The Great Feast

 

“For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.”   Leviticus 23:36  NKJV

 

This week we will be treated to an annual occurrence which for some reason I always look forward to and that is what is called the “harvest moon”.  I live in an agricultural valley and believe it or not, you can see farmers’ still baling hay in the light of the moon in an effort to get it in the barn before it is ruined by rain, which lowers the value dramatically.  Of course, there are many other harvests going on too, as many are picking over the last of their gardens before the first frost arrives to end the season.  This time of year, however, always reminds me of just how often the subject of “harvest” occurs in the Bible, and especially as it refers to our expected rapture of the Church.

 

Of the seven appointed feasts of the Lord given to the nation of Israel, the last one, called the Feast of Tabernacles, is arguably the most festive and celebratory.  It is a seven day celebration of the ending of the harvest, the forgiveness of sins on Yom Kippur, and a time of feasting as the people are allowed to eat of the tithes they brought to Jerusalem and it began this week.

 

“You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. “And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. “But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the LORD your God has blessed you, “then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. “And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.”   Deuteronomy 14:22-26  NKJV

 

Originally, this feast lasted seven days, but it was later expanded to eight, with this last day given the name “shemini atzeret” which means “sacred assembly”.  It is taken from the passage in Leviticus 23 where God institutes this eighth day and refers to it as such.  This term is mentioned several times in scripture, and Jesus also chooses this day to make an interesting announcement.

 

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”   John 7:37-39  NKJV

 

Why do I call this interesting?  The Holy Spirit was not given to believers until the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two, which most consider to be the day the Church, the body of Christ, was created.  So in truth, this statement by Jesus was a direct reference to the Church, which had yet to be created, given before His crucifixion and resurrection.  Another reason I find this last day interesting is the following passage from Joel which refers to a “sacred assembly”.

 

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room.”    Joel 2:15-16  NKJV

 

Many have suggested the possibility that this passage might be a reference to the rapture of the Church when it talks about the bridegroom going out from his chamber to claim his bride.  Although that may or may not be the case, Jesus, as well as Paul certainly taught that Christ returning for the Church will mirror the traditions of a Jewish wedding.

 

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”  John 14:3  NKJV

 

“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!”  Matthew 25:6  NKJV

 

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”    1 Thessalonians 4:16-17  NKJV

 

After receiving permission to fetch his bride from his father, the bridegroom comes with a shout and the blowing of a ram’s horn.  It usually would occur at midnight, and he would call out for his bride to join him for the ceremony.  When Paul tells us in his letter to the Thessalonians that Jesus will return in the clouds and call for the Church to join Him, it mirrors this tradition perfectly.  At some future date, known only by God the Father, Jesus will receive permission to return for His bride, the Church, and He will call out with a shout and a trumpet blast, for us to join Him in the air.

 

Regardless of whether or not the eighth day celebration, the sacred assembly, proves to be the time of the Church being caught up to meet her groom in Heaven, we as believers have much to be thankful for and setting aside a day to celebrate the gift of eternal life which has been promised to those who have chosen to believe is certainly a great idea.  If you have never given your life to Jesus and accepted His gift of eternal life which is free for the asking I would urge you to do it today.  The time is short, and as we see the world in free-fall it is obvious to those who do believe that we could hear the trumpet blow and be caught up to heaven at any time.

 

As we watch the world seemingly descend into darkness, the conclusion that the rapture must be near is virtually inescapable.  How wonderful it would be for the Church to go home during this season of thankfulness and harvest.  If you have never made the decision to accept the free gift of eternal life I encourage you to do so today.  Simply ask God to forgive you of your sin based on your belief that Jesus died to pay the price for your sin, and turn over control of your life to Him.  You can do that right now by praying a prayer just like this one;

 

"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen." 

Keep watching.

The Waiting Game

“I am weary with my crying; My throat is dry; My eyes fail while I wait for my God.”        Psalms 69:3 NKJV

It should not come as a surprise that I hear all too often the question “how long?” as I teach on the nearness of the rapture of the Church.  How do you cope with waiting? To be sure, God leaves no doubt as to what He expects from us as believers and He makes that perfectly clear in the scriptures.

