Teachinghearts	The Coming Of Moses And Elijah (Israel Accepts Yeshua As The Messiah) "Explore the Word. Change the World"
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Old Covenant 34 AD 132-135 2000 Years Time of the End Gentiles Stephen Stoned Divided Time of the Gentiles Today Reunited Second Coming Church (Israel) Christians Led by the Sons of Zadok Elijah Moses All Israel Israel Elijah Jews Led by the Sons of Levi Hebrew Greek Arabic Hebrew (Pure Language) Blind, Deaf Fuzzy Sight, Impaired Hearing and Speech Sight and Hearing Restored Israel Sleeps Israel Has Messianic Dreams Israel is Dreaming Proof Of God Israel Awakens Husband Killed Disgraced and Desolate Widow Shame Reversed Jacob (Deceiver) Marriage and 12 Sons Israel (Prince) Hated Wife Concubines Beloved Wife Barren Young Wife Concubines Have Children Wife has Child in Her Old Age Physical Israel (Judah) Gentiles (Ten Lost Tribes) United Global Israel (Benjamin) Rachel Weeps For Joseph Rachel Weeps For Manasseh and Ephraim Rachel Weeps For Benjamin Inheritance Given Firstborn Squandered First Portion of His Inheritance Second Portion of Inheritance Esau loses Birthright Jacob Used Tricks and Bribes Israel Receives the Birthright Son of Sorrow Inheritance Stolen Son of the Right Hand Jews Stumbled Riches for the World (Property) The Greatest Riches (Blessing) Head of the Snake Body of the Snake (Israel Flees From the Snake) Grasps Tail of the Snake No Fish Fishermen Fish Archers and Hunters Exodus Bait Searching The Great Sea Searching on Land The Snake on the Rod The Jews Run Away from the Snake They Hold the Tail of the Snake The Faithful Rock The Jews Scorned the Rock and are Spurned God Has Compassion Seed Planted Former Rain Growing Latter Rain Harvest Olive Tree Cut Israel Broken off (Stump) Israel Grafted in Fruit Seed Root Two Cotyledons Growing in the Darkness Blade Tree, Leaves, Fruit Lulav (Right Hand) Etrog (Left Hand) Lulav Wave Lulav and Etrog Etrog Upside Down Etrog Right Side Up Bring Lulav and Etrog Together First Generation (Sacrifices) Chol Ha'Moed and Building Sukkah Second Generation (Wave Sheaf) Broken Middle Matzah Hidden Afikoman Children Find the Afikoman Cup 1 2 Sulchan Orech and Tzafun 3 Elijah Cup 4 Cup of Wrath Israel Drains The Dregs Of The Cup Cup Given To The Nations

Moses and Elijah were two of the earliest prophets before the invasion of Assyria, Babylon and Persia. Several prophecies point to their return and to a return of powers like ancient Babylon and Persia at the end of time.
We know that the real Moses and Elijah and the real Babylon and Persia will not come back. However, a prophet or a message like Moses and Elijah will return to lead the people of God and a nation like Babylon will return at the end of time to persecute the people of God
Why is the leadership and message of Moses and Elijah more important than the great prophets who existed during the fall of Babylon? It is because Israel went into apostasy and were conquered by Babylon, they did not listen to their prophets and turn back to God. However, both Moses and Elijah were successful in leading Israel back to God and away from apostasy. Therefore, it is their message and tactics that will be needed to successfully warn the final nation of God. Their leadership and example accomplishes the following:

• The Coming of God. They prepare the way for the coming of God.
• Repentance. They turn the hearts of the people back to their father, God.
• Exodus. They lead the people on an exodus out of sin and idolatry and back to God.
• Salvation. They represent the two types of people who will be saved.
  • Righteous Dead. Moses represents those who will be raised from the dead and then taken to heaven.
  • Righteous Living. Elijah represents those who are alive at the Second Coming and are taken to heaven.
• Witnesses. They represent the two types of witnesses for God in the world.
  • Law. Moses represents the law and covenant of God.
  • Prophets. Elijah represents the role of the prophets in pointing the people back to the law and covenant.
• Built the Sanctuary. Moses introduced them to the sanctuary. Elijah symbolically repaired the broken and neglected sanctuary.

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The Prophecies
Several prophecies talk about the final evangelistic efforts at the end of time which will unite the Jews and Christians. Both branches were strategically separated at the crucifixion by the will of God and they will be united at the end.
So the worse and more bitter the 2000 year public division and hatred between the two branches, the greater and more compelling will be the evidence that unites them.

• Elijah and The Passover Seder. The tradition states that Elijah would return during the Passover seder and introduce them to the Messiah before God pours out His wrath on the nations.
• Passover as a Sign. Passover is a sign in the hand and forehead like the SHEMA.
• The Two Journeys of the Twelve Tribes. After the crucifixion, the tribes would first journey north away from the sanctuary and towards judgment. Then they would come back south towards the sanctuary and the Second Coming. This prophecy shows that Benjamin is the final church formed by the union of Jews and Gentiles who were separated at the crucifixion and who will be united again.
• The Blessings and Curses. The curses said that He must fail. The blessings said that He must succeed.
• The Fruit Harvest. God only accepts the fruit harvest at a certain time. Jesus was too early to gather this harvest from the tree that God planted in Israel 2000 years before.
• The Wanderings of the Ark. It shows how the covenant will be passed from one group to another until the end when the Jews take possession again because the people are under the influence of sun worship.
• Isaiah 49. After the Gentiles are called, the children that Christ thought He lost are restored.
• Isaiah 54. The rejected wife is comforted by her Husband.
• Isaiah 61-62. In the acceptable year the ancient ruins will be rebuilt.
• Ezekiel 36. Israel will be gathered again and given the Holy Spirit.
• Ezekiel 37. Christ will separate and unite the sticks of Judah and Joseph and the Holy Spirit revives them.
• Jeremiah 30-31. Israel will be saved in a time of great distress. This will be understood in the latter days.
• Micah. Christ would be rejected and the Jews would be rejected for a time before they returned.
• Joel. God will perform a miracle to restore the lost harvest in the latter rain.
• Joel. In one month, God will give the early and latter rain. This is the Jews and the final harvest of the world.
• Psalm 80. Israel, the vine from Egypt is rejected then revived after the Son of Man is strengthened.
• Zechariah. He prophesied that Israel will be led in another exodus and that the Jews would recognize the Messiah and turn to Him.
• Malachi. He prophesies that Elijah would return before the day of the Lord. He also alluded to the fact that the Elijah message would be preached again at the end of time.
• Moses. When Moses struck the rock twice and had to receive the commandments twice He was predicting the rejection and acceptance of Christ.
• Manasseh. This tribe represents the Jews returning to Christ had an inheritance on both sides of the Jordan.
• Geminii. The signs of the heavens show that the church would be separated at the crucifixion.
• Judah and Benjamin. The two tribes that represent the current nation of Israel are made up of Judah and Benjamin, the first and last tribes in the marching order. The Gentiles are the ten lost tribes captured by the king of the north and dispersed among the nations.
• Double Blessing and Double Inheritance. As the first born, the nation of Israel gets a second chance to accept their Messiah after they squandered the first portion of their inheritance and were broken off.
• The Return of Ephraim. Both Isaiah and Hosea prophesy about the return of Ephraim and the union of Ephraim and Judah.
• The Witness Of The Altar. The first generation of Jews left a witness for their children in the last generation.
• A Pure Language (Zephaniah 3: 9). The language of Israel will be restored. I believe that two things must occurs to fulfill this prophecy.
  • The Hebrew Language. The language was revived through the efforts of one man, Eliezer Ben Yehuda during 1870-1890. After the exiles returned in 1948 they learned this language and it is now the official language of Israel.
  • The IVRI Script. This ancient script used by Moses is a prophecy about the Messiah who came as an ox from heaven to tabernacle with us and was nailed in His hands and then died on a cross to seal the covenant. Israel will learn this script, even if they do not use it as their alphabet.
• The Parables of Jesus. The parables are prophecies about His death and Second Coming. Some of them prophesy about the Jews and the covenant and some of these prophesy about the Jews at the end of time.
  • The Rich Man and Lazarus. The poor Gentiles will now receive the blessings that Israel did not share. Israel will not accept the testimony of the resurrected Messiah, so they must read Moses and the prophets.
  • Blindness Restored. Israel will receive their sight in two stages. At first the Messiah will be fuzzy, until their eyes are washed, then they will see clearly.
• Jesus. He said the prophecy of the coming of Elijah was fulfilled by John the Baptist.
• Paul (Romans 11). The Jews will be grafted back in when the "fullness of the Gentiles" comes in.
• Revelation 14 (The Three Angels' Message). The Elijah message is repeated in the three angels' message.
• Revelation 11 (The Two Witnesses). This prophecy is structured like the life of Elijah. It gives the time table for the final appearance of Moses and Elijah.
• The Unity Prayer. Jesus says that the unity of the church will be the sign He wants to show the world.

Physical and Spiritual Israel
Many prophecies in the old Testament seem to transition from a local event to a global event at the end of time. This causes a dilemma in deciding not only how much of the prophecy applied to the local event, but how much can we use it as a pattern for the final event. Central to this discussion is the role of the nation of Israel. Does the global event still refer only to that nation or does it include the entire church? And if Israel is to be applied to the global church, how do we interpret the role of the other local groups named?
It has been our opinion that the global event will be applied to both the global and local entities. Revelation gives us a clue about who the global players will be. Babylon the Great and the King of the North are the final world powers that will mimic the actions of ancient Babylon and Assyria. But before they fulfill the prophecy, God uses the local entities as signs of the coming fulfillment. So that the prophecy is reenacted by events in these places and among the local people.
Local or Global Events. How do we know that these are not just simply local events that we are wrenching out of context to fit the end of time? We used at least two criteria to evaluate the global nature of the prophecy.

• Messianic. If it is a Messianic prophecy, we assumed that the single verse has a context within the rest of the passage. Therefore, the entire story is relevant to the time and actions of the Messiah.
• Future Events. Some statements clearly place the text far into the future and are not related to the local event.

Last Day Jews. We also believe certain prophecies refer to a sign at the end of time among the genetic descendants of Israel, not the global Israel. All the reasons mentioned reference events during a future apocalyptic fulfillment.

• Israel's Shame. Their shame occurred when they rejected their Lord. This reached its climax when they rejected the Lord in person as Jesus Christ or Yeshua the Moshiach. So the period after this shame and rejection is symbolized in prophecy as a sealed event. It showed that the covenant was closed to them.
  » Change of Status. Like a prophecy that is repeated with different symbols, this rejection was characterized in many ways. However, Israel was not rejected, nor was the covenant wrenched away from them, nor were they broken off and discarded. Ezekiel characterizes this change of duties the best. Israel actually lost the rights to the priesthood and were called to serve in the temple as Levites while the Gentiles ministered directly before the Lord. So both were covenant people.
• Land Returned. Amos is speaking to a people who have returned from exile to Israel. This has never happened to the Gentiles. Furthermore it says that Israel will never be uprooted again. This means that they must return to the land after their last exile. They were exiled by Hadrian in 136 AD and finally returned in 1948.
  Israel Belongs To The Jews. "I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out of their land which I have given them", says the Lord your God. (Amos 9: 15)
• Shame Reversed. The future events talk about people whose shame is reversed. This is clearly applicable to the Jewish experience not to the Christians. Also, applying it to the shame of global Israel from planet earth does not fit the context of events.
  Israel Chosen Again. When the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel, and settle them in their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob.
  Slaves. The peoples will take them along and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them as an inheritance in the land of the Lord as male servants and female servants, and they will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors. (Isaiah 14: 1)
  None of this happened when Israel returned from Babylon, so this must happen when Israel returns from Babylon the Great. The second verse seems to indicate that the Gentiles or the "strangers" will become slaves of Israel at that time. Since slavery will not exist in the kingdom of God and has been outlawed since the crucifixion, this must refer to the administrative role that Israel has over those who are "slaves of Jesus Christ". The Christian church will follow the leadership of the Jewish branch of the church and they will take captives out of Babylon the Great.
  The remaining verses are about the punishment of Satan, placing this restoration of Israel at the end of time.
• The Barren Old Wife. Isaiah 54 prophecies that Israel will be a barren and briefly rejected young wife whose shame will be reversed in her old age. The Christian bride was never a rejected bride. The example of Sara and Rachel, point to a beloved wife who has the promised child in her old age after a long period of barrenness and hopelessness. This child is a miracle.
• Pierced Messiah. Zechariah 12: 10. A Spirit of grace and supplication is poured out on people who pierced the Messiah. Since there is no wooing or supplication in the New Jerusalem, it must be addressing the inhabitants of Jerusalem before the Second Coming at the time of the Latter Rain.
• A Promise Kept. God indicates that He will keep His promises to the unfaithful children of Abraham.
• Jerusalem Attacked. Our belief is that the Old and the New Jerusalem will be attacked as a part of the last day events. Some texts clearly address the old Jerusalem during a time of great distress and persecution, even involving the death of God's people. These are clearly not the attack on the New Jerusalem which suffers no distress, panic or loss of life.

The Life of Elijah

3½ years of Drought	Hiding in a Cave	Mt. Carmel	Rain	Pursued by Jezebel	Mt. Horeb
1260 years of the Papacy	Church Supressed	Mount Calvary	Rain	The Whore of Babylon	Mount Zion
Persecution		Choose Your God	Rain	The Woman	Meet Your God

• Jezebel and Ahab (Union of Church and State). Jezebel married Ahab and brought idolatry to Israel. She lured the nation of Israel into worshipping Baal instead of YHWH and idolatry grew and consumed Israel. She killed and pursued the prophets of Israel until Elijah believed that he was the only faithful one remaining.
• Drought (3½ years). Elijah prayed for drought.
• Hiding in a Cave. Elijah hid in a cave from Jezebel.
• Showdown on Mt. Carmel. Elijah confronted the nation of Israel and Baal at Mt. Carmel. He designed a test to prove who was the true God. With that action he rebuilt the sanctuary of God and repaired the relationship between God and Israel.
  • Rebuilds the Sanctuary. His symbolic actions recreated the sanctuary.
    • Brings a Sacrifice. He cuts up an ox for a sacrifice. (1 Kings 18: 23)
    • Repairs the Altar. Elijah repaired the altar of God with 12 stones. (1 Kings 18: 30-31)
    • Builds a Laver. He poured 12 pitchers of water around the altar. (1 Kings 18: 34-35)
    • Lights a Menorah. The God who answered by fire was the true God. (1 Kings 18: 24,38)
    • Table of Shewbread. They ate and drank after the victory.
      Now Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower". (1 Kings 18: 41)
    • Altar of Prayer. Elijah prayed for rain seven times. (1 Kings 18: 42)
    • The Most Holy Place. God was coming in a cloud and a shower of rain. (1 Kings 18: 44)
  • Two Opinions. He asks the people to choose whom they will serve.
  • Reconciliation. He repairs the relationship between God and Israel.
  • 450 Priests of Baal and the Answer by Fire. God answers him with fire, but Baal did not answer.
  • Rain. The drought ends when God is accepted by the people. (1 Kings 18: 41)
  We were asked to choose God on Mount Calvary.
• Pursued by Jezebel. The results of this trial enraged Jezebel and she vows to kill Elijah. (1 Kings 19: 2)
• Mt. Horeb. Elijah flees for forty days and forty nights after eating food provided by an angel until He reaches Mt. Horeb where he meets God (1 Kings 19: 8). We will meet God on Mount Zion.

The Message of Elijah
The issues faced by Elijah exist at the end of time. He was a successful advocate for God by challenging the people to make a decision as he demonstrated the superiority of God. The message of the three angels is the Elijah message.

