The Final Trumpet-Call To Repent And Be Healed (i.e. Revived)
2 Kings 20:1-7 – See the note below.
1 In those days Hezekiah [“strengthened of Jah/Jehovah (Yahweh) is my strength”] became mortally ill [literally “sick to the point of death”; see the Bible study To The Point Of Death and my entry on 9-6-20 in My Journal Of Healing]. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, 'Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.'" [The decree of the Lord.]
2 Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying,
3 "Remember now, O Lord, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
5 "Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal [7495] you. On the third day you shall go up [5927- “to go up, ascend, to climb”] to the house of the Lord. [See the Bible study The Third Day, and the article Iwo Jima and the Flag Raising on Mount Suribachi which, using the famous WWII battle, speaks of the way of ascending the mountain of the Lord at the end of this age in order to be delivered from His wrath.]
6 "I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver [5337- “snatched away”; see Psalm 50:22 above for full def.] you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David's sake."'"
7 Then Isaiah said, "Take a cake of figs." And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
OT:7495 rapha' (raw-faw'); or raphah (raw-faw')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; properly, to mend (by stitching) [see the article Network 153 Partner Vision], i.e. (figuratively) to cure:
KJV - cure, (cause to) heal, physician, repair, thoroughly, make whole. See OT:7503.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to heal, to make healthful
a) (Qal) to heal
1) of God
2) a healer, a physician (of men)
3) used of the hurts of nations involving restored favor (figurative)
4) used of individual distresses (figurative)
b) (Niphal) to be healed
1) literal (used of persons)
2) used of water, pottery
3) used of national hurts (figurative)
4) used of personal distress (figurative)
c) (Piel) to heal
1) literal
2) used of national defects or hurts (figurative)
d) (Hithpael) in order to get healed (infinitive)
Within this Scripture is another hidden picture, in type, of the repentance that is necessary, after the decree of judgment from God (the Jewish tradition on Trumpets), and then have it changed, if necessary, before the sealing of the judgment (pictured in type by the Day of Atonement). As with Hezekiah, it results in your being “healed” so as to be among those who are made ready to be “snatched away,” and not left behind when He comes to “meet us in the air.”
This is the breakdown of the passage; the decree of judgment from God (v.1); King Hezekiah’s humble plea, calling upon God to remember his past obedience (v.2-3; there’s more in the section right below regarding the necessity of humility before ascension); and God’s response of mercy and deliverance (v.4-7). This is a picture of the final act of God’s mercy shown toward His own who examine their hearts and cry out to God while He can be found. As with Hezekiah, the Lord will grant His strength in these final moments to those who humble themselves before Him.
Also, notice the statement in verse 5 when the Lord declared to Hezekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, ‘I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord.” Hezekiah’s humble, repentant heart being healed by the Lord, and His ascension to the dwelling place of the Lord on the third day is a picture of the final healing, or reviving of God’s people at the end of this age. God is preparing, at this very moment, those who will humble themselves before Him, and then ascend into His presence and live! (See Hosea 6:1-3) He will strengthen the weak so that they may “stand firm until the end and be saved.” (Matthew 10:22, 24:13)
Humility Before Ascension
Only those who humble themselves in this last call from the Lord will be raised up to meet Christ in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The following verses are God’s conditions to be exalted.
Luke 14:7-11 – See the note below. Also see Matthew 23:1-12, and Luke 18:9-14.
7 And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them,
8 "When you are invited [2564- “to call aloud, utter in a loud voice, call by name”] by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited [2564] by him,
9 and he who invited [2564] you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this man,' and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place.
10 "But when you are invited [2564], go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited [2564] you comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.
11 "For everyone who exalts [5312- “to elevate, to lift or raise up, to lift up on high”] himself will be humbled [5013- see def. below], and he who humbles [5013] himself will be exalted [5312]."
