Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
Over the past week, there has been a swarm of earthquakes under the Salton Sea. Granted, most of the earthquakes have been less than 2.5 in magnitude. One issue is the location. This earthquake swarm is located on the southern edge of the San Andreas Fault Line. At the time of this post, approximately 275 tremors have occurred under the Salton Sea in the last week. Is the Big One coming???
Mark 13:7-8 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end.For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. –Jesus
There are parallel passages regarding earthquakes by Jesus in Matthew 24:7 and Luke 21:11. The context is the Olivet Discourse. Jesus is answering questions from the disciples regarding the signs of His coming and the End of the Age (Matthew 24:3).
Is this Jesus referring to here and now of the early 21st century? If not, no big deal, life goes on.
If so, serious consequences. BIG TROUBLE for earthlings.
September 26, 2016: Gladstone Area Queensland, Australia
Locals indicated a feeling like an earthquake. The event took place at about 8:30 p.m. local time. Damage or injuries were not indicated. Reports came from about a 60 mile radius.
The Higgins Storm Chasing crew reported the “meteorite impacted somewhere offshore.”
The event was described as a “ball of flame falling from the sky” and a “brilliant meteor flash overhead and disappear over the sea.”
A local sitting in his car saw the object in the sky. “It looked like a shooting star and lit up the beach, then about a minute later there was a big band and a shock wave came over the water and shook my car a little bit. It was a pretty awesome experience.”
Resident Lanky Jones told the light was very bright. “It sounded a lot like a sonic boom, which would make sense if something was travelling too fast into the atmosphere,” he said.
Revelation 8:8-11 The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
The events of the second and third angel are two different meteors that hit the earth. Look at the scope and scale of this event. These two events in Revelation 8:8-11 are going to have serious implications.
The meteor of the second angel lands somewhere in an ocean on the planet. Roughly 75% of the planet is ocean. The meteor that lands in the ocean is going to impact 25% of the planet or 33% of the ocean’s life. Imagine an asteroid hitting in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on the equator? The ripple effect of impact will likely lead to serious tsunamis on a scale we cannot imagine.
The meteor of the third angel apparently hits a land mass because it affects fresh water supplies such as rivers and springs. The event poisons the water. Consumption of the impacted waters leads to death. There are seven continents on the planet. One of them, Antarctica, is not inhabited on a large scale by humanity. That leaves six continents. Imagine an asteroid hitting an area that will impact two continents or 33% of the land.
This sounds over the top and fanciful. Accuse God of fear porn.
There are all kinds of calendars. Astronomy uses a Julian calendar. Western society uses a Gregorian calendar. China has their calendar. Lots of people, lots of calendars. Today, Israel operates on two calendars. One is religious and one is civil. Confusion reigns. When is the official new year?
If we are to understand God, we need to get on His schedule and how He defines time. God has one calendar. It was in the spring in Egypt. And God had a conversation with Moses and Aaron. Exodus 12:2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you…” God identified the new moon and the beginning. From this point, God went on to explain His Spring Appointments or holidays.
God’s Fall Appointments or holidays start in the seventh month on God’s calendar. The Fall Appointments celebrate the end of the harvest year. Specifically, the Feast of Tabernacles is a thanksgiving for the harvest of grapes (Exodus 23:16).
Leviticus 23:23 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month…
Numbers 29:1 ‘Now in the seventh month, on the first day of the month…
Leviticus 25:9 You shall then sound a ram’s horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement…
Leviticus 16:29…in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month…
Leviticus 23:33-34 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD.
Numbers 29:12 Then on the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation…
Yom Teruah or the Feast of Trumpets is recognized as the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. It is the beginning of the civil new year. Some Jewish thought has this day as the creation of the world or the creation of Adam and Eve.
Colossians 2:16-17 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
“Judge” or krinos in the Greek: The action of the verb is continuous.
