Joel 1 and 2

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The sacrifices that Israel performed under God’s Law foreshadowed (Heb. 10:1)
better things to come, not only during the Gospel Age, but also during the
Millennial Age. Some of these sacrifices pointed forward to the sacrifice of our
Lord Jesus and His prospective Body members during the Gospel age, such as in
Lev. 16, where the bullock represented our Lord Jesus during His first advent; the
Lord’s goat represented the Little Flock, the Bride; and the live goat represented,
the “Little Sister” class, from which came the Great Multitude class. Others of
these sacrifices represented conditions in both the Gospel and in the Millennial
Ages. An example would be the burnt offering of Lev. 1. It is named such
because of the death and burning of an animal. As it is portrayed in Lev 1, “If
any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of
the cattle,” that burnt offering arrangement of a voluntary offering represents
conditions among men during the Millennial Age. (See treatise entitled Numbers
10.) When the burnt offering, for example, is required as part of the Feast of
Weeks in Lev 23:15-21 (which feast represents the Church, the Body of Christ,
and those who ultimately become the Great Multitude) that burnt offering is
associated with the Gospel Age sacrifice of those that entered the race for the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus. See Eph 1:22,23; 1 Cor 1:26-29; 1 Cor 9:24;
Phil 3:14; Rev 7:9-17.
A sacrifice is an offering, but not all offerings are a sacrifice, because not all
offerings are animals that are killed, sacrificed. Such offerings we consider next.
The meal offering in Lev. 2, represents conditions during both the Gospel Age
and the Millennial Age because this offering is similarly offered by the individual
voluntarily (Millennial Age portrayal) and it is offered in conjunction with all
required burnt offerings (Gospel Age portrayal). The following is in reference to
the application of this offering during the Millennial Age. It is brought to Aaron’s
sons, the under-priests, who represent the Church. It is of fine flour, meaning
that effort has been exerted upon the grains of barley (representing our Lord
Jesus) or wheat (representing the Church) to make their offering. Mankind will
indeed exert much labor to make an offering that is presentable, an offering that
incorporates grain, the fruits of the field of the Gospel Age. Upon these offerings
will be poured oil, representing the Holy Spirit, which will then have been poured
out upon all flesh, Joel 2:28. Without the Holy Spirit of God upon the barley
(Jesus) and the wheat (the Church) during the Gospel Age, there could be no
offering made by anyone in the Millennial Age, because the Millennial Age would
not exist. Because of the Sin Offering of the Gospel Age (the sacrifices of Jesus
and of his Church as one composite offering), and because of the Holy Spirit that
made that Sin Offering possible, the work of restitution of mankind during the
Millennial Age exists, and that fact must first be recognized. The frankincense is
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a sweet testimony added to the flour and oil that symbolizes the offerers
appreciation of what God has done. When the offerer takes up a handful of part
of the flour, part of the oil and all of the frankincense, it will be an attestation by
the offerer of his own personal appreciation of all that God has done during the
Gospel Age to enable him to make an acceptable offering during the Millennial
Age. When Aaron’s sons burned that memorial part upon the altar, it became a
sweet savor unto Jehovah. Indeed, what an aroma of sweetness to God when the
offering is made by an appreciative soul.
In Num 15:4,5 a drink offering as part of a burnt offering of a lamb was one
fourth part of a hin; in verse 7, the drink offering, in connection with the offering
of a ram, was a third part of a hin; and in verses 8-10, if the burnt offering was a
bullock, then the drink offering was one half of a hin. (How much capacity a hin
is, is not considered here.) From Num. 6:13-17 the drink offering was a separate
offering, though it was frequently offered with other offerings as a package.
What does a drink offering signify? The only text prior to the giving of the Law at
Sinai that mentions a drink offering is in Gen. 35:14. There Israel erected a pillar
of stone in the place where God had spoken with him and had promised to him
(Israel) the land that God had promised to his two forebears, Abraham and Isaac.
Afterward, Israel poured a drink offering on the pillar. The drink offering is
usually wine, Lev 23:13, and at times strong liquor, Num 28:7, which often in
Scripture represents doctrine or practice of the same. See Rev. 17:2 as an
example. Wine is refreshing as a beverage, but when over used, makes one
drunk, unable to perform mentally or physically as normal. Therefore, the drink
offering suggests comprehension of what is going on, or what has been promised.
See 2 Sam 23:16.
Note also that as the quality of the animal in the burnt offering increased, so did
the amount of wine (comprehension) that was poured out. This lesson dove-tails
with that of the burnt offering significance of Lev. 1: as men move towards
perfection, the animal used in the offering moves up in size and value.
How fitting this is, for at the memorial celebration of our Lord’s death, the wine in
the cup represents the Church’s share in the sufferings of her Lord, her share in
the sin offering, and when one drinks from the cup, literally the wine is poured
out, thus symbolizing their comprehension of what is taking place.
Now, on to Joel 1 and 2.
The Book of Joel begins without any reference of a reigning king of Israel, nor of
Judah. As such, some of the content has application in more than one
circumstance. For instance, 2:10 speaks about sun, moon, and stars as dark or
not shining. That reference, though not exact word for word, also appears in Isa
13:10 in context with literal Babylon, and in Isa 24 where the context is relative
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to the present day of evil and its destruction. Therefore some of what Joel wrote
will have application in one circumstance only while other texts will have
application to two different eras of time. We will not consistently point out which
text applies when.
Joel proceeds by imploring the elderly to listen to what he has to say: Have you
ever seen times like these before? Relate these things to your offspring for
several generations to come.
What follows in 1:5-12 is a multifaceted description of locusts (Moffat Translation)
which God sent unto His people (2:25) because of their disobedience. This is the
powerful invading army, and the details of their effect are stated.
In Joel 1:13 we read, “Gird yourselves and lament, ye priests: howl, ye
ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth (denoting mourning
and contrition), ye ministers of God: for the meat offering and the drink
offering is withheld from the house (synagogue) of your God.” Why should
the priests, the ministers in the house of God, gird themselves with sackcloth and
lament and howl? The answer is given in the same text: literally, the grain and
the vine have been quite well decimated. This happened because of the invasion
of the locusts. This has caused a literal lack of being able to offer either a meal
or a drink offering. Symbolically, appreciation (meat [meal] offering) and
comprehension (drink offering) are lacking.
Though the content of verses 2-13 have not literally occurred in our very day, we
can extract important information that is relevant to our day.
Verse 11 states, “Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for
the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.”
Barley grew and was harvested before wheat. See Exo 9:31,32. Moses’ account
of the days of the flood of Noah prophetically point to early June, 2020 as being
the beginning of the flood of trouble that begins the passing away of this present
evil world. That date is also the beginning of the Day of God’s Vengeance. For
the wheat to be placed before the barley in the text, which is out of order for
their growth and harvest, normally would indicate that a whole year would pass
before the Day of Vengeance would begin, which would allow for both seasons of
planting and harvesting to occur. This violates the prophetic date of June 3rd,
2020, as well as violates Joel 1:13. Therein we read, “...howl ye ministers of the
altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth….” If a year was to pass, then the ministers
would have been instructed to lie in sackcloth for a year. “Lie all night” comes
from H3885, which means “to stop (usually over night).” However, usually is not
always. Therefore, the text can mean to stop from your course, put on sackcloth
as a sign of contrition and mourning, and wear it for a while.
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From the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 11:25, “...that blindness in part is
happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in,” that partial
blindness is to who their Messiah is, and is not to who their God is. In verse 13 it
is the ministers who howl, not the congregation. The ministers are responsible
for the Word of Jehovah being accurately disseminated unto the people. These lie
all night in sackcloth, “for the meat offering and the drink offering is withheld
from the house of your God.” The meat (meal) offering represents appreciation
of what God is doing during the Gospel Age, i.e. preparing a bride (the Church)
for her groom (the Lord Jesus) that together they may fulfill the Abrahamic
promise, “and in thee (through thy seed, which is Christ, Gal 3:16,29) shall all
families of the earth be blessed,” Gen 12:3; 18:18; 28:12-14. Mankind’s blessing
is accomplished during the Millennial reign of The Christ, the 1000 years, wherein
the willing will receive restitution, bringing them back into perfection of being and
in harmony with their Creator, Jehovah. See Acts 3:19-21; Isa 35; Mic 4:1-5.
The drink offering represents comprehension of what God is doing. Thus, the
meal offering, appreciation, and the drink offering, comprehension, are both
necessary, for no one can appreciate without first comprehending. Because
natural Orthodox Israel is quite well fixated with the letter of the Law, the Torah
(“We are Moses disciples!” John 9:28), and with the observances of their
requirements, they do not clearly see that the Old Testament is pictorial of what
God will do for mankind. The fact also that the clerics have forbid the Hebrew
people from reading Isaiah 53, wherein Messiah is pictorially represented, speaks
of the wilfulness of the ministers regarding their blindness: they do not want to
believe that Yeshua is their Messiah, at least, not yet.
Verse 14 is God’s solution to that lack: “Sanctify ye a fast.” What is a fast?
From one perspective it is abstinence. To sanctify a fast is to be, make or
pronounce clean such a fast, often unto a holy purpose. To fast is to abstain from
something, whether of food, drink or activity. Because the above fast is a
response to lack of comprehension and appreciation, therefore the fast is
intended to bring about a remedy of such a situation. Currently, there are
individuals and scholars behind the scenes that are learning from ancient Hebrew
scrolls of parts of the New Testament who their Messiah really is. These men are
fasting, abstaining from their prior diet of “Jesus is not their Messiah,” and while
that fast continues, their minds are cleared from past prejudice by the truths laid
before them. As they partake of the simple diet of God’s truth on the subject,
they are acquiring comprehension and appreciation of who their Messiah really is.
A fast is also an occasion to seek the mercies of God. King Jehoshaphat
proclaimed a fast, seeking deliverance from enemies, 2 Ch 20:2-27; and King
David fasted for the sparing of a sick child, as was recorded in 2 Sa 12:14-23.
There is yet another fast that the LORD God would have all to sanctify: “Is not
this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the
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heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are
cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that
thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” If thou take away from the midst of
thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if thou
draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light
rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday.” See Isa 58:1-12.
The fast in 1:14, “Sanctify ye a fast,” is also identified in Lev 23:14. The
context is a sheaf of the firstfruit of barley harvest, which was to be brought to
the priest who would then wave it “on the morrow after the sabbath (the seventh
day sabbath).” In conjunction with that wave offering, a burnt offering, meal and
drink offerings were to be made. Verse 14 states, “And ye shall eat neither
bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have
brought an offering (singular- the sheaf, not the burnt, nor the meal, nor the
drink offerings) unto your God….” Thus if the first day of harvesting the barley
occurred on the second day of the week (or any of the first six days), a sheaf of
the first of harvest was to be brought unto the priest who would wave it on the
day after the next seventh day sabbath after harvesting began. Because the
priest did not have a warehouse with a sophisticated inventory system, the
harvester brought that sheaf to the priest on the day it was to be waved. Thus,
two things: it was to be kept up (just as was the Passover Lamb!) until the
appropriate day for transport and waving, and secondly, during that time, from
initial harvest until the waving, the person and his household were to fast, i.e. not
eat “bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears.”
From the above, we can draw the conclusion, because of the similarity of keeping
the lamb, that the target date for first harvesting of the barley was on the tenth
day of the month. The main difference between the lamb and the grain, as
regards when they were offered, is this, the lamb was offered in death to portray
our Lord’s sacrifice in death, whereas the sheaf of grain was brought and waved
on the day our Lord was raised from the dead. The former portrayed death, while
the latter portrayed life. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life!” See John 6:35.
Note that the fast is sanctified before the solemn assembly is called.