NASU
NT:5013 tapeinoo (tap-i-no'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:5011; to depress; figuratively, to humiliate (in condition or heart):
KJV - abase, bring low, humble (self).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to make low, bring low
a. properly: to level, reduce to a plain, passive (Luke 3:5)
b. metaphorically, to bring into it humble condition, reduce to meaner circumstances
1. to assign a lower rank or place to; to abase
2. to humble or abase myself, by frugal living (2 Corinthians 11:7)
c. to lower, depress (English humble): tina, one's soul, bring down one's pride (Matthew 18:4)
James 4:7-10 – James gives us one of the many conditional statements in the New Testament; “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” This all refers to a repentant heart. Step one in verse 7 is “submit therefore to God.” The Hebrew for submit is defined as “primarily a military term, ‘to rank under.’” It has to do with willingly, in obedience, placing yourself under the rule of someone else. The person who vacillates in their devotion to Christ must repent from their rebellion against Him. They are “two-spirited,” wavering in their covenant commitment. Without humility they will not be exalted into the saving presence of the Lord.
7 Submit [5293- “to arrange under, to rank under, to obey”] therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you [another conditional statement]. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded [1374- “two-spirited, i.e. vacillating (in opinion or purpose); wavering, uncertain, doubting”].
9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble [5013] yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt [5312- “to elevate, to lift or raise up, to lift up on high”] you.
NASU
1 Peter 5:5-7 – Peter also speaks of the need for humility in order to be exalted, to be raised up at the “proper time” which refers to the “seasonable time.” It is my firm belief that the season Peter refers to is now upon us.
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE [Proverbs 3:34].
6 Therefore humble [5013] yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt [5312- “to elevate, to lift or raise up, to lift up on high”] you at the proper time [2540- “a fixed and definite time, opportune or seasonable time, the right time, the set or proper time”],
7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
NASU
(The following insight is from the Bible study The Third Day.)
Hosea 6:1-3 – This passage is a call to repentance. It is also a promise of God to heal His people at the end of this age through a great revival.
1 "Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal [7495- “to mend (by stitching), to make healthful, used of personal and national defects and hurts”] us [see Isaiah 30:26]; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. [See the Bible studies The Wounds Of God, and Wounded And Broken; Revealing The Way Of Escape.]
2 "He will revive [2421- “to have life, to remain alive (see 1 Thess. 4:16-17), to revive, to be restored to life or health”] us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live [2421] before Him.
3 "So let us know [3045- “to know by experience, to recognize, to acknowledge, to perceive”], let us press on [7291- “to pursue, to run after, to secure”] to know [3045] the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn [i.e. the light of a new day, the beginning of light of a new moon (see the note on p.25 in the section “Reflecting The Light”]; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth." [NKJV; “… like the latter and former rain to the earth.”; see the article The Latter Rain.]
(NAS)
Hosea 6:1-3
6 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.
2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.
3 Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning [“As surely as the sun rises, He will appear…” (NIV)]; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.
NKJV
As I read the passage above from Hosea, the Lord began to reveal to me a great mystery hidden within the Scriptures. I saw a great revival about to take place at the end of this age. It will be used to purify and “make ready” His Bride and her attendants (see psalm 45) before His return when His bride and her attendants will meet Him “in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) It is here where we will dwell with Him forever. He encourages us at this “appointed time” to press on to know Him, preparing our hearts by faith to literally, physically, enter behind the veil into the holy of holies, finally gaining His glory (see the Bible study Going Behind The Veil).
Peter tells us that “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8) Jesus was crucified approximately two thousand years ago. That would mean, therefore, that it has been about two days, or two thousands since His death. Since He was raised early on the third day (Luke 24:46), we His Body will also be raised up early on the third day, the third thousandth (see John 2:19-21 below). Knowing this, let us “press on to know the Lord” so as to be a prepared people, “dressed in readiness” who are looking for His appearing.
To know Him speaks of intimacy. Many within this nation claim to know Him, to be a Christian, but live their lives in disobedience to His commands. Jesus will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23) (See the Bible study Evildoers In The House Of God.)
To know Jesus is to obey Jesus. 1 John 2:3-4 says, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
(The following insight is from the article The Latter Rain.)
