THE THIRD DAY 2: THE FOUR PASSOVER CUPS AND THE EXODUS 12:41 RAPTURE CODE?

In the previous article in our on-going chapter-by-chapter study of the book of John, we embarked on chapter 2 and its theme of duality, two (or seconds), marriage and the home/house of God – corresponding to the meaning and theme of the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet (the letter beit ב) and its exact same meanings and themes of duality, two (or seconds), marriage and the home/house of God. Here, we shall endeavor to continue the break-down of the rest of chapter 2 beginning with the well-known account of Jesus’ miracle of turning water into wine.

The Miracle

As expounded upon in the previous chapter in the previous article of this book of John study series, we explored the prophetic implications of the six water pots that Jesus instructed the disciples to fill with water. Here, in the very next verses of chapter 2, we see Jesus turning that same water into wine …

“Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him” (John 2:7-11).

Turning water into wine is an act of creation. An inanimate substance was actually given life – complete with plant DNA. Man cannot create such life. Therefore, this was no mere recipe for cooking up a tasty beverage. This involved something that only God can do. When contemplating this miracle, we must confront the enormity of the process. This miracle was even more involved than causing Aaron’s rod to blossom (Numbers 17:5). The DNA of the almond tree was already in Aaron’s wooden staff. Bringing it to life and speeding up the process of causing it to sprout leaves and flowers overnight, was, of course, a miracle of monumental proportions. However, in this case, Jesus took something that had no DNA whatsoever, created the fruit of the vine and processed it into the finest wine those people had ever tasted – all in a split second. That act was an absolute and incredible miracle.

John tells us that this miracle “manifested forth His glory” (John 2:11). This “glory” was referred to in the previous chapter as: “In Him was life: and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Jesus used the Shekinah in order to turn the water into wine. Because of this particular miracle, His disciples were convinced that they were in the presence of the Creator of this universe. In the beginning, God took water and made all the elements that make up the universe – mountains, minerals, rocks, soil, plants, man … everything. We can see the water and the glory (i.e. light) in the first day of Creation …

The “Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:2-3).

Turning water into wine also reminds us that during the Passover ritual, the four prescribed cups of wine are diluted with an equal amount of water. Furthermore, when the Roman soldier pierced the side of Christ, the wound released both blood and water …

“Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced” (John 19:32-37).

The blood and water are consistent with the wine and water in the Passover cups. It is fitting, therefore, that a story about the Passover should occur in this same chapter that tells about the miracle of turning water into wine. We shall review the four cups of Passover when we consider verses 13-25.

The Trip To Capernaum

Rather than returning to Nazareth, just a short three-hour journey by foot to the south/southwest of Cana, Jesus traveled a much longer distance northeast to Capernaum, the city that was to become His headquarters for the next three and half years …

“After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days” (John 2:12).

John tells us that “they” stayed there only a short time. Perhaps His mother and brethren went back to Nazareth after a few days. Since most of His disciples lived around Galilee, it is possible that Jesus accompanied them to their homes, then took leave to go into the wilderness for a time of fasting and temptation. Since Moses and Elijah each fasted for 40 days on Mount Sinai, it would seem reasonable that Jesus traveled to the same region. This is where the first covenant (Law) was given. Jesus now comes for the purpose of instituting a new (Grace). Therefore, it is highly significant and of no coincidence that He would fast on top of Sinai before facing Satan’s temptations.

Matthew records the Savior’s baptism and says …

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (Matthew 4:1).

Though it appears that Jesus left immediately for the wilderness, Matthew does not specifically say that. Mark also records the Savior’s baptism and says …

“And immediately the spirit drove him into the wilderness” (Mark 1:12).

Of course, Mark uses the term “immediately” 17 times in his Gospel. Perhaps he is simply moving the story through to its conclusion. Mark finishes his Gospel in only 16 chapters, indicating a desire to quickly get the story told.

For a clear view of Jesus’ journey into the wilderness, we should consult Luke’s account. He says …

“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness” (Luke 4:1).

This account gives room for Jesus to return to Galilee before making His journey into the wilderness. That would conform to John’s account in the first two chapters of his Gospel.

Eventually, Jesus made his headquarters in Capernaum for the duration of His ministry. Peter lived there with his family. Jesus performed many miracles there, including raising the daughter of the local rabbi, Jairus.

John’s Passover Liturgy

In John’s Gospel, the ministry of Jesus seems to revolve around the spring festivals, whereas the book of Revelation sets forth the liturgy of the autumn festivals. Theologians have often wondered why John speaks of cleansing the Temple in this chapter, as if it occurred at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, while Matthew, Mark and Luke place the cleansing of the Temple just days before His crucifixion. In fact, many suggest that there are two occasions for cleansing the Temple, and that we should not try to make them one event. However, it is my opinion that they could easily be the same event without violating the chronology of the life and ministry of Christ, as seen in the other Gospels.

