I wish to thank each of the Doves who read the "4 Biblical Signs of the Rapture in the Spring of 2008" and especially those who wrote a note.  We all work for the same living God and for His glory, not our own.  But like all you I'm sure, I find the majority of my relatives and friends not all that receptive to the prophetic scriptures and warnings.  Therefore, it is natural to feel a little isolated at times.  So when someone says  "I enjoyed that", or "I learned something", it surely soothes the soul and gives a little inspiration.
 
I love  watchers.  They are my kind of people, even when we might disagree a bit.  I've learned from many of the doves as well.  Paul NF's letters have helped me keep on the right road when I was tending to veer away.  Marilyn Agee's book "Revelations 2000" got me back into scripture and prophecy after a few years neglect.  Jim, Bob and many others delve into deep subjects sometimes involving more complex analogies.  I personally love mathematical, geometric and symbolic designs etc.  Even when I do not fully understand, they still amaze and add to the mystery of God.  While I speak of the simple themes/threads found in scripture, it is not to say that God doesn't have some complex and beautiful models which should be examined.  Indeed He does and they bring a wonder to the mind.  Some of these shed light on appointed days as well.
 
I hate that the letter was so long.  That discourages some from enduring to the end.  But there are so many parts which must be connected because they are supportive.  I said then and I say again, if a man cannot grasp the story of both houses of the children of Jacob, he/she will never understand end time prophecy.  Neither does that person understand the nature of our God.  He never speaks carelessly, nor makes any promise that He will not ensure.  His word always accomplishes its purpose. God put His honor on the line when He pronounced the blessings (promises) to Abraham and his seed.  Both houses were to be center stage in world affairs during the last days.  In fact, you can see all the tribes were well blessed, being wealthy industrialized nations.
 
It appears Satan did a good job in deceiving our theological seminaries as this fact seems hidden from our church leadership.  To me, it is so evident that I am stunned by the denial of the church.  God goes so far as to say they are willingly ignorant. You will see farther down where God says Ephraim's priests and prophets err in vision and stumble in judgement.
 
For any that might have been offended by my off the wall remarks about not writing books or referring to other web sites:  I really wasn't attempting to be critical.  Everyone has their calling and should do as they are led.  It has a purpose.  God reaches people through many avenues.  As I look back, I realize some might take it wrong and be offended.  Late at night when you are pushing to complete something, you just don't always think clearly.  My only defense is one we used to use in the army when we were being chewed out......It seemed like a good idea at the time.
 
Ted Porter had a couple questions.  The one he considered most important was whether the 7 year curse followed the rapture of the bride.  Yes, without a doubt.  The blessing ends at the 401st stripe sometime in May.  The 7 year curse follows.  The seals of Revelations will also open.  These are two separate things though connected.  Ephraim and Manasseh are heavily involved in pushing the peoples of the world together, i.e. forming the New World Order global government (Deut 33:17).  Ephraim is also heavily involved in the false peace treaty called the covenant with Death and Hell (Isaiah 28: 15 & 18, Daniel 9:27).  But the laws of blessing and cursing was given by Moses for the descendents of the patriarchs (Lev 26 & Deut 27-30).  The seals of Revelations are for the whole world including Jacob's children.  They start about the same time, but the curse last 7 years and the seals for 10 years (Rev 2:10) plus the time between the spring and fall feasts.
 
Unlike Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4, Ephraim will not repent.  The 7 year curse will end in Ephraim's sudden and utter fiery destruction in one hours time.  The world will be amazed.  It will happen shortly after the Satan embodied false prophet (Second Beast) comes to power at the end of the 4th trumpet.  It is this Second Beast who kills the two witnesses and then the tribulation saints are resurrected with them (Rev 11:7-12).  This Second Beast then subdues (makes fall) 3 of the kings (horns/princes) (Daniel 7: 20 & 24).  Since this is at the same time as the destruction of Ephraim, I do believe they are related.  The coming to power of this Second Beast (Satan embodied) marks the beginning of the last 3.5 years (1260 days) of the seals.  It is the time of the 3 Woes, i.e. the 5th, 6th and 7th trumpets.  The 7th trumpet contain the 7 vials of God's wrath (Rev 16:1).
 
This last 1260 day period is noted in Rev 12:6.  It is talking about the  woman who flees into the wilderness, where there is a place prepared (during the 3.5 years of Woes).  This is the same group as the remnant in Rev 11:13 which were affrighted upon seeing the witnesses and saints resurrected and the great earthquake in the city of Jerusalem.  These are the 144,000 sealed of the tribes of Israel (Rev 7: 3-8), just ahead of the tribulation saints arriving in heaven (Rev 7:9-15).  They are sealed to protect them from the demons which are loosed at the 5th and 6th trumpets (Rev 9:4).  Save this group of mortal men there are no repentant men left on earth during this last 3.5 years (Rev 9: 20-21).  The bride and the tribulation saints are no longer here.  144,000 is a number of governmental perfection and this group will be those mortal leaders of the reconstituted nation of Israel (both houses/all tribes) after Jesus returns.  I believe these are the work of the two witnesses.
 
