Israel’s 7 Apocalyptic Days The Great Tribulation

Israel’s 7 Apocalyptic Days The Great Tribulation

INDEX Chapter 1, Part 2 Preview: The envoys (apostles) never said that the seven Biblical “Feast” Days were dusty archives of events long forgotten! They said they are prophetic signs of “things to come”! The modern Israelite nations have almost entirely lost the knowledge of not only their Biblical heritage, but also the truth that we were to have an “everlasting covenant” with Elohim (God). This chapter explains, via the Biblical Feast Days, why it is that only the Israelite nations will suffer the prophesied “Great Tribulation”. The penalty for not keeping our covenant will be inflicted upon Modern Israel by the hands of the people who we were supposed to set an example for! (Deuteronomy 4:26-27) The other nations suffer afterward: Jeremiah 23:7-9 That’s why the time will come,” says Yehovah [Jehovah], “When people will no longer say ‘As Yehovah lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.’” 8 Instead, they’ll say, ‘As surely as Yehovah lives, who brought about the ‘EXODUS’ of the descendants of the nation of Israel from the North Country, and from all the countries where He had banished them.’ Then they’ll live in their own land. —The Gabriel Bible Among those who celebrate the “Lord’s Supper” and/or “the Passover,” there is a great deal of error and confusion. The two chapters mentioned above concerning Yeshua’s (Jesus’) Supper (the Lord’s Supper) and Passover are devoted to unraveling those errors: When ancient Israel forgot their Elohim, Elohim seemingly tossed them aside. History will repeat itself. Even watered down Christianity in the modern Israelite nations is in very steep decline, and Biblical illiteracy reigns supreme. Church members prefer to believe whatever they are told to believe! Exodus 13:3 Moses told the people, “Remember this day-the day you marched out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, because by a powerful hand Yehovah brought you out of there. (Remember, don’t eat any leavened bread.) Psalm 106:21 They forgot Elohim, their Deliverer, who had done those amazing things in Egypt, During most of the final seven year period of this age the wicked will dominate the land of Israel. Yet during the later half of that period—3½ years, the Two Witnesses will be personally destroying many of “their” (Elohim’s) enemies (Revelation 11:5) as they present obstacles to His work in Israel. Revelation 11:5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies—if anyone wants to harm them they must be killed in the same way. During this latter 3 1/2 year (1,260 day) period, the number of the descendants of Israel are greatly reduced due to the unprecedented numbers of people being slain by a monstrous dictator known in the Bible by (among other titles) as the the Beast. It begins with the horrors that happen to the modern descendants of Israel in the following account of the Great Tribulation on Israel: Ezekiel 7: All The Word of Yehovah came to me, and said, 2 “You, human son, this is what the Sovereign Yehovah says to the people in the land of Israel: An end! The end has come on the four corners of the land. 3 The end is coming for you. I’ll ‘unleash’ My anger against you. I’ll judge you as a consequence of your lifestyle, and I’ll compensate you for all your abominations. 4 I won’t look at you with pity or spare you. I’ll repay you for all the abominations among you. Then you’ll know that I am Yehovah. 5 This is what the Sovereign Yehovah says: Disaster! A unique disaster is coming! 6 The end has come! The end has come! It has awakened against you. Look, it’s coming! 7 Your doom has come to you, inhabitants of the land. The time is coming. The day of trouble is near. There will be chaos rather than joyful shouting on the mountains. 8 Soon I will pour out My wrath on you and unleash My anger against you. I’ll judge you as a consequence of your lifestyle, and repay you for all your abominable behavior. 9 I won’t look at you with pity or spare you. I’ll compensate you for your lifestyle, while your abominations are all around you. Then you will know that it is I, Yehovah, striking the blow. 10 Look, the day is near! It is coming! Your destruction awaits! The rod has budded, arrogance has blossomed. 11 Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness. None of them will remain, none of their people, none of their wealth. Nothing of value will be left. 12 The time has come, the day has arrived. Buyers won’t rejoice, nor will sellers mourn their losses, because wrath will come against the whole crowd. 13 Sellers won’t live long enough to purchase more of what they sold. The revelation about the whole crowd can’t be averted. Because of their sins, none of them will continue to live. 14 They’ve blown the trumpet, and made everything ready, but no one is going to battle, because My wrath is against them all. 15 The sword is outside, and disease and famine are inside. Whoever is in a field will die by the sword. Whoever is in the city will be devoured by famine and disease. 16 But those who survive and escape will be in the mountains, all of them moaning like doves of the valleys, each one over their wickedness. 17 All hands will hang limp, and all knees will become as weak as water. 18 They’ll dress themselves in sackcloth. Horror will cover them, and shame will be on everyone’s faces, and their heads will be shaved. 19 They’ll throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be like something unclean. Their silver and their gold won’t be able to rescue them on the day of the wrath of Yehovah. They won’t satisfy their hunger, nor fill their stomachs, because it has been the stumbling block of their wickedness. 