Dear friends:Of the past few years, two stand out to me as especially prophetic and pointing to 2005: 1993 and 1998. Why?
1. 1993. First, that was the year of the disastrous Oslo Accords, which some call the "Covenant with Death." That was 12 years ago. , Pastor F.M. Riley points out that Lamentations 1:17 describes Jerusalem "as a menstrous woman among them." He then mentioned Jesus healing the menstrous woman who had the "issue of blood" for 12 years (Matthew 9:18-20, etc.). Riley says, "This woman had been menstruating nonstop for twelve years. There is no question in my mind that this woman is a type of Jerusalem. And how long has the controversy over Jerusalem been going on? The real bloody controversy over who would control Jerusalem began just twelve years ago. Remember? That was 1993, the year that Rabin of Israel and Arafat of the PLO signed the rotten, deceitful Oslo Accords. There has been nothing but bloodshed since that day." See http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2005/fmriley127.htm
Second, that was the year Vincent Tan had his two angel encounters, with both bearing the same verbatim message (twice for emphasis), that the Lord is coming "very, very soon" (two "verys" for emphasis) See http://www.choicesforliving.com/spirit/part3/angels.htm . That was 12 years ago, which is not very, very soon to my way of thinking, but God does not operate on my clock. Yet, I have always suspected that God picked the year 1993 for a divine purpose and that it has meaning. It may have pointed to 2005. One of the angels gave Vincent exactly $2.34 in change for gasoline, which miraculously is the exact amount needed to fill up his tank. Many of us have thought that the number 234 had prophetic meaning. Bob Ware points out today that August 22, 2005 is the 234th day of the year. See http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/aug2005/bobware81.htm .
2. 1998. Previously I have pointed out the many prophetic implications about the year 1998.
Ron Reese gave several reasons why he believes the October 23, 1998 Wye Agreement was so prophetic. One reason is the signs in the heavens. The actual signing of the covenant document was the "exact same minute" (2:34 p.m. EDT) as Saturn (Satan) came closest to earth and brightest in 20 years, in the sign of Pisces (Israel), and in conjunction with constellation Cetus (Antichrist). He says the odds against this happening at the same minute by mere coincidence were more than 10 million to 1. Additionally, Ron says that the sign of Revelation 12:1 appeared in the heavens the eve of October 23, 1998. Odds against: 912 to 1. He also says that the Day of Atonement is the most likely day for Second Coming. If you add exactly 2,520 days (seven prophetic years) to October 23, 1998, you arrive on the Day of Atonement, 2005. Odds against: 365 to 1. Combined odds for just the above three: astronomical.
In his January-February 1998 newsletter, "The Last Call," Pastor F.M. Riley listed and described ten biblical cycles that all came to an end in 1998.
In his fascinating 1988 book, "Times of the Signs" (New Wine Press, Chichester, England) the late New Zealand author George C. Curle describes numerous biblical dates and historical patterns that all amazingly point to 2005. Back up seven years, of course, and you arrive at 1998.
For many years Bible scholar Marilyn Agee looked to 1998 for the rapture. While she believes she now understands the error, God may have led her to that year for other reasons.
I have been puzzled at why the extremely unusual Noah Troyer prophecy in the year 1878 had not come to pass, and maybe this is an explanation. Perhaps it did. I have personally documented this and have even seen 122-year-old secular newspaper clippings. By way of review, Noah Troyer was an Amish minister, born in 1831. Troyer became ill, causing him to have repeated periods of unconsciousness, during which time he would stand and prophesy. He spoke almost the same basic message over and over again, someone counted 19 times. His wife called friends and family members to witness what he was saying. There was even newspaper coverage of the phenomenon. Basically, the message was that just as with Noah before the flood, God was warning him, also Noah, that He was giving America 120 years to repent before it will be destroyed. These words were spoken by Noah Troyer in 1878. And 1878 + 120 years = 1998. While destruction did not come in 1998, it could have begun a 7-year countdown.
The year 1998 was Israel's Jubilee year, or 50th anniversary, surely a profound prophetic year.
There is a book titled, "Bible Prophecies 1998-2005," by D.S. Dutcher with at least 49 separate calculations that point to 1998.
CONCLUSION:
1. The year 1993 may have begun a 12-year countdown to 2005.
2. The year 1998 may have begun a 7-year countdown to 2005, which will see the end of the 14,000-day generation. See http://wonderful1.com/wst_page3.html.
3. The year 2005 may begin a 7-year countdown to the end of the Tribulation, seeing the Second Coming of Christ in glory in 2012.
It is interesting that the Mayan calendar and time ends in 2012, and New Agers are looking to 2012 for the apocalypse and a major change in reality (see http://www.2012.com.au/Site.A.html). That may be true, but not the way they are thinking. Remember, the devil has some knowledge but he is spiritually blind and cannot understand it.
Jim