Exodus Now and Exodus Later
The Spring Festivals - looking ahead to the consummation
There is a struggle
but in Christ
we Cross to Victory
The Scriptures reveal God's plans for the end, bringing to light the way in which God will deliver His children from the Egypt of this world to be born into the new creation. The end is coming, the ultimate exodus - like a birth. There will be no avoiding it, but while troubles will come, those who continue in faith and obedience to Christ may continue to rejoice.
”When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” - Luke 21v28
Newly observed signs speak to the prophecies of Scripture in a powerful, even shocking way, but unless we have some understanding from Scripture of God's plan for the end we won't know how to interpret the signs. Therefore it is important to consider God's eschatological plan, His plan for the end as revealed in Jesus.
If this understanding proves to be true we will see a significant fulfilment of prophecy in the next few years. Then we will find great encouragement in the prophetic testimony of Jesus as it relates to the final generation.
If you haven’t yet seen the page called “God’s Plan”, please use this link:
God’s Plan - The events of the last days revealed in the testimony of Jesus
A great way to study God's plan of salvation is to examine the seven annual festivals of Israel. The religious calendar of Israel began in Spring when the Israelites celebrated four of their seven festivals. The remaining three festivals were celebrated in autumn.
In this article we will focus on the spring festivals and consider the new beginning that God provides.
Our new beginning is now, in Christ, but what we have today is only part of what God has promised. Ultimately our new beginning will be eternal life in the new creation yet to come.
A struggle comes first, and we who are Christians and who consider ourselves to be grafted in to the true “Israel” of God should understand God's way. It is good to know His plan. The final victory will be glorious, but the struggle comes first. Our victory is secured in Christ, but the battle isn’t yet over. So we have inner peace and yet we must continue to fight against sin and temptation. We must continue the struggle accepting the fact that there will be testing times in the last days, 2 Timothy 3v1.
Consider how Jacob was named Israel – Genesis 32v28
“Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”
Israel as a nation were born with a great struggle at the time of the exodus, which Jacob’s struggle foreshadowed.
In Jacob’s journey this great struggle occurred in circumstances very similar to Israel’s later exodus from Egypt. Jacob was chased by Leban as he left Harran and was very afraid of Esau up ahead, but striving for peace. A night time struggle with God took place when he was alone and about to cross the Jabbok river on his way home to God’s promised land, (Gen 32). At that time Jacob was like Israel when they were by the Red Sea as the time of birth arrived - a defining moment and great crisis as Israel received their new identity.
The Festivals of Israel
Starting at an early point, to build a solid foundation. Lets go back and examine what God reveals in ancient times through His chosen nation, Israel. Then we can progress in a logical manner considering Christ, the normal Christian life, and then finally we will arrive at the prophetic message concerning the time of the end when we shall cross the great divide into the world that is promised to come.
Israel was instructed in God's law to keep seven annual festivals which are laid out in Leviticus 23. They warn of God's judgement and celebrate His acts of salvation.
The Exodus that God worked in ancient Israel and at Jesus' first coming reveals what God will do for us in the future. A time is coming for us to leave this world so that we may enter into the new creation, the promised land of heaven.
The Hebrew word for festivals is “Moedim”, and means “appointed times”. God will bring this world to its final conclusion at the time he has chosen. Moedim also means “dress rehearsals” because Israel were required to act out God's plans every year. By studying their design we may understand God's plans for the end.
The annual Festivals of Israel required them to remember the Exodus when God rescued them from slavery in Egypt and guided them through both the sea and the wilderness into the promised land. Israel was chosen by God to be His very own nation living in the promised land, a place of great blessing that would belong to them and all their descendants for ever - if they obeyed God's law and kept his commands.
Israel failed, just as God said they would (Deut 31v16-18), but God had a much greater plan. God's promises still stand and are going ahead with great success. Where man fails, God does not.
The festivals of Israel look ahead to a greater exodus and a salvation that God has planned not just for one nation but for many peoples, even extending to creation itself. The festivals foretell how Christ accomplishes it and His plan has already begun.
Today already, we who believe in Jesus and follow Him are rescued from slavery to sin, and brought into the family of God's people. But still, a greater exodus remains.
