Eye on the End Times
Question: what do we know about the first time Jesus came to live among us?
There were signs, right?
The three Magi saw the star and knew a King would be born.
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matt. 2:1-2).
God said that the stars in Heaven were to serve as markers or signs.
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; (Gen. 1:14).
What do we know about the people during His first Coming?
Well, for the most part, The Jews were not looking for Him! So, they did not know the time of His coming. In what I believe to be the most haunting passage in the New Testament, Jesus said to the Jews, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes…because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:42-44).
But, what do we know about the time before at the end before the Messiah’s Return? Well, we know that Jesus himself said there would be signs before His second coming, also.
“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;” (Luke 21:25).
“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31).
Four Lunar eclipses that are occurring in conjunction with biblical Feast days during 2014-15 would seem to serve as a type of sign, wouldn’t you think? After all, Scripture says, regarding the biblical Feasts, “These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at their appointed times” (Lev. 23:4).
If, for some reason, you have not heard of this amazing astronomical event (the lunar tetrad), here is the time table for the Lunar and solar eclipses events of 2014-15:
There will be four blood red moons (two have already happened) that will fall on four biblical feast days over the next two years….
This is extremely rare but not without precedent.
The other times it has happened in history they have served as monumental omens for events following soon after in the nation of Israel.
Here are the dates for the four that fall in 2014-15:
Passover April 15, 2014
Feast of Tabernacles October 8, 2014
Passover April 4, 2015
Feast of Tabernacles September 28, 2015
Two solar eclipses connected with God’s Holy Days in 2014-2015, also will occur:
Adar 29/Nisan 1(new year) March 20, 2015
Feast of Trumpets September 13, 2015
Some History around what has happened in the past when blood red moons have occurred on Feast days:
1949/1950- the years following Israel’s re-gathering as a nation - and a time during which the new nation fought for its survival in a war of Independence
1967/1968 – Jerusalem was liberated on June 7th, 1967 and as a result of the Six-Day War, for the first time since 70 AD, the city belonged to the nation of Israel.
Before that, you have to go back to 1493/1494 for four successive lunar eclipses on Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles” – a time right after the Jewish expulsion from Spain and the opening up of the exploration of America, a country where millions of Jews live today. See: http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/apr2012/denish419.htm
Prophecy in the News, writes, “This is most unusual. It is a rare occurrence for four lunar cycles on successive Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) observances. It will not happen again for hundreds of years. Four lunar eclipses occurring on the Feast of Tabernacles and Passover in two successive years are phenomenal. But add to them two solar eclipses on the two days that open the Jewish year Adar 29/Nisan1, just two weeks before Passover, and Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashannah) – is uncanny. On each of these six Jewish Holy Days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give her light. Will this happen again in the 21st century? No.”
Now, I am not Date Setting for the Rapture of the Church, here (although I believe I received a word from the Lord concerning the general timing of His return 6 years ago). Since these are Feast days that we are talking about, and Jews everywhere were commanded to observe them, we could more likely be talking about an event that is significant to Israel. While it is possible that the Rapture could occur, maybe it is more likely that a war impacting Israel may take place. What I am referring to is more properly understood as “Stage setting”. There are quite a few significant events that have taken place the first lunar eclipse occurred on April 15th. I will write on that in my next post.
The key thing I want to mention here is that the Bible instructs us to be actively looking for Jesus’ return!
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).
“Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them” (Luke 12:37).
“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matt. 24:4)
“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”(Titus” 2:13).
“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things (Christ’s Coming), be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;” (2 Pet. 3:14).
Most people today will not be looking for him. Many churches completely disregard the study of End Times prophecy, thinking that it is too difficult to understand. Scripture is clear that people (some professing Christians even) will doubt the Return of Christ. I have witnessed scoffing and sneering from both non-believers and so-called scholars alike. A Duke divinity professor commented recently in a disparaging way casting his doubt on the validity of the doctrine of the Rapture. Folks, you may have all the biblical knowledge in the world, but it doesn’t mean that you know Jesus! And similar to Christ’s first coming when there was only a small number who knew the timing of His arrival (Luke 2:34, 38, John 1:39; 3:29) so it will be in the end. Take care to keep yourself from the entrapments of this world (look for a future post on the necessity of staying from idols).
Remember, “and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19).
Beware of the biblical illiterate among us: “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Pet. 3:3-4).