Greg
Wilson (12 July 2021)
Re:
Luis Vega: "Why the Tribulation Cannot Start in 2021"
Lu: "Why the
Tribulation Cannot Start in 2021".......but it might start
in 2022 or 2023!
I always enjoy your letters and charting. We search
and study the Scriptures as the prophets who "searched for
what manner...of time the glory of Christ should appear". (1
Peter 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:17)
I, like you, have endeavored to determine the season of our
Lord's return. For me, the clues spring from Daniel
9:24-27, Isaiah 59:20-21 and Romans 11:25-27. Daniel's
70 weeks prophecy begs a calculation of "the manner of time"
for both the first and second Advents of our Lord. We
know this is true because of the fulfillment of our Lord's
first Advent was fulfilled from Daniel's verse 26. I
have been led to believe that we are not only encouraged,
but also emphatically invited to determine the season.
I am going to ramble on a bit so that I can get this draft
of ideas on paper before I lose this moment.
I believe that the Fig Tree parable of Matthew 24, Luke 21
and Mark 13 provide clues to the season of the Second Advent
of our Lord. This prophecy emphatically tells us to
"learn" the parable. Therefore, its meaning can be
made readily known for those who are called, chosen and
faithful.
The Fig Tree parable is the clue to the end of the age.
(Matthew 24:3) The generation which sees the fig tree
(a) appear, (b) become a tender branch, and (c) put forth
leaves will see the Second Advent. It is clear to me
that the age of this generation is the relevant period of
time. Today, the average lifespan is 78 years, so the
Psalm 90:10 guidance is applicable to the Fig Tree
parable. A generation is 70 years or 80 if by
strength.
I have been of the belief that the resurrection/rapture
event (the "Event") has been "on deck" since 2016 and each
subsequent year to date. I am reminded of the visual
aid provided by a funnel. Lawyers study and learn the
funnel method of questioning for depositions. The
funnel begins with very broad and open-ended questions
followed by a series of scope narrowing questions generated
by the leads suggested by responses to the broader questions
leading to narrowed propositions and ultimately
conclusions. The process is one of elimination.
I see this funnel method as a means to look toward His
appearing and the conclusion of the matter as we search for
the season of His return. Each year we get
closer as we eliminate each year's prospects.
Where are we now?
We are in the 73rd year since Israel's 1948 declaration of
independence. We know that the Lord is not using the
70-year generation count from 1948. I have
revisited my earlier studies on the "terminal
generation". There is also a prophecy in Zechariah 1
which speaks to "these 70 years". I wrote a paper on
this prophecy in 2018.
Is it possible that the Lord will tarry until the latest
80-year period? Yes! The Lord is long suffering
that none should perish. (2 Peter 3:9) My current
thinking, my funnel narrowing view must consider a narrower
view. What is the Lord's trigger date for a
countdown to the Second Advent? I do not believe that
Matthew 24, Luke 21 or Mark 13 speak to the rapture.
These chapters are about Israel, particularly "remnant
Israel" (Romans 9:6, 27; Isaiah 10:21-23) which will
appropriate the faith and testimony of Yeshua/Jesus and keep
the commandments of God. (Revelation 12:17, 14:12)
There are three very notable consecutive events associated
with Israel in 1948, 1949 and 1950. The Fig Tree
parable suggests a period of growth. The parable
implies the appearance of the fig tree. First, the fig
tree, as a nation, appears in the land of Israel in 1948.
(Isaiah 11:11 Israel as an ensign) On May 14, 1948
Israel, following the end of the British mandate for
Palestine, declared national independence. This is the
formal appearance of a recognized nation. It occurred
in a day. (Isaiah 66:8) The fig tree sprang from the
root of the smitten fig tree because God is keeping His
unilateral promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Matthew
21:18-22). He will confirm the oath of His
covenant to the fathers. (1 Chronicles 16:16-17; Psalm
105:9-10; Genesis 22:16-17). This confirmed covenant
represents the unfulfilled promises to Israel. These
verses state that the oath of God's covenant was
confirmed. This is a clue to the Daniel 9:27
covenant. Israel's declaration of independence was
challenged by five Arab nations, which on May 15, 1948,
attacked the newly formed nation of Israel.
