The AWAKENING

It’s time for עוּר

Becausefor His Bride.

There is an awakening happening right now.

It begins with an individual’s personal spiritual experience in the presence of our Father.

People everywhere are looking for answers, seeking truth and thanks to Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit they are finding it.

Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; Is 52:1

עוּרִ֥י awake

קִיץ (quts) — arise, be awake, watch strongs 6974 Phonetic Spelling: (koots)

Strong’s Hebrew: 5782. עוּר (ur) — to rouse oneself, awake

Awakenings are not new or unusual, they occur when people cry out to the Father. Believers sense something is happening and they want to know what it is and more importantly they want to get closer to Him.

In the last 2000 years there have been awakenings/revivals in nations all over the world.

Following the dark ages when the Bible was kept from the general public, Martin Luther had a personal apocalypse and an awakening followed.

There was the Welsh revival of 1904 with Evan Roberts,

the revivals of the 1700’s with

John and Charles Wesley

and

Jonathan Edwards.

History records those of the USA,

also called the first revival

and 

the second revival

Some quotes from previous awakenings

Modern society has forgotten the notable Saints who’s writings have been the solace and encouragement to thousands over the centuries.

Born of confinement often from prison cells, voices of godly men and women, such as Paul Bunyan in Bedford Jail for 12 years and Mme. Guyon in France, echo across the ages, scattering and putting to flight desolation and discouragement that so often assails the human heart. It’s grip tries to squeeze out the life of the spirit that sustains it. There are countless others and this list is ever expanding.

Many others in prison for their faith and testimony. It is the epitome of Grace in human flesh to allow the Ministry of Holy Spirit to flow through an imprisoned soul when all seems lost in captivity.

Mark 7:33 and he took him aside from the multitude.

Matthew 5: (KJV)
1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Matthew 7:13 (KJV)
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

This new walk must show signs and changes in the heart, mind and soul.

But the gate is narrow and the way broad that leads to life because many people who have claimed to have passed through the gate, continue to walk in the broad way.

Matthew 7:13

Many people thrive in view of the multitudes and among the Saints at large, yet how would we respond to sudden confinement faced only with our own flesh?

In the silence of solitude comes the face to face encounter.

First with self and then with the Father. The disturbing realization that we really don’t know ourselves; and we certainly don’t know Him as we should. Only in the quiet place is what is with in us revealed and awakened.

A personal apocalypse!

And it is by His design. For we are accountable for our own life and there will be a reckoning.

Here is the place of awakening.

Once we’ve become a new creature/new birth, through Messiah Jesus/Yeshua, then and only then are we able to truly come to the Father and this communion is a supernatural one. It is a path of Light.

And when we awaken to The Word and The Light then we are to awaken others.

Sadly Christianity has become only about a gate. Ministers stand at the front and tell you that once you ‘walk down the isle’ that this is enough…but it’s more that the walk down the isle.

Asking Messiah Jesus/Yeshua into our hearts is only the first step.

Herein lies the gate.

The scriptures tell us that the only way a man/woman can walk through the gate is because the Father has to have made a supernatural change, and initiates a deep work in his/her life.

2 Corinthians 5: (KJV)

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The New birth experience, (Holy Spirit) with man reveals a manifestation, which is equal to Genesis 1, and John 1-the beginning of a new life and His Light enters our world.

This places us in quite the predicament. Because if you truly show the signs of a changed person, we must conform to the Word, not the worLd. Take the L out of your worLd and Life and leave the WORD in. The L’s of life have to go!

The List is in the Word in 2Timothy 3:1-5; Gal.5 :18-21. It’s the list of what people will be like in the last days and Mark 4 tells of the things that choke the Word of life. Love of other things Lusts/desires of the flesh. Looking back to Sodom. Longings, Lies, Loose morals, Loose living..etc

It is the ultimate goal of the pilgrim, the traveler through this realm,

For we are not of this world we are simply passing through.

It could be said that if you’re a believer, and life meets no resistance from the world, from the flesh, from the Devil…then you know you are on the broad path.

Is your life fraught with battles, fighting and conquering? Then, you know you’re on the right path.

This life is a battle. Jesus/Yeshua warns His followers that they will be persecuted because they are not of the world, but have been chosen out of the world, and therefore the world hates them just as it has hated Messiah Yeshua/Jesus (John 15:18-21). This is precisely why Messiah Yeshua/Jesus exhorts His would-be followers to first count the cost. For anyone who is unprepared or unwilling to bear a cross and follow Messiah Yeshua/Jesus, simply cannot be His disciple (Luke 14:25-33).

In choosing the right way we are to discern the state of our faith/heart. But don’t be confused we must not let the heart guide us, instead, we must guide the heart into submission to Him, to the Word – Jesus/Yeshua is the Word. For if we do not, even our hearts can lead us astray. Num. 15:40

The warnings are of a world where there are people who do not walk the walk, they talk the talk; however this is a completely different path.

