I appreciate your kind remarks.  Truly, I am not avoiding the doves, but have just been very busy with personal events and with letters to friends and relatives.  I do have plans to finish the letters promised on the rest of the related subjects.  Hang in there, nobody would be more surprised than I if we are still here come the 41st stripe of the Sign of the Fig Tree.
 
How about a little recap of the things discussed to date:
 
Surely, God is too big for me to completely understand........but, He has surely given us 4 powerful and prominent signs which all the world can plainly see and they all point to this spring.  In the house of Joseph, specifically Ephraim (the USA), we have the sign of the bush, the 110 and the 400 year blessing.  To the bush we add the Secrets of Wisdom are double to that which is (Job 11:6).  It would point to bush # 2, even second term.  The bush is mentioned by Jesus in Mark 12:26-27 and Luke 19:35-38 as a sign of this coming resurrection of the dead.  As well one can see it in Deut 33:16 as a separation event.  The 110 is the ages of death of both Joseph and Joshua (an Ephraimite, who led the children across Jordan and into the Promised Land).   It applies to the other branch of the leadership of Joseph, our Congress.  We are in the 110th Congress which runs concurrent with bush # 2, second term.  These confirm each other.  Our 400 year blessing ends at the 401st stripe in May 2008.  It matches the Sign of the Fig Tree + 40 in which the 41st stripe ends June 5-10, 2008.  These two signs confirm each other.  All 4 signs form a unique double twice set.  In Genesis 41:32, Joseph tells the Pharaoh that because his dream is doubled twice, it is a sign from God and He will shortly bring it to pass.   In Mark 13:23, Jesus said, "But, take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things."  I am convinced He gave us all the necessary clues.
 
Even the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness was completed 5 days prior to the 41st stripe of departure.  Here, Joshua led the Israelite children across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land.  This can be confirmed by the Law of Stripes (Deut 25:3), i.e. we may receive 40, but not 41.  Isaac married Rebekah at age 40 (Genesis 25:20), i.e. between his 40 and 41st birthdays.  Moses' life is divided into 3 sets of 40 in Acts 7.  Verses 23, 30 and 36 confirm that each set was fully complete or expired, before the prominent event occurred.  Moses died at age 120 and after this Joshua led the Israelites across Jordan and into the promised land, i.e. somewhere between Moses' 120 and 121st birthdays.  By examining the departure date of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt (Ex 12:51 & 13:4) and the entry date into the Promised Land (Joshua 4:19), we can see that the only way 40 years were fully complete or expired was if they entered 5 days prior to the 41st stripe (anniversary) of departure.
 
The Spring Feasts are the ones associated with first fruits and first fruits with the first resurrection.  We saw how in Genesis chapter one that God made the 7 day week preeminent in our calendar with days 1, 4 & 7 prominent.  Days one and seven represent the beginning and end and day 4, the exact cardinal midpoint divider. Of these 3 days, day 4 was preeminent as the day God created the sun (Son) and moon (bride), the greater and lessor (reflected) lights.  This day is associated with signs in the calendar, dividing and right to rule.  It is in the preeminent position in the figure of 7 and is so demonstrated in the menorah candle which lit the inner tabernacle.  This is after the pattern God showed Moses and is the same as the 7 candles before the throne in Revelations one.  In verse 13, we see Jesus standing in the midst (middle) of the 7 candles.
 
There can be no doubt that Jesus died on a Passover Preparation day and that day was a day 4 Wednesday.  John 19:14 & 31 confirm this and that the day after His death was not a regular 7th day Sabbath but a High Sabbath Feast day.  It was when Jesus died on the cross that He earned the right to rule.  Jesus came at the end of the 4th day (end of 4000 years) and was born of the bloodline of Judah, the 4th born of Jacob.  John the apostle is the foreshadow bride and he was the 4th disciple chosen.  This battle over the right to rule is continued in Revelations.  Death and Hell (antichrist & false prophet/First and Second Beasts) come to power at the end of the 4th seal following the 4th horse (Rev 6:8).  The Satan embodied Second Beast comes to power at the end of the 4th trumpet.  The battle over right to rule is centered on the passages of day 4 of creation.
 