• Repentance. The first angel's message tells the world to go back to the creator God.
  Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters. (Revelation 14: 7)
  
• Two opinions. The message will challenge the world to stop debating and choose between two opinions.
  Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions?" If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him. But the people did not answer him a word. (1 Kings 18: 21)
  This is the message of the third Angel.
  Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. (Revelation 14: 9-12)
  • God or Baal (The Beast). This is the question for the world. Who is your God? Choose your god.
  • Messiah or Not (The Image of the Beast). This is the question for the Jews. Is Jesus the Messiah?
  • The Name (The Mark of His Name). Choose the name of God or the name of the beast.
  • Sabbath or Sunday (The Mark of the Beast). This is the question for the entire Christian world. Is the Sabbath commandment abolished? Is the law of God unchangeable? If not choose Sabbath not Sunday.
• Abandon Idolatry. Revelation 13 says that the world will be guilty of idolatry.
  And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. (Revelation 13: 15)
  The third message of the three angels warns the world not to worship the beast or his image or receive his mark.
• The God Who answers by Fire. Elijah was able to prove who was the true God because of this miracle.
  Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God. And all the people said, "That is a good idea." (1 Kings 18: 24)
  However, the forces of evil will counterfeit this miracle.
  He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. (Revelation 13: 13-14)
  Therefore, we will have to identify God by another great test and by words not by actions alone.
  To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no light. (Isaiah 8: 20)
• The Rain. God sent rain to the drought stricken land. This time He will send the Holy Spirit in the Latter Rain.
• Persecuted by Jezebel. The church will be persecuted by the harlot who controls the kings of the earth. The worst persecution will come after the Latter Rain.
  And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. (Revelation 17: 6)
• Forty Days. The worst days of our persecution may be the forty days between Elul 1 and Tishri 10.

Old Testament: The Reconciliation of Israel
Several old testament prophecies predict the conversion of Israel in the last days. Malachi predicted the coming of Elijah in the last days. Zechariah shows the conditions under which Israel will respond to the Gospel. Moses also predicted reconciliation in the latter days under times of distress. The Passover ceremony reminds them to look for Elijah who will introduce them to the Messiah in the end of days before the wrath is poured out.
Jesus also predicted a unity in the church that will be a sign to the world that He is the Messiah. (John 17: 20-23)

Malachi
He was the prophet who explicitly predicted the coming of Elijah.
Moses. Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel.
Elijah. Behold I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse. (Malachi 4: 4-6)
Based on this prophecy, the disciples and the Jews expected Elijah to come. However, the prophecy points to both the coming of Moses and Elijah. The disciples thought that the prophecy was being fulfilled when they saw Jesus Christ being transfigured with Moses and Elijah. They thought that this was the fulfillment but Jesus told them to suppress the information.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking to Him.
As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead." And His disciples asked Him, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
Elijah is Coming in the Future. And He answered and said, "Elijah is coming and will restore all things;
Elijah Came in the Past. But I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist. (Matthew 17: 3,9-13)
Jesus made some important statements about Elijah that appear to conflict with the prophecy.

• The Day of the Lord. Elijah will come on two occasions on that awesome day. When it comes, a final curse will be sent in the form of the wrath of God. This day of the Lord is the day of atonement when the Most Holy Place is opened and the people stand before God in judgment.
  • Jesus Suffers the Wrath of God. Jesus suffered the wrath at the crucifixion at the beginning of the day.
  • The Earth Suffers the Wrath of God. At the end of the Day of the Lord, the wrath will strike the earth in the form of the seven last plagues.
  Elijah will come at the beginning and the end of the day.
• The Timing of His Coming. Is his coming in the future or was it through John or will he come twice?
  • Elijah already Came. He came in the message of John the Baptist and he was rejected like Jesus.
    And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. (Matthew 11: 14)
  • Elijah is Coming in the Future. He will come and will restore all things as Malachi says.
  He will come twice, during the time of Christ and before the Second Coming.
• The Work He would Accomplish. Elijah was supposed to bring restoration to Israel and turn their hearts back to their Father, God. But Jesus addresses a conflict.
  If Elijah came as John the Baptist to restore all things, then why did the Jews reject Jesus and John?
  They asked Him saying "Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
  Accepted. And He said to them, "Elijah does come first and restore all things.
  Rejected. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man the He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him." (Mark 9: 11-13)
  The answer is, that He would first be rejected and then accepted. So there are two comings.
  1. Rejected. He would be rejected by the majority and they would turn against the Messiah.
  2. Accepted. He would prepare the hearts of the people and show the way of the coming of the Lord.
  
  A Wasted Life? There are other prophecies that predicted this rejection and then acceptance.
  • Isaiah. He predicted both types of reactions. Jesus would be rejected, then accepted.
    Wasted Life. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. (Isaiah 49: 4)
    Hated. Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers,
    Accepted. Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. (Isaiah 49: 7)
  • Curses and Wrath. This dual, opposing response to the Messiah is also reflected in the blessings and curses. By law, the curses said that He must be rejected when He paid the price of redemption as part of the punishment. His life would seem like a wasted effort as the whole nation rejected Him.
    Curse: No Fruit. Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit. You shall become a horror, a proverb, and a taunt among all the people where the LORD drives you. (Leviticus 26: 20, 37)
    
    Blessings. But the law also promised that if they repented of sin, then God would remember the covenant and bless them. Jesus repented for all of our sins and is therefore eligible for the blessing.
    Blessing: Fruitful. So I will turn towards you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. (Leviticus 26: 9)
    Repentance. If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me -
    ... or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. (Leviticus 26: 40-42)
  His mission cannot be a failure if His mission included being rejected and suffering the rejection we deserved.
  
  Why Did They Reject Jesus and John?
  God blinded them by making it difficult for them to understand. How did He do this?
  • Symbols and Parables. From the beginning He gave them knowledge in types and symbols. Christ gave them knowledge in parables. These methods shielded the knowledge, but blinded the people.
    And He said, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that "seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand". (Luke 8: 10)
  • Holy Spirit. He gave the Holy Spirit for understanding these mysteries after the crucifixion, not before.
    just as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day." (Romans 11: 8) Deuteronomy 29: 4 and Isaiah 29: 10
  But why did God do this?
  • Gentiles. Paul says He did this to help the Gentiles so that God would save both the physical and spiritual house of Israel.
    For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, so that you will not be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; And so all Israel will be saved ... (Romans 11: 25-26)
  • Creation of Eve. It is the same process as creation. Israel must be put to sleep so that the birth of the woman (the church) could occur. This is the method by which Eve was born through Adam as the final act of creation at the end of the sixth day. So after the fullness of the Gentiles has been born, Israel can be awakened again. So when we see the awakening of Israel (Adam) we know that the end of the sixth day is near and the millennial Sabbath is approaching.
    At an acceptable time God will open their eyes by revealing the meaning of these symbols and types and softening their hearts.
  
  Did Jesus Fail His Mission?
  Absolutely not! If God predicted both a rejection and then an acceptance of the Messiah then how could His rejection be seen as failure? Isaiah also predicted this rejection.
  It was the people who failed to respond. And even their failure was predicted as a necessary part of the Plan of Salvation. Many groups teach that Jesus failed to accomplish the work of the Messiah.
  • Moonies. They claim that Moon is the new Messiah because Jesus failed to accomplish His task. The evidence of His failure was His crucifixion! Jesus failed to establish a family on earth but the divorced Moon is the sinless Messiah who will accomplish this through being a model of the perfect marriage by the "True Parents" of mankind who came to save us from the blood lineage to Satan.

    "Abraham was the father of faith, Moses was a man of faith, Jesus was the son of man, trying to carry out his mission at the cost of his life. But they are, in a way, failures."
    (Sun Myung Moon, "Victory or Defeat", from Master Speaks, March 31, 1973, page 1)

    This means that the failures of Adam and of Jesus Christ have been restored by the appearance of True Parents."
    (Sun Myung Moon, Today's World, January, 1995, page 8.)

  • Evangelicals. They claim that Jesus did not accomplish six tasks of the Messiah as specified in Daniel 9: 24. Therefore the prophecies about this time were suspended until the last seven years when the Jews will accept Him and the original mission will be completed.
  They are both wrong. He reconciled the family of Gentiles to the Father and He began the new Family of God with Himself as the Head, not reverend Moon. Jesus also accomplished all six tasks at His crucifixion that the Evangelicals fail to recognize.
  1. Finish Transgressions. He was the first sinless Jew and human since the fall.
  2. Make an end of Sins. He put away sin by becoming the permanent sacrifice for sins.
  3. Make Reconciliation for Iniquity. His sacrifice reconciled us to God. And He became the only point of contact for this reconciliation when He became our High Priest.
  4. Bring in Everlasting Righteousness. He reaffirmed the righteousness by faith by which Abraham was selected. He instituted a Plan that would guarantee righteousness forever.
  5. Seal up the Vision and Prophecy. The vision of Daniel was fulfilled with His crucifixion.
  6. Anoint the Most Holy. He was anointed as the Messiah at His baptism and He was anointed as the Great High Priest within the first seven days of His resurrection
  The fact is that everything is occurring according to the amazing Plan of Salvation. For the last 2000 years this message of reconciliation has been preached and it will be understood completely with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The people, both Jews and Gentiles, failed - not God. For the past 2,000 years the Jews have mostly failed to acknowledge and recognize Jesus as the Messiah. The Gentiles and Jews have refused to put away sin and be reconciled completely to God.
  When the second Elijah message comes, we will have 2000 years of our own failed efforts to convince us that we must try the methods of Christ to succeed. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit who has always been available and Jesus will bring all of Israel to God. When we open up to His filling, it will be evidenced by profound changes in us so that it will be seen as a new effort or greater effort by God.
  But it is not a better effort on God's part. It is a better reception on our part. Once we were empty vessels refusing to be filled. Now we are empty vessels who are open to the rain which has been pouring for 2000 years.
• The Identity of "Elijah". Who is Elijah?
  • Another Prophet with the Same Message ("The Spirit and Power of Elijah"). This was the prophecy about John the Baptist by the archangel Gabriel. John would be like Elijah.
    And He will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1: 16-17)
  • Elijah Himself. Would the real Elijah come back from the dead or back to earth? Absolutely not!
    » Reincarnation or Resurrection or Example? This is why Jesus said, "if you can accept it. John is Elijah." This is not reincarnation. Jesus is saying that anyone who teaches and produces the works of Elijah is working as if he or she was Elijah.
    Even John said that he was not Elijah. He was not contradicting Jesus, he was telling the Jews that he was not the literal Elijah come back to life or inhabiting his body as they thought. Elijah did not come back in the way that they were thinking. He was not Elijah in the flesh or his disembodied spirit.
    Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ.
    Elijah or Moses (The Prophet)? And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? He said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? And he answered, No. Then they said to him, Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself? He said: I am The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said. (John 1: 19-23)
    John preferred to link himself to the prophesy of Isaiah.
    A voice is calling, clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40: 3)
    Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." (Matthew 3: 1-3)
• The Coming of "Moses" ("The Prophet Like Moses"). Who is Moses? John references another prophecy about a prophet like Moses who will come.
  The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from among your countrymen, you shall listen to him.
  I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (Deuteronomy 18: 15, 18)
  The evidence is that Jesus was the prophet, and they did not listen to him! Does this mean that there will be another coming of a prophet like Moses to whom they will listen? Probably. The prophecy also suggests that the nationality of this prophet will probably be Jewish. However, since we are all now part of Israel it could be anyone. Since Jesus began the final exodus at His crucifixion, He is the last Moses. So the most likely answer is that a great revival based on the surrender to Christ will be the movement that listens.
  However, the nationality of the prophet like Elijah is open. The prophet will be "A voice in the wilderness".

  Restoring Communication With God
  Strike the Rock	Water Release the Holy Spirit	Speak to the Rock
  Crucify Christ		Accept Christ
  Break the Tables of Stone		Keep the new Tables of the Law on our Heart
  Keeping the Covenant of God

  • Moses Strikes the Rock. Twice the people needed water. The first time was at Mount Sinai, just after the exodus and the second time was after the forty years when they were near the end of their journey.
    The first time Moses was supposed to strike the Rock and it would release its water. The second time Moses was supposed to speak to the Rock so that it would release its water. Of course this represents the fact that Christ must be struck once and would die only one time for our sins and then the Holy Spirit would be released. Then we must speak to God in prayer to receive forgiveness and cleansing.
    But the second time, Moses struck the Rock again. God said that they did not treat Him as Holy. This is what the people did when they rejected and humiliated Him. So there will come a time, at the end of the journey, when the Jews will need the Water of Life and they must learn to speak to the Rock named Christ.
    » Restoring Communication. Moses demonstrated how we will restore communication with God.
  • Moses Breaks the Commandments (The Covenant on Stone). After Moses came down from mount Sinai, He saw the people worshipping a golden calf. So, in anger, he broke the tables of stone carved by God and containing the commandments written by God. Then he ground the image of idolatry to a power and made them eat it. This time Moses had to carve a new set of the tables of stone. Then he went back up the mountain for another 40 days and God wrote another copy of the commandments on these stones.
    After the covenant written in flesh came from mount Zion, we threw Him down and broke Him. He was the only image of God that could be worshipped, yet we did not recognize Him. Then we ground Him to dust and ate Him believing that He was an evil man who claimed to be God. After He goes back to Mount Zion for forty periods of time, He will come again and this time we will not break Him to pieces.
    At the end of time, the covenant and the ten commandments will again become an issue as Moses comes to introduce us to the covenant. On our hearts of flesh, we will carve the new tables of stones which we so carelessly broke and God will write the words on them a second time.
    » Restoring the Covenant. Moses demonstrated how we will keep the covenant with God.
  » The Work of The Holy Spirit. Both actions represent the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the water Who is released to wash away our sins by writing the tables of the law and the covenant on our new hearts of flesh.

The Inhabitants Of The City Of God
Several prophecies describe the same set of people in relation to the time of the return and acceptance of the Messiah. They are Judah, Levi, priests, the house of David, and the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem. Each represents a phase of the church at the time of its unification and they are mentioned in several prophecies.

• Ezekiel ("The City of God and the Holy Portion").

  The Vision of Ezekiel
  Judgment of Babylon the Great
  	Judgment
  North
  Exile Goes to Babylon Church Dwells in the Field	Dan		Church Comes out of Babylon the Great Exodus	Psalm 80 (Power of God)
  	Asher
  	Naphtali
  	Manasseh			Light Shines
  	Ephraim
  	Reuben
  	Judah
  Judah (The Woman)
  Prince Rejected and Killed	Priests, Temple	Prince Accepted and Stands		God Revives Israel
  	Levites
  Stone Struck	City	Stumbling Block
  Benjamin (The Child)
  Rejected Christ Comes and Begins Exodus	Benjamin	Death Hell	Church United and Persecuted Wrath of God	God Saves Us (Hides Us For One Year)
  	Simeon
  	Issachar
  	Zebulun
  	Gad
  Donkey	Christ Comes		Horse	Birth
  The Four Horses of Zechariah

  Ezekiel describes a city with these inhabitants and the equal distribution of land for an inheritance. Land is distributed after a final census. We concluded that this is a description of the history of the church after Christ and after the census in the sealing. And, the city represents this time when the Jews will return to the Messiah and the church will unite.
  The tribes that are north of the city represent the history after Christ to the heights of apostasy and then back from Babylon during the final exodus. During this exodus they will come back to the city and the sanctuary and meet at the border as the tribe of Judah. In the city they will meet the Levites, the priests and the house of David.
• Micah ("The Rejection and Return of the Messiah"). The prophet Micah also predicts the rejection of Jesus, the rejection of the Jews and their return as a light to the nations. He also describes the time when they are besieged at a time when the name of God will be famous worldwide. The Jews are converted as God, the rejected corner stone, becomes a stumbling block that traps them and forces them to look at Him.
• Zechariah ("The House of David"). Zechariah speaks about one specific, special case of what happens in physical Israel when God pours out His Spirit on the world to turn our hearts back to Him. He prophesies that God will pour out His Spirit on Israel and they will recognize the Messiah at that time. They will hear the Elijah message again and they will respond favorably. They will be led by one who is like the angel that led them in the exodus. So we also have a picture of one like Moses coming in the last exodus with the Elijah message.
• Malachi ("The Messenger of the Covenant"). Malachi also points to the appearance of the Messiah and his messenger and to the different groups in Israel, the sons of Levi, Judah and Jerusalem. When the Lord comes to His temple as the messenger of the covenant, the message will purify them. They will delight in this messenger and they will seek the Lord.