20 They were proud of their beautiful jewelry, and used it to make abominable idols and vile images. So I will turn these into an unclean thing for them. 21 I’ll hand it [the Temple ornaments, v.20] over to foreigners as booty, and to the wicked of the earth as plunder, and they’ll defile it. 22 Then I’ll turn My face from them, and they’ll defile My Treasured Place, and robbers will enter it, and defile it. 23 Prepare chains, because the land is full of bloodshed and the city is filled with violence. 24 So I’ll bring the worst of the nations, and they’ll take possession of their houses. I’ll also put an end to the pride of the strong, and their ‘kadosh places’ will be profaned. 25 When destruction comes, they’ll seek peace, but there won’t be any. 26 Disaster after disaster will come, and rumor after rumor. They’ll ask for a vision from a prophet, but Torah understanding will have been lost/destroyed by the ‘priests’ and wise counsel from the elders. 27 The king will mourn, and the leader will be clothed with despair, and the hands of the people of the land will be paralyzed by terror. I’ll deal with them according to their lifestyle, and I’ll judge them by their own standards. And they will know that I am Yehovah. Skipping to the happy ending part we find the following summary about what follows the most awesome “day”, or period, in the history of nations— “Jacob’s Trouble”: Jeremiah 30:7-8 That day will be terrible! There will never be another like it. It’s the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he’ll be saved [liberated] out of it. 8 At that time, says Yehovah the ‘Warrior’ King, I’ll break the yoke from your neck, and snap your chains. Foreigners will no longer enslave you. As we saw in Jeremiah 23:7-8, prophecy indicates that the coming Exodus will entirely supersede the ancient Exodus account, that some only view as an ancient legend. According to the line of reasoning in Jubilee 2028 AD, that Jubilee year will mark the time when the Israelite nations will be repossessing the Land of Israel. I anticipate, with good reason, that the Second Exodus will be extraordinarily parallel to the First Exodus in many circumstances. More specifically, I suspect that the parallel would place the Second Exodus during the Days of Unleavened Bread of 2028, toward the end of the Great Tribulation. Israel will fight her way back into The Land (Zechariah 12). This will fulfill the prophetic relevance of the end time Days of Unleavened Bread! The Beast There is some symbolism in the next Scripture that is worth mentioning in the context of the Exodus that I want to mention, because I believe that it alludes to the end time. Is it only coincidental that the eye and hand connection of Exodus so exactly parallels the hand and eye reference concerning the end time Beast? Exodus 13:8-9 You’ll tell your son on that day, “It’s because of what Yehovah did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 This annual commemoration will serve as a sign on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the Torah of Yehovah must remain on your ‘lips’, because with a strong hand Yehovah brought you out of Egypt. The same chapter then repeats the hand and eye connection for emphasis. Exodus 13:16 So this commemoration will be like a sign on your hand, and like a Tefillin on your forehead, because by strength of hand Yehovah brought us out of Egypt. The Hebrew word for forehead, literally “eye”, used in Exodus, actually alludes to “mental and spiritual faculties”. The mental perception of the Hebrew word “eye” exactly corresponds to the Greek “forehead” reference in Revelation 13. The Greek word for “forehead” literally means “the space between the eyes” [Strong’s 3359 metopon]. Simply put, the First Exodus and the Second Exodus have to do with a “hand” reference, symbolizing personal actions, and a “forehead”, or mental reference, having to do with an individual’s thought processes! Your thoughts and actions in this life are of the utmost significance to Elohim. This evil age will be brought to a close with a “showdown” between good and evil. May the “Torah of Yehovah” be “on your ‘lips’”. Revelation 13:14-18 He beguiled those who live on earth into erecting an icon [Gr. eikon] of the ravenous beast who had recovered from the sword wound. 15 He [the second beast] was allowed to give life to the icon of the [first] ravenous beast, so that the icon of the beast could even speak and cause anyone who wouldn’t worship the icon of the ravenous beast to be killed. 16 He ‘forced’ everyone, great and small, rich and poor, slave and free, to accept a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that no one could buy or sell anything unless they had the mark [insignia] naming the ravenous beast, or the number ‘representing’ his name. 18 Wisdom is needed here. Someone with intelligence should calculate the number of the ravenous beast, because it is the number of a man, and the number ‘totals’ 666. Without doubt, Yeshua strongly contemplated the following Scripture, as He was about to die: Isaiah 53:4-5 4 Surely He has borne our sickness, and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by Elohim, and punished. 