Scriptural Interpretation of the 40 Years
(God's Clues)We've talked before about the sign that Jesus gave of His coming in Matthew 24:32-34, the sign of the Fig tree (Judah). As a tender branch (young, under age 20) she budded forth leaves (gained new territories) as summer drew nigh. This event occurred in the June 6-11, 1967 war (just prior to summer solstice) and the lands she gained (Sinai, West Bank, Golan Heights and Jerusalem) are the continuing disputed lands of the Oslo accords, Annapolis and even the same disputed lands concerned in the covenant that the antichrist will confirm with many. We've discussed how we should add the period of generational testing, i.e. 40 years, to that date.
Last spring, I and many doves grew very excited as the 40th birthday of the Fig tree sign grew on the horizon. Like all you, I wanted the rapture to happen prior to or about that date. But, I warned you that there was more than one way to reckon the count of the 40. Since, God has shown me the Biblical evidence as to how He counts the 40. With it, you will see the Israelite entry into the Promised Land in a new light. As well, you can see the connection with the original Passover and God's soon coming Passover which resurrects the worthy first born in Christ. "For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living...", Luke 20:35-38 & Mark 12:26-27. Compare with Exodus 11:4-7 and 12:29-30.
First, for any new doves, I will give a quick review of 3 other signs which all point like a beacon to this very same time period as the Fig tree and 40.
The foundation: Those who read my article yesterday about the sunset and sunrise will see that God's plan to divide (separate) light and darkness is based first on law and to that He added grace and truth. To have an orderly universe or government requires laws. God has stated His laws are based on love. A king or ruler's highest duty is to rule justly, i.e. with fairness. He cannot ignore disobedience. It causes disorder. But, from creation week, particularly day one and four, we can see God has allowed darkness (evil/disobedience) to continue in cohabitation with light, albeit divided, at least for a season.
We are assured by God's promises that judgement and justice comes and all creation still awaits that day when the final division occurs. In the meantime, God has established laws of blessing and cursing as proper and promised reward for obedience and disobedience. All believers ought to read and occasionally refresh their memories in these passages on blessing and cursing found in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-30. These are applicable to both individuals and nations, but to the prophecy students they are the keys to God's prophetic plans. Take note of Lev 26:44-45. It is particularly applicable to him who received the blessing, even a double portion, and yet seemingly was lost for nearly 2000 years.
Since Solomon's reign ended there have been two houses in the sons (tribes) of Jacob. There was Israel, the 10 tribes of the northern kingdom, led by the two sons of Joseph (Manasseh and Ephraim), which resided in the land of Samaria. There was Judah with the tribe of Benjamin and most of Levi, who were the southern kingdom. For the sake of brevity, I am going to skip all the story of what happened to the tribes called Israel and jump straight to the point. Genesis 48:8-22, 49:22-26 and Deuteronomy 33:13-17 are about Joseph's blessing. He not only got the great material blessing of fruitfulness, numbers, wealth and strength, he got a double portion. If you still cannot believe it, God plainly states this in 1 Chronicles 5:1-2. Reuben lost the birthright (blessing) and Joseph got it. Judah prevailed and out of him came the chief ruler, but the birthright (blessing) was Joseph's. Jacob plainly states in Genesis 49:1 that his blessing to the children (tribes) was for the last days. Moses' blessing in Deuteronomy 33 was a take on Jacob's blessing and thereby also for the last days.
These next 3 signs are found in the house of Joseph who received the great end time blessing of fruitfulness, numbers, domain, wealth and power. Genesis 48:19 says it was Ephraim the younger who would be a great multitude of nations (united states) and would be greater, i.e. he got the greater of the double blessing. It is in Ephraim that we see the signs Moses says are in the house of Joseph.
The first is the sign of thebush. He is found in Joseph in Moses' blessing in Deut 33:16. Remember, this blessing is a last days blessing. Double is indelibly stamped on Joseph. It is first seen while he was in prison and interpreted the dreams of the baker and butler. It becomes more noticeable in Joseph's interpretation of the Pharaoh's dream in Genesis 41:32. Here Joseph tells the Pharaoh that the dream was doubled means that it was established by God, i.e. it is asign. In Gen 48:22, Joseph's two children receive a portion above their brethren, i.e. a double portion of the blessing. When they entered the promised land, they received double portions of land. Job 11:6 tells us the "Secrets (pl) of Wisdom are double to that which is". Look to Bush # 2, even the second term.
God reinforced this sign with the death dates of Joseph and Joshua (an Ephraimite, who led the children across Jordan into the promised land). Both died at age 110. The state representatives which founded this nation and wrote its charter is known as the Congress. The 110th Congress is now in session. It runs concurrent with Bush # 2, second term. Both these clues in the house of Joseph, specifically end time Ephraim, point to a time period of 2007-2008.
There is one more clue in Ephraim and it's end runs concurrent with the Fig tree + 40. It is the 400 year blessing. The blessing fell to Joseph and Ephraim got the greater. This fell on him. God told Abraham in Genesis 15:13 that his descendents had to walk as a stranger in the land 400 years before they would enter the promised land. Now Exodus 12:40 says they sojourned 430 years total, but this 400 is stated again in Acts 7:6. This same chapter divides Moses' life into 3 sets of 40. It is a prophetically oriented chapter. This 400 goes all the way back to day 4 of the creation. The 40 is part of the same theme. It follows that the great material blessing would be 400 years and it fell on Ephraim. The first permanent English colony was Jamestown, founded in May 1607. The end of the blessing is at the same time as the Fig tree + 40.