The number of the bride is also 144,000 (Rev 14:1-5), but these are immortal and will be part of Jesus' immortal global government over the mortal nations.  They will be kings and priests during the kingdom (Rev 5: 10).  The number of the tribulation saints is a multitude too great to number (Rev 7:9).  They will serve as priests of God during the kingdom (Rev 20:4-6)
 
That 144,000 is the number of the bride seems without question as this number is clearly seen in her home in Revelations 21. She is a model of governmental perfection and the number 12.  The bride is found before the throne before the seals are opened in Revelations 5: 9-10. She sings a new song, is redeemed unto God by the blood of the lamb and is made up of every kindred, tongue, people and nation (therefore these are not OT saints).  There is no number mentioned here.  But the group described in Rev 14:1-5 are remarkably similar and their number is 144,000.  They too sing a new song before the throne, are redeemed from the earth and redeemed among men, virgins (born again), and first fruits without fault before the Lamb and God.  Sounds like the bride to me.  The group in Rev 5:9 seem to be the same group as in 14:1-5.   The question is......is that number symbolic, figurative, some multiple or some amplification like 144,000,000.  It is possible it is a real selective group......many called, but few chosen.  Worthiness for this reward is a serious thing, over and above the free gift of salvation.  I'm not preaching, but take heed.
 
Back to the 7 year curse of Ephraim.  You can see Ephraim is not around during the last 3 to 3.5 years of the seals.  There is a 1/3 remnant which comes out of this disaster.  They are carried into captivity and scattered among the nations.  I suppose there is a world wide rescue and salvage (pilferage) effort.  Upon Jesus' return, this remnant will be brought back into the Promised Land where the 144,000 sealed will be their mortal governmental leaders.
 
Blessed Ephraim becomes the cursed commercial Babylon in scripture.  Several times she is called the daughter of Babylon.  Read Revelations 18.  It is about the destruction of commercial Babylon.  The rapture is clearly seen in verse 4, the curse in verse 6 and our final end in verse 10, 17 & 19.  Now notice in verse 23 the final death and resurrection of the tribulation saints.  The rapture of the bride and the final death/resurrection of the tribulation saints bracket the 7 year curse period.
 
This is seen again in Isaiah 28.  This is a great read about Ephraim, drunk with pride, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower.   Verses 4 & 5 speak to the rapture.  Verse 7 speaks to our priests and prophets who err in vision and stumble in judgement.  We rule over the people of Jerusalem in verse 14.  Verses 15 & 18 speak to our part in the covenant with Death and Hell and our falsehood in dealing with Judah (nation state Israel).  Verse 25 closes the period with a reminder that the bride and tribulation saints (wheat, barley and rye) have been gathered into their place.  Again, the rapture of the bride and the final death/resurrection of the tribulation saints bracket this 7 year period.
 
If you do not think we are commercial Babylon, then examine Ezekial 27 & 28.  This is about the destruction of Tyrus.  Tyre was a prominent Phoenician commercial/shipping island city/state off the coast of present day Lebanon.  They were in the edge of the Mediterranean Sea (singular).  This passage speaks to a great commercial power in the midst of the seas (plural).  This speaks to the glorious USA in the midst of the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic Oceans and Caribbean and Bering Seas.  Her rowers carried her into great waters.  They followed an east wind (goes west).  Thy borders (more than one) are in the midst of the seas (plural). Thy builders have perfected thy beauty.  No secret can be kept from her.  Her heart is lifted up because of riches.  We are even compared with Lucifer.  We are to be brought to ashes.
 
Examine Ezekial 17: 1-10.  This is a riddle and parable to the house of Israel.  Ephraim and Manasseh were given Jacob's surname Israel (Gen 48:16).  You can see it confirmed in 1 Chron 5:1.  This passage is about a great eagle with feathers of divers colors.  It is set in a land of merchants.  The seed of the land is planted in a fruitful field and placed by great waters.  While you are here examine the abasement of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4.  He was abased by God for 7 years because he walked in pride.  He grows hairs as eagles feathers and nails as eagles claws (vs 33).  Look at the eagle on our dollar bill.  This 7 years of Nebuchadnezzar is very comparable to the 7 year curse of Ephraim.  The difference is Nebuchadnezzar repents and recognizes the authority of God.  He is restored.  Ephraim will not repent.
 
