Being a New Year, I made a point of changing all the calendars in my house yesterday. I enjoy calendars---especially ones with beautiful pictures with Scripture verses on them. This yearly ritual of 'the changing of the calendars', got my mind thinking alot about how we mark time.
The Scriptures tell us that God doesn't count time as we do, but that "with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day..." (2 Peter 3 :8) Not so for us, however. In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, he told us very specifically how we were to count time: 'evening and morning, one day.' That is the basic pattern. The sun told us when it was evening and when it was morning by its place in the sky. Then, by having created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th day, God set a weekly pattern for mankind to follow. (Ex 20:9-11) This pattern was further given to man in the form of months and years according to the waxing and waning of the moon, and the number of them. (Gen 1:14; Ps 104:19; Isa 66:23) Later God told the Hebrews what they were to call the various months. (Ex 12:1; 13:4)
If you have never studied these patterns or the Jewish Calender, it is very interesting, and still, to this day, holds secrets for us to unfold: Notice in the picture above, the zodiac forms a kind of 'wheel'. Could this be the 'wheel' Ezekiel said he saw in the sky ---looking up at the signs of the zodiac perhaps? (Eze 1:15-21) Did the signs of the zodiac somehow correspond to the Hebrew calendar, (which also is laid out in a similar pattern)? When God told Moses to build the tabernacle exactly according to the 'pattern shown him in the mount', was God patterning His tabernacle after the zodiac---were the twelve tribes of Israel laid out around the camp of the tabernacle in a pattern that corresponded to the heavenly pattern, or Zodiac? ---which some say originally told the gospel story in the star patterns...) Did the twelve gates of old Jerusalem, and the 12 new gates of the New Jerusalem correspond to the months of the year in the Jewish calender---Did each tribe, and later apostle correspond to a sign in the zodiac pattern? For example: tradition holds that the authors of the four gospels each representing one of the 4 main points of the compass, were represented in the four living creatures of Eze 1: 19; Dan 7:4-5; and Rev 13:1-2---Augustine stated Matthew was represented by the Lion--(His gospel depicted Christ as the King--the Lion of Judah); Mark represented the manhood of Christ (Servanthood depicted in His gospel) Luke depicted Christ as the perfect Priest; and as the Ox, he was the perfect whole burnt offering (Lev 4:3); and finally John's gospel depicted Christ as the Son of God, the heavenly one; thus, the bird that flies closest to the heavens, the eagle represented John. The fascinating thing is that the Zodiac has very similar characters at the four points of the wind...Aquarius, (the man who bears water) fits Mark's depiction of Christ as servant who pours out His Spirit upon us. Leo, the Lion fits with Matthew's depiction of Christ as King. Taurus the Bull, fits with Luke as the Ox, and finally, Scorpio has the Scorpion being crushed beneath the feet of Ophiuchus, the serpent holder, who in earliest times was depicted as an eagle....
There is definitely something very Holy and mysterious here that God was trying to communicate to man by all these patterns. Or was He preaching to the angels who were looking on in wonder? Though it has been corrupted, and used as a kind of God over time, originally the zodiac was created by God, who set the pattern of the stars in the sky to be to man as signs. (Gen 1:14) We are not to dabble in astrology, (attributing to the stars themselves the power to control life--for that power is God's alone)--it is strickly forbidden us, however we are to meditate upon the mysteries that have been revealed; and to the ancient world, the pattern of the stars in the sky had meaning for men given to them by God. Were they foreshadowing the gospel? Following are some other interesting things to consider, which show us why the Jewish calender is still relevant to us today.
When Jesus was Incarnated, he came to us at the very darkest time of year--around the time of the winter solstice--(some speculate ON the solstice, as a sign to men that God sends His Light into men's darkness, when they are at their darkest point.) From that point on, the days began to get longer/lighter. The darkness began to fade away, and all through the dark days of winter, God was silently preparing for us the miracle of new birth in the spring. All this symbolized Christ's coming into our hearts, and beginning to gradually sanctify us, and prepare for us for a fuller revelation of abundant life. In the Spring of the Hebrew calender, there is the feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread. Jesus, who was free of sin, or leaven, was sacrificed for us as our passover Lamb--and the wrath of God now passes us by when he sees that the blood of Christ has been applied to our hearts by faith.
During the first coming of Christ, Jesus literally fulfilled the spring feasts on the actual day they were being celebrated. The feast of Pentecost falls on the Summer Solstice---the brightest point in the year where, in some places, the sun never sets. It was actually on this feast day that the Holy Spirit literally brought 'eternal day' to the hearts of men by coming upon the apostles once for all in the upper room; God's love never again setting for them, based on their sin, but constant based upon the effective sacrifice of Christ. But once this happend, what took place in the calender? An interval we call 'Summer'-- when all the world comes into bloom...and this is how the Jewish Calender holds something for us still---for summer represents the time of waiting since Christ ascended--the time when the gospel began to bear fruit: The gospel went out into all the world, and the harvest is ripening everywhere while we await Christ's return.
