The Unnamed Servant.

 Genesis 24:1-4

“1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Throughout the Bible, you will often find that many of the main characters interact with a person who is obviously a servant, but whose name is not mentioned.  Now I’m sure the person in real life did have a name, it’s just that the Holy Spirit has chosen not to document it.  Why?  That is the subject of this study. 😊

-

The Law Of First Mentón.

There exists in Bible exegesis something called “The law of first mention.”  It states that the first time any word or subject is mentioned or introduced in scripture it establishes an unchangeable pattern which remains constant in the mind of God.  It’s an indication that there is something very important to learn.

-

-

The first mention of the “Unnamed servant” is here, in Genesis 24 where Abraham sends his servant to procure a bride for his son, “Isaac,” but not from the surrounding peoples; he sent him instead to his own relatives in Harán, adamant that Isaac NOT leave home to find a wife. 

This chapter "happens" to be the lo-o-o-ongest in the entire book of Genesis.  Why?  Because it’s the story of the father procuring a bride the Beloved son from His own family.  Does this theme sound a little bit familiar?  It should!  Who is God's family today?  US, Church!  Since the Israelites all descended from Abraham, his other family were Gentiles, a picture of the church today which is primarily comprised of non-Jewish people. 

-

It is in this chapter that we find the SECOND MENTION of the word, “love,” appearing!  Whereas chapter 22 contained the FIRST MENTION, where Isaac went up Mt Moriah with his father portraying Our Father’s LOVE for His Son,  chapter 24–the SECOND MENTION–is the story of The Son’s LOVE for His Bride!  Let’s continue the story:

Genesis 24: 4-10

“…4 but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”  5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”

6 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. 7 The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, for all his master's goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.”

-

-

Well, we all know how that story ends.  God gave the servant great success, he procured a bride for the beloved son, and brought her back to Isaac.  (Anyone who wants to read the entire amazing story may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2020/08/28/isaac-and-rebecca-patriarch-series-part-2-2/)

-

In this beautiful story is another first mention covered below.

-

-

The Unnamed Servant’s Prayer.

Genesis 24:11-14

“11 And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

-

This is the first record of someone kneeling down before God and making a very specific prayer request.  Ask yourself:  What is the Holy Spirit’s greatest desire?  To procure a suitable bride for the Beloved Son and to bring his Master, the Father, great success!

The name of the place where this prayer was uttered is called, “Nahor.”  It's root word describes a society’s central and enclosed source of heat, like a kiln or an oven.  Does this also sound familiar?  Again, it should!  This is picture of God in the OT as a consuming fire and scorching oven.  When anyone comes before God and humbly makes a request, God hears and answers.  This unnamed servant spoke out in his request EXACTLY what happened as if he were a prophet!  

(You may follow this link to read about God as the consuming fire:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2021/04/04/abram-the-furnace-and-the-burning-lamp/)

-

Next we are going to visit the story of another unnamed servant found in the story of Joseph.  Let’s dig in!

-

-

Joseph’s Steward.

Genesis 43:16-17

“When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.” 17 Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.”  18 And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.” 

19 So they went up to the steward of Joseph's house and spoke with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food. 21 And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us, 22 and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” 23 He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

This is the SECOND time Joseph's brothers came into contact with him as Pharoah's Viceroy.  When they met him the first time, they did not know that he was their brother.  Now they have returned to Egypt and are about to find out his true identity with the help of Joseph's faithful servant. 😉

As you can see, not all unnamed servants in the Bible are called “servant.”  In this case, he is called a “Steward."  I’m sure we all know the story line so I won’t bore you with the details.  Anyone interested in more may follow the link below to part 1 a series of 5-part series on the topic:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2020/05/03/coat-of-many-colors-story-of-joseph-part-1/)

-

On this trip, as demanded by Joseph, the brothers had to bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, with them or else they would not be able to purchase that for which they came.  Why make such a request?  The Holy Spirit is drawing picture for us again!  

His name means, “Son of my right hand.”  Later on, we will see how differently Joseph treated him as compared with his other 10 brothers and why.

Anyway, they were invited to Joseph's private home to have dinner.  They were understandably frightened thinking they were in hot water because of the money that was found in their sacks of grain the last time.  Instead, they had a sumptuous meal and a very enjoyable time, though Joseph ate in a separate place, apart from them.  Egyptians, you see, don't associate with non-Egyptians.  It was detestable to them, which the brothers would have expected.  Let's read on...

The Money In Their Sacks.

Genesis 44:1-5

“1 And he (Joseph) commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3 As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.’ ”

-

Here were go again!  This is the second time Joseph commanded that the money be put back into his brothers’ sacks of grain that they just bought.  Both of these occurrences are prophetically significant in their own right, each for a different reason.

The first time speaks of the Jewish people who, though  they were dispersed through all nations of the world, wherever they have gone, they have been a greater blessing and more prosperous than any other group of people.  Here’s the problem:  They don’t know why or Who “Put the money in their sacs.”  But we know, don’t we Church?  Jesus is the One Who looks out for them and blesses them in every way by giving them creative, inspired ideas.  They only thing He cannot do is intervene in their lives in a more tangible way because they do not have the full covenant, which would be to accept Jesus as their Messiah, whose first coming they missed.

The second time, Joseph did not allow his brothers to get very far before He sent his “Steward,” the Holy Spirit, after them to call them back.  In these last days, He is pursuing Jesus’ natural family, Israel, and more are being added to the Church than at any other time in history.