The First Distribution Of The Land
Ezekiel describes a distribution of the land after Christ that was different than Joshua. Under Joshua the inheritance was distributed in a way that seemed to prophecy the division of the church.

Joshua Distributes the Land Map
North
Sea	Asher	Naphtali	Manasseh
		Zebulun	Jordan River	Manasseh
	-	Issachar
	Manasseh
				Gad
	Ephraim
	Dan	Benjamin	Dead Sea	Reuben
	Judah			Land of Moab
	Simeon		Edom
South

Remembering that the Jews read from right to left we see that the tribes on the east represent the transition from the first distribution to the final.

• 2½ Tribes on the East ("Jewish Church"). Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh camped in the east.
  • Reuben. They were the firstborn son of Leah who lost preeminence.
  • Gad. This is the first born son of Zilpah. This is their transition from Reuben to Manasseh. In the first phase they were raided by the enemy and lost their birthright, now they raid back and regain their inheritance.
    Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. (Genesis 49: 19)
    Raiding back "at the heels" gives a picture of this phase of their action occurring at the heels of the statue of Nebuchadnezzar which coincides with the rock that will strike the feet of the idol in the end of days.
  • Manasseh. This is the first born son of the first born son of Rachel. Manasseh was the only tribe that was split in two and lived on both sides. Manasseh represents the Jews in the north in their final phase during the reign of the king of the north.
  All the first born sons represented the Jews except Dan. He was the firstborn son of the unfaithful concubine Bilhah.
• Separated by the Jordan River. The division between both phases of the church is the coming of the Holy Spirit. The former rain was accompanied by the split, the latter rain will be accompanied by their union. Manasseh crosses the river and is reunited with the church on the west, the symbolic location of the final tribes.
• 9½ Tribes on the West ("Gentile Church"). The other nine tribes and the other half of Manasseh were on the west of the Jordan. While the church is in the north, Manasseh makes a bridge to the Gentile church in the west and the dead church comes to life. Asher becomes Naphtali and they leave Babylon and flee south, forming the two distinct branches of the church (Manasseh and Ephraim). Then the unfaithful Dan is separated from Benjamin, the son of the right hand. Judah, the one who praises the Lord and is modeled after the church of Ephesus, is separated from Simeon, who is not praised and who is modeled after Dan and the church of Laodicea who is judged.
  » Edom. This nation appeared at the first coming of the Messiah as the house of Herod who ruled when the Messiah was killed and the covenant handed over to the Gentiles (Simeon). I believe that they will appear again at the end of time during the church of Laodicea when the Messiah comes again.
  » The Modern State of Israel. The territory includes the western tribes and part of Manasseh (Golan Heights).

The Siege of Israel at the Feast of Tabernacles
Let us look again at the context of the Jews returning to the Messiah in the last days. This time we will compare those events to Psalm 118 which is said at the feast of Tabernacles. They will recognize Him during Passover or because of the Passover symbols and they will accept Him by Tabernacles.

• The Cup of Wrath. Jerusalem is the third cup of the Passover that triggers the wrath.
  Look, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem it will also be against Judah. (Zechariah 12: 2)
  » The Cup of Redemption. The cup of wrath is also the cup of redemption because the righteous are being redeemed at the same time that the wicked are being rejected.
  The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. (Psalm 118: 15-16)
  Outstretched Arms. ... I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments ... (Exodus 6: 6)
  » Great Judgments. The righteous are going through the last day of their judgment, Yom Kippur. The wicked experience their judgments in the plagues.
• Surrounded by the Nations. The church and Israel will be persecuted. Israel will be besieged by the nations.
  And in that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Israel. (Zechariah 12: 2, 9)
  All nations surrounded me; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off. They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off. They surrounded me like bees; They were extinguished as a fire of thorns; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off. (Psalm 118: 10-12)
  » Distress in the Latter Days. On the borders of the Promised Land, Moses also prophesied that in the last days they will return to God when they are in distress.
  The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord drives you.
  When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. (Deuteronomy 4: 27, 30)
  Last Day Jews. This prophecy is specifically about the physical nation of Israel returning to the Lord in the latter days after they have been scattered among the nations and their numbers diminished. This is not the experience of the Christians.
• Holy Spirit Poured Out. During this siege and great distress they will recognize the Messiah because the Holy Spirit will be poured out and they will begin to understand the prophecies.
  I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so that they will look at Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like bitter weeping over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12: 10)
  Last Day Jews. While it could be said that the Romans or Gentiles also pierced the Messiah, yet in this context the prophet is speaking to a people who pierced their own son. So these are the people who will recognize the pierced Son, and will weep in regret after the Holy Spirit is poured out on them.
• Accepts Messiah. Israel accepts the Messiah and the events of Elijah and the third Passover cup are fulfilled.
  The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. (Psalm 118: 22)
  Honor Restored. They are not cut off. They become witnesses for God and their honor is restored.
  I will not die, but live, and tell of the works of the LORD.
  The LORD has disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death. (Psalm 118: 17-18)
  God has punished them for rejecting Christ, but He did not cut them off forever. It was not the Christians who were disciplined severely to the point of death.
• Wrath on the Nations. After they are besieged God fights for Israel and the church by pouring out His wrath on the nations. The seven last plagues occur and the wicked are destroyed in fire.
  They surrounded me like bees; They were extinguished as a fire of thorns; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off. (Psalm 118: 12)
• Second Coming. The world is ready for the return of Christ.
  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. (Psalm 118: 26)

The Passover Reconciliation of Israel by Elijah
The Jews believe that Elijah will visit them during Passover to introduce them to the Messiah.
Traditionally, Elijah the Prophet visits each home on Seder night as a foreshadowing of his future arrival at the end of the days, when he will come to announce the coming of the Jewish Messiah. He comes during the pouring of the third cup and the finding of the hidden Afikoman.
Children Find the Afikoman. The observance of the Passover seder predicts that after the middle matzah is broken and eaten, the larger half will be hidden until almost the end of the ceremony when Elijah comes and wrath is poured out on the nations. The children will find it and pay a king's ransom for it and they will eat it. The Gentiles ate the smaller half at the crucifixion. The largest part of Christ's work for Israel is yet to be done among the children.
It is interesting that when the Jews finally find and accept the Messiah it will be in the form of the conquering Messiah for whom their ancestors looked. So they were correct, they were not supposed to find and eat the suffering Messiah.

Drink The Cup of Redemption (Cup of Elijah the prophet). During this cup another cup of wine is also poured for Elijah as they anticipate his coming during Passover.
Open the Door to the Messiah. During this cup, they open the front door to receive Elijah and wrath is sent on the world when the following words are said.
Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You, and upon the kingdoms which do not call upon your name. For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. (Psalm 79: 6-7).
You shall pursue them in anger and destroy them from under the heavens of the Lord. (Lamentations 3: 66)

Elijah Rejected					31 AD	Messiah Rejected	70 AD	538	Persecution	1798	1844			Holy Spirit			Seven Last Plagues
	3½ years							3½ prophetic years			-	Messiah Accepted						Rapture
Wrath on Christ					Wrath on the Jews			Wrath on the Church			-	Elijah Accepted					Wrath on the Nations
Church of Ephesus								Thyatira		Sardis		Philadelphia				Church of Laodicea
Passover								Drought		Yom Kippur			Tabernacles

The Wrath of God on the Nations. This is the final curse that is poured out on the nations in the seven last plagues. This Passover tradition also sees wrath at the end of days after the appearance of Elijah. Malachi says that Elijah shall come and turn the nation back to God before the Day of the Lord to escape the curse.
... so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse. (Malachi 4:6)
The first coming of Elijah was not the success story predicted. It was the predicted failure. Similarly, the crucifixion was not a complete fulfillment of the events of the third cup. This is probably why Jesus postponed the fourth cup until the Second Coming. The following was not completed in the third cup, not because Jesus failed, but because the people failed. Jesus provided everything that was needed for our reconciliation but we rejected His offer.

• The Nations Desolated the Habitation of Jacob. While the Romans occupied Israel, they did not devour the nation until forty years after the crucifixion. But at the end of time Zechariah says that the nations will surround Jerusalem to devour the Jews and those Jews will recognize the Messiah. In 70AD the Jews still rejected Christ.
• Elijah Introduces Jesus at Passover. John did not introduce Jesus at Passover. Jesus was baptized around autumn, not spring. So John introduced Him as the Lamb of God at His baptism during the ten days of awe or during Tabernacles.
• Wrath on the Nations. At the crucifixion wrath was poured out on Christ and the Jews forty years later and then on the apostate church, but not the nations. The nations were actually blessed by becoming the new chosen people.
• No Wine For John. Elijah came as John and they cut off his head and slammed the door. They also killed the Messiah. Jesus was crucified after the death of John, so that Passover wine could not be poured for that Elijah (John). So God will send Elijah one more time after the crucifixion and before the wrath to teach us about the Messiah. They will pour the cup of Elijah and invite Him inside. Then God will send the Messiah.
• Fathers and Children Reconciled. This did not happen at the crucifixion. They rejected God and were cut off.

The Great Passover Sign Before the Final Exodus
And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year. (Exodus 13: 9-10)
Passover appears to be an issue during the mark of the beast persecution. When the beast gives his mark in the hand and forehead, the people of God must not only remember the SHEMA and the Sabbath, they should also remember Passover because it is also a sign of remembrance of the works of God in the hand and forehead.

• Passover. A sign of deliverance from the land of sin for those who are beginning an exodus from the earth.
• Sabbath. A sign of rest from sin for those who are about to experience the millennium of rest.
• SHEMA. A sign of righteousness for those who have denounced sin because of their profound love for God.

So there still remains a "coming of Elijah" to introduce the Jews to the Messiah before the final wrath of the seven last plagues and the Second Coming. When they see this great sign, they will respond to this invitation.

New Testament: The Evangelism of the World by Moses and Elijah
Revelation 11: The Witness of Moses and Elijah
Revelation 11 gives and outline of the events surrounding the preaching of the Elijah message and Revelation 14 is the message of the final generation. The two witnesses with the message have the power and skills of Moses and Elijah. They are filled with the Holy Spirit.
And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
Elijah (Fire and Drought). And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying;
Moses (Blood and Plagues). and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. (Revelation 11: 3-6)

• Elijah. God sent fire from heaven and drought at the request of Elijah.
  Drought. Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, as the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word. (1 Kings 17: 1)
  Fire. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (1 Kings 18 : 38)
• Moses. He turned the Nile into blood and brought ten plagues.
  Blood in the Water. So Moses and Aaron did even as the Lord had commanded. And He lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile ... and all the water that was in the Nile turned to blood. (Exodus 7 : 20)
  Many Plagues. Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hands of these mighty Gods? These are the Gods who smote the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. (1 Samuel 4: 8)

The response of the wicked is to murder the witnesses and rejoice over their deaths. But God responds by giving them life in the presence of their enemies.
Resurrection. But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.
Rapture. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
Judgment. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11: 11-13)

Moses and Elijah Witness		Beast Kills Witnesses	Wicked Rejoice	Restoration	Judgment
3½ years of Witnessing		Beast Makes War	3½ Days of Death	Resurrected	City Falls
1	Jesus preaches 3½ years	Scribes and Pharisees Plot	In the Bowels	Resurrected	Jerusalem Falls
2	1260 years of the Papacy	The French Revolution (Rome Falls)		Religion Restored	1844
3	3½ years of Ministry	Mark of the Beast Persecution	Wicked Rejoice	Second Coming	Babylon Falls

This pattern is seen in all the efforts to prepare for the coming of the Lord. The years of the ministry of Jesus, the 1260 years of papal domination and the years of final persecution of the church.

Revelation 14: The Three Angel's Message (God Sends a Warning Message)
The exact content of the message is given in the three angel's message.

1. Repent and Choose God. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (Revelation 14: 7)
   God is the true God based on His power to create and to perform miracles that false gods are incapable of performing. So, like the first angel, Elijah asks them to choose between God and Baal. John echoes the warning of the first angel who says to return to God because the hour of judgment has arrived.
   John: Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. (Matthew 3: 2)
   Elijah: Choose God. It is God who makes them repent or turn their hearts towards Him.
   Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again. (1 Kings 18: 37)
   Moses: The Land of Slavery. Leave the slavery of Egypt and choose the God who gives rest.
   The Last Days: The first angel warns us to choose God.
2. Avoid Idolatry. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. (Revelation 14: 8)
   Elijah condemns Baal and idol worship just like the second angel. John pointed them to Christ who is the only image of God who can be worshipped.
   Elijah: God or Baal? Sabbath or Sunday? Choose the commandments of God not the Baals and the Asherah.
   ... you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and you have followed the Baals.
   ... How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God follow Him; but if Baal follow him ... (1 Kings 18: 18, 21)
   Moses: Land of Idols. Egypt was a land of false gods and idols.
   The Last Days: Babylon the Great forces the people to worship the beast and his image.
3. Flee from the Coming Wrath. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. (Revelation 14: 9-11)
   Elijah brings wrath on the false prophets just as the third angel warns that God will bring wrath on the false prophets, unclean spirits and the wicked when He pours out His cup of indignation. John also warned of wrath.
   John: ... you brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3: 7)
   Elijah: Armageddon. He killed them at the Kishon which is in the Jezreel valley on the plains of Megiddo.
   Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape". So they seized them and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. (1 Kings 18: 40)
   Moses: The Plagues of Egypt. Israel escaped the wrath of God poured out on Egypt.
   The Last Days: The Seven Last Plagues The wrath of God is the seven last plagues.

God Acts to Save Those Who Respond.
God saves His people by first pouring out His Spirit and turning their hearts back. Then He leads them to the Promised Land and destroys their enemies.
The God Who Answers by Fire. Moses, Elijah and John introduce us to the God who has fire from heaven.
John: As for me I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3: 11)
In the last days, the beast duplicates the miracle of fire from Heaven, but God brings the fire of the Holy Spirit with the latter rain. The beast can duplicate fire, but it cannot give the Holy Spirit.
Elijah: The Fire From Heaven.
... and the God who answers by fire, He is God. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench.
... Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower. (1 Kings 18: 24, 38, 41)
Moses: The Pillar of Fire. God led them in the exodus with a pillar of fire in the night and clouds in the day.
The Last Days: The Latter Rain Global Israel is converted during the Latter Rain when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and fire. Then the angel repeats the warnings of the three angels with more force as Babylon falls.
... I saw another angel coming down from heaven having great authority, and the earth was illumined with His glory. (Matthew 18: 1)

The People Respond to the Elijah Message.
The people are ready to meet their God. After the showdown, Elijah prayed for rain seven times until he saw a small cloud and the skies became black, there was a strong wind and then rain.
The God Who Answers in Thunder and Rain.
John: During his day only a few people responded. The rest killed the messenger.
Elijah: The Rain From Heaven. Elijah prayed for rain seven times.
When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, He is God, the Lord, He is God".
It came about at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold a cloud as small as a man's hand is coming up from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you." (1 Kings 19: 39, 44)
Moses: The Waters of the Red Sea. After their exodus from Egypt, the people come to the borders of the Red Sea. God opens a way through the sea and baptizes the whole nation there. He appears above them as a pillar of clouds. So we have the weather symbols of clouds and water.
Baptized in the Sea. For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (1 Corinthians 10: 1-2)
The Last Days: The Seven Thunders. They are part of the sound of approaching rain. They show how God is acting to recreate His people. The sequence of events demonstrates the fact that the purpose of the latter rain is mainly to change the hearts of the people and grow the fruit of the Spirit, it is not to demonstrate God's power over nature to the evil world. The fact is that most people will be disobedient, only a few people do the work of God and stand up to evil. The power of God is demonstrated through those few people who have received the outpouring of the gifts of the Spirit.

