A Type of the Rapture

2 Kings 2 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Elijah in the Whirlwind

2 The time had come for the Lord to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal, 2 and Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me on to Bethel.”

But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

3 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?”

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; the Lord is sending me to Jericho.”

But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5 Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?”

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me to the Jordan.”

But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.7 Fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood facing them from a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground.9 After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.”

So Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares[a] of your spirit.”

10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you,you will have it. If not, you won’t.”

11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind.12 As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” Then he never saw Elijah again. He took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

As suggested in the original Hebrew of Joshua 5:9 (quoted above), the word gilgal in Hebrew is related to the word galal, which means “to roll.” Galal is often used to refer to rolling heavy objects such as stones. So in Hebrew the related word gilgal means a wheel or circle, or something that rolls. In particular, it seems to refer to a circle of stones, or to a circular altar.

It seems that GILGAL refers to the stone circle of the earth. Notice how the rapture of Elijah takes place at Jericho. Elijah goes from the stone circle to the house of God, then crosses the Jordan, which means “to the other side”.

GLORY!

Today, I was struck with the revelation of the word “Glory”! It is our home, a city called Zion, built by God. How does He fashion it’s pillars and mortar? How does He make its walls unshakeable?

First, Jesus is it’s cornerstone, it’s straight plumb line, and it’s foundation! We are the living stones of it’s structure, as Christ loved us enough to give His life for us so we would be reconciled. This kind of love is the mortar, found only in Him, and is as pure and impassioned as “the flames of Yah”, inspiring longing to surrender! His is the only love which can withstand the Flame, because it is of the same nature! Beautiful jewels are created by extreme pressure and then by the cutting away of the dull excess, which reveals the reflective faucets shining back the light that surrounds them! Perfume is made by crushing a material to bring out its scent, releasing a fragrant aroma. Delicious food is prepared for the use of the body by exposing it to transforming heat, thus making it’s nutrients available. This is why the Master told us that him who wants to follow Him must also take up his cross, as did our Lord. We are told to rejoice when we are persecuted for His Name’s sake.

When we enter Glory, we will understand that it’s joy is the forever heights of rejoicing reflected from the depths of sacrifice, proceeding from the Love which inspired it. He shares His joy. It’s only when we are home, that we will fully enjoy what so much was sacrificed for, making us unshakeable!

Prophesy Fulfillment Happening Now!

The level of blindness that can occur when someone is not shown interpretation of prophesy by the Spirit is amazing. He must be the one to open our eyes. Imagine still thinking that the antichrist system is unique to Europe. The conglomerate beast pictured in scripture has all the territory of the biblical Middle East. The system is fused from all the geographical areas of the precedent manifestations, as seen by the descriptions in the books of Daniel and Revelations. It’s final king is called the Assyrian, the king of Babylon, and the king of Egypt. It is isil because it includes, in its final form, the area now called Israel. It is the first form of islam, pictured on their flags with the crescent moon and star, the star being Mecca. Mystery Babylon is the prostituted religion, and the city that sits on seven hills, those hills being literal topography and prior world kingdoms and their gods. Islam is a corruption of Judaism and Christianity, stealing the identity of God, and His Messiah. Islam has been revived from the death of irrelevance a century ago, as the fledgling caliphate will be resurrected from it’s supposed annihilation. In reality, it is being sheltered by outside powers taking advantage of the deadly rivalry between the factions of Islam, Russia supporting the Shi’a side and the U.S. supporting the Sunni side. This is why the list of combatants changes for each of the end times battles Israel will fight. America is not Babylon, but is called the daughter of Babylon in Jeremiah 51, for she has become the servant of Islam as a price of her unbelief. America puts the Sunni antichrist into power, and Christians and true Jews will be considered enemies of the state. It is AMERICA which instigates the mark of the beast, as she is the nation headed by the false prophet

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty

An Extended Celebration

We are the body of the harvest.Romans 12:5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 

Christ is the firstfruits of the spring. 1 Corinthians 15:23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 

Since he is the Head and we are His body, our rejoicing has been extended to the time of His bodily ascension. This gathered nation is forehadowed in this account: 2 Chronicles 30:15Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. 22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers. 23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. 