5 But He was pierced for our rebellion. He was crushed for our wickedness. His punishment brought about our peace, and by His wounds we are healed. Knowing that He would return under better circumstances made the pain more endurable. Isaiah 64:1 Oh that You would tear the heavens and come down, so the mountains would quake in Your presence. After the Sabbath within the Days of Unleavened Bread, we are to count fifty days to arrive at Pentecost. Pentecost is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Feast of Weeks”. The most special significance associated with the number fifty in the Scriptures, numerological speaking, is in reference to the Jubilee year that comes every fiftieth year. Every fiftieth year was, among other things, a time to “proclaim liberty thruout all the land to all its inhabitants.” How fitting that following the seven year period—the seventh such period in the fifty year cycle—is a year long commemoration of Independence Day, independence from captivity! I believe that Pentecost, with its countdown of fifty days is an annual reminder of what the Jubilee is all about. Altho the Day of Atonements is mentioned in this Scripture as having special significance, we must keep in mind that in the Kingdom of Elohim, the Jubilee will be celebrated for an entire year by all of the survivors of Israel, and their descendants. Leviticus 25:8-10 “‘You must count off seven Sabbaths of years—seven times seven years, so that the seven sabbaths of years amounts to a period of forty-nine years. 9 Then you will sound the shofar alarm [Literally “shofar shofar”, not Jubilee] on the tenth day of the seventh moon, on the Day of Atonements you’ll sound the shofar alarm thruout your entire land. 10 You’ll dedicate the fiftieth year, and shout liberty thruout the land to all of its inhabitants. It will be a Jubilee for you, and each of you can return to your own property, and each of you will return to your own clan. I believe that the reoccupation of the twelve modern nations of Israel in their ancient homeland, following their captivity, will begin on Pentecost and will end on Atonements during the very next Jubilee year. The entire liberation occurs between these special days and will be completed by the Day of Atonements [the “im” on kippurim pluralizes it]. This period is when everyone “can return to your own property, and each of you will return to your own clan.”. What does Leviticus mean by “return to your own property”? It is a reference to the actual reclaiming of the enlarged land of Israel by the twelve tribes, as prophesied by Ezekiel: Ezekiel 47:13-14 The Sovereign Yehovah says: These are the boundaries of the land that is to be divided as the inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will have two portions. 14 You must divide the rest equally between the others, because I swore to give it to your ancestors. And this land will ‘be’ your inheritance. The division of the land explanation goes on to emphasize that foreign nationals will apparently be given a one time only opportunity to be grafted into the nation of Israel. Yehovah’s favor toward Israel will become so apparent that in a short period of time virtually the entire world would want to be a part of Israel if given the opportunity. But it is the “first fruits” of the non Israelite world who will be given this opportunity—by merit—because they will have fought for Israel’s liberation along with the seeming underdogs of a greatly outnumbered and outgunned Israel. Zechariah 12:3 When that day comes I’ll make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for everyone. Anyone who lifts it will be severely injured. And every nation on earth will be gathered to fight against it. Those foreigners who side with Israel in their fight to the death will become honorary Israelites with full citizenry rights: Ezekiel 47:22-23 You will divide the inheritance by lots among yourselves and among the foreigners who live with you. They will be like native-born Israelites, and they’ll be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the foreigner is staying, you’ll give him his inheritance there, says the Sovereign Yehovah. We too have a one time only opportunity to become honorary Israelites with the special privileges of even becoming her spirit born “kings and priests” Revelation 5:9-10 They sang a new hymn: “You deserve to take the small book and to open its seals, because You were slain and have purchased us for YHVH with Your own blood, out of every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and You’ve made them kings and priests for YHVH, and they’ll rule as kings on the earth”. The Wave Sheaf, Firstfruits and Resurrections Usually “first fruits” has to do with crops, but metaphorically it represents the first people to do something. Yeshua is the ultimate firstfruit, the first person to be resurrected to eternal life. But there is to be a first collective group to be distinguished with eternal life. 1 Corinthians 15:20 & 23 But now the Messiah has risen from the dead and has become the first person born [or firstrfuit] from the dead... 23 but everyone in their order, Messiah was the firstfruit, later, at His coming, those who are the Messiah’s. James 1:18 He chose to give us life by the Messenger of truth, so that we could be the firstborn [or firstrfuit] of His created beings. The Greek word aparche, usually translated as “first fruits” is a compound word that means “of” and “the first to do (anything)”. Yeshua was the first individual “fruit” to be harvested. But there are other “fruit” harvests. The Wave Sheaf offering associates us with Yeshua, the Firstfruit. This is usually explained as Yeshua being accepted, but He was never un-accepted. It is we who have yet to be accepted: Leviticus 23:10-12 “Tell the Israelites, “Once you’ve entered the land that I’m giving to you, and harvested its grain, then you must bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before Yehovah, so that YOU WILL BE ACCEPTED. On the day after the Sabbath the priest will wave it. 12 On the same day you wave the sheaf, you must offer a year old male lamb [a reference to Yeshua] without any defects as a burnt ze’bak [sacrifice] to Yehovah. When the kadishea (saints) die, their dead bodies are like a seed that is planted. But in due time we will be harvested— “raised a spiritual body”! 