The Final Outpouring
Hosea reveals the promise of the latter rain revival at the end of the age, in its appointed season. He 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. Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.”
(Hosea 6:1-3~ NKJV)
According to the Bible, with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day (2 Peter 3:9). It has been approximately two thousand years since Christ was crucified. That would be comparable, then, to two days. Hosea’s prophecy is that after two days He will revive us. From this we can be assured that the promised healing of the Body of Christ that has been torn, through the sending of the latter rains, is about to occur. Without it we would die in His holy presence at His return. Once again, we can be sure that it’s time for the final revival to occur. This will be followed by our being raised up, as Christ was, in order to live before Him.
Zechariah 10:1 says;
“Ask the LORD for rain in the time [6256- “appointed time, proper time, season”] of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; he will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone.”
(NKJV)
I see in this that once we have recognized by the Spirit that it is the appointed season of the Lord for the latter rain to fall, we must then cry out for Him to send it. This is the revival prayer that needs to be prayed in this moment!
The conditions of the Lord for the latter rains are now being clearly revealed so that we will work together with the Spirit and do what He says in order to birth it into existence. This is our time to be doers of the word, thereby causing the reviving rains from God to fall on earth. The perfecting of the saints, and the ushering in of the end of the age, has come.
The final rain from heaven will probably begin with just a few. With Elijah, it started as a cloud as small as a man’s hand before building to a deluge (1 Kings 18:41-46). He had told Ahab that it would not rain except by his word (1 Kings 17:1), and it didn’t for three years. Even when Elijah said it would rain, he still had to pray intensely to bring it down. James exhorts us, saying;
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”
(James 5:17-18/NASU)
Recognizing by the knowledge received from the Holy Spirit that it is time for the appointed season of the latter rain of God on earth, we too will still be required to pray in order to bring it into existence. As with Elijah, it will probably start small, with just a handful of people. Through persistent prayer, though, the floodgates will open for our vindication (Joel 2:23), and the greatest measure of the Spirit ever poured out will flow, just as the Lord has revealed. Praise the name of the Lord!
2 Peter 3:7-9 – One day is like 1,000 years, and 1,000 years is like one day to the Lord. In these verses Peter speaks of the judgment and destruction of ungodly men at the end of this present age.
7 But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance [which is the call of the Lord in Hosea 6:1-3].
(NAS)
Psalm 90:3-4
3 You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men."
4 For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
More on the “snatching away” of the Bride and her attendants:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – See the note below. This is a passage that I referred to in an earlier portion of this study in the section The “Catching Up” Of The Remnant on p.28. Because of its significance in this discussion, I thought I should place it here as well.
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain [“to survive”] until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout [2752- “a call, summons, an order, command; specifically, a stimulating cry”], with the voice [5456- “a voice, sound, tone”] of the archangel and with the trumpet [4536- “trump, trumpet”] of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up [726] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
NASU
NT:726 harpazo (har-pad'-zo)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from a derivative of NT:138; to seize (in various applications):
KJV - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to seize, carry off by force: ti (Matthew 12:29)
to seize on, claim for oneself eagerly (Matthew 11:12)
to snatch out or away (Matthew 13:19); ti ek cheiros tinos (John 10:28 f); tina ek puros, proverbial, to rescue from the danger of destruction, (Jude 23) to seize and carry off speedily, (John 6:15; Acts 23:10);
used of divine power transferring a person marvelously and swiftly from one place to another, to snatch or catch away (Acts 8:39); passive (Rev. 12:5)
In this passage, Paul speaks of the order of God in the snatching away/being caught up of His faithful servants on earth at His coming. It involves the shout with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God (see the Bible study The Sound Of His Coming). Within this passage I see another confirmation of those who will be in the first catching up, or snatching away of God’s people.
Paul declares that “the dead in Christ will rise first.” I believe this includes those faithful servants who have literally died, and those who, at the return of Christ, are “alive and remain” and have followed the Holy Spirit’s leading at the end of this age, submitting to a spiritual death in Christ.
