ASCENDING ALIVE
CONT., page 7
SEVEN DAYS EARLY
When Trumpets calls out the Remnant, their early ascension out of this earth and fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles cannot nullify the law. We thus find that there are legal provisions for relocating a feast. For example, the law allowed for the man who was unclean at the time of Passover to observe a delayed Passover the following month (Numbers 9:1-12). The day could be moved if circumstances required it. Also, since the sacred calendar was based on lunar time, every few years it was necessary to add an entire month as a leap month to keep time in order, moving all the festivals. Likewise, in order that the law be fulfilled, it will be necessary to advance time seven days so that the Feast of Tabernacles can be observed by the Remnant early. This "early" observance, which can only be carried out by Yahweh, assures Christianity that they too will later be able to follow in the normal observation of the transforming feast.
There are a number of very important scriptures we must examine regarding this matter of moving the Feast of Tabernacles forward seven days for the Remnant. As you will see, the following passage is undoubtedly fulfilled by the Remnant's early observation of Tabernacles. Read this passage from Amos 8:9-10.
"And it will come about in that day," declares the Lord Yahweh, "That I shall make the sun go down at noon and make the earth dark in broad daylight. Then I shall turn your festivals into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring sackcloth on everyone's loins and baldness on every head. And I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and the end of it will be like a bitter day."
The "day" that fulfills this scripture will indeed be the day when the Remnant is taken out of this earth. It will be a day that will cause Christianity to enter a time of mourning and lamentation, even as the sorrowful Day of Atonement shortly follows Trumpets. When the Remnant are taken out of the earth on Trumpets on the first day of the seventh month, Christians will be left here to observe the sorrowful and repentive Day of Atonement on the tenth. But why is it necessary that the "sun go down at noon"? What can this accomplish?
First, obviously for the sun to go down at noon Yahweh must advance time. Another way of saying this is that He must take a normal event and hold it early - at noon time. This is exactly what Yahweh will do with the Feast of Tabernacles for the Remnant. He will cause it to be early - "at noon." In fact, the wording of this particular scripture allows the Remnant to fulfill it entirely, without there being a literal darkness at noon. In other words, there would not be a literal setting of the sun, but rather a spiritual fulfillment. Before we address this, let us give another example of a natural prophecy that is fulfilled spiritually in people (and there are many). We see the same capacity of the Remnant to "spiritually" fulfill other natural passages like this.
In Zechariah 14:4 we read - "and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south." The "Mount of Olives" that Yahshua stands on and causes to split will not be the literal mountain in the area of Jerusalem. In fact, the "Mount of Olives" is already split. This mountain is the same two Remnant "sons of fresh oil" olive trees of Zechariah 4, the two olive tree witnesses of Revelation 11:4, and the "olive leaf" with which the dove returned upon being sent out a second time (Genesis 8:11). Yahshua placed His foot (His kingdom rights, which He imparts here) upon this "Mount of Olives" Remnant and split them into two parts - the first and second Remnant. These two parts thus receive the rights to reign with Yahshua in His kingdom. The mountain of the Remnant was "split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley." Christianity is the "breach," the "very large valley," that split the Remnant. Thus we see a natural passage that is fulfilled spiritually in a "living" mountain of people - the "olive" people. Likewise, the sun will not literally go down at noon; but will rather be fulfilled in an "early" work in the Remnant. Let us see what this work is.
The law provides on many, many occasions (there are thirty-two references in the NAS concordance) that a person was "unclean" for various reasons until evening. They were "unclean" until the sun went down. Once the sun set they were considered "clean." (And remember here, "evening" was when Elijah's offering was accepted by Yahweh over that of Baal's, as He licked it up by fire.) Most importantly to note, the setting sun was a legal cleansing. When Yahweh declared that He would make "the sun go down at noon," He was clearly saying that He would cleanse some on a time schedule that was not normal! Timewise, they would be cleansed "early." This is exactly what Yahweh will do for the Remnant. He will bring the Remnant to cleansing "early," before the normal end of the day. This is very important, because as we have seen, Yahweh cannot legally harvest His Nazirites in the Millennial day following His return! They must be harvested before that day! Thus, not only are the Remnant Nazirites actually harvested 1,000 years early, cutting the church's days short from three to two, but Yahweh will cut the days of the fall festivals short (actually be stacking time, even as we see in the writing The Issue - II), allowing the Remnant to experience Tabernacles seven days early.
Not only is the sun going down the time of legal cleansing, it is also the time of the sighting of the new moon; and these two are certainly related for obvious reasons - both apply to the Remnant.
There are two passages in the New Testament that affirm this shift in time and give insight into the duration of Christianity. Let us here examine the relevance of these verses to the seven day shift. In both of these passages we see clear statements of Yahweh's need to shorten time.
"And 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" (Mark 13:20).
But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;... (1 Corinthians 7:29).
We see that Yahweh shortens time "for the sake of the elect." First, who are the elect? We cannot answer this by just saying - the church. Indeed the church is the "elect," but the church is a two-part work. Up until now the church has not been able to see that Yahweh is taking a Remnant out who will initially fulfill His promises. In fact, it is the Remnant who will be the first great fulfillment of this passage, though in time what Yahweh accomplishes for the Remnant will indeed be for the benefit of the entire "elect" group. In reality, as we have just said, Yahweh will shorten the days of the church from three to two; but equally so, we find that He will shorten the Remnant's days by a total of fourteen in order to bring them into Tabernacles early. By shortening these days and bringing the elect Remnant in "early," Yahweh saves the entire elect, and not just the elect but the entire world. We thus begin to understand more clearly the ominous fact that, "unless Yahweh had shortened those days," and brings into immorality and glory the Remnant, "no life would have been saved." Praise Yahweh for His marvelous saving works!