The spring feasts are so arranged.  First Passover is aligned with the first week of the 7 week Feast of Weeks.  Jesus and the many (not all) worthy OT saints who were resurrected with Him are associated with First Passover.   These are represented by the 24 elders of Revelations 4:4 & 10-11.  The golden crown on their head is the same as the one promised Joseph in Genesis 49:26.  They are the groom's bridal party at the wedding (John 3:29).  When First Passover is set properly with Passover Preparation day being a day 4 Wednesday, then all the events of the time period from Passover to Pentecost then fall into perfect place and on the respective and appointed days of the week.....as they should.
 
Second Passover (exactly 30 days after First Passover) then falls on a Friday evening/Saturday Sabbath day, both a regular 7th day Sabbath and a High Sabbath (most holy) Feast day.  It falls exactly on the 4th Sabbath Omer of the Feast of Weeks.   Second Passover (Numbers 9 & 2 Chron 30) is associated with the groom (Jesus) and His bride.  Those defiled by the touching of the dead are those who eat of Jesus' dead body and drink His blood of the New Testament shed for the remission of our sins.  This symbolic rite of passage for all believers began the night Jesus shared the last supper Passover meal with his disciples, His New Testament church (Matthew 26:26-29).  Those so defiled are the bride.
 
Note in Numbers 9:6, that it was on a Passover Preparation day that these people became defiled by the touching of the dead.  Note in vs 10, the Lord adds (not asked about this) the man on a far journey.  After He died on the cross, He earned the right to rule and ascended on a far journey to get Himself a kingdom.  The man on a far journey is for himself, the groom.   Second Passover, set perfectly on the 4th Sabbath Omer is  a middle divider and associated with the right to rule.  Jesus will be King and Lord, High Priest and High Judge.  The bride will rule with Him as kings and priests (Rev 5:9-10).  She attends the wedding of Revelations 19:7-8.  The bride is the wise virgins of Matthew 25:10.  She is redeemed from the earth by the blood of the lamb, she is a virgin, she is first fruits, she follows the lamb wherever He goes (as a wife should) (Rev 14:1-5).  She sings a new song before the throne as did the disciples sing a hymn right after their First Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:30).
 
One other tidbit of information about this Second Passover.  It is an exact duplicate of First Passover (Numbers 9:11-12).  Not only is it followed by a 7 day Feast of Unleavened Bread, it begins on the 10th day of the Second Month when a lamb is to be brought into the home.  This happens to be the same day Noah began loading the ark.  It is possible we may get some type of sign on this day.
 
Pentecost falls on a Sunday, the day after the 7th Sabbath Omer of the Feast of Weeks.  It is the day the two loaves of fine meal and oil (Holy Spirit) are presented before the Lord (Lev 23:17).  Verses 10 & 17 tell us they are first fruits.  These represent the work of the Holy Spirit, both the bride and the tribulation saints.
Their entry points into heaven are the (two) doors (plural) of Matthew 24:33.  The work of the Holy Spirit which produces the bride began with an outpouring on a Pentecost Sunday, 10 days after the ascension of Jesus and the OT saints.  The work of the Holy Spirit which produces the tribulation saints will begin with an outpouring on a Pentecost Sunday, 10 days after the ascension of the living bride.  Exactly 7 years after this second outpouring, the two witnesses and tribulation saints will be resurrected and ascend on a Pentecost Sunday in the spring of 2015 (Rev 11:12).  The two witnesses were killed 3.5 days earlier (Rev 11:11).....they die on a Wednesday, day 4, afternoon, same as did Jesus.  This will conclude the work of the Holy Spirit and He will rest from all His works as did God in Genesis 2:2.  This is why the two loaves are waved at Pentecost.  The tribulation saints will attend the wedding supper (Rev 19:9).  They are the last of the 3 parts of the first resurrection and will serve as priests of God during Jesus' 1000 year kingdom (Rev 20:4-6).
 
Before the Lord gave to Moses instructions for the First Passover, God gave him a brand new calendar year start date (Ex 12:2).  Actually, it was not a new date nor a change.  God has never changed His celestial calendar from day 4 of creation.  It is the enemy who seeks to change times and laws (Daniel 7:25).  We today still live with the world's (man's) calendars.  These have days and months named after false gods and they begin in January.  Even the Jewish civil calendar begins in Sep-Oct.   God's calendar has always began in the spring with Abib, now called Nisan.   Our solar calendars have been changed several times, prominently with the Julian and Gregorian calendars.  We don't even know the year Jesus was born or died.  God knew all these things and gave us the sign of the Fig Tree, the June 5-10, 1967 war in which Jerusalem and the disputed lands were gained by the Jewish nation state man calls Israel (Matthew 24:32-34).  This sign is a solid marker point in time by which we can determine all events from the rapture of the bride until Jesus return in power.  It is a brand new marker point in time just like God gave to Moses right before First Passover.
 