Every Christian throughout history has passed over into their eternal inheritance in the Lord through a physical death. For the last group it will be different. The corporate Body of Christ is coming to our end, a death of sorts before our crossing over at the end of this age. Therefore they/we will also cross over through death, not as everyone else before them, but a death nonetheless. It is a way through which we have never passed before (Joshua 3:4); a new way in a new thing.
Jesus’ pattern of entering into His glory is ours to follow; suffering, death, and then glory. The only way for us to go from glory to glory, from one level of glory into a greater one, is through the same process. We will be led by the Holy Spirit to the death of one area, only to be led to the next. There is no other way, no other shortcut by which we will be glorified with Him.
Also, according to Paul’s inspired word of prophecy, the Lord will not ascend completely to the earth at this time, but will meet His Bride and her attendants (Psalm 45) “in the air,” for the wedding feast, not on the earth (the Feast of Trumpets is the type). It is not until the very end of this age when Christ will come to the earth in great wrath to carry out His justice upon all that is wicked (the Day of Atonement is the type). His Bride, who has at that time been joined together with Him, will then reign in the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth with the Bridegroom’s authority (Revelation 20:2-7). Because of their faithfulness in regards to the marriage covenant of the Lamb, they too will reign over the nations with the authority of their Husbandman.
Matthew 11:11-15 – In my opinion, based on the definitions of the original Greek, and this revelation, a better translation of verse 12 would be “…the kingdom of heaven suffers violent opposition, and those who press in, striving (see Luke 13:24 further below) to obtain its privileges with the utmost eagerness and effort will be the ones who seize it and will be snatched away in the first gathering of God’s children (i.e. the Bride at Trumpets).” (See the notes for Deuteronomy 2:26-31 in the Bible study The Dominion Mandate.)
11 "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence [971], and violent [973] men take it by force [726].
13 "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 "And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.
15 "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
NASU
NT:971 biazo (bee-ad'-zo)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:979; to force, i.e. (reflexively) to crowd oneself (into), or (passively) to be seized:
KJV - press, suffer violence.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to use force, to apply force
(Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
biazo [NT:971] - in the passive voice, is rendered "suffereth violence" in Matthew 11:12; see FORCE, B, Nos. 1 and 2. Some, e. g., Cremer (Lexicon) and Dalman (Words of Jesus, pp. 139,ff.), hold that the reference is to the antagonism of the enemies of the kingdom, but Luke 16:16 (middle voice: RV, "entereth violently") indicates the meaning as referring to those who make an effort to enter the kingdom in spite of violent opposition: see PRESS, A, No. 3.
NT:973 biastes (bee-as-tace')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:971; a forcer, i.e. (figuratively) energetic:
KJV - violent.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. strong, forceful
2. using force, violent (Matthew 11:12); i. e. who strive to obtain its privileges with the utmost eagerness and effort.
Acts 8:39-40 – Right after Philip leads an Ethiopian court official to Christ by explaining the passage of Isaiah that he was reading, he immediately baptized him. In fact, verse 35 says, “from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.” As they came up out of the water Philip was “snatched away” to another location. That’s some high-speed travel for you, without any hindrance at any customs barrier. No need for a passport, vaccination verification, or any other such thing required by man.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched [726] Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip found himself at Azotus [Ashdod- one of five chief cities of the Philistines; “ravager, powerful”], and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
NASU
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 – In this passage, Paul refers to the time when he was “caught up to the third heaven.” Is this where the Bride will be caught up to God, in the air?
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago — whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows — such a man was caught up [726] to the third heaven.
3 And I know how such a man — whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows —
4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
NASU
Revelation 12:1-6 – See the Bible study and article Contrary Winds for greater revelation I received from the Lord from this passage after asking Him for wisdom and understanding as to why, when trusting in His protection (Psalm 91), that our family became so sick with covid in 2020.
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;
2 and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.
3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.
4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up [726] to God and to His throne. [See the Bible studies Jerusalem; The Throne Of The Lord, and The Place Of God’s Throne And The Soles Of His Feet.]