John may not have intended for his Gospel to be chronological, as one would assume. Remember, John’s Gospel is not synoptic. It does not contain the details or structure of the other three Gospels. John could have been following an alphabetic design that required placing the story in this chapter because of its prophetic significance.

Note that this chapter is divided into two stories, one that occurred at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (the marriage at Cana – covered in the previous posting) and one that occurred at the conclusion of His ministry (cleansing the Temple). On both occasions, we are given a reference to three days – a prophecy that will be fulfilled at the conclusion of this dispensation. Lifting the story that promises a rebuilding of the Temple from the final week and placing it here points us to the final conclusion of this dispensation and the establishment of Heaven’s kingdom. There is no damage intended to the chronology of Jesus’ ministry. The story of the cleansing of the Temple is placed here because of the importance of its prophetic implications. John dates this on the occasion of the Jewish Passover …

“And the Jews passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem” (John 1:13).

Even if this story is taken from the events of the third Passover in John’s Gospel, John still seems to use it to introduce the concept of a “Passover design” in the First Advent. Jesus was our Passover “lamb.” He fulfilled the prophecies inherent in the spring festivals.

Are There Four Passovers In John, Or Only Three?

Since there are four cups of wine in the Passover ritual, one would assume that John would have used them all in his Gospel. Therefore, it has been suggested that there could be as many as four Passovers in John’s Gospel …

1. The one before us in chapter 2, verse 13;
2. The unnamed festival in chapter 5, verse 1;
3. The observance in Galilee in chapter 6, verse 4; and
4. The last Passover in chapter 12, verse 1.

It should be noted that most theologians have suggested that the unnamed festival in John 5:1 is a Passover. Bishop James Ussher, author of The Annals of The World (published in 1658), laid out a scenario for four Passovers.

For the past 350 years, his work became the hallmark for biblical chronology. However, John did not give the festival in chapter 5 a title. It seems that John referred to most festivals as nameless, and only gave proper titles to the Passover and the Feast of Dedication. Therefore, we may have to exclude the unnamed festival from our list of Passovers. There may be only three Passovers in John’s Gospel. At least, that seems to be the case according to John himself. From that perspective, the second Passover (6:4) would correspond to the cup of Thanksgiving, and the last Passover (12:1) would be the third Passover, corresponding to the cup of redemption. In this case, the fourth and final cup of completion would be reserved for Revelation.

The Passover Ritual

The Jewish observance of Passover includes a prescribed ritual. The entire meal is used as a method for teaching God’s plan of the ages. Among the various rituals around the Passover table is the use of four cups of wine diluted with water.

Their liturgy comes from four statements in the sixth chapter of Exodus …

“Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretch out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exodus 6:6-7).

The first cup (Sanctification) is seen in the statement: “I will bring you out.” The second cup (Thanksgiving) is seen in the statement: “I will rid you out of their bondage.” The third cup (Redemption) is seen in the statement: “I will redeem you.” The fourth cup (Completion) is seen in the statement: “I will take you to me for a people.”

1. The Cup of Sanctification

These four cups represent four major events in the history of the Hebrews. The first is the cup of “sanctification” and corresponds with the theme of cleansing the Temple in John 2.

Historically, this first cup harkens back to the days of Abraham. By calling him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, God sanctified him, that is, God set Abraham apart from the rest of humanity. The term, “I will bring you out” (Exodus 6:6) has a deeper meaning than merely freeing slaves from the “burdens of the Egyptians.” It is very important to know that Abraham’s progeny were selected to be a called out people – a nation set apart from the rest of humanity for the purpose of producing a human body in which God could dwell.

But sanctification is closely connected to redemption, so as to be inseparable. This being the case, there is no violation in borrowing a story from the third Passover and using it to correspond to the cup of sanctification.

If this story of cleansing the Temple is taken from the Passion week Passover, then we should note that the sanctification of Abraham also coincides with the redemption. We are told that Abraham “believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). The basis of all redemption is the Abrahamic covenant. It seems that Passion week occurred on the third Passover mentioned in the Gospel of John. Furthermore, John’s theme throughout this Gospel is “believe” and “live.”

