SIGN 3

SIGN 3

BY JOHN FENN

Hi all,
You'll recall I started this series at the end, The Revelation, dealing with the double asteroid hits, the 1/3 of the sun/moon/starlight blocked out, the ensuing economic, food, and health issues, rather than spiritual things. But so many wrote asking about the 'rapture' that I took a side trip last week to cover it.
 
I shared how we are in the 'time of the Gentiles' and this time ends when Jerusalem is no longer trodden down by Gentiles (1967/1973) and we start to see the blindness on Israel lift (Jews for Jesus ministry began in 1973, for example).
 
The book of Acts closes with Paul being rejected by Jewish leaders and his declaration: "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." (28:28)
  
I shared how the 'rapture' is one of the 7 Jewish festivals, called the Feast of Trumpets. The "last trump" spoken of by Paul is a specific trumpet blown at this feast to awaken the righteous dead, transform the living, and hide them with the Messiah - thus the festival occurring during the new moon phase, when the moon is hidden. No one knows when that blast will happen, but he did say it would be before the 'man of sin' is revealed.
 
Continuing...
We also know that all 7 festivals happen in chronological order as presented in Leviticus 23. The 4 spring festivals speak of his 1st coming, the 3 fall festivals speak to his 2nd coming.
 
Unleavened Bread (#1) and Passover (#2) were fulfilled at the appointed time by Jesus dying on the cross. Jesus was resurrected on the following Sunday morning, which was on the Feast of Firstfruits (#3). Fifty days later Pentecost (#4) celebrated the giving of God's Word from Mt. Sinai, and fulfilled by the giving of God's Spirit and Word to all nations.
 
So the 4 spring feasts were all fulfilled on their exact anniversary day and in chronological order. The 3 fall festivals are: The Feast of Trumpets; raising of the righteous dead/living) (#5), Day of Atonement; 2nd coming of Christ (#6), and Feast of Tabernacles; God living with man (#7).
 
We are told in Zechariah 14:16 when Messiah rules the earth, that all nations will annually come to Jerusalem to celebrate Tabernacles, the celebration of God dwelling with man. So that final (7th) festival will be fulfilled exactly on it's day just like the first four.
 
That leaves the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. Isn't it logical to see God is giving us the pattern since he fulfilled the first 4 festivals in order and the last one will be fulfilled in order, to believe #5 & #6 will also be fulfilled on their day and maintain their chronological order?
  
There's more. In Judaism, once the trumpet is blown to start the Feast of Trumpets and the righteous dead are raised and the living are hidden in Messiah, they believe the earth goes into what's called The Days of Awe, which last until the Day of Atonement (return of Christ). 
 
The Days of Awe divide earth's people are into 3 groups (God's vantage point): The Wholly Wicked, the Wholly Righteous, and the largest group, The Undecided. Many will come to Christ during this time, many martyred, but eventually Israel will realize Jesus is their Messiah, and will be rescued at the last minute by the return of Christ (Day of Atonement).
 
So you see, the rapture really will occur before the tribulation. If it follows the pattern, it will happen on some future Feast of Trumpets, which is celebrated each fall. (September 19 this year)
 
There is also some question about just who will go. Hebrews 9:28 says "so Christ also, having been once offered (up) to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time apart from sin, to those who wait for him (look for him), unto salvation."
 
In other words, the first time was to pay for our sins, the next time he is coming to those who are looking for him (as distinct from the 2nd coming in Revelation 19 where he doesn't care whether they are looking for him or not, he's coming!).
 
The issue with some is that they can't see the person who lives like the world Monday through Saturday but shows up on Sunday saying they love God, make it in the rapture. (Let 'em go though the tribulation) Thus the teaching that the bride of Christ is those who are true disciples, purifying themselves as brides awaiting the groom, versus the body of Christ at large. I don't know about that, but I do know there is a blowing of the Awakening Blast and one way (having died) or the other (still alive) I'm going to be in that load going up!
 
But we don't know...
...if it will happen before, during, or after what can only be called World War 3.
 
This is the battle depicted in Ezekiel 38 & 39, sandwiched in between the prophecy of Israel becoming a nation once again in chapters 36 & 37 (happened in 1948), and the description of the Millennial Temple of chapter 40. Remember from last week that the time of the Gentiles was not revealed to mankind before Pentecost, so Ezekiel is shown things in order minus that information - and that's what keeps us guessing!
 
