WE ARE SEEING "THE DAY APPROACHING"!

We are fast coming upon Yom Kippur, on the Gregorian calendar, today at nightfall . I want to share an in-depth exhortation on the possibility of the Rapture on this day. 

The 40 days of repentance that began on Elul 1, leading into Rosh Hashanah, then into the 7 days of Awe, will end tonight with Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement. 

Interestingly, Arlene, the author of these convincing, Scripture-based facts, has noted the "sign of Jonah" in relation to the end of this 40 days of repentance. 

Please see the previous blog entry regarding the potential physical signal that appears to be have sent to alert us to how close the return of the Lord Jesus, for His own, is:

http://theworldisshaking.blogspot.com/2010/08/gods-miraculous-to-us-in-these-last.html

Thanks to Arlene, we have some very credible information that bears much consideration. I have condensed her very thoughtful teaching, in order to attempt to include the main bullet points. Please note that this was actually written in 2005.

"Now a broad outline as I understand it, Yom Kippur is the final day of the 40-day repentance period which began on Elul 1st, 30 days before Rosh Hashanah, and includes the ten days of awe, or another reprieve period in which to repent before Yom Kippur, when the Book of Life is closed by the righteous judge in heaven,  and those who have not been found worthy to be in that book have no further appeal to the Lord thereafter. 

Let us recall that our Lord said that an evil generation which seeks a sign shall have only the “sign of Jonah”, and one of the aspects of Jonah’s call to repentance for Nineveh was a 40-day call to repentance. So, this should intrigue us at the very least, and beckon us to look further.  

For, should the  Jewish nation seek a sign of their coming Messiah, they would certainly stumble upon this scripture after the rapture and do the math themselves.  If, as many say, our Lord’s physical appearing upon earth, on the Mount of Olives, occurs on Yom Kippur, then it follows that seven years earlier (introducing the time of Jacob’s trouble), would occur then also on Yom Kippur. 

Yom Kippur is a day of fasting, and atonement, so there is usually a rather large and hedonistic repast the day before this entire day of donning hair shirts and denial of the flesh.  During the Yom Kippur service, the Ark of the Covenant is open, which contains the Torah; this signifies the gates of heaven which are purported to be open during this period.

This should lead us into meditating upon those words of the Lord about Himself being “the door”, or the open gate, which also relates to Rosh Hashanah, in that the gates of heaven are open even for the last ten days of repentance before Yom Kippur. 

So, there is much fuss made about these open doors made during the time period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  Also we shall look later at that door which was open to the Philadelphian church in Revelation, and that door which John saw as open in heaven for his invitation to “come up hither”. 

First, before I forget it... I believe this is the only feast day of the Lord, which calls for a day of fasting. Additional  prohibitions for the day of Yom Kippur are engaging in marital relations, weddings, wearing leather shoes, or washing oneself, in addition to not drinking wine or eating food.  

Was our Lord referring to this day when He said that in the days of Noah, they were “eating and drinking” and “marrying and giving in marriage”  until THE DAY that Noah entered into the ark. 

Likewise, prior to this year’s Yom Kippur, Jews will be “eating and drinking, and marrying and giving in marriage”, until THE DAY of Yom Kippur. Without getting flakey here... I read somewhere on the world-wide net, that the Ark of the Covenant, had the same ratio of measurements as the dimensions of the ark of Noah, and we know that God Himself closed the door to the ark once Noah was inside,  so perhaps there is a picture here of that great ark of heaven being open for us, until the completion of Yom Kippur, “God Himself will close the door”.  

After the Yom Kippur service, the doors of the ark of the covenant are closed, signifying the closing of the door of heaven; they blow the shofar once, and this is called “The Great Trump”. then that’s all she wrote for those who did not repent. 

The last hour of the Yom Kippur service offers one final opportunity for repentance.   Does this remind you of our Lord’s words to the Laodicean church “behold I stand at the door and knock”? 

WHY NOT ROSH HASHANAH?

I am sure we all wilted when Rosh Hashanah came and went with no resurrection, no call of the Bridegroom – nothing. What?  It all seemed to fit so well. So, back to the drawing board we go.   We are now in the Days of Awe portion of time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.   These are days of deep reflection, leading up to the most somber day of fasting and repentance, during which we reflect upon our sins.  

The Sabbath day that falls during these two feasts is called The Sabbath of Return or “Shabbat Shuvah”, which means the Sabbath of repentance, or returning to the Lord from our lives of sin. 