Meaning of krinos: to approve, esteem, to prefer; to be of opinion, deem, think; to determine, resolve, decree; to go to law, have suit at law.
Do not let any one pass judgment or censure continuously. It is not any one’s place to scoff or mock the practice of God’s appointed holidays. The food of the festival include round challah bread, apples dipped in honey, and pomegranates.
Apples are dipped in honey and eaten for the promise of a “sweet year”.
Tradition has a round challah bread for the Lord as King.
Jews symbolically throw their sins into the river or a body of water. They rid themselves of sin.
There is only one new moon festival or God appointed holiday in the Mosaic Law. It is Yom Teruah. Christians refer to this as the Feast of Trumpets.
Numbers 29:1 and Leviticus 23:23-25 state the appointment is a Sabbath Day of rest…you shall do no laborious work.
The Apostle Paul states these elements are a mere shadow of what is to come. The Greek word for “shadow” is skia. It means: an image cast by an object and representing the form of that object.
The Feast of Trumpets is a shadow cast by Jesus Christ.
…the substance belongs to Christ. Toward who do we cast our sins? Who is our King? As believers, we will rule and reign with Him in the Kingdom to come (Revelation 1:6, 3:21, 20:4, 20:6, 2 Timothy 2:12). We are baptized in Christ as believers (Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:12, Romans 6:3).
Micah 7:19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
Numbers 29:1 ‘Now in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall also have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. It will be to you a day for blowing trumpets.
Leviticus 23:23-25 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord.’”
The Hebrew people have been practicing the appointment every year for approximately 3,500 years on the first day of the seventh month per the Mosaic Law. The Feast of Trumpets is the only new moon holiday on God’s calendar. Yom Teruah is set aside by God with prophetic implications. The Feast of Trumpets is a promise for the future.
September 17, 2016: Syria has claimed the United States has bombed their forces. The incident took place at Jebel Tharda near Deir al-Zor airport. The airport is located in eastern Syria on the Euphrates River. This area has been surrounded by ISIS. The bombing allowed ISIS to take control.
There is conflicting information regarding who controls the area. ISIS says they are in control. Russia and Syria say they are in control.
Syria states the bombing is “conclusive evidence” the United States is supporting ISIS. The Syrian army states the act is “dangerous and blatant aggression”. Dozens of Syrian soldiers have been killed.
“Syria is a complex situation with various military forces and militias in close proximity, but coalition forces would not intentionally strike a known Syrian military unit,” U.S. officials said.
The United States and Russia had agreed on a cease fire in Syria last week. Russia has consistently backed the Assad Syrian army during the civil war. The United States has called for a regime change in Syria.
Russia has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations. ABC News is reporting the United States is upset with Russia for calling the UN meeting.
Ezekiel 38:13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?’
Many people ask the question. Where is the United States in Bible prophecy? The simple answer, the United States is not there. Some take Tarshish to be Great Britain and the British Empire. A young lion of the British Empire would be the United States… so goes the thinking. Even if that is the case, Tarshish and its young lions are going to do nothing and watch a Russian invasion of Israel as prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39. Do your own homework. Investigate and come to your own conclusion.
Dhaka, Bangladesh: This is real blood. This is not an algae bloom, a fertilizer spill, bacteria gone wild, or an environmental mess. This is the Muslim Holiday Eid.
Eid al-Adha is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice. This is a memorial of the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael to Allah. As contrasted to the Bible in Genesis 22 where Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac to Yahweh (God).
During Eid thousands of sheep, goats, and cows are sacrificed. This event marks the end of what is called Dhu al-Hiijah. The sacrificed meat is given to the poor.
It was reported that two bulls escaped sacrifice and managed to cause chaos.
Tuesday, September 13, 2016: Heavy rain pounded Dhaka, Bangledesh. The city does not have the best of drainage. The result was rivers of bloody streets.
