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Zechariah Begins With Ruins & Ends With A King -Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Mark Wilson, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , on August 20, 2026 by paulthepoke

Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

If you want to know where the story of Jerusalem is going, read Zechariah.

The book begins with a battered people returning from exile.

Jerusalem is wounded.

The Temple is being rebuilt.

The nation looks small.

But the prophet begins to see things far greater than anything happening in his own generation.

YHVH declares:

“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee.” Zechariah 2:10

And then:

“YHVH shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.” Zechariah 2:12

That is where Zechariah is going.

He sees the Branch.

He sees the King.

He sees the Shepherd.

He sees the Pierced One.

And finally, he sees YHVH reigning over all the earth.

Zechariah starts among ruins.

It ends with glory.

~

First comes the Branch.

“Behold, I will bring forth My servant the Branch.” Zechariah 3:8

Then Zechariah reveals something extraordinary: “He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne.” Zechariah 6:13

A ruler.

A priest.

One throne.

One mysterious figure bearing glory.

Who is He?

Zechariah is not finished.

~

Then the King appears.

“Behold, thy King cometh unto thee… lowly, and riding upon an ass.” Zechariah 9:9

The King comes humbly.

But the very next verse looks beyond His humility: “His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.” Zechariah 9:10

The One who arrives gently will ultimately rule universally.

But Zechariah is not finished.

~

The Shepherd is rejected.

And the price placed upon Him? Thirty pieces of silver. “So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” Zechariah 11:12

Then comes an astonishing statement from YHVH: “Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prized at of them.” Zechariah 11:13

Read that carefully.

The Shepherd is rejected.

Yet YHVH speaks of the price as the value placed upon Himself.

Why?

Zechariah is not finished.

~

Now Jerusalem becomes the center of an international crisis.

“I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people.” Zechariah 12:3

The nations gather.

YHVH intervenes.

“I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” Zechariah 12:9

Then suddenly: “They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son.” Zechariah 12:10

Stop there.

Who is speaking? YHVH.

Who was pierced? The text says: Me.

Yet the people mourn for: Him.

And not casually. They mourn as for an only son.

Who is this Pierced One whose rejection is somehow described as the piercing of YHVH?

What happens when Israel finally recognizes Him? Cleansing.

“In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” Zechariah 13:1

Mourning becomes cleansing.

Rejection becomes restoration.

But Zechariah is still not finished.

~

Then comes chapter 14.

Jerusalem is surrounded. The nations have gathered. Humanly speaking, the situation is impossible.

Then: “YHVH shall go forth, and fight against those nations.” Zechariah 14:3

And suddenly the prophecy becomes breathtakingly physical: “His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.” Zechariah 14:4

His feet.

The Mount of Olives.

Jerusalem.

The mountain splits.

Living waters flow from Jerusalem.

And then comes the climax: “YHVH shall be King over all the earth.” Zechariah 14:9

But even that is not the end.

Zechariah had already declared: “I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.” Zechariah 8:3

And ultimately: “Many people and strong nations shall come to seek YHVH of hosts in Jerusalem.” Zechariah 8:22

The nations do not replace Jerusalem.

They come to Jerusalem.

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Now look at the progression.

In chapter 9: The King rides on a donkey.

In chapter 11: The Shepherd is valued at thirty pieces of silver.

In chapter 12: The Pierced One is recognized.

In chapter 13: Israel is cleansed.

In chapter 14: His feet stand on the Mount of Olives.

And then: YHVH reigns over all the earth.

First humility. Then glory.

First rejection. Then recognition.

First piercing. Then cleansing.

First Jerusalem surrounded. Then Jerusalem exalted.

First the Shepherd is rejected. Then the King is worshiped.

~

So Zechariah leaves us with questions that refuse to disappear. Who is the Branch?

Who is the King?

Who is the rejected Shepherd?

Who is the One YHVH calls “Me” who was pierced?

Whose feet stand upon the Mount of Olives?

And who ultimately reigns as King over all the earth?

Zechariah does not merely predict events.

Zechariah unveils the coming King.

~

Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

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This Week in Prophecy: Mecca Agreement; Syria; Quake in Colombia; Mass Abort; Dead Sea

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Burden of Damascus, Culture, Earthquakes/Volcanoes, Ezekiel 38-39, Fake News???, Prophecy, Saudi Arabia/Sheba/Dedan, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 13, 2026 by paulthepoke

Ezekiel 38-39 Ancient Sheba and Dedan or modern day Saudi Arabia.

Ancient Beth Togarmah, Gomer, Meshech or modern day Turkey.

Image created by Grok.

The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement (also called the Mecca/Makkah Pact or Mecca Joint Deterrence Agreement) is a trilateral collective-defense pact signed on August 7, 2026, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The three countries bring complementary strengths: Saudi Arabia’s financial resources and strategic position, Turkey’s conventional military capabilities and defense industry (as a NATO member), and Pakistan’s large armed forces and status as the sole nuclear-armed Muslim-majority state. The pact has been described as a strategic hedge and framework for deeper cooperation rather than a fully integrated military alliance with standing forces or detailed automatic response mechanisms. It has been noted as potentially open to future expansion.

https://twitter.com/i/grok?conversation=2087689513732567446

The 3 countries surround ancient Persia or modern day Iran.