The events of the spring feasts cover a time period from the day the lamb is brought into the home all way to Pentecost, a period of 58 days.   Included in this time period is 44 days from Passover Preparation day until Ascension and 40 days from Resurrection to Ascension.  When the calendar is set properly, these events should always fall on specific calendar days of the week, as it was set in Genesis chapter one and by the menorah example as well as the 7 candles before the throne.
 
It is difficult to figure how to calculate this period this year due to the lunar calendar not falling correctly with respect to the preeminent days of the week God set for these events.  We have the Vatican setting Resurrection day (Easter) in March and the Jewish setting Passover in April.  By God's design, they can only fall 3 days apart.  One or both are wrong, though I suspect the Passover date is at least close.
 
God has stated in Ecclesiastes 1:9, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; the thing that has been done, it is that which shall be done: there is nothing new under the sun."   In my scriptural studies, I have found that God has met this declaration beyond my wildest imaginations.  Everything prophesied has been foreshadowed and carried out in duplicate patterns down to the day.  Nothing has been missed.  Every promise has come perfectly to pass and right on calendar time.  When God said everything has an appointed day, He was telling us He was in control down to the minute detail.  As well, God set up His whole celestial calendar of events in pre-ordained patterns.  Center stage in these patterns is the figure of 7 in the creation week.  It includes specific days for specific events.  This is very evident in the spring feasts.
 
If God is as perfect as I believe He is, then we can take this 58 day period from the start point of the Passover events all way to Pentecost........and we can look at it from front to back or back to front.....and it will be the same.  The front (beginning end) may be a little obscured this year........but the back end has a strong and solid marker of time which Jesus gave us as a new calendar marking point.  It is the sign of the Fig Tree.  All we have to do is what the military has been doing for years......it is a little backwards planning......from the objective working back to the start point.
 
We know the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and into the Promised Land exactly 5 days short of the 41st stripe of departure.  Let's insert the sign of the Fig Tree and use it as the bench mark for determining when the 3 events of the rapture, i.e. the midnight cry (resurrection of the dead), the changing to immortal and the departure/ascension of the bride.  These 3 events should fall over a 7 + 7 day time period in accordance with Hezekiah's Second Passover of 2 Chron 30.  When you examine the parable of the 10 virgins (Mat 25:1-13) you see that the virgins have time to talk throughout all events.  The three events are separated by time, enough so that the ascension clouds of 1 Thes 4:17 are mentioned as plural.....they are seen as two different clouds.  Overlay the parable of the 10 virgins, the 3 events of 1 Thes 4:13-17 & 1 Cor 15:51-52 along with a Second Passover w/Unleavened Bread and Hezekiah's Second Passover celebration......and you will see a remarkable symmetry.
 
Only the "changing" to immortal of the living wise happens in the twinkling of an eye.  The 3 events are separated by time.  From a 4th Sabbath Omer Second Passover midnight cry you have a perfect fit 7 + 7 day time period for these 3 events leading to the ascension of the bride on an Ascension day Thursday evening.  Isaac saw Rebekah coming on the camels at even tide (Gen 24:63).  Continuing in this perfection is 10 more days to a Pentecost Sunday.....just as it was in Jesus' day.
 
Let's use the start point of this 6 day war, 5 June.  Maybe God is using the end point, 10 June, and that might throw us off by one week....OK by me if I am ready one week early.....I just hope I am ready.
From 5 June, if we back up 5 days......it falls on 31 May, a Saturday Sabbath day......just as it should.
This should then be the 6th Sabbath Omer of the Feast of Weeks.    We then back up two weeks (7 + 7 days) and Second Passover falls on the 4th Sabbath Omer.  Friday evening/Saturday May 16/17 is the logical date for the midnight cry (resurrection/ascension of the dead)  based on a 5 June Sign of the Fig Tree date.  If God is as perfect as I believe in setting up and foreshadowing His calendar......this regular 7th day Sabbath and High Sabbath Feast day should be most holy and joyful.  It should be quite a feast day.  Keep the Sabbath holy???
 