Second, in 1949 Israel prevailed against the five Arab
nations in nothing short of miracles performed by our Mighty
God, El Gibbor, the God of Israel, our God. Just as
the Lord God gave the Promised Land to Israel under the
leadership of Joshua whereby He said "I give you this land,
but you must fight to possess it." So, I call
the 1948-49 war of independence the second conquest of
Canaan. The Lord wants commitment. There were
four signed armistice agreements ending in July 1949.
Iraq never signed any formal agreement with Israel.
Additionally, on March 4, 1949 Israel was admitted to the
United Nations. This was the third time that Israel
had requested U.N. membership. The third time is
important because it represents one of God's patterns of
divine perfection.
On July 5, 1950, Israel's governing parliamentary body, the
Knesset, passed the Law of Return. This permitted the
emigration of Jews from the four corners of the world.
(Isaiah 11:12, 35:4-7, 46:13, 54:7-8; Psalm 14:7)
Lu, as you have noted in your paper, we have passed the 2021
Pentecostal Event period. The math calculation is 1948
plus 80 years = 2028 (Second Advent hypothesis) minus 7
years = 2021 (pre-tribulation resurrection/rapture
hypothesis) using the fig tree generation's latest 80-year
figure (the "Hypothesis).
Next, we must consider applying Hypothesis calculation to
1949 which would give us a 2029 speculative season for the
Second Advent and 2022 as the Event season.
Numerically I really like this year for two reasons.
First, the number 222 (zero is a placeholder) is always
biblically associated with Jesus and God's revelation.
Consider this: (1) there are 66 books in bible (3x22), (2)
the Book of Revelation has 22 chapters, (3) 1948 is
1+9+4+8=22, (4) there are 22 letters in the Hebrew
alphabet, (5) In Daniel 10:6, verse number 22022, we see the
image of Jesus, and (6) Psalm 22 is all about Jesus.
These are just a few many examples. The bible's
inspiration is mathematically self authenticating. (See The
Bible's Redemption Pattern and Numeric Map by Norm J.
Patriquin)
Finally, we should apply the hypothesis calculation to 1950
which would give us a 2030 speculative season for the Second
Advent and a 2023 season for the resurrection/rapture
Event. I like this choice because it is exactly 2,000
years from the Resurrection of Jesus in AD 30. I know
the controversy that most believe the resurrection was
either AD 32 or 33. However, a highly respected author
on the resurrection date provides highly credible historic
evidence for an AD 30 Resurrection. See "The
Chronology of the Old Testament" by Floyd Nolan Jones
at pages 236-238. This evidence comes from (1)
Tertullian who says that Tiberius received word from Pilate
about the events associated with Christ's death, His
resurrection, as well as the miracles done by Him publicly
and his disciples in His name and that many people believed
Jesus to be God. Tertullian writes that Tiberius
proposed to the Roman senate that Jesus be included among
their gods. The senate rejected his proposal. The
principal opposition came from Sejanus according to Orosius'
writings. Sejanus was Tiberius' anti-Semitic
prefect. Tacitus fixes Sejanus's death at October 18,
A.D. 31. Sejanus could not have addressed the Roman
senate after AD 32. Additionally, writing in AD 417, Orosius
adds that Augustus died in AD 14 and that Christ died in the
17th year of Tiberius' sole reign which was AD 30.
Lu, you had suggested a 7-year count from the blood moon
tetrad of 2015 as culminating in 2022 as a possible Event
year. I would like to point out that there was a third
blood moon tetrad in 2016 on the orthodox dates for Passover
and Sukkoth. Remember, the Jews had added a leap year
in 2016, so everyone missed the third set of tetrads.
This would follow God's divine pattern of using groups of
three as a divine signature. (Genesis 1:14) Years ago
I wrote a paper on this and will attach it for your
consideration. Using your 7-year analysis from 2016 we
would arrive at 2023 as the possible Event year.
We could attempt to use each one of the events of 1948, 1949
and 1950 as a triggering date count for the Second Advent,
or perhaps all three consecutive year events are required
for a 1950 countdown. Again, the divine pattern of
three would make sense.
In Zechariah 1:12, there is a reference to "these seventy
years" which, according to the prophecy, precedes Temple
construction. This clearly has a Second Advent
application. Perhaps "these 70 years" refers to three
70-year periods rather than one 70-year period. Both
applications make sense from the wording.
Parable Interpretation Principles: The great,
fundamental, and basic biblical truth is that God will make
His truth known and will make His words known to someone.