Chapter 1:14 continues, “...call (proclaim, Lev. 23:2) a solemn assembly,
gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land (of Israel) into the
house of the LORD (Jehovah) your God, and cry unto the Lord.” What is a
solemn assembly? 2 Chron 8:12,13 answers partially, “...and on the solemn
feasts, three times in the year, in the feast of unleavened bread (following
Passover), and in the feast of weeks (Shavuot, or Pentecost), and in the feast of
tabernacles (in the seventh month).” Exo. 23:14-17 provides the rest of the
answer, “Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year...feast of
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unleavened bread,...feast of harvest (Shavuot, Pentecost),...and the feast of
ingathering (also Tabernacles)...Three times in the year all thy males shall
appear before the Lord God.” See also Exo. 34:23. The solemn assembly, then,
is a required feast with congregational attendance of all the males of Israel.
Noting also the historical practice, common in the day, the family as a whole went
up to Jerusalem to observe it, Luke 2:41-43.
Which assembly is referred to here? Because the firstfruit sheaf, the offerings,
the observance of a fast and the subsequent counting of weeks leads to the Feast
of Weeks, Shavuot, therefore, verse 14 identifies the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Because two trumpets blown in unison call the assembly to gather at the door of
the tabernacle, when the three appointed feasts are to occur, we draw the
conclusion that two trumpets sound to call the men of Israel to assemble for the
feast, Exo 23:14-17; Num 10:2,3,7.
Referencing back to Joel 1;11, “for the wheat and for the barley; because the
harvest of the field is perished,” the Feast of Unleavened Bread is identified with
the harvest of barley, yet, according to Isa 28:25, both wheat and barley were
planted after the plowman opened the ground. Then, according to Ex 9:31,32,
the wheat was still tender, young, when the hail destroyed the barley. Thus, the
wheat plant is present when the barley is harvested, though it is very immature.
If the locusts eat the wheat plant to the ground, it will not come back. (The oat
plant is similar. When the plant is partially eaten back by an animal, the stalk will
not produce grain. This we learned first hand while we traveled with mules.)
Thus, the wheat harvest has failed also.
Inasmuch as we see an application of verses 13-15 to our day, which texts are in
context with an invasion of an army of locusts, we initially believed there would
be an invasion of the locusts in Israel prior to the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
2020. If locusts came, they would be a visible indication of the fulfillment of
Joel’s prophecy regarding the proximity of God’s Day of Vengeance, yet they have
not overwhelmingly entered into Israel. Therefore, we have asked God if the
Coronavirus (Covid-19) has any relevant significance, for it has entered the land
of Israel with significant impact. If the Coronavirus is a substitute for the locusts,
then we have the basis for believing that our conclusions here and those for
future events are on target, correct.
As we searched the database of E-Sword using key words, we came to 2 Chr
7:13,14. We read, “If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command
the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; if my
people (H5971), which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and
pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from
heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” As we delved into the
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text we found this: “If (H2005-meaning “lo”, also translated “though” in Job
13:15) I shut up heaven… or if (H2005) I command the locusts… or if
(H518- meaning- lo; whether; if, although; Oh that!, when; not; and has been
translated “or” in Gen 24:21 and in Joel 1:2) I send pestilence….” Note that
the three “if’s” are not all the same Hebrew word.
Thus a feasible translation of this text could read, “If I shut up heaven that there
be no rain, if I command the locusts to devour the land, or I send pestilence
among my people….” From this, either of the first two can be offset by the third,
meaning the third condition could replace either of the first two conditions. Not
every time that Israel experienced a drought did they have locusts. 1 Kg 17:1 is
a prime example of only drought conditions without locusts as a punishment upon
Israel.
A second testimony from Scripture occurs in 1 Ch 21:12-14. From context, David
had Joab number the people of Israel and Judah who could go out to war. After
Joab brought figures to David, the prophet Gad came to David with a message
from God: choose one of the following three- famine, destruction by your
enemies, or pestilence. David declined to choose, preferring to fall into the hands
of God’s mercy, rather than to fall into the hand of man. God sent a pestilence.
It was a situation of one of the three, yet any one of them would accomplish
God’s purpose of punishment.
Therefore, since the locusts have not literally come as we initially understood
from Joel’s prophecy, and since Joel is a TRUE prophet of Jehovah, then, by
substitution, according to the concept given to us in 2 Ch 7:13, the Coronavirus is
a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. This virus appeared in Israel before the Feast of
Unleavened Bread in fulfillment of the time sequence of Joel.
Looking again at the 2 Ch 7:14 text, we find this: “If my people, which are called
by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land.” When we set this alongside Joel 2:12-19, we see that
God said, “Turn ye to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping,
and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto
the Lord your God.” Because contrition is manifested acceptably, “Then will the
LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. Yea, the Lord will answer and
say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall
be satisfied therewith.” Thus, the conditions laid out in 2 Ch 7:14 are equivalent
to the reality of Joel 2:12-19.
Some may ask, “Did God lie to Joel and to us?” No, God does not lie, Num
23;19; Tit 1:2. “Did God change His mind as to how He would do things after He
gave Joel the information?” “Known unto God are all His works from the
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beginning of the world,” Act 15:18. Therefore, God knew about this for a very
long, long time. “Why then, did God not send the locusts into Israel?” We offer
two reasons. 1) As was stated above, some of the content has application in
more than one circumstance. The invasion of locusts was not for our time, but
for a prior time.
2) If the locusts came in massive hordes as Joel’s prophecy depicts, it would be
relatively easy for many to point to Joel’s testimony and say, “See, here we are
on the stream of time!” Apparently, that is not how God wants it to occur. Only
a few will know, because only a few will do the research, ask God for the
understanding, search the Scriptures to obtain it, and knock on His door for help
all along the way.
“Well then, if that’s the case, why are we looking at Joel’s prophecy for a
fulfillment today?” The answer is primarily in Joel 3:1,2. “For behold, in those
days (referring back to 2:29, the days of the Gospel Age wherein the spirit of the
Lord was poured out upon the Church, beginning at Jerusalem on the Day of
Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus’ ascension), and in that time (the closing years
of the Gospel Age), when I shall bring again the captivity (H7622- a former state
of prosperity) of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring
them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my
people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations,
and parted my land.” In particular, the parting of land has especially been going
on since Israel’s Six Day War of ‘67, for the purpose of trying to satisfy Arab and
Gentile identities. Because of the references to the day of the LORD, His day of
Vengeance, there is legitimate application of these texts to our day, albeit, not in
the locusts having literally come at this time. Thus the essence of Joel’s prophecy
has a relevancy to our day.
Let none conclude that because the locusts did not come into Israel in our day by
the proclaimed time that the account given in Joel is irrelevant to us. The
lessons/symbolism of the locusts are for our benefit, and we believe those
aspects could not be related by the use of the pestilence at hand.
Lastly, in verses 14 and 15, after the peoples had assembled, they were to cry to
the LORD, “Alas for the day! The day of the Eternal is near, and it comes as
destruction from the Destroyer.” (Moffat) Why is Israel to cry? It is a recognition
by them of the fact that the prophetic Day of God’s Vengeance is at hand. Is it
also a cry because of sorrow? Yes, and further, that they might have deliverance
(Jud. 10:14; 1 Sam. 8:18). This cry is from the assembly, the elders and all the
inhabitants of the land of Israel. Literally, it might well be a cry for deliverance
from the Coronavirus. Symbolically, it might well be a cry for deliverance from
their lack of understanding (comprehension) of all the texts of Scripture that
spoke of the work of their Messiah (which was humiliation first, as well as
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exaltation later), and from their lack of appreciation that unto them, as a people,
the oracles of God had been committed, Rom 3:2.
This cry for potential deliverance from lack of understanding stems from the
realization that natural Israel would equate God’s Day of Vengeance with
deliverance by their Messiah, but where is He?
Joel 2:1 reads, “Blow ye the (“a”-Young’s Literal Translation) trumpet in Zion,
and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the
land (everywhere) (citizens-Moffat) tremble: for the day of the LORD
cometh, for it is nigh at hand.”
How many trumpets are blown here? Let us read the text again, “Blow ye the (a)
trumpet (1) in Zion, and sound an alarm (2 trumpets) in my holy mountain….”
Young’s Literal Translation establishes the fact that “and” is part of the text.
There are two distinct sessions of trumpeting: the first session utilizes one
trumpet to call the princes, which are the heads of the thousands of Israel, Num
10:4; and the second session utilizes two trumpets to sound an alarm for the
body of Israel. Because the two trumpets sound an alarm, it is not a call to
assemble the people, Num 10:2,3,7. Because the two trumpets do not sound for
an assembly, this second session does not call an assembly to a solemn feast.
Rather, it is for one of two other purposes: journeying, Num 10:2,5,6, or go to
war, Num 10:9. Is the alarm for purpose of war? Looking at Num 10:9, we
read, “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you,
then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered
before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” Without a
doubt, the Coronavirus could be considered an enemy, warfare could be waged
against it to eradicate it, and two trumpets could be blown that God would
remember them and give them deliverance. However, there is one problem. The
last word, “enemies,” (H341) means “hating.” The Coronavirus does not hate
anyone. Therefore, enemies here must refer to adversarial people. Thus, the
alarm is not for the purpose of warring against a virus. Neither is it for
journeying. What then is it for?
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
We read in Zeph 1:14-16, “The great day of the LORD is near, near, and
hasteth greatly the voice (H6963- to call aloud)(trumpet!) of the day of the
LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of
wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a
day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a
day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the
high towers.”
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Here is our answer! Not only is a singular trumpet sounded here as in Joel, the
alarm is against fortified or fenced cities, and against the high chieftains (H6438)
(towers). Both of the prophets Joel and Zephaniah witness to the same day of
God’s wrath, and to the fact that one trumpet sounds followed by an alarm that
will be blown by two trumpets (for two trumpets sound an alarm), for the purpose
of being remembered by God as the men go to war against adversarial peoples
who have entered the land of Israel. This is the precursor to the destruction of
Damascus! The Syrians, or those who are backed by them, will make an
incursion into or uprising in Israel after Israel has announced that Yeshua, the
Lord Jesus is their Messiah during Shavuot. Therefore, the “voice (trumpet) of
the day of the LORD” is the trumpet that sounds to call the heads of Israel to
gather unto Moses (who represents the Law of God) Num 10:1,4, in the morning
hours of Shavuot, which is the Feast of Weeks. Thus, the heads are to gather
around the Torah and the Prophets to discern what it is that they are to do in
response to the upcoming incursion/uprising.
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
Regarding the one trumpet blast in Zion, which called together the heads of
Israel, is it for natural Israel, or is it for spiritual Israel, or is it for both? Can we
know? Yes, we can. Zion is Mt Hermon- Deu 4:48; Zion is the city of David- 2
Sam 5:7; 1 Kgs 8:1; Zion equates with Jerusalem- 2 Kgs 19:21; Psa 51:18;
76:2; 147:12; Zion is a holy mountain- Ps 2:6; Joe 3:17; Mt Zion is the city of
the great king- Psa 48:2; Mt Zion is in Jerusalem- Isa 10:12. These texts relate
to fleshly, natural Israel, whereas, the following texts about Zion relate to
spiritual Israel: Psa 20:1,2; 53:6; 84:7; 87:5, etc. Thus, the one trumpet blast
calling for the assembly of the heads of the thousands of Israel is for both natural
Israel and for spiritual Israel.
Originally, the heads or princes of natural Israel were selected by God, one from
each of the twelve tribes, who stood with Moses during the numbering of the
eligible men for warfare out of all the tribes, Num 1:1-19. Today, those princes,
or heads would be considered the civil leaders of Israel, for they are the ones who
are present when the men of Israel are numbered for warfare, and who send
forth the ranks into warfare.
