Thursday, March 24, 2011
Break Open the Sky - TobyMac
This video has the lyrics of one of my very favorite songs about the Rapture. I wanted to share it because it makes me happy every time I hear it.
It's sung by TobyMac, featuring Israel Houghton, another Christian singer. I have this song on my iPod and I listen to it quite frequently. It's on Toby's album "Tonight", which is an EXCELLENT album, by the way, if you love the hip-hop dance vibe for Christian music. Enjoy!
~~Becka
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Putting it All Together
Could the Rapture happen in 2011? It's possible, considering the Rapture is imminent.
I've been talking about signs on earth, the unrest, the earthquakes in various places, the crazy weather. These might be explained away. Even the sun cycle and the supermoon can be explained away.
But could I postulate a 2011 Rapture/Trib using ONLY celestial signs and Jewish feasts?
I've brought to light the fact that Christ is fulfilling the Jewish feasts. The death of the Lamb of God (Passover), burial (Unleavened Bread), resurrection (First Fruits), Holy Spirit descends (Pentacost). What's left? Feast of Trumpets (many believe is the Rapture), Feast of Atonement (Second Coming & redemption of the Jews), Feast of Tabernacles (living forever with the Lord.)
As you learned from the videos I posted by Perry Stone, the Feast of Trumpets was the one feast governed by the new moon, and as such, no one knew the hour or the day of the start of the feast. They needed to have witnesses to watch the moon and blow the shofar the moment that sliver of the moon lit.
The fact the Apostle Paul mentions "at the last trump" for when we'll be caught up in the air to Jesus suggests there will be many "trump" blasts before the final one. Priests blow the shofar 100 times on the Feast of Trumpets. Many people believe we will be Raptured at the final trumpet of the Trib plagues, but I do not believe that is so.
When is the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hoshanah, of 2011? Sept. 29/30. It's a two day feast because, as I said, "No one knows the hour or the day" of the feast. Now we can calculate the sliver of the new moon, but the significance remains the same. There is a verse in Revelation about the virgin and the beast.
Revelation 12:1-4:
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.
A YouTuber found a celestial sign in the heavens that coincidentally fits this verse in the Bible. I happened to notice the date of the future event. September 29, 2011. Rosh Hoshanah.
Now, what does Rev. 12, verse 3-4 say again?
3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.
Amazingly, Earth will have a spectacular meteor shower on October 8th, the Draconids. And what just "happens" to fall on October 8th, 2011? The Feast of Atonement.
http://www.space.com/8604-nasa-prepares-potentially-damaging-2011-meteor-shower.html
Couple these amazing celestial events with the lunar tetrad in 2014-2015, that bookends Passover and Tabernacles each year, and you have the possible marker for the Abomination of Desolation. Remember, there will also be a total solar eclipse on March 20th, 2015, the first day of the Jewish new year. IF the Antichrist violates the yet-to-be-built Jewish Temple on Passover 2015 (3 1/2 years from fall of 2011, the exact mid-point of the Trib), then there would be a solar eclipse (sun as sackcloth) and a blood moon (moon as blood) before the great and terrible Day of the Lord (the last 3 1/2 years of the Trib.)
HOWEVER, and this is a big thing, that means the Jews would most likely need to begin building their Temple probably in the fall of 2011 as well. Why? It's easy to throw up a building, but the Jews would need approximately 42 months to complete the ceremonies they would need to sanctify and dedicate the Temple to God.
We know from The Temple Institute they have everything in place, already made and waiting for the Temple. We also know that a kosher red heifer, the one animal that can purify the Temple, has been born after almost 2000 years. A sign from God He wants His Temple built?
But obviously building their 3rd Temple is a sticky situation. The Muslims won't allow the Jews to build on the Temple Mount. However, many believe this is the purpose of the two witnesses of Revelation. Here is some video of Perry Stone explaining the purpose behind the two witnesses aside from preaching the Word of God in Jerusalem. The fourth and final video completes the teaching after about one minute in.
