THE GREAT TRIBULATION
GOSPEL COMPARISONS
This
section will accomplish two things.
First, by using the same gospel comparisons that have been used to see
the amazing truths of the contradiction riddles, we will see, once again, that
the abomination of desolation takes place at the beginning of the church, and
actually continues into and through Christianity. And by continuing these gospel comparisons, we will find
other amazing truths.
The
passages to be compared and examined are the related accounts of Matthew 24,
Mark 13, and Luke 21, where we find Yahshua’s reply to when the temple
will be destroyed and what will be the time of His coming. Clearly, this speaks to more than just
what took place in 70 A.D. It is
not the natural temple that Yahshua has concern for, but the spiritual temple
that is built with living stones.
What we will find now is that the real message of these passages is not
in what they simply say as written parables, but even moreso the truth that is
revealed in the differences, or even contradictions, of these accounts.
We
cannot provide these chapters to you in their entirety to read here, but will
only address the specific verses that will be compared. To read these chapters in full, read
them out of your own Bible. We
will be quoting from the NAS, with some changes, as it offers the more accurate
translation of the Scriptures from the Greek – though as we have
repeatedly seen, neither is it always correct. We will begin by quoting the passage that was cited at the
opening of this writing. From
Matthew 24:15 and 21 we read:
“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place (let the reader understand) …. For then there will be a great
tribulation, such as has not
occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.”
The
term “great tribulation” is only used here and in the two verses we
just examined – Revelation 2:22 and 7:14.
In
Mark 13:14 and 19 we read the like message:
“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader
understand)…. For those days will be a tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of
the creation which God created until now, and never will.”
You
will notice that both Matthew and Mark address the abomination of desolation,
as well as the tribulation, Matthew calling it the “great
tribulation.” It is
important to remember here that Matthew attests to the first Remnant, Mark to
Christianity, and Luke attests to the second Remnant. This is incredibly consistent, and its validation is laid
out in The Key
To Their Understanding.
Thus
we see here that First Remnant Matthew attests to the abomination of desolation
and the great tribulation, and Christianity Mark attests to the abomination of
desolation and tribulation as well.
This is remarkably appropriate, for as we have seen, this is the time of
the fulfillment of both of these.
Therefore, what then does second Remnant Luke, the work that reverses
the curse, cutting that period short and stopping the desolation, attest
to? In Luke 21:20 and 22 we read:
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then
recognize that her desolation is near. …because these are days of vindication/justice,
so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.”
Though
“desolation” is spoken of, Luke is quite different in its
message. First, the term used in
both Matthew and Mark – the abomination of desolation – is
decidedly absent in Luke. There is
no abomination of desolation in the second Remnant. For one, Yahshua Himself provides a man in the office of
Judas according to His will, timing, and provision (John 16:12-15). Also, there is no mention whatsoever of
tribulation! Instead, there is
vindication!
In
the NAS, the word they use for “vindication” is inappropriately
“vengeance.” But the
same Greek word used here, “ekdikesis,” is used in Luke 18:7 and 8
where it is translated “justice”:
“… will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and
night, and will He delay long over them?
I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on
the earth?”
In
Matthew 24:22, we find that the entire purpose for cutting the great
tribulation short is indeed for the sake of the elect:
“… but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”
In
Luke 21:22, we read that “these are days of justice, so that all things which are written will be
fulfilled.” And Luke 18:7-8
combines both of these to tell us that Yahweh God is bringing “about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night,” and He will
not “delay long over them, but “will bring about justice” for them quickly. This is what we need and must have
today – a quick work for the second Remnant elect, bringing days of
justice!
Without
question, the message of second Remnant Luke is decidedly different from the
preceding two. And look once again
at the closing of each of these statements, even the outcome of these three
Gospel messages. In Matthew 24:21,
the conclusion is:
“… great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of
the world until now, nor ever will.”
In
Mark 13:19, the like message is:
“… tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of
the creation which God created until now, and never will.”
But
once again the message in Luke, 21:22, is remarkably different, offering great
hope instead of sorrow in the world:
“… vindication/justice, so that all
things which are written will be fulfilled.”