Now, Joseph put that money in their sacks this time not only to test them, but to ultimately reveal to them who he really is, like Jesus will do after the 7 years of tribulation when that entire nation will be saved in one day! ♥️ 

-

Jonathan And His Armor Bearer.

1 Samuel 14:1-3

“Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men. 3 Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.”

-

Ever feel like nothing is going right and that God has forgotten you?  Is the grass looking a greener on the other side of the fence? You’re not alone.  The army of Israel was feeling just like that at this point in time. Those troublesome Philistines were at it again.

–

Jonathan Took Action.

Jonathan and his young armor bearer, however, were not satisfied with just sittin’ around and moping about things.  They left his father, King Saul, and the other troops, unbeknownst to the king, determined to go over to the Philistine garrison and defeat them in the name of The LORD!  Let’s follow the story:

-

1 Samuel 14:4-5

4 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a SHARP ROCK on one side and a SHARP ROCK on the other side. And the name of one was BOZEZ, and the name of the other SENEH. 5 The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Gibeah.”

If you go to Israel today, you can stand at Michmash and look down toward the deep wadi that Jonathan and his armor bearer had to cross.  The picture above shows just how steep and rocky the terrain was.  Not easy to negotiate! 😮

–

Jonathan Trusted God.

It sure seems like the way is steep, rocky, and difficult when circumstances are against you.  But God is NEVER against His people. He is always for us!  

Jonathan understood this. He expressed his faith by declaring it to his armor bearer.  He recognized that the LORD is never limited by the lack of our abilities, powers, or resources.  He didn’t look at the size of their problem; He saw the Problem Solver!

Secrets In The Hebrew Language.

“SENEH,” one of the two sharp rocks mentioned above, means  “Thorn bush.”  The same word used here is used of Moses’ burning bush.  Thorns are a typology of the curse.  The Israelites were sure feeling like they were under the curse. Bozez means “Shining.”  To them, things were sure looking brighter on the other side.

The two sharp rocks are a picture of the Law, which is like a two-edged sword.  When Jesus came, He was measured by it, fulfilled the whole Law in our place, reversed every curse (thorn), and came to the other side, shining with great glory. Hallelujah!!!

–

The Unnamed Servant.

You’ll notice that Jonathan had his armor bearer with him, who is unnamed. This unnamed servant appears in many places in scripture.

Most notably, his first appearance is in Genesis 24 where Abraham sent his servant, also unnamed, to get a bride for his beloved son, Isaac. He appears in the story of Joseph, whose unnamed servant prepares for Joseph’s arrival to have dinner with his long lost family. And he appears here in the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer.

He is that faithful servant who always does his master’s bidding, performing every task with excellence, without complaint. Who is he? The Holy Spirit!

-

-

Israel at this time was under the leadership of King Saul, who had just been informed that his kingly line would end with him and given to another.  As you can imagine, he was NOT happy about it. In fact, he was sulking.  More importantly, the Spirit of The LORD was no longer with him. He knew it and he felt it. 

You see, in those days because their sins were only covered, the Holy Spirit could only be dispensed on a temporary basis. He could only rest “ON” individuals. He had to come and go because of sin IN them.  Thankfully, in these days, we are so blessed because He comes to live IN us and NEVER leaves. Jesus has cleansed our INSIDE!  He never has to leave because our spirit man has been forever cleansed of sin.

The bottom line:  Not much headway was made against their enemies, the Philistines, as a result of the sulking and the absence of the Holy Spirit.  Saul was just lazing around on the outskirts of his capital, Gibeah, pouting and accomplishing a whole lot of nothing.

Jonathan, on the other hand, saw the Philistines for who they were:  Uncircumcised, having no covenant with God like they did.  He was not depending on the might of armies and did not put any faith the flesh like his father. He had faith in God.

–

Just like Israel, you and I have a covenant with God today.  Theirs was sealed by circumcision of their flesh, ours by circumcision of the heart.  Our enemies, who do not fear The Lord and are uncircumcised (without a covenant), DO NOT HAVE GOD ON THEIR SIDE.

-

The Prodigal Son Of Luke 15.

Luke 15:11-13

“A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.”

-

-

We all know the story of the Prodigal son, I’m sure.  This brash, rebellious, disrespectful son demanded all of his inheritance from his father.  Then he turned around and blew it on “Riotous living.”  Predictably, when the money ran out, so did all his fair weather “Friends.”

–

Did he go running back home to his father’s house?  Nope.  He dug his pit a little deeper and went somewhere else to work at the most degrading, menial job on the planet: Feeding pigs. 🤦‍♀️ He got so desperate and destitute, in fact, that he ended up eating what they did!  That’s about as low as it can get for a Jewish boy. 😓 Let’s follow the story:

-

The Prodigal’s “Repentance?”

Much is often made of the phrase where it says “He came to himself,” as if this act of his was somehow repentance.  Well it is…..and yet it isn’t.  Let’s look a little closer at this, “Repentance,” of his.

-

-

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”

–

See?  He was starving!  He wasn’t thinking about his father or how he must have wronged him.  He was listening to his growling stomach. 😳

–

“18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son….”

–

He put together a noble-sounding, rehearsed speech, hoping to get back into his father’s good graces.  Hmmm…So far, so good. But then he adds the next line:

“MAKE ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS.”’ 🤨

-

-

Hmmm…..not so good. 🤨 Now he wants to EARN his way back into the Father’s favor. 🤦🏼‍♀️ But what is his motivation?  “How many of my father’s hired servants have BREAD ENOUGH AND TO SPARE, and I perish with HUNGER.”  