For spiritual Israel, there would similarly be a selection from the twelve tribes by
God, Rev 7:5-8. However, God told Abraham He would not destroy Sodom for
the sake of ten righteous persons, yet, Sodom was destroyed because ten were
not found there. That same concept holds true for the destruction of this present
evil order. God will not destroy it if ten righteous souls are here. Rev 8 tells us
there were seven angels to whom were given trumpets. These are the chosen
ones of God to the Bride of Christ, albeit, the last members to fill that composite
Body. Because there are not ten “righteous” souls here, God will destroy this
order. This trumpet that sounds to call the heads together is the same one Jesus
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referred to in Mat 24:31, “And he shall send his angels (messengers) with a great
sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other.” The message of this trumpet will be
carried forth to and through natural Israel dispersed throughout the earth, and it
will be carried forth to and through spiritual Israel who are also dispersed
throughout the earth. Thus the messengers are from both natural and spiritual
Israel. The end result will be the gathering together of the seven last Body
members for their role to be accomplished.
The purpose of calling the last members of the Body of spiritual Israel together,
is that they might be informed as to what is going on (if they did not already
know), that they might be given their trumpets, Rev 8:2.
The sequence given in Joel 2:1 is of paramount importance. The heads of natural
Israel must be brought to a Biblical understanding that their response to the
incursion/uprising is not to be from their own thinking, but that their response is
to be in accord with the mind and will of Jehovah. Let us face the facts. If Israel
under the leadership of Joshua had driven out all the inhabitants of the land that
Israel was to inherit as God told them to, and if Israel had remained faithful to
Jehovah, then there would be no Israeli-Arab problem today such as it is. God
intends to complete the cleansing that was not finished before. We read in Zeph
2:3 (partial)-5, “...it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger. For
Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they (who? Israel!) shall drive
out Ashdod at the noonday (note the time!), and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe
unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of
the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy
thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.” Why all of this? The land was promised
to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob’s descendents forever! No one else has a
rightful claim to it. See also Eze 25:15-17; Amos 1:6,7.
This cleansing is a part of the “alarm against the fenced cities, and against
the high towers.” Both “cities” and “towers” are plural, meaning more than
one. Towers means “chieftains (H6438).” Israel will go to war against other
cities and their chieftains who are in their land, in addition to their destruction of
Damascus and its chieftain.
The “holy mountain” is Jerusalem- Isa 66:20; Dan 9:16.
This question naturally intrudes here, “When does this trumpet blow for the
calling of the heads of Israel?” Because two trumpets sound to gather the men
to the assembly of a feast, that must occur in the evening when the feast day
begins. Since this is a singular trumpet, it will not be blown in the evening.
We offer two parts of analysis. Part one is: the singular trumpet will sound to
inform Israel of the prophetic word that declares the announcement is to be made
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during Shavuot. After Israel announces Yeshua as their Messiah, then the Arab
nations will go ballistic. All of the havoc that the PLO, Hamas, etc., have caused
upon Israel up to Shavuot 2020 will seem rather insignificant when compared to
what they will inflict afterward. Part two is in Num 10:9, “And if ye go to war in
your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then ye shall blow an alarm with
the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye
shall be saved from your enemies.” (1) The enemy must be in their land, (2) the
decision to go to war against them must also have been made, (3) the trumpets’
alarm must then be blown, (4) warfare can then begin. The singular trumpet
must sound before the alarm is given, of necessity because Israel’s type, scope
and time of response must be in accordance with God’s will as outlined in
Scripture. Thus, the singular trumpet sound follows #1, for the enemy is already
in the land, and it precedes #2 for the purpose of making the decision. The
decision of going to war by the heads of Israel will be made based upon Scripture,
the method used will be based upon Scripture, the target(s) will be based upon
Scripture, and the timing of occurrence as well.
From the treatise entitled Feast of Weeks, the case is made for the trumpet to
sound mid morning, 9:00 A.M., when the morning burnt offering is made.
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
From Joel 2:2,3 we read, “a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds
and of thick darkness. As the morning spread(s) upon the mountains (of Israel),
a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be
any more after it, to the years of many generations. A fire devours before them;
and behind them a flame burns: the land is as the garden of Eden before them
(Israel has lush vegetation in her agricultural fields), and behind them a desolate
wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.” Israel take note!! These two
texts declare that the Arab peoples will descend upon the nation of Israel like a
swarm of locusts, with great destruction behind them as they move across your
land. The only way that they will be stopped is for you, Israel, to take out
Damascus and to begin a massive campaign of cleansing your land of them. We
do mean MASSIVE! Note that we have highlighted “As the morning spreads,”
above. It will be on the morning of June 4th when we expect this great swarm of
Arabs to come, as daylight spreads across the mountains. And it is in harmony
with Psalms 91 that you will send an arrow, one arrow by day in initial response.
In modern military language, arrow means missile, and here it must be a BIG
ONE!!!
Note well that the United States, and others, will vehemently oppose Israel as
regards a major response. Oh well! Since when did God tell His people Israel to
follow the dictates of the heathen nations around them? If the leaders of Israel
want to do what is right for the nation of Israel (and they should), then they
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must, 1) follow God’s dictates, 2) leave their own fleshly minded inclinations out
of the picture entirely, and 3) repudiate any and all heathen nation interference.
God’s will, will be done, and if any of Israel’s leaders are not in step with the
Divine Program, then God may well install into office those who will be.
But some may protest, saying, “The city of Damascus is not in Israel!” Today it is
not, but that does not erase the Divine gift of land to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and
to Jacob’s lineage. Damascus is part of the land that God gave to Israel, Deu
11:24, and in time past Israel had possession of it, 2 Kgs 14:28. Therefore,
when Israel goes to war against the enemy in their land, Damascus qualifies, for
Damascus is their land.
“Who sounds this singular trumpet?” The singular trumpet could be blown by a
priest of natural Israel. However, this trumpet sounding, as do many, represents
a message beyond the present obvious- call an assembly of the heads. This
message is by one who is knowledgeable regarding the features and time frame
of the Day of the LORD, the Day of God’s Vengeance. Yes, natural Israel possibly
realized with the affliction of the Coronavirus that God’s Day of Vengeance was
near, at hand, but do they know when God’s Day will begin? This trumpet
message will be blown by one of spiritual Zion, for the trumpet message provides
the peoples of natural Israel with accurate information (substantially) regarding
not only substance, but also of timing. Further, only spiritual Israel can declare
unto fellow spiritual members matters of the Spirit, for only those begotten of the
Spirit now know the deep things of God, 1 Cor 2:14. The Day of Vengeance can
not be proclaimed (Isa 61:2) unless that day is known, and that day can not be
known unless God reveals it, and that day will not be revealed until it is time for it
to be revealed. Therefore, when it is time for the Day of God’s Vengeance to
begin, it will have already been revealed, followed by its proclamation at the
proper time, on the Day’s beginning. Zep 1:14; Rev 8:5; Hab 3:2-5 in particular,
but note that the whole of chapter 3 relates to God’s vengeance. Note also in
verse 5, the pestilence that preceded the coals!
This second trumpet occasion, 2:1, incorporates three trumpets: the first, in the
morning of Shavuot, to call the heads of Israel to a meeting because of the
uprising of the enemy into the land. The next two trumpets sound an alarm after
natural Israel has decided they are going to war against their enemy. This
sounding occurs after the singular trumpet sounds, but before warfare begins.
Warfare begins in the morning hours, after the sun is risen, on June 4th, which
day begins in the evening hours of June 3rd according to the Julian Calendar which
we use in the west. We base the morning hours of the beginning of warfare on
the data given us in Genesis 7:11-24, wherein the beginning of the flood waters
upon the earth began in the daylight hours; and also upon Genesis 19:23,24,
“The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the LORD
rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of
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heaven.” In verses 27,28 we read, “And Abraham gat up early in the morning to
the place where he stood before the LORD: and he looked toward Sodom and
Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of
the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.” The only way Damascus can
send up smoke as a furnace in a matter of moments, when God “rains fire” upon
her (through the instrumentality of Israel), is because a nuclear warhead (or
comparable) descends upon Damascus. Thus we read, “Behold (just as Abraham
“beheld” Sodom and Gomorrah), Damascus is taken away from being a city, and
it shall be a ruinous heap,” Isa 17:1. We reference Jer 49:27 also.
It is important to here mention that if Israel wants to have God’s blessing in their
response to the uprising of Arabs, then Israel’s priests must blow two trumpets.
More than that, the leaders, the armed forces and the nation at large must all
have and exercise faith that the blowing of the trumpets will avail them good.
“Without faith it is impossible to please Jehovah,” Heb 11:6. Blowing ten
thousand trumpets would do no more good than blowing none at all if no faith is
attached to the reason for doing so. “And if ye go to war in your land against the
enemy that oppresses you, then ye shall blow an alarm with two trumpets; and
ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from
your enemies,” Num 10:9. This is a 10:9 must!! Going to war without blowing
the trumpets because of ignorance is one thing, but now that you, Israel, know
that blowing the trumpets brings you into remembrance before God, why in the
world would you not want to follow such a simple tenet for your deliverance? Do
not think for one moment that stirring up this hornet nest will leave you
unscathed without following the simple, but powerful command here! “Believe,
and thou shalt be saved!” For your sake, BLOW TWO TRUMPETS, with faith
attached to them! Then and only then, can you stand back and see the salvation
of Jehovah.
Now, for a second instruction: read with us Amos 9:15, “And I will plant them
upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I
have given them, saith the LORD thy God.” Israel, have you been planted in the
promised land? If you acknowledge that much, then you should also
acknowledge the rest: “and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land.”
Brethren of natural Israel, if you are willing to believe God for what He said, and
He said the words of Amos 9:15, then there is NO ONE, AT ANY TIME, THAT CAN
REMOVE YOU FROM YOUR LAND! However, you can give it away, as you have
been doing, but for a price of Divine judgment against you, Jer 30:11. If you
take the step to blow the two trumpets in faith, then we encourage you to take
the next step of manifesting additional faith. After you declare Yeshua as your
Messiah, and after you destroy Damascus, and after you fulfill the requirements
of Zeph 1:17-2:6, and when the nations rise up against you, and they will, and
when the Gentile leaders of the nations browbeat you, and attempt to force you
to do according to their thinking, you must remember and believe this: as long as
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we, Israel, put our confidence in the promises of Jehovah, and as long as we are
attempting in enlightened faith to accomplish His purposes for us (faith in action),
then we can stand against the whole world, because Jehovah is for us; and who is
he that presumes to do such a thing (Est 7:5) as to touch the people of GOD with
harm? Can dust rise up and defeat Jehovah? Were not the hosts of heaven
encircled around Elisha for his protection, 2 Kgs 6:17? Will the God of heaven not
fulfill His promise to you that NO ONE can pluck you up? Believe and then
manifest that faith with the necessary action. “Faith without works is dead,”
James 2:17.
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
Joel presents three different occasions of trumpet blowings, the first (1:14) in
conjunction with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the second (2:1) in conjunction
with the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot, and the third (2:15) spread out over a short
period of time during the month of another feast. The third trumpet occasion is
in succession of the second trumpet occasion, but at a distant time later. Details
to follow. Note that two trumpets also sound at the beginning of each month,
Num 10:2,3.
Joel 1:15 states that “the day of the LORD is at hand,” (H7138). Joel 2:1 states,
“for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand,” (H7138). If God’s day
was at hand in chapter one, then it is certainly more so at hand in chapter two
and it is translated as such, “nigh at hand.”
In verses 12-14 God beckons to Israel to turn to Him with all their heart, with
fasting, weeping, with mourning and a rent heart instead of rent clothing. His
question of whether or not He will repent (turn about) of the evil, and leave
behind a blessing of meal and wine is dependent upon whether or not they
demonstrate contrition. Further, why should God stop the Coronavirus if Israel
has not stopped their dependence upon, and following of heathen nation
directives? Only after Israel abandons their own ideas, and the intrusions of wellmeaning
heathen nations as to how their affairs should be managed, and look to
Jehovah for His instruction with obedience thereto, can she experience internal
success and have deliverance from their enemies roundabout.
