Our Hope for Fall,

2012, and Beyond

Let me relate to you two recent amazing events that attest to the significance of initiating Bride events in 1994, and give us hope for Yahweh to do something towards the latter rain in the fall of 2012. In order to fully and rightly cover this, which is most worthy, it will not be brief.

In the last month or so, I have had contacts from two separate women in California which confirm the Elijah work and point to an Elijah/Carmel work in 2012. The two ladies are Cynthia and Olivia. We will examine both of these testimonies, and begin with one that, quite honestly, has every indication of being a sovereign work and clear testimony of Yahweh God. You will see exactly what I mean when you read this truly amazing account; and, you will want to read this carefully.

On July 7, 2012, I received an email from Cynthia, whom I have been communicating with for over a year. Here is what she wrote:

Hi Gary:

I have a question: what is the significance of Benjamin in the Bible? Also, the reference pertaining to his return? Could Benjamin be a type of “Elijah”?

Cynthia

This email began a series of exchanges and conversations regarding this matter of the Elijah. She asked this question for a very specific reason—pertaining to a sovereign work of Yahweh which she had not understood for thirty years. On July 10 she followed up by sending me an account of a dream she had on September 25, 1982. You will want to keep this date and this dream in mind, for it was the beginning of a string of amazing events unfolding over this thirty-year period, culminating with today. Here was her dream:

In the fall of 1982, I had a very intense dream of Yahshua. I would prefer to call it a vision; however, I am not certain as to be worthy of such. In this dream, it began in the Holy Land; and I was walking across a great desert with a group of other Christians. We were hot, thirsty, and very tired. I could feel the sand burning on my feet, as I wore no sandals.

All of a sudden, through the sand clouds, we saw a village which looked like Bethlehem. It had a great stone wall around it, and a very small opening in which to enter in. We all were looking forward to entering, when we heard a great clap of thunder, coming from the North. Someone in the group said we must hurry on to the village for shelter before the storm came. I felt something holding me back, like the hand of Yahweh. I told them to go on ahead without me, so they did.

As I watched, I saw that they could not get through the narrow gate. They turned and ran in the direction from which we had come; and I called out to stop but they could not hear me. Now I was left alone.

The wind began to stir mightily, and I loved the feeling of it—a very peaceful wind that encompassed my soul. As I stood there, it got dark in a matter of seconds, and I began to fear. When I looked up, the whole sky was filled with tiny sparkling stars, billions of them, and they began to fall on me. The stars were bright and filled with peace, and they entered inside of me, filling me with a peace which I had never known. The shower of stars did not last long, but I stood there with my arms outstretched, wanting more of them, hungering and thirsting for them! In ecstasy, I fell to the ground and fell asleep upon the sand with the wind encompassing me like a cradle.

The next morning, I woke up to another hot day, and could smell the aroma of foreign foods cooking, as it was breakfast time. The sun lit up the little village, and it seemed an oasis. Rising up from the sand, I felt in awe from the night’s experience, so much so that I could barely move my legs to walk. But I came up to the little opening in the stone wall (where the others had failed to get through), and amazingly I entered it with no trouble at all. I strolled along the village streets, listening to the village waking up. I heard a rooster crowing, and smelled the scent of an odd meat cooking. The village was still coming out of its night’s sleep.

As I strolled along the path, my feet already burning on the stones, to the right I heard a door creaking open. I turned to look and saw a person on the inside, their hand on the door’s edge, beginning to open it. It was an arched door, made out of ancient wood. In some places the boards were falling apart, and it sounded like it had not been open for a very long time. Being curious as to who this was inside, I went up to it. Looking down, I saw a foot, a bare foot like mine, but the foot of a man. The foot became light, and I knew this was the foot of Yahshua. Don’t ask me how I knew; I just knew. His presence filled me up, and I fell with tears to the foot.

