From: Steve Berryman

First, I am but a sinful believer who has always had a heart for God's prophecies.  In that regard, God has kindly and generously opened my eyes and gave me much understanding of his prophetic word concerning these last days before the rapture, tribulation and his second advent.  I am not deserving and can only conclude that God gives wisdom to the lowly to confound the wise. 

That said, I fall under God's rule that all men see in part and that we all see through a glass darkly (that is vaguely).  That rule though also applied to all the Old Testament prophets as well as the apostles and Paul. It is why any passage of scripture, while yet truthful, is not necessarily the whole (complete) truth concerning that particular subject.  Scripture testifies to scripture, as well broadens understanding.  To some, scriptures seemingly contradict each other, but Jesus own words tell us that understanding only comes via the Holy Spirit.  He explained to his apostles that this was why he spoke in parables.  He did so that those whom he wished to understand would do so and others would not.  (It dovetails with those chosen and those not.)  To that end, we are told to diligently search (study) the scriptures.  If something is seemingly contradictory, grasp that it is not a wall, but a passageway to a higher understanding.  After all, God's ways are higher than man's. 

Now, I am going to get to the subject here shortly, "the case for the rapture even yet this late spring".  To that end, this coming Sabbath (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, June 14-15) looks like an excellent date for watching as does the next Sabbath (June 21-22, summer solstice).  A full moon falls on the Monday in between, June 17.  Jesus himself said those who love him are faithful to do two things:  (1) they keep his commandments and (2) they watch for his coming.    Sounds much like those of the church of Philadelphia (Revelations 3: 7-13) to me.  Now, I am not going to get into world events, other than a couple of scriptural ones, but am going to point out exactly what scripture has to say on this particular subject.  I am writing because the scripture I see offers a very compelling case.  Yet, like I said, I see in part. I am not predicting, for that be folly, but strongly suggest that it would be wisdom to be prepared and watch. 

 To make it easier, it is not only a Second Passover event, more importantly, it is a Sabbath event.  Leastwise, the opening event, the midnight cry (the resurrection and ascension of the dead in Christ) is a Sabbath event.  There are actually 4 events over time: (1) the resurrection and ascension of the worthy dead in Christ, (2) a changing to immortal of the worthy wise living, the event that happens in the twinkling of an eye, (3) the ascension of the living wise bride, (4) followed 10 days later by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the left behind (which by the way is the white horse of the 1st Seal of Revelations).   That is a subject for another letter. Remember to, as commanded, keep the Sabbath holy.  To be sure, the rapture is not a sudden disappearance.  The ascensions will be seen by at least many. 

(Note: the Sabbath is not Sunday, but falls Friday sunset to Saturday sunset).  While man has lost track of the calendar date, having reset calendars with both the Julian and Gregorian, man has never lost track of the day of the week.  God set their importance in Genesis one.  The days of the week were so important in God's plans that he numbered them 1 through 7.  God did not name them.  That was the work of Satan and his followers to reduce the importance of the numbered day.  There are two important numbers in the figure of 7, the cardinal midpoint 4 and the 7, and both are center stage in all prophetic writings.  Jesus recognized the Sabbath when he came in the flesh and he kept the Sabbath.  I would add that had that not been the original Sabbath as established by the Father, Jesus would have not accepted it for that would have been an act of acquiescence to Satan, the prince of this world.  Folks, Jesus would never do that. 

Some would think Second Passover has come and gone for this year and we are now looking at Pentecost.  I say to you, hold your horses.  The spring feasts are Passover, Unleavened Bread, Second Passover (with its own Unleavened Bread) and lastly Pentecost.  It is spread over 7 weeks plus one day for a total of 50 days.  The spring feast days are counted from Sabbath to Sabbath, 7 total, called counting the Omer.  When one gets the day of the week correct for the First Passover (evening of the 4th day, scripturally the morning of the 5th day), then Second Passover falls on a Sabbath, noteworthily the 4th Sabbath of the Spring Feasts.  

