Doves,
I have posted many times to the Doves site with the focus on Isaiah 18. In that chapter of scripture an overview of the rapture scenario is described. It lays out several occurrences / signs to be on the lookout for as to the timing of the rapture.
In verses 1 and 2 we see two lands that appear to be having a dispute where one land / country has to send ambassadors to the other country in an effort to settle a conflict. These two countries from the biblical description appear to be Ethiopia and Egypt. Are they presently having a dispute? Yes, Egypt is very alarmed by the fact that Ethiopia is building a massive dam and hydroelectric project on the headwaters of the Nile River which could curtail the flow and diminish critical water from reaching Egypt. This dispute has made headlines on the world news services for the last several months.
Then in verse 3 God gives a literal “shout out” to all the inhabitants of the world and those who dwell on the earth to pay attention.....pay attention to what?
He says He is going to blow trumpets and he is going to lift banners on / above the mountains. Why? To give mankind a heads up that the rapture is near.
Have there been and are there now trumpets sounds being heard around the world? Yes, go on YouTube and you can listen to these many strange trumpet sounds being witnessed worldwide.
How about banners / signs / ensigns appearing on the mountains......meaning high enough in the sky to be witnessed by mankind? Yes, very bizarre banners / signs are now appearing that are unable to be explained. I will link two videos below that show two of these signs which appear to me to be Godlike / God made in their origin. Amazing footage...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQZqPzKe02k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXrC_Qgb_hk
(Fay.....thanks for this link)
Right after verse 3 where we witness the trumpet sounds and strange banners in the sky we see verse 4 where God declares that it is time for Him to take His rest.
It then says that when He looks from His resting / dwelling place.......He sees two things rising and the wording He uses describes perfectly (to me) the dead in Christ rising first and then the alive in Christ rising later.
To me, the wording He used (NKJ version) is so perfect in it's description. He said....”Like clear heat in sunshine” That to me is like watching heat waves rise from hot asphalt in the summer. The heat waves appear to be coming up out of the ground and rising and then disappearing........ just like the dead in Christ will rise from the ground first in the rapture to disappear from earth.
Then He described the second thing rising. He said...”Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest”.....This dew is already above ground on structures and in the air, and the heat of harvest would cause this dew to rise and disappear / evaporate......just like the alive in Christ are above ground and will rise and disappear at the rapture.
Then in verse 5 God uses a vineyard analogy / metaphor to instruct us more precisely as to the approximate timing of the rapture. He says..... “when the bud is perfect and the sour grape is ripening in the flower”......
Not sure what variety of grapes God was referring to here and not sure what latitude those grapes would inhabit.....but it definitely appears to me the season is spring whether it be early or late spring is the question. I tend to believe that it will be later in spring rather than early spring.
In verse 5 again in this vineyard analogy it appears to me that God does two things, He cuts off the sprigs and takes them away......as in removing His church at the rapture. And He also cuts down the branches and leaves these branches for the birds of prey to summer on and the beasts of the earth to winter on. Note: two of the “applicable” definitions of the word sprig are.....a young fellow, a young person..... like maybe a person under the age of accountability. Second applicable definition of sprig..... a person as the offspring of a family or an institution. Are our children not the offspring of our family and are we then not all the offspring of an institution.....that being the Christian faith and / or Christ's church??
My belief is that these branches spoken of represent two groups of people. I believe that Israel will be attacked just before or just after the rapture and as per scripture God the Father intervenes in a very massive and violent way killing untold numbers of people who have come to eradicate Israel.....as per Ezekiel 38-39. And as per Ezekiel 38-39, the birds of prey will have a field day feeding on all the dead bodies. God says this happens in the summer. These dead bodies appear to be one part of the “branches” God referred to in Isaiah 18:6.
Then six months later another part of “the branches” God referred to are attacked / given over for the beasts of the earth to winter on them. I believe these other branches are what many refer to as “the left behind”.
That brings up the question.....who or what are the “beasts of the earth”?
Are they the vicious locust that arise from the bottomless pit that sting and torment mankind for five months?
But the verse says all the beasts of the earth will winter on them. Could the list also include....the animal beasts of the earth, the demonic beasts of the earth, the antichrist and false prophet beasts of the earth, the UFO beasts of the earth?????
Surely makes one want to fervently pray along the lines of Luke 21:36......please Lord, find me and my family worthy to escape all the terrible things that will soon come to pass here on earth.
With all of these signs and what's is going on in the Middle East playing out front and center on the world stage and what I believe is the “before your eyes” fulfillment of Isaiah 18.......I am proclaiming / screaming a loud / very serious watchman's alert for all who care to listen.
Blessings Doves......John B