When I finally looked up, why yes… it was Yahshua!! His face was so beautiful, and our eyes met. “Do not fear,” He said. “Rise up, daughter, and come with Me. I have been waiting for you for so long now, and must show you something that is very precious to Me.” I rose up, and He took my hand. He then took me up some stone stairs to an upper room. The stones were shaded and felt so nice and cool on my feet!

When I got to the upper room, I was amazed at what I saw: an empty room, excepting one solitary table and two chairs seated across from one another. In the corner was a tarp, a very old one, covering something…. I did not know what. The most interesting thing about this room was that it had a sand floor, just like the beach! I asked Yahshua if this was the “house built upon the sand.” He nodded with a smile, glad that I had made the connection! “Sit down, My daughter, and eat with Me.” We sat down in the chairs, Him across from me.

He took out some bread, and it was hot, fresh, and delicious. “Eat of this bread, daughter, as it is the bread which is fitting for you.” The fresh bread did not match the ancient surroundings, but I ate of it, and it was newly baked and so delicious. The fact that He had given it to me made it all the more tasty.

After we ate the bread, Yahshua looked down at the table’s top and began to weep. This completely floored me and broke my heart. There was no way I could see my King weep, and not feel His sadness. He reached over and took my hand and pulled me up from the table, walking me over to whatever it was that was covered by the old tarp. “I cry and weep for them, My daughter,” He said. “For who???,” I asked. “For My lost children,” He said. At that moment, He reached over, took the tarp by its edge, and with a force that made a snap (which almost frightened me), He pulled it off the object.

There before us was an old cradle. It had the essence of missing children in it…. Yes, where were the children? The old wooden cradle had a white lace tent over it; but the lace was torn and tattered, almost useless. The pillow was stained with many tears. Everything about this old, ancient cradle seemed… yes, sad… very sad! “My children are not in here, not in the cradle. You must help them…. You must find them for Me…. You must go…. You must go get them.” He wept bitterly from the heart. “What is it You want me to do??? Tell me and I will obey.” He sat back down in the chair, and again I took the one across from Him. This time, it was I who reached out and took His hand. The last thing He said was, “When I tell you to go, then you must go.”

Frustrated with not knowing my full mission, I almost shouted at Him, “Go…, go…, go…, go where???” But He was gone. My King was gone. I was left alone in that room and I did not like it. But, I slowly got up, walked over to the cradle, and felt the torn lace between my fingers. The fabric was stiff, shoddy, and rotten. I tried to rock it, but it would not rock. The sand underneath would not allow it to rock. Feeling its sadness, and its emptiness, I fell before it and wept.

This was the end of my dream.

You should note some things here that will be repeated in the next event. Keep in mind: the stars that entered into Cynthia, the narrow opening she had to pass through, that the place she entered into was Bethlehem, and the command for her to go when she was told to go.

This dream was profoundly impacting in her life. She wrote me: “Eleven years went by and my dream never left me; Yahshua’s sad face never left me. My dream carried me through some very difficult times in my [life]—through a lot of pain and tears. When I remembered that face of Yahshua, weeping, it somehow comforted me.”

But, Cynthia could have never anticipated what would take place next—something beyond her imagination. Eleven years to the day after this dream, September 25, 1993, she was visited by an angel. Yes, I said angel. When I first read this about an angel, I was skeptical. But, after I read and reread and studied the account, and talked with her personally about this and the subsequent events several times, I do not doubt that it was indeed an angel. And why not? If we are approaching the coming of Immanuel, it would not be unusual for angels to bear messages to man, and certainly to a woman. (More on this in page/section 3.) Angels did so before the birth of Yahshua. But, you be the judge. On July 11, 2012, Cynthia sent the following report, preceded by this introductory note:

Please remember that when these experiences happened to me, I was a torn and broken person. Just as you mention being a man of sorrows from your losses, I had experienced so much loss and pain. So, these experiences came in a way to give me hope, and are not in any way a type of elevation of myself whatsoever. I most certainly was in the place of lowly when they occurred.

