts

Research reveals that the origin is in fact from an interpretation by John Nelson Darby, considered by many to be the father of dispensationalism, he first proposed and popularized the pre-Tribulation Rapture in 1827-31 and it was further used by Darby and Schofield and then enhanced by the intricate detailed charts by Larkin.

Preached and taught so may times, it became a doctrine and was adopted by various denominations and even inspired movies and books like the left behind series.

This view was accepted among many other Plymouth Brethren movements in England. Darby and other prominent Brethren were part of the Brethren Movement which impacted American Christianity, especially with movements and teachings associated with eschatology and fundamentalism, primarily through their writings.

Influences included the Bible Conference Movement, starting in 1878 with the Niagara Bible Conference. These conferences, which were initially inclusive of historicist and futurist premillennialism, led to an increasing acceptance of futurist premillennial views and the pre-Tribulation Rapture especially among Presbyterian, Baptist and Congregational members.

[32] Popular books also contributed to acceptance of the pre-Tribulation Rapture, including William Eugene Blackstone’s book Jesus is Coming published in 1878[33] and which sold more than 1.3 million copies, and the Scofield Reference Bible, published in 1909 and 1919 and revised in 1967.

The main scripture used is Thessalonians 4: 16-17 where The word rapture is a transliteration of the greek word used and translated as caught up.

The term “caught up” in the verse is where we get the term “rapture.” This is because the Latin Vulgate translated the Greek word “harpazo” into the Latin word “rapiemur.” Both of these words have the idea of a violent snatching away, or capture.

Source(s): Latin Vulgate

If the rapture theory is a true Biblical teaching. Why was it not well known and popularized until the early 20th century?

Amillennialists and premillennialists use First Thessalonians 4:17 to teach that, in the future, Jesus will materially appear in the sky in such a way as to be visible and physically “rapture” the saved from the planet to meet Him in the air, and then to be materially changed and taken to Heaven.

First Thessalonians 4:17: Then [after the dead in Christ rise, v. 16] we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

The phrase caught up comes from the Greek harpazo which means to seize (Strong’s, Thayer’s, Bauer’s, et. al.; cf. Septuagint of Lev. 6:4 & Jug. 21:21 & 23), and Vine’s and Bauer’s specifically says that a suddenness is involved in the term. (A twinkling of an eye [1 Cor. 15:52] kind of suddenness you think.) An examination of harpazo reveals some interesting information:

It’s derived from the Greek term from which we get our word “heresy“—the term hairesis, which Vine’s says refers to ‘a … choice’ (from [the verb] haireomai [meaning] to choose’). Strong’s says that haireomai means “to take for oneself, i.e. to prefer—choose” (cf. Bauer, Mat. 11:12); i.e., so it’s a choice based on one’s preference.

The Greek term harpazo also carries with it the idea of “oneness,” i.e. making those things or … people … which a person prefers and chooses one with himself, implying of course that they are or become one with each other in the process. An illustration of a biblical example from the Septuagint (the Greek version of the OT):

In Job 24:19 harpazo is used of assimilation of water and sinners: As drought and heat consume the snow water, so the grave consumes those who have sinned.

Two of the scriptures focused on are Matt:24:41: Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Again consider that it’s the wicked one that is removed and the believer left, as in days of Noah and Lot!

and

1Thessalonians 5:4: You [the Thessalonians], brethren, are NOT in darkness so that this day should overtake you [the Thessalonian brethren] as a thief.

Who didn’t have an excuse of being overtaken by the day of the Lord? The Thessalonian Christians. Why? Because they not only knew the signs of Matthew 24, they believed in the Lord who spoke them, meaning that they had no reason to let anything bother them.

This is meaning that believers will NOT be in darkness NOR will it come like a thief for us, however it will come as a thief in the night for those unsaved and not ready. If we are in the light and ready we will see Him coming. We will hear the trumpet.

The sequence through the year being an annual rehearsal of the actual events that will all take place fulfilling what each of the 7 festivals/feasts/appointed days represent. The spring feasts have been fulfilled the fall/autumn ones are said to be also when Messiah returns.

They give detail about the first coming including the date on which He would arrive, the manner of His death, on the birth of the ecclesia the called out ones /church/ecclesia.

The rituals/ feasts speak of a natzal (or rapture) and also of a terrible time called the Yamin Noraim. Days of Acharit ha-yamin, the latter days, is the time of the promise of restoration of Israel.

Only when they are in tribulation, b’tzar lekha, as declared in Deut. 4:30-31. This agrees with Yeshua’s words in Matt. 24:21, foretelling of Israel’s coming troubles in the latter days.

Only after they cry out calling for Him to come saying,

blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.

Baruch haba be’shem Adonai.

Maybe that’s what we as believers need to be calling out?

Maranatha come Messiah Yeshua/Jesus in reference to Yeshua. Then they will they be delivered during the 70 birthpangs of the Messiah, otherwise called,

Chevlei Mashiach   חֶבְלֵי מָשִׁיחַ

(חֶבְלֵי הַמָּשִׁיחַ) the “birth pangs of the Messiah” (Sanhedrin 98a; Ketubot, Bereshit Rabbah 42:4)

or the Time of Jacobs Trouble.

This is the time immediately before the coming of the Mashiach. The world will undergo various forms of tribulation and is called Ikvot Meshichecha the Footsteps of the Messiah. A phrase that comes from Psalm 89:51.

It is this great test of faith during the Chevlei Mashiach that frightened Rabbi Yochanan to the point that he said, Let the Messiah come, but may I not see it!?

The years which are viewed as the birth pangs of Mashiach, are said to last for seven years, during which Israel will be refined spiritually in preparation of His arrival.

The 7 years is a combination of 2 periods of time of 1,260 days each.

(Matthew) 24:21: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

We need to read that scripture again!

(We gloss over it and do not fully understand the ramifications it implies, especially if we have believed we are to be ‘raptured out’ of here before any of that happens!)

Now we can see that the word time in the phrase times, time and a half times can actually mean several things. If we take the word, time, (mowed/moed), to mean a literal year, then the phrase means the following:

time = mowed in Hebrew = 1 year

times = two years

half times = six months

hence, times, times, half times = 3.5 years

We see that during this time the two witnesses will have a ministry of 1,260 days (3.5 years)

It makes it hard to continue to believe that we will be taken up to meet Messiah in the air before the Great Tribulation, when Matthew 24:29 makes it abundantly clear that Messiah will gather His elect, (we the believers), immediately AFTER the tribulation?

In order to ascribe to a pre-tribulation catching away of the bride, we would have to believe in two raptures for the righteous, but the Bible says in Revelation 20 that there are only two resurrections for two groups of people:

1.) One for the righteous and this is called the first resurrection.

2.) One for the wicked after the 1,000 years are finished.

In 1Thessalonians 4:16-17 the Apostle Paul/Sha’uwl says: ‘the dead in Messiah shall rise first, then we which remain shall meet them in the air.’

So as soon as we see the Abomination of Desolation, then shall be great tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21). The 2 witnesses will prophesy 1,260 days (3.5 years) and the false Messiah will speak blasphemies for 42 months (3.5 years).

The last half of Daniel’s 70th Week (3.5 years), picks up with the Anti-Messiah setting up ‘The Abomination of Desolation’, in the 3rd Jewish Temple, and this it appears is when the Tribulation period actually begins. (Matthew 24:15-21).

Concurrently, the two witnesses in Revelation 11 will also have a ministry that lasts for 1,260 days (3.5 years).

Jacobs’s Time of Trouble is for a time, times and a half, according to Daniel 12 & Revelation 12. As previously noted, the word time in Hebrew and Greek means one year and so time = 1 year; times = 2 years; half times = 6 months, hence 3.5 years. There is no place in scripture that specifically says that the Tribulation is ‘7’ consecutive years; although 1,260 days x 2 = 3.5 years x 2 = 2,520 days = 7 years!

The word tribulation both in Greek & Hebrew literally means persecution.

When they build the 3rd Jewish Temple, the man of sin, will sit in the temple and demand to be worshiped as God (2Thess. 2:4). Then he will probably become possessed, supposedly by the Messiah Jesus, but it will actually be Satan.

(There is already a strange rumor that they have cloned Jesus from the DNA found in the Shroud of Turin. Which it was thought was the burial cloth of Messiah and has recently been disproven).

Messiah Yeshua is said to make his appearance during the eighth ‘year’.

On the eight day, at the beginning of the eight day [also meaning “year”] the baby is to have its foreskin removed – i.e. the concept of a foreskin which acts as a barrier between man and God. We read in Zachariah(13:2) that God will destroy the spirit of impurity form the earth. This is believed that it will occur during the eighth year.

Some scholars say Yom Kippur is also the same day when Jesus/Yeshua Mashiyach, was circumcised as a baby boy, eight days after Hs birth; and some say it may have been on (our calendar) September 11th in 3 B.C.; which happened to fall on the Feast of Trumpets that year or Yom Teruw’ah. 

Why would the Messiah be circumcised on Yom Kippur? His Blood was sprinkled as an infant because His Blood would later on be the Blood of the Lamb that would be sprinkled on the Mercy Seat for Israel/Yisra’el. Hence, the blood released when His foreskin was removed is like the veil to our hearts that is removed when our hearts are circumcised. (Deuteronomy 10:16, Jeremiah 4:4, Romans 2:28). Interestingly in these aspects, it could be said that He fulfilled all three of the Fall Feasts at His birth, for He was born on Yom Teruw’ah (Feast of Trumpets), circumcised on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and He also dwelled in a sukkah (manger) with His parents during Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)!

(Ps. 19:5, Joel 2:16) the children of wrath who are caught off guard by, the thief in the night, are having bowls of wrath being poured out upon them and they still won’t repent. (Dan. 12:10, 1Thess. 5:2, Rev.16:15).

And then after 1000 years, we will go into the 8th day or the 8th millennium, which parallels to the last day of The Feast of Tabernacles. At the end of the Millennium, this present earth that we know of will pass away. This temporary earth, or shelter, that we dwell on, will be replaced by a New Heaven & a New Earth (Rev. 21:1).