1 Corinthians 15:35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? And what kind of body will they return with?” 36 Foolish man! The seed you sow won’t germinate unless it dies first. 37 What you sow isn’t the body that will be, but a naked seed of wheat or barley or another grain. 38 YHVH furnishes the body He intended. Each seed produces its own body. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, but what is raised will never decay. 43 They are sown in dishonor, they rise in brightness, they are sown in weakness, they’ll rise in power, 44 it is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a physical body and there is a spiritual body. We have a commonality with Yeshua. We will all be planted and raised from the dead. Yeshua is thought to be the wave sheaf, but in time order the Wave Sheaf offering follows the Passover, and when Yeshua became our Passover He enabled us to be accepted, and, as we saw, the wave sheaf ceremony is when “YOU WILL BE ACCEPTED” (if you germinate): Romans 8:29 He knew ‘us’ in advance, indeed He predestined ‘us’ to be similar to His Son, so that He could be the firstborn [eldest] of many brothers. Again firstfruit, when applied to a person, means the first person to do something. Yeshua was the first individual “seed” to die and become something far more substantial. But the Wave Sheaf Offering consists of thousands of individual seeds, an omer measurement, traditionally collected from several fields collectively and then waved to Yehovah for acceptance! Pentecost and Firstfruits Several Bible passages show that during Pentecost we are still dealing with the “first fruits”. The original instructions don’t mention what is special about the occasion—we’re only told to celebrate it. So we start out with a bit of a mystery! Leviticus 23:16-17 You’ll count fifty days, to the day following the seventh Sabbath. Then you’ll present a fresh grain offering to Yehovah. 17 Bring from your homes two loaves of bread, made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, for a wave offering. Bake them with leavening, as the first harvest [first fruits] for Yehovah. Pentecost is the “day of the first fruits”. It is easy to demonstrate that Israel, as well as Yeshua, are “kind[s] of first fruits”. A faithful remnant of Israel had been Yehovah’s “first fruits”. Israel was meant to be the first exemplary nation—the nation to lead the rest of the world to Elohim! Jeremiah 2:2-3 “Go, and herald within the hearing of Jerusalem, ‘This is what Yehovah says: I remember the kindness of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, into a barren land. 3 Israel was dedicated to Yehovah, the first fruits of His harvest, anyone who devoured him became guilty, and disaster struck them,’” says Yehovah. In the near future more Israelites will be firstfruits—pioneers back to the land of Israel. Isaiah 66:19-20 I’ll set up a sign among them and send some survivors to the nations—to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Meshech, Rosh, Tubal, Javan, to the distant islands who haven’t heard of My fame or seen My splendor. They’ll announce My splendor among the nations. 20 They’ll bring all of your relatives from all the nations as an offering to Yehovah, on horses, and on chariots, and on litters, and on mules, and on dromedaries, to My kadosh mountain Jerusalem, says Yehovah, like the Israelites bring their offering in a ceremonially clean vessel into Yehovah’s Temple. Jeremiah also said that a few Israelites would forsake their evil ways and return to Zion, even if it is only one person from some cities. Jeremiah 3:14-15 Come back, you apostate people’, says Yehovah because I’m to be married to you. I’ll take one of you from this city, and two from that family, and I’ll bring you to Zion. 15 I’ll give you shepherds who understand Me, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. But it is far better to be a resurrected or instantaneously changed spirit composed king and/or priest, than being an Israelite pioneer settling the land of Israel in the flesh. Paul also stated that “some of my own countrymen”, meaning the select of Israel who were not being “rejected” were “firstfruit”. Romans 11:13-16 I’m speaking to those of you of other nations, since I’m an envoy to the nations, and I honor my ministry, 14 hoping that I can provoke some of my own countrymen to rivalry and Rescue some of them. 15 If their rejection results in reconciliation of the world, then what will their conversion be but the dead coming back to Life? [dem dry bones] 16 If the firstfruit is kadosh, then the rest are also. If the root is kadosh, the branches are also. (The lump of swelling dough is a correlation to the wave sheaf loaves preceding Pentecost.) If we as Yeshua’s kadishea (saints) are also first fruits, as were the elect of our ancient Israelite predecessors, it is not because we are in “the church” —it is because we have been grafted into the linage of Abraham! We were adopted by Elohim into Abraham’s family. Today we are chosen individually. Race no longer gives us an edge, as is so very well spelled out in the entire chapter of Romans 11. And while we have more knowledge than the ancients, we have an equal destiny. Interestingly, when Peter spoke on the astonishing day of Pentecost in 31 AD, he was only speaking to Jews—physical first fruits! Acts 2:5-6 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem who revered YHVH from every nation under the sky. 6 When they heard the noise, many people gathered around in amazement, because everyone heard them speaking in their own language. We see that the first fruits are