Will Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords with Israel?

Prophecy tells us where this is going. The plot thickens…

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Isaiah 17:1 This is the burden against Damascus: “Behold, Damascus is no longer a city; it has become a heap of ruins.

Recent history lesson, President Trump lifted economic sanctions earlier in 2025 against Syria and newly appointed leader and President Abu Mohammed al Jolani (formerly of ISIS), he is aka Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa. He also has ties to Al Qaeda. He is former commander of Al-Qaeda al-Jolani. He also has ties to the terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Al Sharaa founded the al-Nusra Front in Syria. This is the same person. He has ties to multiple terrorist organizations.

Gog of Magog or modern day Russia

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Quakes in various places… -Jesus

On August 10, 2026, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, the strongest recorded in the country in the 21st century.

Key Details

  • Time and location: It occurred at 7:34 a.m. local time (12:34 UTC), with its epicenter near San José del Palmar in the Chocó department (about 400 km / 250 miles west of Bogotá). Depth estimates ranged from roughly 96–110 km (intermediate depth). It was a strike-slip event related to the subduction of the Nazca Plate. en.wikipedia.org
  • Intensity and reach: Shaking lasted up to about 2 minutes and was felt widely across western and central Colombia (including Bogotá, Cali, Pereira, Medellín, Manizales, and Quibdó), as well as in neighboring Ecuador, Panama, and parts of Venezuela. Maximum intensity reached MMI VIII (Severe) in some areas. en.wikipedia.org

Casualties and Damage

As of reports around August 11–12, 2026:

  • Deaths: At least 239–254 confirmed. Hardest-hit areas included Pereira (coffee-growing region) and Cali. reuters.com
  • Injuries: More than 2,500–3,700.
  • Missing: Hundreds officially, with crowdsourced figures exceeding 4,000 in some reports.
  • Infrastructure: Hundreds of buildings collapsed or were heavily damaged (including homes, schools, health centers, and parts of hospitals); thousands more structures were affected. Airports (e.g., Pereira) faced closures or suspensions; roads, bridges, and utilities were disrupted. Landslides were a concern in the mountainous terrain. miamiherald.com

Summary provided by Grok.

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Genesis 5:2 Male and female He created them, and He blessed them and called their name “Man,” in the day they were created.

The WNBA held a meeting on the definition of a woman. They were unable to reach a conclusion.

What does the “W” stand for in the name of your league?


Meeting over with definition. Here to help!

~

Amos 1:13 This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.

By the way, judgment was pronounced by the LORD in verse 14.

Look at the joy as signed bill becomes law in Massachusetts.

We will close with life…

Future River emerges from the Temple in Jerusalem

Ezekiel 47:7-12 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

https://allisraelnews.com/life-found-in-sinkholes-beside-israels-dead-sea-stir-excitement-about-biblical-prophecy

~

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Was Jonah’s Greatest Sign Really the Fish? -Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Mark Wilson with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2026 by paulthepoke

Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

Most people remember Jonah as the prophet swallowed by a great fish.

But Yeshua saw something greater.

When the religious leaders demanded a sign, He pointed them back to Israel’s Scriptures:

“No sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”
Matthew 12:39

Jonah’s descent, return to life, and mission to the nations formed a divinely woven pattern of Messiah’s death, resurrection, and worldwide call to repentance.

~

❖ A Galilean prophet of Israel’s restoration

Before Nineveh, Jonah had already prophesied Israel’s restoration:

“According to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah.” 2 Kings 14:25

God had seen Israel’s affliction and had not forgotten His people (2 Kings 14:25–27).

Jonah was also from Gath-hepher in Galilee. That makes the later claim, “No prophet arises from Galilee,” deeply ironic (John 7:52). Jonah had arisen from Galilee, and now the greater Jonah stood among them.

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❖ Jonah’s journey is a repeated descent

The Hebrew narrative emphasizes Jonah’s downward movement.

He goes down to Joppa, down into the ship, down into its innermost parts, and finally down into the sea.

From the depths he cries: “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried.” Jonah 2:2

“I went down to the foundations of the mountains.” Jonah 2:6

Jonah speaks in the language of death, Sheol, the pit, and burial.

Then God reverses the descent: “Yet You brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.” Jonah 2:6

The pattern is clear: descent, apparent death, divine deliverance, restored life.

Yeshua identified this as the sign of His own death and resurrection:

“Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40

Jonah descended because he fled from God’s will.

Yeshua descended because He obeyed it.

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❖ One man is handed over and others are spared

Jonah tells the sailors: “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you.” Jonah 1:12

They plead, “Do not charge us with innocent blood” (Jonah 1:14).

When Jonah is handed over, the storm ceases and everyone aboard is spared. Jonah suffered because of his own disobedience, so the comparison is not perfect.

But Yeshua, the truly innocent One, willingly gave Himself for others: “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.” John 10:18

Jonah’s surrender calmed a temporary storm.

Messiah’s sacrifice brings peace with God (Isaiah 53:5).

Jonah slept while sailors feared for their lives. Yeshua also slept during a storm and was awakened by terrified disciples (Mark 4:38).

But Jonah could not command the sea.

Yeshua rebuked it: “Peace! Be still!” Mark 4:39

Jonah was powerless before the waters.