At the end of the Millennium on the Last Great Day will be the white throne judgment seat of Messiah. (Rev. 20:11-15)

In a Hebrew Wedding custom, the bride is given a three-day notice that the groom is on the way. She hears the shouts from a three day’s journey in the distance and she knows that sometime within those three days, he will be there to catch her away. It is said that this could very well be the same period of 3 ½ days where the Two Witnesses will have their dead bodies lying in the streets and then at the sound of the 7th angel (7th trumpet), they are resurrected. (Rev. 11:11-15).

Here is why this feast is prophetically called, The day that no man knows. Not only does the bride not know the precise timing of when the bridegroom will arrive; (although she knows the approximate timing), but the enemy is not made privy to this timing, so that he cannot come and kidnap the bride away!

Another reason why Yom Teruw’ah is called, The day that no man knows, is because it cannot be determined by a fixed time on the calendar. It can only be determined by the first sighting of the new moon by the Two Witnesses. 

Also, in a Hebrew Wedding custom, the bridegroom (not wanting to make known the exact timing of his arrival to the enemy), tells the nosey people who inquire about the wedding date, no man knows the day nor the hour – only my father knows! (Matthew 24:36). This is a Hebrew Idiom for the Feast of Trumpets.

Only the wise will understand that all these trials and pains of the Chevlei Mashiach are part of a consecutive series of events orchestrated by God in which each new birth pang unfolds a notable occurence and is absolutely crucial and brings us that much closer to our desired goal of future redemption. But many will not understand and will not pass the test.

Zion will be comforted when Messiah Yeshua is received by Israel as the rightful king and He will set up His Kingdom for 1000 year reign of true Shalom. For those non Yeshua believing Israelites, it is the first coming of their Messiah.

We need to get the timeline in correct order. The 7 (messianic) festivals, are the biblical appointed times, God commanded the ancient Israelites to observe.

This is the reason why He commands His covenant people to celebrate and observe His seven annual feast days; ‘as a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.’ (Lev. 23:21). He wants His bride to be ready when He returns, therefore, He has given her these seven feasts as “holy convocations” (Lev. 23:8).
The Hebrew word for convocation, literally means a rehearsal. What is the bride rehearsing for?

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb, as described in Revelation 19:7.  Without these seven feasts, the bride will not be ready to meet the bridegroom!
This is the reason why the traditional Christian Church does not fully understand prophecy. It is because some are keeping the counterfeit holidays of the Anti-Messiah, such as Christmas, New Years Day in January, Good Friday, Ash Wednesday, Easter Sunday, etc. These counterfeit holidays are patterned after the false Messiahs of the Roman Empire with their Julian & Gregorian calendars and are designed to keep us off course and in the dark concerning the times and seasons of Messiah.

This is why Rev. 18:4 commands followers of Messiah to ‘Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.’

The true bride will not mistake the timing of her bridegroom’s return, because she knows The Times & Seasons (1Thes. 5:1), which are The Appointed Times, Moedim/Mowediym, the seven annual feast days or rehearsals. There are those in the Christian Church who believe that our Messiah’s return is imminent, meaning that it can happen at any time. The justification for believing in His imminent return is a mis-understanding/mis-interpretation of

1Thess. 5:

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of YHWH so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

From Paul’s warning, it says that only those who are in darkness are expecting His return to be like a thief in the night, but the children of light know when to expect His return, because they are already rehearsing His seven annual feast days!
The idea that the ‘Church’ will be taken by surprise without warning into what is commonly called The Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Once we realize that the bride is given clear instructions to observe the seven annual feasts from year-to-year it really has no scriptural foundation. These are the times and the seasons spoken of by Paul in 1Thess. 5:1 which are to help the bride to make herself ready, and to light her path into the marriage supper.

Rev.20:6 …’Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.’

There is no mistaking that there is a time period that is going to be a 1000 years, but when does it start? The popular mainstream teaching is that after the church is raptured, the saints spend 7 years in heaven with Messiah Jesus, while the great tribulation happens on earth. Then after the 7 years, they believe the church comes back to earth with Jesus where He will reign from Israel for a 1000 years.

From the following verse it indicates that the first resurrection may startsthe thousand year millennium.

Matt. 24:30-31 …’And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.’

1 Thess. 4:16-17 …’For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.’

So we have the second coming of Messiah in the above scripture, where He sends out His angels to gather the saved. The ‘dead in Christ’ rise first and then those who are Messiah’s and still alive at His coming, they are caught up with those who have been resurrected and they meet Messiah in the air.

A vital point to remember about the second coming of Christ, is that He does not touch the ground when He returns, we meet Him in the air. So this is the first resurrection above, and is it the starting point of the 1000 year millennium?

In Rev. 20:5 it says that ‘the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished’. The rest of the dead are those who are lost (the wicked), that were either killed at the second coming, or were already dead at Christ’s coming.  To support with scripture that the lost living at the second coming, ARE killed, look at the following verses:

Lk. 17:26-30 …’And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all … Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.’

When Messiah returns, the lost will be destroyed. Just like in the flood and the fire judgment of Sodom, ALL the lost were destroyed and only the righteous were left alive. And when does Revelation say the lost are resurrected? AFTER the 1000yrs.

The following verses describing what the earth will be like after the second coming of Christ …

Isa. 13:13 …’Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.’

Isa. 24:1 …‘Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste,

and turneth it upside down,

and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.’

To put it back to where it once was

Jeremiah 4:23-26 …’I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.’

Verse 27 of Jeremiah 4 says that the whole land is desolate, but God will not make a complete end. This matches with the truth that the earth will be ‘made new’, and we will inhabit this ‘earth made new’ after the 1000 years. So God is not going to totally destroy this world. He is going to ‘burn up’ all things in it (2 Peter 3:10) and then renew it (2 Peter 3:13).

Jer. 25:33 …’And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

The wicked are destroyed at Messiah’s second coming. The saints go to heaven with Him.

One interpretation gained from the scripture above, is that the earth will lay desolate for the 1000 years! Is it telling us this is what the earth will be like during the thousand year millennium? If so, it won’t be a happy, peaceful place where Messiah reigns over the nations, it will be desolate, laid waste and empty! Could it imply that to Satan it will be as a “bottomless pit” to which he is bound for the thousand years? Time will show us if that scenario is accurate or not.

However by all accounts it seems l that we should be looking for the resurrection of the saints!

Jesus/Yeshua, was the first fruit resurrection from the dead. Then many people came out of their graves and walked into the city! Was this also a resurrection? If we are still alive at His coming, we will not be ‘resurrected’ but changed/transformed in the twinkling of an eye, at the speed of light!

Paul teaches that Christ will come at some future point in time for those who belong to Him. Those who are the “dead in Christ” will experience their resurrection first and be gifted with glorified bodies when He comes. Those believers in Christ who are alive at that time will then be instantly transformed from their earthly state to their eternal state, and will not experience death. Instead, they will be caught up, to be with all those who have previously gone on, to be with the Lord and be transferred to heaven. Paul speaks about this generation of believers who will not taste death when he says, “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, (die) but we shall all be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51).

This is a resurrection, a transforming. We will have to have new bodies because Corruptible cannot go into the presence of a Holy God and must put on immortality/incorruption.

The idea of just living our lives with a, ‘someday being raptured away before anything gets bad,’ may not be the reality, for the years of tribulation include all the events which are listed in Revelation.

Are we spiritually and physically prepared to endure to the end, however long that may be? Partway into the last years? Halfway in? or longer? There is nothing that tells us an absolute, except the resurrection of those who have died in Him. However it does point to His second coming at the end of the tribulation period.

Mathew 24:13 But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.

To endure means “to remain firm in a commitment to be true to the commandments of God despite temptation, opposition, and adversity.”

It would be easy on the flesh and soul to believe we get ‘scooped up’, before any of the events described actually begin. Many 1000’s of our brothers and sisters are however going through horrendous persecution for their testimony of salvation in Yeshua all around the world. Being wrong about the ‘Rapture’, would be fine in this instance, however better to believe the worst and hope for the best and be spiritually prepared for whatever unfolds as time moves forward.

However The Day and Hour is Unknown

36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

As to when the so called rapture will take place, no one knows the exact timing of the event. Messiah confirms this in Luke when He says, “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40).

Again being prepared and not needing it, is preferable to the shock that we were not ready and be one of those who hearts fail them for fear of what is coming!

That sounds pretty serious!

Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.

Fill those lamps with oil!

We must guard against the ichy ears and being superficially interested in doctrine or the desire for knowledge just because we are satisfying our curiosity and want to ‘be in the know’! For we are to be doers of the Word and put into practice what we learn, or it is not worth anything.

If our doctrine and beliefs are sound and on the firm foundation of the Rock of His Word and we maintain a deep relationship with Him, they will stand the storm of scrutiny.

This is simply to determine if we have some hard times ahead and what to expect and to give us an opportumity to be more prepared than we are today.

Just remember for believers, its NOT the end, it’s a transition into the next part of Fathers plan.

John 14:1-3 …’Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.’

 Jesus said “I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I AM there ye may be”. 

Whatever is used to try and deceive prior to Messiah’s return, whether its pseudo aliens who supposedly created us, (which are in reality demons, evil spirits and fallen angels,) we know the devil is behind it.

Looking at the above verses, there will be no mistaking it when He does appear.

So for all believers, the apocalypse the revealing is NOT a one time incident, or some event to fear, but something to look at, as a way of being shown things we did not know before. Information that we can better understand concerning what The Ruach of the Father is trying to tell us. When we receive knowledge, then we are accountable for what we have been told.

It’s often a way of waking up a sleepy group of people and encouraging them to go forward, to grow and mature; and we can in fact live in the intimacy and safety of His Shalom presence, even while we remain here. Just as His chosen ones in the days of Noah and Lot, if we are in Him, we will be taken through the things to come.

We need to be about our father’s business, busy doing His commands and not focused on being scooped out of here avoiding any hard times. Let’s look to the author and finisher of our faith and trust His plan. Nothing is going to take Him by surprise and with Him nothing is impossible.

In a nutshell what we are being told is that,

If you seek to keep your life you will lose it, if you lose it you will preserve it alive.

Loving not our lives unto death but focused on Him just as Stephen did.

Flesh always wants the soft option and inevitably chooses the easy road. We are not of those who shrink back but are those who are to be very courageous.

The righteous are bold as lions (of Judah)

There are multiplied 1000’s of our brothers and sisters around the world who are tortured suffering and dying for their faith every day. If we cannot physically change their situation we can pray for them and in turn God will raise up intercessors for our needs.

