ASCENDING ALIVE

 

 

This writing is presented to clearly examine what will take place and why during that wonderful and momentous time of the calling out of the Remnant from this earth for their cleansing, anointing, and atoning, their return with Yahshua, and Christianity's experience and promise. All of these events must occur within the framework of the fall festivals - Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

In order to help us understand the significance and meaning of these events, we will examine two clear Bible contradictions. But before we do, let us first lay out Yahweh's timing for these fall festival events. These events relate to the sacred calendar (vs. the civil calendar), and occur during the seventh month or Tishri. They are as follows:

(1.) Trumpets: 1st day of the seventh month

"'...you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to Yahweh'" (Leviticus 23:23-25; Numbers 29:1-6).

(2.) Day of Atonement: 10th day of the seventh month

"...it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to Yahweh. Neither shall you do any work on this same day..." (Leviticus 23:26-32; Numbers 29:7-11).

(3.) Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths): 15th day through the 21st day (seven days), plus an eighth day (or the 22nd) in the seventh month.

"On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to Yahweh. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to Yahweh; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work" (Leviticus 23:33-36; Numbers 29:12-38).

As you will find, these fall festival events provide the pattern for our entry into the coming future ages of Yahweh - the Millennial age, the following great white throne judgment, and beyond. It is important we understand these festival events if we want to understand Yahweh's work among men. The great significance of these events is further evidenced in that Tabernacles is specifically associated with going "up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahweh of hosts," and those who do not do so will not receive the rain (Zechariah 14:16f). This prophecy, like many others in Zechariah and Haggai and other books, will not be fulfilled in the natural, but in the spiritual. The rain spoken of here is not a natural rain, but the rain of the Holy Spirit, and the Jerusalem where Yahweh of hosts abides is Jerusalem above. Thus, Tabernacles is clearly the feast to be aware of and to understand as we mark the 2,000 year transition point of the church age, as we look to Yahweh for His latter rain, and as we anticipate the soon return of Yahshua.

This feast more particularly speaks of entering into the promised land, while Passover and Pentecost refer to coming out of Egypt and approaching the burning mountain. The fall feasts are generally regarded in the church as the time of the taking out of the saints and the return of Yahshua. In order to better understand how they are laid out and the pattern they reveal, let us now examine them on a time line.

We will consider in this writing three separate fulfillments of this pattern - first by the two-part Remnant, followed later by Christianity, and finally concluded by the world. It is most important to realize that all men must pass through this fall festival to receive immortal bodies. Trumpets and Tabernacles, with the most interesting Day of Atonement in between (Atonement, as you will see, has a dual meaning), specifically relates to entering into immortal incorruptible bodies. Yahweh will first take the Remnant through a necessarily altered application of these festival events, then later Christianity will pass through this festival, followed in time by the world.

As we have mentioned, Tabernacles also looks to the day in which Yahshua will return to this earth and Tabernacle among man. On a Tabernacles very soon, this should be exactly what happens. But we know that when He returns, He will bring with Him some "blessed and holy" ones who will reign with Him in the Millennium (Revelation 20:6). Who are these "blessed and holy" ones and how is it that they in fact gather with Him to reign? Though we will consider the three resurrections of the Remnant, Christianity, and the world, the main purpose of this writing is to reveal how and why the first fruits Remnant pass through this vital feast period by:

The Remnant will return with Yahshua on a normally scheduled Feast of Tabernacles on this earth; but before this can happen, Yahweh must first take them into heaven and perform, as it were, an early feast of the same fulfillment. In other words, what we find is the Remnant will be taken through a Feast of Tabernacles seven days prior to the normal fifteenth of the month. This establishment and glorification of the Remnant in advance of Yahweh's dealing with the remainder of mankind is an essential transition work in His plan. He always has seemingly "out of sequence" first fruits that enter into His provision prior to the whole. As we will see regarding the Remnant, it is their vital fulfillment that makes possible the entry of the remaining host of mankind into Yahweh's provision. They become the "anchor of hope" by initially entering within the veil (Hebrews 6:19). It is Yahweh's entry of this group into immortality as the holy of holies work, that allows for the like entrance and establishment of the remainder of mankind into immortality as Yahweh's completed temple.

And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect (Hebrews 11:39-40).

The "us" in reality must first be the Remnant that opens the way for all the rest of mankind who are waiting, both Christians as well as the world. Yahweh begins His fulfillment by first bringing in the "two sons of fresh oil," the two-part Remnant that is a part of the church whole that is "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says Yahweh of hosts" (Zechariah 4). For Yahweh to fulfill His work as "Yahweh of hosts, " He must first perform a unique and purer work by His Spirit. This work is accomplished through the two Remnants - first by their being taken out of this world and brought into priesthood, then by their reigning with Him as He subdues all nations.

This early entrance of the Remnant into immortality is evidenced by Enoch, Elijah, and those "holy ones" who temporarily came to life after Yahshua's resurrection from the dead - "and many bodies of the holy ones who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many" (Matthew 27:50-53). These were a prophetic prelude to the true first resurrection spoken of in Revelation 20:6 - "Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years." Even as the "holy ones" were raised early from the dead immediately following Yahshua's resurrection (though not to immortality), so the first fruits "blessed and holy" Remnant will seemingly be "early" in their unique fulfillment.

The two-part Remnant will be called up to be with Yahshua on Trumpets, as declared in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord (the second Remnant), shall not precede those who have fallen asleep (the first Remnant). For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

The first Remnant who are "dead in Christ" rise first, followed by the second Remnant, those who have the Elijah ministry and will not die and are being established at this present time to prepare the way for Yahshua's soon return.

This calling out of the Remnant on Trumpets is also seen in the law for calling an assembly. Two "trumpets of silver" were made for "summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out" (Numbers 10:1-10). Verse 4 tells us, and we will quote this in a more literal translation which will give us greater insight into its prophetic meaning - "Yet if one (trumpet) is blown, then the ones lifted up, the beginning of the thousands of Israel, shall assemble before you." This single trumpet calling the assembling of "the ones lifted up" who are the "beginning of the thousands," points to the assembling of the first fruits Remnant on Trumpets that begins and opens the way for thousands to follow.

What happens in heaven at this point is the main subject of this writing. Remember, Tabernacles is the feast that speaks of man's entrance into immortality. But Tabernacles does not occur for another fifteen days after Trumpets, so the Remnant's ascension at Trumpets is actually fifteen days before Tabernacles.

In order to understand what takes place in these fifteen days and why, we must carefully examine Yahweh's law, even as we just considered the important law for the calling of an assembly. Yahweh does nothing apart from His law, and we understand His ways and His plans only by examining and understanding His laws. But before we do, let us now consider these two relevant Bible contradictions. These will help us to begin to understand the full importance of these feast days and how they relate to the Remnant, as well as to Christianity and the world.

 

Continue to page 2 of Ascending Alive for SIX DAYS OR EIGHT DAYS?

Return to home page