6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
NASU
Luke 24:25-32 – See the note below.
25 And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?"
27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther.
29 But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with them.
30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized [1921] Him; and He vanished [855- “taken out of sight, made invisible”] from their sight.
32 They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?"
NASU
NT:1921 epiginosko (ep-ig-in-oce'-ko)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:1909 and NT:1097; to know upon some mark, i.e. recognize; by implication, to become fully acquainted with, to acknowledge:
KJV - (ac-, have, take) know (-ledge, well), perceive.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly; to know accurately, know well (1 Corinthians 13:12)
2. universally, to know
a. to recognize (Matthew 14:35)
b. to know equivalent to to perceive: ti (Luke 5:22)
c. to know i. e. to find out, ascertain: namely, auto (Acts 9:30)
d. to know i. e. to understand (Acts 25:10)
In this passage, Jesus has been crucified and His followers are confused as to what and why this has just happened. Two of His disciples were on their way to a village named Emmaus when the Lord joined them. At first, their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him (v.16). Later, as He broke bread with them at the end of the day, “their eyes were opened and they recognized Him.” By definition of the Greek, to recognize Jesus is, “to know upon some mark, i.e. recognize; by implication, to become fully acquainted with, to acknowledge, to understand.” (For more on those of God’s children who have “open eyes” and will see/recognize the Messiah at His return, see the Bible study Simeon And The Consolation Of Israel.) In their intimate union with Christ, they came to understand, as He explained the scriptures to them, what had just happened and why.
As we near the end of the day, which in type speaks of the end of this age, it will be through the breaking of the bread in fellowship with Jesus that He will be recognized by others within and without the church. We are the bread in His hands that must be broken first in order for eyes and hearts to be open and see the Messiah. We partake of the Bread of Life (i.e. Jesus) in order to then give it/Him out to the world. We cannot give what we do not first possess. And we cannot fully receive of Him unless He first possesses us. While in prayer recently the Lord said to me, “I need all of you so that I can give you all of Me. It’s an even exchange.” There’s no other way to receive of His fullness unless we are first emptied of self.
In Numbers 33:50-56 we see the Lord’s commands to His people, the children of Israel, for retaining a secure possession of the Promised Land. It came with a conditional promise for possessing the land, and a warning of the possibility of “trouble” (i.e. tribulation) while living there if they disobeyed His commands. In fact, the Lord said, “And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you” (Numbers 33:56). The Hebrew for “trouble” is tsarar (tsaw-rar') which is defined as “to bind, to wrap, tie up, be narrow, be distressed, to harass, be in pangs of birth (see the Bible study Contrary Winds).”
Once again this confirms the principle that God’s people today can and will go through the extreme difficulties/trouble of the tribulation, along with the world, if rebellious against His commands on abiding/remaining in Him while on our wilderness journey to the Promised Land of His spiritual inheritance (John 15:1-11). The children of Israel’s journey is a picture of every Christian’s journey.
Paul referred to the possibility of a rebellious Christian’s condemnation along with the world in 1 Corinthians 11:23-34, a passage spoken often during communion. During the Passover Seder (which means “order”) with His disciples the night He was betrayed, Jesus took bread and broke it, saying, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Without our remembering the new covenant in Him, of examining ourselves to make sure we are not “eating the bread or drinking the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner,” there will be no revealing of Him to the world. Instead, we, Christians, according to Paul, are drinking and eating (partaking) judgment unto ourselves. The Lord’s purpose of judgment/discipline is “so that we will not be condemned along with the world” (1 Cor. 11:33). This New Testament warning is a picture of the discipline of the Lord on His children now, in the season of preparation and His favor, so that we will not have to go through the extreme trouble that is coming in earnest upon the entire world.