Numbers 9 is where Second Passover originates. Reading it carefully, it is truly about the Groom and Bride (another letter another day).  It is commanded to be held exactly 30 days after First Passover....changing the day of the week on which it is held.  That is simple enough, but the difficulty is determining First Passover.  Most church denominations today go with the NASA moon calendar, but the different sects worldwide have different days for these events.  Scripture though, takes a more complex route.  It requires First Passover at the time of the first ripe fruits, something that varies each year depending much upon a varying climate.  We add to that, what Jesus is really talking about is his human first ripe fruits and that takes us to a conclusion that the times are in his hands.  We are left with a conclusion that Second Passover is somewhere in the late spring, though in the time period of a full moon (a few days before or aft).  Pentecost can be then in the early summer.     

 The spring feasts are about first fruits, those worthy chosen saints who will rule with Jesus during his 1000 year reign on earth. Revelations 20: 4-6 also tells us that these first fruits will not have to face the second death, that ,while they are present at the White Throne Judgement, they are not judged there.  There are 3 sets of first fruits, a spring feast for each group.  One has been and two yet to take place.  (Note: in total there are 4 resurrections, the 3 sets of first fruits and finally the resurrection of the last day.  This last group at the last trump is by far the largest and these all will stand before the White Throne Judgment described in Revelations 20: 11-15 and also in John 5: 22-29.  Notice in the latter that it includes those saved and those not.)   The first resurrection was the many (not all, but the worthy) OT saints who were resurrected with Jesus. They were the white cloud into which Jesus ascended. They are 24 elders found in Revelations 4:4.  John the apostle points out in John 3:29 that John the Baptist is one of these.  He says he is a friend of the groom at the wedding, iaw, these elders are part of the groom's bridal party.  In the analogy of the grain breads, they are the rye, a winter crop which is harvested early spring.  First Passover is a feast about Jesus' and his sacrifice, but also about these OT saints. 

 The next group is the bride of Christ.  These are described in Revelations 5: 9-10 as around the throne of God before the Seals of Revelation are opened.  They are said to be redeemed by the blood and made up of every kindred, tongue, people and nation.  It says they will rule with Christ as Kings and Priests during his 1000 year reign.  Revelations 14:1-5 gives further light.  Here they are given a specific number of 144,000 (12X12X1000), which are redeemed from the earth.   Surely, it is a symbolic number representing perfection in government, but it may well be also a real number.  Frankly, I do not know.  If so, from the time of Christ to present, that is a small number....truly a very select group. They are said to follow Jesus wherever he goes.  That would indicate the most inner circle of Jesus' government. It calls them virgins and first fruits and says they were not defiled by women. That last comment is a bit confusing to me, for the most basic meaning of virgin is one who has never had sexual relations with the opposite sex. On the surface, it would seemingly rule out women, but I think there is a more basic spiritual meaning behind these comments.  That would revolve around sin, the real story of God's holy word.  All men are born into sin and the only way one can be sin free (a virgin of sin) is to have been saved and washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ.    

 

In the parable of 10 virgins found in Matthew 25:1-10, it is the wise virgins who are changed to immortal and ascend to the wedding, yet all 10, including the unwise, are called virgins. We are enlightened on this subject by Jesus' letter to the 7 churches found in Revelations 2 and 3.  Bear in mind, these churches are the body of believers, the churches founded by the apostles and Paul.  None are Jewish synagogues, Islamic, Buddists, Hindu or any other church, but the body of believers in Jesus Christ at that time.  I do beleive that they also represent all the Christian churches over time to present, but frankly, it is hard not to ignore that the church of Laodecia (the lukewarm who is cast out) which greatly represents the church today.  Read these carefully and you see that in each there are those found worthy (also called overcomers) and those who are not.  An overcomer would indicate one who has overcome sin, that is, they are in the habit of keeping Jesus' commandments.  The not worthy as are the not wise virgins do not lose their salvation, but are not changed into immortal and do not ascend to the wedding.  They are left behind to be made pure in fires of the tribulation (much as is gold and silver made pure via fire, iaw, they are refined until Jesus can see his reflection in the metal).  In the analogy of the grain breads, the bride is the barley, a spring crop harvested late spring.  Second Passover is the feast about the bride and groom.  John the apostle is surely foremost of the bride. In 1 Thessalonians 4: 17, she ascends in two separate clouds (note: plural), first the dead, then the living...far enough apart in time to be identified as two separate clouds.   