This cup of sanctification reminds us of the cup of Melchizedek. The king of Salem and the priest of the Most High God offered bread and wine to Abraham after his return from the battle in which he rescued Lot and the people of Sodom. So, in a sense, Abraham and Isaac are closely linked to Passover. It is said that Isaac was born on the full moon of Nissan, the very date that was later designated as Passover. Also, according to The Jewish Timeline Encyclopedia, God made his covenant with Abraham on Nissan 15, 2018, exactly 430 years before the Exodus.

In this cup, we can see the bigger picture – the fact that the full meaning of the term “sanctification” is intricately linked to “redemption.” It gives us the historic perspective of why the Israelites were called out from among the peoples/nations of the Earth.

2. The Cup of Thanksgiving: The Exodus 12:41 Rapture Code?

The second cup offers a theme of “thanksgiving,” as seen in the Passover observed in John 6:4.

On this Passover, Jesus chose to stay in stay in Galilee. Seeing the multitude, He took five loaves of bread and two fish and “gave thanks” (John 6:11). Then He fed 5,000 men, plus women and children.

Historically, this cup represents the gratitude expressed for the Exodus. After years of slavery, the Hebrews were set free: “I will rid you out of their bondage” (Exodus 6:6). This fulfilled a promise made to Abraham …

“And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance” (Genesis 15:13-14).

The “four hundred years” dates from the promise given to Abraham, rather than actual years in bondage. From the time Jacob brought his family to Egypt, until their release under Moses, was 215 years. Yet, Moses tells us that the total time was 430 years …

“And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:41).

This verse tells us that the Exodus occurred on the “selfsame day.” The Israelites left Egypt on the very same day as something that occurred 430 years earlier. As stated, the Jewish Timeline Encyclopedia suggests that God made His covenant with Abraham on Nisan 15, 2018 (2,018 years after Adam’s creation), 430 years before the Exodus in 2448. Their release from Egyptian bondage was truly something for which to be thankful – thus the second cup reminds us of “thanksgiving.”

In our discussion of the “cup of thanksgiving” theme, it is rather interesting that the above-mentioned 430 years of Exodus 12:41 in which the Hebrews were Providentially delivered from Egypt mirrors the 400-year cycle of the Matthew 21 Vineyard – the United States of America, as it crossed the 400 year mark in the year 2020. If you’ve read a previous article concerning this subject linked in the previous sentence, you may recall the discussion about how America since 2009 took on a distinctly Egyptian theme. As previously stated, the 400 years dates from the promise given to Abraham until their actual release from Egypt. As we know, the Abrahamic covenant is one of grace. America, from its creation to the present, has been Providentially assigned the task of declaring the message of grace in Christ. From its first settlement in the Plymouth colony until the year 2020, it has been 400 years – corresponding to the Abrahamic Promise of 400 years i.e. “Grace.” The 30 years of the 430 year Exodus 12:41 Egyptian bondage seems to, perhaps, correspond with the declared U.N. Agenda “2030” for a world government, or what is commonly referred to as the New World Order. It is an interesting prophetic coding of numbers being displayed here in my opinion. Under this emerging system that the Antichrist shall arise within will be a system of enslavement of humanity. There are indeed some amazing prophetic parallels taking place here – or shall we say, Old Testament shadows of what is now before us in modern times. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the world started the process or the beginning stages of the world bondage system with the introduction of mask mandates, coerced DNA manipulating so-called “vaccines” and a downright start to the destruction of the current world order when the Vineyard (U.S.A.) crossed that marked Abrahamic 400th year in 2020. We can rightly call it the year that began the process of the ending of “Liberty” and “Grace.” Very recently, the globalists have declared that they plan to “speed up” the 2030 U.N. Agenda. This document describes nothing less than a global government takeover of every nation across the planet.

Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum and UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres signed an agreement to accelerate Agenda 2030. pic.twitter.com/xDIKtuQbMn

— Ninnyd 🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸 Waiting~4~the Revolution (@ninnyd101) May 4, 2022

Obviously, this has the implications for the rapture of the Church to occur very soon given that America has crossed its appointed allotment of time in God’s prophetic plan to declare the Gospel of the Kingdom across the globe. Having crossed this all-important Church Age time marker, the Vineyard has crossed its prophetic timing destiny along with the timing of reestablished Israel’s rendezvous with what many conclude is the fig tree time frame to see the Second Coming of Christ with the rapture occurring seven years prior. Could it even be said that we are looking at a further prophetic clue in the aforementioned 430 year bondage in Exodus 12:41 when observing the chapter number and verse where we are told that they came out of bondage on the “self same day?” The number 12 is the biblical number for government (possibly hinting at world government in the future) and the number 41 – the chapter number of the famine that appeared in Genesis 41 and the number that suspiciously showed itself in the appearance and disappearance of the U.N. beast statue last year (2021). The statue was displayed for 40 days and then removed on the 41st day. The number appeared again in another significant and prophetically telling location months later earlier this year in the city of Philadelphia with the on-again/off-again mask mandate. After city officials ended the mandate, they reinstated it “41” days later (see previous article here). They then revoked the mandate yet again only 6 days after that. This number and its two locations of appearance seemed to be a Providential fingerprint pointing us to the very soon coming rapture event as God “brings us out” [the church] of the bondage of the world (which Egypt represents) in our own “Exodus” in the closing of the Philadelphian Church Age. In considering the validity of these prophetic anomalies one way or the other, we ought to keep in mind the fact that scripture tells us that God tucks away nuggets of truth and mysteries that is the honor of kings to search out …

