03-28-23
In The Word
with R.D.
SEASONS
SIGNS
DAYS, YEARS AND
TIMES
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(Genesis 1:14-16 KJ)
(14) And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
(15) And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
(16) And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
....(1 Thessalonians 5: 1-3 KJ) But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
(2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
(3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
(Matthew 16:3 KJ) And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
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God starts dividing things very early in the Scriptures. He starts on the first page. God says, "Let there be light:" (Gen 1:3 King James)...and divided "the light from the darkness." (4). Incidentally, the sun and moon haven't been made yet (16). But there is already light there before they are made:
....(John 8:12 KJ) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
All things were made by the Light:
....(Colossians 1:16,17 KJ) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
....(17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Notice something very interesting up there in (Gen 1:14 KJ)
...."and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:"
......."for seasons,"
The disciples ask the Lord Jesus a question right before He ascends back up to His Father.
( Incidentally, some "modern versions" of the Scriptures call Joseph Jesus' Father in (Lk 2:33). The King James the Word of God has it correctly there: "And Joseph and his mother"). Joseph wasn't Jesus' daddy.
The question they asked the Lord Jesus was:
....(Acts 1:6 KJ) When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
(The word "again" is also left out in so-called modern versions..., as if to infer by its absence that Israel never had a kingdom (see: 1 Sam 9:15f f.,...but I digress.)
That Israel is God's kingdom on the earth, made up of the children of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the 12 tribes, is seen throughout the Scriptures. For example, (Exod 19:5,6; Mt 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; Lk 12:32; Heb 12:28; 1 Pet 2:9 KJ).
Notice what our Lord Jesus says to His disciples:
(Acts 1:7 KJ) And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
......."It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,"
So the disciples (Representatives of believing Israel) are 'not' to know the times or the seasons. Why? Because they were blinded because of unbelief. For how long? Forever? No.
FOR A SEASON
(Acts 13:8-11 KJ) But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
(9) Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
(10) And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
(11) And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
"FOR A SEASON"
Elymas the sorcerer, a type of Israel in unbelief and apostacy, is a SIGN to Israel that they would be "diminished" (Rom 11:12 KJ); this happens throughout the book of Acts, from Israel being above the nations, "above all people" (Exod 19:5 KJ), and from being God's "kingdom of priests," (Exod 19:6 KJ)..., to being equal with the Gentile nations (Gal 3:28 KJ).
FOR A SEASON
That is, God is not through with Israel. He will never be through with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The entire Scriptures say this. It is truly amazing how many denominations believe otherwise, that they are are now Israel etc.
(Jeremiah 31:31,33,35,36 KJ) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
(33) But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
(35) Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:
(36) If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
If you believe that God is done with Israel you don't believe the Word of God.
The season of Israel being blinded spiritually, starting after Stephen was stoned (Acts 7:59 KJ), i.e , that message that the Lord's citizens in Israel sent Him after He had resurrected and sat down at the Father's right hand (Lk 19:14 KJ), will end when the "woman" (Israel) (Gen 37:9; Rev 12:1 KJ) is "travailing in birth," i.e., the 7 year tribulation the time of "Jacob's trouble" (Jery 30:7 KJ). That is the time when the "little flock" (Lk 12:32 KJ) of Jewish believers will "flee into the mountains:" (Mt 24:15 f f.; Mic 7:14,15; Hos 2:14,15; Rev 12: 6,14 - KJ), after the anti-Christ sets up the abomination of desolation (Mt 24:15 KJ).
This fall of Israel and the blindness of Israel was also typified, as they went into captivity, when Nebuchadnezzar "put out the eyes of Zedekiah, who was the king of Judah, when they were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar.
So the fall of Israel, politically and spiritually, was typified in 2 signs: the blinding of Israel 'politically' when Zedekiah was blinded and the blinding 'spiritually' of Israel when "Bar-jesus" (or Elymas - Acts 12:6,8 KJ) was blinded. The first blinding happened when Judah fell politically and was taken into captivity, something that God warned Israel about in (Lev 26:32,33 KJ).
That first typification of the blindness of Judah (the blinding by Nebuchadnezzar of King Zedekiah - 2 Kings 25:7 KJ) was reflected in their 70 years of captivity- Jery 25:11 KJ). The 2nd one is much longer. It goes for 490 years, starting with the end of the 70 year captivity and extending all the way to the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ (Dan 9:24-27 KJ).
