THE GREAT TRIBULATION

CONT., page 7

MORE GOSPEL COMPARISONS

Let us examine another revealing gospel comparison, this time regarding this matter of our ascension into heaven to receive immortal bodies. Again, as is consistently evidenced, Matthew attests to the first Remnant, Mark to Christianity, and Luke to the second Remnant. We will consider Yahshua’s words concerning the days of Noah and Lot, as well as the familiar messages regarding two in the field, at the mill, and in bed, where one is taken and one is left. Once again Christianity does with these verses that which they are limited to – analyzing them with the carnal mind and drawing false conclusions.

Following are these subject like verses in Matthew and Luke. Once again on this event Mark is silent. These verses are equally corrected so as to make them consistent with the original Greek. Also, you will notice that Luke 17:36 is in brackets. That verse is not found in the older manuscripts, but was added later evidently as an attempt to try to conform these three gospels to say the same thing. But of course we find that it is in these clear contradictions that Yahweh speaks in revealing parables. Also, the passages in Luke that are not in Mark are identified with the verse number in bold.

Matthew 24:37-41:

37. “For the coming of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah.

38. “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

39. and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

40. “Then there will be two in the field; one is taken and one is left.

41. “Two will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.”

Luke 17:26-37:

26. “And as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:

27. they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

28. “Likewise, as it was in the days of Lot, they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building;

29. but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

30. “It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

31. “On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back.

32. “Remember Lot's wife.

33. “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

34. “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.

35. “There will be two grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left.

36. [“Two will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”]

37. And answering they said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the living body is, there also the eagles will be gathered.”

First, as clearly stated and testified in both, these accounts reveal what takes place at the time of Yahshua’s return. In this regard, it is quite revealing that even as the account regarding the eagles was not in Christianity Mark, so once again these accounts regarding those who are taken up to be with Yahshua are completely absent in Mark. Clearly, Christianity will not be a part of the first resurrection. Their resurrection, the second resurrection, will not take place for 3,000 years, following their own Elijah period. Therefore, we do not find these accounts in Mark. This is a clear message once again regarding this oft evidenced fact.

Next, in regard to Christianity’s holocaust wrath that they say will take place just before Yahshua’s return, these passages prove this not to be true. We read here that “so will the coming of the Son of Man be,” and “It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” So, did Yahshua describe here great holocaust before His coming? Not in the least! But instead, He said that it would be business as usual: “as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,” and “they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building.” How can there be the holocaust that Christians say, when what Yahshua describes here is complete normalcy? The reason for the differences in these two accounts versus others in Revelation, is that the desolation spoken of is to His kingdom, and it has been taking place for 2,000 years. So in conclusion, we see that Yahshua’s return will be during a state of normalcy.

Let us now examine the interesting differences in these two accounts. First, let us note that, as in the matter regarding the first Remnant not knowing the day or the hour of Yahshua’s return, only in Matthew is it stated that the people “did not understand.” This is clearly the case in the time of the first Remnant, for neither the first Remnant nor Christians understood. As Yahshua said, “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). When you read the writings of the New Testament, they anticipated that Yahshua’s return was at hand. But obviously they were wrong.

But this statement concerning not understanding is not in Luke, for clearly we will know and will understand. For example, many Christians espouse a “secret rapture” when suddenly they will ascend. But how can this be if there must first come the Elijah who will prepare Yahshua’s way? Also, that Elijah must “restore all things.” If an Elijah is doing all of these things, then how can the ascending alive be secret, or even Yahshua’s return be unexpected? According to the prophetic testimony of Yahshua’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Elijah work cannot be ignored, nor can their herald be misunderstood regarding the Messiah’s coming. Jerusalem knew He was coming, and the world will know as well. Also, in the time of Noah, they obviously knew what this “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) was declaring would take place. Thus, neither did Noah have a secret rapture. How does one hide an ark? And neither will the ark being built today be hidden.