Pastor Stone believes if it takes 42 months to build the Temple, then RIGHT BEFORE the Jews can have their first sacrifice in almost 2000 years on Passover 2015 (the very day of one of the lunar tetrads, btw), the Antichrist swoops in, kills the witnesses, reclaims the Temple Mount, and defiles the brand new Temple with the Abomination of Desolation, most likely a pig sacrifice and a statue of himself in the Holy of Holies (as Antiochus Epiphanes once did, another AC figure.) It's a good hypothesis.
THIS will be the defining event that will tell the Jews once and for all this man is bad news and they will flee from Jerusalem (hence the desolation).
But do you see how it all seems to "make sense" when you look at the celestial signs alone? And I didn't even TOUCH on "nation against nation, earthquakes in diverse places, etc." Or the fact the world is pushing Israel for peace with Palestine and divide their holy city.
Oh, and when is THAT supposed to take place, by the way? September 2011.
I don't know if this year's Rosh Hoshanah is the Rapture of the Church. No man knows the day nor the hour, but we CAN know the season, so this day does not overtake US like a thief in the night... (1 Thessalonians 5:4) The Lord doesn't have to Rapture the Church on the Feast of Trumpets. It can happen any time, so be ready.
But 2011, more than any other year before it, with the signs on Earth AND the signs in the heavens, seems to be the most promising year we've ever had in looking forward to His Coming.
~~Becka
I've been talking about signs on earth, the unrest, the earthquakes in various places, the crazy weather. These might be explained away. Even the sun cycle and the supermoon can be explained away.
But could I postulate a 2011 Rapture/Trib using ONLY celestial signs and Jewish feasts?
I've brought to light the fact that Christ is fulfilling the Jewish feasts. The death of the Lamb of God (Passover), burial (Unleavened Bread), resurrection (First Fruits), Holy Spirit descends (Pentacost). What's left? Feast of Trumpets (many believe is the Rapture), Feast of Atonement (Second Coming & redemption of the Jews), Feast of Tabernacles (living forever with the Lord.)
As you learned from the videos I posted by Perry Stone, the Feast of Trumpets was the one feast governed by the new moon, and as such, no one knew the hour or the day of the start of the feast. They needed to have witnesses to watch the moon and blow the shofar the moment that sliver of the moon lit.
The fact the Apostle Paul mentions "at the last trump" for when we'll be caught up in the air to Jesus suggests there will be many "trump" blasts before the final one. Priests blow the shofar 100 times on the Feast of Trumpets. Many people believe we will be Raptured at the final trumpet of the Trib plagues, but I do not believe that is so.
When is the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hoshanah, of 2011? Sept. 29/30. It's a two day feast because, as I said, "No one knows the hour or the day" of the feast. Now we can calculate the sliver of the new moon, but the significance remains the same. There is a verse in Revelation about the virgin and the beast.
Revelation 12:1-4:
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.
A YouTuber found a celestial sign in the heavens that coincidentally fits this verse in the Bible. I happened to notice the date of the future event. September 29, 2011. Rosh Hoshanah.
Now, what does Rev. 12, verse 3-4 say again?
3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.
Amazingly, Earth will have a spectacular meteor shower on October 8th, the Draconids. And what just "happens" to fall on October 8th, 2011? The Feast of Atonement.
http://www.space.com/8604-nasa-prepares-potentially-damaging-2011-meteor-shower.html
Couple these amazing celestial events with the lunar tetrad in 2014-2015, that bookends Passover and Tabernacles each year, and you have the possible marker for the Abomination of Desolation. Remember, there will also be a total solar eclipse on March 20th, 2015, the first day of the Jewish new year. IF the Antichrist violates the yet-to-be-built Jewish Temple on Passover 2015 (3 1/2 years from fall of 2011, the exact mid-point of the Trib), then there would be a solar eclipse (sun as sackcloth) and a blood moon (moon as blood) before the great and terrible Day of the Lord (the last 3 1/2 years of the Trib.)
HOWEVER, and this is a big thing, that means the Jews would most likely need to begin building their Temple probably in the fall of 2011 as well. Why? It's easy to throw up a building, but the Jews would need approximately 42 months to complete the ceremonies they would need to sanctify and dedicate the Temple to God.