The festivals of Israel are very prophetic. While being partly fulfilled there are important ways in which they remain unfulfilled. What Christ fulfilled at His first coming He did perfectly, but not completely. Jesus' first coming was of key importance, but we wait for a greater exodus to come at the end, when our current spiritual blessings will become fully physical. This will happen when Jesus returns.
Everyone will be involved in the greater exodus at the end, when the great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. In preparation for that day Jesus calls us to repentance, to learn obedience, and to act in faith.
The conflict between the Egyptians and the Israelites reveals to us what God will do at the end when there will be a great division. God tests our obedience and measures us in Christ. When our work here is done God will make the call and bring us out of this world into the new creation.
The Spring Festivals – Israel's Exodus story
The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for a long time, but God helped them escape from that place of suffering. He lead them through the Red Sea and through the wilderness into the land of Canaan to take possession of the promised land. The spring festivals celebrate the Exodus story and are signs and symbols that prompt us to consider the much greater Exodus yet to come when we will leave the suffering of this world and enter into heaven.
The passover festival remembers how God saved His people from the final plague of Egypt which was the death of their first born sons. The blood of the lamb that the Israelites used to mark their door posts was a special sign that they required so that the angel of death would “pass over” their homes. (Exodus 12)
The second festival, Unleavened Bread remembers the haste in which Israel left Egypt, taking dough for the journey without yeast (leaven) as they fled from Egypt (Exodus 12v34 & 39). It is called, “The bread of affliction” (Deuteronomy 16v3). During the week of Unleavened bread the Israelites got away from Egypt but were pursued by the Egyptian army. Trapped by the sea God parted the waters for them to cross over on dry ground. The Egyptians tried to follow but were drowned in an act that resembles God’s final judgement.
The third festival of Firstfruits was to be celebrated after the Israelites came into the promised land (Lev 23v10), (which would be postponed by 40 years). They were instructed to present to the LORD a wave offering of the first grain of the spring harvest. In early spring the barley harvest was the first crop to ripen, but it would not be consumed until after this festival of praise and thankfulness to God.
The fourth festival called Weeks was celebrated seven weeks, or 50 days after Firstfruits. A wave offering of new grain was presented to the LORD with two loaves baked with yeast. This was also a firstfruits festival, celebrating the first of the wheat harvest. Free will offerings were made in proportion to the blessings God had given (Deut 16v10). All the men of Israel were required to attend Jerusalem twice during the Spring to keep these two festivals.
Jesus Fulfilled the Spring Festivals
What God foreshadowed through Israel, He fulfilled in His Son, perfectly. Jesus died on Passover at the very same time that the Passover lamb was being sacrificed in the Temple. Jesus is called, “the Lamb of God” (Jn 1v29), and His blood has the power to free us from slavery to sin and eternal death.
Jesus lived a sinless life. Where yeast represents sin, Jesus was perfectly pure like unleavened bread. Jesus never lived for sinful passions, He was dead to sin, and taking the penalty for our sin, He lay dead in the tomb during the festival of Unleavened Bread.
Jesus rose from the grave on the day of Firstfruits. While He rose very early in the morning He did not present himself to His heavenly Father until later that day (John 20v17), perhaps to coincide with the offering of Firstfruits by the priests in the Temple. Jesus is the first born from the dead, and He is called “the firstfruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor 15v20).
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit 50 days later, on the Feast of Weeks, which we call Pentecost. According to the Exodus chronology the Jews also celebrate the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai during this Festival, and now by God's Spirit the law of Christ is written on our hearts. Therefore Jesus fulfilled God's plan of salvation perfectly according to the Spring Festivals.
There is much more of Biblical significance to study in appreciating how Jesus fulfils the Spring Festivals, some of which comes to light as we consider how the festivals relate to the Christian walk.
Christians fulfill the Spring Festivals Today
Coming to Christ and becoming a Christian involves the same ideas found in the Exodus story. The festivals of Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and Weeks become part of our own testimony in symbolic ways as we hear the call to repent and leave our old 'Egyptian' life of slavery to sin. When we come to Christ we fulfil God's plan of salvation as laid out in the spring festivals.
We admit our slavery problem, our slavery to sin, and call out to God for help. By the power of the cross, and blood of the Lamb we escape the death penalty of sin. In Christ we overcome the power of sin. Being forgiven and accepted by God, we become holy and separate, free from the power of the enemy. Now we live new lives, receiving rich blessings from God and yielding the fruit of the Spirit.