The greater Jonah ruled them.

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❖ The suffering prophet prayed Israel’s Scriptures

Jonah’s prayer echoes Psalms 18, 42, 69, 116, and 120, and concludes: “Salvation belongs to the LORD.” Jonah 2:9; Psalm 3:8

Yeshua likewise prayed Israel’s Psalms in His suffering (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46; Psalm 31:5; Luke 23:46).

The suffering prophet prayed Israel’s songs.

The suffering Messiah fulfilled them.

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❖ Life from death leads to Gentile repentance

After Jonah is brought up from the depths, the word of the LORD comes again: “Arise, go to Nineveh.” Jonah 3:2

The prophet who had descended into Sheol now rises and carries God’s message to the Gentiles.

Nineveh believes God, turns from violence, and receives mercy: “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way.” Jonah 3:10

Following Messiah’s resurrection, repentance and forgiveness likewise go from Jerusalem to the nations: “Repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47

The pattern is striking: death, return to life, renewed commission, Gentile repentance.

Yet God had not abandoned Israel.

Jonah was an Israelite prophet, and the nations received mercy through Israel’s messenger.

“In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3

“I will also make You a light to the nations.” Isaiah 49:6

God’s mercy reaches the nations through Israel, not by erasing Israel.

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❖ Jewish commentary sharpens Yeshua’s warning

Rashi explained that Jonah resisted Nineveh because he expected the Gentiles to repent quickly, exposing Israel’s failure to heed her prophets.

This highlighted Yeshua’s warning: “The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” Matthew 12:41

Nineveh repented at the preaching of a reluctant prophet.

Israel’s leaders stood before the obedient Messiah.

Jonah performed no signs in Nineveh.

Yeshua healed the sick, opened blind eyes, taught Torah with authority, and proclaimed the Kingdom. Something greater than Jonah had come.

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❖ Jonah knew mercy but struggled to reflect it

Jonah admits why he fled: “I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy.” Jonah 4:2

He was echoing Exodus 34:6.

Jonah understood God’s mercy, but resented seeing it extended to Nineveh. Jonah sat outside the city hoping judgment would fall.

Yeshua approached Jerusalem knowing judgment was coming and wept over it (Luke 19:41–44).

Jonah was angry that sinners might live.

Yeshua gave His life so sinners could live.

Jonah descended unwillingly because of disobedience.

Yeshua descended willingly in perfect obedience.

Jonah emerged from the depths and preached repentance to one Gentile city.

Yeshua rose from the dead and sent repentance to every nation.

Jonah was a sign.

Yeshua was its fulfillment.

The sign had been embedded in Israel’s Scriptures all along.

Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

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This Week in Prophecy: Israel & Lebanon & Iran Cease Fire??? Philippine Quakes

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Earthquakes/Volcanoes, Persia/Elam/Iran, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 9, 2026 by paulthepoke

Obadiah 1:20a The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath…

June 3, 2026: The United States has supported a cease fire between the governments of Israel and Lebanon. The cease fire does not recognize Hezbollah as related to the government of Lebanon.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to the implementation of a ceasefire. The ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of Hizbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hizbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector.

Israel and Lebanon reaffirmed that they have no hostile intent toward one another and committed to continuing direct negotiations to build confidence, resolve all outstanding issues, and work toward a comprehensive agreement between the two countries. 

Map showing the borders and positions in the region around Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic, including boundaries for UN military operations and key locations.

https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/06/joint-statement-of-the-united-states-of-america-republic-of-lebanon-and-state-of-israel-on-the-latest-high-level-trilateral-meeting

Tragedy in Majdal Shams, Lebanon & Prophecy

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Zechariah 12:3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it.

June 7, 2026: In a joint effort (symbolic), Iran and the Houthis (one missile) in Yemen fired missiles towards Jerusalem.

Damage: A direct Iranian missile hit damaged four houses in a West Bank town (no injuries reported in that incident). Earlier in the broader conflict, debris from Iranian strikes had fallen in Jerusalem’s Old City (e.g., near Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre). No major casualties from the June 8 strikes on Jerusalem itself. -Grok

On June 8, 2026, after a brief exchange of missile and airstrikes, Iran and Israel both announced they were halting attacks and returning to a pause in direct hostilities — effectively reinforcing the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire from early April. aljazeera.com

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Quakes in various places… -Jesus

A powerful magnitude 7.8 to 8.2 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines (Mindanao region) on June 8, 2026, at approximately 7:37 a.m. local time (PST).

Map of Southeast Asia and the surrounding regions, highlighting seismic activity with yellow dots representing earthquake locations.

Key Details

  • Epicenter: Offshore, about 20–32 km (12–20 miles) west-southwest of Maasim in Sarangani province (near the Cotabato Trench), at a shallow depth of around 10–33 km.
  • Duration: Roughly 30 seconds of strong shaking.
  • Impact area: Strongest in southern Mindanao, especially General Santos City. Tremors were felt across Mindanao, parts of the Visayas, and as far as Indonesia (e.g., Manado on Sulawesi).
  • Aftershocks: Hundreds reported, including some up to M6.5–6.7, continuing into the evening.
  • Casualties and Damage (as of late June 8)
  • Deaths: At least 32–37 confirmed (reports vary slightly by source; figures are still rising as rescue efforts continue). Many fatalities resulted from collapsing buildings, falling debris, and landslides.
  • Injuries: Over 200 reported, with dozens more possibly unaccounted for.
  • Major damage: Collapsed or severely damaged buildings in General Santos (including a Jollibee restaurant, a radio station, and other structures), cracked roads, toppled homes, power outages, and a damaged bridge. A school partially collapsed during the event. States of calamity have been declared in affected areas.