Let us now look at the stated effects of Noah’s flood. In Matthew 24:39, we read that this normalcy was not interrupted “until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all.” The question that has to be asked here is: Who did the flood take away? When you look at the like Luke account, you could say that the ones taken away were those who did not understand. But the sentence structure also supports that they did not believe until those in the ark were taken away. The Greek word for “took” is “airo,” and can mean to take up or to take away. If this passage was referring to the ark, then to take up is quite fitting. But if it was referring to those who did not believe, then to take away is quite fitting.

In contrast, in Luke 17:29 the parallel statement is very clear: “the flood came and destroyed them all”; and likewise in Sodom, “it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.”

So we now have some questions to answer. What do these differing messages speak regarding the outcome of the flood in Matthew that lifts up/away, and the flood, as well as the fire, in Luke that destroys? We have already noted that the absence of this account in Mark clearly speaks to there being no flood, or fire, in Christianity. But also, do these events taking place in first Remnant Matthew and second Remnant Luke look to wrath? Let us begin by addressing this last question.

There is a very important truth concerning Yahweh that we need to recognize, and that is the Elijah principle. Here is that principle:

Evil is an Elijah that prepares the way for good; it pays the price.

Consider the ways of Yahweh. Everything He does for good comes out of or is birthed by evil, whether it be the evil of this first heavens and earth, or Satan, or darkness, or a seed sown into the ground, or the great and terrible wilderness, or Saul, or Christianity, or these earthly bodies, or the agony and pain of bearing a child, or suffering, or Judas, or natural Jerusalem, or the 3,000 slain on the first Pentecost, or Jezebel, or Noah’s flood, or the fire that fell on Sodom, and the list could go on and on. Everything good is preceded by, foreshadowed, paid for, and the way prepared by evil.

Let us look more specifically at the Elijah. First, the one who had the spirit of Elijah, John the Baptist, prepared the way for Yahshua and baptized Him into death. Immediately afterwards, Yahshua was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil for forty days and forth nights where He neither ate nor drank. John was a type of what the true Elijah would effect. Judas evidenced evil as the first Elijah, so as to baptize Yahshua into death. But that evil prepared the way for ultimate good, for it was necessary in order to deliver man from his sins and reveal that Yahshua had the power of an indestructible life. The office of Elijah then went to Satan, and he too evidenced evil in likewise baptizing the body of Christ into death, and has afflicted them in the great and terrible wilderness for forty Jubilee waiting periods. But once again evil is used to prepare the way for good – the Millennial kingdom.

Today, this still holds true for the present-day Elijah, for in preparing the way for Yahshua’s return, Yahweh will use evil – men in carnal bodies which Paul aptly identifies as the seat of sin (Romans 7:14, 18-19, 24). But there will be one vital difference now, and that is that death and burial have taken place, and it is time for resurrection. Remember, there is only one way to receive overcoming resurrection life, and that is by the evil of death and burial. Someone will always pay the price – either yourself or another on your behalf – but there is only one path to resurrection.

As has been stated in preceding writings, the ways of Yahweh are replicable. And if this Elijah principle is a way of Yahweh, as we are seeing, then we should find it evidenced in Yahshua as well, and we do. As you will see, Yahshua Himself performed His own Elijah work – effecting and fulfilling a like death work, thereby preparing the way for the life work. In Matthew 17:12, we read in a more literal translation:

“… I say to you that Elijah already came, and they recognize him not, but do to him whatever they wish. Likewise, the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”

If you compare this verse to that in your own Bible, you will notice that the tenses here are probably different. Words here like “do” and “wish” are aorist tense in this passage. Aorist is an unqualified past tense of a verb without reference to duration or completion of the action. In other words, it is ongoing. In contrast, words like “did” and “wished” are past tense, which were not used in this verse. This is quite consistent with that which Yahshua said here, for He noted that John, in one sense, was an Elijah; but clearly He identified with him as well. In fact, He compared Himself with Elijah. Why? Because Yahshua was going to perform His own work as an Elijah by taking on the sin of man, becoming sin on his behalf, and thereby preparing the way for man’s restoration, as well as the restoration of the kingdom. Therefore, we see that Yahshua performed an Elijah work also – preceding, paying the price for, and preparing the way for man and His kingdom.