We cannot dwell long on the passage in 1 Corinthians 7:29. One will find in verses 29 through 35 valuable instruction for the last-days second Remnant regarding their attitude and devotion during this time. Yahweh is shortening time for the Remnant, and it is very worthwhile for anyone who desires to be a part of the second Remnant to consider and ponder these very sober and challenging verses.
But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away. But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly, and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
Another testimony of Yahweh advancing time is 2 Kings 20:8-11. Let us read this interesting passage regarding Yahweh's response to Hezekiah's otherwise fatal illness.
Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What will be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of Yahweh the third day?" And Isaiah said, "This shall be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?" So Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps." And Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh, and He brought the shadow on the steps back ten steps by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz.
Here we find that Yahweh moved time backward as a testimony that Hezekiah would be healed and "go up to the house of Yahweh the third day." This is precisely what will happen to the Remnant. Time will be backed up so that they can "go up to the house of Yahweh the third day," or during the third 1,000 year period of the church, as equally indicated in Hosea 6:1-3 and Luke 13:32.
Now for a final evidence of moving these Tabernacle events forward, as well as a most important and revealing understanding. This early observance of Tabernacles is equally evidenced by Yahshua's triumphal entry into Jerusalem during the days just prior to Passover. At His entry, one sees as it were an early in-part application of Tabernacles. The people, upon hearing of Yahshua's coming, spread their garments before Him, along with "branches of the palm trees" (John 12:13) and "leafy branches" (Mark 11:8), laying them before Him. These, we find, are the exact objects used in the Feast of Tabernacles.
Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God for seven days (Leviticus 23:40).
What we see taking place here just before Passover, is an in-part representation of the Feast of Tabernacles. Thus we see once again the Tabernacles work moved, this time quite extensively, and linked here with Passover.
With this combining of a pre-Passover entry with a Tabernacles representation, we begin to see a most important association. What we find is that while the last seven and the eighth day in this period of the Remnant in heaven are a fulfillment of Tabernacles, the preceding seven days are a heavenly fulfillment of Unleavened Bread. Thus when an earthly Trumpets calls the Remnant into heaven, their first seven days there will be a fulfillment of Unleavened Bread, while the next eight days immediately thereafter are the days of Tabernacles.
This seven day Unleavened Bread fulfillment is clearly evidenced insomuch that the Remnant are the first fruit unto Yahweh, which is what Passover and Unleavened Bread is all about. We read in the writing Passover, the Promise for the First-born, that the Remnant are in fact the fulfillment of the Passover promise that death would pass over the first born Remnant. This promise is more literally fulfilled in the second Remnant who do not die but defeat death by ascending alive. Therefore, once again, it is entirely appropriate that the first seven days of the Remnant in heaven would be associated with Unleavened Bread as well.
There is yet another telling tie between these two feasts. We have noted that the period of Christianity is the period of the church in the wilderness. At the completion of that original forty year wilderness period, the remnant of those people who survived death were able to enter into the promised land. This looks to the Remnant who, now at the completion of the forty Jubilee wilderness period of Christianity, likewise enter alive into heaven as promised. Looking at the entrance of the sons of Israel into the promised land, in particular regarding its timing, we find once again an Unleavened Bread/Tabernacles testimony.
While we cannot go into the evidence here (this is covered in other writings), the first time the sons of Israel were brought up to the promised land was specifically at the time of Tabernacles - the grape harvest. Upon this occasion they sent in spies and decided they could not enter in, thus causing them to be sent into the wilderness. The second time they were brought up to the promised land they did enter in, and this was specifically at Passover/Unleavened Bread. While we cannot go into all that is evidenced here regarding the Remnant and Christianity, let us note once again that entrance into the promised land is specifically an Unleavened Bread/Tabernacles event! And even as the sons of Israel crossed over into the promised land and forthwith celebrated Passover and Unleavened Bread (Joshua 5:10), so the Remnant will enter into the heavenly promised land and forthwith celebrate a seven day Unleavened Bread. And as we learn in the writing Tabernacles and Devoted Things, after Passover the sons of Israel next carried out the Tabernacles work of overtaking Jericho. Thus we see once again the testimony of Unleavened Bread followed by Tabernacles as necessary for entering into the promised land.
Given the testimony we see of both Unleavened Bread and Tabernacles with entrance into the promised land, the combining of these two feasts at Yahshua's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the relevance of the Remnant to the Passover and seven day Unleavened Bread celebration, and the fact that if the civil calendar were to be stacked onto the ceremonial calendar, the two feasts would overlap one another, we see that the seven and seven and eighth day are indeed the periods of Unleavened Bread followed by Tabernacles. Let us see this overlap in graphic form.
Do you see now that Yahweh will move the Feast of Tabernacles up seven days early in order to bring the Remnant into immortality early? The Feast of Tabernacles is the feast that applies to immortality and abiding with Yahshua, and in order for the Remnant to experience the benefits thereof, that feast must be moved forward seven days.
Of course this must be a supernatural event, even as the sun going down at noon would be supernatural, or moving time forward for Hezekiah was supernatural. To accomplish this, He will not leave the Remnant here on earth under the laws of the natural, but will take them up to heaven to fulfill His laws on a higher, super-natural plane. These whom He removes early on Trumpets will be His high priests who must be prepared in advance in order to return with Him on the normal Feast of Tabernacles. These will be His first fruits Remnant who beforehand had heralded His return and will reign with Him for one thousand years as stated in Revelation 20:6. These are the ones who had "the sun go down at noon" in order to be cleansed.
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