The first blinding of Israel was to cleanse the land of Israel for 70 years (Lev 26:34; Jery 25:11 KJ) The 'sabbath was a "sign" given to Israel, for them to know that God was the one who sanctified them (Ezek 20:12 KJ). Israel was to have a sabbath of rest for the land every 7 years (Lev 25:3,4 KJ). But they did not let the land lie fallow as they were supposed to. God sent His people into captivity for 70 years because of this, along with other reasons,..sin, worshipping of false gods, despising God's words etc., (2 Chro 36:16 KJ).
The 2nd blinding of Israel is for 490 years (Dan 9:24 KJ). It started when they were told to leave their captivity, after 70 years, and to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild it (Dan 9:25 KJ). This 490 year time period of the cleansing of the children of Israel was interrupted at the cross. There are 7 years left. That last 7 years, the time of Jacob’s trouble, the 7 year tribulation, will begin when the soon coming anti-Christ confirms a 7 year covenant with the many (Dan 9:27 KJ).
Israel will, without any doubt whatsoever, be God's kingdom nation upon this earth (Mt 8:11; Lk 12:32; Dan 2:44 etc), at the end of that last 7 year period, i.e., Daniel's 70th "week" of years. A "week" in (Dan 9:27 KJ) = 7 years. Israel's blindness (Rom 11:25,26 KJ) is temporary....and it's almost over ....any time now:
....(Romans 11:25,26 KJ) For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
(26) And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
(Luke 12:32 KJ) Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
(Matthew 8:11 KJ) And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:35 KJ) Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
(Luke 19:12 KJ) He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
(Daniel 2:44 KJ) And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Finally, concerning that Woman (the nation of Israel) in travail, i.e., Israel in the 7 year tribulation, etc. The believing remnant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will distinguish themselves as believers in Jesus Christ when they flee to the mountains (Mt 24:16; Mic 7:14,15 KJ). This will happen when the anti- Christ goes into the 3rd Temple in Jerusalem in the midst of the 3 1/2 years mark of the last 7 years (Dan 9:27; Mt 24:15; 2 Thess 2:3,4 KJ) and claims to be God.
But something very interesting happens 'before' Israel gives birth to her "little flock" (Lk 12:32, i.e., her little flock of Jewish believers being born in one day.
She gives birth to the "man - child" BEFORE she travails - i.e., she gives birth to those 144,000 Jewish male witnesses (Isa 66:7; Rev 7, 14 KJ), i.e., those brothers of the Lord (Mt 25:40 KJ), that will begin Israel's being God's "kingdom of priests" again, during the first half of the last 7 years, becoming God's "kingdom of priests" on the earth (Exod of 19:5,6; Isa 61:6; 1 Pet 2:9 KJ).
....(Isaiah 66:7 KJ) Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
...."man child"
And who is this "man-child"?
The 144,000 Jewish brethren of the Lord (Mt 25:40; Rev 7, 14; Isa 66:7 KJ) are the man-child:
(Jeremiah 51:19,20 KJ) The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.
(20) Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
(Psalms 2:9 KJ) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
(Revelation 2:26,27 KJ) And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
(27) And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
(Revelation 12:5 KJ) And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
The 144,000 (Rev 14:1 KJ) are raptured up to heaven at the midpoint of the last 7 years:
(Revelation 14:1 KJ)
And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
That would be the Zion in heaven yall:
(Hebrews 12:22 KJ) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
....Incidentally, in turning to the book of Hebrews, do you ever first go to the Old Testament to turn to it? Wonder why that is?