There is another way of looking at this Elijah principle as well, and that is that everything in the ways of Yahweh have two sides to them – the negative destruction, and the reverse which is its fulfillment in the positive. For example, 3,000 were slain at Sinai at the first ever Pentecost (Exodus 32:28), whereby on the first Pentecost in the church, 3,000 came into the kingdom (Acts 2:41). Again, evil (the death of 3,000) paid the price for good.

A most hope-filled and encouraging example of this at this time is Yahweh’s way of doing something before the time. Several of these were noted in the opening of The New Millennial Calendar. Two examples of this are Saul and Yahshua’s first coming. Both of these were early, before the time, and both brought failure and death. But once again, the way of Yahweh is that the first is an Elijah that is evil and even death, but pays the price for and brings the promised good. For example, Saul was a premature early work that failed; but when you read the promise to Saul, who would not want to experience a fulfilled good Saul work? In 1 Samuel 10:6 we read Samuel’s words to Saul: “Then the Spirit of Yahweh will come upon you mightily, and you will prophesy with them and be changed into another man.” In verses 10-11 we then read the fulfillment:

When they came to the hill there, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them. It came about, when all who knew him previously saw that he prophesied now with the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

This is precisely what we need today – for Yahshua to perform an early work, for the Spirit of Yahweh to come upon us, and for us to prophecy truth and become another man. For 2,000 years the church has experienced a work that was early, before the time, and has thereby been a death work. What do we need now? We are desperate for another work that is equally early, before the time; but this one is to be the fulfillment made possible because of the price paid by the preceding death period. We desperately need this fulfillment whereby Yahweh shortens time, Yahshua comes early, and the Spirit of Yahweh comes upon us mightily and we prophecy and become another man. Thus we see that the price is paid by the failure work, which is an Elijah that prepares the way for the fulfilling work.

In both of these subject accounts in Matthew and Luke, times of destruction are referred to by Yahshua as types of what takes place at His return. The mistake people make though is to assume that the like wrath will occur. What if a prophet had spoken beforehand concerning the church’s Pentecost, saying – It will be as in the days of Moses when 3,000 were slain by the sword? What then would teachers have anticipated? They too would have expected corruption and deadly wrath. Was there indeed corruption at the beginning of the church? We have just seen that only four days before Pentecost, the apostles had effected the abomination of desolation! Was there evil? Indeed! But the price for good had already been paid by the loss that took place at the first Pentecost.

We see evidenced then the way of Yahweh – He turns evil into good. This is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But Yahweh flips this tree as well and, as we saw in all the matters addressed in the opening of The New Millennial Calendar, He brings evil first. The seed of good is sown into evil, and evil prevails. But, evil prevails only for a season; for Yahweh then turns evil into good, as good sprouts out of darkness to become the mature plant and bring forth fruit. Again, evil is an Elijah that prepares the way for good. As it is written in Hosea 2:15, He makes “the valley of Achor as a door of hope.” “Achor” means “affliction, sorrow, trouble.” Or, we see the same thing written in Hosea 6:1-3, specifically regarding the 3,000 years of the church:

“Come, let us return to Yahweh. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know Yahweh. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.”

Thus, evil prepares the way for, is the door for, good. The first heavens and earth prepare the way for the new heavens and new earth. Satan is replaced by the Bride. Darkness gives way to the true light of Yahshua’s presence. The seed sown in darkness brings forth “the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head” (Mark 4:28). The great and terrible wilderness affords entrance into the promised land. Saul gives way to David. Christianity gives way to the glorified Remnant. These earthly bodies are replaced by glorified incorruptible bodies. The agony and pain of bearing a child prepares the way for the birth of the child, and as Yahshua declared, “Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.”