Note: There is another group of 144,000 found in Revelations.  It too, represents perfection in government.  These are those sealed in Revelations 7:1-8 of the 12 tribes of Israel.  According to Revelations 9:4, these are sealed to protect them from the demons loosed during the "Woes" after Satan descends from heaven and inhabits the false prophet in the second half of the 7 year world government. These 144,000 remain mortal and are here on earth during the entire tribulation.  They are the remnant woman of Revelations 12.  They are hidden in the wilderness and protected by angels.  Their purpose is to be mortal government of Israel (all 12 tribes) after they are reconstituted and moved to the Promised Land. They will be the premiere mortal government (nation) among nations, but they are underneath the immortal government of Jesus and his first fruit saints. According to Revelations 11:12-13, these see the resurrection and ascension of the two witnesses along with the tribulation saints....and it frightens them.  They are then escorted into the wilderness and hidden until the tribulation is over (when Jesus and his angelic army defeats the foe).        

The last group of first fruits is the tribulation saints.  These are found in Revelations 7:9-14 around the throne, a number too great to number. These too are made up of every kindred, people, tongue and nation.  These are resurrected and ascend with the two witnesses.  By all scriptural accounts (see Revelations 20:4), all the tribulation saints are killed during the tribulation and have to be resurrected.  This event takes place 7 years after the rapture of the bride and it will take place on a Pentecost Sunday.  Pentecost is about these along with the two witnesses and the Holy Spirit, who upon this final event departs the earth to go to his rest.  Among the grains, the wheat depicts these.  Wheat is planted in the spring and harvested in the summer. The tribulation saints will attend the wedding supper....which takes place 7 years after the wedding.  

Why this year (but, not later than the next spring):  First, let us take note that Jesus said he has told us all things....the answers are in scripture.   I have been given some critical clues, albeit, I would be foolish to think these are all of them. Others, no doubt have been given other clues.  In a passage about the last days, note Mark 13:23 (a parallel to Matthew 24), "But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things".  There are some strong warning language used here. I think Jesus is telling us clearly that his word contains all the adequate clues, albeit, he also warns us that we do not or may not know the hour of his coming.  There is one passage in Matthew 24 that seems to bring the scoffers to the surface, that is verse 36, "But of that day and hour know no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."  While overall, Matthew 24 is Jesus' words about the last days before his second coming, this particular verse would seemingly be speaking to the verse just preceding it.  Verse 35, "Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away".  This event is way in the future, beyond the 1000 year reign of Jesus, beyond the time when Satan shall be loosed yet again for a short time and beyond the White Throne Judgement. It is a leap well out beyond the basic message of this chapter. My guess is Jesus added these two verses just for the scoffers.  

The most specific clue found in the Matthew 24 passage is found in verses 32-34, the sign of the Fig Tree.  I will not quote the passage as any who is truly interested should/would get out their Bible and read for themselves. If you are too lazy, my friend, you are just lukewarm and not worthy. Most Biblical scholars agree that the Fig Tree speaks to the nation state man calls Israel.  I say to you, this is Judah in scripture. It says when the plant is yet tender and put forth leaves, know ye that summer is nigh. Let me interpret.  Comparing this to a person, a tender plant would represent a child or young person, not yet an adult.  Adulthood is scripturally depicted as 20 years old.  Summer is nigh depicts the coming tribulation.  Putting forth leaves represents national growth, that is, the gaining of territories. 