I have felt for some time that there lurks in the first (church-related) portion of the book of Revelation, the answer to WHEN the rapture would be, for John himself was called to “come up hither”.  John is a “type” of the bride of Christ (he laid his head upon the breast of our Lord at the last supper, typical of what a bride did at a betrothal dinner), and he was called “the beloved disciple”.  Therefore, we look at John to find out what becomes of the beloved betrothed bride. 

First, John hears a voice like a trumpet, (this is the “first trump)  introducing the words of our Lord, and he turns to see the Lord “in the midst of the seven candlesticks” Revelation 1:12-13.  He is instructed to write to the churches what He speaks.  His feet were like unto “fine brass”, which bespeaks of judgment, and a sharp two-edged sword coming out of His mouth.   This two-edged sword we have encountered before, in the words of Paul:

Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

So, with this two-edged sword, He is about to both compliment, and rebuke, the seven churches, for He identifies the seven candlesticks as “the seven churches”.  He dictates these words of discernment while John is still on earth, which claim I still stick to, else, how could John later be told to “come up hither”, if he was already “up thither”, and in fact the bride /church is on earth during this time of dressing-down by the Lord, and during this time of repentance. 

Now, I think that this scenario pictures exactly what happens prior to Yom Kippur.   The reason that the Lord does not come on Rosh Hashanah, is that IT IS STILL IN THE 40-DAY REPENTANCE PERIOD, leading up to YOM KIPPUR, THE LAST DAY OF THE REPENTANCE PERIOD.  

For:

2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance

But “that ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE” speaks of a period of time when our Lord is “longsuffering”...and in fact a person can “come to repentance” right up until the last hour before the Yom Kippur service is over, and this period of time for repentance, is the 40-day period prior to Yom Kippur, as also it was during the 40-day period of Jonah’s preaching when he said that God would repent of the evil that He had purposed to do if they did not repent.

But not to dwell here, let’s see what follows in the book of Revelation.  Sure enough the letters to the churches have ‘REPENTANCE’ writ large all over them.  Repent, or else. Repent or else.  Repent or else.  This is the language of Teshuvah (the 30 days of repentance prior to Rosh Hashanah, and the ten days of awe or repentance, after Rosh Hashanah).

Rosh Hashanah is still repentance season, while God  is LONGSUFFERING, and awaiting the repentance; that is why the rapture cannot happen on Rosh Hashanah. However, the first trumpet which John heard, was the trumpet of Rosh Hashanah announcing the last ten days of repentance.    

And to one of these churches He says, “(Rev 3:8) Behold I HAVE SET BEFORE THEE AN OPEN DOOR, AND NO MAN CAN SHUT IT”.  This open door is none other than the open door that constitutes the gates of heaven being open during the time period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur! 

But it gets better for Philadelphia, because He says, during this period of time that the door is open, that (Rev 3:11) “Behold I COME QUICKLY… hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown”. Yes, He comes quickly, in fact within ten days of this judgment of the churches, and this coming happens to involve “crowns” or rewards (the rapture). 

Rev 22:12 - And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 

To the Laodiceans, He says He is about to spue them out of His mouth, (to spend some time in the coming tribulation years)  because THEY SEE NO NEED TO REPENT.  They see themselves as rich, increased in goods, and HAVING NEED OF NOTHING.  To this church He says “behold I AM AT THE DOOR”. And “be zealous therefore, and REPENT”.  If any man opens the door (of repentance), He states He will come in a sup with him (the marriage supper). 

We should see hereafter, in the book of Revelation,  pictures of Yom Kippur following upon this call to repentance, and sure enough that we do. The next thing John reports (and remember that John is a type of the bride of Christ) is that a door was opened (KJV), elsewhere, “a door standing open”, in heaven and he was called “up hither” by another voice of a trumpet.  

Revelation 4

The Throne Room of Heaven 

 ¹ After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

“Immediately” (the rapture)  he found himself in heaven.  This time he heard another “trumpet” (the last trump when we shall be changed in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye). And when he looked around, he saw a throne, and right after that the “24 elders”, who  were wearing “crowns” – here are the crowns promised to those faithful Philadelphians…

 

 ^{Revelation 4:4} Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

Isaiah 26:2 - Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Psalm 118: 19-24 - Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

What do these elders say?  (Rev 5:9) “….and (He) has REDEEMED us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue and people, and nation.”   A mixed horde here represented by 24 elders, and not just national  Israel . But that is not the point, the point being that they had just been REDEEMED.

What is Yom Kippur called? THE DAY OF REDEMPTION!  (or Yom haPeduth).  This day was the holiest day in the whole year for the Israelites, the day that the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies of the temple, the only day he went in there, and made atonement both for himself and for the people.