“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter” (Proverbs 25:2).

Given that this cup is one of thanksgiving for the Jews release from Egypt, when speaking of prophetic patterns and types, it should be rather interesting to the reader that Vineyard America even celebrates a holiday called “Thanksgiving.” Furthermore, it should also be of no surprise that we see these prophetic foreshadowings today in such a global prophetic puzzle piece as America given that the cup of “Thanksgiving” is the “second” cup of the four cups. In the previous article in this book of John study series, we covered the fact that America’s founding is associated with the number 2 and the idea of duality, the “second” Hebrew letter beit ב (as can be seen in the shape of its founding Peninsula location off the coast of Massachusetts pictured from space from a satellite in the main header picture of this article) and the idea of marriage – also seen in a “second” book (as in Exodus) where we can see the story of marriage in God taking Israel for His wife (duality). This is the second cup of thanksgiving as God brought them out of Egypt. We shouldn’t be surprised that these prophetic parallels are seen in America because it is a demonstration of history that God has designed time and destiny in a circular pattern as history will repeat itself …

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.  Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us”(Ecclesiastes 1:9-10).

“That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15).

3. The Cup of Redemption

The significance of the third Passover cup can be seen in the phrase: “I will redeem you” (Exodus 6:6).

This theme can be seen in John, chapters 12-20. Jesus spent the week preparing His disciples for the crucifixion. Therefore, this cup of “redemption” takes us to the third historic event in the history of the Jews and offers a view of the First Advent of Christ – of Calvary and the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

Isaac was the prototype of Passover, having been born on the full moon of Nissan. Have you ever wondered why God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? This is exactly what happened in Genesis 22. However, at the last possible second, the Lord sends an angel to stop Isaac before he can carry out the sacrifice …

“And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:1-18).

Some may think that the Lord was cruel by asking such a thing. But if we see that God was simply laying out a prophetic scenario for the future Passover Lamb – Isaac’s greater substitute – then we can understand the grand plan. God could not allow Abraham and Isaac to know the prophetic significance of His divine command; otherwise, the impact of Isaac’s impending death would have been diminished. They could not be told that they were acting out a divine drama. They had to feel the agony that it brought to them. When Isaac asked his father where they were going to find a sacrifice, Abraham said, “My son, God will provide himself a Lamb …” (Genesis 22:8). As we all know, John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the “Lamb” that takes away the sin of the world …

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Therefore, this cup of redemption can be seen in the Passover that attended the death, burial and resurrection of our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. The Cup of Completion

The significance of the fourth Passover cup can be seen in the phrase: “I will take you to me for a people” (Exodus 6:7). The cup of “completion” represents the fourth and final event in the history of Abraham’s progeny – the Second Advent of the Messiah to establish Heaven’s kingdom.

This future event is readily apparent in the prayer offered by all Jewish fathers at the time of the observance of Passover’s fourth cup:

“Pour your wrath upon the nations that do not recognize you and upon kingdoms that do not invoke your name. For they have devoured [Jacob] and destroyed his habitation. Pour your anger upon them and let your fiery wrath overtake them. Pursue them with wrath and annihilate them from beneath the heavens of [the Lord].”

The people recite this prayer while partaking of the fourth cup at the Passover table – a sign that they are looking forward to the coming of the Messianic era and God’s final judgment upon the nations. This end-time view completes the story of God’s covenant promise to Abraham. Jesus is Abraham’s lamb. The New Jerusalem in Heaven is Abraham’s city.

At a glance, let us review the four historical events depicted in the four cups of Passover:

1. The first cup takes us back to the days of Abraham.
2. The second cup takes us back to the days of Exodus.
3. The third cup takes us back to the first Advent of Christ.
4. The fourth cup takes us into the future to the Second Advent of Christ.