The next Feasts in the Jewish Calender take place in the fall, and are yet to be literally fulfilled. The first of these is the Feast of Trumpets---when the Jews were called to come before the Lord to face his judgement for the deeds of the year past, with the blast of a ram's horn trumpet. This is known as Rosh Hasannah, or the dawning of the New Year (dawn of the new creation?) Now, what some do not consider, is that the Spring and Fall feasts of Israel are divided in this way in order to symbolise the two different comings of Christ. Now, if He literally fulfilled each Spring Feast on the actual day of its celebration, during His first coming, don't you think it is a very good chance He will fulfill the Fall feasts literally on the actual Day they are celebrated when He returns to the earth the Second time as well? If so, that would mean Christ will return at the sound of the trumpet blast on literally the last Rosh Hasannah in Israel. Or, at the "Last Trump'. After that, God enters into Judgement with the goats of the world, who will be seperated out from among Christ's lambs, and cast away.
The next fall feast is Yom Kippur--or the Day of Atonement--when the blood of Jesus Christ will literally defend His sheep against the wrath of God, when that Wrath is poured out upon the earth and its inhabitants. Lastly follows the Feast of Tabernacles, when God will finally once again dwell among His People---literally in His people, who have been built up into a Spiritual house, or Tabernacle for Him to dwell in.
When will all these things be? Jesus said 'the day nor the hour no one knows but the Father'. He did not say 'no one CAN know'--only that, at the time He said that, no one, not even He, knew. However, I believe that as Daniel wisely studied the Scriptures and the prophesies to determine the time of the return of the exiles, it is not wrong for us to study these things and try to understand the signs of the times. So, judging from the weekly pattern set by God Himself at the beginning of the world, it is speculated by many who study such things that the world will last 6,000 years--literally 1,000 years for one day, as God counts time. (2 Peter 3:8) At the end of those years, the seven thousandth year commences---and ushers in a 1,000 year reign of Christ--a literal Sabbath rest for all creation, during which God recreates the world anew. Then comes the end, when He offers up the Kingdom to God His Father, having put all His enemies under His feet.
Since God's revelation has been carefully guarded by the Jewish people since the beginning of time, it is important that we be aware of 'what time it is' on God's calender, which the Jews follow. Do you know what the Jewish Year currently is? It is 5771. If what I think is correct, then that would leave only 229 years until the end of the 6,ooo yrs of waiting---because if Christ is to come to reign for the full 1,000 years, He will do so at the very beginning of the year 6,000. Year 6,000 means that that is how many years have ALREADY past--thus, based upon the time frame which the Lord Himself gave us, in the parable of the ten virgins (Matt 25:6), I believe that, at the stroke of midnight, Jerusalem time, on Rosh Hasanah, year 6,000, (2239 by our calender) Jesus our Bridegroom will return to earth to collect His Bride, set up His kingdom on earth, and reign for 1000 years. You might say---but that is 229 years yet to go...yes, it may seem like a long time to us, but that is less time than our country has been in existence as a nation. We are indeed in the last days, and the Days ARE evil; we must Redeem the time brothers and sisters and make every moment matter in preparing the current generation of young people to carry and spread the gospel truth faithfully to the end.
As the 'dust' of Haiti's earthquake news settles, (literally), I'm beginning to think more and more about what my own response should be, beyond sending money. Several have asked if I am 'going down to help'. Many of you know that I have long had a burden for the people of this impoverished island, and at one point tried very hard to go there to do mission work. Due to the constant civil unrest in Haiti, however, my denomination was never able to get things built up enough at their mission to take more than short term workers for one or two weeks at a time. It will be 20 years next year, since I believe God called me to serve this people. Having never learned how to do so long term on the island itself, I have prayed consistently for them, gone on several short terms mission trips, and helped the Haitian people I know who live in the USA. The news of the earthquake last week, rocked my world, as well as the country of Haiti. I am now 52, and lack the energy I once had. I am established in a job in America, with otherwise no visible means of support. I have no specific direction at this time, as to just who I'd work with. All the mission agencies I have looked up online are not yet sending in medical teams. Even the American Red Cross is not taking nursing volunteers who have not first gone to all their many disastor preparedness classes. All those things mean nothing ultimately if God wants me to go. However, having no clear direction at present, I wait. I have never been a 'first responder' kind of nurse, and do not kid myself that I could just throw myself into that chaos, and do well. So, at this time, I am waiting and seeking the Lord's guidance as to what He would have me to do. This disastor calls for a sustained response lasting years, and requiring the rebuilding of the entire infrastructure, and govt. of the country. It is a momumental task, requiring the generosity and skills of the entire world to accomplish. I do not have a 'savior complex'. I know there is little, ultimately that I could personally accomplish. However, I also believe that God Almighty allowed this disastor to take place because He had had enough of the misery that was Haiti. In 37 seconds last Tuesday, He brought down the entire corrupt government that has kept this people shacked in poverty for generations. To God alone be the Glory!! The world can no longer ignore the plight of this people, nor continue to stop its ears to her cries for help. She is our Lazurus, lying at the gate of our rich and prosperous house; up until now, content to be fed from the crumbs of our American table. (Luke 16: 20-21) Woe to us, if we do not rise up as a people, and welcome her in, bandage her wounds, feed and comfort her in her hour of greatest need. God expects more than our crumbs this time; He wants us to give our very selves to Him in this cause--to put ourselves, and our wealth, at His disposal so that He might once and for all answer the prayers of this nation---and redeem us from our national narcissm at the same time.