There is one that leads to life.

Listen to Jesus’/Yeshua’s words:

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?”

He’s telling us that those who THINK they are doing right by Him are not!

Why is that?

Because they walk in the path of least resistance. They walk in the world, by the world, for the world. We need to have Conformity to the Word, NOT to the worLd! The L of the world and the world can certainly be L!

(It’s Not scripture, it’s also not wrong!)

In Truth we are spiritual beings

having a human experience –

We are NOT human beings having a spiritual experience.

There is a huge difference between those two statements.

 

There are Spiritual pursuits and earthly based ones.

To be enlightened or awakened does not mean that we are flawless or never make any mistakes or sin, it simply means that we are watching our own thoughts and reactions, aware that the Father above does the same over all His children.

Our awareness is heightened in that we are understanding the truth that as spiritual beings experiencing a human life, for most of the time we are within this physical form, we forget who we are.

It’s critical in this hour that we remember.

It’s essential criteria of the awakening.

The scripture tells us we are one with the Father.

If we could only grasp hold of this simple truth it would relieve our minds of the burdens of this life; they would simply melt away and our spirits would raise up and with it lift the soul and the emotions to a realm high up above, where we are supposed to be….. seated in heavenly places with Him.

We have earthly limitations.. however our hearts cry is echoed in this song as many of us question, how long ’til we awake in your likeness?

There is a part we can play, to prepare our hearts to reach for the higher realms of the Spirit of our Heavenly Father.

When we realized that like Nicodemus we must be born from above.

It is the very beginning of the awakening.

John 3:1-36; 11:11-14

After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died.

Like Lazarus we are revived from being dead in sin and awaken to the true life – dead to the world and alive in the Spirit, (Ruach), of a Holy, (Kadosh), Heavenly Father.

The quickening of His spirit.

Awake oh sleeper and arise from the dead, and Messiah will shine on you. Eph. 5:14

The awakening causes us to face the reality of eternal issues and our need both to acknowledge them and to do something about it.

The awakening of a sleeping soul means that, we must not become so locked into a false sense of security, (like the proverbial ostrich or the frog in the pan), until the time to wake up has come and gone.

The quickening of the spirit/ruach, to quicken our mortal bodies and make us alive in Him. Rom.8:11.

We need to awake to His truth, to His plan, awakening the one new man because

the plan of the father ultimately to REdeem those who have always been His. 

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations

RE = Second time examples like RE-view and RE-revived and RE-surrected. Re indicates a second occurrence from something that has happened previously.

Many individuals have sensed their destiny since childhood. A knowing that they were not like the mass majority. Never truly fitting in, although many attempts were made. Knowing there was something greater than the life most chose to live, which seem pointless and without a true or significant purpose.

Those ones are among the called, they are beginning to sense an awakening, a quickening, a change in the spirit, a shift in dimensions. A new alignment, a change from that which we are presently in, as the weight of eternity and His coming Glory presses from His realm into ours.

I have chosen you and I have called you. Is 43:1; John 15:16.

The balance of energies of the very Ruach/Spirit of Jesus/Yeshua is disturbing the waters and this time it’s not just the Pool of Siloam, בריכת השילוח‎ – the Breikhat Hashiloah. John 9:7

But the Waters of the very earth itself.

Once more I will shake the heavens and the earth. Hebrews 12:26 Haggai 2:6

Revive us again Lord Ps 85:6

The shaking has begun and those with sensitivity of hearing and discerning spiritual eyes, will perceive with joy, the coming changes that will ultimately bring the return of Messiah to our midst.

The sky will roll up as He returns to raise the sleeping Saints into resurrection life and then we too will be changed from mortality to immortality in the twinkling of an eye at the speed of light. (186000 miles per Second.)

For God is light.

1 John 1:5 – This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

He is a being of light and we are made in His image, therefore we too are beings of light.

Jesus/Yeshua said, while I am in the world I am the light of the world after I go you are to be the light of the world.

The light of His spirit in and through us is what keeps the darkness at bay. One match can cause the darkness and an entire room to dissipate. It flees from the light, from the Genesis / Begining / Bereshit /בראשית.

Be Light/Light Be

Light was the first word the Father spoke. Genesis 1:3

Light will never be quenched.

It is impossible.

It is of eternal quality and essence, of imperceivable and mysterious elements that we cannot describe or comprehend and yet it is within us. It’s what connects us to Him and to each other.

His life was the light of men John 1:4 it’s His word, it lights our path. Ps. 119:105

It is His power – the lightning’s of Sinai’s presence, the fire of His pillar, the glory of Transfiguration, we call it electricity. The hiding place of His power, Habakkuk 3:4

The glory of His manifested presence, the rhythm of life that keeps our heart beating, with electrical impulses which travel to our brain, they fire bursts of electrical energy between the neurons so we can think and function. We understand so very little, we have become dull of hearing and slow of life.