Chazown (Revelation) 22:17 

And the Ruwach ha’Qodesh (Holy Spirit) and the bride say, ComeAnd let him that hears say, Come…”

Be encouraged family we are awaiting the return of our King and He will NOT disappoint us. You are greatly loved!

May His Shalom surround, guard and keep you in Name of Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith.

PLEASE Don’t leave this page before you make certain Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him because…

the sands of your TIME on earth are running out!

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Its all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.

THE REVEALING…

There is much talk these days of

the Apocalypse,

the end times

and end of days,

the rapture or catching away, (harpazo)

and all the various scenarios that go along with this particular subject.

As usual the post is offering some points of view which we may not have seen or thought about before. It is also providing food for thought and as always encouragement for everyone to research and check things out for ourselves.

Many events are being called apocalyptic or biblical in proportion, as it relates to floods, other unusual phenomena and extremes in nature. These could be either the result of human meddling, demonic interference, the hand of the Father and of course ‘natural earth events’, or a combination of all 4.

In Hebrew אַפּוֹקָלִיפּסָה apocalypse .

The word apocalypse comes from the Greek word apokalupsis.

It has two root words apo which means,

away or to remove,

and kalupsis which means a veil or covering.

Strong’s Hebrew: 1540. גָּלָה (galah)

— to uncover, remove

So Apocalypse

really means

the removing of the veil.

When something is removed, then something else that has been hidden, is revealed.

 It is a revelation of mysteries, things which lie beyond the ordinary range of human knowledge.

We use both the terms, Apocalypse and Apocalyptic.

An Apocalypse, in the terminology of early Jewish and Christian literature, is a revelation of hidden things given by God, to one of His chosen saints, or more often, the written account of such a revelation. The word is derived from the Greek ἀπōκάλυψις,uncovering,” “disclosure“…

And therefore in simple terms it is a Revealing.

לְגַלוֹת   reveal גְּלָא verb, to reveal, gelah or gela.

Phonetic Spelling: (ghel-aw’)

בְּהִתְגַּלּ֥וֹת bə-hiṯ-gal-lō-wṯ in revealing

חושף   revealing

A definition of Revealing  is – allowing a look at, or an understanding of something inner or hidden.

It’s a secret, a mystery that is being revealed, demystified and made known.

(μυστηρίōυ ἀπōκάλυψις, “revealing of a mystery”

Strong’s Greek: 602. ἀποκάλυψις (apokalupsis) — an uncovering/revelation

Cognate: 602 apokálypsis – properly, uncovering (unveiling).See 601 (apokalyptō).. 602 /apokálypsis (“revelation, unveiling”) is principally used of the revelation of Jesus Christ (the Word), especially a particular (spiritual) manifestation of Christ (His will) previously unknown to the extent (because “veiled, covered”).

Disclosure:–appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation. 

The Greek verb ἀπōκαλύπτειν is occasionally employed in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew  גְּלָא (reveal); thus, of a secret,

 אוזן גְּלָא 

uncover the ear, Ozen

 עֵינַיִם גְּלָא 

uncover the eyes, Ayin

meaning reveal,

Hidden from sight with the promise of showing itself in the not too distant future…

We are curious as to what is behind the curtain?

What’s in the box?

What is in the package that is so enticingly gift-wrapped ?…

We want to know – to see and to understand…

The things shown to Daniel

and John

were sealed until the time of the end.

The time of the end of the age.

Is this the time to which it was referring? 

Jesus/Yeshua alluded to this in Luke 8:16-18 v.17

It does of course refer to disobedient and sinful behavior that will be exposed on judgment day and also that the times of the end of the age were hidden from view; the emphasis is on, what has not been KNOWN, possibly meaning that all spiritual mysteries will be revealed?

These are the things pertaining to the second coming and end times with many variations and explanations floating around.

We could call ourselves apocalyptic believers, as we are having truth revealed to us.

However we should remember that with great knowledge comes great responsibility.

To whom much is given, much is required.

That means we must walk in the light of the fulness of that which we have had revealed to us. 

In the scripture the final book of the Re-New-ed Covenant and of the whole Bible is

Revelation, Chizayon,

הִתגַלוּ

This is the revealing, and the revelation of revelation, is the opening of the vision concerning the end of this age.

Chizayon/Revelation, or the revealing, was Messiah Yeshua/Jesus, revealing to John things which are to come,

and back then on the island of Patmos of course it was thousands of years in the future.

Definitions: Revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity.

A surprising and previously unknown fact, especially one that is made known in a dramatic way. The divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence or the world. Disclosure, announcement.

חָזוֹן Chazown is the Hebrew word for vision from chazah; 2372; a sight (mentally), i.e. a dream, revelation, or oracle:–vision

Strongs’s #2377: chazown  

(pronounced khaw-ZONE) חָזוֹן

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Hebrew 2377. חָזוֹן chazon 

לְגַלוֹת discover/reveal

According to scripture, this is not the end of the world; in terms of everything being completely destroyed, where 1 Peter describes the earth’s final cleansing and apparently is not the same event.

Revelation tells us that a new heaven and a new earth will be created subsequently.

It is however, the ‘end of the age’. Some call it the ‘church age’ or ‘the age of grace’ or the ‘6 thousandth year.” Ushering in a 1000 year period/age/reign of Messiah Yeshua. Which according to scripture, we will be together with Him; however will that be on the earth, or in heaven?

The Hebrew Talmud divides 6000 years of human history/olam hazeh into 3×2000 year epochs.

The first 2000 is from the time of the impartation of the neshamah /soul into Adam until Abrahams Calling.

The second epoch of 2000 years is from Abraham to the destruction of the 2nd Temple.

The third is the time of the Messiah, and refers to when the Messiah ‘could appear’, (we believe that was 2000+ years ago); before establishing Zions kingdom.

Immediately before His appearance is a time of testing in which the world will undergo various forms of tribulation called

or

Also

There are elements to both the time of Jacob’s/Israel’s trouble

and footsteps of Messiah

that are somewhat confusing, often due to mistranslations, which then obviously result in mis-interpretation. Romans 11:26 agrees with the verse in Jeremiah that ‘yet out of it he is saved’. When Messiah Yeshua returns to Jerusalem/Zion all Israel will be saved.

Some say the 

             will last for 70 years, with the last 7 being the time of Jacob’s Trouble.

Sometimes referred to as 

because it will be the worst part of the whole time, when catastrophes occur worldwide.

The very end of the 7 years being the Day of the Lord.    Yom YHVH.  

Which will be the judgment of the rebellious world system and the outpouring of God’s wrath. Is 2:19. The Lord will shake the earth. Rev. 6:17; Mal. 4:1. After which, the Messianic kingdom will be established.

Interesting to note that a 70 year period has just been completed in 2018, which began in 1948, when Israel became a nation.

The yissurim shel ahavah,

the troubles of love,

referring to the birthing of a child;

is equivalent to the transition time and struggle a new-born experiences when exiting the womb into the harsh light of day. It will be similar to the transition between this world and the Messianic world to come, that is imminent!

The time immediately prior to Messiahs arrival is sometimes called IKVOT MESHICHA,

the time when footsteps of the Messiah can be heard.

This is God’s appointed time

for the final Messianic redemption and the closing of the

Many believe the order of events will be connected to the annual Feasts/Appointed Times. That as Jesus/Yeshua has fulfilled the Spring Feasts at His first Coming, He will in turn, fulfill the Fall/Autumn Feasts in His Second Coming. (Fall/Autumn = September/October)

Believers in Yeshua/Jesus refer to the time just prior to His Second Coming, in which He will judge the nations and we believe He will establish His kingdom in Jerusalem?

No one knows the exact time when the Messiah will appear. However according to traditional Jewish sources in the Midrash Tehilim 9:2 Pesachim 54b; there are some hints. An example is that 1000 years = 1 day as in the 6 days of creation. 2Pet. 3:8.

God rested on the seventh day and it’s representative of the genesis of the great Messianic Sabbath Rest. This would indicate this age could not go further than 6000 years. So as the Hebrew calendar indicates, we are at the end of the 6th day, the 6th millennium, and close to the ‘Erev Shabbat’ of the world. And to expect the soon arrival of Messiah Yeshua.

For many years, the pre-tribulation rapture of the believers has been taught; and all the different scenarios have been presented by successive preachers and teachers from pre, to mid, to post tribulation rapture etc.

So which is it???

Here presented are the scriptures and Jesus/Yeshua’s own words and a plea for each hungry soul to read the Word and study the scriptures for ourselves. It is not the aim of mmm to mislead, or argue, only to present the Word in truth as it written. We are limited in the New Testament, with the Hebrew text as most of the references are written in Greek, however there are scriptures in Daniel and other prophets that we can look at.

End of days – acharit hayamim 

2 Pet. 3:3; 2Thes. 2:2-4; 2Tim. 3:1-5.

Some say the birth-pangs are to last 70 years with Edom/Rome/Europe being the 1st wave of trouble including the holocaust and 2nd in the form of Arab/Israeli conflict. As per Jesus/Yeshua’s words in Matt. 24:25.

The climax of

is called the great Day of the Lord

which represents God’s wrath, poured out upon a rebellious world system.

The Messianic Kingdom

will be ushered in.

However there is another connection at the end, in the last pages of the New Testament, where the Apocalypse reveals a wedding.

A bride and a groom.

Look back at the ancient Hebrew wedding format procedure mentioned in previous posts.

After the wedding, which takes place after a long separation, and follows the betrothal agreement, it can be a time period of up to two years. (Note here that we are all familiar with the thousand years equaling a day).

The couple finally stand face to face – panim el panim,

And the veil is lifted from the bride to reveal her face to her groom.

Here is the apokalupsis.

The removing of the veil – the Apocalypse.

There is now symbolically, or otherwise, nothing separating them; and it is as the Scripture says, face to unveiled face.

1Cor. 13:12; Eph. 5:27; Rev. 13:1, 19:7–9.

One day, all veils will be removed, and we will see Him as He is, face to face unveiled.

Every person will face an Apocalypse of one sort or another. Whether salvation in the wedding marriage of the lamb, or the Apocalypse of judgment.

It is our place to remove any veils, so there is no more separation between Him and us. Nothing we are withholding from Him. And face to face to allow His touch to change us from glory to glory.