In verse 15 the scene changes. “Blow the (“a”- Young’s Literal Translation)
trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: gather the
people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the
children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of
his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.” As with 2:1, a singular
trumpet is blown, but this time, the trumpet message is blown in spiritual Zion
only. Sanctify a fast, is a personal affliction by not eating food, but that fast is
called by two trumpets because that fast occurs on a solemn day. “Call,”
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proclaim, a solemn assembly, requires two trumpets, for it is a feast wherein all
the males are to be gathered, thus, “gather the people.”
This text delineates three successive dates. “Blow the trumpet” occurs on the
seventh month first day as part of the memorial blowing of trumpets that God
established in Lev 23:24. This trumpet sounds in addition to the two trumpets
that announce the month’s beginning, and in addition to the trumpets blown over
peace and burnt offerings offered that day. That day and memorial blowing was
established in view of Joel 2:15, our current text, which singular trumpet is the
loud voice of the angel in Rev 8:13 which proclaims three woes to the inhabiters
of the earth. This trumpet is blown the same day and by the same person that
blows the fourth trumpet in Rev 8:12: one of the seven angels. This trumpet
message stirs the hearts of the four angels who are bound in the Euphrates, Rev
9:15, preparing them for their release, which occurs during a particular hour, of a
particular day, during a particular month, of a particular year, which, in
fulfillment, is in the mid morning after the sixth angel sounds on the 15th day of
the seventh month (Hebrew reckoning of time) at the beginning of the Feast of
Ingathering in 2020 A.D. See Rev 9:13-15; Ex 14:27; Jud 9:33; 20:19, 1 Sam
19:11.
“Sanctify a fast” occurs on the seventh month, tenth day, Day of Atonement,
when each soul is to afflict themselves by fasting. See Lev 23:27-30. The fast in
Isa 58:3, in context with verses 1-10, was held on the Day of Atonement. Note
that verse one portrays the cry “like a trumpet.” The Day of Atonement is
heralded by two trumpets because it is an appointment of the LORD (Lev 23:2-
4,27) and as such two trumpets are used as outlined in Num 10:2,3, “And when
they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves….”
“Call a solemn assembly” occurs on the seventh month, fifteenth day, when the
Feast of Ingathering is announced with two trumpets.
The singular trumpet will be blown by spiritual Israel, while the blowing of the
other trumpets (four- two for the fast, two for the assembly) is again by the sons
of Aaron, Num 10:2,8. All these trumpets are blown after the Day of God’s
Vengeance has begun. Note that the immediate context that follows, Joel 2:17,
is a weeping by the ministers of the LORD, and their request of Him that the
heathen should not rule over them. We can well see the immense pressure the
first beast (of Rev 13) will attempt to force upon Israel, even to try to take over
their governmental affairs. If this trumpet were blown after the Day was over, no
such fear would be voiced, for by then Israel would have seen the utter
destruction of all their enemies.
Verse 28 is the future outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon mankind in the Kingdom,
whereas, verse 29 was the outpouring of that same Spirit upon the Church in the
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Gospel Age, but for a different purpose. The order was reversed in its declaration
from its fulfillment, which obscured understanding for many.
Verses 30,31 speak of the prophetic signs in nature before God’s Day of
Vengeance begins, as well as of a symbolic fulfillment: the Gospel message (sun)
being darkened; and the Law of God, embodied in the Old Testament, being
turned into blood, a viewpoint of loathing by the peoples, who regard the Old
Testament as “ancient customs” which they no longer uphold.
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
This sentence has repeatedly appeared intentionally. The natural descendants of
Aaron, Moses’ older brother, are priests as was Aaron’s four original sons. After
Aaron’s death, Eleazar, one of his four sons, became High Priest, which position
Aaron vacated. Numbers 10 establishes the fact that the silver trumpets are to
be blown by the priests. However, those silver trumpets have ceased to exist,
and have been replaced by the shofar (H7782), translated trumpet in Joel 2:1
and 15.
Thus, natural Israel uses ram’s horns (such as God commanded Joshua to use
regarding Jericho, Jos 6:4) to announce their feast days, beginnings of month,
etc. The trumpet sound represents a message, “If the trumpet give an uncertain
sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” 1 Cor 14:8. When the trumpets
are sounded in Joel, as well as in Revelation, a message is delivered. Those
messages are to be delivered by Aaron’s sons, whether it is a priest of natural,
fleshly Israel, or of spiritual Israel. Even so it is proclaimed in Num 10:8, “And
the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to
you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.” Aaron’s sons still
exist today, many generations later, and the passing of years has not altered
God’s command. The spiritual priest of the house of Jesus, His disciple, must also
be a son of Aaron in order to blow a Divinely ordered trumpet. The only
exception to that would be our Lord Jesus, who, according to his flesh, is of the
tribe of Judah, yet, in the Spirit, he is of the Melchizedek Order. God has given
into the hands of His son “all power in heaven and in earth.” See Mat 28:18; Rev
1:10-18. Records have been lost. Records have been destroyed. There is One,
however, who needs no earthly record to keep up with who is the descendant of
who. When God Almighty witnesses to one, or more, whoever he or they be, that
witness to their spirit that they are the sons of Aaron is as valid, (nay, more so!)
as is any earthly document or verbal transmission from father to son. Any male
who dares blow a trumpet to fulfill the Divinely ordered Program, had best have
that witness that they are of the House of Aaron, thus a priest. Please see 2 Kg
9:24-26 for the principle therein.
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The forgoing has been predominantly presented on the basis of natural, fleshly,
Israel. These same three trumpet message occasions also have application to
and lessons for spiritual Israel, those who are of the House of Jesus, his disciples.
Joel 1:13, “Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests (elders of the congregations):
howl, ye ministers of the altar (of those who sacrificed themselves for the sake of
following Jesus): come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God (both
Christians and Hebrews serve the same God, Jehovah): for the meal offering
(appreciation) and the drink offering (comprehension) is withholden from the
house (the meeting places) of your God.”
The Scriptures we have are the same ones they, the elders of the various
congregations, have. Why is it that they do not comprehend what is going to
happen in the measure of detail that has been presented herein and in other
treatises that have been mentioned for further information? Without
comprehension, how could they ever appreciate the current and relevant
understanding of prophetic information given in advance of when the rest of
mankind will understand it? Mankind’s understanding will occur long after this
present order has completely perished! Fortunately, the elders will come to an
understanding before the rest of mankind does. Unfortunately, their
understanding comes too late for them to be a part of the Bride.
1:14-15- “Sanctify ye a fast (curtail your pursuit of your current, spiritual diet!),
call a solemn assembly (that ye might find out what is going on), gather the
elders (of the congregations) and all the inhabitants of the land (the ones who
gather together to form the congregation) into the house (meeting place) of the
LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, “Alas for the day! for the day of the
LORD is at hand (we were informationally unprepared!), and as a destruction
from the Almighty shall it come.”
How unfortunate that many of Jesus’ professed followers have been lax in their
studies, have been pursuing a diet other than a whole hearted pursuit of the
Scriptures to find out what God says will happen and when. Did they convene
that assembly in conjunction with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, that they might
have unleavened information, truth, on the subject of God’s Day of Wrath?
2:1-”Blow ye the trumpet in Zion (spiritual Zion, God’s people of the Gospel Age
who are disciples of the Lord Jesus), and sound an alarm in my holy mountain
(sound an alarm for spiritual warfare to continue against your enemies, the flesh,
the devil and the world’s influence, within the ranks of those who are spirit
begotten; for Israel’s blindness having been removed signals the full number of
the Church has come in.): let all the inhabitants of the land (those who comprise
the congregation) tremble (and well they should, because the Bride is complete,
and all not a part of the Bride can, at best, obtain a place before the throne, and
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not be on the throne with Jesus): for the day of the LORD cometh (they see it
more clearly now than they did shortly before), for it is nigh at hand.”
2:15,16- “Blow the trumpet in Zion (spiritual Zion), sanctify a fast (for purposes
of contrition and understanding), call a solemn assembly: gather the people
(H5971- as a congregated unit), sanctify (prepare for holy use) the congregation,
assemble (collect) the elders (those who are representatively heads over the
Church), gather the children (immature), and those that suck the breasts (babes
in Christ).”
The trumpet blown in Zion is on the first day of the seventh month, the sounding
of the warning of the three woes, by the fourth angel of Rev 8. The fast is
sanctified on the Day of Atonement, the 10th day, which is also the date wherein
the fifth trumpet sounds, Rev 9. The assembly is on the 15th day which is the
beginning of the Feast of Ingathering, the date for the sounding of the sixth
trumpet. The Day of Atonement sacrifices were the bullock, representing the
Lord Jesus; the Lord’s goat, representing the Bride class, the 144,000; and the
live, “scape,” goat, representing those who failed to achieve the chief prize of
being a part of the Bride. This last class is referred to in Song of Sol 8 as “a little
sister.”
In Joel 2:16 we read, “gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the
elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom
go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.” This is on the fifteenth
day, the first day of the feast. Gather the people of spiritual Israel, sanctify that
congregation. Sanctifying that congregation is a dual function. Not only are they
to be clean, whether made, pronounced or observed (H6942), they are also
separated. This definition comes from Ex 28:41, sanctify Aaron and his sons
“that they may minister unto Me in the priest’s office,” and 1 Ch 23:13, “The sons
of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify
the most holy things….” Here, on the 15th day, the congregation is separated into
two classifications; those that made the Bride and those that did not. Because
the last Bride members are the seven who blow the trumpets, it becomes obvious
that everyone else who is spirit-begotten, who ran for the prize of the high
calling, are part of the live goat class released into the wilderness. It becomes
obvious because it is clearly pointed out. The Bride does come out of her closet
of obscurity. The real sadness of this text is that there are elders of the
congregations who failed. We are reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote, “I
keep under my body (putting down fleshly aspirations, inclinations and
propensities), and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a castaway,” 1 Cor 9:27.
All the separated people as a congregated unit- elders, children, babes, have also
been assembled that all may benefit from the message, “Let the bridegroom
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go forth of his chamber,” (our Lord Jesus will go out and resume his activities
(one of which is Luke 19:27), just as does a man after leaving his bedroom),
“and the bride out of her closet (the Bride of Christ will shortly be no longer in
her canopy of flesh, but will very soon be glorified).” The elders, the children and
the babes all need to hear this trumpet message, and to understand it, that they,
as the “Little Sister” class of Son. 8:8, might know and understand their
upcoming duties as outlined in Scripture: witnessing to the nations, and thrusting
in the sickle of truth to harvest the vine of the earth, which is the Protestant false
church. (For further information please see the treatise entitled, Rev. 19.)
According to the text of Lev 16, wherein the Day of Atonement sacrifices are
delineated, the live goat is released into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man,
which in this context, is by the hand of the one who blows the fifth trumpet, a
priest of the house of Aaron and of the spiritual house of Jesus. This release into
the wilderness is for the destruction of their flesh that their spirit may be saved, 1
Cor 3:12-15; 5:5. This release, however, occurs before the congregation as a
whole understands that fact. That understanding occurs as part of the sixth
trumpet message five days later. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended,
and we are not saved,” Jer 8:20.
The seventh trumpet sounds on the eighth day, the day after the feast is over.
The male child was circumcised on the eighth day, as a token of God’s covenant
with Abraham. “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision,
the Church, ‘for we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit,’ for the
truth (or verity) of God, to confirm (establish) the promises made unto the
fathers,” Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Rom 15:8; Php 3:3. The feast is over, the
in-gathering of the last of the Church will be finished yet that day. “For the
trumpet, the last trump, shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.” “And the temple of God was opened in heaven,” to
welcome the Bride to her new home. 1 Cor 15:52; Rev 11:19.
Original Copyright © G. Kuehmichel, March 16- March 22, 26, 2018; continued with revision March 28-April
11, May 9,11,16, 2020. All rights reserved.