There is not a hint of remorse for what he did.  He went back home because he was starving.  He remembered the goodness and the more-than-enough bread back of his father’s house.  But…..Look at the Father’s response! ♥️ 

–

20″ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off,…….

1. The Father “saw” him

2. The Father “had compassion,”

3. The Father “ran”

4. The Father “fell on his neck.”

5. The Father “kissed him.”

–

The Father did 5 things even BEFORE the boy had a chance to blurt out a single word of his rehearsed speech!  5 is the number of Grace.  The Father showed him His Grace!  Then, he began his little speech: 21″ And the son said to him,‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

–

That’s all he got out. Notice what’s missing?  Yep. He never said the part about “Make me like one of your hired servants.”  How could he say he wanted to earn His father’s love in the presence of his superabounding Grace?  He couldn’t.  It’s almost seems as if the Father didn’t care what he said.

–

The Father’s response to the son before or after the speech. He was accepted LONG BEFORE he said a single word!  And the father, the “Finder,” was overjoyed! 💖

-

-

Luke 15: 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; “24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”

-

Notice, though it is plural, the servant or servants are unnamed.  This is a picture of what the Holy Spirit did for this boy and what He does for all of us:  A robe was put on him, signifying sonship, a ring was put on his finger, signifying authority, and sandals on his feet, signifying ownership of the land on which he was standing.  

You see, unlike Moses who was instructed to take OFF his sandals because he was standing on hallowed ground, this boy was a SON of the FATHER and heir to all that he had, hence the shoes ON his feet.  Moses, who lived before the cross, could only be credited as righteous until Jesus died years in the future.  His “credit card debt,” as it were, was then paid in full! 

-

-

Ruth And The Law Concerning Gleaning.

Last, but not lease, let’s look at one more instance of the unnamed servant and what He does for Jesus and for us.  You can see it so clearly all over the story of Ruth but particularly in this part about the law concerning gleaning found in Leviticus 23.  Let’s follow the story:

-

Leviticus 23:22.
“22 ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God.’”

-

Ruth had heard a lot from her mother-in-law about the amazing God she worshiped.  The wonderful stores she had heard no doubt drew her to Him and caused her to want to serve Him, too.  But she had obviously heard about some other things.  It’s clear from her statement to Naomi that she knew somewhat about the law concerning gleaning.  She was determined to go out and do this menial task in order to provide food for herself and her mother-in-law, whom she loved so dearly.

-

All those who regularly reaped in the fields for Boaz were hired servants.  But as a poor person and a foreigner, Ruth was not qualified to do reaping. She followed after the paid reapers to collect whatever they left behind, kind of like a servant to the servants. It was a very menial task.

-

The Unnamed Servant.

Sometime after her arrival, Boaz, the owner of the field, came to check on his reapers, speaking to his servant who was in charge of them.  You’ll notice that his name is not mentioned.  The “Unnamed Servant,” is a common theme throughout the Bible.  Who is he?  We’re about to find out.

-

Ruth 2:4-7  “4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!” 5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.”

–

As Boaz is a picture of our Lord Jesus, so the Unnamed servant is a picture of the Holy Spirit.  He is there, throughout the scriptures, faithfully carrying out the wishes of His Master.

He is there as the servant of Abraham who went to find a bride for the beloved son, Isaac, a picture of what the Holy Spirit is doing in the world today:  He is going here and there, looking for a Bride for the Son, Jesus.  That’s us, Church!  He is building His Church!

-

He is there in the story Isaac who wanted a bride for the beloved son, praying the very first recorded prayer answered in every detail by God.  

He is there in the story of Joseph, who spoke to his unnamed steward, representing the Holy Spirit ministering to and watching over natural Israel.  He feeds and cares for them, though they don’t all understand what’s going on, until the moment Jesus, the greater Joseph, appears at the door of his house at the time of the noon meal.  

He is there in the story of the Prodigal son, doing the Father’s bidding in regard to us, His sons and daughters.  

And He is there in the greatest love story of all, that of Boaz and his beloved Ruth, whose name comes from the same root word as that for “Covenant.”  We are the ones who have a covenant with God because of Jesus.

-

That’s God’s gift to all of us:  Pictures of the Holy Spirit and what He does for us in the person of The Unnamed Servant. ♥️ 

The Slain Man In A Field.

Deuteronomy 21:1-4

 “1 If in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess someone is found slain, lying in the open country, and it is not known who killed him, 2 then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure the distance to the surrounding cities. 3 And the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer that has never been worked and that has not pulled in a yoke. 4 And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley.”

In the Old Testament, if a man was found dead in a field and it was not known how he died, God had specific instructions as to how to handle the situation which we in the 21st century might find a little strange.  As usual the Holy Spirit, Who is the Author, has specific intent for everything He dictated to His Jewish secretaries in the Bible.  Not one word in scripture is arbitrary or there just to make the book thicker.  

Why is this story in part of Holy Writ?  He is painting pictures of Jesus!  

 -

Instructions Regarding A Slain Man.

In our day and age, it may seem odd but, once upon a time, we were actually responsible for our fellow man.  Truth be told, we still really are 😉, but in those days they took that responsibility to a whole different level in a very tangible way.

God made man in His image, as you know.  You see, each life is so valuable to Him as to be priceless, as it should be to us.  You can clearly see the value He places on mankind particularly in this law.  

When a body was discovered, the elders and judges of the city in which the person lived who found the man had to come and measure the distance to the surrounding cities.  The one nearest to the scene was then obligated to make a sacrifice to atone for the death.  