directly associated with Pentecost—also known as the “Feast of Weeks” at the time of the “wheat harvest”. Exodus 34:22 You must celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruit of the wheat harvest, and the Harvest Feast annually at the end of the agricultural cycle. The first fruits include everyone who was a faithful part of the “first covenant” (that is, including “the strangers {non Israelites} who dwell among you”.) Many ancient Israelites will also receive “life from the dead”. Israelites, the first fruits, are not castaways! There were many Israelites, even tho a minority, who were truly Father’s people. They were so scattered that even Elijah was not aware that there were 7,000 of them during his watch. During Paul’s watch, “the Israel of Elohim” was still the first fruits, as well as anyone of any race who wanted to associate with the Elohim of Israel, before Yeshua appeared. Galatians 6:15-16 In Yeshua Messiah, circumcision does not empower anyone, nor the lack of circumcision, but a new conversion does. 16 Peace be on those who walk straight—who walk the line, and mercy on the Israel of YHVH. The word “first” is a clue. They were the first harvest to await the reward of “life from the dead”. Romans 11:1-4 So I ask, has YHVH rejected His people? Absolutely not. I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 YHVH hasn’t rejected the people who He predestined. Don’t you know what the Scriptures say about Elijah when he complained to YHVH against Israel? He said, 3 “YHVH, they’ve killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to kill me.” 4 And what was revealed to him, “I have kept seven thousand people for Myself who have never bowed down to worship Baal!” Both John the Immerser and Yeshua used wheat symbolically to represent the righteous. We don’t often associate wheat with being a fruit in English, only botanists do. Yet during Yeshua’s ministry it was acceptable speech, and He made a distinctly human association between wheat and the end time harvest—Judgment Day. Matthew 3:12 His winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He’ll completely empty His threshing floor, gathering the wheat into His granary. But He’ll completely burn up the chaff with inextinguishable fire. Matthew 13:24-30 He presented another analogy to them, “The Kingdom of the Heavens can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares in the wheat field, and then left. 26 As the grain began to mature the tares became noticeable. 27 The householder’s servants came and asked him, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these tares come from’. 28 He told them, ‘An enemy did this’. The servants asked him, ‘Should we go and pull them out?” 29 He replied, ‘No, because if you pull out the tares, you’ll also uproot the wheat. 30 They must both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I’ll tell the harvesters to gather the tares out first, and tie them in bundles to be burned, and then bring the wheat into my granary.’” Leavened Bread and Firstfruits Leavened Bread While Israel is scattered among the nations, they are certainly not one nation. It is common knowledge that Israel became two independent nations before their ancient captivity. What is little known is that they are still two nations! But this is an unacceptable state of affairs that Elohim will not allow to exist again in the future: Ezekiel 37:21-22 Then tell them, “The Sovereign Yehovah says: I’ll take the Israelites from among the nations where they’ve gone, and gather them from all around, and bring them back into their own land, 22 and I’ll make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. One king will be over all of them, and they’ll never be two nations again, or two kingdoms. As long as Israel is scattered among the nations it remains in a “leavened” (sinful) condition, as they were in Egypt. The following verses conclusively ties leaven to sin. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Your bragging isn’t good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out your old leaven so that you can be a new batch of dough, as you are unleavened. The Messiah, our Passover, was offered in our place. 8 So let’s celebrate the Feast, not with the old leaven or with the leaven of wickedness and bitterness, but with the unleavened bread of purity and dedication. What is be the significance of the two wave loaves? Notice that they are both “leavened” and “first fruits”! What might this seeming contradiction mean? Did the symbolic meaning of leaven do a total turnaround from representing sin to representing purity somewhere between Unleavened Bread and Pentecost? Actually, the leavened House, the Family of Israel and the Family of Judah, will soon be uprooted from their current homelands and go into captivity! Israel will begin a literal Exodus from their sins and begin a great reconciliation with Elohim, as illustrated by the two loaves “baked with leaven”. “Messiah our Passover” had to take upon Himself all of the sins of the world and become temporarily leavened to atone for our sins and become our Life-Giver (Savior). (As a side note, in chapter 2 we’ll see why the churches, for the first 1,000-1200 years celebrated the Passover (Communion or the Eucharist) with leavened bread.) Firstfruit Leviticus 23:17 Bring from your homes two loaves of bread, made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, for a wave offering. Bake them with leavening, as the first harvest [first fruits] for Yehovah. It was with great suffering that Yeshua died, not only for His own nation but also all of the other children of Elohim. Might the leavened loaves only become acceptable to Elohim at a time after they have been tried in the