Megas Thlipsis - Biblical Accounts

My calendar informs me that the end of this season is nigh. About our conclusions, Aaron and I have questioned and re-questioned our assumptions, interpretations of scripture, what we consider signs, and revelation insights, and assurances of many kinds, and we see nothing that compels us to waver in our conviction that we are mere days away from our bright hope being fulfilled.

We so appreciate the love letters we've been receiving, so grateful that our love in the Lord's mercy and exceeding great grace has been received. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Y'shua haMashiach, has been so good to us, so generous with favor, forgiving and kind. We long to be with the Lord and with His elect, knowing that what could be done is nearly done, and it will be enough. We servants of fine food have lingered long in the kitchen, but there's more bread and fish to be served. What an honor to be found serving in this hour!

It's not a party atmosphere around here, at least not entirely. It's tempered with the stone cold sober awareness of how many think they are ready and are about to be devastated.

As Noah finished building the ark, those around him occupied themselves with life's myriad activities, marrying and giving in marriage, as though life would go on as it always had. It had never rained before, or flooded. One hundred twenty years earlier, Noah had warned them of coming destruction but none gave heed except the seven others with him. Today, it's not very different. Life goes on. In the minds of most, judgment has never been poured out on the world, but really, it has been. Most think there has never been a resurrection of the dead and a changing of the living, but that's only partly true. Warning has been given about what is coming but for most, it is today as it ever was. Life goes on.

Until it doesn't.

Here are more models that speak loudly to us of the megas thlipsis, great tribulation.

21 For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. ~ Matthew 24:21-22

A special miracle happened as a sign in the account of the great contest on Mt. Carmel, 1 Kings 18. It was between the gods of the prophets of Baal and Asterah and the Lord God of Elijah. The 950 prophets (v. 19) failed to produce the required result. For Elijah, fire fell from heaven to consume the sacrifice, right on time. Contest: Over. Elijah had prefaced it with a prayer.

Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again. ~ 1 Kings 18:37

I wrote about that in, Elijah's God Answers by Fire, showing it to be a prophecy about the Bride Theft and the baptism of the 144k sons of Israel. Romans 11:15, John 21 - it should be obvious. The sign informs us about our day. It conceals and reveals something about what will turn His people's hearts back to Himself.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32 So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. 33 Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. 34 And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35 The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water. 36 At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.” ~ 1 Kings 18:30-39

Twelve stones - the time number. Four pitchers, three times filled with water and poured out on the sacrifice. 4*3=12. Again, the time number. Water-as-time. It was the appointed amount of time, in the fullness of time. The sacrifice was drenched and water filled the circular trench. When fire fell from heaven, the sacrifice was consumed along with everything in the circle. What was burned up speaks of the Messiah and His people. The appointed measure of time itself was consumed by heaven's fire! And, there's a time code: After three things are completed, then comes the fulfillment. Familiar, right - the Keystone Pattern? First, came three dousings in sequence with 4 pitchers of water (4-dimensions of time-space), which men do. Then, the Lord brings the fire, answering Elijah and performing the sign to the people that He is God, not the idols they have been worshiping, and that He has turned their heart back again. This prophecy is about to be fulfilled.

Have you read through the account of the Exodus yet, understanding the prophetic allegory where water represents time? Dry land in the midst of the sea between walls of water as time-space ark. Those saved went through in martial array, and armies march in step. Left right left... keeping time. Read the song of Moses and the sons of Israel in Exodus 15 mindful of the water-as-time metaphor.

16 “Terror and dread fall upon them;
By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone;
Until Your people pass over, O Lord,
Until the people pass over whom You have purchased.
17 “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance,
The place, O Lord, which You have made for Your dwelling,
The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”
19 For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea. ~ Exodus 15:16-19

Awesome! The chapter closes with more water allegory at Marah, then at Elim.

Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters. ~ Exodus 15:27

Provision will be made subsequent to this Pesah season's time wars, as before, now.

Time wars will be fought. Here's an account of 12 stones, the time number, taken from the Jordan.

19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. 20 Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 He said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” ~ Joshua 4:19-24

Note, as I write, it is now the 10th day of the 1st month. Lord willing there's more commentary forthcoming about the account of the taking of Jericho, and the Passover model.

The test for selecting Gideon's army of 300 took place at the water's edge, with respect to how they drank water.

The most exalted of the Lord's warriors has to be David, when he was a boy. He killed Goliath with a water worn object chosen from a brook in the valley of Elah.

He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

48 Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. ~ 1 Samuel 17:40, 48-49

We believe that some of us are about to enter the ark of salvation, and others of us will find ourselves barred from entering. We have all received fair warning.

3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” 5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. ~ 2 Peter 3:3-7