Summary provided by Grok.

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Gulf of America: A magnitude 6.1 to 6.4 earthquake struck on June 8, 2026, at approximately 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Theme park activities were temporarily disrupted… -Grok

~

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Is the Kingdom Here, or Is It Still Coming? Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Mark Wilson with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on June 7, 2026 by paulthepoke

Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

An infographic titled 'Is the Kingdom Here... or Is It Still Coming?' illustrating the Bible's four phases of God's Kingdom. It features sections on 'The Kingdom Within,' 'The Kingdom Growing,' 'The Kingdom Coming,' 'The Final Test,' and 'The Eternal Kingdom,' accompanied by relevant scripture citations and descriptions.

Many believers assume the Kingdom of God is either entirely present or entirely future. Scripture presents a richer picture.

Jesus reigns today. Yet Satan is still called “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Christ sits at the Father’s right hand (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3), yet wars continue, nations rage, and creation groans under the curse (Romans 8:22).

How can both be true?

The answer is that the Kingdom unfolds in stages. What Cotton Mather observed centuries ago is still worth considering today: the Kingdom is not a single moment in history but a divine program moving toward its climax in the reign of Messiah.

❖ The Kingdom Within

The Kingdom first appears in the hearts of those who trust Christ. Jesus declared, “The kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21). Paul wrote that believers have been transferred “into the kingdom of the Son” (Colossians 1:13).

Every conversion is a kingdom victory. Every transformed life demonstrates the authority of the King. Yet no one could honestly look at today’s world and conclude that God’s will is being done on earth as perfectly as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

Something more remains ahead.

❖ The Kingdom Growing

Jesus compared the Kingdom to a mustard seed that grows from small beginnings into something far larger (Matthew 13:31-32). Through the spread of the gospel, Christ is gathering people from every tribe, language, and nation (Revelation 5:9).

Yet this present phase exists alongside rebellion. Peter warns that the devil prowls like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). John says “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). The King reigns, but His enemies have not yet been publicly subdued.

As Paul explains, Christ “must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25). The word until points forward to a future manifestation of His rule.

❖ The Kingdom Coming

The prophets consistently describe a future earthly reign of Messiah.

Isaiah foresaw a day when the nations would stream to Jerusalem and learn God’s ways, while weapons of war would be transformed into tools of peace (Isaiah 2:2-4). Zechariah declared, “The LORD will be king over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9). Gabriel told Mary that Jesus would receive “the throne of his father David” and reign over the house of Jacob forever (Luke 1:32-33).

David’s throne was never located in heaven.

It was in Jerusalem.

Daniel saw the same future. After the succession of Gentile empires represented by the great statue, a stone cut without human hands strikes the kingdoms of this world and becomes a mountain filling the entire earth (Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45). The stone does not gradually improve the kingdoms of men.

It crushes them.

John describes the fulfillment after Christ’s return: “They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4).

The Millennium is necessary because God’s covenant promises require it. Abraham was promised a land forever (Genesis 17:8). David was promised an everlasting throne (2 Samuel 7:16). Israel was promised a future national restoration (Ezekiel 36:24-28; Amos 9:14-15). The Millennial Kingdom is where these promises become visible history.

As John Walvoord observed: “The premillennial interpretation is the only one that provides a literal fulfillment of the Old Testament promises concerning the kingdom.”

❖ The Common Objection

Amillennialists often ask: “Why would there need to be a future earthly kingdom if Christ already won the victory at the cross?”

Because victory and implementation are not the same thing.

Christ defeated Satan at the cross (Colossians 2:15), yet Satan still deceives the nations (Revelation 12:9). Christ conquered death through His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:54-57), yet people still die. Christ is King today, yet the kingdoms of this world have not yet become His visible kingdom (Revelation 11:15).

Others argue that Revelation 20 is symbolic. Yet the sequence remains remarkably straightforward: Christ returns in Revelation 19, Satan is bound, the saints reign, Satan is released, final judgment occurs, and then the New Heaven and New Earth appear. The burden of proof falls on those who would collapse these events into a purely symbolic present age.

❖ Why Is Satan Released?

Perhaps the most fascinating question in prophecy concerns Satan’s release after a thousand years (Revelation 20:7-10).

Why allow one final rebellion?

Because God demonstrates forever that humanity’s deepest problem is not environment, politics, education, wealth, or government. During the Millennium, the world experiences perfect justice under the direct rule of Christ (Isaiah 11:1-9). Yet when Satan is released, countless people still choose rebellion.

As Jeremiah wrote: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9

The final revolt proves that the problem has always been the human heart. Even paradise cannot save a person. Only regeneration can (John 3:3).

❖ The Kingdom Consummated

After the final rebellion comes the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). Death itself is abolished (1 Corinthians 15:26), Satan is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10), and God creates a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).