Evil Fights Back.
An evil conglomerate that consists of a union of the church and the state persecutes the church. The church is symbolized by a female harlot who corrupts the people with idolatry. The state is symbolized by a weak male who submits to the demands and lures of the woman.
Surely there is no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife incited him. (1 Kings 21: 25)
The pattern of Elijah's story shows that he was being persecuted for three and a half years before the people turned back to God. Then at the end of the time period he was persecuted with greater force. This period is the final time of the sealing.
The Beast Who Answers by Fire. The persecution intensifies as the woman threatens the life of the man of God.
John: (Heroidas) He was killed by a conspiracy of two women. Heroidas and her daughter Salome convinced the weak king Herod Antipas to behead John. Herod cared more about saving face in front of his dinner guests than murdering a man that he knew was sent by God.

A 3½ Time Period Pattern A pattern of wrath occurs in 3½ years. • Christ. Jesus ministered for 3½ years and was killed at the end. • Jews. The Romans besieged the Jews for 3½ years before they destroyed the city. • Church. The church persecuted for 3½ prophetic years and fell at the end during the French revolution. • Last Days. There will probably be 3½ years of revival before the final hours of the persecution.

Having been prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter, the head of John the Baptist". (Matthew 14: 8) See Mark 6: 24
Elijah: (Jezebel). Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, threatened the life of Elijah.
Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed the prophets with a sword. Then Jezebel sent a message to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." (1 Kings 19: 1-2)
Moses: (Pharaoh). Pharaoh and the priests resisted the warnings of God and pursued the children of Israel with his army until they were trapped at the Red Sea.
The Last Days (The Whore of Babylon): She rejects the warning message of God by murdering the witnesses.
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly. (Revelation 17: 6)

God Takes the Righteous to the Promised Land.
God leads the righteous to the Promised Land and destroys their enemies.
The God of the Resurrection. Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
John: There is no record of what happened to John after he was beheaded. It is very likely that he was one of those who was resurrected at the crucifixion. If God only resurrected ancient patriarchs the people could not be expected to believe them because they were strangers. But they all knew John.
Elijah: The Rapture. Elijah was taken alive to heaven in a chariot of fire.
As they were going along and talking, behold there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Kings 2: 11)
Moses: The Resurrection. Moses was resurrected and taken to heaven as one of the first fruits.
The Last Days: The Second Coming. The righteous will be raptured and resurrected.
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." (1 Thessalonians 4: 16,17)

Revelation 3-4: The Final Churches
The Elijah message predicts a very powerful revival movement at the end. Unfortunately, the characteristics of the last church does not fit this profile. Laodicea is the only church that was not praised for her work. So who does the work?
The last three churches exists in parallel until the end of time. These three churches arose at the end of time. One or more of them must open the door and respond to the message of Elijah. Revelation gives a warning to Sardis and Laodicea. Laodicea is naked and Sardis is asleep.
Behold I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame. (Revelation 16: 15)

• Sardis ("The Sleeping Church"). Only a few remained righteous, but they are mostly dead because they did not finish their work. Sardis is called the sleeping church and their reward for repentance is to be clothed in white garments (Revelation 3: 5). But because they were asleep they did no work. They respond in time to wake up.
• Philadelphia ("The Loving Church with the Open Door"). This is the church with the open door who has the exact same reward as the 144,000. They are the select few who bring the final message.
  • The Key of David. The have access to the key of David. The key must belong to the "House of David".
    ... He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: (Revelation 3: 7)
    This "House of David" is the same group that leads the children of Israel like the angel of the exodus.
    ... and the House of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them. (Zechariah 12: 8)
    
    This symbol of the house of David comes directly from the events of the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib of Assyria. In the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, besieged the remnant in Judah with the intent of carrying them away in exile like they had done to the ten tribes of Israel seven years earlier. Hezekiah sent Eliakim to Isaiah so that he could pray for the remnant.
    Then it will come about in that day, that I will summon My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your tunic and tie your sash securely around him. I will entrust him with your authority, and he will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
    The Key of David. Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, when he opens no one will shut, when he shuts no one will open. I will drive him like a peg in a firm place, and he will become a throne of glory to his father's house. (Isaiah 22: 20-23)
    Eliakim was given the authority of a priest on a mission to save Israel from destruction. He had the Elijah message.
    While apostasy made the house of Judah fall to the king of Babylon in the future, their reliance on God made them victorious over the king of Assyria in the past. This victory becomes a model of what should happen to the people of God when they are faced with their enemies. At the end of time, the global nation of Israel will once again face the king of Babylon the Great. This time they will be successful as they were during the siege of Assyria, another king of the north.
    A Rumor. Behold I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword of his own hand. (2 Kings 19: 7) (Isaiah 37: 7)
    That night the angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, ending the siege and Sennacherib returned home and was murdered by his sons with a sword as he was worshipping his god.
    The same siege of Jerusalem occurs at the end of time. Rumors from the north will cause the king of the north to take actions that cause his fall. (Daniel 11: 44-45) He too will be murdered by his own (Revelation 17: 15). God will defend Israel during the siege as He prophesies in Zechariah 12.

    Year 49	Year 1	Year 2
    Land Sabbath	Jubilee Year	Normal Life
    No Planting	No Planting	Sow, reap, plant

    
    
    The Last Three Years. This will be the sign for you, you will eat this year what grows of itself, in the second year what springs from the same, and in the third year sow, reap, plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zeal of the Lord will perform this. For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake. (2 Kings 19: 29-31, 34) (Isaiah 37: 30-32, 35)
    This sign refers to a three year period that begins in the forty ninth year. It is followed by the Jubilee then the second year of the next seven years. This time period coincides with their victory. The period is a sign because it represents the release of captives and freedom from debt. So the coming of the Jubilee is a perfect sign of their victory over Assyria. Prophetically, we should also be freed from this earth after 6000 years during the Jubilee. This occurs after a final three years of planting and reaping.
  • Open Door. I know your deeds, Behold I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. (Revelation 3: 8)
    They are Elijah who must respond when the Jews open the door at Passover, looking for their Messiah.
  • Rebuilds the Sanctuary. Just like Elijah this church restores knowledge of the sanctuary at the time Satan is building his own sanctuary. They also have a message for the Jews who must be introduced to the Messiah during their ministry.
    Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie - I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. (Revelation 3: 9)
  • Name of God. The 144,000 and the church of Philadelphia have the same reward.
    Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14: 1)
    He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. (Revelation 3: 12)
• Laodicea ("The Church That is Judged"). They were not praised for any work. This is the church that is naked. They respond in time only to save themselves.
• Benjamin ("The Church United"). Benjamin is the only child born after his father's name was changed to Israel. With this name, God told him to be "fruitful and multiply" then he had Benjamin (Genesis 35 : 9-12). Benjamin was first named "son of sorrow" by his mother as she was dying. Then his father renamed him "son of the right hand". It is a picture of the final church of Israel, born in sorrow and persecution, that will be triumphant.

The Status of Israel In The End
Physical Israel (The Jews)
There is a popular prophetic teaching among Evangelicals that proposes a central, privileged role in the destiny of Israel at the end of time. This belief teaches the following about the biological nation of Israel. We reject these ideas.

• Israel is Special. The biological children of Abraham and Isaac are more special than other races.
• Temple Rebuilt. The temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and animal sacrifices will restart. Jewish tradition holds that the temple can only be rebuilt when the Messiah comes. So we cannot build the temple for Him, it will be built by Him. So any temple built by man is not the Messianic temple.
• Secret Rapture. The faithful members of the Christian church will disappear as they are secretly raptured.
• Seven Years. The secret rapture until the visible Second Coming will take seven years. During this time the Antichrist will appear and great persecution will occur during the last 3.5 years.
• The Millennial Reign of Christ. Christ will convert the Jews and those who remain when He appears visibly. Those who reject Him will go to eternal hell fire at the end of the millennium.
• 144,000 Jews. 144,000 virgin male Jews will spread the Gospel after the rapture.

Spiritual Israel (All Followers of Yeshua)
The bible really teaches that the Jews are not more special than other nations. The special nation is anyone who has faith. Therefore all promises made to the seed of Abraham applies to all people of faith. So anyone that claims allegiance to Christ is from the seed of Abraham and inherit all the promises and special privileges.
All People are One in Christ. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3: 26-28)
Heirs. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3: 29)
Gentiles. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 3: 6)
» Replacement Theology. This teaches that the Christian church replaced the Jews and all promises and prophecies about Israel now apply to them and there is no special role for the Jews (Matthew 21: 43).
The truth is that Israel was a nation of priests who were to lead the world to God. However, Israel broke away from Christ while the Gentiles joined themselves to Christ. So, technically, Israel did not lose the covenant. They really lost the right to be priests of God. The Gentiles took that role and the Jews have the role of the lesser priests, the other Levites. In the future, the Jews will join themselves back to Christ, bringing the knowledge of the Levites. The two nations will make up the tribes of Israel with the full spiritual heritage. So now all prophecies and promises belong to Christ and the people who have joined themselves to Him. The Christians are included in the prophecies.

Those who believe that there is no longer any special nation and that all the prophecies now apply to the Christian church tend to ignore the few prophecies that show how the Christian and Jewish branches of the church will be united and Israel's role as keeper of the things in the sanctuary.
Let me state emphatically that God will not do anything special for the Jews that He will not do for other nations. No Jew will be saved simply because he is related to Abraham. Everyone will be saved because they respond by faith to the evidence that the Holy Spirit will impress upon their hearts and minds.

• Two Branches. The evidence shows that the people of God in heaven will be descended from two sons.
  Reuben and Simeon. This prophecy explains the relationship between the two branches of the church who are symbolically represented by Reuben and Simeon after the crucifixion.
  • First Born Loses Preeminence. The Jewish church would lose preeminence as the people who would spread the Gospel around the world. However, in the end of time this shame will be reversed.
    Even though disgraced, the evidence from the law about the disassembly of the sanctuary is that Reuben is the leader of the southern tribes.
  • Second Born. They become a greater nation in terms of number of people not better status. The task to spread the Gospel was given to the Christians and there is no indication that they would lose this mission, but there is some indication that the Jews and Gentiles will complete the mission together.
• Scattered and Separated. It was the will of God that the two branches of His kingdom should be separated.
  • Simeon and Levi. The Christian church would be violent and the Jews were not to be a part of this heritage (Genesis 49: 5-7). So the reunion must take place when the Christian church genuinely renounces violence as a solution. So churches advocating torture as necessary will not be part of this union.
  • Keepers of the Law. The Jewish Church would preserve an accurate knowledge of the laws and ceremonies because the Christian nation would be unfaithful in this regard. It is this information that contains the proof about the Messiah that will convince the Jews and the world. The Christians abandoned this information or changed them so much that they lost all meaning.
    Zadok and Levi. The prophecy of Ezekiel shows the priestly ministry of the church from the crucifixion to the Second Coming. The Christian church is led by Zadok and the Jewish branch is led by Levi.
    Jews Will Tear Down and Lift Up Christ. So when the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall set it up. But the stranger (layman) who comes near shall be put to death. (Numbers 1: 51)
    According to this law the Levites tear down and set up the sanctuary. Therefore, acting as a nation of priests, the Jews were responsible for tearing down the Messiah and they will be responsible for building Him up at the end of time! In fact, anyone else will die trying to do this job.
    The sons of Moses and Aaron only protected the Ark of the Covenant before the Levites moved it. So the group founded by the disciples are only in charge of concealing the covenant and its ark with the linen veil in front of the Most Holy Place. We have done a very good job of concealing the covenant from the Jews with the body of Christ.
  • Cut in Two (Genesis 15: 10). When the offering is made it will be cut in two. So the crucifixion began the separation of the body of Christ into two halves, the Jews on the right hand and the Christians on the left hand.
    • Spiritual Division. Christ was split. His humanity was separated from His divinity.
    • Physical Division. The body of Christ, the church, was split in two as the covenant was made. However, the bird, the Holy Spirit was not split
    • Mental Division. He was separated from the Father as He felt forsaken.
  • The Middle Matzah. The bread was broken in two and the Afikoman was hidden until the end.
  • Jacob Flees From Esau (Genesis 32: 7). Here is a picture of the separation and joining of the two branches on at least three to four levels. Immediately before Jacob, the deceiver, became Israel, the prince of God, he had an experience that is similar to the persecuted people at the end of time. He crossed the Euphrates river, fled to the hills of Gilead.
    • Two Camps of Angels (Mahanaim). Mahanaim means "two camps" or "two companies".
      Two Companies. Now as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him. Jacob said when he saw them, "This is God's camp". So he named the place Mahanaim. (Genesis 32: 1-2)
      This reminds us that the camp of heaven has been separated from the camp on earth and we are supposed to be among the heavenly camp.
      The equivalent might also be Jesus meeting Moses and Elijah before He died.
    • Separated Community. He divided his family into two groups and met two camps of angels.
      Two Companies. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed, and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels into two companies. (Genesis 32: 7)
    • Separated Children. Then he divided the group by the type of mothers. The concubines went ahead with their children.
      Two Sets of Children. ... So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. He put the maids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next and Rachel and Joseph last. (Genesis 33: 1-2)
      The Gentiles are the children of the concubines. Leah is the first generation of the Jews. Rachel and her children are the Jews in the last days, pregnant with the last child.
    • Separated Twins. Like Esau, who sold his birthright for food, the Jews sold their birthright at Passover. They traded their Messiah for security.
      Separated Twins Make Peace. Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. (Genesis 33: 4)
      But Esau did not attack him. The separated and feuding twins united.
      So when the two branches of the church meet the wicked in the last day, they will be successful in their evangelism.
    Later on, Israel did not trust Esau and went another way where he experienced what appears to be a little picture of the seven last plagues and the birth of Benjamin, the son of the right hand. So Esau will embrace us, but some will try to persecute us.
  » The Mystery of God. Below, we discuss the universal reason why the separation was made. In another lesson, we discuss the military strategic reasons for this separation that has been kept secret for ages.
• Signs of the Deliverer of Israel. Moses asked God how will they believe that God has sent him to deliver them from Egypt. Then God gave him three signs that seem evil. Each sign combines two symbols applied to Jesus.
  • The Snake on the Rod (Jesus on the Cross Became Sin). The deliverer will be seen as a snake on wood when He becomes sin.
    The Head. Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent and Moses fled from it.
    The Tail. But the Lord said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail'. So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand. (Exodus 4: 3-4)
    Like Moses, the Jews ran away when Jesus became like a snake on the cross.
    In the end of days (the tail of the days), they must grab the snake by the tail to see Him as the Branch, the rod from the root of Jesse.
  • The Plague on the Hand (He Takes Our Curses). The deliverer will take our plagues and remove them.
    Leper. The Lord furthermore said to him, "Now put your hand into your bosom." So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
    Restored. Then he said, "Put your hand into your bosom again." So he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. (Exodus 4: 6-7)
    When the great High priest put His hand over His bosom, He was putting His hand over His heart and over the twelve tribes of Israel, symbolically impressed on His chest and heart. The first time, He was treated as a leper, and in a way, the Jews have also been treated as lepers for 2000 years. The last time He will be restored to them and they will also be restored in our eyes.
    The Two Witnesses. If they will not believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe the witness of the last sign. (Exodus 4: 8)
    