Jesus has won the victory in the spiritual realm over sin and death or sin-death. He has fulfilled His Torah promise, at Sinai, of (spiritually and physically) returning to Earth, reaching out to all His saints, Israelite and Goyim alike, restoring them to fellowship with the Father in a face-to-face meeting in His Shekinah, the glory-cloud of presence, which corresponds perfectly with Lk. 21 & Rev. 21.

There may be some repetition from previous posts in references to these important scriptures, however, the signs of the times all around us, should give us pause to reflect that we may indeed be the generation that sees the return of the King of Kings.

It is true to say that human nature is eager and wants to know the answers, reveal the secrets and unravel the mysteries and then when it is a little too close for comfort, we act like ostriches and brush off the possibility in cognitive dissonance and we really would rather not know. Because

and If we don’t know, then we don’t have to deal with it. Ignorance is bliss?? Sadly not so! Ignorance is no excuse, and not mentioning these issues will not make them go away!

The human tendency is to believe anything that comforts and deny what discomforts, so that unpleasant truths are simply ignored.

Forewarned is forearmed and being prepared with trimmed oil-lamps filled with Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh, is the preferred posture for a believer, in a season of the Messianic Messiahs soon return.

The signs are those of Matt. 24 25 and Israel becoming a nation Deut. 4:27 and Jer. 30:1-3; then a coming messiah of evil, (one out of harmony with God), will appear and offer a peace treaty for the middle east; but when they say peace and safety, (confirmed covenant), then sudden destruction will come upon them as labour pains on a pregnant woman, (time of Jacobs trouble) and they will not escape, 1Thes. 5:3.

This is the significance of the extraordinary, unprescedented, and cataclysmic world events, which we are seeing almost every day.

Some scriptural traits of this generation are, Chutzpah/ audacity and a lack of gratitude/hakarat ha-tov. The rest of humanity’s traits in the last days are listed in 2 Tim 3:1-5.

So let’s pull our heads out of the proverbial sand and in faith, see what the Scriptures are actually telling us. 

One thing we know is that it is NOT to make us fearful, for there is no fear in the perfect love of God and Jesus/Yeshua said in Mat. 24:25,25. See, I have told you ahead of time.  And for good reason. Love is truth.

For also in John 17:15a, Jesus/Yeshua even prayed for the opposite of what many say today: I do not pray that You should take them out of [or rapture/remove them from] the world.

One thing we need to realize is that, before the events described in revelation are manifested in our midst, we need to reread the words of Jesus Himself and see what He said, which are recorded in

Mat. 24:23–28, 37–41; 17:26–37. Mat:24:39: And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

So here, Many people were taken by surprise was it because they didn’t/wouldn’t listen laughed at him and thought he was crazy?

Mat:24:38: 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,

Mat:24:39: And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

M‘t:24:40: Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 
M’t:24:41: Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

The days of Noe/Noah were a time of judgment so this will be similar.

If we as believers have judged ourselves, (as we should before each time we take the bread and wine of covenant); we have nothing to be concerned about, and should be looking up. For when we see all of these things coming to pass, it is in fact encouragement, for those looking for His coming.

A point that should be made here, is that, although Noah/Noe and family entered the ark and were saved from the judgment of the flood waters; (this is a picture of believer being in Jesus/Yeshua, and being saved from judgment); they were not taken out of the world but were equipped to go through it !

The wicked were the ones removed off the earth!

Similar with Lot, he was escorted out of the city by angels and by that, he and his daughters were saved, they were not taken out of the earth. However the wicked were removed of the face of it by fire.

Both water and fire are cleansing agents.

Matthew 24:21-31 (NIV) 
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

The times are shortened because of the elect which means the elect are still on earth? Hmmmm!

We are equipped by Jesus through His indwelling Ruach haKodesh/Holy Spirit to be able to endure to the end and if it is in His plan, to be able to go through the times of tribulation. He said, ‘In this world you will have tribulation’.

23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.  

He warned us not to be deceived by any means.

The modern computer technology will very possibly be a vehicle used as a means of delivering false signs and wonders.

To quote a well known authors statement that:

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Maybe it has some pertinent meaning here. The antichrist, false prophet and beast may well use forbidden witchcraft/sorcery/magic, together with the aid of demonic spiritual power, used in connection with technologies such as laser imaging. These would provide abilities to project what looks like real manifestations into the skies, simulating visions of the return of Messiah Jesus or other spiritual phenomena.

What is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?

We ask the very same questions that the disciples asked Him back then, 2000+ years ago, and His answers are the same to us as they were to those disciples…

Conclusion.. like Yeshua/Jesus, IS coming soon…!

Please, don’t leave this page until..

you are safe in the ark Messiah provided..

Make certain Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Its all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.

The Hidden Mystery of the Kallah

The Hidden Mystery of the Kallah כַּלָּה ; phonetically pronounced (kal-law’).

These days there is much chatter about the signs of the times, end of days and Jesus soon return. The catching away from 1 Thessalonians is often termed the rapture.

Also called the Parousia and the blessed hope of Titus 2:13

 The rapture is an eschatological term used by certain Christians, particularly within branches of American evangelicalism, referring to a end time event when all Christian believers will be “caught up”, translated into the clouds, in a moment in time, to join the Lord in the air. 

In fact the specific word ‘rapture’ itself does not appear anywhere in the scripture text however It has become a much used by word and originated right out of the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible.

…deinde nos qui vivimus qui relinquimur simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obviam Domino in aera et sic semper cum Domino erimus.. –1 Thessalonians 4:17 (Latin Vulgate)

In the New American Standard Version, the English phrase, “caught up,” is used. The same phrase is used in the King James and New International Versions. .” In the Latin Vulgate, one of the oldest Bibles in existence, the appropriate tense of rapio appears in verse 17. (Raptus is the past participle of rapio, and our English words “rapt” and “rapture” stem from this past participle.)

So this term “Rapture” comes from a Latin word, “rapio,” that means “to catch up, to snatch away, or to take out.” It is, in turn, a translation of the Greek word, “harpazo. the Harpz, the “snatching up” of the Church.

The Latin equivalent of the Greek Harpazo is the Latin verb rapio, “to take away by force.

The very definition of the word “harpazo” that we get the word “rapture” from, is: to openly and forcibly snatch something from someone.

Strong’s Greek Concordance #726 harpázō – properly, seize by force; snatch up, suddenly and decisively – like someone seizing bounty (spoil, a prize); to take by an open display of force (i.e. not covertly or secretly).

Notice in the preceding definition, “harpazo” means to “openly seize” – not covertly or secretly.

 Used in the late 16th century (in the sense ‘seizing and carrying off’): from obsolete French, or from medieval Latin raptura ‘seizing,’ partly influenced by rapt. This post is not attempting to focus on or to prove/disprove any of the options proffered by believers. Intended only to show Messiah’s use of and reference to ancient Israel and the Jewish/Hebrew wedding and how it relates to forthcoming events; and to those that have already occurred, including the fulfillment of the promise which our Lord confirmed at the Last Supper: John 14:1-3

This is a wide subject however this focus is on the wedding part.

The elements of a Jewish wedding normally include the following: one chosson (the groom), one kallah (the bride), and a ceremony sometimes referred to as kiddushin. Separate steps usually accompany a traditional wedding: Shidduch – it’s a match! Vort – formal engagement; Ketubah – or Betrothal marriage contract.

We the believers in Jesus the Messiah/Yeshua Ha Mashiach are His kallah /Calah. kallah /Calah is Hebrew for bride. (Seems both spellings are used.)

It may be easier for ladies than for men, in identifying with being a bride. The likeness is simply for God’s purposes, and to reveal His covenant and the deep close relationship that the children of Israel have with Him; which would be a reminder for them beginning with Moses at Sinai.

This mystery is hidden in the Hebrew covenant of a marriage and the wedding ceremonies in which the focus was originally more on the groom than the bride!

Looking at Isaiah 62:5: “For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee. And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.”

In the first part of this verse in Isaiah it appears that Israel is playing the role of a bridegroom rather than a bride if we consider the word sons as male. Then in the second part he is addressing Israel as if they were to be a husband to God, as this second part of the verse declares that the ones he is addressing are now the bride to God who is in the role of the bridegroom.

The word bridegroom here is katan, which is another word for marriage. This word for marriage has the idea of joining together in complete truth and honesty.  When God as the bridegroom is married to us He is joined to us in complete truth.  Remembering here Jesus words, “They that worship God must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.”  John 4:24.

So that is God’s side of the deal, He is the bridegroom, but what are we as the bride or Kallah? In it’s primitive form the word Kallah has a double lamed which represents prayer with uplifted hands.

Hebrew letter Lamed

This word is a picture of reaching up to your lover with an open empty heart asking him to fill your heart with his presence.   The root word is a little strange because it means both a filling or completion and a wasting away.  However, the sages chose this word to represent a bride because a bride is to fill her heart with the desires of her bridegroom while her own desires waste away. Hard for us to understand, as this flies in the face of our modern thinking.

 God gave us a marriage relationship to help us understand our relationship with Him.  It cannot be just one sided, looking to God as a bride to a bridegroom, there is the other side of the coin to consider, our beloved God has a heart similar to the heart He breathed into us.

Just as our hearts can be broken, so too can we break His heart. He has chosen to make Himself vulnerable to those He loves and love Him in return.

We must make sure we do not break His heart.

כַּלָה is the Hebrew word for bride is Kallah, (Calah) which comes from the root word Kalah meaning; to finish, complete, prepare, to make perfect (in the sense of totality rather than of being unblemished) and to consume. (Strong’s #3618 and 3634).

There is also the meaning in this word of something fulfilling its purpose. Also means daughter in law.

From the Cross Jesus said, “It is finished” or in keeping with our Hebrew word for completed/fulfilled.

Jesus returns to initiate the catching away of believers.

Lekhah Dodi means “come my beloved,” and is a request of a mysterious “beloved” that could mean either God or one’s friend(s) to join together in welcoming Shabbat that is referred to as the “bride“: likrat kallah (“to greet the [Shabbat] bride“).

Chatan: Hebrew word for groom.

Strongs 2860 Chathan חָתָן

phonetic pronounced (khaw-thawn’) חָתָן

The biblical word chatan means both son-in-law and bridegroom, (most scholars believe that the initial meaning was only son-in-law, and that bridegroom was a later development) and ‘ka•la’ also means daughter-in-law.