Therefore,
in Matthew and Mark, we see testified the abomination of desolation that leads
to tribulation, even the great tribulation. Whereas in Luke we see testified desolation that leads to
justice for the elect, “so that all things which are written will be
fulfilled.”
So
once again we find, now in the contradiction riddles of the Gospels, added
evidence that the abomination of desolation takes place in the church,
effecting the great tribulation:
10. The contradiction riddle of Matthew, Mark,
and Luke attests that the abomination of desolation, as well as the great
tribulation, takes place in the first Remnant and Christianity, whereas
vindication/justice comes about with the second Remnant.
Let
us continue with these revealing comparisons. We just noted that the days of the abomination of desolation
of the church have to be cut short for the sake of the elect. Once again a comparison of these three
gospels prophesies not only this fact, but even its administration.
In
Matthew 24:22, immediately after stating in verse 21 that “there will be
great tribulation,” we read:
“Unless those days had been cut short, no
life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be
cut short.”
Then
in Mark 13:20, equally following the statement in verse 19 that “those
days will be a tribulation,” we read the like message:
“Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the
sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.”
We
know that the days spoken of here are the 3,000 years of the abomination of
desolation, the great tribulation, the three hours of darkness, which would
last for their entire tenure unless Yahweh sends the Elijah and stops this great
and terrible day. So, since the
second Remnant is in fact the Elijah work, would this not be evidenced in
Luke? Indeed so. Therefore, what we find is that
following the subject passage in Luke regarding vindication, there is no
mention at all of this Luke period being cut short. That message is totally absent! Why? Because
there is no abomination of desolation or great tribulation to cut short. That period is relegated to the first
Remnant and Christianity. It is
their period that must be cut short – so it is not mentioned at all in
Luke.
Occupying
this comparative place instead, very significantly, is a passage that is
appropriately found solely in Luke.
But when you read this, once again realize that the
“Jerusalem” Yahshua speaks of is certainly not that literal
city. Natural Jerusalem was only a
type of a greater fulfillment.
Yahshua always spoke in parables, and Jerusalem was no exception to
this. The Jerusalem He speaks of
is the kingdom of heaven that He prematurely began here on earth. Thus, in Luke 21:24 we read:
… Jerusalem will be trodden down by the
nations until the times of the nations are completed.
This
is undoubtedly the most important statement of our time! Nothing at this time could impact the world
more than this governmental conclusion. No longer would the
nations have the legal right to rule over the kingdom, but the kingdom would
have the legal right to rule over the nations. And again, this vital proclamation is solely identified with
and related to the Luke second Remnant.
Furthermore, this is stated here in clear contrast to Matthew and
Mark’s need to cut their days short for the sake of the elect.
We
already noted in Revelation 2:24-28 that this promise regarding the nations is
to those who reject the teachings of Jezebel – “to him I will
give authority over the nations”
– and that today is the
fulfillment of this test, specifically for the Elijah. It is quite fitting for this passage
regarding the times of the nations being completed to be recorded solely here
in Luke, especially in contrast to the time of the first Remnant and
Christianity being cut short. It
is a fulfillment that can only take place now, at the conclusion of the 6,000 years
when Passover and Trumpets/Tabernacles, as well as the nations and the kingdom
of heaven, can be flipped back so that the latter can take their rightful place
of being first/foremost. Only now
can the original flip be reversed, and only in second Remnant Luke is this
promise regarding the times of the nations being completed testified to.
What
we have seen evidenced thus far is that Matthew and Mark consistently reveal
the same testimony in these chapters; and Luke is not only different in
content, but also in message. The
reason for this is not by accident, for concerning the desolation of the church
and its restoration by the second Remnant, the first Remnant and Christianity
together occupy the first “two parts,” identified in Zechariah 13:8
as those who are “cut off and die.” It is the third part that is distinctly different, the part
that is identified in Luke.
In
further like testimony, what is the warning to these first two Matthew and Mark
parts, in contrast to the Luke work?