fire? John 11:50-52 You don’t realize that it’s better for us, for one Man to die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” 51 However He didn’t say this on his own initiative, but as high priest that year, he prophesied that Yeshua was about to die for the people, 52 and not only for the people, but also to unify the sons of Aloha who were scattered abroad [Gr. diaspora]. It will also be with great suffering and fiery trials that Elohim will purify Israel during the seven trumpet plagues. But reconciliation will ensue on Judgment Day. While billions of people who have died will be judged on Judgment Day, others will be tested “like gold” and be found worthy to live on into the seventh millennium! They will repopulate the earth. Zechariah 13:8-9 Yehovah says “Thruout the land, two thirds will be cut off and die, but one third will be left in it. 9 I’ll bring that third thru the fire, and refine them like silver is refined, and test them like gold is tested. They’ll call on My name, and I’ll hear them. I’ll say, ‘These are My people,’ and they’ll reply, ‘Yehovah is our Elohim’”. Isaiah 10:16 So the Sovereign, Yehovah the ‘Warrior’ King will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors. And under His splendor a fire will be kindled like a blazing flame. Luke 3:16 John told them, “I immerse you with water, but after me Someone more powerful than I am will come, the strings of whose sandals I’m not worthy to untie. He’ll immerse you with the kadosh spirit OR [2] with fire! [2] The three words usually translated “and with fire” are all one word in Aramaic. The reason I chose “OR with fire” rather than “and with fire”, is because of the context. The very next verse refers to “burn with unquenchable fire”. So it appears to mean that the fire is something you would want to avoid! Presumably we want the kadosh (holy) spirit rather than the fire. Pentecost represents the time when the Nations of Israel will again prepare to enter the Promised Land! It will be much like the original occupation of the land. Notice that the Feast of Firstfruits (Pentecost) was not to be celebrated until Israel came into their promised land. It was not celebrated in the wilderness. Leviticus 23:9-11 Then Yehovah told Moses: 10 “Tell the Israelites, “Once you’ve entered the land that I’m giving to you, and harvested its grain, then you must bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He is to wave the sheaf before Yehovah, so that YOU will be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest will wave it. The entry into the Promised Land, after the great ordeal in the wilderness, was a significant event. Notice the admonitions and importance that Elohim placed on the occasion of the ancient entry into the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 11:1-12 You must love Yehovah your Elohim, and always obey His instructions, His statutes, His ordinances, and His Commandments. 2 Keep in mind today that I’m not talking to your children who haven’t experienced the discipline of Yehovah your Elohim—His greatness, His mighty hand and His outstretched arm, 3 and His signs and the things He did within Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to his whole country, 4 and what he did to the Egyptian army, to their horses and their chariots when He caused the water of the Red Sea to engulf them, while they were chasing you, and how Yehovah completely destroyed them, 5 and what He did for you in the wilderness before you arrived here. 6 You saw what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with their their families, their tents, and every living thing that belonged to them, within sight of all Israel. 7 but you have seen all of the amazing things that Yehovah did with your own eyes! 8 So be careful to obey every commandment that I’m giving you today, so that you can be strong, and go in and take possession of the land that you are about to cross into and possess, 9 so that you can continue to live in the land that Yehovah swore to your ancestors and to you, their descendants—a land flowing with milk and honey! 10 The land that you’re entering to take possession of isn’t like the land of Egypt that you left, where you sowed your seeds, and made irrigation channels with your foot for the enclosed gardens. 11 Rather, the land you’re about to enter is a land of hills and valleys, well watered by the rain from heaven. 12 It’s a land that Yehovah your Elohim cares for. Yehovah your Elohim continually watches over it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. At this time in history there were only two adult men who had lived thru the Exodus who were part of the faithful remnant of Israel—Caleb and Joshua! Numbers 14:29-31 Your bodies will drop dead in this wilderness. Every one of you who are twenty years old or more, who were registered in the census and have complained about Me will die, 30 You absolutely won’t enter the land that I swore to settle you into, except for Caleb (the son of Jephunneh) and Joshua (the son of Nun). 31 As for your children who you said would be carried off as plunder—I’ll bring them in and they’ll enjoy the land that you rejected. During the next captivity, some of the more knowledgeable Israelites will long to cross over into Israel and begin celebrating Yehovah’s Biblical Feast Days, as was done previously: Deuteronomy 27:2-3,9 On the day when you cross the Jordan River ‘and enter’ the land that Yehovah your Elohim is giving you, you will set up some large stones, and cover them with plaster, 3 and write all the words of the Torah on them, after you’ve crossed over, so that you can enter the land that Yehovah your Elohim is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as Yehovah, the Elohim of your ancestors, has promised you. ... 