In the Hebrew wedding song: “The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom [hatan] and the voice of the bride [kalah].” the voice of those who shall say, Praise the Lord of Hosts; for the Lord is good; for his mercy endures for ever; and of those who shall bring the sacrifice of praise to the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, says the Lord’.

Jeremiah 33:11

The wedding in Jesus day began with an agreement between the bride and groom, like engagement today. The bridegroom Journeys to the bride’s house for the covenant is made at her house.

Applying the process to believers, the Bridegroom has already made his visit! We are engaged, we are betrothed to Him.

At the time of this agreement a formal document called the Ketubah , was signed.

The Ketubah Agreement or covenant of marriage/ betrothal, included a price to be paid for the bride. In Hebrew the Mohar/Mohair.

We sometimes know it as a Dowry.

It was considered that the husband and his family were gaining an asset and the bride’s family were losing one.  And the price was according to the wealth of the Groom’s Father. The choice of whom the Bride would be and the Bride price or Mohar as it was called, was to reflect the Father of the Groom’s honor, integrity and stature; His future generations were at stake. Even if the Bride’s family was not wealthy, if the Groom’s Father was, the price was to reflect his wealth.

At that time the couple was considered to be married, even though the marriage was not consummated. She belongs to him now, for she has been “bought with a price’, and this purchase has been witnessed and confirmed.

Matthew 26: 27-28
“Then having taken a cup, after He gave thanks He gave the cup to them saying, “You must all drink from this, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out on behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.”

Luke 22:20
“This is the cup of the New Covenant in My blood which is being poured out on your behalf.”

Considering the stature and wealth of the heavenly Father, what would be a better fitting price for the Bride of Christ, the Church other than the life of His Son.

Jesus already paid the ultimate price for us His bride. By giving up his life for us at Calvary’s cross. The father of the bride may accept the bridal price.  If he does, then it is up to the bride to accept the offer of marriage.  She (the bride to be) accepts his offer when she drinks from the cup filled with wine or grape juice.

In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the renewed covenant in My blood. As often as you drink it, do this in remembrance of Me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Master until He comes.  1 Corinthians 11: 25-26

After the wine is drunk, the young man says the words in John 14:2-3:  “In My Father’s house are many rooms.   I go to prepare a place for you.  And, if I go to prepare and place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also”.

This is not so we can have a mansion of our own and do nothing but sit around. It is so we can be with Him and to share eternity with Him and be a part of the future He has planned for us.

The groom then went back to where he came from, his father’s house. He prepared a place, usually on family property, for the couple .

This Ketubah has 2 parts involving a shared cup of wine, with one at the initiation of the agreement and the other at the consummation.

The first part happens at the initial acceptance of the agreement with the sharing of the first cup of wine.The second part happens when the wedding actually happens with the sharing of the second cup of wine. 

The groom steps on the glass breaking it to indicate that this is a serious commitment and just as serious as the shattered glass is not repairable. 

Notice how Jesus says to do the New Covenant, Communion, in remembrance of Him. He is the Groom going away. But He will return for His Bride and bring her unto Himself.

I Corinthians 11:25-26
“Likewise also the cup after supper saying, “This cup is the New Covenant by means of My blood: you must regularly do this, as often as you would drink it, in remembrance of Me.”  For as often as you would eat this bread and you would drink the cup, you are proclaiming publicly the death of the Lord until He would come.”

Mark 14:24-25
“And He said to them “This is My blood of the covenant which is being poured out on behalf of many. Truly I say to you that never again am I drinking from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

When we take the Cup, Communion, we are remembering Him, the price He paid with His Body and His Blood; this is symbolic of the first cup of the Ketubah.

We should also stop, pause and rejoice in that: The next time the Lord takes the cup of wine again, it will be with us, His Bride. This will be symbolic of the second cup of the Ketubah. We should take Communion in honor of Him as He has asked, but also with the comfort and intent of someday, being with and sharing the Wedding Cup with Him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. 
The entire New Testament (New Marriage Covenant) is a reflection of the Ancient Jewish Wedding, whereby Yeshua, the Bridegroom, will one day come back for His Bride (all 12 tribes and those grafted into the olive tree, One New Man).

Right now He is preparing many dwelling places in his Father’s house (John 14:2) for his Bride.

When we choose to accept the offer of the Lord, as Lord and Savior, we enter into a covenant relationship.  We are betrothed to the Lord spiritually and we reject all other gods and idols and stay faithful to Him. We are like the Bride of those days, in that we have all the legal rights of being betrothed, even though the marriage is not complete until the final ceremony. 
Having been bought with a price, the Bride now keeps herself for him.

During this time, the Bride is to be eagerly awaiting his return.

Then the Father of the Groom will tell his Son to go snatch up his bride.

1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17

It is important to realize that in the Ancient Jewish Wedding, there is no date set for the wedding unlike in our western world.  The custom back then was that the date was to remain a mystery and only the father of the groom had an idea of when the wedding would take place.

Only when everything was completed to the fathers satisfaction would he tell his son to go and get his bride.

This is where at the reference (Matt 24:36).  that no one knows the day nor the hour when he will become for his bride, but the father only.

Because neither the bride nor groom knew when the father would say it was good enough, it was critical that they both needed to be ready as the finishing touches were about to be completed.

This prophecy is a reflection of the Fall Appointed Feast Days of Yom Teruah (The Feast of Trumpets) as it is accustomed for the High Priest to say, “No man knows the day or the hour.”  The reason for this saying is that no one would know on which day the sighting of the crescent moon would appear that would be necessary in order to initiate the feast day celebrations starting with Yom Teruah.  Here we see the connection with the wedding as well as with Yom Teruah.

Scriptures attributed to Yom Teruah are (1Thess 4:16-17)(Rev 19:7-9).

The couple do not see each other again until the day of the wedding but spend their time in preparation for it.

As was the custom, the bride was to prepare herself for the wedding ceremony that would take place from one to two years from the acceptance of the proposal.

(For us it has been 2000+ years (1000 years as a day?) and we are still waiting for Him to come and get us, His Bride). There is much anticipation of this event and it is meant to be a surprise for the Bride as the Bridegroom comes as a thief in the night at the Appointed Time/Feast (Mow’ed).

For the bride, life seems the same, she lives with her family doing daily activities, she is married but What has changed? Everything! For she is now CALAH.

God came to our house as Jesus 2000+ years ago and made a covenant with us if we said yes to Him. Then the bridegroom according to the Hebrew custom leaves to return to His home, His Father’s house. Jesus returned to heaven and where we are now, these are the days of separation. The bride in her house, Earth. The groom in His House, heaven.

John 14:2-3:  “In My Father’s house are many rooms.   I go to prepare a place for you.  And, if I go to prepare and place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also”.

We are still in this in the present world, still in the same House, everything seems the same it looks unchanged. But, something unseen has changed, not the exterior House or the world around us. However, we have changed inside, and we are no longer OF this world even though we are still IN it.

The time of preparation:

Again, it’s important to realize that the custom was, the wedding date was to remain a mystery and only the father of the groom had an idea of when.

The wedding was a prophetic type of the coming Messiah set in for the children of Israel as a symbolic preparation of the spiritual life enacted as the marriage process. The wedding, the covenant, the betrothal, the holy convocation, the rehearsal. This was on purpose so every time two individuals became a couple they enacted God’s eternal plan out in their own lives.

Just as many modern Western ceremonies today, have a rehearsal dinner or Church rehearsal meetings to go through the order of ceremony to be performed at the appointed time. So the cycle of 7 appointed times of the Lord throughout the year are also a rehearsal and a preparation for the fulfillment of God’s plan of the ages through Jesus and His coming as Messiah in fulfillment of those prophetic events.

So is the wedding a type and shadow of His relationship with us and why He referred so much to it. The people of His day who were around Him listening to Him were familiar with such events and understood the process. It made sense to them and it’s why He used it to explain His mission, Ministry and ultimate future in relationship to us, His Calah.

After the building of the wedding chamber/room is complete, and after the father has determined that his son is ready, then the father would send His son back to where the bride would be eagerly awaiting his return from her hometown (Earth) to retrieve her for the Wedding.

“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Master is coming. Matt 24:42

Then the groom would go for the bride, often at night and she would have to be ready.

The guests too would be notified at the last minute.

At that time, there would be a procession led by the bridegroom back to where the bride is from (Earth).  The processional wedding party would stop outside the town, and there would be a cry made for the bride with the sounding of the shofar to go out to meet the Bridegroom.

14 For if we believe that יהושע died and rose again, so also Elohim shall bring with Him those who sleep in יהושע.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Master, that we, the living who are left over at the coming of the Master shall in no way go before those who are asleep.

16 Because the Master Himself shall come down from heaven with a shout, with the voice of a chief messenger, (archangel) and with the trumpet (Yom Teruah) of Elohim, and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. 

17 Then we, the living who are left over, shall be caught away together with them in the clouds to meet the Master in the air – and so we shall always be with the Master. 1 Thess 4:14-17

50. And this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood is unable to inherit the reign of Elohim, neither does corruption inherit incorruption.

51. See, I speak a secret to you: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound,

and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.1 Corinthians 15: 50-52

 

The following is a parable by Yeshua describing how there will be those who would not be made aware of the times of His second coming and will miss this moment.

“Then the reign of the heavens shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.” (Matt 25:1-13)

 

“Now while the bridegroom took time, they all slumbered and slept.

6. “And at midnight a cry was heard, ‘See, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!’  (Matt 25:5-6)

At the voice of the Bridegroom calling them up, Messiah Yeshua comes out of heaven with a trumpet blast, to gather His whole Bride for the wedding, and the 7 days in the chuppah. The “bride has made herself ready”.  He collects His Bride who is alive and waiting for Him on the earth. As betrothed brides, they were supposed to be preparing for their wedding, sewing the various garments, purifying, learning, etc. in anticipation of the Big Day… but 5 grew drowsy and were sleeping.

They were to keep a light in the window during the nighttime and have more oil on hand, ready to make the journey to meet the Groom.

Without a light in the night, how would they find their way to meet the Groom? They would stumble and fall, stray off the path being unable to navigate in the dark.