We know from The Temple Institute they have everything in place, already made and waiting for the Temple. We also know that a kosher red heifer, the one animal that can purify the Temple, has been born after almost 2000 years. A sign from God He wants His Temple built?
But obviously building their 3rd Temple is a sticky situation. The Muslims won't allow the Jews to build on the Temple Mount. However, many believe this is the purpose of the two witnesses of Revelation. Here is some video of Perry Stone explaining the purpose behind the two witnesses aside from preaching the Word of God in Jerusalem. The fourth and final video completes the teaching after about one minute in.
Pastor Stone believes if it takes 42 months to build the Temple, then RIGHT BEFORE the Jews can have their first sacrifice in almost 2000 years on Passover 2015 (the very day of one of the lunar tetrads, btw), the Antichrist swoops in, kills the witnesses, reclaims the Temple Mount, and defiles the brand new Temple with the Abomination of Desolation, most likely a pig sacrifice and a statue of himself in the Holy of Holies (as Antiochus Epiphanes once did, another AC figure.) It's a good hypothesis.
THIS will be the defining event that will tell the Jews once and for all this man is bad news and they will flee from Jerusalem (hence the desolation).
But do you see how it all seems to "make sense" when you look at the celestial signs alone? And I didn't even TOUCH on "nation against nation, earthquakes in diverse places, etc." Or the fact the world is pushing Israel for peace with Palestine and divide their holy city.
Oh, and when is THAT supposed to take place, by the way? September 2011.
I don't know if this year's Rosh Hoshanah is the Rapture of the Church. No man knows the day nor the hour, but we CAN know the season, so this day does not overtake US like a thief in the night... (1 Thessalonians 5:4) The Lord doesn't have to Rapture the Church on the Feast of Trumpets. It can happen any time, so be ready.
But 2011, more than any other year before it, with the signs on Earth AND the signs in the heavens, seems to be the most promising year we've ever had in looking forward to His Coming.
~~Becka
Monday, March 21, 2011
Israel Peace Treaty, World to Declare Palestinian State
Most Bible prophecy revolves around Israel and Jerusalem. That shouldn't come as a shock, seen as how God has made it quite clear that Israel is His chosen nation. Just as I have outlined the Jewish wedding and the Jewish feasts as being particularly interesting in prophecy, so too should we be looking to Israel and Jerusalem themselves.
The above video is 10 minutes long, but shows how many countries are banding together to declare Palestine an independent state. What does that have to do with anything?
In Zechariah 12:3, it states:
3And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
What does this "peace" accord outline? That Jerusalem be divided back to the 1967 borders, giving East Jerusalem to the Palestinians for their capital. And what's going on now? MANY countries of the world are recognizing Palestine, and the UN has given Israel and the PA until September to settle their differences.
What else does the Bible say about the last days and "peace"?
Daniel 9:27:
27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week
"He" is the Antichrist. "One week" is seven years.
The maker of the above video suggests that we Christians have always thought these prophecies would be fulfilled by Israel naively making a peace accord with a "Messiah"-like public figure.
But perhaps come September, Israel will be forced by the world to recognize the Palestinian state because the rest of the world will recognize it.
Read this article:
After Libya, Obama will have hard time thwarting Palestinian state
Hmm...
I believe the momentum of the uprisings in the Middle East is now bringing about Bible prophecy.
~~Becka
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Lunar Tetrad in 2014-2015
Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries has done a fascinating study into future heavenly events as compared to Bible Prophecy. Most Christians know the "Day of the Lord" (the Trib) is preceded by "the sun will be as sackcloth and the moon will be as blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord." ~Joel 2:31
While gazing at a photograph of a blood moon (a total lunar eclipse where the moon passes through the penumbra of the earth's shadow, giving it a red glow), Pastor Biltz realized the "moon to blood" was probably a blood moon eclipse. He wanted to find out when these blood moons appear on a future calendar date, and the above video is what he found.