Remember that back near the beginning of this study (p.5), in Daniel 7:21-22, we saw where Daniel spoke of the appointed time of the Lord when His judgment was passed in favor of the saints. The word “favor” is not in the original language, just that judgment was given to/provided for the saints at “a set time, appointed time, (festival) seasons” and we took possession of the kingdom which means “royalty, reign, kingship, dominion.” It is the appointed time of the judgment of God (represented by the Day of Atonement) when we will take dominion of the earth back from our enemy, the devil. But first, the Lord must have possession of us. We cannot possess the outside, though, until He possesses the inside.
The majority of Christianity, at least in America, has been run by those who have not yet been broken which is why the world is not impressed. They only see what we have to offer in the flesh, without the Spirit. It will only be when the presence of God is in our midst, through our brokenness, that the Lord will be revealed, thereby revealing the secrets of their hearts. It is then that they will fall on their face and worship God, rather than our religious system modeled after the world, declaring that God is certainly among us (1 Cor. 14:25).
The interesting thing in this passage of Scripture is that right after these men’s eyes were opened, the Lord, like Philip with the Ethiopian eunuch, “vanished” from their sight. In that moment He was revealing Himself to witnesses that would declare to the world that He was alive. Soon, He will come to dwell/inhabit His temple within His people permanently. But first, everything must be made ready for Him within us. We are now in that season/appointed time of preparation.
Hebrews 11:5-6 – At the end of this age when the Lord comes to “snatch away” His Bride, she will be, in character, as Enoch was to God; pleasing to Him (see the Bible study Well Pleased). He obtained the “witness,” the good report from God and, thereby, did not “see death.” Neither will those at Christ’ return who obtain a good report from Him.
The Greek for “seek” (NASU), “earnestly seek” (NIV), or “diligently seek” (KJV) in the different versions is ekzeteo (ek-zay-teh'-o) which is defined as “to seek out for oneself, search for, investigate, scrutinize, beg, crave.” It is our earnestly/diligently seeking after Him that He will reward. Our finding of Him will allow for us to not be found by mankind, or should I say with mankind (i.e. the world), when He judges the earth.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up [3346] so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP [3346]; for he obtained the witness [3140] that before his being taken up [3331] he was pleasing to God.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder [3406- “one who pays wages, rewarder”] of those who seek [1567] Him.
NASU
Hebrews 11:5-6 – Like Enoch, those who have the testimony that they please God will be the ones who will be translated at the end of this age in the first group to be gathered.
5 By faith Enoch was taken [3346] from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
NIV
Hebrews 11:5-6
5 By faith Enoch was translated [3346] that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
KJV
NT:3346 metatithemi (met-at-ith'-ay-mee)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:3326 and NT:5087; to transfer, i.e. (literally) transport, (by implication) exchange (reflexively) change sides, or (figuratively) pervert:
KJV - carry over, change, remove, translate, turn.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
to transpose (two things, one of which is put in place of the other)
1. to transfer (Acts 7:16)
2. to change (Hebrews 7:12)
3. passive voice or (more commonly) the middle voice, to transfer oneself or suffer oneself to be transferred, i. e., to go or pass over (Galatians 1:6)
NT:3331 metathesis (met-ath'-es-is)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:3346; transposition, i.e. transferal (to heaven), disestablishment (of a law):
KJV - change, removing, translation.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. a transfer (Hebrews 11:5)
2. change (Hebrews 7:12)
(Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
metathesis [NT:3331] - "a transposition, or a transference from one place to another" (from meta, implying "change," and tithemi "to put"), has the meaning of "change" in Hebrews 7:12, in connection with the necessity of a "change" of the Law (or, as margin, law), if the priesthood is changed (see B, No. 3). It is rendered "translation" in 11:5, "removing" in 12:27.
"change of position" (transliterated in Eng., "metathesis," a transposition of the letter of a word), from meta, implying "change," and tithemi, "to place," is used only in Hebrews and translated "removing" in 12:27; "translation" in 11:5; "change" in 7:12.
NT:1567 ekzeteo (ek-zay-teh'-o)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:1537 and NT:2212; to search out, i.e. (figuratively) investigate, crave, demand, (by Hebraism) worship:
KJV - enre-) quire, seek after (carefully, diligently).