The elders and judges of that city were then to bring a young heifer that had never been worked and that had not pulled with a yoke, bring it down to a valley with running water, which had neither been plowed or sown, and break its neck.  Let's continue reading to learn what's next.

Judges, Elders, And Priests.

Deuteronomy 21:5-9

“5 Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the LORD, and by their word every dispute and every assault shall be settled. 6 And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, 7 and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed.  8 Accept atonement, O LORD, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.’ 9 So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD.”

-

Judges and elders in the Bible are custodians of God’s justice.  They, in essence, speak FOR God to the people, which is bad news for man if he has no advocate.  They mete out whatever justice or punishment is warranted without prejudice.  That means “No mercy; no special circumstances.”  You did it, you pay for it.

However….afterward, the priests were also called, which is good news for mankind.  You see, priests represent us TO God, opposite of judges and elders.  As such, they are a picture of Jesus, our Great High Priest Who acts as our go-between before God.  They are OT types of our Lord Jesus. 

When the priests got involved in the proceedings and offered the prescribed sacrifice, according God’s instructions, all the elders of the nearest city were to wash their hands over the heifer and testify as follows:

“Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed. Accept atonement, O LORD, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.’ (Remember this for later.)

The Mystery Of The Slain Man.

As you can see, we don’t know who this slain man was or how he died.  We only know he is dead and is lying in a field outside of any city.  That word, "Outside," actually gives us a BIG clue in identifying the man in the story.  

As you know, though the Bible was written down by many different people, there is only ONE Author:  The Holy Spirit, and we know Who He wrote about.  He tells the matchless story of Jesus and His work of redemption over and over again and over again in the stories and types of the Old Testament.  

Just as this unknown man was found OUTSIDE the city gates, so Jesus was crucified OUTSIDE the city gates.  It’s certainly no mystery what city is closest to the site of His death:  Jerusalem.  Per the law concerning a slain man, atonement must be made for His death so that the guilt for the slain man’s blood is not accorded to that city and her people.

-

Typologies.

Amazingly, there are 365 Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament.  No doubt that the rabbis were well aware of all of them.  Over and over again the Jewish people were promised that God would send His Champion to His people.  The problem was that there seemed to be conflicting accounts of Who He would be, i.e. Suffering Savior or Conquering King.  Little did they know, He would be both.  

Even the OT prophets didn’t have full revelation of what they wrote.  They simply documented faithfully what the Holy Spirit told them to write.  Anyone interested in more on that topic may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2021/05/28/ancient-prophecies-part-7-of-16-rightly-dividing-the-word-of-god/)

Now obviously you and I know Who the slain Man is, but the Jewish people, for the most par, did not recognize Him.  Most are still unaware, though more have come to know Jesus in these last days than at any time in history.  Because their minds were clouded, they did not see His true identity.   

Since Jerusalem is the city closest to this slain Man, they are liable for his blood if they do not offer a sacrifice to atone for it.  In this law, Jesus is revealed in a TYPOLOGY, two in one:  He is both the VICTIM and the OFFERER, just as it is pictured in the Gospel story in the stars.  

(For more on that topic, you may follow the link below:  https://emmausroadministries.international/2020/05/21/jesus-the-offerer-and-offering-centaurus-libra-and-the-real-story-in-the-stars/)

If you do not believe in Him as your perfect sacrificial offering, guess what?  YOU ARE GUILTY OF SHEDDING HIS BLOOD. YIKES!!! 😭

Jesus Before Pilate.

Matthew 27:15-23

15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 

20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

- 

It was bad enough that the Jewish leadership rejected Jesus as their Messiah, but at His so-called “trial,” they chose to have a murderous criminal, “Barabas,” released instead! 😮 He was the worst of the worst kind of criminal, not the guy you’d want living next door.  His name actually means, “Son of the Father.”  Folks, he is a typology of you and I, the ones who went free while another took the stripes and paid the price for our freedom. 😭

-

As if that weren’t bad enough, look what else the frenzied crowd shouted to Pilate:

24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. 😲🤯

-

Those are some of the saddest words in the entire Bible. 😭 There is only more VERY public declaration these clueless leaders made which really sealed their fate.  It is found in only one place:  John 19:15.  Take a look 👇🏻

14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” 15 The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. 😭

-

No King But Caesar?

God had just given up His ONLY SON, Who suffered the most horrific death in history; and they “Have no king but Caesar?”  🤦🏼‍♀️   He gave his people chance after chance to receive their Messiah, the true King of Israel.  40 years He gave them, more than generous.  (In case you were unaware, “40,” in Biblical numerics, is the number of probation.)  Yet time after time they stubbornly rejected Him.  (For more on that topic, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2021/05/28/rome-and-the-leaders-of-the-dispersion-part-12-of-16-rightly-dividingthe-word-of-god/)

So, after 40 years of consistently slapping God’s hand away, He turned with broken heart away from His people, temporarily of course, back to the Gentiles.  You and I have been the benefactors of that rejection ever since.

Sadly also, because Israel rejected her King, they were without an atoning sacrifice for His death and thereby liable for it.  And His wasn’t just any death:  He is the Son of God! 😭 

Jesus’ sacrifice was for everyone.  You DON’T want to be on the wrong side of it.

That final parting declaration became the hallmark of their long and tragic history, from then until they came back as a nation in 1948.  For 2,000 or so years, they were ruthlessly ruled by “Caesar after Caesar,” the most heinous of whom was Adolf Hitler.  

BUT…..woe to the nation that harmed them in any way.  They have always been the apple of His eye.  Every nation that conquered, subjugated, or acted with cruelty toward them has either waned in prominence in the world or disappeared altogether.   