9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Be quiet and listen, Israel. You have now become the people of Yehovah your Elohim! Undoubtedly, the modern Israelite Nations will experience the same solemnity and awe as the first pioneers take their celebrated steps across the border into the Promised Land! In Acts we read of the first Feast of Pentecost that was celebrated by the disciples following the death of Yeshua, in what I believe to be the Jubilee year of 28 AD. Acts 2 is all about the events of that special day. Acts 2:1 When the days of Pentecost were fully counted, while they were all assembled together, The unmistakable message that Peter delivered that day had to do specifically with the events just prior to the fiery Day of Yehovah (Day of theLord). Notice that verses 17-21 of Acts are a five verse quotation from Joel 2:28-32, that describes some of the unusual events that will take place during that time. The entire three chapter book of Joel is about the preparations for, and the fulfillment of, the Day of Yehovah. To read the book of Joel is to understand what Peter thought was beginning to take place before his eyes. Peter actually believed, on that special Day of Pentecost, that the Day of Yehovah was beginning! But were the end time prophecies of Joel really beginning on that special Feast of Pentecost? Acts 2:17-21 In the last days YHVH says, ‘I’ll pour My spirit on all of humanity, your sons will prophesy, and your daughters and your young men will see visions, and your old men will ‘have’ dreams. 18 This is when I’ll pour My spirit on My servants, both men and women, and they’ll prophesy. 19 I’ll display miraculous signs in the sky above and unusual occurrences on the earth—blood, fire, and columns of smoke. 20 The sun will be darkened and the moon ‘will become’ blood red before the great and awesome Day of YHVH arrives. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of YHVH will live!” The context of the above verses, again, quoted from Joel 2, is in preparation for the Day of Atonements—the annual “fast” day described later on in this chapter. Yet this is no ordinary Day of Atonements. Aside from the Festival of Trumpets (Psalm 81:3), the only Feast moed or or Festival (chag) with a prescribed blowing of trumpets (shofars) is the Day of Atonements on Jubilee years—once every 50 years! This is not a haphazard event, it is planned to the day and the year! Joel 2:15-16 Blow the shofar in Zion, announce the fast, summon the Festival Assembly. 16 Gather the people. Announce an assembly. Gather the elders. Gather the children, even the nursing babies. The bridegroom should leave his chamber, and the bride her chuppah. As it turned out, none of the painful prophecies of Joel happened that year, nor have they ever happened—yet. A full explanation of what DID NOT happen on Pentecost of that year is covered in Pentecost (Shavuot) in Prophecy! I believe that the fast of Joel 1 is that of an unavoidable fast day due to famine. Fasting on Pentecost! After all, Peter specifically associated Pentecost to the events of the book of Joel: “But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel”. Joel seemingly emphasizes the events from Pentecost to Atonements just prior to the Everlasting Kingdom: Joel 1:8-16 Mourn like a bride wearing sackcloth mourning the death of the bridegroom of her youth! 9 The grain offerings and wine offerings are no longer brought into Yehovah’s Temple. The priests, Yehovah’s ministers, mourn. 10 The fields are destroyed and the land has gone into mourning because the grain has been destroyed, the grapes have shriveled, and the oil is failing. 11 Despair, all you farmers! Vineyard keepers, cry out loud. Lament the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field has vanished. 12 The grapevines have dried up, and the fig trees have withered. The pomegranates, the palms and the apple trees, all the trees in the orchards have dried up, just as the joy of the people has dried up. 13 Put on sackcloth and mourn, you priests! Cry loudly, you ministers of the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you ministers of my Elohim, because they have put a stop to the offering and the wine offering in your Elohim’s house. [Daniel 9:27] 14 Proclaim a fast. Summon the Festival Meeting. Gather the elders, and all of the people of the land to the temple of Yehovah your Elohim, and cry out to Yehovah. 15 A terrible day! The Day of Yehovah is near, and it will come as destruction from the Sovereign. 16 Hasn’t the food disappeared before our very eyes, as well as joy and gladness from the Temple of our Elohim? I find it amazing that Peter, after spending many years with Yeshua, knew nothing about a “Church Age”. Even after Yeshua’s death he believed that he was in the “last days”. He probably viewed the Roman occupation as the end time captivity of Israel, as did his countrymen. Whatever his reasoning, he certainly “jumped the gun” thinking that the Feast of Pentecost, particularly that very day of Pentecost, would initiate the Day of Yehovah (the “Lord”). This is the only account concerning the Day of Pentecost in the Testimony of Yeshua (NT), except for references only made in passing. So if we are to gain clues about it’s prophetic significance from the envoys (apostles)—we need to understand that it was thought to represent the beginning of the end time! Take time to read the three chapter book of Joel to understand what Peter actually thought was beginning to occur right in front of them. The lesson to be learned is that we should not trust anyone’s judgment concerning the end time if it does not conform to the inspired prophecies. Elohim will not cut short His plan concerning the “time appointed” but He will cut short Satan’s aspirations! Yehovah’s original plan was to make an example of Israel for the people of the world. The true kadishea are working a little better. Deuteronomy 4:5-8 Look, I’ve taught you statutes and ordinances, just as Yehovah my Elohim commanded me, so that you could follow them in the land where you are entering to take possession of. 6 So obey them, because this is your source of wisdom and your understanding that the people see. When they hear about all these statutes, they will say, “Surely this is a great nation of wise and understanding people. 