Prophetic Feast Days

Netanyahu Address of Congress – End Time Sign?

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The “blood moons” hype lives on, and, of course, metamorphoses as it goes…bringing Prime Minister Netanyahu now into the story.

I would not be paying any attention to it except, invented prophecy theories like this worry people. As such and as always, several have asked me about a WND article quoting the “blood moon man” himself, Mark Biltz.

Review of the Blood Moon History

First, let’s review. Since Biltz invented the “four blood moon” prophecy theory, it has changed in meaning over time.

  1. Originally in 2008 Mark postulated that the return of Jesus would be seven years later at the conclusion of the tetrad in September, 2015. Soon after, it became obvious that the final seven years had not begun and Mark removed his theory from his site (although it’s on video).
  2. In 2013 others including John Hagee began to revisit the theory with the new idea it could spell trouble for Israel based on cherry-picking a few of the hundreds of scores of past tetrads in history. Biltz supported this reinterpretation.

“Judgment On America?”

Bilt’z new spin on it is reported in WND. He says now we have to watch out for a judgment on America because of Israel.

Biltz is focused on Netanyahu’s speech at the US Congress on the topic of a US nuclear deal with Iran. He sees significance to its timing as follows:

  • “two weeks after a solar eclipse” (!)
  • “a day before the Fast of Esther” (!)
  • “two days before Purim” (!!)
  • “a month before a blood moon” (!!!)

It seems Biltz is worried that Netanyahu might be rejected from speaking before Congress on that date or badly received by Obama. If support for Israel is withdrawn in this way (when Israel is “facing a second Holocaust”) Biltz fears America will be judged. He cites Joel 3:2 for this.

And the Scriptural Support?

When pastors or authors float “prophecy alerts” like this, it’s always important to look to see what they’re basing it on. Is it a prophecy right there in the text of Scripture? Or is it only a Scripture-based story full of speculation and a lot of the expert’s trusted opinion (because they are a known author or pastor)?

Nearly all theories that catch people’s imagine and spread are of the latter type, and that’s the case with this one, too.

Notice there is no Scriptural proof for his theory except Joel 3:2. The majority of the story is made up of speculation based on an event related to Israel being (only) near various Jewish holy times.

Let’s Invent Reasons Arbitrarily, Shall We?

But who says “the day before the Fast of Esther” is significant? Shouldn’t the day of something be the significant date? Jesus was slain as the lamb of God on the very day of Passover, not the day before. The pouring of the spirit came on the actual day of Pentecost, not two days before. It’s quite arbitrary or what I call “widened goal posts.”

Likewise why are solar or lunar eclipses before or after the speech important? Lots of things happen before or after eclipses since eclipses are incredibly common (thousands . Who says these are different? Where is the authority to back up that statement?

As for Joel 3:2, it is taken out of context. That chapter is speaking specifically of a future judgment on all nations together for the couple things listed. It does not say the judgment is happening now or related to eclipses! The context of Joel 3 is millennial; Armageddon at the earliest. It has nothing to do with today.

As for a speech happening near lunar eclipses, there is nothing significant to that, either. There are from 2 to 4 lunar eclipses per year. Eclipses happen. All the time. Every year. They don’t communicate anything. How could they? They are too common and predictable.

Why Genesis Doesn’t Say “Let the Moon Be For Signs”

But what about Genesis 1:14-15? Biltz claims it supports his approach to placing prophetic significance on the lunar eclipses or blood moons.

That passage in context says that the sun, moon and stars would “be signs for festivals, days, and years” and “to light the earth” (Gen 1:14 HCSB, NIV). They are not generic signals from God to man about warnings or other things pastors are imagining and writing about. The passage says nothing about God wanting us to look at the heavenly lights to receive communication from God.

Elsewhere the Bible condemns placing significance on the signs of the heavens as a practice of the heathen:

Jeremiah 10:2 – Thus says the LORD, “Do not learn the way of the heathen, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens for the heathen are terrified by them…”

Besides, unless God is spelling out letters in Morse Code by making the Sun start blinking at us, it’s all completely subjective what message would be there. One person can say an eclipse means X and another one can say Y. Who’s right? Neither! Regularly scheduled eclipses are a result of the motion of the sun, moon and planets. They are not the hand of God tweeting to us in his own way.