They were to “meet up” with the Groom and head for the Wedding Ceremony, Honeymoon and Marriage Supper.
Five of the betrothed made it, Five did not…. All ten had the opportunity. 

Five had their heart in it were focused and kept to their purpose. These 5 stayed on course with well supplied lamps, trimmed wicks and fresh oil on hand. This is how we must be as the betrothed Church waiting for our Groom, Messiah Jesus/Yeshua.

Only the “prepared ones” will make it. There will not be any second chances.

Those arriving late will be locked outside the door. We must remain passionate for our Lord and be able to stay on course through the darkness, and many times that darkness can seem very heavy.

We must set our hearts and live our lives as the prepared Bride of the Lord.

The parable of the wise virgins, of Matthew 25:1-11, shows us that only the prepared Bride gets to go into the chuppah with Him.  The guests are shut out.

“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.  (Matt 25:10)

The bride, and her family would go out to meet the bridegroom.  The bridal company (bridesmaids) would join the procession back to the bridegroom’s hometown (Heaven). It is clear in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 that Paul was speaking to a Jewish audience who understood the cultural idoms of the day.

The true meaning is to “take by surprise.” And the Lord makes it clear to His church through His Word, that He does not want us to be taken by surprise but on the contrary for us to be faithful, alert and watching.

The phrase is not about the Lord being like “the kind” of a “thief” that would come in the night by sneaking in and sneaking out. In the day and age of Jesus and the apostles, most people lived in one or two room houses. Anyone would know when someone came in or out, including in the night. Jesus will be coming “like” a “thief in the night” in that “He will take the world by surprise” when He comes to get His church.

When he spoke of, “as a thief in the night,” those listening would realize that he was possibly speaking about the Captain of the Temple that may have been the high priest.  The Captain’s job was to make sure that the watchman or guards were not sleeping but rather doing their job. If the Captain of the Temple found any guards asleep, then he would set their garments on fire with his torch. ‘Not found naked’, as he would have ripped off his clothes to save from being burned.

Thus, the Captain of the Temple was known as a Thief in the Night.  The term/idiom, A Thief in the Night, was used by Jesus/Yeshua Himself and is used to identify a sleeping or dead church.

1 Now, brothers, as to the times and the seasons (mow’ed), you do not need to be written to. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of יהוה comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then suddenly destruction comes upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. (1 Thess 5:1-5)

Returning to the wedding reference:

and when his father approved of the apartment or house, the son would come for his bride and the wedding ceremony would take place. Today the ceremony takes place under a chuppah, a prayer shawl over 4 supports representing the room that was prepared.

Once the ceremony is over, the two would go into the bridal chamber (chuppah) for 7 days (now known as a honeymoon). The tradition of a husband staying home with his new wife for the first year of marriage symbolizes the millennial reign the 1000 years, (1day=1000 years), when we rule and reign with Him

Revelation 14:1-3; 20:1-4; Romans 8:17

Picture this: It was in the early morning while it was still dark, the Morning Star Shone upon his opening tomb.

Everyone was sleeping as it was still during the hours of darkness and rest for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jesus arose, His rising did not disturb the slumbering citizens. The watchmen of the night saw and heard nothing to alert them that in the spiritual realm everything has changed. For them it was just another early morning and that they would begin in the natural realm just like any other.

It may well be that it is very early in the morning while it is still dark, when 1 Thess 4:16 occurs; when only the morning star is shining that the believers who make up Messiahs body on earth shall be called up to Him joining the dead in Christ who have been raised exactly a twinkling of an eye before them.

Like Him, somewhere in the earth His saints will awake, while the children of the night and darkness are still sleeping. Not one will be disturbed and as on that morning in Jerusalem, the rest of the world will not hear the voice of the archangel, nor the trumpet that calls them to His side.

He will awaken each one when the hour arrives. The words of Isaiah 26:19 Will accompany the quickening. ‘awake and sing you that dwell in dust.’

 What does the phrase “in the twinkling of an eye” mean? Many say it is “faster than a blink.” Whatever it means, it’s very very fast! The next question is, “what happens in the twinkling of an eye?” This verse in 1 Corinthians 15, may be one of the most misquoted verses of all time.

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

It says “we shall be “changed” in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. It does not say that the Rapture happens in the twinkling of an eye.
In the previous verses..

“As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

 For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changedFor this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

This whole section of scripture seems to be about “how we shall become like the Lord.” How “corruption” is not fit for heaven. The flesh and blood bodies that we now have are mortal and of corruption.

Both the bodies of the saints in heaven and those who are still alive, must be made “fit for heaven.” It is about the speed of the changing of the bodies and remains, not about the speed of the Rapture.

Our very DNA miraculously revived and made alive supernaturally as the power of the risen Savior re-creates all bodies new and in His image.

The first rays of the sun penetrate the darkness of each saints grave, one massive unprecedented miracle around the globe simultaneously re-creating each and every child of God who died in faith believing in His return.

The rays of His glory will penetrate each one, pouring into the depths and as the shadows of the morning and the eastern clouds slide away hope is rewarded and mortality is flung aside and all at once the uprising glorified bodies changed at the speed of light, faster than an eye blink we meet Him in the air, the Lord of glory, Creator of the heavens and the earth, the King of the universe.

(From quantum physics considerations, this transformation, “in the twinkling of an eye,” will possibly occur digitally in 10-43 of a second.) 

His Glory like the Star of Bethlehem which heralded His first coming and shone beams of light guiding those seeking Him into His presence;the star of the morning will again shine beams of light to direct us Heavenward. A new path for us but also the last leg of the journey along life’s Way, in the Truth and to the everlasting Life He promised.

The sleeping church, or believers who do not understand the Appointed Feasts, may miss the wedding!

1“And to the messenger of the assembly in Sardis write, ‘He who has the seven Spirits of Elohim and the seven stars, says this, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

2“Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before Elohim.

3“Remember, then, how you have received, and heard. And watch and repent. If, then, you do not wake up, I shall come upon you as a thief, and you shall not know at all what hour I come upon you.  (Revelation 3:1-3)

The wedding takes place and the bride and the bridegroom are married in the bridegroom’s hometown (Heaven).

(Maybe under the grooms prayer shawl/ chuppah)

The bride and the bridegroom would consummate the marriage in the bridal chamber built by the bridegroom at their new home, while the entire wedding party would wait outside the bridal chamber. 

Once the consummation had taken place, there would be a great celebration as the wedding party would last for 7 days or less. (Marriage supper of the Lamb 7 years)

And he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” Revelation 19:9

“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him praise, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife prepared herself.”

8And to her it was given to be dressed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the set-apart ones.

9And he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true words of Elohim.”  Revelation 19: 7-9

After 7 days or less of celebration, a processional of the entire wedding party would return back to the Bride’s hometown (Earth) to continue with the celebrations. (Messiahs second Coming.)

They really DO live happily ever after!

 The Archangel whether it be Michael, Gabriel, Rafael or another, whose voice we shall hear is like a morning call for all of us. It’s time to wake up to arise, weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning of our resurrection.

Encourage one another with these words.

He will receive us and so shall we ever be with Our Messiah.

“He came among His own people, but His own did not take* Him. And so many as did receive Him, He gave them authority to become children of God, to those who believed in His name, they are not from blood and not from the desire of flesh and not from the will of man but were begotten from God. ” John 1:11-13

*take: This word means to take as your betrothedspeaking of the intimate relationship Y’shua came to seal.

Jesus did not come just to be lightly received. He came from the Father to bring us back to Him. To “take Jesus, to receive Him,” meant to “believe in His Name in a life changing manner.” It was (and is) entering into a Covenant relationship with our Holy God. Because He called us out, chose us. Note it says, He gave them authority to become children of God, not just became children of God.

 “The coming of the Lord” will be “unexpected” by those who “are not watching and waiting” for Him.

This great day will surprise the lost “as” a “thief in the night.” But God’s people – who are not of the night nor of darkness – will be looking for Him. God’s people know the signs and nearness of His coming and are watching for Him.

The Amplified Bible has verse 4 as this: “But you are not in [given up to the power of] darkness, brethren, for that day to overtake you by surprise like a thief.”
There may not be much more time to trim the lamps or seek more oil… We should decide which of the groups we are a part.

For the bridegroom cometh and when ever He comes, let‘s make sure that we are awake, prepared and ready to go with Him.

The wedding process is already in motion and we are His Calah/Kallah, כַּלָּה,  pronounced (kal-law’).

Even so, maranatha, come Messiah!

Extra Point of interest to explain what were Jewish Night Watches:

The Jewish people in the Old Testament divided the 12 hour night into three military watches instead of hours. Each watch was 4 hours long.

The first or “beginning of the night watches” was from sunset (or for practical purposes, 6pm) until 10pm and was mentioned in Lamentations 2:19.

The “middle watch” is from 10pm until 2am and was mentioned in Judges 7:19.

The “morning watch” was from 2am until 6am and was mentioned in Exodus 14:24 and 1 Samuel 11:11.

“Night watches” are also mentioned in Psalm 63:6 and Psalm 119:148.

Each new 24 Jewish day began at sundown (or 6pm.) That is why the Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown.

In contrast our Roman days begin at midnight.

Jewish Daytime began at 6am; and ends at 6pm for counting hours. The first hour is therefore 7am; the second hour is 8am; the third hour is 9am, the sixth hour is noon or 12pm; and so forth.

Examples of some time references

Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, Luke 23:44 – “from the sixth hour” refers to noon and “until the ninth hour” refers to 3pm

Matthew 20 – In verse 3 “third hour” refers to 9am/ “Sixth and ninth” hours in verse 5 refers to noon and 3 pm/  “eleventh hour” in verse 6 refers to 5pm

Acts 2:15 – “third hour of the day” is 9am

Acts 3:1 – “ninth hour” is 3pm

Acts 10:3 – “ninth hour” is 3pm

Acts 10:9 – “sixth hour” is noon

Acts 10:30 – “during the ninth hour” is 3-4 pm

Acts 23:23 – “third hour of the night” is 9pm

 Roman Night Watches: Rome takes over in the time period between the Testaments and rules the Jewish people. The Romans broke their number of military watches into four 3-hour watches. These were called:

First Watch, also called Evening Watch  – sundown, 6pm to 9pm

Second Watch, also called Midnight Watch – 9pm to midnight

Third Watch, also called Cock-crow or Cock-crowing Watch – midnight to 3am

Fourth Watch, also called Morning Watch – 3 am to sunrise, 6am

Some Roman watches are mentioned in the New Testament:

Matthew 14:25 – “fourth watch of the night” refers to 3-6am

Mark 13:35 – “evening”“midnight”“when the rooster crows”“morning”

Luke 12:38 – “second watch” refers to 9pm to midnight and “third” refers to midnight to 3am

Note this was the reference to Peters 3 denials by Jesus!