The lowly she is referring to here is the Land of Lowly in Purity and the Golden Ball. And keep in mind as you read this, that when the angel spoke these things to her, she was not even remotely aware of the things he was speaking of, having no foreknowledge about them whatsoever. She had no idea that the Scriptures spoke to these very things concerning Benjamin, and had no knowledge at all regarding a physical tomb for Rachel in Bethlehem, and most certainly knew nothing whatsoever about the interior of that tomb that afforded her fulfillment of what the angel told her to do. Again, these are the kinds of things that make one think twice about the reality and relevance of this. Thus we continue:

One night, eleven years precisely from the night I had the first dream of the old cradle and heard the voice of Yahshua say, “You must go, you must go,” I woke up to what was a bright light in the bedroom. My first thought was that it was dawn; but I looked at the clock next to my bed and it was only 3:00 in the morning. I felt a being in the room—some divine presence. I did not see any angel, but felt the presence of what I now believe was most definitely an angel… and a male one, not a female one.

The angel instructed me on three accounts. The first thing it said was: “Do not touch your husband; he is unclean; but you are not.” (Two weeks later, I found out my husband had tested positive for HIV. I went and got tested too, but my test was negative. Three years later, I was tested again, and it was negative. My husband and I were awaiting the final divorce papers at this time.) [Her husband had become homosexual.]

The second command was: “Do not fear.” My heart was pounding out of my chest, but it was holy awe, not fear.

The third command was more involved, and the angel said my name: “Cynthia, you are to go to the Holy Land; you are to go to Rachel’s Tomb. You must pass through the narrow way, and pray for Benjamin to come forth. If he does not come back, then the blame will be before the Father forever.” (This was a direct quote. I later found out about Genesis 44:32.)

The angel went on: “Benjamin has the three pieces of silver, and they are the three-part works; he must bring them back. He still has the five garments, and they must be laid before the Father. The garments represent the garments of truth, the only truth that will reveal what has to happen to prepare the way for Yahshua’s return. The nations must wake up and know the truth! Go to the tomb of Rachel; through her death Benjamin was brought forth. Write down on a piece of paper these words: ‘Bring him forth,’ and tie it to her casket. The Lord will be with you, Cynthia; He will guide you. When you go on your journey, do not bring anything but the dress you wear, and cover your head at all times. This will please the Lord, and thus He will take care of you. You must go now…. You have known that He wanted you to go.”

Before I forgot anything, I wrote it all down in my spiritual journal… everything! At that time, I did not know that there was an actual Rachel’s Tomb, just outside the gate of Bethlehem. I had never ever heard of Rachel’s Tomb. And I actually doubted what I had heard, because with going through a divorce and losing everything, there was no way I could afford to go on a mission to the Holy Land! I sort of walked around holding this deep secret inside of myself. But as time went on, and I became familiar with the story of Benjamin in the Bible, and also read in Genesis 35:20—“And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb to this very day”—and I found out from some sources that there was an actual Rachel’s Tomb in which was a shrine built above the spot of her death, I prayed for Yahweh to make sense of what I heard.

But as I said, the fact that the first thing the angel said was that my husband was unclean, and I was not; well, when that was verified by test results, I at that time trusted the words which were spoken. And the second command, to fear not, echoed through me later on when I had valid reason to fear. At the memory of this third command, I also remembered my dream eleven years before, and how Yahshua had instructed me to “Go.” So… this was kind of exciting for me, as I knew the “vision would not tarry” too much longer.

The appointed time came sooner than I expected! Two months later, my grandmother would pass away. I knew she was going to leave me some money, and I went to her while she was on her deathbed and asked for her blessing upon my trip. All she said was, “Be careful.” She took my hand in hers, and smiled at me.

Yahweh helped me to move forward with the plans. Things just came together, almost in mysterious fashion. I ran into someone at the church who had just come back from the Holy Land, and they handed me a list of phone numbers to call. One was a couple who lived in Jerusalem who accepted visitors from the Americas, and one was the number of an Israeli family who had converted to Christianity. They lived in Bethlehem, and the father of the family had a ministry of distributing Bibles to Israeli families who converted to Christianity. Another was the number of a single woman who had come to visit the Holy Land on her vacation, and she never returned back to the States.