It seems to me that only the first three cups of Passover are observed in John’s Gospel, while the fourth cup is fulfilled in the book of Revelation. I think this fourth cup, filled with the indignation and wrath of God, is the cup that Jesus prayed about in the Garden of Gethsemane just before his crucifixion when he said …

“And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36).

I feel that Jesus asked for that cup to pass from Him that He might not have to drink it and that He might not have to use it.

First, Jesus would rather not drink of the cup Himself. Yet, He did just that on the cross. He took the cup of God’s wrath upon Himself. He bore our sins on the cross. Then secondly, He would rather forgive rather than have to punish mankind. However, He knew that, eventually, He would have to pour out that cup of divine indignation upon a wicked world. Significantly, the Savior’s prayer in Gethsemane is not recorded in John’s Gospel – only in Matthew, Mark and Luke. It seems that John did not mention the prayer perhaps because he knew that Jesus could not bring about our redemption without following through with the crucifixion – and, in fact, the Savior did just that. Jesus died that we might receive eternal life. He paid the price for our redemption. In effect, Jesus “completed” the process of redemption by drinking the cup of “completion.” However, it is in the book of Revelation that He will ultimately fulfill the prophecy: “I will take you to me for a people” (Exodus 6:7).

The Theme of John’s Gospel

Of the four Gospels in the New Testament, John’s Gospel is the only one that is designed according to the liturgy of the Passover table. Various rituals described in the Haggadah (a book containing the order of the Passover rituals) are alluded to in the Gospel of John.

Furthermore, the Hebrew term הַפָּֽסַח haPesach, translated “the Passover” exhibits the specific number of redemption! In chapter 21, we find the resurrected Jesus standing on the shore at the Sea of Galilee and telling the disciples where to cast their nets. They did as He asked, and suddenly their nets were full to overflowing, even after an unsuccessful night. They had caught exactly 153 fish. Down through the centuries, this mysterious number has intrigued theologians.

Dr. E.W. Bullinger noted that the numerical value of the Hebrew expression “sons of the God,” b’nai ha Elohim [בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים], is 153! Since the redeemed become sons of God by adoption, he came to think of 153 as the symbol of redemption. What most people do not understand, however, is that the Hebrew term for “the Passover” – haPesach [הַפָּֽסַח] also has a gematria of 153. Thus, the Passover reveals the number of redemption. It is the major theme in the Gospel of John. Its cryptic signature is subtly placed at the end of the Gospel – the very book designed around the Passover.

Cleansing The Temple

Following the theme of the first Passover cup “sanctification,” Jesus drove the money changers and merchants out of the Temple …

“And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up” (John 2:14-17).

I am sure the disciples were shocked at what seemed to be a fit of rage. John quotes a passage from Psalm 69:8-9 …

“I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me” (Psalm 69:8-9).

By this time, Jesus felt the rejection of almost all of those around Him. Desecrating the Temple was so cavalier, so brash, Jesus took it quite personally – and rightly so. The Temple authorities were not disposed to accept His credentials. It was an unpardonable sin.

This story corresponds with the other accounts in the synoptic Gospels. The one statement about not making God’s house a house of merchandise is restated with only a slight variation. In the other Gospels, Jesus says that the merchants had made God’s house a “den of thieves.” Briefly note the similarities in these four accounts …

Matthew wrote: “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there” (Matthew 21:12-17).

Mark wrote: “And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. And when even was come, he went out of the city” (Mark 11:15-19).

Luke wrote: “And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him” (Luke 19:45-48).

In these three other accounts, this occurred immediately after Jesus made His triumphal entry into the city. Note that Jesus performed miracles by healing the blind and lame; He angered the Temple authorities; and the people heard Him gladly.

The Sign

In John’s account, the Temple authorities asked Jesus to show them the “sign” that He was the Messiah …

“Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign do you show to us, seeing that you do these things?” (John 2:18).

There are several “signs” recorded in the prophecies of the Old Testament, by which Israel should have recognized their Messiah. For example, if this story immediately follows the triumphal entry, as noted in Matthew, Mark and Luke, then the Temple authorities should have known that Zechariah 9:9 says …

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King comes unto you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9).

The signs of the Messiah are actually recorded in Matthew 4-12. Jesus cleansed lepers (Matthew 8); healed the blind (Matthew 9 and 12); and cast out demons (Matthew 12). However, the Pharisees claimed that Jesus was possessed by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. The Savior’s reply was that the nation had committed the unpardonable sin. From that time forward, Jesus withdrew His offer to set up the Messianic kingdom. It was deferred until a future generation. Of course, this was indeed the Lord’s plan all along. We read elsewhere in scripture that God purposely blinded the eyes of the Jews so that the Gentiles might be brought into the kingdom. In verses 38-42, Jesus offers only the sign of the prophet Jonas.