In Matthew 24:5 we read:
“For many will come in My name, saying,
‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.”
In
like message, we read in Mark 13:6:
“Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I
am He!,’ and will
mislead many.”
Thus
we see the message in both the Matthew first Remnant and Mark Christianity, that
they will be mislead. So what then
is the corollary message in second Remnant Luke, who is the Zerah light
work? In Luke 21:8 we see a
message that is quite encouraging for this time:
“See to it that you are not misled; for many
will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them.”
The
message for the first Remnant and Christianity is that they will be mislead,
which has certainly been the case.
But the message to the second Remnant is to not go after this deception. The time that Christians teach is at
hand is great wrath and distress; but we cannot go after these teachings. They read these passages and think that
it is natural wrath and a natural beast and natural Jerusalem, when it is not
at all. These are only pictures
and parables; and the time before us is the promised restoration of all things,
preparing the way for Yahshua’s return. Elijah must first prepare the way – and that Elijah is
the promised Luke second Remnant who is not mislead.
The
next revealing difference in these three Gospels is regarding the priceless
quality of endurance. In Matthew
24:13 we read:
“But the one who endures to the end, he
will be saved.”
And
likewise with the same message, in Mark 13:13 we read:
“You will be hated by all because of My
name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
But,
as in all of these accounts, Luke 21:19 bears a different and highly relevant
message:
“By your endurance you will gain your
lives.”
It
is one thing to be saved, and yet die; and quite another to gain your life and
not die. This seems to be the
message here, one that is consistent with the contrast between the first
Remnant and the body of Christ who are “cut off and die,” and the
Elijah second Remnant who do not die but ascend alive.
Here
is another interesting comparison.
In first Remnant Matthew 24:28, we read a most unusual statement made by
Yahshua:
“Wherever the dead corpse [4430] is, there the eagles will gather.”
Yet
in Luke 17:37, we find a completely different meaning in the same account.
“Where the living body [4983] is, there also the eagles will be gathered.”
This
statement is not recorded in Mark.
What can these marked differences mean? In context, both of these statements have to do with
Yahshua’s return. In
Matthew, the issue is relative to a dead corpse; whereas in Luke it is a living
body. Undoubtedly, the simplest
answer to this is the first resurrection.
Is Christianity in the first resurrection? No. Their
resurrection is not for another 3,000 years. Therefore, we see that this promise of being with Yahshua,
being an eagle who ascends to Him, is not found in Mark. So who is the dead corpse in
Matthew? This is the first
Remnant, who are indeed dead, but are numbered as the awaiting Moses work. They are those of whom it is written in
1 Thessalonians 4:16 – “the dead in Christ will rise
first.” So who then are those
who are the living bodies in Luke?
They are, of course, the living Elijah work who do not die but ascend alive. As 1 Thessalonians 4:17 then adds,
“Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the
Lord.”
Thus
we see the two parties that are in the first resurrection: the Matthew first
Remnant who are dead, and the Luke second Remnant who are alive at the time of
His calling. These are the eagles
who gather to be with Yahshua.
Likewise, it is very telling that this is not recorded in Christianity
Mark, for they will not be in the first resurrection. There are no eagles gathering in Mark.
Also,
it is noteworthy that, as evidenced here, one cannot say that Matthew and Mark
or simply similar accounts. For
here we see that when the message needs to be the similarity of the first and
second Remnants, that message prophesies as well, once again confirming the key to their
understanding.
Next
is a highly revealing comparison.
In Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, and Luke 21:33, we find the identical
statement in each verse:
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My
words will not pass away.”
That
consistent anchor statement is the doorway to a most interesting and
hope-filled contradiction riddle. First,
in the very next verse in Matthew 24:36, that statement is followed with:
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but
the Father alone.”
In
Mark 13:32, that statement is then followed with:
“But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but
the Father alone.”
But
in Luke 21:34-35, as usual it is different, remarkably different! Instead of first Remnant
Matthew’s and Christianity Mark’s statement that they will not know
the day or the hour, second Remnant Luke not only gives an entirely different
conclusion, but adds a warning regarding being ready for that day:
“Be on guard,
so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness
and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a
trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the
earth.”