Therefore, Yom Kippur is also called the Day of Atonement. John sees that the Lamb as it had been slain, was found worthy to REDEEM those he sees in heaven. And also found worthy to open the judgment seals, or scroll of redemption,  leading into the great tribulation. 

Jesus started His ministry on Yom Kippur, for we read that the Holy Spirit immediately took Him after His baptism out to the wilderness to be tempted by satan.  In the Law, it states that after the priest atoned for the people, he chose a “scapegoat”, which was led into the wilderness, to carry away the sins of the people, and that a “goodly man” was to lead that goat there (a type of the Holy Spirit leading Christ into the wilderness as our scapegoat). It was also a jubilee year, as Jesus quoted Isaiah 61, that He had come to set the slaves free etc.

Now, on Yom Kippur, and at the jubilee year, the Great Trumpet was to be blown to bring in the jubilee year.   Therefore, the trumpet which John heard when he was called up to heaven was the “trumpet of God” which calls us up, at the jubilee of the church, or rapture. 

 Now, we know from the scriptures that Christ has been made our “high priest” in heaven. Only, unlike the high priest on earth that entered the Holy of Holies once a year, we read in Hebrews: 

Hebrews 9:21-28 - Moreover he (the high priest) sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Above is described the sacrifice of Christ, for us, as high priest in heaven, having redeemed us by His blood, as the 24 elders sing in their new song….   And now get verse 28…..”unto those that look for him, shall he appear THE SECOND TIME WITHOUT SIN UNTO SALVATION.   This verse speaks also of Yom Kippur, the Atonement sacrifice, and THOSE OF US WHO LOOK FOR HIM TO APPEAR THE SECOND TIME as our high priest, to REDEEM us.  FACE TO FACE

Another traditional name for Yom Kippur is “face to face”.  We know that no man could ever see God and live; however, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the high priest would go into the Holy of Holies and be in God’s presence, or “face to face” with God.  This was a most solemn moment, and the people were gripped with anxiety as the high priest was in there, waiting to see if God would accept the sacrifice.  A bright cloud was over the mercy seat, at God’s presence in there. 

Now, get this:  Paul tells us: 

1 Corinthians 13:12 - For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Paul above speaks of something that only happens on Yom Kippur. AND:  2 Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.  

Another close encounter above. But here’s the clincher:

When the high priest exited the Holy of Holies, the people breathed a huge collective sigh of relief, for from the VERY MOMENT when the high priest emerged from the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, they knew that they were absolutely sinless and blameless before the Lord, and could set out upon yet another year of sin and hilarity, until the next year.   

LET US GO TO EPHESIANS 5:27 now: where Paul speaks of the mystery of Christ and the bridegroom, the church: 

Ephesians 5:27 - That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

There it is folks. We cannot be presented on Rosh Hashanah, which is WHILE WE ARE REFLECTING AND REPENTING, during the 40 days of repentance,  but only after our High Priest, our Lord, “exits” the Holy of Holies (heaven), having secured our TOTAL AND COMPLETE REDEMPTION and ATONEMENT, thereby being able to present us to Himself as a spotless bride as in Ephesians 5:27 above. 

In Leviticus 25:9-11, we see that the year of the Jubilee, was to be healed in on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. And we know that the Jubilee year, was one of the REDEMPTION of lost property or rights, or indebtedness. 

The REDEMPTION (being redeemed by His blood sprinkled in the Holy of Holies before the Father)  mentioned in the song of the 24 elders, speaks of this liberty, and rest, which we acquire at His coming. And, in Joel 2:12-16, it says: 

Joel 2:12-16 - Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me (Sabbath of Return) 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: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. (which He did for the Ninevites at Jonah’s 40 days’ call to repentance) 


Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?  Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast (Yom Kippur), call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify (cleanse)  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.

There’s those elders, on a fast day, when the bridegroom and bride emerge.  This would indeed be the Jubilee of the church, and this Jubilee can ONLY HAPPEN ON YOM KIPPUR  as per Leviticus 25:8-13 

Leviticus 25:8-13 - And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession.

And, Christ our Savior sacrificed Himself, for us, so that we may look forward to celebrating that Jubilee with Him:  

Hebrews 10:21-25 - And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

What day approaching?  The day when our hearts are sprinkled with His blood (our High Priest) for Atonement, which is YOM KIPPUR. 

RUTH

Now if you will bear with me for a short while longer I may enlarge upon this.  It’s a short and nice book to read for those of you who have not read it, now would be a good time to do that.