I thought this was from Yahweh—a good start! Acting on faith, even before calling any of the people in Israel, I made arrangements with my job to take off for two weeks. Then, I got my passport and made arrangements to fly. I was so excited to have the ticket in my hand! It was now in the fall, and later on I found out that I had booked the flight right when Israel was celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles!! This was from Yahweh!

All of these steps were acts of faith, one step leading to another. I ordered a map of the Holy Land, and there was a star at all the sites, including one for Rachel’s Tomb. I hoped it would work out to go and stay with the family in Bethlehem, as they lived within walking distance from there. I kept a journal of the scriptures Yahweh revealed to me, one after another, up until the time I left. I forgot to mention that I was also instructed by the angel to abstain from all meat until my trip was over. So, I even arranged to have vegetarian meals while on the plane. [Remember, in the dream there was the smell of an odd meat.]

People in my church began to think I was really off my rocker. There was a lot going on at that time, lots of bombings in the occupied territories where I would be staying. And some said that with my blue eyes and blond hair, I would never come back alive! The pastor’s assistant took me aside and wanted to know why I was going, and why I was going all alone. I told him that I did not wish to say why. He told me I was “being rebellious” and that I would not go “with the blessings of the church.” Oh, well…. So be it!

Two nights before I was to leave, I finally called one of the three numbers. This was the family in Bethlehem who were closest to Rachel’s Tomb. Diane answered, and she did not speak very good English. But she was so nice, and said they had a large place and plenty of room for me. She said something very odd: “We have been waiting for you to come. Issah, my husband, will be so happy you are finally going to come!” I asked Diane if there was anything they needed, and she said they needed shoes for all three children. [By the way, feet are kingdom rights.] I wrote down the names of the children, and their shoe sizes: Basheer and Fadi (boys), and a little girl named Grace. [Two boys, followed by a girl—Grace! Most fitting!] I was beginning to get so excited! I planned to stay with them for only one week, as they were having a group of German converts come to hear Issah speak about his ministry, and would need the full space of the home. Where I would go after that for the remaining week, I did not know. I was resolved to trusting Yahweh for His divine care and grace.

I will not go into much detail about the trip, other than that of going to Rachel’s Tomb. The day I arrived at the Holy Land, I felt as though my feet were truly going to be walking on holy ground, the very ground that perhaps Yahshua had walked upon. The second feeling of awe was that I did not feel I was going to a strange land, but that I was “going home”! I kept a diary of my journey, and still have it. I am in awe of how Yahweh took such good care of me, sometimes in ever-miraculous ways! I never had to buy a meal, and met one person through another who welcomed me into their homes.

Rachel’s Tomb, similar to as it appeared in 1993

Let me now tell you about Rachel’s Tomb and my experience there. Issah, a big tall six foot three Israeli man, accompanied me by foot to the tomb. It was a strange day. Even though it was fall, the humidity was high, and it was a kind of Indian Summer. I had written on a piece of paper what the angel had told me to write, and at that point did not realize that once inside, there was an actual casket.

Picture taken by Cynthia of back side of

Rachel’s Tomb showing Tabernacles/Sukkot booth

There were many people lined up outside to get in. The crowds grow larger around the Feast, Issah said. So the wait was hot and the people pushed ahead. Once inside, there was a type of stone entry room. On the far end was what Issah said was called “a door of humility,” a small opening in the stone in which one had to bend over in order to go through. This confirmed what the angel said concerning going through the narrow way and praying for Benjamin to come forth. Everyone was pushing and trying to get through. Some people were so large that they had to be pushed from behind. It was so hot you could hardly breath, and I felt as though by the time I got to the opening, I had gone through some sort of birthing canal. I was weeping, as this was not the sort of thing I had imagined. But then, I was not there for some kind of experience or another—just to obey, that was all… just to simply OBEY.