For the studious who looked up and read the above verses: Maybe you noticed in Leviticus 26 that it is stated 4 times (vs 18, 21, 24 & 28) that those who are blessed and then turn away (walk contrary) will be punished 7 times. That is a multiplier, but it is also 7 years, as is times, time and half a time of Daniel 12:7 equal to 3.5 years. Following a 400 year blessing is a 7 year curse, which if we do not repent will end in utter destruction. There are several remarks in the Leviticus passage seemingly aimed directly at the nature of end time Ephraim. For he who was double blessed, we can look to a double curse, even 7 times.
Again, for the studious: If you read Mark 12:26-27 and/or Luke 20:35-38, you should have noticed Jesus' mentioned the sign of the bushin reference to the resurrection of the firstborn dead. Much insight on the nature of the bramble bush can be found in the parable of the trees in Judges 9:8-15 (and end time parable about the nations). Further insight can be found in Job 30:1-10 in which Job states vile, base men dwell in the bush. An adept reading of this passage indicates an association with the Nepthlim. Luke 6:43-44 tells us directly that the bramble bush is an unfruitful tare, same as the thorns. While the bush was not harmed by the fiery flame in Exodus 3:2-5, Jesus says in Matthew 13:24-30 & 37-40 that when the harvest is ready, all the tares (includes the bush) will be bundled together and consumed in the fiery flames. The good seed (wheat) will be gathered into the barn. We can see today, that our President Bush is pressing Israel (Judah) to give up (divide/separate) her disputed lands. It is about this time that our Lord will separate (divide) His bride. A sharp reader can see this in Deuteronomy 33:16. Those of goodwill who dwell in the bush are the good seed which must grow up with the tares. We see the word separate mentioned with Joseph. We see it again in Genesis 49:26 in the blessing on Joseph. Here it promises a crown.
Now, Scripture which tells us how God interprets the 40: The first clue is the law of stripes found in Deuteronomy 25:3. We may receive 40 stripes, but not 41. I will only add that we did receive the 40th stripe during the period June 6-11, 2007. We will not receive the 41st stripe.
The next clue is found in Genesis 25:20. Isaac married Rebekah at age 40, i.e. sometime between his 40th and 41st birthdays. Isaac and Rebekah are the foreshadow groom and bride: Isaac was the child that Abraham offered for sacrifice to the Lord. Abraham sent his servant to fetch a bride for his son from among his own people. She offered water to drink unto the servant and his camels. She accepted the marriage without ever seeing her husband and left her house and family to journey unto him. Her family asked that she remain 10 days, but the request was not granted. Her future blessing was that she would be the seed of thousands of millions and they would own the gates (rule over) of their enemies. Unlike Abraham and Jacob, Isaac had only one wife. Scripture mentions the death of Rebekah's nurse, but her death is not to be found.
Acts 7 contains strong proof of this analogy. Here I believe Paul is linking the 3 divisions of Moses life with the sign of the Fig tree. It is a very significant prophetic passage. Acts 7:6 mentions the 400 years that God told Abraham his descendents would walk in a land not theirs before they entered the promised land. Next Paul begins to divide Moses' life into 3 sets of 40 years. After the last set, Moses dies and Joshua leads the people across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Read carefully verse 23. It says he was full forty years old, i.e. 40 years were fully complete or between his 40th and 41st birthdays. Read verse 30. It says when 40 years were expired, i.e. between his 80th and 81st birthdays. Verse 36 mentions that the Israelites were brought out after 40 years in the wilderness. We know it was after Moses' death.
Moses' death is mentioned in Deuteronomy 34:7. Moses died at age 120, i.e. between his 120th and 121st birthdays. Verse 8 says they mourned for him 30 days and verse 9 affirms it was Joshua (an Ephraimite), whom Moses blessed to bring the people into the promised land. All three sets of Moses' life as described by Paul, indicate that each set of 40 was fully complete before the events of the next stage could begin. All this follows the analogy of 40 stripes we can receive, but not 41.
Now, let's look at the actual entry into the Promised Land. Joshua leads the Israelites out of the wilderness, across the Jordan River and when they were on the other side, they were in the Promised Land. Joshua 4:19 says the people came up out of Jordan on the 10th day of the first month. Now, let's look at their departure from Egypt which began this 40 year journey. God tells Moses about the Passover plague in Exodus 11 and gives Moses instructions in how to prepare for the Passover in Exodus 12:1-28. In verse 29 God begins to carry out the Passover. As per God's instructions, this Passover event happened about midnight between the 14th and 15th of the First month, the month of Abib. On the 15th day of the First month the Pharaoh let the people depart and they did depart. Exodus 12:51 and 13:4 confirm the people came out of Egypt on the 15th day of the month of Abib. They crossed the Read Sea (chapter 14) on the 18th of Abib.
Let us compare all these clues about 40 to this wandering 40 years and then entering the promised land. It should be apparent that the people crossed Jordan and entered the promised land not 5 days short of a fully complete 40 years, but between the 40th and 41st years. Otherwise, the 40 years was not fully complete, not yet expired. Equally, it should be apparent that it was only 5 days prior to the 41st anniversary (birthdate) of their departure from Egypt. They received a full 40 stripes, but not 41.
Look to late spring, right before summer for our deliverance, maybe just a few days prior to the 41st anniversary of the Fig tree sign. God is faithful and true. He is also patient and longsuffering towards us. We shall not receive that 41st stripe. The worthy bride shall not see June 6-11, 2008.
We have seen 4 Biblical signs. Two (the bush and the 110) point to a time period of 2007-2008 and two (the Fig Tree + 40 and the 400 year blessing) point to a time period (given the above Scriptural guidance) of spring 2008. Like Joseph said to the Pharaoh in Genesis 41:32, "And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass."
Your friend,
Steve