Our Ever-Speculating “Watchmen”

When a famous Christian author of a prophecy book like Biltz says they see potential signals from God in current events, it gets attention. Christians assume these wise men have more than just their opinion to back up what they are saying–or they would not say it.

Some may be afraid of ignoring them. What if it really is a “warning from God” and they did not heed it?

The truth is that these men are offering only very creative and compelling speculation. They are not telling you what the Bible plainly says is a sign of the end to watch for. They are stringing a few verses together after taking them out of context and then weaving a story based on traditions current events.

To them, the theory is strong enough to warrant warning everyone to “watch out, “just in case.” I do not doubt their sincerity in this. They believe they see a pattern that is real and significant and not just a result of self-deception.

Unfortunately it is much like Jesus said, the blind leading the blind and both ending up in the ditch. If people who do not know Bible prophecy well are being lead by people who misinterpret prophecy and take verses out of context, the result is failure and confusion.

Nothing to Worry About

Consequently, these preemptive warnings never prove justified. Nothing specifically predicted ever happens. Take it from someone who has been watching predictions since the 1980’s. They always fail.

Nevertheless, collective amnesia sets in and everyone forgets about the prediction, because after all, it was only a warning, a possibility. The teacher was playing it safe and had good intentions.

People move on to the next warning…which will surely come and is sure to be right (this time).

If you want to jump off that merry-go-round, I recommend you understand the words of Jesus on what the real one and only “sign of the end” is which can now be understood.

What is the Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot?

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Some of you may be unfamiliar with Tabernacles or Booths (Hebrew: Sukkot). And if you have heard of it you may have the conception that it is a Jewish Holiday, as in only for the Jews. Therefore the first place to look in the Bible to find out about Tabernacles is Zechariah 14 where it dispels this notion and tells us about our future keeping it:

Zechariah 14:16-19 — 16 Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to celebrate the Festival of Booths. 17 Should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, rain will not fall on them. 18 And if the people of Egypt will not go up and enter, then rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague the Lord inflicts on the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths.

This passage above answers the common question on who the people in the Millennium that the saints rule are? We are told plainly that there will be those who survive Wormwood, the Great Tribulation, the mark of the beast and God’s wrath living in the Millennium. To be sure, it will be a fraction of the multiple billions today. We’re also told something else shocking: They will be keeping the festival of Sukkot under God’s government, the kingdom of God. This news is shocking to most Christians because they have been taught that the Torah is a curse or burdensome and “done away forever.” On the contrary, this Torah festival is coming back and is so important to God that he will enforce its observance. Why?

The purpose for this feast is the same purpose Hebrews describes for the sacrifices and by extension all the rituals of the Torah: to give us forgetful humans reminders of all aspects of God’s plan for us, including sin (Heb 10:1-4). Since we are not in the Millennium and able to keep the Feast properly in Jerusalem, we are therefore not required to do so just yet.

Did you know that Tabernacles itself as Ancient Israel kept it for centuries is a prophecy of the Millennium? (See my book for more on that). The feasting, joy and peace we are meant to experience during Sukkot pictures the 1000 year peaceful, prosperous and joyous reign of Christ and the saints. This at last will be the idea of utopia made reality.

Rapture May 13, 2006?

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Janet wrote:

I’ve written you before. I think the Rapture is May 13, 2006, Saturday….not just because it is the anniversary of the birth of Israel in 1948, but
because the mid-trib & Jesus’ Return all fit. You see, the Millennium MUST start on a Nisan 1 (see Ezek. 45:18 and Ex. 12:2), which it does. When Jesus
returns, the earth will straighten, thus ‘losing’ 23 days (the present earth-tilt #)ending up at Nisan 1. If the Rapture is May 13 of this year, +2520 days ends up at April 4, 2013 and backs up to March 12, which is
Nisan 1. Add 30 days mourning to arrive at April 11, the day Jesus enters the Temple from Bozrah/Petra for the exact end of 2300 days beginning the day after the 8-day Temple Dedication (Hanukkah) in 2006, which is Dec. 24. With the twisted Catholic influence from Rome in cooperation with the E.U. Peace Pact with Israel, Dec. 24 would please both the E.U. and Israel incorporating ‘Christmas’ and Hanukkah.