Once through the opening, there before me was the casket of Rachel. Draped over the casket was a red velvet covering, and on its edges was fringe with long strings. Issah told me that many women who cannot conceive come there and hang their prayer requests for a child; they tie them to the casket cover and then they have a miraculous conception! I didn’t want to hear about that now; I was remembering what the angel had said about tying the message to the casket. How did I know there would be strings on the casket, just for that purpose? As I tied to the casket the rolled up piece of crumpled paper containing the words of my written intercession, I said an audible prayer, “Lord, I have done what you desired of me. Please now bring him [Benjamin] forth.”

Hundreds of prayers were tied to the casket’s covering, all hanging down, and now mine was one of them! How awesome that was! First, I knew not at all about Rachel’s Tomb, and I also did not know about an actual casket, or about strings to tie prayers onto it! This was confirmation to me. [The cenotaph, as it is actually called, is not literally a casket; but, this was what the people there were indeed calling it. This makes sense, for if you call something a “tomb,” it’s only natural to call what is inside a “casket.”]

I panicked trying to get out of the room, where the casket was. I could not handle the intensity any longer—women wailing and moaning, bowing down to the floor, pushing, shoving, etc.; but I was not used to that kind of expression. In Israel, I learned that people are much more forthright in expressing themselves. To weep and moan very loudly is considered normal. Once out of the stone building, all I wanted to do was go back to Issah’s and get something cold to drink.

The way there was steep: on top of the hill, next to the Church of the Nativity [on the other side of Issah’s house]. While standing outside that night on my bedroom balcony [marked with *], I could see the stars and moonbeams shining brightly over Shepherd's Field, the place where the angels appeared to the shepherds. Standing there listening to the monks singing "Silent Night" from the Church of the Nativity, it was as though I was breathing in those stars! I had completed my mission, and felt very much at peace with myself. I had done the Lord's will…. After eleven long years of an inner yearning, wondering and trusting, nothing else mattered but this moment, the moment that I had simply done His will.

I never wondered what the meaning of Benjamin was. I never really cared. All that mattered was that when I remembered that first dream eleven years ago, and how sad the face of Yahshua was when He wept over the cradle, I wanted to make Him smile again. And I felt that now I had done as I was told. He may have been up there smiling at me. His happiness was my utmost concern.

Nineteen years later, I still look back at those experiences; and they mean a lot more to me now, as I have come to know the Bride truth. At times I wonder if you, Gary, could be the “Benjamin” that the angel told me about; and I wonder if this whole divine mission was some sort of “ushering in” of the Lord working through you with His truths. The Bride truth certainly does reveal the three works and their purposes, like perhaps the angel said: “Benjamin holds the three coins.” The five changes of clothes could mean the changing into the Bridal garment…. I don’t know. But I think somehow, since I took my Nazirite vow and have come to know the Bride truth, perhaps this mission in some way was a kind of intercession.

I am more excited about its meaning now than I ever was before. I did not think about it much, in the way of meaning. But now, these many years later, maybe it plays a part in what is happening with the Bride. Any thoughts that you have I will welcome. And like I said, this whole thing does not have so much to do about me, as it does perhaps about you and the revealing of the Bride truths. I do not want to “pick it apart,” because in its wholeness it was beautiful; and like I said, it is a very deep and personal part of my spirituality and faith. But slowly, things have come into the light, and things have been clearly revealed.

I think it amazing that eleven years after that dream, I actually did walk upon the stones of the city of Bethlehem, and I did see the stars over Shepherd’s Field. I am not sure about the full meaning of the old cradle; but it could be symbolic of the ones who will not be near Yahshua at His return… the lost ones. It might be symbolic of the first Remnant, the old lace and such. Any input you might have, I would welcome it.

So, now you know why I asked about Benjamin!

Continue to page 2 of Our Hope for Fall, 2012, and Beyond for TIMING

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