Our Christian Passover relies on the blood of Jesus Who is our passover lamb. Our Passover involves an escape from the power of sin and eternal death. Though Jesus we escape the typological slavery of Egypt and their plagues. God sets us free from the prince of this world, the typological Pharaoh who is Satan so that we may receive the blessings of eternal life and the freedom to serve God.
We eat unleavened bread and remove the old yeast from our homes metaphorically speaking as we remove sinful passions from our hearts. This can sometimes leave us feeling a little flat (excuse the pun), but bad yeast poisons the soul and so must be removed. Jesus especially hated the yeast of the Pharisees (Mat 16v6). We know God hates sin but sometimes we still mess up. Only Jesus was perfect.
Sometimes we can feel trapped by sin as the Israelites were trapped in Egypt. Even when we try to escape the power of sin we can feel defeated as when the Egyptian army came chasing after Israel as they left Egypt. We don't surrender to sin, nor continue as slaves to unrighteousness. We call out to God for help and break that sin cycle. We flee from sin. We die to sin and in this way we participate in Jesus' death on the cross in obedience to his call to “take up your cross and follow me”.
Crossing the Red Sea represents this death and resurrection. It is a kind of baptism (1 Cor 10v2). We cross over safely by the power of Jesus' victory over sin and death. We escape from slavery to fleshly selfish desires that war against our souls. By God's power we overcome these enemies, and as we live victoriously those enemies become like Pharaoh and his army who were drowned in the sea.
When we receive the truth, believing and acting on it we cross to victory through Jesus and obtain new life. In Christ we cross the sea of God's judgement and come to know His great salvation. In this way we partake in the first resurrection, and as followers of Jesus we are born again into the kingdom of God fulfilling the Firstfruits festival.
James 1v18, “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”
Rom 8v22 “...we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit...”
The Israelites couldn't fulfil the festivals of Firstfruits or the Feast of Weeks until after they entered the promised land. Likewise Jesus' disciples had to wait for Jesus to enter into heaven before they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is poured out on us like life giving water as we act in faith with truth. We are like drink offerings to God by His Spirit, having the Kingdom of God within.
We obey the law of Christ and bear fruit to God by the power of His Spirit. The harvests that we now bring in to God's spiritual temple are good deeds which are called, “the fruit of the Spirit”. Gal 5v22 - “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” As we produce these things we store up riches in heaven.
During the Feast of Weeks the Jews were required to offer two loaves baked with yeast. Now by God's Spirit we have 'the yeast of heaven' within us (Mat 13v33). Yeast is also likened to the kingdom of God in Luke 13v20-21. We sow seeds of truth and reap harvests of righteousness. Two by two we bear witness to Jesus, maturing in our faith as the holy body and bread of Christ.
With Holy Spirit yeast of the kingdom of God we build each other up in the faith to become pleasing loaves of bread fit to be presented as genuine spiritual sacrifices of worship to God in the true temple of his body, which is the Church.
We walk by the Spirit, and live according to the truth. By faith and obedience to Jesus we live victorious lives that bear good fruit to God, producing harvests of righteousness.
In summary – up to present time
In summary - We fulfill the spring feasts with Israel in our own personal exodus journeys. We escape the plague of death that struck the Egyptians as we come to faith in Jesus, Who is our passover lamb. We are getting rid of the yeast of sin as we escape from our old life of slavery to fleshly desires. In this way we cross the Red Sea and participate with Jesus in His death and resurrection.
We put to death our sinful nature and are now born again as firstfruits to God in the spiritual sense. Arriving at Mount Zion we now live new spirit filled lives of obedience to the law of Christ, and as we do so we bring in 'the wheat', more first fruits which represent new believers. With acts of obedience which are spiritual sacrifices we worship God, and we reap glorious harvests of righteousness.
God established the festival pattern in Israel and fulfilled it in Jesus. Now we are called the children of Abraham, and the children of God. We are Jesus' brethren. As Abraham's offspring we are Israel. We are united in Christ and we fulfil prophecy with Him. Having come out of spiritual Egypt and received God's Holy Spirit, we have God's kingdom within us. So we fulfil the festivals and live out God's plan.