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
a. to seek out, search for (Acts 15:17)
b. to seek out, i. e. investigate, scrutinize (1 Peter 1:10)
c. to seek out for oneself, beg, crave (Hebrews 12:17)
d. to demand back, require (Luke 11:50)
Striving So As To Be Caught Up
Luke 13:22-30 – Jesus taught us a very serious message that in order to enter into His salvation you must “strive.” In the Greek it’s defined as “to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), to contend with adversaries, to fight.” Figuratively speaking, it means, “to contend, struggle, with difficulties and dangers antagonistic to the gospel.” The church in America has not had to contend with much. It’s been easy to say you’re a Christian, but not too many situations have forced us into revealing where our hearts really stand. We have now entered that time of difficulty, pressuring us into choosing who we will serve. Only the fully surrendered will be saved (“delivered, rescued, made whole, restored to health”). The world says “We will save you from these hard times, trust us.” The Lord says the same. You and I will make a choice on who we will listen to, and move in agreement with. Our response will determine our destiny.
22 And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem.
23 And someone said to Him, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved [4982- “to save, deliver, rescue, heal, make whole, restore to health”]?" And He said to them,
24 "Strive [75] to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
25 "Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.'
26 "Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets';
27 and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.'
28 "In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth [see the Bible study Outer Darkness] when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.
29 "And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.
30 "And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last." [First, meaning in the first wave who are “caught up/snatched away”?]
NASU
NT:75 agonizomai (ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from NT:73; to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something):
KJV - fight, labor fervently, strive.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. to enter a contest; contend in the gymnastic games (1 Cor. 9:25.)
2. universally, to contend with adversaries, fight
3. figuratively to contend, struggle, with difficulties and dangers antagonistic to the gospel
4. to endeavor with strenuous zeal, strife, to obtain something; followed by an infinitive (Luke 13:24)
Other [75] verses:
John 18:36 – “If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting [75]…”
1 Corinthians 9:25 – “Everyone who competes [75] in the games…”
Colossians 1:29 – “For this purpose also I labor, striving [75] according to His power…”
Colossians 4:12 – “…always laboring earnestly [75] for you in his prayers…”
1 Timothy 6:12 – “Fight [75] the good fight of faith…”
2 Timothy 4:7 – “I have fought [75] the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”
From the Bible study Preparing His Way:
“I am convinced there will be a healthy church found on earth when Christ returns- the true spotless bride, prepared, adorned in His glory, ready for the glorious appearing of Christ the Groom. He will come for that which is like Himself. This has nothing to do with how large or how many but a prepared body of believers determined by God. This prepared bride will anxiously watch for His return because of deep love, not fear or escapism.”
(“We Have A Choice- Humility Or Humiliation”, p.2, by James Robison)
This will occur because, as we have seen, He cannot return except through the way that has been prepared through the consecrated hearts of His obedient children. This is the present call of God to His people through the John the Baptist/Elijah ministers; “Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.” Amen. (See the Bible study Narrow Way And Broad Way.)
Joel 1:14, 2:12-13, 15-18 - The mercy of God to relent of His judgment upon those who return to Him in repentance with humility of heart.
Preparation Day And The Feasts
Luke 23:50-54 – See the note below.
50 And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man
51 (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God;
52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain.
54 It was the preparation day [3904], and the Sabbath was about to begin [2020- see the Bible study 2020 The Dawning Of The Light].
NASU
NT:3904 paraskeue (par-ask-yoo-ay')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
as if from NT:3903; readiness [see Luke 12:35-48 which refers to the consequences of the Lord’s servant being dressed in readiness, or not]
KJV - preparation.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. a making ready, preparation, equipping
2. that which is prepared, equipment
3. the day of preparation, i. e., the day on which the Jews made the necessary preparation to celebrate a sabbath or a feast (Matthew 27:62)
(Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
paraskeue [NT:3904] - denotes "preparation, equipment." The day on which Christ died is called "the Preparation" in Mark 15:42 and John 19:31; in John 19:42 "the Jews' Preparation," RV; in 19:14 it is described as "the Preparation of the Passover"; in Luke 23:54, RV, "the day of the Preparation (and the Sabbath drew on)." The same day is in view in Matthew 27:62, where the events recorded took place on "the day after the Preparation" (RV). The reference would be to the 6th day of the week. The title arose from the need of preparing food etc. for the Sabbath. Apparently it was first applied only to the afternoon of the 6th day; later, to the whole day. In regard to the phraseology in John 19:14, many hold this to indicate the "preparation" for the paschal feast. It probably means "the Preparation day," and thus falls in line with the Synoptic Gospels. In modern Greek and ecclesiastical Latin, Parasceve Friday.