 What we have here is the nation Israel as it resides in the Promised Land today.  It was born in May 1948.  There is one caveat on which this rapture wait could be one more year and that is that the United Nations did not recognize Israel's status as a nation until one year later.  That said, what is depicted as the sign of the Fig Tree is Israel's June 5-10, 1967 war in which she gained the disputed territories of East Jerusalem, Sinai, Golan Heights and West Bank.  These have been in hot dispute by the Arab nations and indeed the nations of the world ever since....see Camp David, Oslo Accords, Annapolis Accords etc, all way up to the False Peace Treaty to be signed by the Antichrist when the global government is established. At the time of this war, Israel was 19 years old (18 if you accept the UN approval date). She was still yet a tender child and she underwent a late spring growth. Jesus tells us that when we see this sign, know that the tribulation is near.  He also tells us that this generation shall see all those things he spoke of in Matthew 24 (Mark 13, Luke 21).  It would include everything up to and including his second coming with his saints to set up his government.  The question is, where did the generation clock start.  I would say the sign of the Fig Tree refers you back to Israel's birth in May 1948, the plant not a germinating sprout, but a tender (young) plant.  She was 19 (or 18) at that point.  

There are several scriptures which depict a normal lifespan of 70 years, but acknowledgement to many living further to 80 years old.  Of these, some speak to those living in the nation Israel past 70, saying from 70 to 80 would be days of trouble (tribulation).  Indeed, Revelations 2:10 tells us the tribulation will be 10 days, that is 10 years.  My study of Revelations confirms it flows through 3 sets of 3.5 year periods (42 months/1260 days).  The last set (the rule of the second beast, Satan) is cut short by 7 months by the return of Jesus and his angelic army.  This leaves near an exact 10 years of actual tribulation. There will be a period of 7 months of cleansing the land before Jesus returns with his saints to set up his earth government at the Feast of Trumpets. 

We are dealing here with two counts, a count to 70 from the birth of Israel in May '48 (or May '49) and a count to 50 if you believe the Jubilee is being foreshadowed here.  It would appear there is a Jubilee count of 50 (49+1) running from the actual sign of the Fig Tree (in June '67).   Now, you say those dates are passed?  No, there is another way to count called the fully complete. This is found in Acts 7, verse 23 and 30.  In this chapter, Moses' life is divided into 3 sets of 40 years.  Keep in mind the role of the 4 in prophesy.  It is after all where all those 40's in scripture come from.  Even Jesus started his ministry on earth with 40 days of testing in the wilderness and ended it with walking upon the earth 40 days after his resurrection before ascending.  In verse 23, it says Moses' first 40 years were full before the next chapter (next 40 years) started.  In verse 30, it says the next 40 were expired before the next chapter (next 40 years) started.  It is another way of saying one is 40 all way up to one is 41...maybe even a little beyond.  The importance is noted in the verses which tell us Jesus lay in the grave 3 days and 3 nights.  These were fully complete days and nights, partials did not count. Jesus died on a Wednesday (day 4) afternoon.  The fully complete nights he lay in the grave were Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  The days he lay in the grave were Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  He arose likely around midnight on Saturday night (scripturally, Sunday morning). When John and Mary Magdalene came to his grave it was still dark and Jesus was not there.  The Friday death was a Catholic church creation.  The looming "Sabbath" that they hurried to get Jesus into the grave is identified in John 19:31 as an high day, in other words it was a high feast day, Passover, not a regular 7th day Sabbath. The concept of "fully complete" is well established here and rectifies the different verses which say Jesus was in the grave 3 days and 3 nights. 

Now, the 70 count from the birth date of May '48, fully complete/expired, would take us to this late spring 2019 (I venture all way to summer solstice).  The only possibility left is if the Lord is counting from the May '49 UN recognition date.  That would give us one more year.  

