The Last Days

Hosea 9:10a

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.

According to Hebrew thought the fig tree is one of the many symbols for the nation of Israel.

Matthew 21:18, 19

Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

When Jesus withered the fig tree just days before He was to be crucified He was not showing off His supernatural power but rather He was graphically illustrating a prophecy concerning the nation of Israel.

Even though many Jews did believe that Jesus was the Messiah the nation of Israel as a whole did not and they rejected Him.

Luke 17:25

“But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”

In other words - there was no fruit on the fig tree.

In 70 AD the Roman empire destroyed the city of Jerusalem and took away the land from the people dispersing them to the four corners of the earth. The nation of Israel was no more.

In other words - the fig tree had withered.

Even though the nation of Israel turned it’s back on Jesus, Jesus has not turned His back on the nation of Israel and it still has an important role to play in Jesus’ return.

In Matthew 24 the disciples ask Jesus what will be the signs of His second coming.  After telling them many things Jesus says…

Matthew 24:32-34

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

In 1948, after almost 1900 years, there is once again a nation called Israel. In 1967 the city of Jerusalem was returned to the Jewish people.  Today many Jews are returning to Israel and in Jerusalem preparations are being made to rebuild the Temple.

In other words - the fig tree is putting forth it’s leaves.

So…

Is it summer yet?

The Last Days

Genesis 6:5-8

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.  The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

The people living during the time of Noah were seeking to satisfy their own desires rather than the desires of the Lord.

The people living during the time of Noah were putting their own will above the will of God.

The people living during the time of Noah were pursuing their own goals and interests rather than the goals and interests of the Father.

The people living during the time of Noah were putting their own agenda above the agenda of Abba.

The people living during the time of Noah were Godless people.

Matthew 24:37-39

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Most people today are seeking to satisfy their own desires rather than the desires of the Lord.

Most people today are putting their own will above the will of God.

Most people today are pursuing their own goals and interests rather than the goals and interests of the Father.

Most people today are putting their own agenda above the agenda of Abba.

Most people today are Godless people.

So…

Did I just feel a raindrop?

Is your ark ready?

The Last Days

In Leviticus 23 the Lord gave the nation of Israel seven festivals - four spring festivals (Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavuot or Pentecost) and three fall festivals (Rosh Hashanah (Feast of trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (Feast of Booths or Feast of Nations)).

The spring festivals teach us about the first coming of Jesus.

Jesus was crucified on Passover (Jesus is our Passover Lamb), He rose from the dead three days later on the feast of First Fruits (Jesus is the first-born from the dead) and Jesus is without sin (leaven is symbolic of sin and Unleavened Bread is symbolic of Jesus).  50 days later, on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon the Apostles thus fulfilling the four spring festivals to the day.

The fall festivals teach us about the second coming of Jesus.

According to Hebrew thought the Lord will receive His people up into heaven on Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) at the sound of the trumpet of God…

1 Corinthians 15:51, 52

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17

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 will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

Seven years later, on Yom Kippur, Jesus will return to the earth with His Bride to judge the world.  He will set up a new heaven and a new earth and bring great peace and joy to all of the nations of the earth (Sukkot - Feast of Nations).

2 Peter 3:13

But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Revelation 21:1-4

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Whether the next Rosh Hashanah will be the Rosh Hashanah when the trumpet will sound and we will be caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus in the air, no one knows for sure.

So…

Will you be ready if it is?


NOTE: For more information on this subject please click/tap on the following links…

Hebrew for Christians - Ten Days of Awe

Hebrew for Christians - Birth Pangs of the Messiah


Links courtesy of “Hebrew for Christians”: http://www.hebrew4christians.com/index.html

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