A rule of Bible interpretation is that if you update things like nations, you must also update across the board, like in weapons descriptions. In Ezekiel 38 he sees a military and economic alliance between several nations that will invade Israel, but be defeated by Israel and her allies. Those nations were in Ezekiel's time:
 
Magog - people who lived north of the Black Sea, north of the Caucasus Mountains - Russia, Ukraine.
Meshech and Tubal - people living on the east and south of the Black Sea - Russia, Georgia.
Persia - Iran
Ethiopia - in Ezekiel's time this was the modern nation of the Sudan, directly south of Egypt.
Libya - same as today.
Togarmah - Turkey.
Gomer - there is some debate about this, with some saying Eastern Europe, but historically, Turkey.
 
Russia will act as 'guard', to Libya, Iran, Sudan, Turkey, and together they will invade Israel.
 
Defenders?
Ezekiel also says some nations will ask "Have you come to take a spoil? Have you gathered your army to take a prey, to carry away silver and gold and goods and to enslave? (Ez 38:13) Those nations that object to this invasion are: Sheba, Dedan, and the "merchants (business interests) of Tarshish with all the young lions thereof".
 
Sheba and Dedan are mentioned in Genesis 10:7 as beings sons of Abraham's concubine, Keturah, and became nomadic Arab tribes. The historian Ptolemy put them in the area of Zabram, just west of modern Mecca, in Saudi Arabia.
 
The merchants of Tarshish is more interesting, as in Ezekiel's time Tarshish was a general term referring to the Gentile land around and beyond Spain into Gentile Europe - the west. So it appears moderate Arab countries (Saudi Arabia) and the merchants of the west will at least raise some diplomatic fuss over the impending invasion of Israel. Obviously in our time, the issue is oil, as the "merchants of Tarshish" are linked to 'Sheba and Dedan' strongly. In our terms, Russia is making a power grab to eliminate Israel for control of the middle east oil supply.
 
There is considerable debate about what "the young lions thereof" mean. Some have said the 'young lions' is a reference to Great Britain (it's symbol is a lion) and the US, being 'offspring' of Tarshish (Spain/Great Britain/Europe). We don't know, but clearly Russia believes the west won't raise a hand to stop the invasion, but they are wrong.
 
In 38:21 the Lord says "I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, every man's sword will be against his brother." In prophetic literature, "mountains" stands for nations, as in Daniel 2:23 where a stone representing God's kingdom becomes a huge mountain and fills the earth.
 
So there will be God's mountains, nations that fight with Israel against Russia and her allies. The good news is that Russia is defeated, and even nature is turned against her in Israel's northern territory, as there will be overflowing rain, hailstones, fire and brimstone (perhaps modern warfare explosions). Ezekiel makes it clear the destruction will extend to the home countries involved, not just the armies.
 
Ezekiel 39 says it will take 7 months to bury the dead, and Israel will have a 7 year supply of fuel and spoil as a result. He even sees people being hired to look for body fragments and setting flags when they spot a body part.
 
This is NOT the battle of Armageddon in Revelation 19, which is the return of Jesus. Remember that involves the massive army from the 5 kings of the east. The 'east' is a reference to China and the orient.
 
So Israel will have 1 battle that results in the defeat of Russia and ends for all intents and purposes the Arab/Israeli conflict.
 
Here is what I believe, so take it with a grain of salt
I believe after that battle, the leader of Europe will make a 7 year peace treaty with Israel that will include a provision to build a temple on the temple mount (who will stand in their way?). The peace treaty ensures their right to do so - they and their allies just defeated Russia, Iran and allies after all!
 
At 3 1/2 years into the treaty this European leader will come to Jerusalem (possibly at the dedication of the temple?) and demand the same allegiance and worship he has imposed on Europe the previous 3 1/2 years, which is called 'the tribulation'.
 
Jesus said in Matthew 24:15 that when you see that ruler in Jerusalem in the temple, it begins the 'great tribulation', the second 1/2 of that 7 year time frame.
 
It is in that time frame that most of what we covered 2 weeks ago take place, though certainly this ruler (anti-Christ) will have been killing all who oppose him, believers included, and causing huge economic problems to this point. (Can you imagine the economic issues in Europe with Russia destroyed?)
 
While people have wondered about the US, I had always wondered how China/'the 5 kings of east' can move that many people across what is the southern belly of the former USSR without Russia fighting them - the answer of course is that Israel destroys Russia's army at least 7 years earlier, so the 5 kings of the east march across southern Asia with no one to stand in their way, come across the dried up Euphrates, and meet their doom at the return of Christ at Armageddon.
 
OK...that's a quick overview...sorry the last 3 weeks have been so lengthy, but the topic is huge.
What exciting times we live in! Watch Russia and who it allies itself with, watch for Turkey to go pro-Russia and/or the EU to go anti-Turkey nearly pushing into the arms of Russia, and watch Israel and her allies. May the US, the UK, and the west stand with Israel as one of God's mountains!
 
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem,
John Fenn
www.iFaithhome.org