How will the midnight cry event occur?  I am not sure.  If it is an instantaneous worldwide event, I would expect about midnight, maybe on Jerusalem time.  But, the original Passover of the angel of the Lord seemed to move throughout the countryside of Egypt slowly going from house to house.  This may mean an event being carried out over time zones, about midnight in each time zone.  We will just have to wait it out and see.
 
Tonight, I was watching the movie "The longest day".  I couldn't help but see some similarities.  The allies were bottled up in England with bad weather and had delay after delay.....each one excruciating as they could not leave the premises.  Everyone was itching to get on with the invasion.  Then invasion day.....and it was a really long 24 hours for everyone involved.   Well.....the disappointments over the years with each rapture watch coming and going have been excruciating.  But.....when the midnight cry occurs......the following 7 days of Unleavened Bread (trimming the lamps) will be our "longest day".  Joyful....yes....but long.
 
There is the matter of worthiness.  This is a special reward over and above the free gift of salvation.  This is about being part of the ruling elite in the government of Jesus Christ.  I will cover more on this subject later, but let me say just a few things.  The subject is somewhat vague in scripture.....not that it is not stressed over and over.....but what is the exact measuring stick?  It would seem that this judgement is left in the hands of Jesus to judge each individual.  Some servants were given 10 talents, some 5 and some just one.  Each of us is a unique creature with our own unique abilities and circumstances.  Of those given the most is more required.  Jesus tells us that many who were last shall be first and many who were first shall be last.
It is a way of saying the poor and downtrodden have equal standing based on performance and Jesus' individual judgment.
 
Be there no doubt about it, the free gift of salvation is eternal life and this is a reward of the Second Resurrection of the last day.  See John 5:28-29, John 6: 39, 40, 44 & 54, John 11:23-26 and Revelations 20: 11-15.  The special crown given to the worthy is to be a part of the first resurrection and to serve as kings and priests with Jesus during the 1000 years.  They too have the gift of eternal life, but have earned the additional reward.  The bride not only gets the highest positions, but also gets to miss death.  The tribulation saints get a nice consolation prize.  This division among believers is seen in the parable of the 10 virgins (Mat 25) and in Jesus' letter to the 7 churches (all NT believers) established by the apostles and Paul (Rev 2 & 3).  It can be also seen in Luke 13:24-30.
 
This is about those who have heeded the words of Jesus, the apostles and Paul and gone on into spiritual maturity.  They have crucified their flesh, purged their sins and worked out their salvation.  They have been obedient to Jesus' commandments.  They have run the race to win the prize.  Being the bride was the prize that Paul sought.....he knew he had the free gift of salvation.....he wanted more.  Because they were obedient, lived separate from the world and were watchful.....the Holy Spirit came in and supped with them.  When He did, they also received the extra measure of oil....their cup runneth over.   These did bear fruit.  An outsider could look at these and see a change.  An outsider could tell they were not like most men of the world.  These lived separate from the world.  They lusted not after worldly things.  They are spiritual Christians, not carnal (worldly) Christians.
 
Everyone is tested by God and particularly after he/she has professed his/her faith.  This chastening through trials and afflictions not only test the words of your confession, but is meant to bring about the fruit of righteousness.  A verbal confession is mere lip service if one does not maintain their faith and endure until the end.  God tests everyone to see if their faith is real.  It is by our actions (works) that we prove our faith.  See Hebrews 11 & 12 and James 2.  Actions/works are what produce fruit, albeit that which is produced outside the vine of Jesus Christ is corrupt fruit.  If we produce no fruit, then we are cast into the fire.
 
That said, God will turn up the heat on those left behind.  He will force them to choose Him or the world.  They did not take heed at the chastening of the Lord and have not taken their relationship to Him seriously.  Instead of being cast into hell, they are thrown back into the fires of the tribulation.  They have not lost their salvation, but they could if they do not endure in their faith until the end.  They are warned in Revelations 3:5 that their names could be erased from the book of life.  Revelations 14:9-11 tells us that any who turn away in unbelief and take the mark of the beast or worship his image will be damned.  Here, they will have to make a serious stand in their profession of faith. Under severe trials, they will be made pure silver/gold.  They are continuously returned to the fire until the refiner (Jesus) can see His image in them.  Those who do so will come out of the tribulation worthy of the reward of the first resurrection (Rev 20:4-6)(Rev 7:9-15). They will all die at some point (Rev 6:9-11 & 20:4-6).
 
