To number our days aright let [us] know, And we bring the heart to wisdom. ~ Psalm 90:12 YLT
In 2008, I came to understand how there would be seven more years before the sign to the Bride would be witnessed. This came as I received the missing piece of the chronology puzzle that locked two parts together. The Lord Y'shua revealed this through a kind of parable in the scriptures, a historical event that also prophesied of the future. When Peter denied the Lord three times, as it is written, it fulfilled the prophecy the Lord spoke to him in John 13:38, but only in part. That prophecy would be fulfilled on a greater scale in a people represented by Peter, us.
When the revelation came to me about the three denials of Peter I understood the context very clearly, immediately equating the three denials to the three Shemittah following the celestial sign of 1991. I understood from that insight something that was very emotional, how the Bride and 144k sons of Israel were not yet ready, and that there must be seven more years of maturing. I understood the implicit declaration that, then, they would be ready! In 2008, this was a bittersweet realization because I knew severe trials must come. Some have already, but what is coming in the next two years will be far greater still, to test and prove, as Satan is given permission to sift “Peter.” Some of us will survive until then to participate in the activity surrounding the revealing of the lawless one that leads up to the Bride Theft, and some will not. Let it be the Lord's call which it will be for you.
It's not enough for me to just say so about such things, there must be demonstrations of various kinds, and for this purpose I offer another batch of evidences of the pattern the Lord gave me to understand. Many of these were brought to my attention by my friend Aaron Hermann, who has been a diligent student of these things that lie beyond the veil. We have been yoked together by the Lord with much grace as He sends two by two in such a work as this.
Here's a summarized listing of examples introduced thus far. In each, there is precious insight to be gleaned by the hungry student at the Lord's feet.
- Luke 8 - the parable of the soils, which was underscored by the way the accounts were recorded
- 1 Samuel 3 - the calling of the prophet Samuel
- 2 Kings 2 - the journey that resulted in Elisha witnessing the taking up of Elijah in a whirlwind
- Acts 7 - Joshua led the children of Israel into the promised land to accomplish what had been denied Moses before him
- Luke 20 - the sequence of four agents sent by the owner of a vineyard, the fourth being the owner's beloved son
- Daniel 7 - the four great beasts from the sea, the fourth being different from the three before it
- Daniel 2 - the metallic statue with head of gold, silver, bronze iron, the fourth being iron mixed with clay and struck by the stone kingdom
- Luke 13 - the fig tree dug around and fertilized in the fourth year to be spared being cut down - with two bracketing illustrations of the 18 killed by falling tower and 18 years sick
- 4 occurrences of 666, 3 in the OT and 1 in the NT
- Matthew 26 - the pattern sign of 3 denials then the rooster crows illustrated in Gethsemane by the cycles of the Lord addressing his disciples and praying about drinking the cup, then drinking it.
The pattern appears in the account of a crucial historical transition, when the favor of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was beginning to be extended very particularly to the Gentiles. This momentous occasion was prefaced by a vision that prepared Peter to become the Lord's agent in the work.
9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “ What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky. 17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” ~ Acts 10:9-20
Following the three repeated revelations of the vision came a fourth revelation, while Peter was reflecting on the vision. Yet again, three things of a kind are followed by a special fourth of a different kind. (It's a good thing Peter didn't misinterpret the vision and kill and eat the three emissaries, right? That may seem like a pretty absurd observation, but, hey, that's how the other kingdom works.) So, it is here as I've noted previously, that a cryptic prophetic scenario appears in the fourth thing that will be fulfilled during this fourth Shemittah. Before I elaborate on that, what was given to Peter in the vision should first be recognized as a prophecy about the church age, and both its beginning and end.
What should be obvious is how the unclean animals on the sheet represent Gentiles whom God has cleansed. Peter was being sent to Cornelius who, with his house, became the first to receive the salvation of this age that had been reserved for Jacob and his children. What may not be so obvious is how the three times the "clean gentiles" are presented as a picture of the three harvests of the church. I came to understand this passage as I wrote many years ago in one of the studies collected into Beyond the Veil, Peter's Vision of the Gentile Age, and a reading of it is recommended as a supplement. The vision given Peter encapsulates the entire age.
About the vision, only once is it written that the object was taken up into the sky, immediately after “this happened three times.” This presents an exact parallel to the three denials of Peter immediately followed by the rooster crowing. The rooster crows as announcing the object being taken up into the sky.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
So, the revelations repeated during the vision will be fulfilled during the fourth Shemittah, but the fourth revelation that followed will also be fulfilled during the fourth Shemittah. We may rightly infer that there is a prophetic scenario dramatized in what followed after Peter saw the object ascend, concealing and revealing what will follow after what's described in 1 Thessalonians above. Intriguing, yes?
The next exhibit of the pattern is found in 1 Kings 18 in another episode of Elijah's life.
31 Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32 So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. 33 Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. 34 And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35 The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water. 36 At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ~ 1 Kings 18:31-38
The three drenchings of the offering with water are like baptisms. These are followed by a kind of baptism by fire, signaling an acceptance. It is as three denials followed by an acceptance. As a supplement to this account I recommend reading what I've written in, Elijah's God Answers by Fire. The prophetic symbolism is very rich and relevant. This contest with 950 prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth led to their destruction. This took place on Mount Carmel, where Elisha went after witnessing Elijah's being taken up in the whirlwind and when he had received Elijah's mantle and a double portion of the spirit that had been on him. There are some contests coming in this Shemittah, about which 1 Kings 18 prophesies. Despite the opposition, the Elijah people will find their sacrifice accepted after three seasons of denial. My Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel will have turned the hearts of His people back again, first in the 12k from each tribe represented in the 12 pitchers of water poured out upon the sacrifice, that Elisha people. I write this as though it's easy. I can hardly convey just how over the top big a deal this is! Give consideration to the sacrifice of Zephaniah 1:7 and its context.
It has probably come to your mind already that even our Lord's own resurrection models this pattern to us. The simple fact of His being dead in the grave for three days and three nights is unremarkable. What is remarkable is that at the conclusion of those three He was raised to life eternal in a resurrection body! This fourth thing is an endless day for the one who said to John, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” (Revelation 1:17b-18) His resurrection is itself prophetic as a firstfruits, of what fruitful crops in His harvest field will be reaped in this fourth Shemittah from 1991!
I can hardly neglect touching upon how the Lord's resurrection was a sign of Jonah as recorded in Matthew 12 and 16, declaring the pattern of note.
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; 40 for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ~ Matthew 12:38-40
It's openly declared how the Lord's own death, burial and resurrection would meet the condition of matching that pattern as the sign, yet it's a coming sign of Jonah that will manifest in what is presented in the prophecy of the verses that follow that declaration. See The Sign of Jonah, another study in the Beyond the Veil collection.
Update 5/9/14:
The dramatic offering of Barabbas to the crowd at the Feast presents yet another example of the pattern.
20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21 but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” 22 And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” 23 But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. 24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. 25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will. ~ Luke 23:20-25
Three times the crowd demands Barabbas and insists that the other Jesus should be crucified, but Pilate denies them. Then Pilate makes his final appeal, for absolution, with a token gesture, washing his hands of the matter. According to pattern, in that 4th instance in series, he relents, and the appointed deed is done.
Adding these examples to the collection presented in the first three installments of this series makes for quite a substantial exhibit of the pattern. The Lord speaks through patterns - are we listening?
Thanks Elishabella. We'll see if that repeats the pattern. Blessings!
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