Why didn't God step in and stop their suffering and slaughter?  Because since they rejected His help, which came in the body of His beloved Son, they only had a partial covenant with Him.  To really understand what it means to be in full covenant with God, you might want to click on the link below.  It's a touchy and complicated topic that needs some background to understand the whole issue:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2016/07/02/why-we-pray/

Israel Becomes A Nation!

 Unlike all those nations that oppressed her, Israel was not only uniquely preserved as a nation but her ancient language is in common use today.  No other nation has that claim to fame!  The prophet Isaiah could actually walk into a modern restaurant and, though he might not know what a pastrami sandwich was, he could definitely read the menu. 😁  This is the place where the Jewish people are safest:  Their own land.  Like fish out of water, they languish and die outside of her “waters.”  

It is so evident that God had once again turned again to this tiny, ancient nation.  Miracle after miracle occurred after the state of Israel was born, an event heralded by some but terrifying to others.  If you’re interested more on the miraculous events of this tiny nation’s tumultuous history, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2020/04/18/the-19th-book/

One day very soon, Our wonderful Jesus will call for His Church and we will be caught up in the clouds with Him, never to be parted again.  The remnant of  Jewish people left behind will be dealt with during the final 7 years (the tribulation) before Jesus returns to earth, with the Church in tow.  They will finally recognize Jesus as their Messiah, He will rescue them from total annihilation, and the entire nation will be saved in a single day.  HALLELUJAH!

-

In conclusion, even though this is a tragic story and really hard to tell, it has a good ending.  At last God’s ancient people will have an acceptable sacrifice to answer for the death of the “Man Slain In A Field.”

The Will Of The Father

 Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

-

-

How many times have you heard a sermon preached on this passage that lead you to doubt your salvation?  Probably more than a few.  The pastor may have at least hinted that you might miss out on heaven if you are not doing the “Will of the Father,” leaving you uncertain, even frightened!  Sadly, this scenario happens all too often.

Church, God does not want you to be fearful and unsure of your eternal standing.  He wants you to have blessed assurance and security in your salvation.  

So what is the will of the Father?  That is the question we need to answer.  

-

Human Complication.

Far too many will take this passage and make you feel that you are either not doing the will of the Father or not doing enough.  Leave it to man to make it all about us as if there is anything we can do to save ourselves or do something to keep from losing our salvation. 🤨

This whole idea that you can be saved one day and lost the next is not only unscriptural and untrue, it’s downright cruel!  Such tactics, i.e., fear and uncertainty, are tools that are used to control people, simply put.  As if it’s the pastor’s job to control people! 😳 IT IS NOT.

This erroneous idea comes from misunderstanding and misinterpreting passages of scriptures such as 1 John 1:9, Hebrews chapter 6 and Hebrews chapter 10.

(For more on those topics, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2016/05/07/obscure-and-confusing-passages-part-16-of-16-rightly-dividing-the-wordof-god/)

-

The Will Of The Father.

“ For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

-

Have you looked to Jesus and asked Him into your heart to be your Savior and Lord?  Then guess what?  You are doing the will of the Father.  That is what He is wants for us!  That is why He sent His beloved Son!

Don't be confused by pastors and teachers who do not know how to rightly divide God's word, and believe me, they are legion.  Those who teach such doctrines need to be assured that they are SO loved by God and FOREVER SECURE.  Otherwise, they are calling Jesus a liar, and that is NOT POSSIBLE!!!

Sadly, that person does not believe in John 3:16.  Jesus Himself said that "Whosoever believes in has ETERNAL LIFE."  That doesn't mean you can be saved one day and lost the next.  Think please!  If you believe or were taught that, then you don't believe in eternal life but a temporal, conditional life.  NOT IN THE BIBLE FOLKS.  

Blessed Assurance.

Our Father wants us to be assured that once you are born again, it cannot be undone.  Yes, you are ETERNALLY SECURE.  Does that make you want to go out and sin more?  I CERTAINLY HOPE NOT.  

-

No.  It makes you eternally grateful.  You want to do things to please God out of a heart full of love and gratitude toward Him, not because you're trying to be acceptable to Him.  That you already are because you are now in Christ.  

You want to tell others about this wonderful Jesus Who loved us just that way we are and died for us anyway.

-

So put away your fear, your doubt, and your scepticism.  Take Jesus at His word.  If you love Jesus and have He is your Savior, be assured:  You are doing the Will of the Father.

On The Third Day!

lI Peter 3:8-9 NKJV

“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is AS a thousand years, and a thousand years AS one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

–

(The Apostle Peter.)

–

As you can see from the opening scripture, God does not recon time the way we do.  Peter wrote those words as he was inspired to do so to give us a glimpse from God’s perspective.

So many exciting things are in store for us on the Third Day.  As you know, Jesus rose from the dead “On the third day.” All these things we are going to talk about will relate to that one amazing event.

–

Hidden Treasure.

God loves to hide things in His word.  He wants us to search them out and be blessed by what we find.  There lots of clues, nuggets of truth, and glimpses into what is in store for us “on the third day, i.e. “The end times.” They are hidden in types, shadows, and stories all throughout the Bible, as well as in the Hebrew language, the Hebrew letters, and even numbers.

–

Proverbs 25:2 tell us, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”  How does this applies to us?

Jesus is our King and Great High Priest. He lives forever after the power of an endless life, according to  the order of Melchizedek.  As He is, so are we IN HIS WORLD.  That means as Christians, you and I are like Jesus as He is RIGHT NOW IN HEAVEN.  We are kings priests just like Him, also according to the order of Melchizedek.