In a follow up to the blood red river in the Arctic of Russia, Norilsk Nickel has admitted to an accidental spill at one of its plants. They are now taking responsibility for the Daldykan River turning red.
Initially the world’s largest nickel company denied they were the cause.
September 5, 2016: Heavy rains at a “filtration dam” at the Nadezhda plant caused an overflow and spill into the Daldykan River.
Everybody relax…there is no danger to people or wildlife.
Revelation 16:4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.
The verse mentioned in Revelation 16 is towards the last third of the Tribulation. The scope and scale are global. These are the streets of Dhaka. This is not the Tribulation. The antichrist does not have a Temple to defile yet.
For all the critics out there who want a real blood red river…
Joshua 21:27 To the sons of Gershon, one of the families of the Levites, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, they gave Golan in Bashan, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasture lands, and Be-eshterah with its pasture lands; two cities.
The Golan Heights has always been a hot spot of contention for the nation of Israel from their beginning. This was the case during the time of Moses 1,500 years before Christ. Here we are approximately 3,500 years later…
Military activity has picked up during the last month in the Golan Heights.
August 22, 2016: Israel launched air strikes on positions in Syria. This was in response to stray shells from fighting in Syria. A “Syrian army launcher” was destroyed. Nobody was reported as injured.
September 4, 2016: Syria shoots mortars into Israel in the Golan Heights. Israel did not report of any damage. “In response to mortar fire earlier today, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) targeted cannons of the Syrian regime in the northern Syrian Golan Heights,” the military statement read.
September 12, 2016: Syria states they have shot down two (2) Israeli jets near the Golan Heights. The Syrians also claim to have shot down a drone. “Early this morning, two missiles were launched from Syria after the IAF targeted Syrian artillery positions,” a spokesperson said. “IDF aircraft were not harmed.”
September 13, 2016: Syria fires three more mortars into the Golan Heights. Injuries were not reported. This was the sixth incident of fire to take place in the last week. Israel responded by striking Syria positions in their country. Syria has requested the United Nations Security Council to sanction Israel over strikes in its territory.
The God appointed fall appointments are the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Below is a brief 10 minute video that provides a framework for God’s fall appointed holidays.
Numbers 29:1 ‘Now in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall also have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. It will be to you a day for blowing trumpets.
See also Leviticus 23:23-25.
The first fall holiday has many names. It is called the Feast of Trumpets by Christians. It is recognized as the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Some refer to it as the “Hidden Day” or the “Wedding of the Messiah”. In Judaism, it is called Yom Teruah which means the “Day of Blowing”.
It is the beginning of the civil new year. The date for the Yom Teruah is near October 2-3, 2016 (traditional Hebrew calendar) depending on the sighting of the new moon. The new year begins when the new moon is confirmed by two witnesses.
The second fall holiday is the Day of Atonement. See Leviticus 16. Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement is celebrated on Tishri 10th. It is the last day of the 40 day period of Teshuvah. This holiday is viewed at the holiest day of Judaism. The day is a Sabbath day of rest. Yom Kippur is the only day a fast is required. The day begins at sun down. This is the busiest day of the year for the high priest with multiple animal sacrifices. The beginning for the Day of Atonement in 2016 is October 11 at sun down.
Leviticus 23:33-36 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD. On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work.’”
The third and last fall holiday on God’s calendar is Tabernacles. It is also called Sukkot, the Feast of Booths, the Festival of Tents, or the Feast of the Harvest because it was after the harvest in the fall. Simply put, it was also called “the feast” or “the festival”. This festival is a week-long festival from Tishri 15 to 21 on a Hebrew calendar. On our western Gregorian calendar, in 2016, the Feast of Tabernacles will be observed from October 16-23.
There are seven God appointed holidays communicated through the Old Testament Law. The first four were fulfilled to the day by Jesus Himself with His death, burial, resurrection, and the giving of the Holy Spirit. If the first four spring holidays were fulfilled on the God appointed holiday, why would the fall holidays be any different?