Those who know mythology should know the story of the Phoenix bird.  It is a great bird similar to the eagle with scarlet and purple (royal blue) feathers.  It has to die in order for a new Phoenix bird to be born out of its body.  The occult see this as the USA having to die in order to bring birth to the New World Order global government.  It seems by the prophecies that God knew this ages ago.  Take note when you see our government officials and politicians wearing the emblem of the Phoenix.
 
I will show you other scriptures which point these same things out when I get to the letters about Joseph.
 
Ted Porter wasn't sure about the roles of John the apostle and John the Baptist at the wedding.  I was just doing a little educated speculation on the subject.  Just a little fun.  Personally, I will be extremely happy if I am there, even at the tail end of the line.  Concerning John the Baptist.  He died before Jesus and therefore was part of the Old Testament saints.  This group was resurrected with Jesus in Matthew 27: 52-53.  Notice that many of the OT saints were resurrected, not all.  Again, this is a worthiness issue.  In Acts 1:9, a cloud received Jesus out of sight.  I say to you the evidence is this is not a vapor cloud, but the OT saints dressed in white which ascended with Him.  It would seem they went first and He followed catching up.  God did not put them back in their graves.   Notice in 1 Thes 4:17 the saints are gathered up in clouds (plural).  There is one for the resurrected dead, then later one for the living wise virgins.  Notice in Rev 11:12, the two witnesses ascend in a cloud. The cloud is the tribulation saints.  Notice in Revelations 1:7 Jesus returns with clouds (plural).  These are the immortal saints dressed in white and likely many angels as well.
 
Now about the role of the OT saints and John the Baptist at the wedding.  There is a role for all the OT saints at the wedding though they are not the bride.  John 3:29 says John the Baptist is the friend of the bridegroom and he rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice....this is his part of the joy of that occasion.  These OT saints are the groom's bridal party.  Indeed they have been great friends in heaven these last 2000 years.
 
My case for John the Baptist as best man.  Luke offers the best read on John the Baptist.  In the first chapter, Zacharias is informed by the angel Gabriel that his prayer was heard and his wife will have a child.   Elisabeth was old, barren and stricken in age.  The angel told him to name the child John.  He was not to drink wine nor strong drink.  He would be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. Zacharias was made dumb, that he could not speak until John was born. In the meantime an angel visits Mary and she becomes pregnant with Jesus.  As Elisabeth is 6 months pregnant, Mary visits her.  When Elisabeth sees Mary, John kicks in the womb and Elisabeth is filled with the Holy Ghost.  Elisabeth announces to Mary that she is blessed by the fruit of her womb and she is the mother of her Lord.  It would seem John starts his mission early to announce Jesus and prepare His way.  Mary and Elisabeth are cousins, therefore Jesus and John are cousins and only 6 months apart.
 
In the 7th chapter of Luke, Jesus says that John was much more than a prophet (vs 6).  Jesus says he was the messenger announced by God, sent to prepare His (Jesus') way (vs 27).   Jesus says among those born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist (vs 28).  John was thought by many to be the Christ.  He had a powerful ministry.  But, when Jesus came John accepted the fact that his ministry must diminish that Jesus might be glorified.  John knew he would die and willingly did so, beheaded for Christ.  If Jesus says that there is no greater man than John the Baptist, His cousin, then I fully expect John to be the number one man in the groom's bridal party. They have been friends since before they were born.
 
I think the case for John the apostle as the bride closest to Jesus is pretty solid.  John, the disciple Jesus loved and whom laid his head on Jesus' breast at the last supper, demonstrates a special love perspective.  His gospel is clearly unique from Matthew, Mark and Luke.  It has a love character.  He is much like the church at Philadelphia for whom there is an open door.  He is the only man carried in spirit up to heaven and given a preview of the rapture of the bride and the seals following.  He was at the transfiguration with Peter, but he outran Peter to Jesus' grave.  He was the 4th disciple chosen, a number associated with the bride.
 
I will close with this little numeric example done by using the English alphabet and numbering it 1 - 26. It is the new language God gave Joseph.
 
From the day Jesus died, a day 4 (Wednesday) Passover Preparation day, until Ascension day is 44 days, inclusive counting.
 
Faith = 44    Hope = 44    Jesus = 74    Joshua = 74    fruit = 74     When you break fruit into consonants and vowels, you get   44 + 30, i.e. faith/hope + 3 (the number of the Holy Spirit).   Christ = 77
 
John = 47, the mirror reflected (reversed) image of Jesus.  I suspect a John on each side of the groom.
Just a little fun speculation.
 
Steve
 
PS:  We will get to the follow on letters as quickly as I can.  Thanks.