According to Fausset’s Bible Dictionary, (volume 2, page 565) the Pharisees wanted to see the Messiah come in clouds of glory:

“To the pharisees who, not satisfied with His many signs, still demanded ‘a sign (messiah coming gloriously) from heaven,’ Christ gave a sign ‘out of the belly of hell’ (Jonah 2:2), i.e. the unseen region beneath. Christ’s death, entombment three days without corruption, and resurrection, is the grand proof of His Messiahship and of His power and will to save, just as Jonah’s message derived its weight with the Ninevites from His past entombment and restoration.”

In John 2:19, the Apostle tells us that Jesus promised the “sign” of His death and resurrection …

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said” (John 2:19-22).

This passage corresponds with Matthew’s sign of the prophet Jonah (Matthew 12:39-40). Here, Jesus promised the ultimate proof as Israel’s Messiah. The Rabbis had long believed in two messiahs – Messiah ben Joseph, who would die for the sins of Israel, and Messiah ben David, who would come and raise him from the dead. In their naive view of the Messiah, they failed to understand that there were not two Messiahs, but rather two advents of the same Messiah.

Two Greek words are used in this passage concerning the Temple. The first is ἱερῷ hiero (John 2:14), referring to its buildings and grounds. But when the Savior said, “Destroy this Temple … “, He used the term ναὸν naon (John 2:19,21), referring to the sanctuary – the Holy of holies – the place where the Shekinah glory once resided. Since the glory had left the Temple many years before, we can only conclude that Jesus was referring to His own body. In fact, that is exactly what John was suggesting in this passage.

John points us to the resurrection, while I suggest another possible fulfillment – the reconstruction of the Jewish Temple in the third millennium. Actually, there is no contradiction here. The Savior’s resurrection on the third day is, in itself, a prophecy that points to the third millennium.

Forty-Six Years Building Herod’s Temple

The Pharisees misunderstood Jesus to say that He could reconstruct Herod’s Temple in three days. They replied that it had been under construction for 46 years. In fact, it was not completed until A.D. 63, just a few years before the Romans destroyed it.

According to Bishop James Ussher, author of the aforementioned The Annals of the World (published in 1658), Herod began to gather materials and workmen in 19 B.C. and two years later, in 17 B.C., launched the construction of the Temple. If this date holds up to scrutiny, then this Passover would have occurred in A.D. 29. However, Bishop Ussher dates the birth of Jesus in 4 B.C. It seems that a possible error in his dating scheme could bring the occasion of this Passover forward to as late as A.D. 33. If so, then this Passover could easily be the one observed just days before Jesus’ crucifixion.

The Unnamed Miracles

In verse 23, we are told about other miracles …

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did” (John 2:23).

We are not told how many or what kind of miracles these were, but Matthew gives a little more information …

“And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them” (Matthew 21:14).

The details of these miracles are not given in John’s Gospel, but only a reference that there were other miracles. Indeed, there were many miracles during the ministry of Christ, but John only records eight of them. They are:

1. Jesus turns water into wine (John 2:1-11).
2. Jesus heals the nobleman’s son (John 4:43-54).
3. Jesus heals the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-9).
4. Jesus feeds the five-thousand (John 6:5-13).
5. Jesus walks on the water (John 6:17-21).
6. Jesus heals the man born blind (John 9:1-7).
7. Jesus raises Lazarus (John 11:39-44).
8. Jesus rises from the grave (John 20:1-31).

John’s Gospel reduces the ministry of Christ down to only a few stories – eight miracles – specific occasions in order to convince men of His deity. John’s first 11 chapters briefly cover the Savior’s entire three-and-a-half years of ministry.

Chapters 12-20 are devoted to the last week – the Savior’s passion. Seven chapters (13-19) are devoted to only one day – from sundown on the evening of the Last Supper until sundown on the day He was crucified. At the close of this Gospel, John tells us …

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30-31).

Matthew records the details of at least 24 miracles, plus numerous unnamed healings; Mark records the details of at least 21 miracles, plus numerous unnamed healings; and Luke records at least 34 miracles. Therefore, it is obvious to see that John has a different agenda than simply recording the life and ministry of Christ. His Gospel is both simple and profound. It may be easy to read, yet the secrets that are hidden within the framework of this Gospel are worthy of a lifetime of study.

Conclusion

The following verses could not have been describing the Savior’s attitude at the very onset of His ministry. He always committed Himself to every sincere soul who believed, and still does.