Preparation day was the day before a Sabbath day, or a festival day. It involved activities beyond the normal so as to be ready for this moment when normal daily routines were paused (see the Bible studies Preparing His Way and Preparing The Bride Of Christ). Spiritually speaking, we too are in a day of preparation before the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement are fulfilled on earth.
According to Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian, the Israelites began to make preparations for the sabbath well before sunset, which for Jewish people marks the beginning of the next day when the observances actually began. They would suspend normal business and social activity and prepare all food in advance.
In an article entitled “Preparation For Shabbat,” the following insights stood out to me;
“The quality of an occasion and the success of it is often determined by the amount of preparation that goes into it. In the Scripture, the day before the onset of Shabbat is called “Preparation Day” (Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:31). To be able to keep the Sabbath properly, adequate preparation is necessary which means planning ahead…
The necessary preparation involves preparing special meals in advance, organizing the Sabbath artifacts, cleaning, and most of all, arranging our schedules for prayer and time together…
As a result of many generations of keeping the Sabbath, the Jews set apart the time starting from the evening sacrifice, from 3pm on Friday to “wind down” from the week’s affairs and concerns, and prepare their hearts and minds to embrace Shabbat. This may not be possible to have this time free in our society, but it is of benefit to employ this principle where possible to do whatever is possible ahead of time and finish any last minute preparations to ensure we are ready to enjoy this special day…
As part of the spiritual preparation, a cleansing ritual in a bath (mikveh) followed by a prayer and reading of the Word has become a tradition in order to draw close to Yahweh God for the commencement of the day…
A special meal is prepared and it is customary to make it a festive occasion in whatever way is meaningful, and to dress specially for the occasion. The Sabbath is a feast of Yahweh.”
All of these preparations have spiritual parallels for us; special meals, adjusting our schedules, winding down from worldly affairs, a cleansing ritual, and to dress specifically for the occasion, internally. It is time to get ready.
Jeremiah 23:16-22 – False prophets give a false word (lies) that create a false sense of peace and safety (i.e. security) among God’s people. The lie of the deliverance from the calamity of His wrath (i.e. “pre-trib rapture”) for those in the church who continue to walk in the stubbornness of their hearts, not seeking diligently to walk in obedience so as to prepare their hearts by faith for the Lord’s return, will destroy many Christians if not repented of, shipwrecking their faith.
16 Thus says the Lord of hosts, "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility; they speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord.
17 "They keep saying to those who despise Me, 'The Lord has said, "You will have peace"'; And as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, they say, 'Calamity [7451- “bad, evil, distress, adversity”] will not come upon you.'
18 "But who has stood in the council of the Lord, that he should see and hear His word? Who has given heed [7181- “to be attentive, to pay attention, to listen”] to His word and listened [8085- “to hear, to obey, to understand, to yield to”]?
19 "Behold, the storm of the Lord has gone forth in wrath, even a whirling tempest; it will swirl down on the head of the wicked.
20 "The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; In the last days you will clearly understand it. [See Isaiah 46:10.]
21 "I did not send these prophets, but they ran. I did not speak to them, but they prophesied.
22 "But if they had stood in My council [5475- “an assembly, secret or confidential plan(s), intimacy (with God)”], then they would have announced My words to My people, and would have turned them back from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds. [See the Bible study Reclaiming The Party Of Freedom.]
NASU
(Continued in part 6, the final portion of this study.)
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