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Joel 1 and 2
The sacrifices that Israel performed under God’s Law foreshadowed (Heb. 10:1)
better things to come, not only during the Gospel Age, but also during the
Millennial Age. Some of these sacrifices pointed forward to the sacrifice of our
Lord Jesus and His prospective Body members during the Gospel age, such as in
Lev. 16, where the bullock represented our Lord Jesus during His first advent; the
Lord’s goat represented the Little Flock, the Bride; and the live goat represented,
the “Little Sister” class, from which came the Great Multitude class. Others of
these sacrifices represented conditions in both the Gospel and in the Millennial
Ages. An example would be the burnt offering of Lev. 1. It is named such
because of the death and burning of an animal. As it is portrayed in Lev 1, “If
any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of
the cattle,” that burnt offering arrangement of a voluntary offering represents
conditions among men during the Millennial Age. (See treatise entitled Numbers
10.) When the burnt offering, for example, is required as part of the Feast of
Weeks in Lev 23:15-21 (which feast represents the Church, the Body of Christ,
and those who ultimately become the Great Multitude) that burnt offering is
associated with the Gospel Age sacrifice of those that entered the race for the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus. See Eph 1:22,23; 1 Cor 1:26-29; 1 Cor 9:24;
Phil 3:14; Rev 7:9-17.
A sacrifice is an offering, but not all offerings are a sacrifice, because not all
offerings are animals that are killed, sacrificed. Such offerings we consider next.
The meal offering in Lev. 2, represents conditions during both the Gospel Age
and the Millennial Age because this offering is similarly offered by the individual
voluntarily (Millennial Age portrayal) and it is offered in conjunction with all
required burnt offerings (Gospel Age portrayal). The following is in reference to
the application of this offering during the Millennial Age. It is brought to Aaron’s
sons, the under-priests, who represent the Church. It is of fine flour, meaning
that effort has been exerted upon the grains of barley (representing our Lord
Jesus) or wheat (representing the Church) to make their offering. Mankind will
indeed exert much labor to make an offering that is presentable, an offering that
incorporates grain, the fruits of the field of the Gospel Age. Upon these offerings
will be poured oil, representing the Holy Spirit, which will then have been poured
out upon all flesh, Joel 2:28. Without the Holy Spirit of God upon the barley
(Jesus) and the wheat (the Church) during the Gospel Age, there could be no
offering made by anyone in the Millennial Age, because the Millennial Age would
not exist. Because of the Sin Offering of the Gospel Age (the sacrifices of Jesus
and of his Church as one composite offering), and because of the Holy Spirit that
made that Sin Offering possible, the work of restitution of mankind during the
Millennial Age exists, and that fact must first be recognized. The frankincense is
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a sweet testimony added to the flour and oil that symbolizes the offerers
appreciation of what God has done. When the offerer takes up a handful of part
of the flour, part of the oil and all of the frankincense, it will be an attestation by
the offerer of his own personal appreciation of all that God has done during the
Gospel Age to enable him to make an acceptable offering during the Millennial
Age. When Aaron’s sons burned that memorial part upon the altar, it became a
sweet savor unto Jehovah. Indeed, what an aroma of sweetness to God when the
offering is made by an appreciative soul.
In Num 15:4,5 a drink offering as part of a burnt offering of a lamb was one
fourth part of a hin; in verse 7, the drink offering, in connection with the offering
of a ram, was a third part of a hin; and in verses 8-10, if the burnt offering was a
bullock, then the drink offering was one half of a hin. (How much capacity a hin
is, is not considered here.) From Num. 6:13-17 the drink offering was a separate
offering, though it was frequently offered with other offerings as a package.
What does a drink offering signify? The only text prior to the giving of the Law at
Sinai that mentions a drink offering is in Gen. 35:14. There Israel erected a pillar
of stone in the place where God had spoken with him and had promised to him
(Israel) the land that God had promised to his two forebears, Abraham and Isaac.
Afterward, Israel poured a drink offering on the pillar. The drink offering is
usually wine, Lev 23:13, and at times strong liquor, Num 28:7, which often in
Scripture represents doctrine or practice of the same. See Rev. 17:2 as an
example. Wine is refreshing as a beverage, but when over used, makes one
drunk, unable to perform mentally or physically as normal. Therefore, the drink
offering suggests comprehension of what is going on, or what has been promised.
See 2 Sam 23:16.
Note also that as the quality of the animal in the burnt offering increased, so did
the amount of wine (comprehension) that was poured out. This lesson dove-tails
with that of the burnt offering significance of Lev. 1: as men move towards
perfection, the animal used in the offering moves up in size and value.
How fitting this is, for at the memorial celebration of our Lord’s death, the wine in
the cup represents the Church’s share in the sufferings of her Lord, her share in
the sin offering, and when one drinks from the cup, literally the wine is poured
out, thus symbolizing their comprehension of what is taking place.
Now, on to Joel 1 and 2.
The Book of Joel begins without any reference of a reigning king of Israel, nor of
Judah. As such, some of the content has application in more than one
circumstance. For instance, 2:10 speaks about sun, moon, and stars as dark or
not shining. That reference, though not exact word for word, also appears in Isa
13:10 in context with literal Babylon, and in Isa 24 where the context is relative
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to the present day of evil and its destruction. Therefore some of what Joel wrote
will have application in one circumstance only while other texts will have
application to two different eras of time. We will not consistently point out which
text applies when.
Joel proceeds by imploring the elderly to listen to what he has to say: Have you
ever seen times like these before? Relate these things to your offspring for
several generations to come.
What follows in 1:5-12 is a multifaceted description of locusts (Moffat Translation)
which God sent unto His people (2:25) because of their disobedience. This is the
powerful invading army, and the details of their effect are stated.
In Joel 1:13 we read, “Gird yourselves and lament, ye priests: howl, ye
ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth (denoting mourning
and contrition), ye ministers of God: for the meat offering and the drink
offering is withheld from the house (synagogue) of your God.” Why should
the priests, the ministers in the house of God, gird themselves with sackcloth and
lament and howl? The answer is given in the same text: literally, the grain and
the vine have been quite well decimated. This happened because of the invasion
of the locusts. This has caused a literal lack of being able to offer either a meal
or a drink offering. Symbolically, appreciation (meat [meal] offering) and
comprehension (drink offering) are lacking.
Though the content of verses 2-13 have not literally occurred in our very day, we
can extract important information that is relevant to our day.
Verse 11 states, “Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for
the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.”
Barley grew and was harvested before wheat. See Exo 9:31,32. Moses’ account
of the days of the flood of Noah prophetically point to early June, 2020 as being
the beginning of the flood of trouble that begins the passing away of this present
evil world. That date is also the beginning of the Day of God’s Vengeance. For
the wheat to be placed before the barley in the text, which is out of order for
their growth and harvest, normally would indicate that a whole year would pass
before the Day of Vengeance would begin, which would allow for both seasons of
planting and harvesting to occur. This violates the prophetic date of June 3rd,
2020, as well as violates Joel 1:13. Therein we read, “...howl ye ministers of the
altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth….” If a year was to pass, then the ministers
would have been instructed to lie in sackcloth for a year. “Lie all night” comes
from H3885, which means “to stop (usually over night).” However, usually is not
always. Therefore, the text can mean to stop from your course, put on sackcloth
as a sign of contrition and mourning, and wear it for a while.
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From the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 11:25, “...that blindness in part is
happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in,” that partial
blindness is to who their Messiah is, and is not to who their God is. In verse 13 it
is the ministers who howl, not the congregation. The ministers are responsible
for the Word of Jehovah being accurately disseminated unto the people. These lie
all night in sackcloth, “for the meat offering and the drink offering is withheld
from the house of your God.” The meat (meal) offering represents appreciation
of what God is doing during the Gospel Age, i.e. preparing a bride (the Church)
for her groom (the Lord Jesus) that together they may fulfill the Abrahamic
promise, “and in thee (through thy seed, which is Christ, Gal 3:16,29) shall all
families of the earth be blessed,” Gen 12:3; 18:18; 28:12-14. Mankind’s blessing
is accomplished during the Millennial reign of The Christ, the 1000 years, wherein
the willing will receive restitution, bringing them back into perfection of being and
in harmony with their Creator, Jehovah. See Acts 3:19-21; Isa 35; Mic 4:1-5.
The drink offering represents comprehension of what God is doing. Thus, the
meal offering, appreciation, and the drink offering, comprehension, are both
necessary, for no one can appreciate without first comprehending. Because
natural Orthodox Israel is quite well fixated with the letter of the Law, the Torah
(“We are Moses disciples!” John 9:28), and with the observances of their
requirements, they do not clearly see that the Old Testament is pictorial of what
God will do for mankind. The fact also that the clerics have forbid the Hebrew
people from reading Isaiah 53, wherein Messiah is pictorially represented, speaks
of the wilfulness of the ministers regarding their blindness: they do not want to
believe that Yeshua is their Messiah, at least, not yet.
Verse 14 is God’s solution to that lack: “Sanctify ye a fast.” What is a fast?
From one perspective it is abstinence. To sanctify a fast is to be, make or
pronounce clean such a fast, often unto a holy purpose. To fast is to abstain from
something, whether of food, drink or activity. Because the above fast is a
response to lack of comprehension and appreciation, therefore the fast is
intended to bring about a remedy of such a situation. Currently, there are
individuals and scholars behind the scenes that are learning from ancient Hebrew
scrolls of parts of the New Testament who their Messiah really is. These men are
fasting, abstaining from their prior diet of “Jesus is not their Messiah,” and while
that fast continues, their minds are cleared from past prejudice by the truths laid
before them. As they partake of the simple diet of God’s truth on the subject,
they are acquiring comprehension and appreciation of who their Messiah really is.
A fast is also an occasion to seek the mercies of God. King Jehoshaphat
proclaimed a fast, seeking deliverance from enemies, 2 Ch 20:2-27; and King
David fasted for the sparing of a sick child, as was recorded in 2 Sa 12:14-23.
There is yet another fast that the LORD God would have all to sanctify: “Is not
this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the
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heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are
cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that
thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” If thou take away from the midst of
thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if thou
draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light
rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday.” See Isa 58:1-12.
The fast in 1:14, “Sanctify ye a fast,” is also identified in Lev 23:14. The
context is a sheaf of the firstfruit of barley harvest, which was to be brought to
the priest who would then wave it “on the morrow after the sabbath (the seventh
day sabbath).” In conjunction with that wave offering, a burnt offering, meal and
drink offerings were to be made. Verse 14 states, “And ye shall eat neither
bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have
brought an offering (singular- the sheaf, not the burnt, nor the meal, nor the
drink offerings) unto your God….” Thus if the first day of harvesting the barley
occurred on the second day of the week (or any of the first six days), a sheaf of
the first of harvest was to be brought unto the priest who would wave it on the
day after the next seventh day sabbath after harvesting began. Because the
priest did not have a warehouse with a sophisticated inventory system, the
harvester brought that sheaf to the priest on the day it was to be waved. Thus,
two things: it was to be kept up (just as was the Passover Lamb!) until the
appropriate day for transport and waving, and secondly, during that time, from
initial harvest until the waving, the person and his household were to fast, i.e. not
eat “bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears.”
From the above, we can draw the conclusion, because of the similarity of keeping
the lamb, that the target date for first harvesting of the barley was on the tenth
day of the month. The main difference between the lamb and the grain, as
regards when they were offered, is this, the lamb was offered in death to portray
our Lord’s sacrifice in death, whereas the sheaf of grain was brought and waved
on the day our Lord was raised from the dead. The former portrayed death, while
the latter portrayed life. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life!” See John 6:35.
Note that the fast is sanctified before the solemn assembly is called.