But, according to the accounts of cleansing the Temple in Matthew, Mark and Luke, the national leaders had accused Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, thus committing on a national level, the unpardonable sin. Therefore, to the nation as a whole, Jesus remained rejected …

“But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25).

Jesus no longer preached, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew and Mark offer the kingdom early in their Gospels, but Luke and John do not offer the kingdom. To them, setting up the kingdom was left for a future generation. With Israel restored as a nation today since 1948 and now in the general time frame of the conclusion of the fig tree generation in 2028-2029 with the rapture event a distinct possibility in 2022 or 2023 (if the definition of Jesus’ Matthew 24 fig tree generation is assumed to be the one spoken of in Psalm 90:10) – and with the Matthew 21 Vineyard (America) having crossed its prophetic timing of years destiny for the ending of the Church Age in fulfillment of its prophetic assignment in shining forth the Gospel of the kingdom of Heaven with the national freedom, wealth and global influence to do so, we are glad to say that we now await that kingdom. Once again, the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. While this year (2022) on forward into the next year (2023) is looking like a very high probability for the rapture, with the coming second Great American Eclipse set to traverse America in the year 2024, thus completing an “X” over the nation in tandem with the 2017 Great American Eclipse, we may well be looking at a 2024/2025 rapture as the Vineyard is crossed out and no longer teaching the message of the Gospel to the world.

Keep Watching.

GOD’S REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR INCLUSION IN THE RAPTURE AND ESCAPE FROM THE COMING WRATH

The demonstrably divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a coming horrendous seven-year Tribulation period of judgment upon Earth for all of mankind, no matter what your religion, belief or creed is, and even to those who don’t believe anything spiritual at all.  We can now clearly see the signs of this approaching nightmare.  However, as we’ve already seen, this same divinely inspired text that we call the Bible promises a dramatic escape from off the face of the earth before this horrendous time of judgment only to a certain category of people.  

Put simply, an event is coming that will be so stupendous that it strains the mind to contemplate such an event happening.  It is an event that will see millions upon millions of people across the globe suddenly disappear without warning.  The millions of disappeared will have literally ascended into Heaven itself after instantaneously receiving a new glorified body fit for Heaven.  A body that will be able to withstand the atmosphere and glory of Heaven.  This event is known as the “Rapture.”  But the promise of escape is only to those who are “born again” in Christ.  This is why it is crucial to understand what Christ meant when he declared in no uncertain terms that only those who are “born again” in him will enter the Kingdom of God.  For the explanation of this, keep reading below.

In order to accept the offer of God’s grace and his salvation, you must take the crucial three steps of …

1. Agreeing – A belief and agreeing with God in all that he says in his word, the Bible, about the fact that you are separated from God, as every man and woman on the face of the earth are before accepting his salvation.  The Bible reveals that all are separated from him in a spiritual state of death, or said another way that the Bible reveals it, in a state of sin, that will result in damnation in the afterlife.  Agreeing with God in your heart that you are in need of his salvation.  The Bible reveals that God looks upon the heart of a man or woman, and thus, responds accordingly to the person who comes to him for salvation in recognition of his inability to save himself.  The Bible makes these facts very clear – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  The Bible describes these three kinds of death:  

• physical death (the state experienced when life leaves our bodies).
• spiritual death (spiritual separation from God caused by our state of spiritual death inherited from the first man Adam – the state of sin that results in our daily outward acts of sin, whether deliberate or not, whether omissive or not; and finally …
• the second death (the fixed state entered into by the individual who dies physically while he or she is dead spiritually). This state is entered into after the death of the body which results in punishment in the afterlife until the event of the Great White Throne Judgment occurs wherein the damned are resurrected from Hades, or Hell, and are judged according to their works and finally destroyed and cease to exist after being cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 14 refers to this tragic end of the unsaved as the “Second Death” (verse 14). It is this state of suffering entered into after physical death and then final destruction at the Great White Throne Judgment in particular which is the horrible result of receiving the wages of sin (unforgiven due to unbelief and rejection of Christ). The Lord Jesus Christ frequently described such a death as being irrevocable in a destiny which he called Hell.  He described Hell as a literal place of judgment (Matthew 13:42); a place of everlasting fire (Matthew 18:8); a place of torment (Luke 16:24,28); a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50); a place of remorse (Mark 9:44-48); of bitter memory (Luke 16:25), and a place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  In fact, Jesus more often warned about Hell than he spoke about Heaven.

