Dear John and Doves -

Genesis 37-47 tells the story of Joseph, from his going into slavery in Egypt at the age of 17 to his eventual reconciliation with his brothers 23 years later.  Many have suggested that the details of the story may have prophetic significance.

Indeed they may.

The key event that drove his brothers to Egypt and to eventual reconciliation was a worldwide famine.  This was, of course, a famine for bread, but the Word speaks prophetically of another type of famine in Amos 8:1 -

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the LORD.

I would submit that, were the true believers - the Spirit-filled church - to be removed from the earth, the result would be a worldwide famine of the Word.

So let us suppose that the various pointers toward the year 2017 are for Israel.  The timeframe would match nicely:  a rapture event in late 2015 at the end of the Shmittah year, a 2-year spiritual famine, and then in September 2017 the sign of Virgo which would be a heavenly illustration of the spiritual re-birth of God's "other" covenant people, and the subsequent response by the dragon.  While I still tend toward the idea of a Pentecost revelation of Christ to the Jews, the timing is certainly "close enough."

Like much of what has gone before, it's highly speculative and, of course, we won't know until we get there.  But the details in Joseph's story are provocative, and we are waiting for the time that Jesus reveals Himself to His brethren.  And this does not require that we remain until September, since it need not be precisely (to the day) two years.

On a related note:  By God's grace I will be resuming my podcast starting Monday, November 3rd.  More information at http://stevekerp.wordpress.com.  Hope to see you soon.

Best,

Steve