The Kingdom reaches its eternal form. No curse. No death. No rebellion. No tears. God dwells with His people forever:

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” Revelation 21:4

The Kingdom began in hearts. It grows through the gospel. It comes in glory when Christ returns. It endures forever in the new creation.

The prayer Jesus taught His disciples has not yet been fully realized: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

But the day is coming when it will be.

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This Week in Prophecy: Temple Mount Arrests; Chinese CP Editing Jesus; UK Digital ID; Euphrates River; Idolatry

Posted in #PaulthePoke, China, Euphrates River, Pentecost/Shavuot/Feast of Weeks, Temple with tags , , , , , , , , on May 26, 2026 by paulthepoke

Leviticus 23:17 Bring two loaves of bread from your dwellings as a wave offering, each made from two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with leaven, as the firstfruits to the LORD.

Israeli police arrested 13 people Friday after they broke through security barriers and forced their way onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City, attempting to perform the Biblically mandated grain offering to mark the festival of Shavuot. The arrests came hours before the holiday began at sundown, and initial reports misidentified the ritual items as preparation for an animal sacrifice. What the group actually carried onto the holy site were two loaves of bread.

https://israel365news.com/418322/13-arrested-on-temple-mount-as-jews-attempt-to-sacrifice-shavuot-bread-offering

Pentecost/Shavuot/Feast of Weeks: Two Loaves of Bread

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John 8:6-11 They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger. When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” And again He bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there. Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, Lord,” she answered. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”

“The Chinese are no longer content with all of these attempts to try to forcibly get Christians to deny their faith. And so now they’ve just taken it to a new level where they’re trying to rewrite the scripture and what the Bible says, to confuse them and to prevent them from becoming Christians.” -Tina Ramirez, Founder Hardwired Global

Chinese Communist Party translation…

 Jesus once said to the angry crowd who was trying to stone a woman who had sinned, “He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.” When his words came to their ears, they stopped moving forward. When everyone went out, Jesus stoned the woman himself, and said “I am also a sinner.”

https://cbn.com/news/world/chinese-communists-perverting-bible-and-turning-jesus-murderer

Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.

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Revelation 13:16-17 And the second beast required all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

King Charles introduces Digital ID, modernization with how citizens interact with public services…

The United Kingdom’s Digital ID is not the Mark of the Beast. But the technology is in place to track the people’s economic activity.

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Revelation 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.

Granted, this is towards the end of the seven year Tribulation. But, Global press is paying attention to the Euphrates River. Russia Times and others are connecting the dots to Biblical prophecy.

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Exodus 20:4-6 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Slippery slope, be very careful…

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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WHAT IF THE SABBATH IS FAR MORE THAN A DAY OF REST? -Mark Wilson

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Creation, Mark Wilson, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 21, 2026 by paulthepoke

Again, At this time, I would like to introduce Mark Wilson to the website!

Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

An infographic exploring the significance of the Sabbath through biblical references, with visuals depicting creation, covenant, exile, prophecy, and the kingdom.

What if it is one of the greatest prophetic themes in all of Scripture?

What if the Sabbath is actually a window into:

  • Creation…
  • Covenant…
  • Exile…
  • The Tribulation…
  • And the coming Kingdom of Messiah?

“The Sabbath is woven into the fabric of redemption itself. To profane it was to reject God’s order. To honor it was to trust His provision, His timing, and ultimately His promised rest.” — Arnold Fruchtenbaum

Most people think of the Sabbath as merely a command about resting one day a week. But in Scripture, it becomes much bigger than that. The Sabbath is about God’s order for time itself.

~

The Sabbath was established before Sinai, before Moses, and before Israel even existed.

“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy…” Genesis 2:2–3

Notice carefully:
God did not rest because He was tired.

The Creator of heaven and earth does not grow weary.

The Sabbath was a divine pattern.

Work.
Completion.
Rest.

Humanity was created to live under God’s rhythm, not endless striving.

The world belongs to Him.
Time belongs to Him.
History belongs to Him.

~

❖ THE SABBATH BECAME A COVENANT SIGN

When God entered covenant with Israel, the Sabbath became one of the defining signs of that relationship.

“Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations…” Exodus 31:13

The Sabbath separated Israel from the nations.

Egypt never stopped working.
Babylon never stopped striving.
Pagan empires trusted productivity, wealth, and power.

But Israel was commanded to stop.
Every seventh day they declared:
God is our provider.
That required faith.

Imagine refusing to work one full day every week in the ancient world.
Imagine letting farmland rest every seventh year.

That was not economic logic.
That was covenant trust.

~

❖ THE LAND ITSELF WAS TO KEEP SABBATH

This is where the theme becomes even more profound.

The Torah commanded Israel not only to observe weekly Sabbaths, but Sabbath years for the land itself.

“But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land…” Leviticus 25:4

Every seventh year the land was to rest.
No planting.
No harvesting for profit.
Dependence upon God.

But Israel repeatedly violated this command.

And eventually God judged the nation through exile.
“He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword… until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths.” 2 Chronicles 36:20–21

This is astonishing. The land was owed rest.