It is not God’s will or desire that any person should be consigned to perish in Hell (2 Peter 3:9), but rather that all should come to repentance of unbelief toward him and believe on him for the salvation of the individual’s soul.  But God’s justice requires that the “soul who sins” (remains in it’s state of death or state of sin) is the one who will die a second time after a long period of torment (Ezekiel 18:4).  So, agree with God, admitting that you are unable to save yourself and in a state of sin under God’s just condemnation for that sin and that you are in need of his salvation.

2. Believing – Then, believe that God does not want you to suffer this fate because of your sin.  Believe that God loves you so much that he provided a way whereby he could still be a just, holy and righteous God, and yet pardon you.  Believe that God did not just overlook sin, but that he sent his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to provide salvation by personally paying the penalty for sin.  Believe that Jesus Christ, whose life, death, burial and resurrection is the best-attested fact of antiquity, did come to earth to live, die, rise again and ascend to Heaven in order to provide justification and salvation for all who trust him.  Believe that he, and he alone, can save you because he has fully satisfied the just demands of God.  Believe that you can’t become righteous in God’s sight by your own effort.  Believe that he wants to save you and that he will save you.  The Bible provides a solid basis for such belief …

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). 

“But God demonstrates his love toward us in this:  while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 

God presented him (Jesus Christ) as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man or woman who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures … ” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). 

“Jesus answered, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out [drive away]” (John 6:37).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

3. Calling – It is not enough to agree with God, admit your need, and believe that Christ can and will save you.  You must act upon those facts. God’s requirement is that you repent of your unbelief toward him and actively call upon him for the salvation of your soul based on the fact that you cannot save yourself. It is unbelief in particular that damns the soul to its horrible fate …

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

You must be willing to completely turn from your own efforts to save yourself or from any other hope.  You must come to Christ, calling upon him for salvation and counting on the fact that he will do what he has promised.  This means simply taking the gift of pardon and eternal life which he offers.  Merely believing about Jesus Christ without coming to him makes as much sense and is as effective as believing that a medication can successfully treat a fatal disease, but failing to take it.  Yet again, the Bible emphatically and authoritatively provides the basis for such statements.

The word translated “believe” here means to “rest one’s entire weight and trust on the object or person in which the belief is placed.”  It requires action in keeping with the intellectual assent of that belief.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

” … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

The logical question you may be asking at this point is:  “how do I come to Christ and call upon him?”  The answer is that “calling upon the Lord” is just another term for praying, or talking to God.  To talk to God is not a complicated process, dependent upon some special rituals.  God has invited people to approach him through his Son in simple, straightforward terms.  In fact, Jesus approved of the dishonest, despised tax collector who simply prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.”  While the exact words of your prayer to God are not of vital importance (since God sees and knows the attitude of your heart), the following is the kind of prayer that you could pray in calling upon God for salvation …

“Dear Lord Jesus:  I realize that I need you.  I admit that I have sinned and that I deserve your just, eternal punishment for that sin.  But I am sorry for my sin and I am turning to you and asking for forgiveness.  I believe that you died and rose again to pay sin’s penalty on my behalf.  I come to you and open my heart to you.  I ask you to come into my life, forgive me for all of my sin and make me your child.  I invite you to take control of my life and to cause me to be the kind of person you would have me to be.  I thank you for doing this because you have promised that whosoever calls upon you, as I am doing now, shall be saved.  I pray this in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, I urge you to sincerely and genuinely express it to God as your prayer.  The Bible makes clear that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart, God forgives our sins and counts us righteous, and that when we openly confess with our mouth what we have done in our heart,  God gives us assurance of that salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Important to note here is that although the Bible notoriously tells us that if you call upon the name of the Lord you will be saved, it is first a precondition, or requirement, that you first meet the required condition of belief upon the one who died for humanity’s sins. God is looking at the heart. The prayer prayed is the outward manifestation of the inward belief and trust upon Christ that causes one to ask him for forgiveness and salvation. In other words, if I did not believe in Christ but whispered the sinner’s prayer anyway, it does not make me suddenly saved and on my way to Heaven. It is not the prayer itself that is saving anyone. It is the belief and attitude of the heart that caused said person to pray the prayer that saved the person to begin with. This what the Apostle Paul means when he says that those who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. This is exactly the process that transpired with the thief upon the cross who was crucified with Jesus and asked him just before death to remember him in the kingdom. It was his initial belief and trust in Christ for salvation that caused his calling on him. It is the same process with the aforementioned tax collector who called on the Lord for mercy.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3-7).

Recommended Reading:

Harvest Season: Why the Months Ahead Could See Major Prophetic Events
Seven Reasons the Looming Economic Crisis Is Biblical

The next installment of this book of John study series can be read in the link below.
THE MEETING WITH NICODEMUS: A WARNING TO ALL