Suffering gives way to joy. Judas is replaced by the fulfilling Elijah. Natural Jerusalem is fulfilled by Jerusalem above. The 3,000 slain on the first Pentecost were fulfilled by the 3,000 on the day of Pentecost. Jezebel becomes the Bride who provides the garden for the body of Christ. And yes, Noah’s flood and the fire of Sodom become good as well, as we will now address. Everything good is preceded by, foreshadowed, paid for, and the way prepared by evil. This is the good actually testified in Matthew 24:37-41 and Luke 17:26-35:

The flood that covered the earth, destroying man, is fulfilled by Yahweh’s glory that covers the earth and transforms man; and

The fire that destroyed Sodom, is fulfilled by the baptism of fire that Yahshua kindles on the earth.

In Zechariah 4, we see that the two Remnant – the two sons of fresh oil – are formed by the former and the latter rains. These are the two outpourings of the Holy Spirit which are attested to by the flood spoken of in Matthew 24:37-41 and the flood spoken of in Luke 17:26-35. This is likewise the rain promised in Hosea 6:1-3 on the third day – the Millennial reign – that waters the earth and raises the Remnant up, bringing Yahshua’s return so that “we may live before Him.” And very worthy to note, this is the flood spoken of in Daniel 9:26-27 that brings to an end the desolation of the kingdom of heaven on earth that has taken place for 2,000 years – “the end will come with a flood.”.

But once again, Christianity does not receive this fresh oil, therefore this account is not found in Mark. And what do we see testified here that makes the latter rain different from the former? The answer is in Luke 17:26-37 – the fire! While Matthew 24:37-41 speaks only of the floodwaters of Noah, Luke 17:26-37 speaks of both these waters, as well as the fire of Sodom.

The fire that fell on Sodom killed and destroyed them; yet John proclaimed that Yahshua would baptize in “the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16), and that He came to cast fire upon the earth. In fact, even as we see in Luke alone this testimony regarding the fire marking the time of Yahshua’s return, so His desire to kindle that fire is recorded in Luke alone. In Luke 12:49 we read His words:

“I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!”

Therefore, both the testimony of fire coming on Sodom in Luke, as well as Yahshua’s desire to kindle the fire in Luke, evidence that the time for this fire is in the Millennial reign. It is the promised and much needed baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire. Thus we see evidenced in Matthew a baptism in water only – Noah’s flood; but in Luke we see evidenced both a baptism in water and fire.

John the Baptist’s baptism solely in water led to Yahshua going into the wilderness, evidencing death. And John clearly stated that he needed the baptism that Yahshua would bring – the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. We know that in the Millennial reign, the flood that covers the earth is the flood of His glory (Numbers 14:21, Psalm 72:19, Habakkuk 2:14). And we are also told in Zechariah 13:7-9 that the third part of the church will be “brought through the fire.” But what is the purpose of this fire? Is it to destroy the church and bring wrath on the earth? Not at all, for we are told regarding that fire that it would “refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘Yahweh is my God.’” And again, this is the third day spoken of in Hosea 6:1-3 where Yahweh will heal us and bandage us.

This third-day Millennial fire is equally testified in the freewill offering, as we read in Leviticus 7:16-17:

“But if the sacrifice of his offering is a votive [vow] or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and on the next day what is left of it may be eaten; but what is left over from the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire.”

Also quite hopeful regarding this third day, as a message to the nations, Yahshua sent word to Herod, the governor of Galilee:

“Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal” (Luke 13:32).

This third day is the day in which Yahshua reaches two (of many) goals – finally kindling the fire that He longed to begin, and the nations no longer having authority over the kingdom of heaven; but rather, the kingdom having authority over the nations. In this third day, Yahshua will rule over the Herods.

Also, you will recall from Luke 17:29 that it “rained fire and brimstone from heaven.” Is this not a testimony of the latter rain from heaven as well? In fact, the Greek word for “brimstone” is “theion,” which comes from the word “theios.” What does “theios” mean? It means “divine,” as used in 2 Peter 1:4:

For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

This is exactly what the latter rain must accomplish. It must accomplish for the good, in a thorough and complete purification and cleansing, that which is evidenced by the price that was paid at Sodom. And this cleansing must come from the same source – from heaven where Yahweh God (Theos) abides.