(Hebrews - Revelation) is God's kingdom on earth program re-starting...i.e., His instructions to believing Israel, those Jews who believe on their Messiah Jesus Christ, for what God expects of them and wants them to do in the 7 year tribulation. That is why you see those books talking directly to Israel again (Heb 1:1,2; Jam1:1; 1 Pet 1:1; Jude 17 etc). The Church has left in the rapture and God is in (Heb - Rev KJ) restarting His kingdom of heaven program. God is picking up in (Hebrews 1:1,2) with saying who He had been speaking to prior to the church of today..i.e., to the "fathers" by the "prophets". That would be the Hebrews/Jews that God was speaking to by the prophets. That is not us the Gentiles being spoken to. Then in the very next verse (Heb 1:2 KJ) we are at the "last days". The grace dispensation (Eph 1:2 KJ) is gone. The church has been raptured off the earth. When the prophets were speaking back there in "time past" (Heb 1:1 KJ), or, pre - Church age that started with Paul (1 Tim 1:16 KJ), it wasn't to the "Body of Christ", us in the church of today (Eph 1:20,21; Col 1:24 KJ). Why? The church was a secret at that time (1 Cor 2:7,8; Eph 3:1-5, 9; Col 1:24-26; Rom 16:25 KJ).
The Lord Jesus didn't tell the disciples about His "mystery" church...(Eph 3 KJ). Pentecost wasn't the beginning of the "dispensation of grace", the church that God didn't start till Paul (1 Tim 1:16 KJ). The "middle wall of partition" (Eph 2:14 KJ) was still up between Jew and Gentile directly following the cross. Why didn't the Lord tell the Hebrew church, i.e., the disciples, about the "one new man", the Jews and Gentiles, both in "one body" grace church that he didn't start till Paul (Eph 2:15,16 KJ)?
(Acts 1:7 KJ) And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
God gave Israel one extra year, after the cross, to change their mind about Him (Lk 13:6-9 KJ). Their "message" to God was, approximately one year after the cross, the stoning of Stephen who was full of the Holy Ghost (Lk 19:14; Acts 7:58 KJ).
The disciples eventually 'did' find out about the grace church age.. but not until God wanted them to know...
..."which the Father hath put in his own power."
(Galatians 2:8,9 KJ) (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
(9) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
“and they unto the circumcision."
So...the disciples, James, Cephas and John, are only going to go to the circumcision (i.e., the Jews) now? I thought they were supposed to go to the whole world in those final instructions the Lord Jesus gave them (Mt 28:19 KJ)? God's kingdom of priests, the Jews, will go to all nations. But until the Lord Jesus returns, they will not even get through the "uttermost par(t)" of it, i.e., through all the cities of Israel (Mt 10:23; Acts 1:8 KJ).
See, the uttermost par(t) of the earth is Israel (Acts 1:8 KJ); the uttermost part(s) are the Gentile (heathen) nations (Psalm 2:8 KJ)
The disciples did not make it through all of Israel (Mt 10:23; Acts 8:1 KJ). When the religious leaders stoned Stephen, God began immediately to diminish Israel (Rom 11:12 KJ), as His kingdom nation, blinded Saul, (Acts 9:8 KJ), for a short season, gave Saul his sight back and started the grace church (Acts 20:24; Eph 3:2 KJ
Another example of the prophets speaking to Israel and not the church of today can be seen in (Joel 3 KJ). Joel prophesied of the Holy Spirit being sent (Joel 3:28,29 KJ) and of end time judgments (Joel 3:30,31 KJ). But you will find nothing about the church age there in (Acts 2) at Pentecost. Why? Because God kept the “dispensation of grace” church of today a secret, till Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles (Rom 11:13; Rom 16:25 KJ). This secret/mystery (Eph 3:6 KJ) and the preaching of Jesus Christ, “according to the Revelation of the mystery” (Rom 16:25 KJ), i.e., not the “kingdom of heaven” is here gospel, that John the baptist, the Lord Jesus, and the disciples preached (Mt 3:2;4:17;10:7 KJ), which will be preached again during the 7 year tribulation (Mt 24:14 KJ), by the “man-child” (Rev 7:4; 14:1; Rev 25:40 KJ), is what Paul's gospel, that God will judge the secrets of the world by (Rom 2:16 KJ), is based upon.
The 144,000 will preach that same gospel of the kingdom message that John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus and His disciples preached (Mt 24:14 KJ).
The season that brother Paul said we would know about (1 Thess 5 KJ) is upon us. Israel has the signs...we, the church of today have the times and seasons.
And friends, the last TRUMP seriously appears to be upon us...
SIGNS
Israel was specifically given signs by the Lord.
Back there in (Gen 1:14,16 KJ) the "two great lights" were the sun and moon. And they were to be for signs, seasons, days and years.