Chapter 1:14 continues, “...call (proclaim, Lev. 23:2) a solemn assembly,
gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land (of Israel) into the
house of the LORD (Jehovah) your God, and cry unto the Lord.” What is a
solemn assembly? 2 Chron 8:12,13 answers partially, “...and on the solemn
feasts, three times in the year, in the feast of unleavened bread (following
Passover), and in the feast of weeks (Shavuot, or Pentecost), and in the feast of
tabernacles (in the seventh month).” Exo. 23:14-17 provides the rest of the
answer, “Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year...feast of
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unleavened bread,...feast of harvest (Shavuot, Pentecost),...and the feast of
ingathering (also Tabernacles)...Three times in the year all thy males shall
appear before the Lord God.” See also Exo. 34:23. The solemn assembly, then,
is a required feast with congregational attendance of all the males of Israel.
Noting also the historical practice, common in the day, the family as a whole went
up to Jerusalem to observe it, Luke 2:41-43.
Which assembly is referred to here? Because the firstfruit sheaf, the offerings,
the observance of a fast and the subsequent counting of weeks leads to the Feast
of Weeks, Shavuot, therefore, verse 14 identifies the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Because two trumpets blown in unison call the assembly to gather at the door of
the tabernacle, when the three appointed feasts are to occur, we draw the
conclusion that two trumpets sound to call the men of Israel to assemble for the
feast, Exo 23:14-17; Num 10:2,3,7.
Referencing back to Joel 1;11, “for the wheat and for the barley; because the
harvest of the field is perished,” the Feast of Unleavened Bread is identified with
the harvest of barley, yet, according to Isa 28:25, both wheat and barley were
planted after the plowman opened the ground. Then, according to Ex 9:31,32,
the wheat was still tender, young, when the hail destroyed the barley. Thus, the
wheat plant is present when the barley is harvested, though it is very immature.
If the locusts eat the wheat plant to the ground, it will not come back. (The oat
plant is similar. When the plant is partially eaten back by an animal, the stalk will
not produce grain. This we learned first hand while we traveled with mules.)
Thus, the wheat harvest has failed also.
Inasmuch as we see an application of verses 13-15 to our day, which texts are in
context with an invasion of an army of locusts, we initially believed there would
be an invasion of the locusts in Israel prior to the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
2020. If locusts came, they would be a visible indication of the fulfillment of
Joel’s prophecy regarding the proximity of God’s Day of Vengeance, yet they have
not overwhelmingly entered into Israel. Therefore, we have asked God if the
Coronavirus (Covid-19) has any relevant significance, for it has entered the land
of Israel with significant impact. If the Coronavirus is a substitute for the locusts,
then we have the basis for believing that our conclusions here and those for
future events are on target, correct.
As we searched the database of E-Sword using key words, we came to 2 Chr
7:13,14. We read, “If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command
the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; if my
people (H5971), which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and
pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from
heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” As we delved into the
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text we found this: “If (H2005-meaning “lo”, also translated “though” in Job
13:15) I shut up heaven… or if (H2005) I command the locusts… or if
(H518- meaning- lo; whether; if, although; Oh that!, when; not; and has been
translated “or” in Gen 24:21 and in Joel 1:2) I send pestilence….” Note that
the three “if’s” are not all the same Hebrew word.
Thus a feasible translation of this text could read, “If I shut up heaven that there
be no rain, if I command the locusts to devour the land, or I send pestilence
among my people….” From this, either of the first two can be offset by the third,
meaning the third condition could replace either of the first two conditions. Not
every time that Israel experienced a drought did they have locusts. 1 Kg 17:1 is
a prime example of only drought conditions without locusts as a punishment upon
Israel.
A second testimony from Scripture occurs in 1 Ch 21:12-14. From context, David
had Joab number the people of Israel and Judah who could go out to war. After
Joab brought figures to David, the prophet Gad came to David with a message
from God: choose one of the following three- famine, destruction by your
enemies, or pestilence. David declined to choose, preferring to fall into the hands
of God’s mercy, rather than to fall into the hand of man. God sent a pestilence.
It was a situation of one of the three, yet any one of them would accomplish
God’s purpose of punishment.
Therefore, since the locusts have not literally come as we initially understood
from Joel’s prophecy, and since Joel is a TRUE prophet of Jehovah, then, by
substitution, according to the concept given to us in 2 Ch 7:13, the Coronavirus is
a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. This virus appeared in Israel before the Feast of
Unleavened Bread in fulfillment of the time sequence of Joel.
Looking again at the 2 Ch 7:14 text, we find this: “If my people, which are called
by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land.” When we set this alongside Joel 2:12-19, we see that
God said, “Turn ye to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping,
and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto
the Lord your God.” Because contrition is manifested acceptably, “Then will the
LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people. Yea, the Lord will answer and
say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall
be satisfied therewith.” Thus, the conditions laid out in 2 Ch 7:14 are equivalent
to the reality of Joel 2:12-19.
Some may ask, “Did God lie to Joel and to us?” No, God does not lie, Num
23;19; Tit 1:2. “Did God change His mind as to how He would do things after He
gave Joel the information?” “Known unto God are all His works from the
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beginning of the world,” Act 15:18. Therefore, God knew about this for a very
long, long time. “Why then, did God not send the locusts into Israel?” We offer
two reasons. 1) As was stated above, some of the content has application in
more than one circumstance. The invasion of locusts was not for our time, but
for a prior time.
2) If the locusts came in massive hordes as Joel’s prophecy depicts, it would be
relatively easy for many to point to Joel’s testimony and say, “See, here we are
on the stream of time!” Apparently, that is not how God wants it to occur. Only
a few will know, because only a few will do the research, ask God for the
understanding, search the Scriptures to obtain it, and knock on His door for help
all along the way.
“Well then, if that’s the case, why are we looking at Joel’s prophecy for a
fulfillment today?” The answer is primarily in Joel 3:1,2. “For behold, in those
days (referring back to 2:29, the days of the Gospel Age wherein the spirit of the
Lord was poured out upon the Church, beginning at Jerusalem on the Day of
Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus’ ascension), and in that time (the closing years
of the Gospel Age), when I shall bring again the captivity (H7622- a former state
of prosperity) of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring
them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my
people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations,
and parted my land.” In particular, the parting of land has especially been going
on since Israel’s Six Day War of ‘67, for the purpose of trying to satisfy Arab and
Gentile identities. Because of the references to the day of the LORD, His day of
Vengeance, there is legitimate application of these texts to our day, albeit, not in
the locusts having literally come at this time. Thus the essence of Joel’s prophecy
has a relevancy to our day.
Let none conclude that because the locusts did not come into Israel in our day by
the proclaimed time that the account given in Joel is irrelevant to us. The
lessons/symbolism of the locusts are for our benefit, and we believe those
aspects could not be related by the use of the pestilence at hand.
Lastly, in verses 14 and 15, after the peoples had assembled, they were to cry to
the LORD, “Alas for the day! The day of the Eternal is near, and it comes as
destruction from the Destroyer.” (Moffat) Why is Israel to cry? It is a recognition
by them of the fact that the prophetic Day of God’s Vengeance is at hand. Is it
also a cry because of sorrow? Yes, and further, that they might have deliverance
(Jud. 10:14; 1 Sam. 8:18). This cry is from the assembly, the elders and all the
inhabitants of the land of Israel. Literally, it might well be a cry for deliverance
from the Coronavirus. Symbolically, it might well be a cry for deliverance from
their lack of understanding (comprehension) of all the texts of Scripture that
spoke of the work of their Messiah (which was humiliation first, as well as
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exaltation later), and from their lack of appreciation that unto them, as a people,
the oracles of God had been committed, Rom 3:2.
This cry for potential deliverance from lack of understanding stems from the
realization that natural Israel would equate God’s Day of Vengeance with
deliverance by their Messiah, but where is He?
Joel 2:1 reads, “Blow ye the (“a”-Young’s Literal Translation) trumpet in Zion,
and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the
land (everywhere) (citizens-Moffat) tremble: for the day of the LORD
cometh, for it is nigh at hand.”
How many trumpets are blown here? Let us read the text again, “Blow ye the (a)
trumpet (1) in Zion, and sound an alarm (2 trumpets) in my holy mountain….”
Young’s Literal Translation establishes the fact that “and” is part of the text.
There are two distinct sessions of trumpeting: the first session utilizes one
trumpet to call the princes, which are the heads of the thousands of Israel, Num
10:4; and the second session utilizes two trumpets to sound an alarm for the
body of Israel. Because the two trumpets sound an alarm, it is not a call to
assemble the people, Num 10:2,3,7. Because the two trumpets do not sound for
an assembly, this second session does not call an assembly to a solemn feast.
Rather, it is for one of two other purposes: journeying, Num 10:2,5,6, or go to
war, Num 10:9. Is the alarm for purpose of war? Looking at Num 10:9, we
read, “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you,
then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered
before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” Without a
doubt, the Coronavirus could be considered an enemy, warfare could be waged
against it to eradicate it, and two trumpets could be blown that God would
remember them and give them deliverance. However, there is one problem. The
last word, “enemies,” (H341) means “hating.” The Coronavirus does not hate
anyone. Therefore, enemies here must refer to adversarial people. Thus, the
alarm is not for the purpose of warring against a virus. Neither is it for
journeying. What then is it for?
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
We read in Zeph 1:14-16, “The great day of the LORD is near, near, and
hasteth greatly the voice (H6963- to call aloud)(trumpet!) of the day of the
LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of
wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a
day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a
day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the
high towers.”
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Here is our answer! Not only is a singular trumpet sounded here as in Joel, the
alarm is against fortified or fenced cities, and against the high chieftains (H6438)
(towers). Both of the prophets Joel and Zephaniah witness to the same day of
God’s wrath, and to the fact that one trumpet sounds followed by an alarm that
will be blown by two trumpets (for two trumpets sound an alarm), for the purpose
of being remembered by God as the men go to war against adversarial peoples
who have entered the land of Israel. This is the precursor to the destruction of
Damascus! The Syrians, or those who are backed by them, will make an
incursion into or uprising in Israel after Israel has announced that Yeshua, the
Lord Jesus is their Messiah during Shavuot. Therefore, the “voice (trumpet) of
the day of the LORD” is the trumpet that sounds to call the heads of Israel to
gather unto Moses (who represents the Law of God) Num 10:1,4, in the morning
hours of Shavuot, which is the Feast of Weeks. Thus, the heads are to gather
around the Torah and the Prophets to discern what it is that they are to do in
response to the upcoming incursion/uprising.
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
Regarding the one trumpet blast in Zion, which called together the heads of
Israel, is it for natural Israel, or is it for spiritual Israel, or is it for both? Can we
know? Yes, we can. Zion is Mt Hermon- Deu 4:48; Zion is the city of David- 2
Sam 5:7; 1 Kgs 8:1; Zion equates with Jerusalem- 2 Kgs 19:21; Psa 51:18;
76:2; 147:12; Zion is a holy mountain- Ps 2:6; Joe 3:17; Mt Zion is the city of
the great king- Psa 48:2; Mt Zion is in Jerusalem- Isa 10:12. These texts relate
to fleshly, natural Israel, whereas, the following texts about Zion relate to
spiritual Israel: Psa 20:1,2; 53:6; 84:7; 87:5, etc. Thus, the one trumpet blast
calling for the assembly of the heads of the thousands of Israel is for both natural
Israel and for spiritual Israel.
Originally, the heads or princes of natural Israel were selected by God, one from
each of the twelve tribes, who stood with Moses during the numbering of the
eligible men for warfare out of all the tribes, Num 1:1-19. Today, those princes,
or heads would be considered the civil leaders of Israel, for they are the ones who
are present when the men of Israel are numbered for warfare, and who send
forth the ranks into warfare.