In like regard, the “preacher of righteousness” spoken of in Noah, must proclaim Yahweh’s cleansing message. This is the Elijah work who bears the message – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And as addressed regarding the 1,335 days from Yahshua’s baptism by John, this is the Elijah who is a prophet like Moses and brings times of refreshing (Acts 3:19-23). This is equally the message of the spirit of truth sent in the Millennial age to “reprove the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 14:16, 16:8).

Thus we see in second Remnant Luke 17:26-37 the testimony of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire – Noah’s flood and the fire that came on Sodom. This is in contrast to first Remnant Matthew 24:37-41 that attests solely to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Evidenced by John the Baptist’s baptism solely in water and Yahshua going into the wilderness, as well as the fact that Matthew has only the testimony of water baptism, we see that the baptism in water alone for the first Remnant equally led into the wilderness experience for the church for 2,000 years. But Yahshua said He desired for the fire to be kindled, and it appears that today is that day.

Concluding this matter, we quote from 2 Peter 2:1-10, where once again we find the like two testimonies pointing to this promised latter rain baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire – Noah’s flood and the fire of Sodom. Also, you will recognize that this first portion was referenced in the previous section regarding the mystery of lawlessness within the church. In fact, this passage ties together into one testimony the mystery of lawlessness and its end coming with the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire. Once again, this message is directed completely at the church. The blind error of Christians is to relegate this judgment to the nations, when in fact it is relative to themselves!

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.

This is the great hope of where we are today. Through Yahshua’s baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, He will rescue the godly from temptation, and reserve for punishment those who indulge in corrupt desires and despise the authority He sends to the earth.

This is the promised baptism spoken of in the passage we carefully examined in Daniel 9:26-27

“… the people of the Prince who shall come will destroy the city and the sanctuary [the kingdom of heaven], and the end will come with a flood; even to the end of the battle, desolations are determined. … and for the overspreading of abominations, He will make desolate, even until the consummation, and that which is determined [the latter rain flood] will be poured out upon the desolate.”

The abomination of the desolation of the church will come to an end with the flood of His Holy Spirit and His fire!

Let us now address the other question brought up earlier in this section, expanding on the effects of this water and fire. We noted that in the Matthew account, the flood either took the ark up or the people away. In the Luke account, clearly the message was that both the flood and the fire “destroyed them all.” Based on the possibility, even likelihood, of a contradiction here, let us consider what is said by the Matthew account meaning that the flood took them up. What then do we have? We have the testimony of a work focusing on just a few – those in the ark. Given that Matthew is to the first Remnant, the impact of the former rain certainly was limited. Next came the breach, and they all went to the grave and were not numbered with the first Remnant.

Thus we see the focus of a very limited scope on the impact of the former rain – the removal of a remnant. But what do we see to be the impact of the latter rain. Knowing now that both the flood and the fire speak of good and not evil, of cleansing and purification, the scope is much broader – “and destroyed them all.”

Let us now get to the specifics of this flood and fire that works for good. In both Noah’s flood, as well as in Sodom, the common testimony of each of these was that a remnant was taken out. We must ask the question then relative to the fulfillment today before Yahshua’s return: Out of what is this remnant taken? There is only one answer – the Remnant is taken out of the body of Christ, Christianity!

We have already seen evidenced that the fire on the third day is for the church, the freewill or votive offering. Yahshua has one primary goal – to cleanse and establish His church. Thus, the floodwater that comes, comes on the church so as to take the Remnant Bride out. And the fire that comes, comes on the church to purify it and bring the Remnant Bride out as well. Will this impact the world? Indeed. But consistent with the purpose and focus of Yahshua, the message here is entirely relevant to the church – His body and His bride. It is the water of the Holy Spirit and the fire of Yahweh that comes to prepare the church for Yahshua’s coming and to call out the Remnant!