We cannot be certain of what will happen during these years, obviously. Some people believe it's a sign of the Tribulation's beginning. Others believe it will mark the Abomination of Desolation spoken of in Daniel 9 and Matthew 24. However, since the "AoD" takes place mid-Trib according to Daniel, that would mean the actual Trib would have to begin in the fall of 2011. I guess time will tell.
What isn't touched on in this video is there is a total SOLAR eclipse in the middle of this 2014-2015 lunar tetrad as well. It falls on March 20th, 2015. And guess what day that is on the Jewish calendar? The first day of their new year, 5775. Not a feast day, true, but the fact that it falls on the first day of the Jewish new year also seems significant to me.
Genesis 1:14:
14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.
~~Becka
Saturday, March 19, 2011
The Olivet Discourse
Some of you may or may not know that Jesus' end-time prophecies in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 is called the "Olivet Discourse". It's called this because the disciples came to Jesus privately on the Mount of Olives after He'd taught in the Temple all day. They asked Him what would be the signs of the end of the age -- the signs of His Second Coming.
A lot of people are more familiar with Matt. 24, but I like to quote Luke 21. I like it because just like in real life, two witnesses give different versions of a story. Here is what Luke 21 says about the signs to look for right before Jesus comes.
Luke 21: 10-11 & 25-28
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Many scoffers say things like:
"Earthquakes happen all the time, even bad ones."
"There's always a war somewhere."
"The sun goes through a normal 11 year cycle of activity."
"Famines are nothing new."
"What about the Black Plague? That was a pretty wicked pestilence and Christ never came."
What you have to keep in mind when Jesus gave his disciples these words is the fact that taken by themselves, these events are not signs of the Second Coming. I will be the first to readily agree that earthquakes are quite normal and the sun goes through cycles and sometimes eclipses happen and crazy weather happens.
What Christ was alluding to is that these signs would be happening all at once. Together. One right after another, hence the "birth pangs" getting stronger.
The reason why I personally believe we are living in the days right before the Rapture and Tribulation is not JUST because we've had scores of mass animal deaths. Not JUST because we've had earthquakes. Not JUST because there have been flooding and record snows. Not even JUST because of the enormous solar storms or the Supermoon. And not JUST because of the wars, uprisings and riots. Each of these taken by themselves is not a sign of the Second Coming.
But because these are happening all at once, right now.
Did you know Japan has had about 600 aftershocks since the 9.0 earthquake struck a week ago? And ALL of these aftershocks are in the 5/6 range on the Richter Scale. WHAT?! That's decidedly NOT normal. Did you know Japan was having earthquake swarms like this right before the big one as well? I don't believe the earthquakes are finished with Japan. In fact, it wouldn't shock me if they were hit by another huge one. I've read a few reports that wonder if the shelf Japan is sitting on might be crumbling. The entire island DID move eight feet to the east, after all.
That's a scary, sobering thought.
Aside from Japan, the flooding and landslides and crazy weather elsewhere in the world have ruined crops all over the globe. The price of food will soon soar and is beginning to increase even now. We might not notice it for a few months as there's a delay from farm to shelf. But it's coming. And the 3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse is Famine and the enormous inflation of food prices, after all. I do not believe the Black Horse has ridden yet, but he's chomping at the bit.
And with many countries of the UN agreeing to the no-fly zone over Lybia, could we soon "see" the White Horse (conqueror) or the Red Horse (war) ride soon? If we succeed in taking out Gadhafi, what the heck are we going to do in Yemen? Bahrain? They're firing on their protesters too. And Saudi Arabia's troops are firing on Bahrain's protesters as well.
Is THIS the conflict Jesus spoke of, "Nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom"?
And while all of this is going on, we have huge earthquakes. A massive tsunami. Nuclear meltdown. Are these the earthquakes, the waves roaring, and the fearful sights Christ spoke of?
I'm of the opinion...how could they NOT be?
I asked a few days ago on this blog--before Japan's quake, "How much worse does it have to get before we understand we are living in the end times?" Last week it got worse. In a BAD way. And I believe God has shown us a glimpse in Japan of the world-wide Tribulation that is to come.