Are we settling for a spiritual pauper’s existence when the realms of light beckon? – Sometimes a shift in our position is what we need to give us a fresh perspective and it opens up possibilities we had not seen previously.

Awake oh sleeper and arise from the dead, and Messiah will shine on you. Eph. 5:14

Rise up seek His face.

Prepare the way of the Lord. Mark 1:3

It’s time to lift up the gates of our hearts for the Lord of Glory to come in. Ps.24:7

Awaken to His presence and be revived once more – leave behind the mundane, the ordinary, and become all He has called us to be.

Now is the time.

Today is the day of salvation in all of its fullness.

Draw close to Him and He will draw close to us. Seek Him while He can be found and immerse our souls in His light and be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Allow His word to challenge and change us.

To be all that we are called to be –

the awakening is in motion.

The awakening is in progress.

Don’t miss our day of visitation.

The Resurrection changed EVERYTHING!

We are beings of His light, His glory.

It’s time to shine like never before as beings of that light.

Isaiah 60:1 Arise it’s time to Shine

The light is a metaphor for a number of concepts:

1. The 3rd Temple

2. Messiah

3. Torah 

4. The primordial light of Genesis creation, which they say Father withdrew from the world and will return it in the Messianic Era.

It’s a prophesy about the magnificent future for the kingdom is coming and the glory of the Messianic era will envelop Jerusalem and Isaiah refers to spiritual illumination.

It’s another way of saying…

Let’s shine, we are part of it.

Shalom!

 

Please, don’t leave this page until..

you are awakened to Messiah..

we all need to born again from above..

Make certain Messiah 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 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 Mystery of Solomons Chok – Part 2 – Conclusion

What does ‘outside the camp’ mean?

In Numbers 15:35-36, it is clear that the death penalty under the Torah was to be administered ‘outside the camp.’

Yet what were the limits or how far away from the camp of the Israelites was this to be?

As the children of Israel were moving throughout the wilderness, they kept a certain distance between the Wilderness Tabernacle and the encampment or their places of habitation according to their clans each with their standards and ensigns. (Numbers 2).When they were to follow the Ark of the Covenant around the city of Jericho, this ‘distance’ that they were to keep away from the Ark of the Covenant was specified. 

Joshua 3:3 – “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord you God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it (ark)…”

So they needed 2000 cubits = to 3000 feet / 1000 yards /914 meters, in order to maintain the sanctity of the ark and for the preservation of their own lives. According to the Hebrew law, the place of residence for an individual, whether a tent or a house, would extend out from its abode for 1000 yards. If the place of dwelling was in a corporate site such as a walled village, a Levitical town or walled city, then the city limits was 1000 yards/914 meters from the outer walls of the village, town or city.

Moses and Joshua ministering to the Lord.

The House of the Lord, wherein rested the Holy of Holies(The Holiest), and the Ark of the Covenant, was the symbolic dwelling place of the Lord of hosts. To be ‘outside the camp’ or ‘outside the gate’, it would have to be over 1000 yards/914 meters, (2000 cubits) from the Temple Proper, or the residence of God/the abiding place of His Presence.

During the days of Messiah/Jesus Christ, the Sanhedrin,

who governed from the Chamber of Hewn Stones,

(which was on the left side of the Holy of Holiest facing east, or the north side of the Temple proper), used the same calculations to determine the corporate city limits of the city of Jerusalem.

Since the court of the Sanhedrin stood as the center, a radius of 1000 yards/914 meters determined the limits of their encampment.Outside this perimeter was ‘outside the camp’ As such the traditional sites of Jeremiah’s Grotto, the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and a small hill north-east of the Damascus Gate would be excluded from this definition of ‘outside the camp’ and thereby excluded as potential sites for the crucifixion of Jesus. View from Mt.Olives towards Temple.

Two thousand cubits was also the distance allowed for traveling on the Sabbath:

Marking 2000 cubits, 1000 yards/914 meters from Jerusalem’s Eastern Gate brings us to the summit of the Mount of Olives, to the place where the Red Heifer was sacrificed.

From this location, the High Priest could look directly into the entrance of the Temple as the Red Heifer was sacrificed and its blood sprinkled toward the Temple as an offering to God.

When God gave His specific instructions for marking the 2000-cubit limits of cities, the Israelites were just entering the land promised to them, hundreds of years before David captured Jerusalem and Solomon built the First Temple.

Only God could have specifically designed the Temple and the topographical features of Jerusalem, so that the place of the Red Heifer sacrifice – the place of Yeshua’s sacrifice – would be precisely located on the summit of the Mount of Olives. (Where He will also return to and which will split under His feet at His second coming.)Every prophetic detail of time and place from Adam, Abraham and Jacob on; included every symbolic meaning of God’s Master Plan of Redemption; which was established at the moment God created the world! (Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 1:4; Hebrews 4:3; 1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8). Random processes and random events cannot account for the supernatural precision of the Creator’s design that is clearly evident. God controls and is orchestrating every detail of His plan of salvation, to point to the one true Messiah: Jesus/Yeshua!