But I shall not quote it directly so that I may be more general in my thoughts. First of all, Naomi urged her daughter-in-law Ruth to prepare herself (days of repentance) by washing, dressing, and anointing herself, prior to presenting herself at the feet of Boaz on the threshing floor. Naomi was a street-smart Jewess, who knew that the harvest festivals were upon them.  

Ruth was around throughout the barley harvest “and to the wheat harvest”. That Boaz only had barley heaps on his floor was a stumbling block to us, for at that time we fancied ourselves to be “barley”, then “wheat”, and hoped to see ourselves somewhere in this story.  

Apparently Boaz hadn’t seen to his wheat harvest yet... and in fact Jesus said... ”the harvest is the end of the age”, and wheat will be part of this harvest, taken from the parable of the wheat and tares.  

Knowing that the fall feasts were approaching, Naomi wanted to see to Ruth’s “rest”….remember? (this is our millennial rest as bride of Christ)  That is, that she might be “redeemed” by this “kinsman” in whose field Ruth happened.  

It is interesting that Naomi told Ruth to wait to lie at his feet, until he “has finished eating and drinking”.  Now, why is this little detail here... remember, that there is a sumptuous feasting the day before Yom Kippur, because the next day is a fast day.

So, Ruth waited until he had eaten and drunk, and his heart was “merry” from the feasting.  At midnight, Boaz stirs, (“at midnight a call was made – behold the bridegroom cometh”), and he awakens, and passes a complimentary judgment upon her, his bride to be (the judgment seat of Christ).  

Ruth returns to Naomi with the news of the threshing-floor encounter, early in the morning, bearing a gift of barley. Now, Naomi says, that Boaz will “not REST (bring in the millennial rest) until this thing be taken care of…”, that is the securing of the right to be a kinsman redeemer and acquire Ruth as bride in the process.

The millennial rest or jubilee cannot occur until the redemption process is approved by the city’s elders.  


Boaz, the next morning, goes to the elders of the city and makes it all right and REDEEMS Naomi’s property ( Israel ’s land and promises), and takes Ruth as his bride in the process. 

Therefore, we come back now to the scene in heaven immediately after John is caught up to heaven (the rapture of the bride), and witnesses the Lamb being found WORTHY to open the seals of the book (the book of REDEMPTION), for in all cases of kinsman redeemers, the kinsman had to be found worthy by the city’s elders to open the scroll of the property rights of the purchased possession.  

We know that what Christ is redeeming here is all that was lost from the fall of Adam onward.   That is why John cried when “no man could be found worthy to open the book…”.

And so it is, that the 24 elders could sing a NEW SONG, about redemption, and that redemption could only have occurred on YOM KIPPUR, and that spotless bride could have only been made spotless and without wrinkle, by the only one who could have done this on THE DAY OF REDEMPTION, or YOM KIPPUR.

And of course I leave out one of the  most important scriptures, relating to the rapture on Yom Kippur, buried in this mass of notes.  The "engagement or espousal gift" given to us, the church, was the "earnest of the Holy Spirit", or down-payment of that which would be made full later.  

Ruth was given six measures of barley, so that she would not return to Naomi without an espousal gift, or down payment from Boaz.  With this earnest or partial offering of the Holy Spirit, we are "sealed" as the property of the betrothed Bridegroom, Christ.   

Paul tells us in Ephesians not to grieve the Holy Spirit........for we are sealed with this Spirit, until the DAY OF REDEMPTION, which is YOM KIPPUR.  

That's about as plain as it can be that the last day of this "partial" sealing of the Holy Spirit will be on YOM KIPPUR, for another name for Yom Kippur is:  DAY OF REDEMPTION......    Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

http://www.his-forever.com/yom_kippur_rapture.htm

May I add one further thought on the significance of Ruth and Boaz in relation to Christ and those who await His return. In the book of Ruth, Boaz instructed his future bride, Ruth, to gather grain until the harvest was over.

We can see how this is exactly what the Bride of Christ has been instructed to do:

Luke 10:2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field".

John 4:35 "...behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."

 

Boaz also offered water to Ruth for her thirst, just as we have been offered to quench our thirst with the Living Water:

John 4:10 Jesus replied to her, "If you only knew what God's gift is and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him for a drink. He would have given you living water."


John 7:37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.


Noteworthy is the feast spoken of in John  7:37 refers to the Feast of Tabernacles, which is the feast following Yom Kippur.


We cannot know for fact that the Rapture is on Yom Kippur, even though this study has presented many convincing rationales.


However, there is one thing we know for certain; we are to be exhorting one another while we busily gather in the Harvest, as it is becoming vividly clear that we are rapidly seeing the "Day approaching".

Hebrews 10:25

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.