But we have a Blessed Hope, the Hope of every Christian who has come before us:
Luke 21:34-36:
34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
When Jesus said, "I am coming quickly", He didn't mean, "I am coming soon." He meant that when these signs begin to take place, then "I will come quickly" -- sooner than you expect, before you know it, and it will shock most people, who thought the Rapture or the end times were years or decades away.
There is no Bible prophecy that must be fulfilled before the Rapture comes. It is imminent. The time is NOW to get right with God.
~~Becka
A lot of people are more familiar with Matt. 24, but I like to quote Luke 21. I like it because just like in real life, two witnesses give different versions of a story. Here is what Luke 21 says about the signs to look for right before Jesus comes.
Luke 21: 10-11 & 25-28
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Many scoffers say things like:
"Earthquakes happen all the time, even bad ones."
"There's always a war somewhere."
"The sun goes through a normal 11 year cycle of activity."
"Famines are nothing new."
"What about the Black Plague? That was a pretty wicked pestilence and Christ never came."
What you have to keep in mind when Jesus gave his disciples these words is the fact that taken by themselves, these events are not signs of the Second Coming. I will be the first to readily agree that earthquakes are quite normal and the sun goes through cycles and sometimes eclipses happen and crazy weather happens.
What Christ was alluding to is that these signs would be happening all at once. Together. One right after another, hence the "birth pangs" getting stronger.
The reason why I personally believe we are living in the days right before the Rapture and Tribulation is not JUST because we've had scores of mass animal deaths. Not JUST because we've had earthquakes. Not JUST because there have been flooding and record snows. Not even JUST because of the enormous solar storms or the Supermoon. And not JUST because of the wars, uprisings and riots. Each of these taken by themselves is not a sign of the Second Coming.
But because these are happening all at once, right now.
Did you know Japan has had about 600 aftershocks since the 9.0 earthquake struck a week ago? And ALL of these aftershocks are in the 5/6 range on the Richter Scale. WHAT?! That's decidedly NOT normal. Did you know Japan was having earthquake swarms like this right before the big one as well? I don't believe the earthquakes are finished with Japan. In fact, it wouldn't shock me if they were hit by another huge one. I've read a few reports that wonder if the shelf Japan is sitting on might be crumbling. The entire island DID move eight feet to the east, after all.
That's a scary, sobering thought.
Aside from Japan, the flooding and landslides and crazy weather elsewhere in the world have ruined crops all over the globe. The price of food will soon soar and is beginning to increase even now. We might not notice it for a few months as there's a delay from farm to shelf. But it's coming. And the 3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse is Famine and the enormous inflation of food prices, after all. I do not believe the Black Horse has ridden yet, but he's chomping at the bit.
And with many countries of the UN agreeing to the no-fly zone over Lybia, could we soon "see" the White Horse (conqueror) or the Red Horse (war) ride soon? If we succeed in taking out Gadhafi, what the heck are we going to do in Yemen? Bahrain? They're firing on their protesters too. And Saudi Arabia's troops are firing on Bahrain's protesters as well.
Is THIS the conflict Jesus spoke of, "Nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom"?
And while all of this is going on, we have huge earthquakes. A massive tsunami. Nuclear meltdown. Are these the earthquakes, the waves roaring, and the fearful sights Christ spoke of?
I'm of the opinion...how could they NOT be?
I asked a few days ago on this blog--before Japan's quake, "How much worse does it have to get before we understand we are living in the end times?" Last week it got worse. In a BAD way. And I believe God has shown us a glimpse in Japan of the world-wide Tribulation that is to come.
But we have a Blessed Hope, the Hope of every Christian who has come before us:
Luke 21:34-36:
34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
When Jesus said, "I am coming quickly", He didn't mean, "I am coming soon." He meant that when these signs begin to take place, then "I will come quickly" -- sooner than you expect, before you know it, and it will shock most people, who thought the Rapture or the end times were years or decades away.
There is no Bible prophecy that must be fulfilled before the Rapture comes. It is imminent. The time is NOW to get right with God.
~~Becka
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