 Older versions of the Bible say the Gospel of John used Roman time. (Again, Roman time is how we keep time.) Newer versions of the Bible say the hours mentioned in John are Jewish time. Looking at the context of the verses, I would agree with Jewish time.

John 1:39 – “the tenth hour” could refer to the Roman time of 10am or the Jewish time of 4pm.  (4pm makes more sense.)

John 4:6 – “the sixth hour” is perhaps Roman time of 6am or Jewish time of noon  (The heat of the day at noon makes more sense.)

John 4:52 – “the seventh hour” is either 7am Roman time or 1pm Jewish time.  (Again, Jewish time makes more sense.)

It’s not clear why scholars of the newer versions have decided it is Jewish time in the Gospel of John. Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written between AD 58-67. John was written about AD 80-90 when the Roman Empire ruled and the Jewish people had been scattered after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. Perhaps when John wrote the gospel most people kept time by Roman standards and that is why older versions say it was written with Roman time. But John being Jewish, the advancement in scholarship of ancient texts and the context of the verses makes the thought feasible that he wrote using Jewish hours.

When reading the Bible is it critical to know the Jewish hours and the Roman watches? Not really, but it helps with context of the passage. For instance in Matthew 14:25 when Jesus comes walking to the disciples on water it was the “fourth watch” or 3:00 to 6:00am. Matthew 14:22 tells us Jesus had the disciples get into the boat and go before Him. Verse 23 tells us Jesus went to pray and then evening came. This means the disciples had been in the boat over nine hours and may have been battling the storm a long time before Jesus came to them. That would be enough time to become really terrified! Is that crucial to the text to know that? No, not really – you get the point of the passage without that knowledge, however knowing the context makes your understanding richer. 

Please don’t leave this page before making certain Jesus is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Its all about Life and Relationship, not Religion.

NOT SURE? YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A MIRACLE in TIME

IT ALL BEGAN

with

A MIRACLE IN TIME and WINE.

Here are some extremely interesting aspects of a well known incident in John 2:6.

Some we may not have fully understood or appreciated.It is without doubt a fact that God’s ways are not our ways, or His thoughts ours. So it would follow that His actions may also hold mysteries that we do not see clearly at first glance.

For a description of the levels of revealing in His Word click link

https://www.minimannamoments.com/the-rules-of-pardes/

What was Jesus really trying to show us and tell us at the wedding at Cana? Cana today. Surely it was not the freedom to drink alcohol to a point of intoxication and giving His consent and agreement for drunken behavior.

Those who live in the modern western world do not catch the full significance of Jesus’ promise. This is due to the fact that in His promise Jesus was drawing an analogy from Jewish marriage customs in biblical times and those marriage customs help us to grasp the full significance of the promise.

Payment of the purchase price. –

Set apart (sanctified)

Bridegroom departs to Father’s House. –

Prepares room addition. –

Bride prepares for imminent return.

They were companions of the bridegroom, who went with him to bring the bride from her home to his home.

Marriage feasts lasted 7 days, but the woman was considered a bride for 30 days.

Unlike Western weddings, which are paid for by the bride’s family, in Eastern weddings, the groom was responsible for the expenses of the celebration.

In western weddings, the bridegroom comes in first, then the bride, the prominent one, enters. However in Eastern weddings it is the bridegroom who is the prominent one. We see no mention of the bride in John’s account of the wedding at Cana because the body of believers, the Ekklesia, the called out ones, also called the bride of Messiah, was not yet in the picture. In Jewish life, the wedding marked the culmination of the betrothal period. During that period, which often lasted for several months, up to one year. Again the western tradition of a 1- year engagement.

The bride never knew when the groom would come because after the marriage covenant had been established, called the ketubah (becoming betrothed, the equivalent of western engagement).

The groom would leave the home of the bride and return to his father’s house.

There he would remain separate for the whole year.

The young man goes to prepare a chador (chamber) in his father’s house, sometimes called a “chuppah” (place for the honeymoon).

Just as Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in His Fathers House and then He will come and take His bride to Himself. (Eph. 5:22-23).

Some translations have talked about the many mansions in God’s house and our western culture has us all pictured on our own grassy hill in a Mansion. That would have been foreign to that society. The word actually just refers to a dwelling. Based on culture, if Jesus is giving us a literal picture of what eternity is like then we’re all living together in one attached house. It’s a picture of being brought into the family.

The couple was considered legally man and wife and only a divorce could terminate the betrothal. (This may shed some light on Mary and Josephs situation). They did not, however, live together or consummate the marriage during that period.

The father of the groom had to approve the prepared room and when he was satisfied then he would tell his son to go and get his bride. She had to be ready for he could come anytime even in the middle of the night and take her away to her new home. 1Thess.5:2Just as we are always to be ready for Jesus to come for us. Matthew 24:36 and only the Father knows that time.

As a result the groom’s arrival would be preceded by a shout. In the same way that the Jewish groom’s arrival was preceded by a shout and the blowing of a shofar, so Christ’s arrival to take the Church will be preceded by a shout (1 Thess. 4:16).

This shout and shofar sounding would forewarn the bride to be prepared for the coming of the groom. After the groom received his bride together with her female attendants, (parable of the 10 virgins).

The enlarged wedding party would return from the bride’s home to the groom’s father’s house. Which is the grooms hometown, (heaven).

Just as the taking of the Jewish bride was accomplished by a procession of the groom and male escorts from the groom’s father’s house to the home of the bride, so the taking of the Church will be accomplished by a procession of Christ and an angelic escort from Messiah’s Father’s house in heaven to the home of the Church (1 Thess. 4:16).

Upon arrival there the wedding party would find that the wedding guests had assembled already.  In the same manner as the Jewish wedding party found wedding guests assembled in the groom’s father’s house when they arrived, so Christ and the Church will find the souls of Old Testament saints assembled in heaven when they arrive. These souls will serve as the wedding guests.On the night of the ceremony, (usually the 4th day, Yom R’vi’i, a Wednesday);

the groom and his friends would go to the bride’s house. They would then escort the bride and her attendants to the groom’s house, where the ceremony and banquet would be held.The whole celebration, which could last up to a week followed the short marriage ceremony, and then the Bride and Groom retired to the place he had prepared (Huppa/Wedding Chamber), and the friend of the groom, the best man, stood by the door. Prior to entering the chamber the bride remained veiled so that no one could see her face. Reading the Ketuba.

When the marriage had been consummated, the Groom would shout in his joy and the friend of the groom would relay the good news to the guests.This was the beginning of a week-long celebration and the first week of the couple being alone together in the bridal chamber. This is where we get the western week long honeymoon. This also sheds light on another reference in John 3:29-30.“The one who has the bride is the bridegroom: and the friend of the bridegroom is the one who stands by, then when he hears his joy he rejoices because of the voice of the bridegroom. Therefore this joy has been fulfilled in me. It is necessary for that One to increase, and for me to decrease.”The wedding ceremony takes place under the chuppah (canopy), a symbol of the home that the new couple will build together. It is open on all sides, just as Abraham and Sarah had their tent open all sides to welcome people in unconditional hospitality.

The bride traditionally gifts the groom a new prayer shawl (tallit). In some communities he wears it under the chuppah, and sometimes it is draped over both him and the bride.

Western weddings exchange vows and the couple sign the registry.

It is easy to see where many of our western traditions have their origins!

And how everything is connected.

So Yeshua and the Church will experience spiritual union after their arrival at His Father’s house in heaven, thereby consummating their relationship that had been covenanted earlier.During the seven days of the wedding festivities, which were sometimes called “the seven days of the chuppah,” the bride remained hidden in the bridal chamber. Many scholars believe that this period of seven days corresponds to the Church remaining hidden for a period of seven years after arrival at the Father’s house in heaven. While the seven year Tribulation Period is taking place on the earth, the Church will be in heaven totally hidden from the sight of those living on the earth. At the conclusion of these seven days the groom would bring his bride out of the bridal chamber, now with her veil removed, so that all could see who his bride was. So Christ will bring His ‘church’, the ecclesia, the congregation of called out ones, out of heaven in His Second Coming at the conclusion of the seven year Tribulation Period in full view of all who are alive, so that all can see who the true church is (Col. 3:4). John 2:2-3 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.The mother of Jesus was at this particular wedding. That both she and Jesus attended suggests the wedding involved relatives or friends of the family (Jesus’ brother?). That would explain why Mary seems to have been more than just a guest, but apparently had some responsibility for helping with the celebration. For example, she was aware of the situation regarding the lack of wine, and took the initiative to solve the serious problem.

A major crisis loomed at the wedding celebration when the wine ran out because the supply was insufficient for whatever reason. Such an embarrassing faux pas could have stigmatized the couple and their families for the rest of their lives for failing to meet their responsibilities. Thus Jesus’ turning the water into wine was not just a sensational miracle.All of His miracles met specific needs, such as opening blind eyes or deaf ears, delivering those oppressed by demons, feeding hungry people, or calming a storm. This miracle also met the genuine need of the family and their guests, who otherwise faced a social catastrophe. This first miracle Jehovah-Jireh – the LORD will provide. The LORD sees what we need ahead of time and has the provision ready.

Mary informed Jesus of the situation and had high expectations for Him to help. Maybe she was remembering what Gabriel had told her before she conceived.

Jesus’ reply, ‘what have I to do with thee?’ (lit., What to Me and to you?) is an idiomatic expression which asks rhetorically what the two parties in question have in common, and has the effect of distancing them. It was the Hebrew way of saying, ‘You don’t understand’.The statement, coupled with Jesus’ addressing Mary as ‘Woman’ instead of ‘Mother,’ politely but firmly informed her that what they had in common in their relationship was no longer to be what it had been while He was growing up in Nazareth. His public ministry had begun, and earthly relationships would not determine His actions.