For centuries Israel ignored God’s Sabbaths, and finally the land “collected” what had been denied. Many believe the 70 years of Babylonian exile corresponded to roughly 490 years of neglected Sabbath years.

One missed Sabbath year every seven years. Seventy missed Sabbath years. Seventy years in exile.

Suddenly the prophecy of Daniel 9 becomes even more fascinating.

~

❖ DANIEL’S SEVENTY WEEKS

While reading Jeremiah’s prophecy about the 70 years of exile, Daniel receives a larger revelation:

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city…” Daniel 9:24

The word “weeks” literally means “sevens.”

God places Israel back onto a prophetic timetable measured in sacred sevens.

The exile was not random history. It was covenant history.

Time itself was being accounted for. And according to the futurist understanding of prophecy, one final “week” of years still remains: the future Tribulation period.

A final seven-year period connected to Israel, Jerusalem, covenant, desecration, repentance, and ultimately the return of Messiah.

~

❖ THE SABBATH WAS ALWAYS POINTING FORWARD

The Sabbath is not merely about physical rest.
It points toward restoration. Toward completion. Toward the Kingdom.

Scripture repeatedly connects future redemption with rest.
“There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God…” Hebrews 4:9

The prophets describe a future age where Jerusalem is exalted, the nations stream to Zion, war ceases, and Messiah reigns from David’s throne.

That is ultimate Sabbath-rest. Creation itself longs for it. The earth has never truly rested under righteous rule since Eden. But the coming Kingdom changes that.

~

❖ EVEN THE STRUCTURE OF HISTORY REFLECTS THIS PATTERN

Many Bible students throughout history have noticed something remarkable: God often works in patterns of six plus one. Six days of labor. One day of rest.

Some early Jewish and Christian interpreters connected this pattern to human history itself: six thousand years of fallen human rule followed by a thousand-year Messianic Kingdom.

Whether one accepts that framework fully or not, the symbolism is undeniable. The Millennial Kingdom in Book of Revelation 20 looks remarkably like the fulfillment of the Sabbath principle on a global scale.

The King reigns. Creation is restored. Jerusalem is central. The nations come up to worship. The curse is restrained. The earth rests under righteous government.

~

❖ THIS TRUTH SHOULD CHANGE HOW WE LIVE

The modern world glorifies endless striving.
More work.
More noise.
More anxiety.
More control.

But the Sabbath principle reminds us that we are not sustained by frantic human effort.

We are sustained by God.
Sabbath teaches trust.
Dependence.
Worship.
Perspective.

It reminds us that our identity is not found in productivity, achievement, or exhaustion.

And spiritually, it points us to the greatest rest of all: rest in the finished work of Messiah.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

The Sabbath theme begins in Genesis.
It moves through Sinai.
It echoes through exile.
It shapes Daniel’s prophecy.
It points toward the Kingdom.

And one day, under the reign of the Messiah, the world itself will finally enter its promised rest.

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REVELATION 11: A TEMPLE THAT DOESN’T EXIST… YET- Mark Wilson

Posted in Mark Wilson, Prophecy, Temple with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on May 13, 2026 by paulthepoke

At this time, I would like to introduce Mark Wilson to the website! Mark provides outstanding Biblical content on X @ https://x.com/Mark_Wilson_25/

An artistic illustration depicting the future temple as described in Revelation 11, with quotes from biblical texts and a guided timeline highlighting significant events related to the temple.

John is told to measure a temple that does not exist… yet.

“Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court… it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.” (Revelation 11:1–2)

This is not abstract. This is not symbolic drift. This is structure. This is geography. This is time.

And it forces the question:

❖ WHAT TEMPLE IS JOHN SEEING?

It cannot be Solomon’s. It cannot be the Second Temple.

Jesus already declared: “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Matthew 24:2)

By the time John writes, that destruction is behind him. So if John sees a temple… it must be ahead of us.

~

❖ A REAL, FUNCTIONING TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

The word used is naos — the inner sanctuary.

Not a vague spiritual idea. A defined sacred space.

There is:

  • a temple
  • an altar
  • worshipers
  • measurable boundaries

This is not how Scripture describes the Church.

~

❖ BUT AREN’T BELIEVERS THE TEMPLE NOW?

Yes. Absolutely.

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

That is gloriously true. But present spiritual reality does not cancel future prophecy. Believers being called God’s temple does not erase a coming temple any more than being Abraham’s seed erases God’s promises to national Israel.

Revelation 11 describes:

  • an altar
  • outer courts
  • Gentile trampling
  • a defined city
  • a 42-month countdown.

That is not Church-age language. That is prophetic Jerusalem.

~

❖ EVERYTHING HINGES ON THIS TIMELINE

42 months.

Three and a half years.

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’…” (Matthew 24:15)

“In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering.” (Daniel 9:27)

This is the midpoint of the Tribulation. A precise prophetic clock.

~

❖ THE TEMPLE AND THE ANTICHRIST

Paul makes it unavoidable:

“He sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

This is not symbolic language. This is a man… in a place… making a claim. No temple… no fulfillment.

Jesus said you will see it.

Paul said it will happen.

John is told to measure it.

~

❖ JERUSALEM UNDER PRESSURE

“They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.”

Jesus said: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)

A Jewish city. A contested mount. A ticking clock.

This is not ancient history.