    The Last Sign for The Last Day Jews. Interestingly, this second sign is the "last sign" although God gives a third sign. This statement suggests that this sign will be the last important sign to the Jews and is the basis of our assumption that this is a sign for the last generation who will recognize the Messiah. It mirrors the sign of the cup of Elijah, when they recognize the Messiah near the coming of the plagues.
  • The Water and Blood (Salvation). The deliverer has power to give water and blood. This sign mirrors the prophecy of Zechariah 13: 1, when a fountain for sin and impurity (blood and water) will be opened in the last days for Jerusalem.
    The Great Sign. But if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you will take some water from the Nile and pour it on dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground. (Exodus 4: 9)
    Jesus began and ended His ministry with this sign. His first miracle was to change water into wine at the wedding. His last act on the cross was to pour blood and water out of the wound in His side when He became our Husband (John 19: 34).
  So the end time Jews will be convinced by the sign of the plagues and the cleansing streams. Therefore, I will point you to some of the first lessons that God taught me.
  » Jesus Suffered the Plagues. Jesus suffered the seven last plagues for the righteous without defiling Himself.
  » Jesus Suffered the Curses. Every curse was applied to Jesus.
• The Song of Moses for Last Day Jews. On the borders of the Promised Land, Moses wrote a prophetic song for the children of Israel on the borders of the Promised Land in the last days.
  A Testimony in Song. Then it shall come about, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify before them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants); for I know their intent which they are developing today, before I brought them into the land which I swore."
  For I know that after my death you will act corruptly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days, for you will do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands." (Deuteronomy 31: 21, 29)
  • The Faithful Rock. God sent the faithful Rock of their salvation.
    The Rock of Israel. The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. (Deuteronomy 32: 4)
  • They Scorned the Rock. Their greatest neglect and rejection of God was at the cross.
    Rebellious. But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked. You grew fat, thick and sleek. Then he forsook God who made him, and scorned the Rock of his salvation. You neglected the Rock who begot you, and forgot the God who gave you birth. (Deuteronomy 32: 15, 18)
  • Spurned by God. God turned away from them because of their rejection.
    Temporarily Rejected. The Lord saw this and spurned them because of the provocation of His sons and daughters. Then He said, "I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be. For they are a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faithfulness. (Deuteronomy 32: 19-20)
  • Jealousy by the Gentiles. God used the Gentiles to make them jealous.
    Made Jealous by Fools. They have made me jealous with what is not God. They have provoked me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those that are not a people. I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. (Deuteronomy 32: 21)
    This is the source of Paul's statement that the Gentiles will make the Jews jealous. However, Moses said that the Gentiles are a 'foolish nation'.
    They Stumbled, But They Did Not Fall. I say then, "they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
    For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11: 11, 29)
    When the Jews stumbled at the crucifixion, it did not disqualify them forever. In fact, their stumble was a battle tactic calculated to win the Gentiles. God knew what He was doing when He chose Abraham and the descendants of Israel. His choice of Israel will never be written in history as an error.
  • Not Rejected Forever. Here is a statement that can never be applied to spiritual Israel. God cannot reject the Jews, the original Israel, because it would bring disgrace on His name when His enemies claim victory over His failed project.
    Israel Must Never Be Abandoned. I would have said, "I will cut them to pieces, I will remove the memory of them from men." Had I not feared the provocation by the enemy, that their adversaries would misjudge, that they would say, "Our hand is triumphant, and the Lord has not done all this." (Deuteronomy 32: 26-27)
    More than any other nation, Satan tried to make Israel a failed experiment of God. Satan corrupted the Christian church, but he not only tried to corrupt the Jews, He has been trying to annhilate them from the beginning. They are the focus of his special project in his attempt to hurt God. No one can understand their plight better than the Messiah. Jesus was the source of all of Satan's relentless wrath for nine months and 33.5 years.
  • Not Divorced. God cannot divorce Israel because it is against the law for Him to remarry her. If He divorced Israel she could not be saved. God does not believe in divorce. God pictures Himself as a man in love with a prostitute whom He married forever. He even promised to raise her illegitimate children born of adultery as His own.
  • God Takes Revenge. The love and compassion of God takes over when Israel is helpless.
    Israel is Vindicated. For the Lord will vindicate His people, and will have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their strength is gone, and there is none, bond or free. (Deuteronomy 32: 36)
    » The Nazi Holocaust. It brought about this global state of helplessness. The European Jews were being annihilated and Hitler was spreading across North Africa and the Middle East to destroy the remnant. With few individual exceptions, the rest of the world rejected them and ignored their plight. God had compassion on them and restored the nation.
    When Israel is desperate, they will remember that it was better for them with God. Based on other prophecies, they will experience one final period of hopelessness. God will take revenge for them at that time because He has not yet taken revenge for the Holocaust.
    Revenge. If I sharpen My flashing sword and My hand takes hold on justice, I will render vengeance on My adversaries, and I will repay those who hate Me.
    I will make My arrows drunk with blood, and My sword will devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired leader of the enemy.
    Rejoice O nations, with His people. For He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance on His adversaries, and will atone for His land and His people. (Deuteronomy 32: 41-43)
• Removing Blood Guiltiness. Who Killed Christ? In another lesson we concluded that everyone was responsible. The Jews betrayed and abandoned Him and the Gentile Romans killed Him, but Christ said that He gave up His own life because we all sinned. This bitter issue of guilt and responsibility will raise its ugly head in the final generation and the law gives us procedures to handle this problem when a man is found murdered in a field between two cities (Deuteronomy 21: 1-9).
  • Murdered in the Field. Jesus Christ was killed just outside the north walls of the city in the field.
  • Measure The Nearest City (Jerusalem). Jerusalem is the city that was closest to the dead body.
  • Heifer. Select a heifer which has never worked or pulled a yoke. The female is a symbol of the church. The Gentile church is the one which has never carried the yoke, worked for God or lands evangelized.
  • Unploughed Field with Running Water. The disciples are the elders of Jerusalem who went to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. The lands of the Gentiles are the fields that have not been sown or ploughed, but they have the Holy Spirit which is the running water.
    And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been ploughed or sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley. (Deuteronomy 21: 4)
    The heifer shall be broken and killed. Somehow this suggests that the church shall be broken before Israel is vindicated. We were slaughtered during the Dark Ages but the picture also suggests that we did not really work the field. Even the last church, Laodicea, is pictured as a lazy church.
  • Last Day Jews Can Wash Their Hands. 2000 years later, the Jews of this era can say that they were not there and they did not witness the death and they did not kill Jesus.
    We Were Not There! We Did Not Crucify Jesus Christ! All the elders of the city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; and they shall answer and say, "Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it. Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O Lord, and do not place the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel". And the bloodgultiness shall be forgiven them. (Deuteronomy 21: 6-8)
    
    Even if their fathers were guilty, the children should not bear the punishment.
    Sins of the Fathers. Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers, everyone shall be put to death for his own sin. (Deuteronomy 24: 16)
    They will be declared innocent of the death of Christ and they will be legally and formally cleared.
  » Shoftim (Judges). Jews read this section of the Torah during the forty days before Yom Kippur after Shabbat Selichot when they begin praying for forgiveness. There will be one year when their elders realize the implication of this judgment and they will say these words with great joy as a prayer.

  "We were not there. We did not see it with our eyes. We did not kill Yeshua, the Moshiach. Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed with your blood on the cross, O Lord".

• Timing Of The Restoration. The Jewish church would accept the Messiah when certain conditions occur.
  • 144,000. They are a group of faithful Christians from any nation who join themselves to Christ. It is their ministry that cooperates with the Holy Spirit to cause a great revolution in the world. They act in the role of forerunners of Christ, just like Moses and Elijah and their message convinces the Jews.
  • Passover Redemption. The realization that Jesus is the Messiah will occur because of Passover. It will either occur during one significant Passover or when the meaning of the symbols of the Passover become obvious.
  • Siege of Jerusalem. The acceptance of the Messiah will occur when they are besieged by the nations.
    The Siege of the Messiah. They will probably also understand the prophecy about how the camp in the wilderness demonstrated the siege of the Messiah at the first coming. Although they will weep with shame over the lost years, they must understand that God allowed this blindness as a way to save the information about His covenant until the end of time. If the Jews had not been as protective about their religion and culture so as to distance themselves from the Christian church, then they would have rejected all the knowledge of the Torah just like the Christian church who made a deliberate decision to divorce themselves from all Jewish customs. They became the keepers of the Ark of the Covenant. This undefiled covenant message is needed in the last days.
  • The Power of God Shines On The World. At a time when God stirs up His power, during the emergence of the western tribes (Joseph, Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh), Israel will be restored (Psalm 80). Revelation 18: 1 describes this great light.
  • God Is Revealed As The Creator. Many prophecies show that God will be seen as the creator before the end. God always introduces Himself by a name or an attribute of His power. In several of these introductions that precede an important statement to Israel, God reveals Himself as the one who "laid the foundations of the earth" and "stretches out the heavens" and creates man. In these revelations, Israel is restored or recreated.
    • First Angel's Message (Revelation 14: 6-7). It calls us to worship God as the creator.
    • Exodus (Psalm 104). God describes Himself as the creator in the powerful demonstration of miracles at the exodus. The end time church will be on an exodus from earth and they must encouter God as their creator and recreator.
    • The Cup Of Fury Is Transferred (Isaiah 51: 13). Although, Israel has forgotten the Lord, their Maker, He is ready to restore them again when they are under the threat of an oppressive enemy.
      Threatened By Fury. That you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth, That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, as he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor? (Isaiah 51: 13)
      God sends a messenger to tell them that they are still His people.
      The Creator Calls A Messenger. For I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar (the LORD of hosts is His name). I have put My words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, 'You are My people.' (Isaiah 51: 15-16)
      God has compassion on them and takes His cup of fury from them to give it to their oppressor.
      Israel Has Drained The Cup Of Wrath. Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk from the LORD'S hand the cup of His anger; The chalice of reeling you have drained to the dregs. (Isaiah 51: 17)
      We learn from Zechariah 12 that the last cup of wrath begins with the struggle over Jerusalem. It is quite interesting to watch the prophecy evolve.
      The Cup Is Given To Her Enemies. Therefore, please hear this, you afflicted, Who are drunk, but not with wine: Thus says your Lord, the LORD, even your God Who contends for His people, "Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling, the chalice of My anger; You will never drink it again. I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, Who have said to you, 'Lie down that we may walk over you.' You have even made your back like the ground And like the street for those who walk over it. (Isaiah 51: 21-23)
    • Jerusalem Is Attacked (Zechariah 12:1). God is revealed as the creator just before a final attack on Jerusalem. During this attack they recognize the Messiah. Then Jerusalem becomes a stumbling block to the nations as the cup of wrath is given to them.
    I believe that this "proof of God" demonstration with the reenactment of the miracles of the Bible will signify that judgment has passed to the living.
  • Latter Rain. After the siege, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit results in the nation of Israel recognizing their Messiah. The same outpouring of the Spirit affects the world in the same way.
    The subtle fact in this process seems to be that when the Spirit is poured out, the unprecedented response of the Jews to the message will itself generate great interest around the world so that it will compel the rest of the nations to examine the evidence that caused such a reversal of attitude among the Jews about the leper Messiah who was once a fatherless bastard and a filthy niddah called Yeshu.
    So that the Jews actually lead by example, not by any special mandate of Christ based on genetics. This leading by example is the act that removes their shame.
    Shame Reversed. Therefore thus says the Lord who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: "Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now turn pale; but when he sees his children, the work of my hands in his midst they will sanctify My name; indeed they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. Those who err in mind will know the truth, and those who criticize will accept instruction." (Isaiah 29: 22-24)
    It is the Jews who need their shame reversed. The Jews no longer criticize evidence of the Messiah. Now Yeshu is called Yeshua and they bring holiness to His name and memory around the world.
  • Last Days. After the temple fell Israel lost their temple, royal family and priests for about 2000 years. They even turned away from idolatry. But in the last days, the goodness of God will woo them back.
    After 2000 Years Without the Lord. For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince or sacred pillar, and without ephod or household idols. Afterwards the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days. (Hosea 3: 4-5)
    Last Day Jews. Hosea was a prophet at the beginning of the Assyrian captivity. He predicts that the so-called "lost ten tribes" will return to God in the latter days.
    Israel Returns to Yeshua. Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. (Isaiah 30: 20)
    » Latter Days. Jeremiah echoes the same words. Israel is restored in the latter days, and then we will understand the prophecies about their return.
    ... In the latter days you will understand this. (Jeremiah 30: 24)
    Behold I am bringing them from the north country, and I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together. A great company, they will return here. With weeping they will come, and by supplication I will lead them. I will make them walk by streams of water, on a straight path in which they will not stumble. For I am a Father to Israel and Ephraim is My first born. (Jeremiah 31: 8-9)
    » Ephraim My First Born. How can Ephraim ever be the first born? He was not even a son. He was the last grandchild born who was allowed to be counted among the twelve. Reuben was the real firstborn. Reuben, Dan, Gad and Joseph were the first born of the wives and the concubines.
    In the lesson on Ezekiel's temple we demonstrate that Ephraim appears to be the Gentile branch as the church is fleeing from Babylon. They are the first born because they were chosen as the first born of the new covenant. But in the last days both the Jews and the Gentiles will be in apostasy. Both have to return to the sanctuary. This prophecy is predicting the return of both houses of Israel a second time. Both are reborn the second time. Manasseh was Israel in the first apostasy. Ephraim is Israel reborn the second time as the first born.
    I have surely heard Ephraim grieving, you have chastised me and I was chastised. Like an untrained calf. Bring me back that I may be restored. For you are the Lord my God. (Jeremiah 31: 18)
  • The Fall of Babylon. There is a reason why God chose Babylon as a model for the final world empire named Babylon the Great. There is also a reason why God has recreated the conditions of the fall of Babylon at the end of time. There are still parts that have not been fulfilled.
    Global. This is a classic example of a prophecy that seemed to be fulfilled in history but contains promises that did not materialize at that time and are reserved for the distant future. At the fall of Babylon, Israel will return to the Lord in a covenant that will be eternal.
    Israel Returns. In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, "the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as they go, and it will be the LORD their God they will seek. They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces in its direction; they will come that they may join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. (Jeremiah 50: 4-5)
    We can agree that faithfulness to an everlasting covenant did not happen after they returned from Babylonian captivity in 539 BC. In fact, because they rejected Christ in 31-34 AD, the covenant was wrenched from them and given to the Christians.
    So there will come another time in the future, at the fall of Babylon the Great, when the twelve tribes of Israel (Judah and the ten lost tribes) will return to God and join the everlasting covenant and this time they will be faithful.
    
    Lost Sheep. My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray. They have gone along from mountain to hill and have forgotten their resting place.
    Mistreated. All who came upon them have devoured them; And their adversaries have said, 'We are not guilty, inasmuch as they have sinned against the LORD who is the habitation of righteousness, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers'. (Jeremiah 50: 6-7)
    In the intervening years since Christ, the Jews have wandered like lost sheep among the nations, forgetting the land of their promise and refusing to recognize their Messiah. Even after 2000 years, they were mistreated by many people who claimed that it is their punishment for killing Christ, so they are not guilty for mistreating the Jews.
    Not Forsaken. For neither Israel nor Judah has been forsaken by his God, the Lord of Hosts, although their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel. (Jeremiah 51: 5)
    But Israel was not forsaken, even though they were guilty of mistreating the Holy One of Israel.
    Wrath. Flee from the midst of Babylon, and each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, for this is the Lord's time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her. (Jeremiah 51: 6)
    The Fall of Babylon and Babylon the Great. Indeed Babylon is to fall for the slain of Israel, as also for Babylon the slain of the earth have fallen. (Jeremiah 51: 49)
    This is a global indictment of Babylon, not just for Israel in 539 BC but for the world at the end of time. So when God takes vengeance on Babylon the Great for the evil done to the whole world, Israel must flee to God.
    