Hebrews 13:12-13 – “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.”

Carefully looking at this text it’s clear that in order to sanctify us with His death, Jesus, guided by His Father, meticulously fulfilled every detail of the ritual of the red heifer, in which His crucifixion occurred outside the gate, (walls of the city) and outside the camp.

So that that His death would not defile the Temple itself, the location was beyond the limits of 1000 yards, (2000 cubits), set outside the city walls and the closest location beyond the limits of 1000 yards, was near the summit on the southern hill of Mount of Olives.Is there a literal interpretation? Is the Hebrew author suggesting that the reader retrace the footsteps of Jesus/Yeshua?

In order for Messiah/Christ, to use His own blood for the saving grace and sanctification that it offers to all believers, He would have to suffer and be crucified outside the gates and walls of the city, as preordained since the days of Moses.

Not only that, the author urges the readers to mentally go and watch the crucifixion outside the camp on the Mount of Olives, and watch Him bear ‘His reproach’, or the cross beam of the crucifixion.

Jesus/Yeshua with patibulumcrossbeam.According to His own plan, our Creator (Colossians 1:15-17) entered His own Creation; (both entering within the earth and entering within a physical human body); to offer Himself for our sins ‘outside the camp’, ‘outside the gate’, on the summit of the Mount of Olives, so that we could have eternal life with Him.

From the summit of the Mount of Olives, Yeshua faced the Temple, just as the Red Heifer faced the Temple while being sacrificed

At the precise place and the precise time God appointed, foreordaining it all at the very beginning of Creation –

And all that dwell on the earth shall worship Him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:8

The Jewish Wedding and the Parallels that exist between God and the children of Israel and between Yeshua and the Body of believers, include coming events in the End Times.

(YHVH) God in Yeshua saw all Jerusalem and all Jerusalem saw God’s Passover Lamb and Red Heifer.

Literally becoming in person, the (Covenant Passover/Pesach Lamb), fulfilling the Annual Appointed Times/Feasts of the Lord that the Israelites had faithfully rehearsed since God gave them to Moses at Sinai. 

Considering the entire scene of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus/Messiah Yeshua. 

Jesus/Yeshua, was condemned and died just before a High Shabbat (Sabbath of the festival Passover). He was judged and condemned in the Chamber of Hewn Stones in His Father’s House (the Temple) and in the presence of God, His Father. (God cannot look upon sin.)As Adam was cast out of the Garden to the East, so also Jesus/Yeshua, accursed and condemned, He was led out through the Eastern Gate away from the presence of His Father.The Red Heifer had been examined and inspected and was found perfect and without blemish, so Yeshua was examined and interrogated by the High Priest,

the whole Sanhedrin and then Pilate, who could find “no fault in Him”. (Luke 23:4)

In the wilderness The Tabernacle /The Mishkan; the sacrifice was performed in front of the Ohel Mo’ed, (Tent of Meeting). The burning of the heifer and the sprinkling of the waters,are performed in the desert by a priest/kohen outside of the Israelite encampment.

(Later as we see, this was performed on the Mount of Olives outside of walled Jerusalem, east of the Holy Temple.) Both were done in a location from which the Priest/kohen could clearly see into the open entrance to the Holy of Holies. 

He would slaughter the heifer and sprinkle its blood 7x in the direction of the Temple. He then burned the cow in what was referred to as a ‘wine-press’ and gathered up the ashes of the heifer. The Mishnah and the Tosefta to Tractate Parah (chapter 3) describe the location of the burning of the heifer on the Mount of Olives, in a place known as the ‘wine-press,’ due to its shape bring similar to that of a wine-press in which grapes were tread upon.   This ‘wine-press’ was hewn into the mountain bedrock, beneath which cavities were excavated, in order to create a separation through which impurity could not pass, lest there be a burial site hewn into the bedrock below. The Priest/Kohen who sprinkles the blood stands on the Mount of Olives and looks westward to the site of the Holy Temple and from there towards the Holy Temple itself, and in the language of the Mishnah (Meudot 2): “The Priest/Kohen directs his gaze toward the Temple Sanctuary while he is sprinkling the blood of the red heifer.”The line of view of the Priest/Kohen, who stands on the Mount of Olives and looks toward the entrance to the Temple.

  Thus, the priest’s gaze passes through four gates, (above) that stood in one (red) line – through the gate of the women’s section (Ezrat Nashim), the Nikanor Gate, the massive entrance to the Ulam (entrance hall of the Holy Temple), and the entrance to the Sanctuary.

These gates increased in height as they approached the Temple. 