And as you will see in the remaining portion of this section, even as in the time of Noah and Lot a separation took place, so we see testified in both of these accounts a separation taking place. This is the separation of the body and the Bride, where the body of Christ will remain here on this earth, and the Bride will ascend alive to meet Yahshua in the air.

Thus we read in Matthew 24:40-41:

40. “Then there will be two in the field; one is taken and one is left.”

41. “Two will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.”

And in the Luke 17:34-35 we read the like account:

34. “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.”

35. “There will be two grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left.”

You will notice that we did not add verse 36. As noted, this text is not found in the older manuscripts, so we will not add it here in our study. However, whether present or absent, for the sake of this study, it makes no difference. Also, the genders of men or women are not a part of the original text, so they are not added either.

Once again comparing these two accounts, we find the difference that in Matthew there are two in the field, whereas in Luke there are two in bed. What this might mean, I do not know. Also, in Matthew the two are “grinding at the mill,” and in Luke they are “grinding at the same place.”

But one thing that seems quite clear and is exceptionally confirming is that in the Matthew first Remnant account, the verb tense is present and reads, “one is taken and one is left.” One cannot help but think of the first Remnant who were selected at the time of the writing of Matthew. Therefore, the verb tense is appropriate. On the other hand, in the Luke second Remnant account, the verb tense is future and appropriately reads, “one will be taken and the other will be left.” That which took place in this separation of the first Remnant did indeed take place in the time of Matthew. But that which was to take place in this separation of the second Remnant was indeed a future event at the time of Luke. Therefore, once again the tense is quite appropriate. And this contradiction riddle is just one more amazing evidence of how consistent this key to understanding is.

But in both accounts, there is one like repetition – this contrast of one taken and the other left. This is the same message presented by Yahshua in four like passages. The incredible thing about these passages is that each of them are found solely in Matthew. Does this mean then that the first Remnant alone undergoes a separation? Of course not. In fact, these accounts are not contradictions, where the riddles are revealed. Not every verse in each Gospel applies only to that representation, but the differences often speak, and speak consistently. And the fact is, some contradictions speak clear strong messages, as we have seen, and others whisper or are seemingly silent. For this reason, we will take these four verses in Matthew solely for their consistent message.

In Matthew 13:38-40, we read about the like separation of the two plants sown in the field – the wheat sown by the farmer and the tares sown by the enemy:

“… and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.”

In Matthew 13:47-48, we read about the like separation of the fish in the sea brought in by a dragnet – the good and the bad:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.”

In Matthew 25:11-12, we read about the like separation of two – the two groups of virgins going to the wedding, those with sufficient oil and those without:

“Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’”

In Matthew 25:32-33, we read about the like separation of the nations into two groups – the sheep and the goats:

“All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.”

Throughout time then, we see that Yahweh performs separations. We see this evidenced at the time of the first Remnant when in John 6:48-71, Yahshua spoke words of truth that caused many of His disciples to withdraw and not walk with Him anymore. And certainly before His return this like separation will be no exception.

As we see in the subject Matthew and Luke accounts where one is taken and one is left, the time at Yahshua’s return will be a time of sorting – sorting the Bride out of the body of Christ, so as to complete the work He began 2,000 years ago and establish the second olive tree, the second son of fresh oil, the second Remnant. This is the Elijah work that prepares the way for His return and will be called up to heaven to receive incorruptible immortal bodies and return with Him to rule and reign with Him for a thousand years.

Thus we see yet another evidence that the abomination of desolation and the great tribulation have taken place in the church for 2,000 years:

12. Matthew 24:37-41 and Luke 17:26-37, as well as 2 Peter 2:1-10, attest that Yahshua’s promised baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire comes to stop the desolation of the church that has taken place for 2,000 years.

Continue to page 8 of The Great Tribulation for THE SUN, MOON, AND STARS

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