    The Fall of Babylon During the Rains. Joel also promised help from the Lord at the fall of Babylon. He also links the time of the fall of Babylon with rain from the Lord, just as Zechariah links an outpouring of the Spirit during the same time. However, the rains are divided into two stages.
    So rejoice, O sons of Zion, and be glad in the Lord your God. For He has given you the early rain for your vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain as before [in the first month]. (Joel 2: 23)
    • Early Rain. This is given specifically for the vindication of the Jews, to remove their shame. So they will be the first group to respond to the great outpouring Holy Spirt. In the global fulfillment of this prophecy, the Jews did receive the early rain at Pentecost. The disciples were to minister only to them for the first 3.5 years. God repeats this final local fulfillment at this time. So the Jews are converted between Pentecost and Passover and the Christians respond by Tabernacles.
    • Latter Rain. The rest of the world responds after the shame of the Jews is reversed.
      It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind ... (Joel 2: 28)
    Eye Salve for Laodicea. God did not choose the Jews because of genetics, He chose them because the Christian church is in apostasy and this evidence about the Messiah can best be appreciated by the Jews. The Christians are now the ones who are naked and full of shame. The Jews have put on Christ.
    The church of Laodicea do not realize that they are blind, naked and poor. God provides this evidence to anoint their eyes so that they can see the signs of the times. Then they seek out the old ways by looking at the evidence that changed the Jews. And, no longer in rebellion against the law of God, they put on the righteousness of Christ. Then both houses of God are ready, to be tried in the fires of the last persecution.
  • Acceptable Time. At an "acceptable time" the forgotten house of Israel will return.
  • The World is in Darkness. The Jews respond to the Deliverer and they become a light at the darkest moment in earth's history. They reflect the light from the ark of the covenant as they carry the message of the Messenger of the Covenant.
• Gathered From The Nations. All of these prophecies are about the Jews because the Gentiles did not experience this scattering and occupation.
  Last Day Jews. In the law God promised that He would not reject them in the last days because they will seek Him after years of rebellion and they will fall in love with Him.
  God Remembers the Covenant. The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord drives you. But from there you will seek the Lord your God; and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them. (Deuteronomy 4: 27, 29-31)
  Last Day Jews. Although the Christian church experienced persecution and bad shepherds and escaped to the new world, we were not scattered everywhere because of oppression like the Jews. In fact, Christians nations were scattered because they became the beasts that oppressed others, especially the Jews. As oppressive colonial nations we ventured throughout the world and scattered ourselves, enslaving and terrorizing others as we searched for wealth. This prophecy indicts us because, as His shepherds, we persecuted the Jews and we did not share the Gospel with them and feed them with the word.
  Failed Shepherds. "As I live", declares the Lord God, "surely because My flock has become a prey, My flock has even become food for all the beasts of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock" ...
  The Good Shepherd. For thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out" (Ezekiel 34: 8, 11)
  Shepherd Gathers The Sheep. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. (Ezekiel 34: 13)
  Just as the hands of Zerubabbel will finish the house of the Lord, Jesus will gather the house of Israel. The Gentiles will ignore this work so God acts to save them.
  Last Day Jews. Specifically talking about the people who went into exile in Babylon and other lands, God promises that He will not abandon them and that He will bring them back to the land of Israel and He will make them love Him.
  Back to Israel. Behold I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety.
  Renew the Everlasting Covenant. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.
  Blessings For Israel. For thus says the Lord, "Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them." (Jeremiah 32: 37, 40, 42)
  Christ is the point where the everlasting covenant was made, so God still has to change their hearts to love Him. After the crucifixion they rejected Him, so God still has to fulfill this promise. The events of 1948 clearly called the exiles everywhere. Now it is time to help them to love God.
  A great disaster was brought on the whole earth when Adam and Eve sinned, but although we are barred from heaven, technically we were not exiled to a foreign land. We are in exile in our own land, waiting for the Holy Spirit to help us to love God. So this prophecy is not about spiritual Israel, it is about the physical nation of Israel.
  Last Day Jews (Two Kingdoms Reunited).
  The Gathering of Israel (Judea and Samaria). Say to them "thus says the Lord God, behold I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land. and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king of all of them; and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms. (Ezekiel 37: 21-22)
  We know that this has never happened. In fact, the consensus is that the ten northern tribes are lost forever. More importantly, they do not know their own identity after thousands of years and they must have intermingled with all the races where they scattered and abandoned all recognizable customs.
  However, God promises to reunite them. The movement back to Israel after 1948 may have found some tribes or some people with Hebrew religious practices and genetics, but there is not enough of these people to account for what God predicts.
  What will most likely occur is that when the physical nation of Israel is being persecuted in the last days, the sympathizers that join themselves with Israel who may also be persecuted are probably the people referred to in this prophecy. They may or may not have a teaspoon of Jewish blood, but they cannot identify themselves physically with certainty. Spiritually, they can be identified. They heeded the call to return to the God of Israel and reunited with their brother in distress. It would not be surprising to learn that God intermingled the seed of Abraham among all the nations of the entire world as a way to claim legal inheritance to the land and as a sign that all of us must be joined to the perfect Seed, which is Christ.
  Last Day Jews Gathered by Hunters. In the last days there will be an exodus that is bigger than the one from Egypt because Israel will be streaming out of all the nations.
  A Greater Exodus. Therefore behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when it will no longer be said, As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but, As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where he had banished them. For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers. (Jeremiah 16: 14-15)
  Jesus Christ sent the disciples as fishermen to catch them (Matthew 4: 19). This prophecy says that Jesus will launch a new strategy after the days of the disciples. He will sent hunters all over the world. If you examine the prophecy of the twelve tribes you will discover that the evangelistic phase which is characterized by Joseph are the ones who are the archers sent out to build up the kingdom of God.
  Fishermen. Behold I am going to send for my fishermen, declares the Lord, and they will fish for them;
  Hunters. and afterwards I will send for my hunters and they will hunt them from every mountain and hill and from the clefts of the rock. For My eyes are on all their ways, they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes. (Jeremiah 16: 16-17)
  
  God will first repay them before he gathers them.
  Vengeance. I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations. (Jeremiah 16: 18)
  Only two events could classify as the double punishment for their iniquity.
  • Assyria and Babylon. The north and the south were independently led in to captivity by two separate nations. However, this is not the event prophesied about. This prophecy says that they will be returned from exile, but these events are the ones that placed them in exile. So they are to receive a double punishment while they are still in exile before the hunters and fishermen are sent.
  • Titus and Hadrian. The final rebellion of the Jews was punished with the destruction of the temple by Titus in 70 AD and the loss of the city of Jerusalem in 135 AD by Hadrian.
  Since their return from exile is incomplete, then the job of the fishermen and the hunters is not complete.
  
  In the Days of Christ. This chapter speaks of a gathering during the days of Christ, the Branch.
  A Gathering After Christ. Behold, the days are coming declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, "The Lord our righteousness". (Jeremiah 23: 5-6)
  Jews and Gentiles Uprooted and Gathered. God will uproot Israel and uproot the nations who conquered them. However, if these nations learn the ways of God then they will become His people also.
  Jews and Gentiles Gathered. Thus says the Lord concerning My wicked neighbors who strike at the inheritance with which I have endowed My people Israel. Behold, I am about to uproot them from their land and will uproot the house of Judah from among them. And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will again have compassion on them, and I will bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. Then if they will really learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, "As the Lord lives", even as they taught My people to swear by Baal, they will be built up in the midst of My people. But if they will not listen, then I will uproot that nation, uproot and destroy it, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 12: 14-16)
  This prophecy predicts that the Gentiles who turn to the Lord will be gathered with the Jews when the Jews return from exile. This has not happened yet. Even after the days of Christianity, the Greek and Roman captors were not uprooted so that Israel could be taken out. Israel remained captives for almost 2000 years after.
  Even after Israel was uprooted around 1948, it cannot be said that these conquering nations have been uprooted. This will occur in the future persecution when those who accept the Jewish Messiah will join with Israel and learn the ways of the Jews and turn aside from the paganism that has polluted Christianity.
  Jews and Gentiles (Reunion). In the final days, after we accept knowledge and instruction, we will look to the New Jerusalem, when the throne of God is on earth, and the twelve tribes will be reunited forever.
  Perfection. Then I will give your shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding. At that time they will call Jerusalem "the throne of the Lord", and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord, nor will they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance. (Jeremiah 3: 15, 17-18)
  Jews and Gentiles (The Spiritual Israel). This prophecy is about the people who are gathered, but it is set in the period after the millennium of rest when Satan comes to destroy them in the Battle of Armageddon.
  Gog Attacks The Gathered Israel. After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them. (Ezekiel 38: 8)
  
  Local Prophecy. The use of the plural word "nations" suggest a regathering from other places in addition to Babylon. However, unlike many other prophecies which address the gathering of the twelve tribes of Israel, this seems to be a local prophecy about the return from Babylonian captivity after 539 BC.
  All Exiles Returned. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord God, and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29: 14)
  Speaking to those who are not scattered in exile, the rest of the prophecy seems to apply to the nation after the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus also called them a discarded fig tree.
  Spoiled Figs. Thus says the Lord of hosts, Behold I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness. (Jeremiah 29: 17)
  They too will be exiled after their siege and war with Rome.
  Terror. I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence, and I will make them a terror to all the kindgoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them. (Jeremiah 29: 18)
  Although this prophecy seems to apply more to the treatment of the Jews after the time of Christ, it could still be a local prophecy that applied to their captivity by Persia, Greece and Rome.
• Gathered and United. Paul addresses this separation and predicts the return of the Jews, the genetic descendants.
  Israel Grafted Back In. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them in the rich root of the olive tree ... and they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. (Romans 11: 17, 23)
  God can finally build His church from a people who have renounced violence and who have been reunited in love for each other. The faith of the Jews stirs great interest in the world and the reunion of the two branches of the church is a sign that attracts more followers.
  Reunited ("Unity of the Church"). I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word. That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that you sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one just as We are one. I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. (John 17: 20-23)
  Jesus describes this reunion as the single most important sign to the world that He is the Messiah sent from God. This union is the perfection He seeks. It is the event that brings great light to the world. This is not the unity of Catholics and Protestants or Baptists with Methodists. That type of unity does not prove that He is the Messiah because the one thing that we all have in common is the belief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah of the Jews. It is the union of the Christians with the Jews under one Messiah that is the proof.
  The Glory of the Third Angel. After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority and the earth was illumined with his glory. And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!" (Revelation 18: 1-2).
  As the great house and city of God is being built with living stones, the unstable ghetto of Babylon is falling.
• The Fullness of the Gentiles Respond. The rejection of Christ by the Jews will be temporary and it will end when "the fullness of the Gentiles" come in. From other prophecies we know that they do not convert after all the Gentiles convert because they become a light to the nations. So "the fullness of Gentiles" might refer to a time when all the Gentiles are on the earth and they are ready to bear fruit. This is the final generation. Then all the possible Jewish and Gentile branch of Israel are saved.
  Last Day Jews. Paul is very clear. The Jews will change their attitude towards Yeshua.
  Hardness Reversed. For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, so that you will not be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,
  "The deliverer will come from Zion He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins" (Romans 11: 25-27)
  » Building the House of God. Zechariah also refers to this time period when Christ has finished building the house of the Lord. The people who will be part of this house are now alive.
  The House of God. The hands of Zerubabbel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you. (Zechariah 4: 9)
  Jesus builds the house of the Lord, which is the church, after He laid the foundation at the crucifixion. However, it is only when He finishes the house of God at the end of time that the Jews will recognize that God has sent Him as the Messiah.
• Blessing To The Gentiles. Israel will be a blessing to the nations after they have been regathered from the ends of the earth.
  Both Israel and Judah Gathered. Thus says the Lord of hosts, "Behold I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west. It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear, let your hands be strong. (Zechariah 8: 7, 13)
  Jews will be popular instead of openly despised when the world sees the superiority of YHWH and the Torah.
  Popular Jews. So many peoples and mighty nations will come and seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, "In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you". (Zechariah 8: 22-23)
• Lulav And Etrog. During Succos, the etrog in the left hand (Gentiles) is united with the lulav in the right hand (Jews) when the blessing is said and the hallel waving is done. The etrog is actually upside down at the beginning of the ceremeny and has to be turned right side up during the ceremony. This is the repentance or changing of direction of the Gentiles during Succos. We turned to God when God came to live with us.
• Unity in Marriage. The church is pictured as a man, a woman and a child. At the cross, this fractured church was pictured as the Jews on the right hand, the Gentiles on the left and the child they killed and cannibalized in the middle. Christ is the Man named Israel who is the Son of the right hand. He turns to the left to look at the woman, His church and bride. At the end of time, He is unified with the church through a marriage. He is the Bridegroom coming for His bride. The marriage union at the end of time produces this child who will be born again into the eternal kingdom of God. This marriage ceremony occurs when the Jews and Gentiles unite.
  » The Marriage Gifts. As the male repesentative, the Jews bring the wealth of Judaism as a gift to the new bride and her family. The bride brings her dowry and inheritance to the marriage, in the form of Christ.
• Double Inheritance. As the first born, the Jews get a double portion of inheritance. After squandering the first portion of their inheritance, the Jews are given the second portion of their inheritance at the end of time. The time between the acceptance of both blessings is pictured as a squandering of their inheritance by a prodigal son or as stolen inheritance according to Isaiah.
  This double inheritance of the firstborn is also called a double blessing and double comfort. The double comfort points to God receiving back a lost son into His house.
  Comforted Twice. Comfort, O comfort my people says your God. Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for her sins. (Isaiah 40: 1-2)
  » Inheritance Given Away. The sins of Jacob caused the loss of the inheritance of Israel. The story of Jacob and Esau is a picture of what happened to the inheritance of Israel who gave up their inheritance for security.
• Israel is Blind and Deaf and Asleep. The testimony of God is that Israel cannot understand because they are in a supernatural stupor which leaves them unable to process information clearly.
  The Nation that Sleeps. ... You will keep on hearing, but you will not understand. You will keep on seeing, but you will not perceive. For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts and return, and I would heal them. (Matthew 13: 14-15 and Isaiah 6: 9)
  So, either God speaks to them in a confusing language because they refuse to understand or God's message sounds confusing because they cannot understand.
  The fact is that they cannot understand. So, like their dull ears and fuzzy sight, the message is not clear.
  Parables (Unclear Speech). Therefore I speak to them in parables, because while seeing they do not see and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. (Matthew 13: 13)
  

  Blind, Deaf and Dumb		Crucifixion	Fuzzy Vision		Vision, Hearing, Speech Restored
  Israel is Asleep	Spit on Clay		2000 Years	Wash	End of Time (See The Messiah)
  Israel is Blind	Man Tree (Crucified Messiah)			Holy Spirit	Looking and Searching Intently

  Israel is blind, deaf and dumb because they are asleep. When the sleeper awakens he will be cured.
  
