Genesis 6:5-8
2 Peter 3:13
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
For some background please see: Sodom and The Fall Festivals.
Matthew 24:9
“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”
Matthew 24:21
“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.”
Jesus said that there will be two tribulations - the tribulation and the great tribulation, what happened before will happen again and the second time always takes place on a much grander scale than the first.
Daniel 9:27
“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”
The tribulation will begin on a Rosh Hashanah and last for 3 1/2 years (the first half of Daniel’s 70th week).
Matthew 24:15, 16
“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.”
The great tribulation will begin on a Shavuot (Pentecost) and last for another 3 ½ years (the second half of Daniel’s 70th week).
Matthew 24:6-8
“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”
Before the tribulation or the great tribulation takes place nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes not unlike what is happening in the world today. These however, are merely the beginning of the birth pangs.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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.
Just as there are going to be two tribulations there are also going to be two raptures where God’s Elect will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
Matthew 27:50-53
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
After Jesus’ crucifixion the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. This raising of the saints is a picture or metaphor for the two raptures.
According to Hebrew tradition on Rosh Hashanah the Gates of Heaven are opened and ten days later on Yom Kippur the Gates of Heaven are closed.
The first rapture will take place when the Gates of Heaven are opened on Rosh Hashanah at the beginning of the tribulation and end on Yom Kippur when the Gates of Heaven are closed. Anyone who was a believer or becomes a believer during this ten day period will be caught up into the clouds. But after Yom Kippur and the Gates of Heaven are closed anyone who comes to the Lord after that time will have to wait until the second rapture which will take place 3 ½ years later.
Revelation 7:2-4
And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
Not all of God’s Elect will be caught up into the clouds of the first rapture. 144,000 bond-servants (12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel) will remain behind to preach the Gospel to the peoples and nations of the earth.
Revelation 11:3
“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Revelation 11:7
When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
Revelation 11:11,12
But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
In addition to the 144,000 bond-servants there will be two witnesses who will begin prophesying at the start of the tribulation. 1,260 days later the two witnesses will be killed and the abomination of desolation is set up.
Three and a half days later the Lord will call the two witnesses up into heaven along with the clouds which are a picture or metaphor for all those who became believers during the tribulation.
This event will once again open of the Gates of Heaven which will close on Shavuot (Pentecost).
Luke 13:29, 30
“And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”
On Shavuot the 144,000 who were the first to be sealed will be the last to be caught up into the clouds - the last will be first and the first will be last.
From this point forward the great tribulation will take place. And anyone who becomes a believer during this time will have to remain on the earth until Jesus returns in His glory with the clouds of heaven on Yom Kippur 3 ½ years later.
Revelation 1:7
BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.
So…
In which Rapture will you be caught up into the clouds?
Matthew 24:36
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
Jesus said that no one knows the day or the hour of His return, not even Himself, so please keep this in mind as you continue reading this post. Before proceeding it might be helpful to read the following posts for some background…
In the Stars post which explains the Seven Thousand Year Plan of God.
The Fall Festivals post which shows how the Second Coming of Jesus is fulfilled in the fall festivals.
In the Clouds post which shows how believers (the Elect) are symbolized by clouds at the time of the Rapture and Jesus’ return.
The following “Christmas Day” link presents compelling evidence that Jesus was born during the Jewish festival of Sukkot: Hebrew for Christians - Christmas Day.
So let’s begin…
Luke 3:1-3
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;
According to Wikipedia (Wikipedia - Tiberius) Tiberius Caesar was second Roman emperor and began his reign in September, 14 AD and ruled for 23 years until 37 AD.
The fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign would have gone from September, 29 AD to September, 30 AD.
Luke 1:5
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
Luke 1:24, 25
After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”
The “Christmas Day” link cites evidence that the division of Abijah would have fallen in the Hebrew month of Sivan (the May-June timeframe) which is when Elizabeth became pregnant with John the Baptist. And adding nine months to Elizabeth’s pregnancy John would have been born in the Hebrew month of Nisan around the time of Passover.
Luke 1:26, 27
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit six months after John the Baptist was conceived so He would have been born six months after Passover during the festival of Sukkot.
Numbers 4:1-3
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, "Take a census of the descendants of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ households, from thirty years and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting."
Luke 3:21-23a
Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age,
Both Jesus and John the Baptist would have started their ministries at the age of 30 in order to fulfill the law of the priest. This is also when the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness which was in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar - or 30 AD…
Luke 3:1-3
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;
So Jesus would have started His ministry shortly after the festival of Sukkot in the year 30 AD. This also started the clock ticking for Jesus’ return on the third day 2000 years later (see “In the Stars” post).
We also know that Jesus will return on Yom Kippur with the clouds of heaven (see “In the Clouds” post) to judge the world.
Revelation 19:9
Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”
Seven years prior to Jesus’ return on Rosh Hashanah at the sound of the trumpet (see “The Fall Festivals” post) all those who believe will be caught up in a whirlwind to meet the Lord in the air. In heaven we will attend the Marriage supper of the Lamb while the Tribulation takes place on Earth.
In conclusion, the timeline summary…
Passover 30 AD
John the Baptist begins his ministry at age 30.
Sukkot 30 AD
Jesus is baptized by John and begins His ministry at age 30.
Passover 34 AD
3 1/2 years later Jesus is crucified, resurrected and ascends into heaven.
Shavuot (Pentecost) 34 AD
Please click/tap The First Pentecost for more information.
Rosh Hashanah 2027 AD
All believers, both living and dead (except the 144,000), are caught up into heaven to attend the Marriage supper of the Lamb while the seven year Tribulation takes place on Earth.
Shavuot (Pentecost) 2031 AD
The middle of the week as per Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel chapter 12 the second Rapture will take place and the Great Tribulation will begin.
Yom Kippur 2034 AD
Jesus sets His foot down on the Mount of Olives returning to Earth with the clouds of heaven (you and me) to judge the world and the Millennial Kingdom will begin.
Sukkot 2034 AD
The new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven and all of the nations of the world rejoice (Revelation 21:10-27) exactly 2000 years (or “on the third day”) after Jesus was crucified on Passover 34 AD.
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