Thus the lintel of the gate of the Ezrat Nashim was only slightly higher than the level of the floor of the entrance to the Sanctuary. If so, then the location of the burning of the cow on the Mount of Olives should be exactly between the height of the entrance floor and the gate of the Ezrat Nashim.

The Mishnah (rabbinic compilation of Jewish oral law) states that water for the Red Heifer ritual came from the Pool of Siloam in the time of the Temple in Jerusalem.

White As Snow: Signs of the Messiah

“‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord.  ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”  (Isaiah 1:18)

Another color change happened naturally when the Red Heifer’s body was completely burned; its ashes turned white and were mixed with pure water called Living Water.

Only then was it sprinkled on the people to purify them from the contamination of contact with death and sin.

When we accept the cleansing of our sins through the blood of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua—who is the source of pure Living Water — we, too, become white as snow/cleansed.

“These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.”  (Revelation 7:14)

And just as the Red Heifer was sacrificed outside the camp, so was Yeshua.

“The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Yeshua also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through His own blood.”  (Hebrews 13:11–12)

Leviticus 17:11 confirms, “it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life“.

When the scripture says that Jesus was “led away to be crucified” (Matthew 27:31), again we see thatthe most prominent passage and path for the temple priests to go outside the city was out the Eastern Gate of the temple, across the Kidron Valley over the Bridge of the Red Heifer to the summit of the Mount of Olives. 

There, where the red heifer was slaughtered and burnt (Holocaust), Yeshua was executed on a tree. (1Peter 2:24) 

Outside the city wall = same as ‘outside the camp’!

The Red Heifer was then led out the eastern gate of the temple, so also Messiah/Yeshua was led away from the temple out the eastern gate, also away from the presence of His Father. As an accused man of sin, Messiah/Yeshua followed the route of Adam and Eve as they were driven from the Garden of Eden and away from the presence of God because of their sin of disobedience.The Red Heifer was led across the Kidron Valley, walking over the Bridge of the Red Heifer to the summit of the Mount of Olives, and up to the summit of the mount where she was slaughtered, so also Jesus was led by the same route to the place where He is crucified.The Temple mount looked very different before the Temple was destroyed. The whole section of what is called Solomon’s Stables, left of Triple Gate, did not exist at the time of the Temple. It may have been added to the Mount by Hadrian around 135 AD. So even though it looks like the bridge runs up along side the temple mount in the picture in fact it went up the hill and connected to Triple gate, which was once Solomon’s Portico. Solomon’s porch in Herod’s Temple.

2000 cubits is approximate length of the bridge, which is the distance required from the Holy of Holies to the Red Heifer Altar.


View showing the length of the Bridge.This is important because the angle from the end of the bridge, on the lower part of the Mt of Olives, to the Holy of Holies must allow for a person to see through the East Gate, the inner east gate, and through the Temple door, seeing the veil that hung before the Holy of Holies.

Also the Priest performing the Red Heifer sacrifice at the top of the Mount of Olives needed to be able to see the Temple sanctuary to know when to begin the sacrifice.  So in this case he would need to be able to see over the top of the East gate and also over the inner east gate.
 

 The bridge is approximately 1,000 feet long and at around a 3 percent grade from the end of the bridge up to Triple gate. (Solomon’s Portico, which had the entrance to the East Gate within it). However it is written that the altar was on the summit (top of the Mount as being directly east of the Temple). The way the bridge was constructed it allowed for air to be between the priest and the graves below. 
Purity was demanded.

Living water had to be carried up the Mount to the Place of the Red Heifer Sacrifice. For this reason hollows (tunnels/caverns) were cut into the bedrock.

 A bowl from the 1st temple period 7th/6th centuries B.C. Jerusalem.

Chosen women gave birth there, and the boys born in the hollow grew up there, never allowed to venture out, for fear of them walking over a grave. 

To get the water to the top of the Mt of Olives these boys were carried on large doors up the Mountain while holding rock hewn bowls full of living water.

Near the end of the Red Heifer Bridge was the place of the counting of heads (skull);where papers were checked before the people could cross the bridge and enter the Temple from the East Gate into the women’s court. 

At the time of Yahshua’s execution we are told that “there [were] many women FROM AFAR beholding”. (Matt 27:55)

The women who had followed him from Galilee and ministered to Him, were allowed only to witness the execution from the Women’s Court Gallery on the Temple Mount.The distance from the Herodian Temple Mount to the execution site on the Mount of Olives was almost half a mile.This would have been considered quite a distance for spectators who were beholding the execution from across the Kidron Valley.

The only reason they were able to view the execution at all is because of the low eastern wall. It provided them a view which, if his execution had taken place either to the north, south, or west, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE HIM AT ALL!