The celebration of TWO weeks extends the dates to 43 days after the first Passover! This is THE VERY SAME DAY that Christ ascended bodily! Acts 1: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Those who would serve in the court of Messiah have a week after the Rapture, till Shauvot, to get on the "ark" of the covenant.

OffendedI

I heard a sermon on this word once. I was not satisfied that the man knew what the word meant. His knowledge was not visceral enough to be convincing. He did not seem to have acquired his knowledge from experience, but rather from a dictionary, and therefore did not have a feel for its implementation. I prefer to look to the Word. I let it interpret itself.

The verse he preached on was THIS one: Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. 

At first glance, this verse makes no sense. Isn’t being offended mean someone is angry at a trespass of the law, and the ones who know it the best should be the ones OFFENDED at those who break it? Yet one can see a contrast in the verse between knowledge and understanding of the law. Only understanding YOU and knowing YOU brings the heartfelt response of LOVE, because the “law” is only a description of Your perfection and beauty of character. You are the definition of gracious and lead the simple to understand. Being OFFENDED means we refuse to give up our own understanding to follow Yours, because YOUR way is best, for only good. That would explain these two different interpretations of the same verse:

Matthew 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended

Matthew 26:33 J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS) 33 At this Peter exclaimed, “Even if everyone should lose his faith in you, I never will!” 

I finally understand the meaning behind THIS end of days verse....

Matthew 24:10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Being offended is misunderstanding what is good because we chose to hold on to something else entirely. It is losing our faith and trust in someone because we did not get our way. Don’t lose faith! Trust that God is greater than all!

Last word is Christ’s.....John 16:1These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended

Receive Your King!

Sons of my sister, the Lord wishes to come to you and live with you. Right now that which keeps Him from you is only yourself. You have made a religion of your own attempts to follow The Lord's description of His righteousness. He already knows you cannot do it. You will always fall short. Now He is about to break you, to cut you off from any possibility of claims that you have fulfilled His standards. This is His mercy to do so. He has surrendered Himself to your anger, so you might see the end result of what you have chosen. He is about to break the heart upon which are written His laws, so that they can enter into your heart, and show you how much you need Him, need HIM to live in you to fulfill what He wills, His glory in you. This is His rightful throne, your innermost being and all of your devotion!  In return, He gives all of Himself along with His very own righteousness! His graciousness has brought you to know your complete waste of yourself, so you will turn so He can save you. He wants to save you so He can lift you up and honor you. He wants to give you your inheritance.

Repent or Perish

Luke 13:1-9

13 At that time, some people came and reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 And He[a] responded to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all Galileans because they suffered these things? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well! 4 Or those 18 that the tower in Siloamfell on and killed—do you think they were more sinful than all the people who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!”

6 And He told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 He told the vineyard worker, ‘Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it even waste the soil?’

8 “But he replied to him, ‘Sir,[b] leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.9 Perhaps it will bear fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down.’”

It is time for the Lord to separate the righteous from the unrighteousness with precision. God will perform a surgical procedure which amounts to a spiritual abortion, on the seed of the serpent. This was the offspring unlawfully created, not authorized by the king, which was criminally invented to preempt the inheritance rights of the duly designated Heir. After all, His great patience must end for those whose sole purpose is to take advantage of grace to assert misbegotten dominion!

Psalm 108

A Plea for Victory

A song. A Davidic psalm.

1 My heart is confident, God;[a]
I will sing; I will sing praises
with the whole of my being.[b]
2 Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
3 I will praise You, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the nations.
4 For Your faithful love is higher than the heavens,
and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
5 God, be exalted above the heavens,
and let Your glory be over the whole earth.
6 Save with Your right hand and answer me
so that those You love may be rescued.

7 God has spoken in His sanctuary:[c]
“I will triumph!
I will divide up Shechem.
I will apportion the Valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is Mine, Manasseh is Mine,
and Ephraim is My helmet;
Judah is My scepter.
9 Moab is My washbasin;
I throw My sandal on Edom.
I shout in triumph over Philistia.”

¹⁰ Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
¹¹ God, haven’t You rejected us?
God, You do not march out with our armies.
¹² Give us aid against the foe,
for human help is worthless.
¹³ With God we will perform valiantly;
He will trample our foes.