“Therefore wait for Me,” says the LORD, “Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is to gather the nations To My assembly of kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, All My fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured With the fire of My jealousy.”  Zephaniah 3:8. NKJV

We live in a world that embraces and often demands instant gratification, so it comes as no surprise that even believers have difficulty waiting. Yet when we study the scriptures, a reoccurring theme from God is often our need to wait upon Him! Obviously God in His wisdom has decided there are lessons to be learned from waiting, and I'm sure most of us have cried out much as David did because we are weary from waiting. But are we alone in this? Look at what Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans.

“For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only [that], but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”      Romans 8:22-23 NKJV

Why does the entire creation groan? No doubt because of the changes brought about by the fall in Genesis where even the shape of this world was altered by the introduction of sin. Notice that Paul is telling us here that both nature and man are waiting for the exact same event; the return of Christ! And the reason we groan? We as believers know what we will receive when Christ calls us home to be with Him forever. The anticipation of leaving this earth grows every day as we watch the events around us which give evidence that the world is, like in Noah's day, moving farther away from God rather than towards Him.

I have noticed lately that many believers are becoming weary from waiting for the return of the Lord for His church. Although we as believers know without a doubt that what we are seeing today are the labor pains leading up to our Lord's return, it is still difficult to watch what is occurring all around us, and patiently wait for His return. Is it no wonder we find it difficult to wait upon the Lord? We watch as our nation experiences anger, protest, and even violence. Yet that it what is expected of us as believers, so I think it important that we understand what God wants from us as He asks us to wait for His return.

“Let us hold fast the confession of [our] hope without wavering, for He who promised [is] faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as [is] the manner of some, but exhorting [one another], and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”     Hebrews 10:23-25 NKJV

I find myself continuously returning to this passage whenever I consider the nearness of Christ's return because it specifically tells us what is expected of us as we “see the day approaching”. Paul's message to us here is actually a very simple one, but also a very important one. The first thing he does is encourage us by reminding us of the fact of God's faithfulness. God has promised that He will deliver us from this world and He will be faithful to do exactly that. The second thing Paul does is tell us to do is pass this encouragement along to others who believe.

As I thought about this passage one of the ideas that came to mind was that discouragement means our focus is inward. We get discouraged because our concern is about what we have yet to receive, impatience that we are being asked to wait, and probably a little doubt about the validity of the promise. I think that is why Paul's first advice to us concerns God's faithfulness. We often need to be reminded that God is always faithful to deliver on His promises. It's never a question of “if”, but of “when”.

“He who calls you [is] faithful, who also will do [it].”     1 Thessalonians 5:24 NKJV

Of course, if we stop looking in and start looking out, we then see that there are others who will benefit from the encouragement we can give by sharing the message of God's faithfulness. How often have we thought that we were alone in being discouraged when in fact there are so many others within the body that deal with the same problems we do. Becoming discouraged while being made to wait is something we have all felt at one time or another, and what better way to cope than to get together with other believers who can empathize and encourage? Sharing the encouragement of God's faithfulness to others in the body is Paul's advice to us especially at this time.

“and so much the more as you see the Day approaching”   I think that this phrase is also Paul's way of saying that the closer we get to the rapture of the church, the more the need for encouragement. I read more and more every day of those in the body who are going through hard times and facing attacks from the enemy and are in desperate need of encouragement. I have no doubt that Noah and his family felt their share of persecution in the time leading up to the flood, and how difficult it must have been to not get discouraged as they waited for the Lord. Yet I believe the key once again is to look forward to the promise we have from God with the knowledge He is faithful to do as He has promised.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory,”     2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV

The more we must endure down here increases the joy we will find when we finally experience the glory of life with God in the place He has prepared for us. Remember, the longer the wait, the stronger the anticipation and the greater the appreciation. We know what is expected of us here on this earth, and it should come as no surprise that the opportunities to share our faith will increase dramatically as the end draws near. In a way, you could say this is our time to shine, and God has promised to give us the strength necessary to succeed.

“For the LORD [is] good; His mercy [is] everlasting, And His truth [endures] to all generations.”     Psalms 100:5 NKJV

 Are you discouraged today? Does it seem like what we are waiting for will never get here? Let me encourage you by reminding you that our hope is in the Lord. He is always faithful to do as He has said. God has never failed to fulfill a promise, and of course He never will. Take the time we have left by sharing this promise with others and encourage them to receive the gift of eternal life if they have not already done so.