All the walls which were there were high, EXCEPT THE WALL IN THE EAST, so that the priest who burned the heifer, STANDING ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, and directing himself to look, saw THROUGH THE GATEWAY OF THE SANCTUARY, at the time when he sprinkled the blood [Mishnah, Perek 2].

The Mishnah connects the sacrifice of the Red Heifer, which we know occurred on the Mount of Olives, with the low Eastern Wall. Since this was the only site where the High Priest might have a view of the front of the Sanctuary at all, and we know the Women’s Court was two-storied on the east, this statement also connects the execution site with the Mount of Olives. But to confirm that this is so, we also have evidence that it was not Mount Scopus, a part of the Olivet chain, to which the rabbis referred, but the Rosh of the Mount of Olives, because this spot is connected with the Eastern Gate.

There were five gates to the Temple inclosure (i.e. the temple precincts)…THE EASTERN GATE, upon which was a representation of the city of Shushan, and BY IT THE HIGH-PRIEST WHO BURNED THE RED HEIFER, AND ALL WHO ASSISTED, WENT OUT UPON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES [Mishnah, Perek 1].

It was, in fact, only here where the rending of the veil and the breaking of the stone lintel above the veil might have been viewed. Since we are told that even the Roman centurion saw “all these things” happen, it again confirms that the execution site was somewhere on the Mount of Olives.

A tearing of this curtain IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING at the time of the afternoon sacrifices would have been public and very dramatic in effect. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VISIBLE FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES [Erich H. Kiehl, The Passion, p. 141].Looking from the Temple Mount area towards the East to the Mount of Olives.

The fact is the individuals witnessing these events (those near the execution site) could not have seen them FROM ANY OTHER VANTAGE POINT IN JERUSALEM!

From noon until 3:00 P.M. it is stated in the gospels that “darkness” engulfed the land [Mark 15:33]. 

Now it was noonday, and darkness prevailed over all Judea, and they were afraid and distressed FOR FEAR THE SUN HAD SET WHILE HE WAS STILL ALIVE. For it is written for them that the sun should not set upon one put to death. and one of them said, “Give him gall with vinegar to drink.” And they mixed them and gave it to him. And they fulfilled all things and brought their sins to an end upon their own heads. AND MANY WENT ABOUT WITH LAMPS, SUPPOSING IT WAS NIGHT, AND FELL. and the [Master] cried out, “My power, my power, thou hast forsaken me.” And, saying this, he was taken up. And in the same hour the curtain of the temple of Jerusalem was torn in two [Gospel of Peter, ed. Burton H. Throckmorton, Jr., Gospel Parallels, p. 183].

By 3:00 P.M. an earthquake had occurred, damaging the Temple. Jerome, who had access to the Gospel of the Nazareans, clearly states that the thirty-ton stone lintel which held the veils in place was destroyed at the time of the earthquake.

In the Gospel that is written in Hebrew letters we read, not that the curtain of the temple was torn, but that THE ASTONISHINGLY LARGE LINTEL OF THE TEMPLE COLLAPSED [To Matt. 27:51 cf. Gospel of the Nazareans (in Jerome, Letter 120 to Hedibia and Commentary on Matthew 27:51); ed. Burton H. Throckmorton, Jr. Gospel Parallels, p. 184].

The collapse of the stone lintel that supported the massive Nicanor Gate would have rended the veils that hung from it. The suggestion that the veils still hung “unrended” over the Temple entrance some years later does not, in any way, refute the tearing of those veils hanging there at the time of Yahshua’s death. The fact is there were two new curtains made each year.

Simeon ben Gamaliel said in the name of R. Simeon, deputy [high priest]: The curtain was a handbreadth thick and was woven on seventy-two strands, each strand consisting of twenty-four threads. Its length was forty cubits and its breadth twenty cubits, made up in its entirety of eighty myriads [of threads]. THEY USED TO MAKE TWO CURTAINS EVERY YEAR, AND THREE HUNDRED PRIESTS WERE REQUIRED TO IMMERSE THEM [ed. Bialik and Ravnitsky, The Book of Legends, Sefer Ha-Aggadah, 160-61:6].

Jesus/Yeshua would have been crucified with a view to the Holy of Holies.  

That is why the Roman soldier could see the veil as it was rent in two, and also see the tombs open and the dead coming back to life and go into the city.  Matt 27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
 27:51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 
27:52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 27
:53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.


The curtain tore at the exact moment Jesus/Yeshua died and the priests were sacrificing the Passover Lamb.

Note here again the reference to the women looking on from afar off. However, they had the line of sight to the Mount of Olives from the Women’s Court.

Legally, family and friends were not allowed to be present during the Roman executions until near the time of death, when they were called for last-minute words.It was only when Yeshua had spoken these final words that He said “I thirst”, and after having been offered a merciful drink of water mixed with wine, declared “It is finished”.

Jesus was offered a second drink, which He accepted. It is ‘pocsa’, a sour wine popular at that time. Jesus accepted this drink because of two important images. The drink was given on the “stalk of a hyssop plant”.