–

–

Kings Vs Prophets.

What is the function of a king?  Ancient Israel, you recall, began as a nation ruled only prophets.  These men (and one woman) spoke FOR God TO the people.  But Israel rebelled against her God and wanted to be like the surrounding nations. She wanted to have a king, too, so God allowed it.

–

A king, unlike a prophet, spoke TO the people FOR God, exactly opposite of a priest’s role. You and I, Church, are both, like Jesus: Kings AND priests.  We speak both TO people FOR God and represent them TO God FOR their benefit.  This goes for both our dealings with brothers and sisters in Christ as well as with those outside of Christ.  We are His King/Priests in this world.

–

The word of a king has power and weight as does the word of a priest.  We hold a position that carries great weight and responsibility which should not be taken lightly.  So, sons and daughters of the Most High, kings and priests, let’s go “Search out this matter” of the Third Day!

–

Remember.

When the Holy Spirit makes a point of saying, “Do not forget this one thing,” we need to pay close attention.  I’m probably stating the obvious, but since He made a point of mentioning it, you can bet it’s pretty important.  If you care anything about understanding where we are on God’s “Kairos (prophetic)” timeline, this statement is CRITICAL.

–

The “one thing” He wants us to remember is this:  The way we measure time, Jesus died, rose and went back the Father 2,000 years ago, right?  But, according to the above verse, as far as God is concerned, Jesus has only been gone only TWO DAYS.  So, by God’s reckoning, His “Kairós” timetable, it means that when the 21st century dawned, to God it was the dawning of the THIRD DAY.  In fact, it is VERY EARLY in the morning of the third day. 

WE ARE THE THIRD-DAY GENERATION. 

–

Notice Peter says, “AS” or “like” a thousand years. It doesn’t say God considers a day as “EXACTLY” a thousand years.  Know what that means, folks?  We are really, REALLY CLOSE to something!  

What’s In Store for us on the “Third Day?”  Let’s examine some key scriptures that give us those hints and clues and see what exciting things await us here in the 21st century!

–
#1.  REVIVED.

In Hosea 6: 1-2 it says, “Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. AFTER TWO DAYS He will revive us; ON THE THIRD DAY He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.”

–

“After two days,” or 2,000 years, He will REVIVE US and will raise us up ON THE THIRD DAY that we may LIVE IN HIS SIGHT.  Well, it is AFTER two days–after two thousand years as God counts time. That means the Church at large will experience renewed life and vitality.  It is already beginng to happen. 

–

Below are some other amazing things that will happen on the third day.

–

(Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac.)

–

#2. Provision. And Deliverance.

It was on the third day that Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac.  (See Genesis 22:3-5)  Isaac’s deliverance came on the third day.  In this story is the first mention of the Name of God, YAHWEH YIREH:  the God Who PROVIDES.”

–

The Law Of First Mention.

If you are not familiar with the “Law of first mention” in Bible interpretation, it is “the principle in Bible study which states that “the first mention or occurrence of any subject in Scripture establishes an unchangeable pattern, with that subject remaining unchanged in the mind of God throughout Scripture.

–

As Abraham was FULLY SUPPLIED on the third day, the third day generation will experience every kind of PROVISION as well as DELIVERANCE from all the things mentioned in scripture, particularly in Psalm 91. I highly recommend committing that Psalm to memory.  Recite it daily; hourly if necessary.

–

(The great fish spews out Jonah.)

–

#3. REPENTANCE  (Change of mind).

Another third-day incident involves Jonah.  He was a prophet of God who was supposed to go to Nineveh to preach repentance to the people there, but he didn’t want to go.  He HATED the Ninevites because they persecuted, tortured, and killed many Jewish people.  But God loved the people there.  He wanted to show them His Great mercy.

–

You all know the story.  In the end, grudgingly, Jonah went to Nineveh, preached the gospel to them, they all repented in sackcloth and ashes.  Judgment was averted, much to Jonah’s chagrin.  He was NOT happy!  So what did he do?  Sat down outside the city walls and pouted. 

–

Jonah had come to Nineveh on the third day after being swallowed by a GREAT FISH.  It literally vomited him up onto dry land. (Ewww!) Probably looked SO AWFUL that when he told them to repent or be destroyed by God they were terrified!  THEY BELIEVED HIM (who wouldn’t?) and repented…..as fast as they could!

–

Jonah’s story is also a typology of the resurrection.  Jesus Himself told the Jewish leaders that no sign would be given that wicked and perverse generation except “the sign of Jonah,” which was Jesus, Who died on the cross and rose again ON THE THIRD DAY. 

–

So, the third day is a day of great DELIVERANCE and REPENTANCE–a change of mind–for all God’s people.

–

True Repentance.

Church, “Repentance” has nothing whatever to do with the cleansing of your sins. You see, unsaved Jewish people are also called “God’s people.”  They need to repent–to change their minds–about Jesus, and be saved just as much as you and I.  In these last days, Jewish people are coming to know their Messiah in greater numbers than ever before in history! 

–

#4.The Golden Sceptre.

Another famous third-day event is found in the beautiful story of Esther.  This godly woman, in an act of great faith and courage, put on HER ROYAL ROBES AND ENTERED INTO THE KING’S THRONE ROOM.

–

 (Esther comes before the King.)

–

Esther 5:1-2
1 “Now it came to pass ON THE THIRD DAY, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that SHE OBTAINED FAVOR in his sight..”