At times, waiting can be agony. I won't deny that and neither will you. It's easy to become discouraged when we are asked to wait when our expectations are so high. How long? I have no idea, but it certainly doesn't look like it will be much longer until the labor pains will be over and we will be delivered to glory with Him, and the world to its tribulation. There are reasons for making us wait, and it goes without saying that every day the Church remains is another day that we can share the promise of salvation that is available because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Look to God for strength, and be busy making the most of the opportunities we have in the short time we have left.

Just as God waited for Israel to repent, He is also waiting for the world to repent and accept the free gift of salvation He has offered by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.  The difference is that He has chosen to wait more than two thousand years for His Church, the bride of Christ, to grow to the size that it has.  Yet we are also told there will come a time when God will tell His Son to come and get us and take us home, ending the waiting period until He unleashes His judgment on this earth.  While Jesus’ sacrifice was first offered to the nation of Israel, after their rejection it has now been offered to all of us if we will only accept it. Everyone is afforded a choice as to where they will spend eternity.  If your desire is to spend that eternity in Heaven with our Father, Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans exactly how to do that.

 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”    Romans 10:9-10  NKJV

 

I pray you have, or will, make the choice to accept the gift of eternal life offered to us all as a result of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Keep watching.

Weird Science

“They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.”  Romans 1:25. NLT

A term that I am sure most everyone is familiar with by now is climate change. It appears to me, at least, that every single day there is an article, newscast, program, speech, or protest somewhere in this world expounding upon the danger that faces us in the very near future.  I don’t think I am alone in noticing that this ever evolving threat to mankind is becoming the “go to” excuse for just about every natural event that occurs in this world today.  

I have written and shared my thoughts on the natural disasters we see occurring with greater frequency at this point in the world’s history and as you might expect, I don’t blame them on climate change.  https://faithfully-watching.blogspot.com/2022/12/these-things.html. Rather than speak to the question of why the events we see are happening, I thought it more important to address why so many are seemingly beginning to worship what many have called the cult of climate change.

This passage from Romans says that the time will come when mankind will stop worshipping God and instead begin to worship the world and all that He created.  To me, the answer as to why we see this happening is rather simple and is explained by God in the very first sentence when we are told people will choose to follow a lie.  Who has God the Father described as the “father of lies”?  That would be Satan himself who, from tempting Eve in the garden to this present time, lies to deceive people into rejecting the truth of God.  

“O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.”  1 Timothy 6:20-21. NKJV

In this letter to Timothy, Paul warns him not to follow the “contradictions” of false knowledge, but stay true to the truth he was taught.  How often have we heard the phrase “follow the science” in the past few years?  While at one time that might have been good advice, it certainly seems that lately the “science” has become more of a false narrative than an actual fact.  Many if not most have by now decided that the “science” or knowledge that led to the events of the pandemic of 2020 might well be described by the phrase in this verse “what is falsely called knowledge”.  

As far as the subject of climate change and the ominous predictions many are using to sell it, over 1600 respected scientists and experts have signed what is titled the “World Climate Declaration” wherein they state emphatically that there is no climate emergency at all.  https://clintel.org/world-climate-declaration/. Now the thought occurs to me that it certainly seems that if we choose to follow the science we need to listen to the scientists and not those who might have other reasons to push a false narrative.

Now you might well ask, “what reasons might those be?” Well I would suggest the answer to that would be found by again returning to who God states is the father of lies and why that individual would be interested in convincing the entire world that there is an emergency of such proportions that all people need to come together to address it.  If we ask the obvious question in regards to “how” do we do that the answer might well become clear when we consider the steps already taken in the form of creating laws and regulations which need to be enforced.

This in turn leads to “control” which by now most believers understand is the ultimate goal of the deceiver himself, who with the help of his minion the antichrist, will attempt to control the entire world.  Is it any wonder then that the World Economic Forum has already jumped onboard the climate change bandwagon and made it one of their most pressing issues?  The WEF of course, is the entity which many believe the antichrist  will use to establish his one world government with the express purpose of eventually ruling the entire planet.