This is the season.

~

❖ AND THE SEASON IS GETTING LOUDER

For centuries, Jews were forbidden from praying openly on the Temple Mount.

Now? That barrier is beginning to crack.

Reports in recent years have documented increased Jewish prayer access and quiet permissions on the Temple Mount.

Small? Yes. Symbolic? Maybe. But prophetically… significant.

Because Revelation 11 requires one thing: A Jewish place of worship… functioning again.

~

❖ THE PREPARATION IS ALREADY UNDERWAY

The Temple Institute has already:

  • Recreated priestly garments
  • Prepared temple vessels
  • Trained priests from the line of Levi
  • Constructed a functional altar
  • Advanced efforts for red heifer purification

This is not speculation. This is infrastructure.

~

❖ GOD’S PROPHETIC CLOCK IS MOVING

Chuck Missler “Israel is the hour hand. Jerusalem is the minute hand. The Temple Mount is the second hand.”

Watch the second hand… and everything accelerates.

~

❖ THE TEXT REFUSES TO BE REDUCED

This is not the Church. The Church is not divided into courts. Not trampled geographically. Not measured with an altar tied to sacrifice.

And the Antichrist does not sit in a metaphor.

~

❖ THE PROPHETIC FLOW IS CONSISTENT

  • Israel regathered.
  • Jerusalem restored to global focus.
  • A covenant emerges.
  • Temple worship resumes.
  • The temple is measured.
  • The Antichrist desecrates it.
  • Judgment intensifies.

This is not random. It is coordinated.

~

❖ SO WHAT ARE WE WATCHING?

Not imagination. Not allegory.

A future, literal temple in Jerusalem… casting its shadow into the present.

  • And if Revelation 11 is literal…
  • If Jesus meant what He said…
  • If Paul described a real event…
  • Then we are not waiting for prophecy to be written.

We are watching the conditions align.

The season is not silent.

It is accelerating.

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Debunking Replacement Theology: Church Origins in the Mosaic Law and Shavuot

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Pentecost/Shavuot/Feast of Weeks, Replacement Theology with tags , , , , , on May 11, 2026 by paulthepoke

Welcome to part 5 of the series, Debunking Replacement Theology.

Beginnings of the church…

The church or the body of Jesus Christ has ties to the Old Testament Mosaic Law and God’s Appointed Holiday of Shavuot. I realize this will be blasphemy in some circles of theology reading this. Hear me out before going ballistic and deeming me a heretic. God has a plan down to the day!

The Law was given on Mount Sinai to Moses roughly 1,600 years before Christ. In the Old Testament and in the Hebrew, this God appointed holiday is referred to as Shavuot.

The word means: weeks. Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks is a memorial of God giving Moses and Israel the Torah. Hebraic belief is redemption from Egyptian slavery was not complete until they received the instruction or teaching. The holiday is one of God’s seven appointed holidays. Nation Israel honored Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, every year.

Provisions for the holiday include two loaves of bread, sacrificial lambs, a bull, two rams, a goat, and a drink offering of wine. God gives directions on how to make bread. Specifications for choosing livestock are given.

God loves the smell of grilled meats by fire. Toasted bread smells great. The holiday is also a day of rest with no work, a Sabbath. And He wants His people to do this celebration and exercise it every year on the same day.

Is God being unreasonable? He offers a holiday with grilled meats, toasted bread, and alcohol. It is an outdoor party in the late spring around a camp fire. Celebrate the harvest and give thanks to God. Road trip to Jerusalem!!!

See the Scripture for the complete details.

Leviticus 23:17-21 You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord. Along with the bread you shall present seven one year old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord. You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the Lord; they are to be holy to the Lord for the priest. On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.

Shavuot or the Feast of the Harvest is one of the three holidays where Jewish men are required to come to Jerusalem. The other two holidays are the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of the Ingathering (Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths). The men were to make their presentation and sacrifice before God at the Temple.

Exodus 23:14-17 “Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord God.”

Eating and drinking dairy products are part of the celebration of Shavuot. Many think the custom of dairy products is in reference to Bible verses referring to a promised land flowing with milk and honey. See the example below.

Exodus 3:8a “So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey…

As stated in the Leviticus passage, the Feast of Weeks is seven weeks after Passover. It is a celebration of the completed grain harvest. The holiday is also a celebration of God giving the Torah (instruction or law) to nation Israel. Because of this, Shavuot is considered as the beginning or birth of Judaism.

Fast forward to 33 AD. Nation Israel has been celebrating and living God’s Appointed Spring holidays. Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, had been sacrificed. He was the buried Unleavened Bread. Christ is the First Fruits of the resurrection.

Then fifty days later… It is seven weeks after the death of the sacrificial lamb, Jesus. Nation Israel is celebrating and living the holiday. Shavuot or Pentecost is also the day God the Father gave God the Holy Spirit. Because of this, Pentecost is considered the beginning or the birth of the church or the body of believers in Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they (apostles) were all together in one place.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

In the Greek New Testament, Shavuot (Hebrew) is translated as πεντεκοστε/pentekoste (Greek). Per Strong’s Concordance, it means: the fiftieth day; the second of the three great Jewish feasts, celebrated at Jerusalem yearly, the seventh week after the Passover, in grateful recognition of the completed harvest. We have transliterated the word to Pentecost (English).