Now, how about that Jubilee count from the sign of the Fig Tree.  Even with fully complete/expired counting, 50 years added to June '67 means it should have occurred last spring.  But, wait.  There is another delay built into scripture which concerns specifically the Fig Tree and by accounting for this one more year delay, it brings us to this late spring.  Further, it rectifies the one year difference between the 50 year count from the sign of the Fig Tree (June '67) and the 70 year count from the birth of Israel (May'48). This one year delay brings these two counts together at a focal point.  This parable is found in Luke13: 6-9.  Note: Luke has a little more complete version of this parable than Matthew and Mark.  Here Jesus comes upon a barren Fig Tree and commands it to be cut down, but the dresser of the vineyard requests that instead of immediately being cut down, he be allowed to dig and dung around it one more year.  Then, if it still does not bear, then cut it down. Jesus approves.  In essence, the barren Fig Tree is given a one year reprieve.  Now, I do not have complete understanding of this passage, but I can clearly tell that here and in Matthew 24 (Mark 13 and Luke 21) that the subject is the Fig Tree. Here we see one more year added.  We take then into account the "fully complete/expired" concept and this would take us to late spring 2019.  

There is no doubt in my mind that scripture clearly depicts the USA as last days Ephraim in scripture, the inheritor of the last days birth rite blessing, a blessing not only of the spiritual, but primarily of wealth, power (military and commercial) and dominion.  It has been set up high among nations for all to see. The nation state man calls Israel (Judah) is set up as a stumbling stone, not only for Ephraim, but all the nations of the world.  Throughout scripture, God has set center stage the leadership of powerful nations.  We have had two Bush presidents....a double sign that in Genesis 41:32 Joseph tells the Pharaoh is a sign from God.  Bush number 2, second term, took place at the same time as the 40th stripe of the Sign of the Fig Tree and the 400th year mark since the first permanent English settlement of Jamestown in May 1607.  Some Biblical notes about the bush: The bramble bush is depicted in scripture as a reprobate fruit tare.  The burning bush that Moses saw was a sign of a coming deliverance of the Israelite people. In Luke 20: 35-37 it is again mentioned as a sign of a coming resurrection (rapture).  The birth rite blessing was about the last days (Genesis 49:1).  In Moses birth rite blessing to the tribe of Joseph (Deuteronomy 33: 16), the bush is again mentioned in no doubt what is a rapture verse.  The very next verse (vs 17), it prophesies it is Joseph's children who push the peoples of the world together, that is they force the nations into a world government. Isaiah 28 is about the last days of Ephraim.  In verse 14-18 we see she is confederate with the antichrist in dividing the city of Jerusalem...note Jer-usa-lem.  God says we shall be trodden down for this treachery.  But, note verse 4, it is a rapture verse.  In Revelations 18 we are called the daughter of Babylon or commercial Babylon.  It is a parallel to Isaiah 28.  In verse 4-5, again we see the rapture. In Ezekiel 27 and 28, we see us called Tyrus, in the midst of the Seas (note: plural).    

After the two Bush Presidents, we saw an antichrist type figure in Obama, truly a Muslim.  Now we have Donald Trump.  What could possibly be in a name, grin, and the trump shall sound and many of the dead raised. 

Now, let me add one more very important clue, leastwise, one I think sounds just like a believer who is in the midst of the rapture events and waiting to be changed and ascend.  If in the middle of these stressful rapture events days, the expected count (which I will cover in another letter) is extended by 21 days, you would be distraught as well.  This is found in Daniel 10.  I cannot say for sure exactly where in the 4 events of the rapture that this falls, but it would seem to me it is in between the midnight cry (resurrection and ascension of the dead in Christ) and the changing of the worthy living wise to immortal.  Note: when the angel of the Lord arrives, he raises Daniel to his feet and he is restored in strength.  The clue about the rapture is found in verse 13.  Here the angel of the Lord says he was delayed 21 days and that he and Michael (the commander or chief of staff of God's armies) are in this together and that they have been having trouble with the Prince (demon) over Persia (Iran).  This may or may not mean outright war with Iran, but it at least means trouble.  We have that now and it could get worse, particularly if this powerful demon realizes that the rapture events are taking place.  It would surely sound a demonic alarm as the Germans were alarmed when they found out the allies were landing at Normandy. 

Jesus warned, even commanded, his people to "watch".

Steve Berryman