  In a miracle that involved the restoration of sight, Jesus seemed to use a two step process to restore the sight. Some have speculated that Jesus did not get the miracle right and had to redo it. Once again, those who disparage God are ignorant.
  Israel will be healed of their blindness in two steps.
  • Spit on Clay. In the first step of the cure they will have partial restoration of their sight when they spit on clay. In two miracles where He restored sight and one where He restored deafness and dumbness, Jesus took the unusual step of spitting on them as if He was cursing the cause of deafness, dumbness and blindness.
    Man was made with clay and spitting is a sign of the curse. Like the image of the snake lifted up on the cross, Jesus Christ was the Man made of clay on whom they spit. The image of the snake on the cross will cure them just like the Man made of spit and clay will cure them.
    On the Sabbath day, Jesus cured a blind man by making a mixture of spit and clay.
    Spit and Clay. When He said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle and applied the clay to his eyes, (John 9: 5-6)
    Jesus cured another blind man by spitting on his eyes.
    Spit On The Eyes. Taking the blind man by the hand, he brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying his hands on him, He asked him, "Do you see anything?" (Mark 8: 23)
    
    » Men Like Trees Walking. When they had partial sight all they could see was a walking tree.
    Trees Walking. And he looked up and said, "I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around". (Mark 8: 24)
    • Jesus Carries The Cross. He was a walking tree as He carried the wooden cross on His back.
    • Jesus Nailed On The Cross. Jesus and all the crucified victims who were stretched out and nailed to a tree were the men who were like trees.
    Jesus was a popular figure with the people up to the time of the trial. Then the nation suddenly turned on Him and this pathetic-looking Man did not seem like the Savior for whom they were hoping.
    Jesus also cured one who was deaf and dumb by using spit. While they were spitting on Him, He also remained silent like a dumb mute.
    Spitting On The Deaf and Dumb. They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; (Mark 7: 32-33)
    
    » Life Out Of Your Belly. Why did Jesus use spit to heal especially since spitting on a person is a sign of contempt and the curse? Normally, what comes out of a man usually defiles him.
    Corrupt Spring. And He was saying, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man." (Mark 7: 20)
    According to this promise anything that comes out of one who believes in Jesus will have power, even the waste that usually comes out of the belly.
    Living Waters. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, "From his innermost being [belly] will flow rivers of living water." (John 7: 38)
    So, look at what comes out of the person filled with the Spirit.
    • Spit. Jesus used spit to heal the blind.
    • Vomit. Resurrection to life is symbolozed as being vomited out of the earth.
    • Dung. Even dung can be seen as pearl - a form of solid waste.
    • Words. Words of life come out when we speak.
    • Sweat Glands. Life giving blood came out of the pores of Jesus.
    • Baby (Life). Out of man and woman come the seeds of life. Out of the belly of the woman comes the child.
    • Spirit. The promise is primarily meant to be about the coming of the Holy Spirit in power.
      Living Spring. But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7: 39)
    The first step of all healing comes from the spring of life flowing from the body of the one filled with the Holy Spirit. Normally, this faith is enough to bring healing. However, when the sick person treats you with hostility and contempt a second step is required. They must repent and show an act of faith.
  • Wash. In the second step of the cure, Israel will see clearly after the Holy Spirit is poured out like water to wash away their blindness.
    Wash. and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. (John 9: 7)
    Second Attempt. Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and begin to see everything clearly. (Mark 8: 25)
    » Looking Intently (Searching). Moses said that in the latter days, Israel will find God if they search for Him with all their heart (Deuteronomy 4: 29). That is how they must look intently. It is their act of faith.
    
    Opening Ears of The Deaf and Loosing The Tongue Of The Dumb. and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, "Ephphatha!" that is "Be opened!" And his ears were opened and the impediment of his speech was removed, and he began speaking plainly. (Mark 7: 34-35)
    Looking for the answer from heaven Jesus will open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf and He will loosen the tongue of the dumb. Then Israel will spread the message of the Gospel in clear and delightful sounds.
  
  » Finding Fault. The disciples asked a question that we all seem to have. Who is at fault? Why was Israel blinded? Were they at fault for rejecting the Messiah?
  The answer is no. Paul clearly states that Israel was blinded so that the Gentiles could be saved. The man was born blind so that the purposes of God could be accomplished and that God would be glorified. So it was for God's glory and the salvation of the Gentiles that Israel was put to sleep and blinded.
  Blinded By God. As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And the disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him." (John 9: 1-4)
  So neither the future generation of Jews sinned nor their parents at the crucifixion sinned.
  
  

  40 Days In The Wilderness			The Year of the Lord
  Elul 1	Tempted	Tishri 10	Preach Gospel		Release Captives	Blind		Free Oppressed	...	Blind See

  » The Mission of Jesus. Jesus began His ministry announcing the beginning of the Jubilee and He was well received. He must have started it on Yom Kippur (Tishri 10). Exactly 3.5 years later on Nisan 10, He came through the east gates as a popular figure, but died for our sins in seven days.
  Jubilee. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him, and He opened the book and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." And He began to say to them, Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4: 17-19, 21 and Isaiah 61: 1-2)
  • Gospel To The Poor. The Gentiles would learn about God.
  • Release Of The Captives (Gethsemane). He would free us from all the consequences of sin.
  • Sight To The Blind. The Jews finally see the fulfillment of all their prophecies, symbols and the Messiah.
  • Free The Oppressed (Calvary). He would remove our burden of sin and buy our freedom from Satan.
  • Favorable Year of The Lord. The eternal Jubilee has begun.
  This sounded like good news to the slaves under Roman occupation.
  
  
• The Separated Tribes. The marching order of the tribes, as experienced by Christ, represents their fate.
  Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin.
  • Ten Northern Tribes ("Issachar to Manasseh"). They are the Gentile church who are called after Judah rejects Christ and before Benjamin returns. They are captured by the evil king of the north and become the ten lost tribes.
  • Two Southern Tribes ("Judah and Benjamin"). The remaining nation of Israel (now called Jews) was made up of two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. They are also the first and the last tribes in the marching order, representing when they will appear to do the work of God. Their location in the south also shows that when they do the work of God they will not be under the influence of the evil king of the north.
  
  

  Judah		The Ten Lost Tribes (Gentile Custody)					Benjamin
  Hated Wife			Raided	Beloved Wife Barren	Concubines	Beloved Wife
  Judah		... Simeon	Gad	Joseph • Benjamin	Dan • Asher • Naphtali	Joseph • Benjamin
  Inherits Messiah			Gentiles	Stolen Inheritance	Gentiles Take Inheritance	Inheritance Restored

• The Tribes on the Path. The order of the 12 sons also teaches us about the history of the church and further clarifies the division of the tribes into north and south. All the tribes are sandwiched between Judah and Benjamin.
  • Children of the Hated Wife ("Judah through Simeon"). The children of Leah begin with praise and end with hatred after they lost preeminence.
    » Priesthood ("Levi"). The Levites are scattered throughout all the sons, showing that God will keep knowledge of Him alive throughout all phases.
  • Children of the Concubines ("Gad, Dan, Asher, Naphtali"). These are the Gentiles. They give birth to the children while the two sisters are feuding. This phase begins with Gad who is the "fortunate raider", another picture of the Gentiles who swoop in and capture the inheritance. Then they take away the inheritance of the children of the beloved wife. Then the church goes through the phases of idolatry, death and then resurrection. They are raised up or revived with the "Good News".
  • Children of the Beloved Wife ("Joseph, Manasseh, Benjamin"). The righteous church emerges after the revival. The beloved children take back the stolen inheritance.
• One Church (Benjamin). As the church is being unified, it will undergo its greatest period of persecution. And it will be born in pain just as a woman in childbirth. The church is Rachel who gave birth to Benoi, "the son of sorrow" who would become Benjamin, "the son of the right hand" when the sheep and goats are separated.
• Rachel Weeps For Her Children. This was quoted as a fulfillment in Matthew 2: 18 when Herod slaughtered the young children while searching for the baby Jesus.
  Thus says the LORD," A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel is weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more." (Jeremiah 31: 15)
  Rachel is the symbol of the beloved wife with her two children. Camped on the western side of the Mishkan, the symbols picture them as being the stage where the children make an exodus from earth through the ceiling of the sky which has been taken down by Kohath, the Levites.
  • Rachel Weeps For Joseph. In the days of Jeremiah, Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim had already been taken away by the Assyrians.
    » Rachel Weeps For Manasseh and Ephraim. They are a symbol of the half Hebrew and half Gentile persecuted church.
  • Rachel Weeps For Benjamin. In the days of Jeremiah they were fleeing from ancient Babylon. Benjamin was taken with Judah by Babylon. Now, at the end of time, they are fleeing from Babylon the Great.
  » Rachel Weeps For Jesus. When Jesus was born, only Judah, Benjamin and some Levites made up the nation of Israel. When Jesus inherited the stick of Judah and Ephraim, He was Joseph. By fleeing to Egypt, Joseph was now separated from His brothers again, considered to be dead, and was "no more". So Herod killed the children of Benjamin when He searched for Jesus and He made Joseph go to Egypt.
  When Jesus was afflicted during the crucifixion, He became Benoi, the "Son of sorrow".
  So both Joseph and Benoi were eventually slaughtered by the Romans.
• The Restoration Of Zion. Many futurists believe that God will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and then He will appear. However, this verse predicts a grander plan.
  Appointed Time For Unity. You will arise and have compassion on Zion; for it is time to be gracious to her, for the appointed time has come. Surely Your servants find pleasure in her stones and feel pity for her dust. So the nations will fear the name of the Lord and all the kings of the earth Your glory. For the Lord has built up Zion. He has appeared in His glory. (Psalm 102: 13-16)
  Notice that Zion and Jerusalem is feminine gender, just like the church. When God builds His church, then He will appear to receive her as His bride. As a sign of this event, Israel has been restored and Jerusalem has been reunited and God is building the new city in heaven, not on earth. The church He will build is a unified one, in which Jews and Gentiles will submit to all the laws of God, not just the least controversial and more modern.
  At an appointed time, the Lord will build up Zion, then He will return for her.

The Wanderings Of The Ark Of The Covenant
The Wanderings of the Ark are a prophecy about the wanderings of the people of God as they were guided by the ark. Each phase represents the people who hold possession of the covenant.

Mishkan Shiloh Ebenezer Philistines Beth-Shemesh Kiriath-Jearim City of David Jerusalem Covenant Peace Stone of Help (7 Months) House of the Sun City of Woods South Jerusalem Jews Christ Holy Spirit 7 Churches Mark of the Beast Tabernacles Millennium New Earth Children of the Hated Wife Children of the Concubines Children of the Beloved Wife Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Reuben, Simeon Gad, Dan, Asher, Naphtali Joseph, Manasseh, Benjamin First Portion of Inheritance (Comforted) Inheritance Squandered Second Portion (Comforted Again)

• Mishkan. At the time of the portable sanctuary Israel wandered about because of disbelief.
• Shiloh [Sent, Peace, Abundance] (First Coming). Jesus comes to Jerusalem and was rejected. God established the covenant with Him only. So He calls the Gentiles and distributes the inheritance.
• Ebenezer [Stone of Help] (Pentecost). The covenant passed to the Holy Spirit. It is His job to write the covenant on our hearts after Christ has been glorified. He is the Helper-Comforter and the stone with seven eyes (Zechariah 3: 9) who chisels the law on our hearts of stone.
  The ark was brought from Shiloh to Ebenezer where the army was camped temporarily because Israel was losing the battle to the Philistines and they thought that they would be victorious if God was in their camp.
  » Ichabod (The Glory of God Has Departed"). It was here that God left Israel when the Philistines captured the ark. The priesthood from the house of Eli died and a new priesthood began from the house of Samuel. He was the baby priest who was dedicated to God and lived in the temple from the moment he was weaned.
  » A New Priesthood. And so the glory of God departed from Israel, captured by the Gentiles, and the priesthood of the house of Levi was rejected in favor of the priesthood of the house of Yeshua (Jesus).
• Philistines [Village Dwellers] (Gentiles). Then the ark was captured by idolaters and placed in the house of Dagon and held for seven months. It was returned by the lords of the Philistines when God punished them with confusion, plagues and broke off the head and hands of their god Dagon.
  The covenant passes to the Gentiles who fall into idolatry at the end of time, receiving the mark of the beast in their head and hands for sun worship (Revelation 13). They persecute the church and are punished by the seven last plagues. Satan falls in this battle, his head and hands are symbolically cut off for marking the people in those places.
  » Seven Months (New Moons). The seven months in their possession is indicative of the seven churches which represented the seven phases in the hands of the Gentiles. Among the Philistines the ark went to several towns where it brought the plague. The Lords of the Philistines from these towns made a guilt offering.
  • Ashdod (Theft). Prophetically, the passage of the covenant to the Gentiles is seen as a theft (Isaiah 61). But it was a theft allowed by God because of the unfaithfulness of Israel.
  • Gaza (Goat). The goat is a symbol of the sin offering.
  • Askelon (Weight, Balance). This is a picture of judgment.
  • Gath (Winepress). The Gentile church would be placed in the winepress of affliction.
  • Ekron (Barrenness, Torn away). At they end, they will be left barren and the covenant is torn away from them. What remains at the end is a new people, composed of Jews and Gentiles who will be the keepers of the covenant.
  » Village Dwellers. This describes the state of the church which is splintered into hundreds of groups instead of one unified city. While it is in the hands of the Gentiles, the Jews are supposed to become jealous according to Paul.
  I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness be! (Romans 11: 11-12)
  Messianic Symbol. Notice that the experience of Jesus suggest that he was captured and taken away like the Ark. Judas arranged the theft, then Jesus went into the winepress in the Garden of Gethsemane. After this He was torn away to be slaughtered by the raiding party and Israel was left barren or deslolate of their Messiah.
• Beth Shemesh [House of the Sun]. The Philistines brought the ark and their sin offering gifts of five golden tumors and five golden mice to a place called the "house of the sun" during the wheat harvest. There, the trespasses of the people caused a great slaughter.
  » Stone of Abel (Holy Spirit). They set the ark on a large stone which became a witness. The word "Abel" means "breath" (1 Samuel 6: 14-15, 18). In this phase we have the Holy Spirt serving as a judge and witness, not as helper.
  » Sun Worshippers. The covenant now rests with a people who are under the influence of sun worship. When the ark and the covenant is returned to them they have lost the knowledge to understand how to behave and are punished for trespassing. So they have to call for the priests.
  This represents the apostasy as the Antichrist sets up sun worship in the temple of God, bringing gifts of disease and creeping things that represented the unclean and the abomination (Isaiah 66: 16-17). Since the church has abandoned or dismissed the importance of the covenant as written in the Torah they have to call for the experts when it becomes obvious that God is punishing them. So they have to be taught by the Jews who are now the priests guiding the church.
  The Jews guide us to the importance of the sanctuary, the feasts, the covenant and the Sabbath.
• Kiriath-Jearim [City of Woods]. The Ark remained here for 20 years while the people lamented for the Lord (1 Samuel 7: 2). Here they turned away from idolatry and served the Lord alone and the Lord helped them as the Philistines came to attack.
  » Tabernacles. The "City of Woods" might indicate the living conditions under the persecution after the sun worshippers attack. This is the time during the feast of Tabernacles when the righteous live in temporary shelters made of tree branches, literally building a city of woods. It is under these conditions that the church seeks the Lord earnestly. This is a prophetic picture of the acceptance of the Messiah by the Jews and the world and the final attack on the church as the wicked prepare for the Battle of Armageddon in the sixth plague. God stops the attack and rescues us with thunder and confusion.
  » Ebenezer (Stone of Help). This time Samuel took a stone and named it Ebenezer. So we have a picture of the Holy Spirit helping us.
  » Saul (The People's King). When Samuel was old the people asked for a king so that they could be like other nations. They rejected the rule of God and rejected the LORD. During this period, God will send a king after our own wicked hearts. The Antichrist will appear. 1 Samuel 8: 10-19 records how he will eventually behave. He will enslave, tax, send them to war and reward his friends. In the end he turns to witchcraft and communication with the dead.
• City of David (Second Coming). The ark was kept in the city of David in the south until the permanent temple was built. After the persecution, they are symbolized as fleeing to the south to the City of David. This is the temporary resting place of the people during the millennium, after they are rescued at the Second Coming.
  » David (The Lord's King). The Lord returns on the throne of David for a people who want His rule.
• Jerusalem Temple (Third Coming). The permanent home of the Ark on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. This is the permanent resting place of the people of God at the Third Coming after Jesus comes to the Mount of Olives with the city of the New Jerusalem and creates the new earth.