This is the day promised by Jesus of the giving of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…”

~

This series is an excerpt from the book, Rapture the Bride Redeemed. https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Preview: God’s Spring Appointed Holidays 5786/2026/5951

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Spring Feasts, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 21, 2026 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 9:6 For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Granted, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was quoting the American historian and philosopher Will Durant. That said, bad analogy…

However, Netanyahu does not know the Lion of the tribe of Judah. You all (Israel) don’t know it, but Jesus Christ is Israel’s Messiah. He is your Messiah. He will come to Earth and conduct some serious social hygiene. Jesus is also the Lamb of God who died for the sins of humanity. See Revelation 5, Zechariah 12, 14 for details… Read it!

Jesus Christ will rule and reign 1,000 years and into eternity.

~

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the celebration of the Spring Appointed Feasts.

There are seven God appointed holidays communicated through the Old Testament Law. The first three spring holidays were fulfilled on the appointed holiday by Jesus Himself. The names of the feasts are: Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits.

Diagram illustrating the Spring Feasts of Israel, including Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits Sunday, and the Feast of Pentecost, with key events such as Jesus' Death, Resurrection, and the Holy Spirit.

In the Hebrew year 5786 or the Gregorian calendar year of 2026, the appointments occur as follows. Passover essentially begins at sunset on Wednesday, Nisan 14th (traditional Hebrew lunar calendar) or April 1st on a western Gregorian solar calendar. The first day of Unleavened Bread is the next day at sunset on Thursday, Nisan 15th or April 2nd. Lastly, the feast of First Fruits starts at sunset on Friday, Nisan 16th or April 3rd. The holidays culminate and end at sunset on Thursday, April 9th. These are the mathematically calculated dates for 21st century calendars.

The Essene solar calendar has Passover initiating on Tuesday, March 31st (Nisan 14). Unleavened Bread begins on Wednesday, April 1st (Nisan 15). The timing and marking of First Fruits are different for the Essenes. Instead of being 3 consecutive days as marked by the traditional Hebrew lunar calendar above, First Fruits begins on Sunday, April 12th or Nisan 26th.

This is the year 5951 per the Dead Sea Scroll or the Essene calendar. As the Essene’s mark time, this is last generation.

Luke 21:32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. -Jesus

The Essenes followed God’s word on the New Year. We are now in the year 5951.

Exodus 12:1-2 Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month is the beginning of months for you; it shall be the first month of your year.

For those who are interested, check out the Dead Sea Scroll Essene Calendar at the link below. Compliments of Ken Johnson at https://biblefacts.org/

https://dsscalendar.org/DSS-Greg.php?Y=2026

Again, there is not consensus on these dates within various studies of Judaism, Christendom, and Jewish Messianic believers in Yeshua or Jesus Christ. Humanity struggles to keep time as God has directed. No one knows the day or the hour…

For a deeper dive into the Hebrew lunar calendar, click the link below.

Creation of Time: The Calendar

~

The first of God’s holidays is Passover or Pesach in the Hebrew. The holiday begins on the 14th day of the Hebrew month Nisan (March or April on a Gregorian calendar). There is a play on words in the original Hebrew. A “pesach” is an unblemished lamb which was required for the sacrifice. After the “pesach” was sacrificed, the blood was to be smeared on the wooden posts of the house. When God saw the blood on the door posts, He passed over or “pasach” and the house was spared judgment.

The original directions for the Passover were given to Moses and Aaron in Egypt. The statute and happenings are noted in Exodus 12. God defines the purpose of the holiday to Israel. 

Exodus 12:26-27a “And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’”

~

The second of God’s holidays is Unleavened Bread or Chag haMatazt in the Hebrew. The holiday begins on the 15th of Nisan and runs for seven days.

The directions of Unleavened Bread are noted in Exodus 12:15-20. The focus of the week is to live a life without leaven, the symbol for sin. Leaven is not to be in the house. Leaven products are not to be consumed. Bread without yeast, matzah, is to be eaten.

~

The third of God’s holidays is First Fruits or Reshit Katzir in the Hebrew. The one day holiday begins on the day after the Sabbath or Sunday on our calendar.

The directions for First Fruits are noted in Leviticus 23:9-14. The priest is to make a barley offering of the first portion of the harvest to the Lord. The priest intervenes on behalf of the people. The reality of the holiday for the people of Israel is this. The people bring their grain sheaf to the priest. They are to sacrifice a lamb without blemish. The offering is also to be presented with bread and wine.

Jesus was resurrected on First Fruits. He is the First Fruits or barley offering before God the Father. He is the High Priest who intervenes on our behalf for sin. He is the perfect offering.

In memory of Him, we participate in communion with the elements of bread and wine.

At some point in the future, as a pattern of history, will believers in Christ be resurrected on First Fruits?

Jesus Christ died. He was buried. And He was raised from the dead.

This is the gospel message of Jesus Christ, really “good news”.

Today, He is alive at the right hand of God the Father. And He is coming back again to planet Earth.

~

Iranian missile lands within 300 meters of the Temple Mount and the Al Aqsa Mosque. The Golden Dome is at risk. Oh, can you imagine???

Jesus’ burial site closed…

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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