(Same type of Hyssop branch as used by the High Priest in the Red Heifer sacrifice. Jesus/Yeshua is our High Priest.) 

Remember that these events occurred at the Feast of the Passover. During this feast, hyssop was used to apply the blood of the Passover lamb to the wooden DOOR posts (the last Hebrew letter Tav!) of the Israelites. (Everything is connected, see previous posts.)

Again, it is interesting the end of this hyssop stalk pointed to the blood of the Perfect Lamb which was applied to the wooden cross for the salvation of all mankind.

Hence the scripture:

John 19:25-27 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, he said to his mother, Woman, behold your son! Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother.” John 13:23

‘Saw His mother.’

Why say it that way if she had been there all along?

Interestingly, most of the visuals tell us that they were present at the crucifixion the whole time.

‘And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home’.19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 19:29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

27:54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Mar 15:37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last.
 15:38 And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

15:39 When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” 

The centurion, standing in front of Jesus, need only turn his head to see the veil torn in two and the dead being raised and walking toward the city.  This is only possible if Jesus was crucified on the Mt of Olives straight across from the Temple.

The Red Heifer bridge would have ended between Zechariah’s tomb and the road to Jericho, straight across from the blocked up gate in the east wall of the Temple Mount.  The place of stoning for the Jews would have been near by the end of the bridge, so that when a person died they would be before God (represented by the Holy of Holies) and they would be responsible for their own sins. 

It is said that the Centurion that stood guard across from Jesus at his crucifixion saw the torn veil of the Holy of Holies at the time, which means this is the same area the Roman’s crucified Jewish prisoners. Jesus was one of three being hung on a cross that day, which further indicates this as a place regularly used by them. 

The Roman’s always crucified people on the main roads going into cities that they ruled over as a warning to travelers, and this was sort of a crossroads with one road leading to the city and another leading to the Red Heifer bridge which lead to the Temple. They may have chosen a place above the road where He could be mocked by the travelers. 

The two criminals might well have gone through much the same process as Yahshua himself did. What is certain is that each was excommunicated from the community of Israel.

As the shofar sounded the blasts announcing excommunication from the congregation of Israel on the Pinnacle of the Temple a flagman (lactee), stood near the southeastern cloisters of the Women’s Court near the Miphkad Gate with a red flag. Each man would have been led separately over the Red Heifer bridge to the execution site on the “ridge” (or “cranium”, “spine”) of the Mount of Olives (Gulgoleth). A second lactee riding a white horse and carrying a wooden plaque on which the charge was written, led the execution party to that public square, the gathering place for the festal pilgrims situated near the Bazaars of Annas. Pilate had written on that plaque that Yahshua was the KING OF ISRAEL! No other charge was represented on the plaque.

THE MYSTERY OF THE RED HEIFER REVEALED IN MESSIAH YESHUA

The spiritual significance of the Red Heifer is considered by ancient and modern Jewish sages and scholars to be one of the greatest mysteries.

However, the mystery of Solomon’s chok is fully revealed in the sacrifice of Messiah Jesus/Yeshua.

The uniqueness of the sacrifice.

Symbol of the Color of Blood and the Impartation of New Life

An unusual aspect of the Red Heifer is it being female rather than male. The symbolism of this has also been a great mystery:

It has been conjectured that the use of a female, though sacrificial animals were usually males, symbolized the imparting of new life to those who had been defiled by contact with death.

The color red, being the color of blood, may have been the token of life.

By the shedding of His blood, Messiah Yeshua cleanses us from spiritual death resulting from sin and imparts eternal life, the free gift of salvation through His sacrifice for sin atonement.

The physical body of Messiah Yeshua was conceived by the power of the Spirit of God from the “seed of a woman” (Genesis 3:15; Luke 1:35). Perhaps another significance of the Red Heifer being female relates to the seed of a woman being used by God to bring forth the Messiah, by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Some believe that the significance of the heifer being “red” is symbolic of the red blood of the Messiah Jesus without which there can be no cleansing.

The paradox of the red heifer sacrifice suggests profound truth about the sacrificial death of Yeshua our Savior.  The kohen (priest) who sprinkled the ashes of the red heifer became tamei (unclean) himself, even though the defiled person became tahor (pure).

The picture of the priest here is one of sacrificial love – the giving up of one’s own spiritual purity so that another person can regain his purity…  “Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean” (Psalm 51:7). Just so, Yeshua willingly became unclean on our behalf – through our contact with sin and death – so that we could become clean (Isa. 53:4, 2 Cor. 5:21, Gal. 3:3, Eph. 5:2, Titus 2:14).