I began this article with a verse from Paul the Apostle wherein he warns of trading the “the truth about God for a lie”.  We need to ask ourselves, especially in this time in our world’s history, “what exactly is the truth of God”?  The answer to that has always been clear and unequivocal, and is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  God created, man sinned by following Satan’s lies, and God provided a means for salvation by accepting the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, as payment for our sin.

If you are reading this today and have never made that decision, you can do it right now wherever you might be by simply praying a prayer like this; 

 

Jesus I know that I am a sinner, and have sinned against you.  I believe you loved me enough to send your Son Jesus to die for my sins, and that He rose from the dead so that I can live.  Forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to live for you.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Keep watching.

Timely Words

Those of you who choose to frequent this site do so, I believe, because you are interested in what the Bible has to say about the end times and the call for us as a Church to be watchmen.  The following article by Pete Garcia of rev310.net is by far the best commentary on being a watchman that I have ever read.  I want to share it with you today in the hope it will encourage you as much as it has encouraged me.

The Lonely Road to the Blessed Hope

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door and, no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Revelation 3:8

The watchman on the western wall cried with a loud voice to the crowds thronging below him, Behold, the end of all things is at hand!

No head turned towards him. No ear bent upwards to better hear. 

After a moment, he cried out again, Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation! 

Again, no acknowledgment. Just heads turned downward, eyes peeled to their smartphones, trudging along like mindless zombies unaware of the danger that lay ahead.

In his heart, the watchman knows that this generation will not heed the warning. They are full of eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear. They have hearts hardened by the widespread cynicism of the age. Unlike any other generation before it, prophetic warnings these days are simply white noise in a flood of information bombarding the masses. Warnings, prophetic or otherwise, often go unheeded unless the threat is immediate and obvious. Indifference has become the normal state of affairs.

The watchman laments the state of the obstinate crowds addicted to their devices. Like lemmings marching to the cliff edge, each passing day presses this world ever forward into the unforgiving wine press of the wrath of God. 

A time of unspeakable horror is coming upon the world. The 70th Week of Daniel, often commonly referred to as The Tribulation, will be a foretaste of hell on earth during the final seven years of mankind. It is this approaching storm the watchman on the wall warns of...a storm that will engulf the whole world into a tempest of tyranny, lawlessness, wickedness, and both natural and supernatural judgment.

Knowing the perilous times ahead and the seeming utter disregard by most in the world today, the watchman walks a lonely road. 

The watchman's calling is not glamorous. Nor is it without cost. 

Friendly acquaintances have abandoned him. Co-workers have begun to shun him. Even loved ones give wide berth eventually avoiding him altogether. He has had long-term relationships severed by friends and close family. His calling has cost him his livelihood by passed-over promotions, missed positions, and any semblance of upward mobility seems to have now eluded him. 

Perhaps even his beloved spouse believes he has finally lost his mind and has taken to mocking and scoffing at him at every opportune time. One day, should the Lord tarry, she will leave him for another like herself. Someone equally distracted with the here and now, where an endless consumption of material things fills the time, yet never manages to satiate the appetite of the soul.

Vacuous and tone-deaf church pulpits increasingly ignore the return of Christ. With heads firmly planted in the ground, so-called "learn-ed" clergy increasingly ignore the compounding signs that the end is racing towards them. Sadly, even the watchman's own church has begun to close ranks against him. No longer allowed to teach or serve in any meaningful way, he walks out of the hollow building to the sounds of those speaking just above a whisper saying things like "he's crazy," "a prophecy nut," and "he has lost his mind."

With little strength, he turns to the shrinking remnant community of fellow watchmen of those like-minded watchers for encouragement. These are those who also willingly challenge the 'willful ignorance' of this age. But why then is he (and others like him)  becoming shunned like lepers at every step? 

He knows why. He might not bear the ugly sores of leprosy, however, he bears the ugly truth no one wants to hear…the truth that this world is coming to its inevitable end…and quickly.

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:7-8

But there is something else. 

Something that is even more troubling to those who only profess Christ with their mouths, but not their hearts. Perhaps this division between professing and believing, is what really causes them to reject the watchman's warning, especially in the 'civilized' world. This love for the return of Christ exposes the hollowness of the modern-day church with all its trappings of seeker-friendly messages and kingdom-building platforms.

The truth is, the watchman is ruined by the love of Christ. 