For spiritual Israel, there would similarly be a selection from the twelve tribes by
God, Rev 7:5-8. However, God told Abraham He would not destroy Sodom for
the sake of ten righteous persons, yet, Sodom was destroyed because ten were
not found there. That same concept holds true for the destruction of this present
evil order. God will not destroy it if ten righteous souls are here. Rev 8 tells us
there were seven angels to whom were given trumpets. These are the chosen
ones of God to the Bride of Christ, albeit, the last members to fill that composite
Body. Because there are not ten “righteous” souls here, God will destroy this
order. This trumpet that sounds to call the heads together is the same one Jesus
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referred to in Mat 24:31, “And he shall send his angels (messengers) with a great
sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other.” The message of this trumpet will be
carried forth to and through natural Israel dispersed throughout the earth, and it
will be carried forth to and through spiritual Israel who are also dispersed
throughout the earth. Thus the messengers are from both natural and spiritual
Israel. The end result will be the gathering together of the seven last Body
members for their role to be accomplished.
The purpose of calling the last members of the Body of spiritual Israel together,
is that they might be informed as to what is going on (if they did not already
know), that they might be given their trumpets, Rev 8:2.
The sequence given in Joel 2:1 is of paramount importance. The heads of natural
Israel must be brought to a Biblical understanding that their response to the
incursion/uprising is not to be from their own thinking, but that their response is
to be in accord with the mind and will of Jehovah. Let us face the facts. If Israel
under the leadership of Joshua had driven out all the inhabitants of the land that
Israel was to inherit as God told them to, and if Israel had remained faithful to
Jehovah, then there would be no Israeli-Arab problem today such as it is. God
intends to complete the cleansing that was not finished before. We read in Zeph
2:3 (partial)-5, “...it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger. For
Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they (who? Israel!) shall drive
out Ashdod at the noonday (note the time!), and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe
unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of
the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy
thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.” Why all of this? The land was promised
to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob’s descendents forever! No one else has a
rightful claim to it. See also Eze 25:15-17; Amos 1:6,7.
This cleansing is a part of the “alarm against the fenced cities, and against
the high towers.” Both “cities” and “towers” are plural, meaning more than
one. Towers means “chieftains (H6438).” Israel will go to war against other
cities and their chieftains who are in their land, in addition to their destruction of
Damascus and its chieftain.
The “holy mountain” is Jerusalem- Isa 66:20; Dan 9:16.
This question naturally intrudes here, “When does this trumpet blow for the
calling of the heads of Israel?” Because two trumpets sound to gather the men
to the assembly of a feast, that must occur in the evening when the feast day
begins. Since this is a singular trumpet, it will not be blown in the evening.
We offer two parts of analysis. Part one is: the singular trumpet will sound to
inform Israel of the prophetic word that declares the announcement is to be made
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during Shavuot. After Israel announces Yeshua as their Messiah, then the Arab
nations will go ballistic. All of the havoc that the PLO, Hamas, etc., have caused
upon Israel up to Shavuot 2020 will seem rather insignificant when compared to
what they will inflict afterward. Part two is in Num 10:9, “And if ye go to war in
your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then ye shall blow an alarm with
the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye
shall be saved from your enemies.” (1) The enemy must be in their land, (2) the
decision to go to war against them must also have been made, (3) the trumpets’
alarm must then be blown, (4) warfare can then begin. The singular trumpet
must sound before the alarm is given, of necessity because Israel’s type, scope
and time of response must be in accordance with God’s will as outlined in
Scripture. Thus, the singular trumpet sound follows #1, for the enemy is already
in the land, and it precedes #2 for the purpose of making the decision. The
decision of going to war by the heads of Israel will be made based upon Scripture,
the method used will be based upon Scripture, the target(s) will be based upon
Scripture, and the timing of occurrence as well.
From the treatise entitled Feast of Weeks, the case is made for the trumpet to
sound mid morning, 9:00 A.M., when the morning burnt offering is made.
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
From Joel 2:2,3 we read, “a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds
and of thick darkness. As the morning spread(s) upon the mountains (of Israel),
a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be
any more after it, to the years of many generations. A fire devours before them;
and behind them a flame burns: the land is as the garden of Eden before them
(Israel has lush vegetation in her agricultural fields), and behind them a desolate
wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.” Israel take note!! These two
texts declare that the Arab peoples will descend upon the nation of Israel like a
swarm of locusts, with great destruction behind them as they move across your
land. The only way that they will be stopped is for you, Israel, to take out
Damascus and to begin a massive campaign of cleansing your land of them. We
do mean MASSIVE! Note that we have highlighted “As the morning spreads,”
above. It will be on the morning of June 4th when we expect this great swarm of
Arabs to come, as daylight spreads across the mountains. And it is in harmony
with Psalms 91 that you will send an arrow, one arrow by day in initial response.
In modern military language, arrow means missile, and here it must be a BIG
ONE!!!
Note well that the United States, and others, will vehemently oppose Israel as
regards a major response. Oh well! Since when did God tell His people Israel to
follow the dictates of the heathen nations around them? If the leaders of Israel
want to do what is right for the nation of Israel (and they should), then they
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must, 1) follow God’s dictates, 2) leave their own fleshly minded inclinations out
of the picture entirely, and 3) repudiate any and all heathen nation interference.
God’s will, will be done, and if any of Israel’s leaders are not in step with the
Divine Program, then God may well install into office those who will be.
But some may protest, saying, “The city of Damascus is not in Israel!” Today it is
not, but that does not erase the Divine gift of land to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and
to Jacob’s lineage. Damascus is part of the land that God gave to Israel, Deu
11:24, and in time past Israel had possession of it, 2 Kgs 14:28. Therefore,
when Israel goes to war against the enemy in their land, Damascus qualifies, for
Damascus is their land.
“Who sounds this singular trumpet?” The singular trumpet could be blown by a
priest of natural Israel. However, this trumpet sounding, as do many, represents
a message beyond the present obvious- call an assembly of the heads. This
message is by one who is knowledgeable regarding the features and time frame
of the Day of the LORD, the Day of God’s Vengeance. Yes, natural Israel possibly
realized with the affliction of the Coronavirus that God’s Day of Vengeance was
near, at hand, but do they know when God’s Day will begin? This trumpet
message will be blown by one of spiritual Zion, for the trumpet message provides
the peoples of natural Israel with accurate information (substantially) regarding
not only substance, but also of timing. Further, only spiritual Israel can declare
unto fellow spiritual members matters of the Spirit, for only those begotten of the
Spirit now know the deep things of God, 1 Cor 2:14. The Day of Vengeance can
not be proclaimed (Isa 61:2) unless that day is known, and that day can not be
known unless God reveals it, and that day will not be revealed until it is time for it
to be revealed. Therefore, when it is time for the Day of God’s Vengeance to
begin, it will have already been revealed, followed by its proclamation at the
proper time, on the Day’s beginning. Zep 1:14; Rev 8:5; Hab 3:2-5 in particular,
but note that the whole of chapter 3 relates to God’s vengeance. Note also in
verse 5, the pestilence that preceded the coals!
This second trumpet occasion, 2:1, incorporates three trumpets: the first, in the
morning of Shavuot, to call the heads of Israel to a meeting because of the
uprising of the enemy into the land. The next two trumpets sound an alarm after
natural Israel has decided they are going to war against their enemy. This
sounding occurs after the singular trumpet sounds, but before warfare begins.
Warfare begins in the morning hours, after the sun is risen, on June 4th, which
day begins in the evening hours of June 3rd according to the Julian Calendar which
we use in the west. We base the morning hours of the beginning of warfare on
the data given us in Genesis 7:11-24, wherein the beginning of the flood waters
upon the earth began in the daylight hours; and also upon Genesis 19:23,24,
“The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the LORD
rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of
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heaven.” In verses 27,28 we read, “And Abraham gat up early in the morning to
the place where he stood before the LORD: and he looked toward Sodom and
Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of
the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.” The only way Damascus can
send up smoke as a furnace in a matter of moments, when God “rains fire” upon
her (through the instrumentality of Israel), is because a nuclear warhead (or
comparable) descends upon Damascus. Thus we read, “Behold (just as Abraham
“beheld” Sodom and Gomorrah), Damascus is taken away from being a city, and
it shall be a ruinous heap,” Isa 17:1. We reference Jer 49:27 also.
It is important to here mention that if Israel wants to have God’s blessing in their
response to the uprising of Arabs, then Israel’s priests must blow two trumpets.
More than that, the leaders, the armed forces and the nation at large must all
have and exercise faith that the blowing of the trumpets will avail them good.
“Without faith it is impossible to please Jehovah,” Heb 11:6. Blowing ten
thousand trumpets would do no more good than blowing none at all if no faith is
attached to the reason for doing so. “And if ye go to war in your land against the
enemy that oppresses you, then ye shall blow an alarm with two trumpets; and
ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from
your enemies,” Num 10:9. This is a 10:9 must!! Going to war without blowing
the trumpets because of ignorance is one thing, but now that you, Israel, know
that blowing the trumpets brings you into remembrance before God, why in the
world would you not want to follow such a simple tenet for your deliverance? Do
not think for one moment that stirring up this hornet nest will leave you
unscathed without following the simple, but powerful command here! “Believe,
and thou shalt be saved!” For your sake, BLOW TWO TRUMPETS, with faith
attached to them! Then and only then, can you stand back and see the salvation
of Jehovah.
Now, for a second instruction: read with us Amos 9:15, “And I will plant them
upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I
have given them, saith the LORD thy God.” Israel, have you been planted in the
promised land? If you acknowledge that much, then you should also
acknowledge the rest: “and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land.”
Brethren of natural Israel, if you are willing to believe God for what He said, and
He said the words of Amos 9:15, then there is NO ONE, AT ANY TIME, THAT CAN
REMOVE YOU FROM YOUR LAND! However, you can give it away, as you have
been doing, but for a price of Divine judgment against you, Jer 30:11. If you
take the step to blow the two trumpets in faith, then we encourage you to take
the next step of manifesting additional faith. After you declare Yeshua as your
Messiah, and after you destroy Damascus, and after you fulfill the requirements
of Zeph 1:17-2:6, and when the nations rise up against you, and they will, and
when the Gentile leaders of the nations browbeat you, and attempt to force you
to do according to their thinking, you must remember and believe this: as long as
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we, Israel, put our confidence in the promises of Jehovah, and as long as we are
attempting in enlightened faith to accomplish His purposes for us (faith in action),
then we can stand against the whole world, because Jehovah is for us; and who is
he that presumes to do such a thing (Est 7:5) as to touch the people of GOD with
harm? Can dust rise up and defeat Jehovah? Were not the hosts of heaven
encircled around Elisha for his protection, 2 Kgs 6:17? Will the God of heaven not
fulfill His promise to you that NO ONE can pluck you up? Believe and then
manifest that faith with the necessary action. “Faith without works is dead,”
James 2:17.
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
Joel presents three different occasions of trumpet blowings, the first (1:14) in
conjunction with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the second (2:1) in conjunction
with the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot, and the third (2:15) spread out over a short
period of time during the month of another feast. The third trumpet occasion is
in succession of the second trumpet occasion, but at a distant time later. Details
to follow. Note that two trumpets also sound at the beginning of each month,
Num 10:2,3.
Joel 1:15 states that “the day of the LORD is at hand,” (H7138). Joel 2:1 states,
“for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand,” (H7138). If God’s day
was at hand in chapter one, then it is certainly more so at hand in chapter two
and it is translated as such, “nigh at hand.”
In verses 12-14 God beckons to Israel to turn to Him with all their heart, with
fasting, weeping, with mourning and a rent heart instead of rent clothing. His
question of whether or not He will repent (turn about) of the evil, and leave
behind a blessing of meal and wine is dependent upon whether or not they
demonstrate contrition. Further, why should God stop the Coronavirus if Israel
has not stopped their dependence upon, and following of heathen nation
directives? Only after Israel abandons their own ideas, and the intrusions of wellmeaning
heathen nations as to how their affairs should be managed, and look to
Jehovah for His instruction with obedience thereto, can she experience internal
success and have deliverance from their enemies roundabout.