Because of Yeshua, the impure become pure, even though He became impure through His offering.  Because of Him, we have been cleansed from our sins “by a better sprinkling” than that which the Tabernacle of Moses could afford (Matt. 26:28, Heb. 9:14, 12:24, Eph. 1:7, 1 Pet. 1:2,18-19, Rom. 5:9; Col. 1:14, 1 John 1:7, etc.).

The sages of the Talmud had it partly right…. Yeshua’s sacrifice as our “Red Heifer” indeed preceded the “rebuilding” of the Temple (John 2:19) – though this Temple is one made “without human hands” by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 26:26-28, 1 Cor. 12:27, Eph. 4:4,11-12, Col. 1:24, etc.).

The followers of the Messiah are now part of the Temple of His Body (1 Cor. 3:16, 12:27) and are called “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5).The sacrifice of the tenth Red Heifer — Yeshua — instituted a new priesthood after the order of Malki-Tzedek (Heb. 5:10 with 1 Pet. 2:5) that replaces the older Levitical priesthood of Aaron (Heb. 13:10).

Beloved, we have been cleansed from our sins by a better sprinkling than that which the tent of Moses could afford (Matt. 26:28, Heb. 9:14, 12:24, Eph. 1:7, 1 Pet. 1:2,18-19, Rom. 5:9; Col. 1:14, 1 John 1:7, etc.).

This typology was inclusive of the both the bullocks and the goats which were used as sin offerings and the red heifer which was used for purification and holiness (from sin or defilement) of the Levites and the temple premises.

Hebrews 9:13-14: “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God.”

That the early church believers recognized the relationship between the Jesus and the Red Heifer is depicted in the Letter of Barnabas (8:2) written about 90 CE which stated, “The calf is Jesus: the sinful men offering it are those who led him to the slaughter.”

The parah adumah sacrifice was entirely unique for the following reasons: it was the only sacrifice that specifically required an animal of a particular color. This animal was extremely rare and entirely unique, in fact it is recorded by Maimonides in his commentary to the mishna that, 9 perfectly red heifers parah adumah were prepared from the time the Commandments were given to Moses until the destruction of the second Temple.

Mishnah 5, Tractate Parah –

“The 1st heifer that was burned was under the supervision of Moses on that 2nd day of Nissan in the second year from the Exodus.

The 2nd heifer was burned under the supervision of Ezra;

2 were burned by Shimon Ha Tzaddik;

2 were burned by Yochanan, the High Priest,

the 7th by Eliehoenai, the son of He-Kof,

the 8th by Hanamel, the Egyptian,

the 9th by Ishmael, son of Piabi and

the 10th will be burned in the time of the (for us Messiah Jesus) Moschiach.”  

“… and the tenth red heifer will be accomplished by the king, the Messiah; may he be revealed speedily, Amen, May it be God’s will.

For us as believers we can say WAS prepared.

We need to be reminded that in all the 100’s of years, this occurred only nine times between Sinai and the destruction of the temple in 70 CE!

So the puzzle still continues….

According to rabbinic opinion, future temple construction cannot begin unless the ashes of the red heifers that have been mixed since the days of Moses also have been found. This fact is overlooked by many who await the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem as a sign of the End of Times, and the return of the King.

However For three decades, a former Baptist minister, now amateur archeologist, Vendyl Jones, has been searching for the K’lal, (Qalal) which according to the Copper Scroll; is the urn or vessel that contains the ashes of the red heifer that was used in the Mishkhan or Wilderness Sanctuary and in Solomon’s Temple.These ashes were from the first heifer that was slaughtered by Eliezar in the days of Moses.According to Jones, in order for the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) to be restored, this vessel of ashes from the first Temple ashes of the red heifer must be found.Translation from the Hebrew linguists of the Vendyl Jones Research Institute,

state that “under the spices, is the purification.” According to the meaning of this translation, ‘they are buried beneath the site where the Temple Incense called the Pitum haQetoret was discovered; near the ‘hidden north entrance’ at the Cave of the Column, is the site where the ashes of the Red Heifer are buried.’

Sign of Jerusalem’s Impending Destruction – Red Heifer Gave Birth To a Lamb

According to first-century Jewish historian Josephus, one of the signs of Jerusalem’s impending destruction, occurred when a red heifer being led by the High Priest for sacrifice gave birth to a lamb! This strange occurrence took place just before Passover and was accompanied by other supernatural signs that destruction as prophesied by Messiah Yeshua was imminent.Another commented ‘What if the new 10th Red Heifer was prepared for slaughter to obtain the ashes to purify the site for a Sanctuary or New Temple and this time she foaled a ‘cub lion’.

Would the Orthodox Jewish rabbabim accept that the Messiah ben David, the Lion of Judah, was also the Messiah ben Joseph, who gave Himself as the Pesach Lamb in the 1st century CE? This drama still has a few pages left to unfold……The divine promise of purity has been fulfilled in Jesus/Yeshua, our Red Heifer and by His sacrifice we are made pure and acceptable in the sight of The Father.

 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

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.