For when one tastes of that glory so divine that only Christ offers, nothing else on earth will satisfy. 

The watchman becomes consumed by investing in the world to come, and not this present one which is quickly fading away.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 5:19-21

Nothing else on earth will quench the hunger for the true believer. Nothing else will quench the thirst. Christ has ruined his appetite for the things of this world, and he knows he is all the better for it. 

Spiritually awakened, the watchman's inner man has become quickened and reconnected back to his Creator. Understanding what he was saved from, he is compelled to share this good news with others before time runs out. 

The watchman sees the complete picture. He is not only thankful for what Christ has already done at the Cross but is thankful for what Christ will do in the future. Thus, our blessed hope is bifurcated by the knowledge the Scripture imparts to the discerning believer. 

"...Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Rev. 19:10

This blessed hope is that Christ comes first for His bride to meet Him in the air (lifted up) as an act of endearment. We purify ourselves by holding to this expectation of our blessed hope. It is also a warning to those who are left behind for if our removal is a blessing then what should those who remain expect?

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 (my emphasis)

And then He returns to the earth a second time with His bride in judgment, to vanquish His enemies once and for all.

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7

In the meantime, the watchman often wanders this world alone like a nomad; a stranger in a strange land alienated by his new nature and his desire to be pleasing to God. He knows that nothing in this world will satisfy him. Nothing will satiate his desire to be reconnected to his Creator. Spurred on by the boundless revelation in Scripture, he pours over every detail, every jot and tittle allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate his understanding of things past, present, and to come.

He knows this world is coming to an end. The signs Jesus gave us are not just happening, but are being stored up like blast wave awaiting the right moment to explode forth. He knows that the complex schemes of wicked men and angels are coming to nothing because they do not/can not control the future.  

Even the normal tasks of work, play, and life, without Christ, are empty and meaningless. 

The present world powers in business, academia, culture, and government, are attempting to create a world devoid of God (as if God doesn't exist), and yet, are fulfilling the Scripture exactly as it was written because it has already been foretold.

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. James 5:1-3

They act as if this world and reality are without an author or creator. They act as if this world and all therein, is accidental. They've convinced themselves that they determine the future, and can control its outcomes. They have successfully exorcised God from almost every facet of the public square, acting as if they don't talk about Him, He doesn't exist.

Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 

2 Peter 3:3-7 (my emphasis)

They, like the empty-suited religious leaders of our day, have substituted transformative faith with 

 absolute spiritual regeneration (i.e., being born again), for empty platitudes for how to live peaceably. 

Coexistence doesn't bring peace. 

Religion does not bring true life. 

Morality does not bring sanctification. 

Piety does not bring redemption. 

Only believing and trusting in the finished work of Christ's death on the cross to pay for our transgressions, can bring true life. As Scripture says,

So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Hebrews 9:28

But Christ did not come simply to die and be seemingly defeated by the powers of this world. For His sacrifice is intricately connected to His return. 

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

For Christ must return to the same battlefield where He was seemingly defeated, and conquer His enemies, and lay claim to the victory promised to Him from before the foundation of the world.

“I will declare the decree:

The Lord has said to Me,

‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.

Ask of Me, and I will give You

The nations for Your inheritance,

And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron;

You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ” 

Psalm 2:7-9

So if you are a watchman, and you are feeling despondent, alone, weak,  neglected, shunned, and ignored, know that you are not alone. Christ knows your struggles and your walk. He is there with us through every step of the path He gave us to walk. Knowing that we are not alone and that this journey we are on is at its end, and the finish line is in sight, Rejoice! 

Rejoice for having the perseverance to endure this race until the end of all things. 

Rejoice for knowing that as bad as this life is, it is the closest to hell you will ever be.

Rejoice for the things Christ has in store for those who love Him.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 

Ephesians 2:4-7 (my emphasis)

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

https://www.rev310.net/post/the-lonely-road-to-the-blessed-hope

Keep watching.

Season of Harvest

“Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, ‘You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ”And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not meet you in any other field.” So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.”  Ruth 2:21-23  NKJV

Most are familiar with the story of Ruth, and the fact that many believe it is a picture of the wedding of the Church to her groom, Jesus Christ.  As I have studied this story over and over again throughout the years, the one fact which keeps returning to my mind is the timing of the wedding, and if it might be a clue as to when the rapture will occur.  If you look at the story and what it says, I believe God makes it clear that it occurs after the harvest of both the barley and the wheat. In Israel, while the barley is harvested in the spring, the wheat is harvested at the end of summer, usually in September close to the autumn equinox.