We are dealing with 3 generations: 38.8 yrs from June 6, 1967 to Rosh, ’05 (14,000 days); 58 yrs 1948 to 2006 and 45.8 years from June 6, 1967 to Nisan 1, 2006 (mind you, 2013 will count as 2006 because the 10.5 years which are not counted (Jesus’ 3.5-yr ministry and the 7-yr trib). The remaining .5 are Rosh ’05 to Nisan 1, ’06 (which will be our Nisan 1, 2013). Remember too that in Matthew 1, the 42 generations from the call of Abraham in 1924 B.C. at age 70 to the Birth of Christ AVERAGE out to 45.8 years each. (A generation was of a different length when people lived into the hundreds). In other words, the avg. generation of Matt. 1 is 45.8 years and the yrs from June 6, 1967 to Nisan 1, 2013 is 45.8 years.

Realize too that 36 A.D. (really 34 A.D. because of the 2-yr calendar discrepancy from Creation) +1960 years is 1996, the end of all the awesome O.T. patterns AND 1924 (the call of Abraham) +1960 is 36 A.D.; SO, you have 1960 on each side of history. 1960 is not just a number, but 4 x 490 and 7 x 280. 2 x 1960 is 8 x 490 and 14 x 280. If you don’t know the significance of these numbers, then I cannot take the time to explain; surely you do.

1996, the end of all the O.T. patterns +7 yrs (COUNTED – because God must count the 7 years somewhere since the 7-yr WON’T be counted – Satan’s years) is 2003. Add 10.5 yrs to arrive at 2013.

SO, if all the numbers, dates and straightening of the earth are figured in, you have SIX MONTHS from Rosh ’05 to Nisan 1, ‘2006,’ EXACTLY AS IT SHOULD BE. Read Grant Jeffrey’s account of the necessary 6-mth shift in the calendar for the Milennium on pg. 61 of ‘Armageddon, Appt. with Destiny.’

As the scenario pertains to the zodiac (God’s ‘story in the stars’),the mid-trib is Scorpio 1, the death sign; Return is 14th day (Deliverance) of Aries (Lamb – 8th sign); Jesus’ entrance into the Temple is Taurus 14 (angry bull to rule with a rod of iron) and the end of the trib is Cancer 1 (11th sign, 11 = judgment) the ‘grip of the crab’ = Messiah – over the earth.

Note too that there are exactly 1967 years from 36 A.D. to 2013. 1967 is a number that God wanted the whole world to notice since it is the date Jerusalem was reclaimed, exactly 2550 yrs past 583 B.C., Temple
Destruction.

All the above seems interesting to me…..No one else seems to care about it, but maybe you’ll glean something from it……J.H.

Thanks for writing again. I do glean something from every letter I receive–even if I cannot get past the first paragraph before too many assumptions are made that I cannot accept. For example, the Millennium starting in the 1st month (Nissan) as you assert, instead of in the 7th month when the Feast of Tabernacles which pictures the Sabbath Millennium falls, is a problem for me. I expect Tabernacles and the Millennium it pictures to be fulfilled on the very same day (just as the passover was).

Personally, I think most other people are not showing an interest in your rapture date because your thesis is so complicated and full of these assumptions that they simply cannot follow it.

There is more I could say about some of these assumptions if you asked for more specifics, but to get to the bottom line (in case you have not already seen it on my site) I can guarantee you that the rapture will not be on the date you gave or any date this year. I base this on understanding the Sabbath year cycles, which the 70 weeks of Daniel are 70 instances of and tells us that Jesus can only return to reign in a Sabbath year.