(Proverbs 22:19) Again, there is the number 22
associated with Jesus and God's word. (Proverbs 22:20) A
parable, then, is an exact, correct, infallible and perfect
teaching of a doctrine given in veiled and mysterious form,
for the purpose of misleading those of little faith or
knowledge. (Ezekiel 14:8-9) Every element of the parable has
a divine purpose.
What is the meaning of (1) tender branch and (2) putting
forth leaves? I believe it speaks to the new growth
after a period of dormancy. A tender branch is full of
sap which supports the swelling of buds into
leaves. The fig tree appeared in 1948 and grew
into a nation through the trials of a war of possession and
beckoned home worldwide Jewry. This 3-year period may
be likened to the parables elements of new growth.
In Luke, there is an additional piece of information.
Luke says, "Learn the parable of the fig tree and all
the trees". Who are "all the trees"?
If Israel is a fig tree, then "all the trees" should be "all
the nations". What does the United Nations
represent? Surely it is "all the trees". We see
Israel as a nation in 1948, but not associated with "all the
nations" until 1949. I believe Luke's fig tree parable
places the fig tree parable in 1949, and not
1948. Now, for fig tree horticulture. I
have a B.S. in Horticulture, so I have considered fig tree's
growth pattern in Judea. Fig trees lose their leaves
in the winter and go into winter dormancy. In the
spring the first new growth is the flower followed by
pollination and fruit set. After flowering and fruit set,
the fig tree puts forth leaves. The fig tree in this
parable is sick. It did not flower. It did not
produce fruit. Remember Jesus smote the fig tree
because it had no fruit. Fruit in His day was recognizing
Him as Messiah. Ezekiel tells us the God will restore
Israel. We are witnessing this truth. Ezekiel
says, "And I will cause you [Israel] to pass under the rod,
and I will bring you into the "bond of the covenant" (Daniel
9:27) and I will purge out from among you the rebels, and
them that transgress against me... (Ezekiel 2037-38)
Israel was restored to the land in unbelief. Modern
Israel is apostate Israel, yet God will call out His
remnant. (Romans 9 and 11)
By now, you know that we are doctrinally in agreement with
the exception of "the covenant" of Daniel 9:27. I
believe that the restoration of Israel and God's Jewish
remnant is the basis for my view that Daniel's covenant is
associated with God's promises to the fathers. As
noted above, this covenant was bonded in confirmation by
God. It is the only biblical covenant which has been
confirmed three times to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The Scriptures I cited above use the word "confirm".
Now consider Daniel 9:27. The verb "to confirm" is
used once in the Bible next to the word
"covenant". I did a word study of every appearance of
the word "covenant" to arrive at this fact. This
singular usage is critically important. Additionally,
the verb as used in verse 27 is Strong's Hebrew word (H1396)
"gabar". This word can be translated as "confirm" or
"mighty". In the King James Bible this "gabar" word is
never translated in Daniel 9:27 as "make" as is often found
in the minority text based modern copyrighted bibles.
(Copyrights are only issued to the original literary work of
a man. U.S. Code title 17 section 201) The root of this word
gives us a clue as to who "HE" is. His name is El
Gibbor or Mighty God. (Isaiah 9:6; Zephaniah 3:17)
This is not an accidental usage of the verb "gabar".
It is instructive. The Apostle Paul confirms this
prophecy. In fact, he unlocks its meaning of Daniel's
prophecy. I wrote very technical paper on his Romans
11:26-27 Second Advent prophecy interpretation. I will
attach a copy of the paper which is titled, "The Literary
Architecture of Daniel 9". It is also very
interesting that Daniel 9:27, in terms of Bible verse order,
is verse number 22016. The covenant which is confirmed
in Daniel's verse is first confirmed to Abraham in Genesis
22:16. In this verse we see the forerunner of our Lord's
sacrifice in Isaac precipitating the oath of the
covenant. Jesus is "the covenant of the people, for a
light of the Gentiles. (Isaiah 42:6) This numeric
association of 22 and 16 is not accidental. It's God's
gift providing interpretive guidance to those who dig for
His treasure. The number 22's theme is consistently
about Jesus and God's word. The number 16 is about
holiness. It had to be this way. He
appears again in Revelation 22:16 as the root and offspring
of David, the Holy One of Israel. God's ordered
perfection is beyond the limited abilities of our little
minds' comprehension. We fall on our faces in awe that
He should call us by name!
That's all I have today. It's always a pleasure to
read your letters.
Literary Architecture of
Daniel 9.pdf
SIX BLOOD MOONS.pdf
Greg Wilson