7 What other great nation is there that has their elohim as near to it as Yehovah our Elohim is to us, whenever we call on Him? 8 And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances as righteous as this whole Torah, that I’m setting before you today? Israel deviated from Yehovah’s plan ‘A’, but He is still determined to carry out His plan! The redemption of Israel is the entire purpose of Scriptural prophecy! Zechariah described the time when Israel will know their Elohim and the rest of the world will be beating a path to the gates of Zion! Zechariah 8:22-23 Yes, many people and strong nations will come wanting to see Yehovah the ‘Warrior’ King in Jerusalem, and pray to Yehovah in person. 23 This is what Yehovah the ‘Warrior’ King says: In those days, ten men from every language and nation will take hold of the ‘tzitzits’ [wing, extremity] of one Jew, and say, “We’ll go with you, because we’ve heard that Elohim is with you. Israel was to have saved the world, instead Israel needs to be saved. Isaiah described what Yeshua will do to fulfill the role that Israel was originally meant to fulfill prior to their rebellion. Isaiah 49:5-10 And now Yehovah says—the One who formed me in the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to him, so that Israel could be regathered to Him (because I am honored in the sight of Yehovah, and my Elohim has become my strength), 6 He asks, “It is too small of a thing for you to be My servant to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and to bring back the Israelites who were ‘spared?’ I’ll make you a light to the nations, so that you can bring My message of deliverance to the remotest parts of the earth.” 7 This is what Yehovah says, the Redeemer of Israel, and ‘their’ Kadosh One, to the One who man despises, to the One who the nation abhors, to the Servant of rulers: Kings will see You and rise, and leaders will bow down, because of Yehovah who is faithful, the Kadosh One of Israel, who has chosen You. 8 This is what Yehovah says: In a favorable time have I answered You, and in a day of deliverance I have helped You. I’ll protect You [the Messiah: Barnes] and give You to the people as a covenant [the covenantee], to restore the land, and to repossess its desolate heritage. 9 You will say to the prisoners, “Come out” and to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves”! They’ll be My sheep, grazing along the roads and finding pastures on all the high places that had been bare. 10 They won’t hunger or thirst, nor will the heat or sun beat down on them, because the One who has mercy on them will lead them. He’ll guide them to springs of water. Notice very carefully that Isaiah 49 above and Revelation 7 are both referring to a rescue operation (salvation) of the world, the prevention of kosmocide! Revelation 7:2-17 Then I saw another messenger coming up from the direction of the rising sun. He had the seal of the living Aloha, and he called out loudly to the four messengers who were allowed to harm the land and the sea, 3 He said, “Don’t harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the foreheads of the servants of YHVH.” 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000, sealed from every tribe of Israel: 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, and 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. 9 After this I saw an enormous crowd of people that no one could count, from every people, nation, tribe and language. They were standing in front of the throne and the Lamb, wearing white robes, and they were holding palms in their hands. 10 They were shouting, “Eternal Life to YHVH, to the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!” 11 All the messengers stood around the throne with the Elders and the four living beings, and they bowed face down in front of His throne and worshiped YHVH, 12 and said, “Aw-main. Blessing and praise and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to YHVH forever and ever, Aw-main.’” 13 Then One of the Elders turned and asked me, “Who are these people wearing white robes, and where do they come from?” 14 I said, “Friend, you know”. He replied, “These are the ones who are coming out of the Great Tribulation. They’ve washed their clothes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 That’s why they are in front of the throne of YHVH, serving Him day and night in His Temple. And the One seated on the throne will ‘protect them under His shadow’ [Aramaic nageen alihun, ‘shadow over them’]. 16 They won’t hunger or thirst any more, nor will they be ‘overcome’ by the sun or burning heat, 17 because the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will feed them and lead them to springs of living water, and YHVH will wipe every tear from their eyes.” The Day of Trumpets is in Part 3 (To resolve the controversy about Sunday vs the Pharasaical Sivan the 6th, click this link). Lon Martin, lonwmartin@yahoo.com   Google Search only search Everlasting Kingdom   Minor update January 25, 2015   Lon Martin’s work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.