–

The throne room in this story is a depiction of the Holy of Holies–God’s throne–which she entered ON THE THIRD DAY!!!  The King showed his acceptance of her by extending to her his GOLDEN SCEPTER. By touching the tip of it, she was accepted!

That golden scepter is a picture of God’s power and divinity.  When we touch Jesus’ righteousness, His scepter, WE KNOW WE ARE ACCEPTED in the Beloved!

–

Typologies.

The King in Esther’s story is a typology of Jesus.  Esther depicts the church in the last days after she has finally divested herself of her filthy rags–her self-righteousness.  She will touch His golden scepter, His righteousness, and be invited into the throne room.

–

Gold typifies divine righteousness in the Bible.  Kings and Queens (The Church) use their scepters to rule.  In other words, the Church will finally understand that she is not going to be complete, fully righteous in God’s sight;  SHE ALREADY IS COMPLETE AND FULLY RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S SIGHT! 

–

The Law Cast Out.

The bondwoman, Hagar, a type of The Law (per Galatians 4), will FINALLY be cast out along with its accompanying culture of works righteousness.  The Church will finally come to into full maturity into the power of the true Gospel, ruling like the Queen she is, seated by His side.

–

As Haman, a depiction of the devil, was TERRIFIED of the King in this story, on the Third Day, HE WILL ALSO BE DEATHLY AFRAID OF THE QUEEN…..the Church. 

–
  (Esther accuses the wicked Haman)

–

Death Sentence.

The devil, of course, doesn’t want the Church to find her lost golden scepter.  IT IS A DEATH SENTENCE FOR HIM, just as surely as it was for the evil Haman, a type of satan, in this story. To find her “golden scepter” is to find out that she has power in Jesus’ Name because of His righteousness.

–

THE DEVIL IS TERRIFIED OF THIS DAY!

–

–

Christians Against The Gospel?

Many sincere Christians today, however, are unwittingly coming against the real Gospel.  They believe it to be false because they have been taught a mixture of law and grace, the very thing the Apostle Paul came against so vehemently.  The entire book of Galatians is devoted to this topic.

This is instigated by satan, of course.  You see, he wants Christians focused on fighting amongst ourselves.  When we sit around pointing fingers at each other, we forsake our true mission.  He might as well just take a vacation because we’re inadvertently doing his work for him. 

–

Ministry Of Reconciliation.

Remember the job that was entrusted to us?  TO RECONCILE…..not condemn…..THE WORLD TO JESUS.  It is most certainly NOT to fight with other believers.

As regarding other believers, it isn’t our job to point fingers of condemnation at them, but to “weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice.” Romans 12:15

–

Test The Spirits, Not People.

Yes, we are to “Test the spirits,” but that doesn’t mean what most people think it does.  There are only two places in scripture where this phrase occurs.  In both places, it speaks of “Spiritual forces of wickedness in high places that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God.” IT DOES NOT SAY TO TEST PEOPLE.

–

(For more on that topic, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2016/08/18/sheep-without-a-shepherd/)

–

–

Our dear brothers and sisters in Christ who are angry and petulant have no doubt been hearing mixture, meaning law mixed with grace, preached for so long, they think it’s the real gospel. It is not:  IT IS A COUNTERFEIT; the same ugly, age-old, Galatian heresy of Paul’s day, which, as I said before, is alive and well…..for now.

-

#5.  RAPTURE! 

This one is the most exciting!  One of the surest signs of the third day showing us that Jesus’ coming is near, even at the door, is found in 2 Peter 3:1-5:

1 “Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,

3 knowing this first: that SCOFFERS WILL COME IN THE LAST DAYS, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING?  For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 

–

Hallmark Of The End Times.

Scoffers seem to be everywhere these days, not only outside but, incredibly, INSIDE the church!   Some actually believe and teach that Jesus returned “secretly,” in spirit and that all prophecy was fulfilled as of 70AD.  (Scoffers).  This is known as “Preterism.”  

Contrary to what Preterists teach, ALL PROPHECY WAS NOT FULFILLED AS OF 70A.D.  How RIDICULOUS is that, not to mention, unscriptural!?  Those who believe such nonsense, sadly,  have been robbed of the greatest hope of all:  The harpadzó: The snatching away of the Church, better known a “The rapture.”

–

Ok, class:  Who is it that ROBS, kills, and destroys?  Yep. The devil.  If he can keep believers down, divided, and discouraged, he can limit the spread of the Gospel. 

–

The angels who were there when Jesus ascended to His Father, PHYSICALLY mind you, said to the people gathered, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come IN LIKE MANNER (bodily) as you saw Him go into heaven.”

“In like manner, ” means a literal, PHYSICAL Jesus will return.

–

–

Heaven Is A Real Place.

Heaven is a REAL place, otherwise, where would the real live PHYSICAL body of our Lord Jesus go?  Remember, He is both FULLY GOD and FULLY HUMAN.  That has never changed.  He will return “IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO.”  That means He will be returning PHYSICALLY, not secretly or “in spirit.”

–

The passage in Hosea is one of the many references to the “harpazó, ” or the “seizing away,” more commonly called the rapture.  Those who subscribe to the preterist view don’t believe in the rapture.   Well, whether you believe in it or not, when Jesus comes mid-sky and calls for us, you’ll be going up too.  As long as you have Jesus’ blood on the doorposts of your heart, are ALIVE AND REMAIN, you’re going up; and I promise:  Nobody will say “I told you so.”

–

Church, this is the GREAT HOPE of which Paul does not want us to be ignorant. The devil wants to rob you of this hope.  Why else would he invent preterism?