The Church: The Mystery of God Revealed

Salvation Mathematics Debt Gift of God 1 Curses for Sin Bread + Wine = Body + Blood 2 Wages for Sin Baptism (Immersed + Raised) = Death (Buried + Resurrected) 3 Substitute for Sin Adam's Seed (All Sinned) = Christ's Seed (All Righteous) Symbolic action appears to be a legal substitute for those who are hid in Christ, the real example

To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now to the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. (Ephesians 3: 8-10)
This handling of the Jews and Gentiles was a great secret. In another lesson, I show that it is a battle strategy designed to trap and crush Satan's army by dividing the righteous army into two groups to execute a pincer movement.

• Salvation Science: Salvation Algebra. The revelation of this mystery clearly demonstrates the importance of symbols and symbolic action. Symbolic actions are the mathematical equations of the spiritual world. Just as symbolic representation of values in algebra allows us to clearly demonstrate and solve equations, when God demonstrates a truth in symbols on one side of an equation, it automatically sets as a fact the equality of the related statement on the other side. Therefore, if Christ can use the church of the Jews and Gentiles to demonstrate a successful process of reconciliation, then He can demonstrate how He can reconcile a sinful earth to the people of heaven. This is why this unification becomes such an important sign to both heaven and earth (John 17: 20-23).
  The separation and the unification of the Jews and the Gentiles is necessary to demonstrate to the powers in heaven the wisdom of God's plan in reconciling the entire sin-stained creation to a sinless universe.
  

  Cultivated + Wild = Cultivated + Wild Jews + Christ (Gentiles) = Heaven + Christ (Earth)

  
  » Stump, Vine and Roots. Christ, who existed before Adam, is the true vine from which the people of God emerge. Christ is the stump that remained when the Jews were broken off. He is Israel.
  ... whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump. (Isaiah 6: 13)
  • The Cultivated Branch. The Jews are the cultivated branch, full of the law and the knowledge of God.
  • The Wild Branch. The Gentiles are the wild branch who have less knowledge about the laws of God and are contaminated with errors but they know about Christ and have been nurtured by Him.
  As long as the wild branch is in Christ, it can be successfully united with the cultivated branch.
  
  » Defeating Satan. Once again, Satan loses. He thought that he could win by killing Christ. He thought that he could win by leading the Jews to rebellion so that they could be cut off. He lost in both cases! This is why both of these had to be kept a secret.

  The Total Force Of Two Opposing Forces In Collision Is Equal To The Sum Of Both Forces

  Satan had to do what he wanted and God would use the force of Satan's own strategy against him.
  Being the weaker force, Satan absorbed the death blow, while Christ rose again after falling down.
  So I concur with Paul. "Wow! The manifold wisdom of God!" He used Satan's strategy to destroy him.
• Heaven Grafted Back In To Earth. When sin began on earth, Heaven was the cultivated branch that was broken off and the earth became the wild branch.
  To facilitate a faster reconciliation process, Christ remained with the wild branch because there is a greater chance of rejection for this foreign body if all the attention is not focused on it. At the end, it will be much easier to graft the Jews back into Christ because neither will recognize each other as a foreign entity.
  Using the analogy of an organ transplant, the body will not reject its own organ that has been grafted back in, it will only attempt to heal the wound at the incision site. However, the transplant of a foreign organ requires special drugs for a lifetime to prevent rejection.
  To help the Christian church to reconcile to Christ, the Jews had to be cut off so that the vine could put all its energy into nurturing the foreign branch, otherwise, the branch would have to divide its resources between both branches. As a cultivated branch, the Jews could survive on their own for a while because they had the resources. But this is the unprecedented honor. Heaven, the cultivated branch is grafted back to the new earth, not the other way around. At the third coming, God moves the headquarters of heaven to earth! Making the former wild country the center of cultivation.

  Bearing Fruit on the Vine After the grafts have taken hold, then the vine can put all its energy into producing flowers and fruit. The reunion of the church will spark great evangelism

• Jews Grafted Back In To Christ Some believe that the Christian church will be grafted back into Judaism. However, Paul is clear that it is the cultivated Jewish branch that was broken off so they are the ones who must be grafted back in. But Christ is the vine that they are grafted into, not the Christian church who are already the wild branch on the vine and in a state of disobedience at the end when the reconciliation occurs.
  God Shows Mercy. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. (Romans 11: 30-31)
  So when the church is reunited, and the Jews bring back the wealth of Judaism to the body of Christ we must follow and learn from Orthodox Judaism because they have been most faithful to the symbols.
  A Ministry of Reconciliation. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5: 18)

The Parables of Jesus: The Kingdom of God is A Family Reconciliation
The kingdom of God comes after God separates His fighting children, then heals their wounds and reunites them.

• The Children of The Kingdom. They are squabbling children who hate each other. The story of the prodigal son combines all the efforts of God to reconcile His family.
  • The Son Who Stayed and The Son Who Strayed (Luke 15: 11-32). One son stayed home and the other strayed and wasted his inheritance.
  • Two Sons (Matthew 21: 28-32). Two sons were sent to work in the father's vineyard. The first son refused to work but later regretted his decision and went. The second son said that he would go and never did. Only one son did the will of the father. In this prophecy the second son is like the church of Laodicea which did not do the will of the father. The first son is like the Jews who said they would and never did, but did the will of their Father in the end, after 2000 years.
  • Two Vine Growers (Matthew 21: 33-41). God is the landowner of the leased vineyard. The Jews are the vine growers who mistreated the servants and killed the landowners son. The Christians are the new renters.
  • Two Folds. Jesus is the good Shepherd who has sheep in two folds that He must unite.
    No Irreconciliable Differences. I have other sheep which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one Shepherd. (John 10: 16)
  • Good Samaritan and the Jew (Luke 10: 29-37). The outcast who shows mercy is my neighbor and brother.
  • Two Debtors (Luke 7: 41-43). God is the moneylender who forgives the unequal debts of two people. The one who was forgiven the most will love Him the most. Will it be the Jews who were given a second chance or will it be the Gentiles who thought they were outcasts forever? Could it also be a parable about the human debt versus those in heaven?
  • Pharisee and Tax Collector (Luke 18: 9-14). One believes that they are righteous, the other knows that they are sinners.
  • Seed (Mark 4: 26-32). The kingdom of God will grow and flourish from an insignificant beginning.
    Nature (Tree). Even the design of the seed in nature testifies about the structure of the church. Each seed has a tiny baby tree inside. It consists of a root and two seed leaves (cotyledons). This represents Christ, the root and the Jews and Gentiles (leaves). When the tree matures the leaves are intermingled and you cannot see a separation.
  
  
• Separation. In His wisdom God separated the children because they were incompatable.
  Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10: 34)
  Prejudice, immaturity and petty jealousies could derail a premature reconciliation. Both were given tasks to bring them to maturity. The Christians grew in knowledge of the Messiah and the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. The Jews were experts in the sanctuary, feasts and laws. The religion is incomplete until both are reunited.
  • New Cloth (Luke 5: 36). The clash of cultures would be too much for the new church to take. The hatred and bickering in the church proved it. They were torn apart in 132 AD during the Bar Kokaba revolt. The Christians were changing the religion too much and it did not match the old by 312 AD.
    Irreconciliable Differences. ... No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. (Luke 5: 36)
  • New Wine (Luke 5: 37-39). The Jews are the old wine and the Christians are the new. The Christian branch is immature, volatile and imperfect, they must be aged to maturity or their premature union will damage the church.
    New Wine: Gentiles. And no one puts new wine into old wineskin, otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. (Luke 5: 37)
    Therefore the church must be separated into two wineskins.
    New Wineskin: Gentile Church. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. (Luke 5: 38)
    It took 2000 years to age the Jews and Gentiles. Now that the Gentiles are mature enough, the Jews are now 4000 years under the covenant, even better wine.
    Old Wine is Better. And no one after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says "the old is good enough". (Luke 5: 39)
    Wine is a symbol of the doctrine and the old wine is the best. In fact, Christ did not introduce new doctrine, so all the law and almost all prophets are contained in the Old Testament.
• Search. He intends to find His lost children, so He sends a great light and the emerging tree follows the light.
  • The Lost Son (Luke 15: 11-32). He intends to welcome the wayward son.
  • Lost Sheep (Luke 15: 4-7). Jesus is the Shepherd who makes a final effort to find His lost sheep.
  • Lost Coin (Luke 15: 8-10). The woman is the church who has the light of the mighty angel of Revelaton 18: 1 to find her lost treasure.
• Reunion. The feuding children will be reunited. It is the demonstrated love of the Father that will convince them that they are valued.
  • Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32). This parable is interesting because it seems to mix up the symbol of the Jews. The Jews are the firstborn who receive a double inheritance. They squandered the first and came back as a repentant son to get a second inheritance. However, the parable says that it was the youngest son who strayed while the older son stayed loyal. The only way to reconcile this image is to see the youngest son as a child who is born again.
    The other fact of this parable is the jealousy of the son who remained home. Will the Christian church be angry and jealous about what God does for the Jews and the excitement it generates?
    Paul says that God turned to the Gentiles to make the Jews jealous. Will the Jews see the Gentiles as the son who wasted his inheritance and lived with the pigs and now wants one portion of their double inheritance?
  • Good Shepherd (John 10: 16). He intends to unite the two sheep folds into one.

Punishing The Enemies Of Israel
For the physical and spiritual nation of Israel this promise is true.
Blessings For Israel. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12: 3)
God will bless Israel and all its friends. He will curse those who harm Israel or wish them evil.
Retribution. For the Day of the Lord draws near on all the nations, "As you have done it will be done to you, your dealings will return on your own head." (Obadiah 1: 15)
Those who plot to do evil to the children of God will fall into the same trap. Their own schemes will be their own punishment.

• Conquering Nations. All the super powers who conquered Israel will be punished.
  • Egypt. They enslaved Israel for 430 years and they will remain a lowly nation until the end of time.
  • Assyria. They captured the ten northern tribes who have been scattered forever.
  • Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece. They captured the two southern tribes. Daniel says that the empires that conquered and exiled Israel will exist at the end of time. They must exist to be punished. I suspect that when they are punished again it will involve issues related to the nation of Israel.
  • Rome. The strongest evidence of the retribution of God is the punishment of Rome.
    Although Israel was severely punished through Rome, Rome was also destroyed and divided and remains an object of scheduled for total annihilation at the end of time for what it has done and will do to the children of God.
  • Germany. All the nations who conquered them at least tried to use them as slaves and convert them away from their own religion. However, this nation tried to cruelly exterminate them because they were Jews. This evil act puts them more under the condemnation of wrath than any other nation. Emperor Hadrian comes closest to an enemy who tried to exterminate them, but even he could claim provocation because of the Bar Kokaba revolt. Seeing that God punishes severely within the third and fourth generation, forty to 100 years after the initial crime I have no doubt that the Nazi empire has not yet seen their divine punishment. The entire, broken Roman empire has not seen the end of their punishment.
    » Britain. The European powers controlled the Middle East in the late 1800's. Britain and France controlled Israel and its neighbours until the end of world war II. However, in their efforts against Israel they may have come under the jurisdiction of the curse. Since the end of WWII Britain and the European colonial powers lost their empires and the United States became the political, military and economic superpower.
  • Islam. These nations are evolving into the entity which surrounds Israel that will drive the armies of extermination at the end of time. Prophecy shows that Syria and Egypt may be the only ones that appear to repent.
• Babylon The Great. The offending forces at the end of time have been given this title for the purpose of comparing it to the conquering nations in the past.
• Satan. He is the root cause and impetus for rebellion and mayhem. He and his empire will be destroyed by hell fire and he will suffer the longest and be the last to be destroyed.
  During the millennium He will be forced to live with the results of his work as he gazes upon it for one thousand years, not getting any rest from the scene. He will walk on the ruined face of the earth, smell the stench of the unburied bodies decaying on the earth. He will live through the prolonged darkness and quaking earth and the misgivings and anger of his angel companions.
  Then after the final judgment, the entire human horde who have been sentenced to eternal death will pounce on him. Stripped of all of his former glory, he will die in infamy, never to be remembered except in derision and ridicule.

Summary

God Sends a Warning				God Acts to Save				Elijah		Evil Fights Back	God Saves
Now	Three Angel's Message				Fire	Latter Rain			People ready for God	Enemy Pursues	Wrath Sent	Saved
	Choose God	Leave Babylon	Wrath		Baptism					Whore of Babylon
John		Kingdom of God	Wrath	Baptism by Fire and Water						Herodias, Salome
Elijah		Leave Baal	Death	Fire		Heavy Rain				Jezebel		Rapture
Moses		Leave Egypt	Plagues	Pillar of Fire and Clouds					Exodus	Pharaoh Persues		Exodus
Message to Jews and Gentiles			Jews Convert			The Gospel to the World					Israel
	Enemy Falls			Power				Sealed		Wrath (cup of indignation)
Angels	Love God and give Him Glory			Babylon Falls			Mark of the Beast			Wrath of God		Harvest
Noah	Noah Preaches (120 Years)			Ark is Built			Migration			Door is Closed (7 Days)		Rain
Church of Philadelphia			144,000			Church of Laodicea					Benjamin

This prophecy is repeated in many prophecies and ceremonies. These are the major points:

• Messengers. The church of Philadelphia are the symbolic 144,000 who preach the final message. They are the messenger of the covenant who do the work of the two witnesses (Moses and Elijah).
• Message. The appeal and warning are contained in the Three Angel's Message.
• Repentance. The message will convert the Jews first. This will act as a sign to the majority of the people who will accept God and accept Jesus as His Messiah.
• Schedule. It will be preached with power during 3½ years of persecution or global turmoil.
• Reaction. The message will cause those in the "Synagogue of Satan" to persecute those in the Sanctuary.
• Rapture. God will respond by saving His people and by bringing His wrath in the Seven Last Plagues and sending the final curse on the earth.

The Signs To The Last Generation. Like the people before the flood, at some point in the future the final generation must be confronted with a reality that screams cosmic danger. I refuse to believe that the last generation will not realize not only that they might be the last generation, but that they are the last generation. God extended this courtesy to Noah and he had a second chance. He must extend this same courtesy to the final generation who have run out of time and chances. So we might not know the day or the hour or the year, but we know that we are the end. At some point, even the generation experiencing the plagues must realize that they have less than a year remaining.

• The Ark is Completed. Whatever this sign is, it might be more of an alarm to the believer than the unbeliever. At some point the Gospel message will be finished or will be clear and convincing. God will construct a system to reach the world. This system must be based on Christ.
• The Animals Migrate. This sign must stir the unbeliever. They will see the most unlikely people accepting Christianity. The Jewish conversion must be that sign. As the mark of the beast is being enforced, the migration and exodus of the beasts are also occurring. Israel comes into the ark. They flee out of Babylon.
  As descendants of Abraham, the Arabs and a significant portion of Islam may also accept Christ.
• The Door is Closed. At this point, it is too late. This is the seven last plagues. The wicked realize that they cannot or are unable to accept Christ. The righteous realize that it is too late. The wicked might not recognize this.
• The Rain Falls. This is the hail stones of the Second Coming. Now everyone realizes that it is too late.