THE GREAT TRIBULATION
CONT., page 2
THE ELIJAH MINISTRY PERIOD
While
we are addressing this matter of the final period of seven years spoken of in
Daniel’s seventy periods of seven, there is some highly important truth
that must be addressed. We will
return to this matter of the abomination of desolation following this section.
As
noted in The New Millennial Calendar and addressed in Shelah
and Clay of Spittle, page 5, that seven-year period is a covenant that Yahweh
made with man and is split three-and-a-half years and three-and-a-half years,
with the last walked out first and the first to be walked out last –
another one of Yahweh’s flips.
The last, of course, was walked out by Yahshua in His three-and-a-half
year ministry from Atonement, 29 A.D., to Passover, 33 A.D. But, that left a remaining
three-and-a-half year ministry period that was unfulfilled. To whom does it belong?
To
answer this question straight forward, it belongs to Elijah. How do we know this? Several ways, but one of the clearest
is to see with whom it is already identified.
Based
on Luke 3:1, which states that John began his ministry “in the fifteenth
year of Tiberius Caesar,” we know that his ministry began in the spring
of 29 A.D. This would have been at
the time of Passover. John was six
months older than Yahshua. He was
born at Passover, and Yahshua was born on Trumpets. Thus, both of them began their ministries at the age in
which a man entered into priesthood – at the age of thirty (Numbers
4:2-3). This means that
John’s ministry was for a period of six months, whereupon he baptized
Yahshua, beginning His ministry.
John then decreased and Yahshua increased.
Thereby,
we see, quite significantly, that by John carrying out or fulfilling those six
months, he identified that preceding three-and-a-half year period as
belonging to the Elijah! John had the spirit of Elijah (Luke
1:17), and whoever walked out the years of that covenant would be the
Elijah. As John represented, Elijah would occupy the office of and
prepare the way for Yahshua.
But
let us ask yet another revealing question: If Yahshua’s ministry, that
began in the middle of the covenant period of seven years, fulfilled the last
three-and-a-half years, then did not John’s preceding six-month ministry
period fulfill or use up six months of the preceding three-and-a-half years? Indeed so.
Not
only did John’s six months of ministry identify that three-and-half year
period as the Elijah work, but it also used up six months of it. Therefore, only three covenant years
remain for the Elijah work that prepares the way for Yahshua’s return.
The covenant with the many
for seven years
 |
So
what does this mean for us today as we anticipate Yahshua’s return? On October 25, 2007, Trumpets will mark
the completion of a Jubilee of Jubilee waiting periods since the rebuilding of
the walls of Jerusalem, heralding Jubilee! As noted in The
Revelation of the Millennium, page 5, this relates directly back to when the walls of
Jericho came down when entrance was made into the promised land.
As
will be discussed further in this writing, Trumpets, 2007, means that the
nations will no longer rule over the kingdom of heaven, but the kingdom of
heaven will rule over the nations.
It means that with Trumpets/Tabernacles restored to its rightful place
as the first of the year, the new heavens and new earth can now be built. But one other matter I hope is at hand,
and this has to do with the Elijah ministry period.
With
all of this potentially taking place as a result of October 25, it gives hope
that the Elijah ministry period will begin as well. But upon seeing this, there was a problem. When that hope arose, I had not yet
seen this fact regarding John having already used up six months of that
time. The problem then would have
been that if the Elijah ministry began at Trumpets, three-and-a-half years
later would have been Passover.
The fulfillment of the Elijah ministry will bring Yahshua’s
return. But, this also means that
the Elijah company must ascend alive, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 tells us that
that will take place at Trumpets.
So, the Elijah ministry must be complete at Trumpets; and having a
three-and-a-half year ministry period starting at Trumpets, 2007, does not
allow that – it falls at Passover.
One
remedy for this extra six months was pointed out to me by Eric
Schneggenburger. With Passover
having been the first of the year, when Trumpets/Tabernacles now becomes the
first of the year, that means six months of that transition year are actually
lost, cut short. Therefore that
would explain how the ministry period could lose that extra six months. But now we see as well that those six
months are not even available, for John already used them up. All that remains of the Elijah period
is three years. Therefore, if
Yahweh so chooses to begin that Elijah ministry period at Trumpets, 2007, it
would work, allowing ascension at Trumpets, 2010.
In
closing this section, here are a few other points of interest regarding
this. First, Yahshua was born at
Trumpets; therefore, it would be fitting that at Trumpets the office that
represents Him would begin. Also,
the first Remnant had a ministry period of one-and-a-half years. It is often testified that the second
Remnant receives a double portion.
Therefore, it is quite fitting that the ministry period of the second
Remnant would be three years (2 x 1 ½). And finally, three-and-a-half years is seven periods of six
months. It is interesting that
John walked out that seventh period, leaving the Elijah six periods in which to
labor.
Continue
to page 3 of The Great Tribulation
for ANTIOCHUS IV