In verse 15 the scene changes. “Blow the (“a”- Young’s Literal Translation)
trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: gather the
people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the
children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of
his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.” As with 2:1, a singular
trumpet is blown, but this time, the trumpet message is blown in spiritual Zion
only. Sanctify a fast, is a personal affliction by not eating food, but that fast is
called by two trumpets because that fast occurs on a solemn day. “Call,”
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proclaim, a solemn assembly, requires two trumpets, for it is a feast wherein all
the males are to be gathered, thus, “gather the people.”
This text delineates three successive dates. “Blow the trumpet” occurs on the
seventh month first day as part of the memorial blowing of trumpets that God
established in Lev 23:24. This trumpet sounds in addition to the two trumpets
that announce the month’s beginning, and in addition to the trumpets blown over
peace and burnt offerings offered that day. That day and memorial blowing was
established in view of Joel 2:15, our current text, which singular trumpet is the
loud voice of the angel in Rev 8:13 which proclaims three woes to the inhabiters
of the earth. This trumpet is blown the same day and by the same person that
blows the fourth trumpet in Rev 8:12: one of the seven angels. This trumpet
message stirs the hearts of the four angels who are bound in the Euphrates, Rev
9:15, preparing them for their release, which occurs during a particular hour, of a
particular day, during a particular month, of a particular year, which, in
fulfillment, is in the mid morning after the sixth angel sounds on the 15th day of
the seventh month (Hebrew reckoning of time) at the beginning of the Feast of
Ingathering in 2020 A.D. See Rev 9:13-15; Ex 14:27; Jud 9:33; 20:19, 1 Sam
19:11.
“Sanctify a fast” occurs on the seventh month, tenth day, Day of Atonement,
when each soul is to afflict themselves by fasting. See Lev 23:27-30. The fast in
Isa 58:3, in context with verses 1-10, was held on the Day of Atonement. Note
that verse one portrays the cry “like a trumpet.” The Day of Atonement is
heralded by two trumpets because it is an appointment of the LORD (Lev 23:2-
4,27) and as such two trumpets are used as outlined in Num 10:2,3, “And when
they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves….”
“Call a solemn assembly” occurs on the seventh month, fifteenth day, when the
Feast of Ingathering is announced with two trumpets.
The singular trumpet will be blown by spiritual Israel, while the blowing of the
other trumpets (four- two for the fast, two for the assembly) is again by the sons
of Aaron, Num 10:2,8. All these trumpets are blown after the Day of God’s
Vengeance has begun. Note that the immediate context that follows, Joel 2:17,
is a weeping by the ministers of the LORD, and their request of Him that the
heathen should not rule over them. We can well see the immense pressure the
first beast (of Rev 13) will attempt to force upon Israel, even to try to take over
their governmental affairs. If this trumpet were blown after the Day was over, no
such fear would be voiced, for by then Israel would have seen the utter
destruction of all their enemies.
Verse 28 is the future outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon mankind in the Kingdom,
whereas, verse 29 was the outpouring of that same Spirit upon the Church in the
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Gospel Age, but for a different purpose. The order was reversed in its declaration
from its fulfillment, which obscured understanding for many.
Verses 30,31 speak of the prophetic signs in nature before God’s Day of
Vengeance begins, as well as of a symbolic fulfillment: the Gospel message (sun)
being darkened; and the Law of God, embodied in the Old Testament, being
turned into blood, a viewpoint of loathing by the peoples, who regard the Old
Testament as “ancient customs” which they no longer uphold.
It is the sons of Aaron, the priests, who are to blow the trumpets of Num. 10.
This sentence has repeatedly appeared intentionally. The natural descendants of
Aaron, Moses’ older brother, are priests as was Aaron’s four original sons. After
Aaron’s death, Eleazar, one of his four sons, became High Priest, which position
Aaron vacated. Numbers 10 establishes the fact that the silver trumpets are to
be blown by the priests. However, those silver trumpets have ceased to exist,
and have been replaced by the shofar (H7782), translated trumpet in Joel 2:1
and 15.
Thus, natural Israel uses ram’s horns (such as God commanded Joshua to use
regarding Jericho, Jos 6:4) to announce their feast days, beginnings of month,
etc. The trumpet sound represents a message, “If the trumpet give an uncertain
sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” 1 Cor 14:8. When the trumpets
are sounded in Joel, as well as in Revelation, a message is delivered. Those
messages are to be delivered by Aaron’s sons, whether it is a priest of natural,
fleshly Israel, or of spiritual Israel. Even so it is proclaimed in Num 10:8, “And
the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to
you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.” Aaron’s sons still
exist today, many generations later, and the passing of years has not altered
God’s command. The spiritual priest of the house of Jesus, His disciple, must also
be a son of Aaron in order to blow a Divinely ordered trumpet. The only
exception to that would be our Lord Jesus, who, according to his flesh, is of the
tribe of Judah, yet, in the Spirit, he is of the Melchizedek Order. God has given
into the hands of His son “all power in heaven and in earth.” See Mat 28:18; Rev
1:10-18. Records have been lost. Records have been destroyed. There is One,
however, who needs no earthly record to keep up with who is the descendant of
who. When God Almighty witnesses to one, or more, whoever he or they be, that
witness to their spirit that they are the sons of Aaron is as valid, (nay, more so!)
as is any earthly document or verbal transmission from father to son. Any male
who dares blow a trumpet to fulfill the Divinely ordered Program, had best have
that witness that they are of the House of Aaron, thus a priest. Please see 2 Kg
9:24-26 for the principle therein.
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The forgoing has been predominantly presented on the basis of natural, fleshly,
Israel. These same three trumpet message occasions also have application to
and lessons for spiritual Israel, those who are of the House of Jesus, his disciples.
Joel 1:13, “Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests (elders of the congregations):
howl, ye ministers of the altar (of those who sacrificed themselves for the sake of
following Jesus): come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God (both
Christians and Hebrews serve the same God, Jehovah): for the meal offering
(appreciation) and the drink offering (comprehension) is withholden from the
house (the meeting places) of your God.”
The Scriptures we have are the same ones they, the elders of the various
congregations, have. Why is it that they do not comprehend what is going to
happen in the measure of detail that has been presented herein and in other
treatises that have been mentioned for further information? Without
comprehension, how could they ever appreciate the current and relevant
understanding of prophetic information given in advance of when the rest of
mankind will understand it? Mankind’s understanding will occur long after this
present order has completely perished! Fortunately, the elders will come to an
understanding before the rest of mankind does. Unfortunately, their
understanding comes too late for them to be a part of the Bride.
1:14-15- “Sanctify ye a fast (curtail your pursuit of your current, spiritual diet!),
call a solemn assembly (that ye might find out what is going on), gather the
elders (of the congregations) and all the inhabitants of the land (the ones who
gather together to form the congregation) into the house (meeting place) of the
LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, “Alas for the day! for the day of the
LORD is at hand (we were informationally unprepared!), and as a destruction
from the Almighty shall it come.”
How unfortunate that many of Jesus’ professed followers have been lax in their
studies, have been pursuing a diet other than a whole hearted pursuit of the
Scriptures to find out what God says will happen and when. Did they convene
that assembly in conjunction with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, that they might
have unleavened information, truth, on the subject of God’s Day of Wrath?
2:1-”Blow ye the trumpet in Zion (spiritual Zion, God’s people of the Gospel Age
who are disciples of the Lord Jesus), and sound an alarm in my holy mountain
(sound an alarm for spiritual warfare to continue against your enemies, the flesh,
the devil and the world’s influence, within the ranks of those who are spirit
begotten; for Israel’s blindness having been removed signals the full number of
the Church has come in.): let all the inhabitants of the land (those who comprise
the congregation) tremble (and well they should, because the Bride is complete,
and all not a part of the Bride can, at best, obtain a place before the throne, and
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not be on the throne with Jesus): for the day of the LORD cometh (they see it
more clearly now than they did shortly before), for it is nigh at hand.”
2:15,16- “Blow the trumpet in Zion (spiritual Zion), sanctify a fast (for purposes
of contrition and understanding), call a solemn assembly: gather the people
(H5971- as a congregated unit), sanctify (prepare for holy use) the congregation,
assemble (collect) the elders (those who are representatively heads over the
Church), gather the children (immature), and those that suck the breasts (babes
in Christ).”
The trumpet blown in Zion is on the first day of the seventh month, the sounding
of the warning of the three woes, by the fourth angel of Rev 8. The fast is
sanctified on the Day of Atonement, the 10th day, which is also the date wherein
the fifth trumpet sounds, Rev 9. The assembly is on the 15th day which is the
beginning of the Feast of Ingathering, the date for the sounding of the sixth
trumpet. The Day of Atonement sacrifices were the bullock, representing the
Lord Jesus; the Lord’s goat, representing the Bride class, the 144,000; and the
live, “scape,” goat, representing those who failed to achieve the chief prize of
being a part of the Bride. This last class is referred to in Song of Sol 8 as “a little
sister.”
In Joel 2:16 we read, “gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the
elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom
go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.” This is on the fifteenth
day, the first day of the feast. Gather the people of spiritual Israel, sanctify that
congregation. Sanctifying that congregation is a dual function. Not only are they
to be clean, whether made, pronounced or observed (H6942), they are also
separated. This definition comes from Ex 28:41, sanctify Aaron and his sons
“that they may minister unto Me in the priest’s office,” and 1 Ch 23:13, “The sons
of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify
the most holy things….” Here, on the 15th day, the congregation is separated into
two classifications; those that made the Bride and those that did not. Because
the last Bride members are the seven who blow the trumpets, it becomes obvious
that everyone else who is spirit-begotten, who ran for the prize of the high
calling, are part of the live goat class released into the wilderness. It becomes
obvious because it is clearly pointed out. The Bride does come out of her closet
of obscurity. The real sadness of this text is that there are elders of the
congregations who failed. We are reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote, “I
keep under my body (putting down fleshly aspirations, inclinations and
propensities), and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a castaway,” 1 Cor 9:27.
All the separated people as a congregated unit- elders, children, babes, have also
been assembled that all may benefit from the message, “Let the bridegroom
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go forth of his chamber,” (our Lord Jesus will go out and resume his activities
(one of which is Luke 19:27), just as does a man after leaving his bedroom),
“and the bride out of her closet (the Bride of Christ will shortly be no longer in
her canopy of flesh, but will very soon be glorified).” The elders, the children and
the babes all need to hear this trumpet message, and to understand it, that they,
as the “Little Sister” class of Son. 8:8, might know and understand their
upcoming duties as outlined in Scripture: witnessing to the nations, and thrusting
in the sickle of truth to harvest the vine of the earth, which is the Protestant false
church. (For further information please see the treatise entitled, Rev. 19.)
According to the text of Lev 16, wherein the Day of Atonement sacrifices are
delineated, the live goat is released into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man,
which in this context, is by the hand of the one who blows the fifth trumpet, a
priest of the house of Aaron and of the spiritual house of Jesus. This release into
the wilderness is for the destruction of their flesh that their spirit may be saved, 1
Cor 3:12-15; 5:5. This release, however, occurs before the congregation as a
whole understands that fact. That understanding occurs as part of the sixth
trumpet message five days later. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended,
and we are not saved,” Jer 8:20.
The seventh trumpet sounds on the eighth day, the day after the feast is over.
The male child was circumcised on the eighth day, as a token of God’s covenant
with Abraham. “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision,
the Church, ‘for we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit,’ for the
truth (or verity) of God, to confirm (establish) the promises made unto the
fathers,” Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Rom 15:8; Php 3:3. The feast is over, the
in-gathering of the last of the Church will be finished yet that day. “For the
trumpet, the last trump, shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.” “And the temple of God was opened in heaven,” to
welcome the Bride to her new home. 1 Cor 15:52; Rev 11:19.
Original Copyright © G. Kuehmichel, March 16- March 22, 26, 2018; continued with revision March 28-April
11, May 9,11,16, 2020. All rights reserved.
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