Every week my pastor offers in-depth commentary on
the Torah, the Prophets, and the New Testament that amazes me. Even when I’ve
done exhaustive research into a particular biblical timeframe or premise, his
research always trumps my research. And I’m a tremendous slouch.
My pastor could be the world’s greatest
eschatologist, if he had the slightest interest in the end times. He knows his
job: He needs to teach biblical foundations to his sheep, and avoid the
eschatological hysteria that often derails the rapture-embracing enthusiasts.
One only needs to cite the recent errant 2011 predictions of Harold Camping,
and you’ll know why my pastor wisely avoids preaching overt eschatology from
the pulpit. My congregation of 11,000 blog hits worldwide knows that I’m not
date-setting for a secret rapture. I’m citing world trends and biblical correlations
in our present age. Lately, my citations have been blasé. Frankly, we are in
the twilight of the present age, awaiting HaShem’s next move, and humanities’
unfortunate efforts to exterminate the Jews.
My only recent news is that a snowstorm awaited John
Kerry as he arrived in Israel. The snowstorm seemed to slow Haman’s efforts to eradicate
the Jews until another day. That’s my news.
I think my pastor feels sorry for my plight, because
every now and then, he throws me an eschatological bone. Last Sabbath, he threw
me a juicy bone: My theory that there will be another Exodus event for Israel
isn’t controversial, like many of my other theories. One can prove a second
Exodus from multiple Bible passages.
He cited Jeremiah 23 during his sermon, and stated
that the first Exodus will pale in comparison to the second Exodus. However, he
didn’t elaborate on the specifics, as is his style. No one caught the reference
but me. Later, I cornered him downstairs and asked, “The Second Exodus; will it
resemble Isaiah 11, 19, and 27?” He replied, “Yes.” Then he smiled, and walked
away. My pastor could publish an exhaustive paper on the second Exodus, but he
will never do it. I’ll attempt a brief synopsis instead (Please note that the
Jeremiah 23 reference is very veiled, but apparent).
On that day Adonai will raise his hand again, a
second time, to reclaim the remnant of his people who remain from Ashur, Egypt,
Patros, Ethiopia, ‘Eilam, Shin‘ar, Hamat and the islands in the sea. He will
hoist a banner for the Goyim, assemble the dispersed of Isra’el, and gather the
scattered of Y’hudah from the four corners of the earth. Efrayim’s jealousy
will cease —those who harass Y’hudah will be cut off, Efrayim will stop envying
Y’hudah, and Y’hudah will stop provoking Efrayim. They will swoop down on the
flank of the P’lishtim to the west. Together they will pillage the people to
the east —they will put out their hand over Edom and Mo’av, and the people of
‘Amon will obey them. Adonai will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian Sea. He will
shake his hand over the [Euphrates] River to bring a scorching wind, dividing
it into seven streams and enabling people to cross dryshod. There will be a
highway for the remnant of his people who are still left from Ashur, just as
there was for Isra’el when he came out from the land of Egypt. Isaiah 11:11-16
(CJB)
On that day Egypt will be like women trembling with
fear, because Adonai-Tzva’ot is shaking his fist at them. Just mentioning the
land of Y’hudah to the Egyptians will throw them into panic; they will be
afraid because of what Adonai-Tzva’ot has planned for them. On that day there
will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Kena‘an and
swear loyalty to Adonai-Tzva’ot; one of them will be called the City of
Destruction.* On that day there will be an altar to Adonai in the middle of the
land of Egypt, as well as a standing-stone for Adonai at its border. It will be
a sign and witness to Adonai-Tzva’ot in the land of Egypt; so that when they
cry out to Adonai for help because of the oppressors, he will send them a
savior to defend and rescue them. Adonai will make himself known to Egypt; on
that day, the Egyptians will know Adonai. They will worship him with sacrifices
and offerings, they will make vows to Adonai and keep them. Yet Adonai will
strike Egypt, both striking and healing, so they will return to Adonai. He will
listen to their prayers, and he will heal them. On that day there will be a
highway from Egypt to Ashur. Ashur will come to Egypt and Egypt to Ashur, and
Egypt will worship with Ashur. Isaiah 19:16-23 (CJB)
On that day Adonai will beat out the grain between
the Euphrates River and the Vadi of Egypt; and you will be gathered, one by
one, people of Isra’el! On that day a great shofar will sound. Those lost in
the land of Ashur will come, also those scattered through the land of Egypt; and
they will worship Adonai on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim. Isaiah 27:12-13
(CJB)
“The days are coming,” says Adonai when I will raise
a righteous Branch for David. He will reign as king and succeed, he will do
what is just and right in the land. In his days Y’hudah will be saved, Isra’el
will live in safety, and the name given to him will be Adonai Tzidkenu [Adonai
our righteousness]. “Therefore,” says Adonai, “the day will come when people no
longer swear, ‘As Adonai lives, who brought the people of Isra’el out of the
land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As Adonai lives, who brought the descendants of the house
of Isra’el up from the land to the north’ and from all the countries where I
drove them. Then they will live in their own land.” Jeremiah 23:5-8 (CJB)
Don’t be afraid of the king of Bavel — of whom you
are afraid. Don’t be afraid of him,’ says Adonai, ‘for I am with you to save
you and to rescue you from his power. I will take pity on you, so that he will
take pity on you and cause you to return to your own land.
“But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’
thereby not heeding what Adonai your God is saying, and instead say, ‘No, we
will go to the land of Egypt; because there we will not see war or hear the
shofar sounding its alarm or be short of food; so we’ll stay there’; then hear
what Adonai says, remnant of Y’hudah — this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of
Isra’el, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and stay there, the sword,
of which you are afraid, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the
famine, of which you are afraid, will pursue you relentlessly there in Egypt;
and there you will die. This is how it will be for all the people determined to
go to Egypt and stay there — they will die by sword, famine and plague; none of
them will remain or escape the disaster that I will bring upon them.’ For here
is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘Just as my anger and fury
were poured out on the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so likewise my fury will be
poured out on you if you go to Egypt; so that you will become an object of
condemnation, astonishment, cursing and reproach; and you will see this place
no more.’ Jeremiah 42:11-18 (CJB)
This word came to Yirmeyahu concerning all the
people from Y’hudah living in the land of Egypt — in Migdol, Tachpanches, Nof
and the land of Patros: Jeremiah 44:1 (CJB)
When: Expect a world leader to march into Jerusalem
within six years—if my theory is correct—expelling the Israelites from their
land into Syria and Egypt. The five cities in Egypt are listed in Jeremiah
44:1. Pathros, the final city, known as the City of Destruction, will not be a
safe haven for Jews, especially when HaShem is calling them to confront the
world in a final showdown. Then HaShem will regather the Jews by fall 2022, and
return them to the final battle called Armageddon.
If this scenario plays out, epic events will begin
in 2014 and 2015. You may be part of the end times, are you ready?
Shalom!
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