"The harvest is past, The summer is ended, And we are not saved!"
Jeremiah 8:20 NKJV

This verse from Jeremiah is a lament over the fact that summer is over and they are not saved. The question that came to my mind is if the summer is over, it should be a time of rejoicing and celebration for the harvest. If indeed God is trying to tell us that the rapture may come at the end of summer, is the cry of Israel a response to that event? We know the tribulation is the time where God turns Israel back to Him by means of judgment so is it possible we find here another clue as to when that might occur? There is a saying among believers who study prophecy and the history of the nation of Israel, and it goes something like this; “the past is prologue”.  What this means is that quite often we find that events in the Old Testament are somehow a sign of things to come because they often repeat themselves, especially when it comes to Israel. 

"But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night."      1 Thessalonians 5:1-2  NKJV

I have often wondered if while we may not "know" when our wedding will take place, why does Paul mention the seasons in this passage? When speaking of the rapture, many scholars believe we are told that if we watch as we are commanded to do, we will recognize the “season” of the rapture of the Church.  With that in mind, I can’t help but wonder if the many references to the “harvest” when talking about the rapture, along with the fact that the wedding between Ruth and Boaz occurred after the harvest is something we need to take note of.  

Although there is a full moon every month of the year, the term “harvest moon” is given to the full moon which occurs closest to the autumn equinox.  I live in an agricultural valley and believe it or not, you can still find farmers baling hay in the light of the moon in an effort to get it in the barn before it is ruined by rain, which lowers the value dramatically.  Of course, there are many other harvests going on too, as many are picking over the last of their gardens before the first frost arrives to end the season. 

"You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress.”
Deuteronomy 16:13 NKJV

As we approach Rosh Hashanah, also known as the Feast of Trumpets, many believers get excited as it has traditionally been thought to be a strong possibility for a day for the rapture of the Church. Since the calendar in Israel is lunar rather than solar, the beginning of the month is determined by the sighting of the new moon which may or may not occur on the day you determine to be the first of the month. That is why Rosh Hashanah is celebrated for two days rather than just one since there is a possibility the moon won't be sighted when you would expect it. Like many, I have always thought it no coincidence that this holiday is described as one where "no man knows"

With less than two weeks to go until Rosh Hashanah, we find ourselves in the last month of “Elul”, which just coincidently comes from a Babylonian word meaning “harvest”.  In Israel, Elul is also known as the month of the bride, which comes from the phrase, “My beloved is mine, and I am his”, taken from the Song of Solomon 2:16. This is also the time when the last harvests of the agricultural year take place in Israel.  Many believe, with the many references correlating the harvest with the rapture, that this is an especially important time to be watching.

So to summarize, we are fast approaching the time of the wheat harvest in Israel, the time of the wedding of Ruth and Boaz.  We also find ourselves in the month on the Jewish calendar which means harvest, as well as the month of the bride, and the feast of trumpets is just a couple of weeks away. While I would also caution that I have no idea exactly when the rapture will occur, it is certainly curious to me to see all of these coincidences arriving at the same time.

While all of these things are interesting to consider, if we take into account where we find ourselves as the body of Christ in the events of the past year or so, is it so hard to believe that our time on this earth is rapidly winding down?  Speaking for myself, not only am I surprised we are still here, but also cannot help but believe that we will hear the call to “come away” to our wedding in heaven at any time.  Looking at all the “coincidences” of the coming few weeks excites me to no end as I long for an end to what the Church has had to endure, as well as hearing from so many others of you who feel the same way I do.

Of course, of greater importance is the question we all must ask of ourselves which is, am I prepared for the return of Jesus for His bride, the Church?  If you have never made the decision to ask Jesus to come into your life and accept the gift of salvation He has offered you I urge you to do it right now. Simply pray to Him and confess that you are a sinner in need of salvation, and then ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Tell Him you believe that He died on the cross to take your place and because of that you want to turn your life over to Him. If you do that you have His promise that you are saved.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:"
John 1:12 NKJV

Keep watching.