Musings at the end of year 5760

Dear friends:

Some musings at the end of Jewish year 5760:

1. On the modern Jewish calendar, year 5760 ended on September 29 and the new year, 5761, began on September 30, 2000 (actually, eve of the 29th).  However, according to Rabbi Michael Rood, based on God's calendar instructions given to Moses, there is about a month's error in the modern calendar and 5761 will really not begin until October 28.

2. There were many reasons to believe that the year 5760 would be a pivotal prophetic year, perhaps with the rapture and/or the destruction of the Tribulation beginning. It still may be possible. Events surrounding Israel right now support that idea. Israel seems to have reached an
unprecedented moment of truth with the Arab world and, indeed, the whole hostile world.

3. Or, the proper interpretation could be that 5760 would be the last year BEFORE these things transpire, and they are just on the horizon. 

4. Some helpful historical perpective. The sense that we are at or extremely near the end of the age and Christ's return seems pervasive worldwide. Friend Anita Mashburn advises me that in his commentary on Matthew chapter 1, world-renowned Scottish New Testament interpreter William Barclay cites many examples of Messiah's first visit to the earth being expected throughout virtually all cultures. That reminded me of similar information given in Fulton J. Sheen's outstanding 1958 book, "Life of Christ." Sheen even provides historical evidence from China that Messiah was expected. In my opinion, this was Holy Spirit revelation planted in the hearts of people. But it could have also been from the available writings of the Hebrew prophets, especially Daniel, or both.

5. We have both today. The Holy Spirit seems to be bearing witness to millions of people in every culture that Messiah's return is near. Plus, we have the prophets telling us the same thing. According to the interpretation of Daniel 9 by Sir Isaac Newton and others, we are at the door. Daniel was the one given the timing of Jesus' first visit, and maybe the second.

6. While I have never really been sure myself, most look for the rapture on the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah), just past on the modern calendar.  Perhaps it will be on the corrected calendar. However, others look for it on other feast days, such as Pentecost. Some are looking to the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles, beginning October 14.

7. The other night I got a call from a knowledgeable fellow in Oregon whom I have never met, but I spoke with him several years ago. He said a dentist friend had wondered if perhaps God had given the church 490 years just as He gave Israel in Daniel 9. Out of curiosity, he decided to go back to
when Martin Luther nailed his theses on the door and the Protestant Reformation began on October 31, 1517 and count forward exactly 490 prophetic (360-day) years. After the prophetic/Gregorian year conversions to several decimal points, he said he landed precisely on October 14, 2000,
the first day of Tabernacles!

That call was within 1-2 days of another call I received from Ron Reese of Maranatha Ministries. Ron is still fully convinced that the final seven years began with the Wye Agreement between Israel and the PLO on October 23, 1998, and he has some interesting arguments. He called to tell me that he was studying in Genesis 45 and remembered that Joseph (a type of Christ) "revealed himself to his brethren" (symbolic?) after TWO years of the seven bad years. Ron decided to count forward exactly two prophetic years from the Wye agreement on October 23, 1998, and he said landed exactly on October 14, 2000, the first day of Tabernacles!

(Remember, Tabernacles, or Succoth, is an 8-day feast.)

The above two calls were independent, within a couple of days of each other, before Rosh HaShanah, and the findings were unknown to one another.

Some will criticize Ron and the dentist for seeking the Lord for specific timing, but I applaud their vigilence and diligence, and their pressing in. May God bless and reward them. I do not know the dentist, but Ron is a true watchman, who when he errs he picks himself up by the grace of God and presses on.

Whether or not Jesus comes or does not come on a specific hoped-for date, or whether or not events play out in a scenario exactly as we understand it, we should continually be encouraged that, like the privileged ones alive when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there are numerous reasons to believe
that we are that chosen generation to see His promised return.

We are closer today than we were yesterday. Be encouraged! Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh!

The predictable scoffers will continue to come out from under the rocks, full of self-pride and cynicism, but remember that they too were prophesied and are yet another sign! They were around when Jesus first showed up 2,000 years ago.

Jim