Something particular to Israel, God's kingdom nation on this earth, is that He gave the nation of Israel "signs" (Isa 8:18 KJ). Moses cast his rod down on the ground at the burning bush and it became a serpent (Exod 4:3 KJ). Then Moses put his hand in his bosom and when he took it out it was "leprous as snow." This was called the "latter sign".
God said to Moses at Mt Sinai:
....(Exodus 4:8 KJ) And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
The "latter sign" happened, temporarily, to Miriam, Moses' sister. She became leprous challenging her brother Moses' God given authority. She also had a problem with her brother Moses marrying an Ethiopian, a Cushite, a woman of color.
....(Numbers 12:10 KJ) And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
......."white as snow:" Sound familiar? That's exactly how God described the "latter sign" of leprosy at Mt Sinai. God, after 7 days, healed Miriam. That will not be the case of the "latter" sign in the "latter days" of the 7 year tribulation. Hear that "voice" of leprosy, a plague on those marked with Mark of the anti-Christ:
....(Revelation 16:2 KJ) And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
.......a "noisome" and grievous sore
Why did God give those 2 signs to Moses at Mt Sinai? So that when Moses returned to Egypt to take the Hebrews back to Israel (called Canaan at the time) they would "believe" that God had appeared to Moses at Mt Sinai:
....(Exodus 4:5 KJ) That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
.......God is big on people believing in His Words, and not changing them....very big on that.
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A short parenthetical here:
....(Revelation 22:19 KJ) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
.......Watch this: the modern versions change "book of life" to "tree" of life in that verse. In the very verse on the last page of the Scriptures, so that none of us will miss it, He warns us all that to take away His Words is to not go to heaven. And where do people go that don't go to heaven?
English Standard Version:
Rev 22:19
and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Watch this: One page back in (Rev 20:15) the modern versions have it correct...they have the Word "book there:
English Standard version:
Rev 20:15
And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake
But when they turn the page (not a Bob Seger song) forward 1 page to (Rev 22:19)...they change the word "book" of life to "tree" of life. 🤔
People, eternity is a long time to be wrong.
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So God gave Israel signs. They were to demonstrate who He was to them and for them to believe in Him. But what happened when they stopped believing in Him and went into apostacy?
....(Psalms 74:9 KJ) We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.
However, although Israel were given signs, such as the "fig tree" (Mt 24:32 KJ) blooming in Israel again in the latter days, i.e., Israel's Mosaic religion beginning again (think 3rd Temple here), the "seasons", our Lord Jesus said to the disciples, was 'not' for Israel to know.
But what did our Apostle Paul (Rom 11:13 KJ) say about the "times and seasons" to those of us in the grace church of today?
....(1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 KJ) But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
(2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
(3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
Notice verse 1. This is exactly opposite of what our Lord Jesus said to the kingdom church of Israel, to His disciples, remember?
....(Acts 1:7 KJ) And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
......."Not for you to know the times or the seasons,"
Things that are different are different yall.
Israel wasn't to know the seasons, but you and i are to know them. Israel, is, however, to know the "signs", which the sun, moon and stars are also to show forth (Gen 1:14; Mt 24:29,30; Lk 21:25 KJ)
Remember those seasons and days that the sun and moon were created to show forth in (Gen 1:14 KJ)? Paul, in (1 Thess 5:1 KJ) above refers to those seasons and "days" of (Gen 1:14), as seasons and "times" in (1 Thess 5:1).
Anything with things happening to our sun and moon about every day or week now starting to sound familiar here? And what did Paul say that those things happening would point to?
....(1 Thessalonians 5:2,3 KJ) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
(3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
THE DAY OF THE LORD
That isn't Sunday yall.
(Joel 2:-3 KJ) Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
(2) A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
(3) A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
Do we not hear world leaders constantly, and for some years now, in particular Israel's leaders, but also American Presidents, continually referring to the need for "peace and security" or "peace and safety"?
What time is it then?
"Sudden destruction" time.
(Think rapture of the church here).
What time is it?
"as travail upon a woman with child;"
Who is the "woman"?
She would be Israel:
(Isaiah 66:7,8 KJ) Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
(8) Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
(Revelation 12:1,2 KJ) And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
(2) And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
What season are we in now? 7 year TRIBULATION right up ahead yall.
God bless!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.