Mary was to relate to Him no longer as her son, but as her Messiah, the Son of God, and her Savior (Matt 12:47-50; Mark 3:31- 35; Luke 11:27-28).Jesus did not say,‘No’ to her. He was telling her that what she was asking would not accomplish what she was hoping for.

Mary was asking for literal wine for the people of the marriage supper, but Jesus was talking about the wine, which was His shed blood, for the marriage of the Lamb.Jesus made it clear that He would act according to God’s timetable, decreed before the foundation of the world, not hers or any mans. (John 7:2-8). It was not the appointed time for Jesus’ full messianic glory to be revealed; yet the miracle He would perform would make His divine power unmistakable, and preview His glory to come.

The dark hour of the cross would precede the full revelation in His glorious messianic kingdom where wine, emblematic of joy and gladness, will never run out. Undeterred by the mild rebuke (Matt 15:22-28), and aware that He was not saying no to the request, Mary said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’The most significant point of this miracle is TIME and any vineyard owner will tell you that for grapes to be made into wine is a process that often takes years to produce a great vintage.

There are specific stages from planting the seed to bottling.The list sounds familiar to the scriptural descriptions of disciples and the kingdom of Heaven.

Wine cannot age without TIME.

So for the wine Jesus produced at Cana to be the best that was served, how could it age in an instant?TIME maybe an important point He was trying to make, as a precursor to what He was here to accomplish; what His life was meant to show; and what He was about to do in revealing who He really was.

Wine is only wine if it’s aged, but this wine had no time in which to age. It did not have any time in which to complete the long process.

THIS WINE HAD NO PAST

it only had a future.

 So in this sense it had to be given a new past. Can this be possible?

For us on earth, time moves forward, not backwards and neither does it stand still. However the Lord who created the heavens and the earth brought time into existence for the purpose of our earthly experience. And probably also as a means to keep constraints around the devil and a boundary for his cohorts; as they are now contained within Earth time and subject to its limitations.

Rev.12:12 the devil knows he has but a little time. How so, if he is an eternal spirit?

God is Spirit and exists outside of our dimensions and is not bound by the time He created. He is the same yesterday today and forever. So for Him to change a past, or remove it and replace it, is indeed possible. Every miracle of Jesus is a short circuit of a natural process. When God’s power enters the picture, it is not just simply any king; it’s the Creator of the Universe entering, the King of nature and all its processes.

Jesus transformed a non- living, inorganic compound (water) into a living, organic compound (wine) and it is a picture of His resurrection and of ours to come.

This first miracle teaches us that salvation is through the Word of God.

It is the key to understanding all miracles. Matter is pliable and subject to change within His presence. For the power of His glory has the ability to alter change and transform matter at the molecular level, of which everything is constructed. If we could really grasp this reality, seeing people get healed would be more commonplace.

He is the Lord of creation, the king of the universe and the author of Time. He is the Alef and Tav; the Alpha and Omega; the Beginning and End; the Start and the Finish.

He is YHVH, God, Adonai of TIME.We cannot change the past nor give something a past that does not have one… but He can and the water to wine was a demonstration of such a plan.

He gave the wine a past, where there was no past.

This is the promise of a future for all mankind, for the one who can give a past where there was none, can also remove a past that is no longer wanted or relevant. This is His salvation. It is not simply that everything is the same and we’re forgiven in spite of our sin but it’s as if we never sinned in the first place.The scripture promises that one day God will wipe away sin and wash away guilt.

This cannot be achieved without changing the past and without undoing what was done. However it is not simply justified, (just as if we never sinned) because in His redemptive sacrificial death the impossible becomes the possible; and the reality is the guilty become innocent.

The rejected become accepted and the scarlet sin becomes white as snow. A person’s wedding day is comparable to his or her personal Yom Kippur, on which all sins are forgiven. For the chatan, (Hebrew for groom), and kallah, (bride), on this day all their past mistakes are forgiven, as their lives merge together, becoming one….under His wings.We cannot make scarlet sins turn white. Sin is already committed and they are part of the past and the past is gone. The only way to change that sin would be to change the past in which it occurred.

This is the true miracle of salvation, He has removed all past as far as the east is from the west. If God can give a past where there was no past, if He can do that for wine in Cana, then He can certainly remove a past where there was one.

Isaiah 1:18; Luke 7:37, 47; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 1:8–9.

He has taken the scarlet cord of your life’s sinful past and has made it white.Your life is like the stone jar of water, now changed, transformed. We are the new wine within and cannot be contained in the old wine skins of our past lives. We need to be changed from glory to glory to become a stable container (so we don’t burst or explode). Then out of us, His power can flow forth.The old is gone, the new is come. We are new creations, the old has passed away and we are to walk in newness of life.

The Cana miracle of transformation was a most prophetic picture, indicative of what was to come for those who would believe; both in this life and in the ultimate future of eternity in His presence.

With a new incorruptible body.

This is the first miracle that Jesus performed. Moses’ first miracle was turning water into blood. Moses was a type and shadow of Yeshua. Delivering Israel out of bondage.Compared with the ministry of Moses who turned water into blood as a sign of God’s judgment (Ex.7:14–24), Jesus is a bringer of joy and celebration by the Spirit because He delivers us from the moment.

He is the God of time by turning water into wine immediately, bypassing agricultural and fermentation processes.

Moreover, this was no ordinary wine, for as the host remarked, “You have saved the best till now” (v 10).But neither was it ordinary water.

Since its purpose was “for ceremonial washing” (v 6), the miraculous transmutation suggests the old order passing away, law metamorphosing to gospel. He is the new wine of the kingdom.The jars were for purification and He turned all 6 of them red like the blood that would purify all believers removing all our sins and sorrows foreverThe ceremony was held in a synagogue and they were there for a week.In Israel, the streets are stone,

the walls are stone, the houses are stone, In the first century even the furniture, the baths, and many cooking pots, jugs, bowls, and disheswere all made of stone. (obviously the modern drill image is for reference) Stoneware cores, cup bored plugs showing iron spinning hole saw rings lines drilled raw and unfinished. Ritual Purity First Century.

Equivalent of a large metal plastic or wooden barrels today compared to Stoneware Vessels used for Ritual-Purity in 1st-Century.  This was no small container they would each hold twenty to thirty gallons,such jars would need to be about three feet tall and be cut from a single block of stone weighing at least half a ton. Quite aside from the miracle itself, the sheer quantity of new wine created is astounding—equivalent to about a 1,000 bottles! We know this because so many ancient stone vessels have been found in Israel, many of them roughly fashioned, but the best ones turned on a lathe and smoothed, polished, and decorated.

The practical reason for all this stoneware stems from the Jewish laws of ritual purity. Stone vessels could easily be cleaned with water, whereas if an earthenware pot became ritually unclean it had to be broken. Hence the high incidence of stone vessels is peculiar to ancient Israelite culture, as non-Jews normally didn’t bother with this costly and cumbersome material when ceramics were much more convenient. The Jews used stone waterpots to hold the water used for ritual purification because they believed that, unlike earthenware pots (Lev 11:33), they did not become unclean.This seemingly insignificant detail, that the water was up to the very top, shows that nothing was added to the water, and that what followed was indeed a transformation miracle.

By ordering the jars to be completely filled before He transformed the water in them into wine, Jesus also displayed His generous grace. Six signifies work and wine signifies blood. The stone waterpots represent Christ’ body. Without the shedding of blood, there is no cleansing (purifying).Exodus 17:6 “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the Rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the Rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink…”

In The Old Testament was is Concealed, is Revealed in the New Testament !

Proverbs 25:2 “It is the Glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of Kings is to search out a matter.” He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

1st Corinthians 10:4 “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”Jesus the Messiah is the true Rock that the water of salvation comes from, and the Rock in Horeb merely was a shadow, casting a spiritual picture of it.

And that is why these waterpots in John chapter 2 from where wine would come, are purposely pointed out as being of stone.True purification is from Jesus/Yeshua the Messiah. Six Stone water pots signifying that it is by the work of Christ’s blood that the people will have this purification. The blood is the true wine of which Christ spoke, which was not yet ready for the Woman (the Church). It was not yet Christ’s hour to go to the cross. If the number six represents the days of creation, then Jesus’ miracle constituted a wonderful blessing of fertility on this marriage— not only on the couple but on their family for generations to come, a tribe of perhaps hundreds, thousands, even millions of people. More than a show of power, this was a blessing conferred upon a relationship—indeed upon the central relationship of all, the one that best represents the covenant between the Lord and His people.  Following the ceremonial proceedings of the Huppa, is the marriage banquet, also sometimes called the wedding feast or marriage festival.This was the joyful celebration of the union of the couple with all their family and friends. For us as believers, after the Catching away,the blessed hope,

we have one very important banquet to look forward to with our Lord and King. All the called out ones, the bride of Messiah, will join the Lord at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.The Lord will take the long awaited cup of wine and we will all share it together with Him and enjoy the heavenly festivities He has planned. Rev. 19:7-9

The mundane and the ordinary can become infused by the power and the glory of God –

if we are prepared to respond in faith to the same challenge of Mary to the servants and to

“DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU”.

Messiah Yeshua began His ministry on this earth at a wedding.

The wedding was the first act and as He came to marry the believers to Himself in a covenant by His own body to fulfill the marriage covenant that was first entered into by Moses and Israel at Sinai. He ratified this renewed covenant in His own blood.

He will conclude it, as far as the body of believers are concerned, with a wedding also the consummation of a covenant between the Lamb and His bride, the elkklesia.

 The last chapters of John convey some of the final words of Jesus to His disciples. He is leaving them, but only for a season. He is reassuring them of His return – as a groom eagerly returns for his bride.

This first miracle was so prophetic and was indeed right on and in TIME.

We have that same reassurance. In giving a reNEWed covenant, Jesus used the most intimate language available. God loves us and is creating a place in the family for us to live forever.

Shalom!

Please don’t leave this site without knowing you are saved and assured that you belong to Him; with a deep conviction that you know where you will go, when your body can no longer sustain you in this realm. 

Make certain Jesus is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him. 

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

Its all about Life and Relationship not Religion.

NOT SURE?

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’ name. Amen. You are now assured of heaven..rejoice and give Him glory for this is THE most important miracle.

more at https://www.minimannamoments.com/welcome-come-taste-some-bread-of-life-bread-from-heaven/life-changing-information-guaranteed/