Let's look at our present situation.  In the western world (the bedrock of Christianity) we have a generation that is spoiled by worldly things unlike no other generation before.  There have been individuals who have been tested severely and many have gone on to a mature and fruitful relationship with God.....but as a whole, we have a generation spoiled both materially and spiritually.  By their actions, you cannot tell the Christian from the non Christian.   Does this generation actually think they are worthy of the reward of missing death?.....while the many generations prior have suffered severely even unto death for Jesus Christ?
 
This generation is so spoiled they demanded their preachers preach "easy Christianity"......just come down the aisle and profess Jesus.....then you can walk out the door and know you are saved forever.......no mention of working out their salvation nor obedience.  I don't know how many times I've heard it preached just this way.   On top of all that.....it is preached these same people will receive the reward of missing the tribulation and death and get to be kings and priests.....along side those who suffered and died for Christ's sake.  One drop of Jesus' blood and each person is made just as righteous and deserving of rewards as any other.  That is not the teaching of Jesus, nor the apostles, nor Paul, nor even the OT prophets.  Sounds more like the theory of communism.  It is the pouting theory espoused by the spoiled who want the same things as those who worked for them.  In the parable about the man who was hired the last hour of the day and he received equal reward with those who worked all day......it is important to note that he worked and produced fruit for the owner.  He did not sit on his fanny and demand to be paid nor did he say I am a child of the king and have no need to work.
 
Let's look at the church at Laodecia in Revelations 3:14-19.  All 7 churches are pertinent, but this one seems to be the prevalent one of the last days.  They are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold so Jesus says He will spew them out of His mouth.  Jesus states they say of themselves, "I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing".  Most of the churches today not only are rich and increased with goods, but that is their main teaching emphasis.  They teach prosperity not only for the church but for individuals.  That may not be so terribly bad, but the next part is damning.  They have need of nothing.  This is not speaking of material things......but of spiritual matters.  They have no need to go on into any further spiritual maturity.  Paul and the apostles made it plain that this was a continual process until death.  This group thinks they have everything they need the second they walk down the aisle and confess the name of Jesus.  With that they are automatically made perfectly righteous and therefore entitled to all the rewards.  I can't imagine anything being more unjust and Jesus is not unjust.
 
Obedience and sin is a serious matter.  Otherwise, many generations ago, God would have just waved a wand and made every body to include the fallen angels perfect again.  No, God does not override our self will.  He makes us work ourselves through this sin and obedience matter.  The Holy Spirit is a helper.  He does not override our self will.  He is meek and mild.  If we are too busy with worldly matters, we shut out His quiet voice.  He will not clean our house while we are out partying (chasing our lusts) in the world!!  Many seem to think that His job....to be the maid of our house, to make clean our daily mess.
 
It is wise to begin the process of cleaning our temple early......as did Hezekiah.  The week after the midnight cry (resurrection of the dead) should be a week of final preparations and dressing, not major house cleaning.
 
The number of the bride is 144,000.  That is stated twice in Revelations 14:1 & 3.  12 is a number of governmental perfection and 12 X 12 (144) would be an emphatic perfection.  But this 144 is amplified by 000 (a thousand).  This may mean it is symbolic or figurative.  It could be some multiple of this number or higher magnification as 144,000,000.  Even if it is 144,000, we must remember how numbers were counted in the Old Testament.  Generally, just the adult male of the family was counted.  Noah was counted righteous, yet all 8 members of his family got on the ark.  Lot was found righteous, yet his wife, two daughters and two sons in law were given the opportunity to leave and be saved.  A further look at the Lot situation suggests we might do well to have a sincere fireside chat with our families.  The two sons in law refused to go and Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.  God will not override any self will of those who desire to stay, even those whose hearts just have to look back.
 
Cinda, I appreciate your remarks and will get back to the letters on the subjects I promised....just as soon as I can.  This should be a time period of joyful work.  Pray always that you are worthy......it's good for you.  It helps keep you meek and humble.  Moses was meek above all men.  He was the only man God ever spoke to face to face.  God hates those full of pride.  Paul knew he was saved, but was hesitant to say that he knew he had won the prize of being the bride.  He was always in a perpetual state of working to win the race.  It was something he expected to do until his death.   Our attitude should be as his......I will work until the end and run the best race I can......then I will just trust the Lord.   Let's just work that last hour in the vineyard the best we can.....and trust Jesus for the rest.
 
Steve