Did
the first Remnant or does Christianity know the time of Yahshua’s
coming? As we read here, they have
not known and do not know. But
even as Elijah knew the time of his catching up, so the Elijah second Remnant
will know their time. The
Bride’s instruction is to “be on guard.” As Yahshua’s bride, we are to
make ourselves ready (Revelation 19:7).
In
like testimony, in Matthew 24:42, the first Remnant’s specific message
continues:
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not
know which day your Lord is coming.”
And
in like consistent and affirming testimony, Christianity Mark 13:35-36 then
adds:
“Therefore, be on the alert--for you do not know when the
master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the
rooster crows, or in the morning – in case he should come suddenly and
find you asleep.”
But
adding even more hope and expectation for the Remnant, Luke 21:36 then adds:
“But keep on the alert at all times, praying
that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take
place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
This
sleep that Mark Christianity is under is likewise seen on the mount of
transfiguration and in the garden at Gethsemane where three-part Peter, James,
and John were sleeping. Thus far,
2,000 years of Christians are asleep; and if Yahweh did not cut time short, all
three of these Peter, James, and Johns would sleep. But once again you will notice the consistent difference
between Matthew and Mark, versus Luke.
Second Remnant Luke always offers hope and promise that we escape, and
even cut short, the great tribulation, and stand before the Son of Man in
heaven.
There
is so very much more that could be covered in this examination, but hopefully
you see that the truth given in these accounts is in the parables, in the
contradictions. Regarding some of
the other passages, do you really think that when Yahshua said that “the
sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will
be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be
shaken” (Mark 13:24-25), that this could actually be literal? There is no way this could or will
literally take place. They are
prophetic. These things are no more
literal than when we read in Revelation 12:1 that a woman was clothed in the
sun, had the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars,
a third of which are swept away by Satan’s tail. These are all like parables.
Likewise,
when we read that when they see the abomination of desolation they are to flee
to the mountains, etc. (Matthew 24:16-20, Mark 13:15-18, or Luke 21:21), that
too is no more literal than it will be that the temple is rebuilt. Let’s get realistic! Who in Jerusalem could flee into the
mountains around that city and escape?
Number one, they could never flee.
That area is highly restricted and controlled. They would have to cross into Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, or the
hostile West Bank to flee to literal mountains. And there is no place that anyone can hide in those
areas. One jet and you’re
toast! Clearly, this is a parable.
When
faced with the choice between evolution and creation, it has been noted that it
takes more faith to believe in evolution, because it just is not possible. Believing in a literal temple and all
of these literal scenarios, including the scenarios with the sun, moon, and
stars, is like believing in evolution – it is just not possible. It is forced belief, a willful choice
of ignorance.
Likewise,
to think that today someone would actually be grinding at a mill or working in
a field, is no more literal than it is when Yahshua next stated that
“Where the body is, there also the eagles will be gathered.” If you are going to make the bed,
field, and grinding place literal, then you have to make the eagles literal. So, what Yahshua is really concerned
about is gathering together a great aviary!
Or
when He said that when the Son of Man is revealed, the one who is on a housetop
is not to go into the house or the man in the field is to not turn back, these
are all parables.
Yahshua wanted no one to know what would take place during this time of His return and the establishment of His kingdom until its consummation, so He spoke everything in parables. And carnal-minded Christians have done exactly what those parables were intended to do – they took the word of God, processed it with the flesh, made everything literal, and served their dung to others. No one anticipated that when the Messiah came the first time that He would come as He did and be killed. It caught everyone by surprise. So once again it will be with Christian teachings. Christians are nowhere near the truth, but are natural-minded and can only try to compose all of these natural science fiction accounts in order to explain what are spiritual truths.
Again,
the truth in these accounts is in the parables, the contradiction riddles in a
comparison of Matthew, Mark, and Luke – consistent, highly revealing, and
confirming truth.
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.
To
read The Great Tribulation in
full, click here.