–

–

Without a doubt, THE GREATEST, MOST NOTABLE and unprecedented third-day event OF ALL TIME was the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!  Without His sacrifice, His death on the cross, AND His resurrection, EVERYTHING ELSE IS MEANINGLESS.  He is our paid-in-full receipt of a debt that is FAR MORE than satisfied.  It is an OVERPAYMENT! HALLELUJAH!

–

The Door Will Close

Very soon however, door of salvation, which is currently wide open, will close.  At that time, Jesus will most reluctantly withdraw His nail-pierced hand so freely offered to everyone.  Acceptance of His matchless gift that redeems everyone who accepts it will no longer be possible.

–

Now You See Us; Now You Don’t!

The Rapture is a mystery that was exclusively revealed to the Apostle Paul.  He tells us that, at the appointed time, Jesus will shout for us and we will go up.  The timing of this does not depend on any particular event.  We will know the season but not the exact date.

When will all this come to pass?  Just as Jesus was raised VERY EARLY in the morning ON THE THIRD DAY, so shall we also be raised, VERY EARLY in the morning ON THE THIRD DAY!  It is still VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING!  It could happen any time. 

–

–

Can Believers Be Left Behind?

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
15 For this we say to you by the WORD OF THE LORD, that we who are ALIVE AND REMAIN until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven WITH A SHOUT, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead IN CHRIST will rise first. 17 Then WE WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN WILL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM (the resurrected dead in Christ) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

–

No, silly!  Believers cannot be left behind.  See the phrase, “Alive and remain?”  Those are the only two qualifications.  It says nothing about being “rapture-ready, faithful, awake” or any such thing.  Those with the blood of Jesus on the doorposts of their hearts are all going up.

One day all of us who know Jesus will be here one instant, gone the next.  Our bodies will be changed into our never-to-be-sick, never-to-be-depressed, never-to-be-bored eternal bodies in the blink of an eye!  We will not be here when the worst of times hits planet earth.

–

–

Two Separate Events.

This event is not the same as second coming.  It says we will meet The Lord “in the air.”  NO one will see us go.  We’ll simply disappear.  At Jesus’ second coming, every eye will see Him and every knee will bow.

You see?  These are two very different, very separate events.

–

“How can we be sure the worst won’t hit the earth until after we are gone?” you ask?  Because the anti-Christ won’t risk manifesting himself until after we are out of the picture, for one thing.  He knows we would pray against him and he’s much too cunning for that.

–

Secondly, the tribulation is judgment on the earth. Our sins are already ALL JUDGED AT THE CROSS.  We will never be subject to God’s judgment of any kind ever again.  Jesus paid for our complete redemption.

–

The second coming, on the other hand, will most definitely be witnessed by everyone in the entire world, thanks to the invention of television and the internet.  It clearly says “EVERY EYE (physical, not spiritual) WILL SEE HIM” for He will descend from heaven with a shout, with the sound of the trumpet…..and we’ll be right there with Him, Church! 

–

In the rapture, Jesus returns FOR His saints.  At the Second Coming, Jesus returns WITH His saints to rescue Israel from certain annihilation.

–

–

The Right Season.

Many generations before us have speculated that the rapture could happen any time but it was never the right season…..until now.  How can we know that here and now IS “the right season?” Because another event of EPIC BIBLICAL KAIRÓS (PROPHETIC) PROPORTIONS has occurred.

–

In 1967, after the 6-day war, Jerusalem, FOR THE FIRST TIME since long before Jesus walked this earth, was no longer under the control of Gentiles—>non-Jews.  Even back when Jesus was here Jerusalem was under the feet of Gentiles, (Romans).

Though not fully back in their hands, when they came back as a nation in 1948, the “fig tree,” typifying Israel, put forth it’s leaves.  Prophecy was fulfilled.

See scoffers?  There’s a prophecy that WASN’T fulfilled before 70A.D.

–

–

Luke 21:24b says, “Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”. After the 6th day…….in the 6th month…….of the 6th decade, Jerusalem was once again in Jewish hands!  The last time they conquered a city in six days was when Jericho fell!

–

You remember they marched around Jericho for 6 DAYS in total silence.  The inhabitants of Jericho were already in abject fear of the Israelites. This must have terrified them even more.

Joshua had commanded the people to keep silent because the last time they were set to enter the Promised Land, their big mouths (their murmuring) cost them 40 years of wandering in the desert.  During that time, everyone older than 20 years of age died.

Technically they only wandered for 38 years. During the first two years they were not under any judgment.

(For more on that topic, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2016/03/31/the-pool-of-bethesda/)

–

There is a correlation between the silence here and the half an hour of silence in heaven after the opening of the seventh seal in Revelation 8.  Just as judgment fell on Jericho, so the opening of the seventh seal precedes the sounding of the seven trumpets.  The most terrible judgments of all time will be unleashed upon planet earth at that time. 

–

       (Israelites march around Jericho.)

You caught the triple 6’s reference no doubt? There’s a whole string of events in our day with triple sixes showing us we are, most assuredly, in the days of anti-christ.

–

Delayed Return.

But the Lord’s coming seems to be delayed, though, doesn’t it?  Why?  He gives us a very touching reason for it:

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH but that all should come to repentance.”  He is giving people more time to repent because He LOVES sinful man!   HALLELUJAH!

–

One day soon we will hear our Savior’s voice shout to us, “COME UP HERE!” and we will forever be in our new, incorruptible bodies; forever young, forever happy, forever healthy, FOREVER WITH OUR PRECIOUS JESUS!  When will all this happen?

–

Very early in the morning on THE THIRD DAY!