The prophet said, “Out of Egypt I call my son” (Mat 2v15). Just as Jesus fulfilled this pattern, now in Christ we too participate in that Exodus story. Since Pentecost God's people enjoy living victorious lives in God's kingdom by His Spirit. We have God's power and are a kingdom of priests offering sacrifices of praise and worship to God. We enjoy great heavenly blessings through Jesus.
But...
God's plan is not yet complete and our glory is still unseen. There is a greater Exodus still to come. The consummation of the Kingdom of God will only be accomplished when Jesus returns. We are waiting for a final birth into the new creation. It will involve a final calling of God's children out of the Egypt of this world in the last days. The greater exodus at the end is the prophetic aspect of the spring festivals.
Before we consider the ultimate fulfilment of the spring festivals, lets consider our great gospel age blessings once more, as they are summed up in Revelation chapter 20 on the millennium.
Millennial blessings now – First Resurrection, First Exodus, Firstfruits of the Kingdom
The topic of the millennium in Revelation chapter 20 causes a lot of debate among Christians but peace and unity are of great worth. I hold the “Amillennial” view. If you hold a different view, that's ok. Please be patient with me on this.
Some of my most loved friends have different views on the millennium, and those friends are a great blessing to me. It's good to listen to each other because man sharpens man as iron sharpens iron. Pray, let the discussion will be for the good, to the glory of God.
The spring festivals celebrate the millennial blessings of Revelation 20 that we now have in Christ. The Amillennial view holds that these blessings are currently being enjoyed in the gospel age which now spans about 2000 years, so not an exact or literal 1000 years.
On the other hand, the “post-millennial” and “pre-millennial” views both look to a future fulfilment of the millennial age of blessing, the main difference being whether Jesus returns “pre” or “post” - before or after the millennium.
The amillennial view can be traced back to the early church. A few centuries ago the amillennial view was called “post-millennial” because like the post-millennialists, we believe the end comes after the millennium. However amillennialists believe the end is a whole lot closer because we believe the millennium began at Pentecost while many post-millennialists think of it as a future age of blessing.
The Millennium of Protection
The millennium is a time of God's blessing during which His people have divine protection, so that Satan cannot deceive all the nations into attacking us - until the end. Therefore we have never faced a totally united and overwhelming attack on the faith. Despite sporadic and even severe persecutions the church has continued, and often thrived because Satan is being restrained.
Rev 20v1-3
“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.”
2Thess 2v1-3, & v6-8a
“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction...
6 And you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawlessness one will be revealed...”
The millennial blessings that we currently enjoy are good, and we can often take them for granted. When the angel who came down with a chain to bind Satan 'arises', there will be a great distress. Thank God that it will only be for “a short time” Rev 20v3, or a time “cut short” Mat 24v22.
Dan 11v40a, 12v1-2a
40 “At the time of the end... 12v1 At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake”
Satan is bound so that we may be protected. Therefore we do not suffer great tribulation, or at least not all at once. We may suffer from time to time, but on the whole we live and reign as priests of God.
The Demons and Satan restrained
Rev 20v2-3a
“2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended.”
Satan was bound nearly 2000 years ago when Jesus defeated him at the cross. As Jesus was considering his death and explaining why He had to die, He said,
John 12v31
“Now is the time for judgement on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
Satan remains defeated while we are preaching the gospel. In Luke 10 Jesus sent out 72 believers, two by two, two preach the good news of the Kingdom, and they had great power (as will the two witnesses in the last days - Revelation 11).
The 72 came back with great joy for they had God's power.
Luke 10v17-18,
“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”
This is our millennial blessing, the power that we have while Satan is being restrained. We have God's power while we are being His witnesses, until the great commission is complete.
Not only Satan, but the demons too are being restrained in the Abyss. One man who Jesus met was possessed by many demons, and thus the name was “Legion”. The demons begged Jesus not to send them into the Abyss, so Jesus sent them into the pigs instead. It was a short reprieve as the pigs charged straight down the hill into the water and were drowned. - Luke 8v27-39
Both the prince who is Satan, and his demons have largely been driven out of this world, and are being restrained in the Abyss. They are not completely removed as demonic activity and wickedness are still clearly evident, but to a large degree evil is being held back in this current age, although the concern is that the power of Satan's deception will grow strongly just before Jesus returns.
Our Current Millennial Blessings in Christ
According to the Amillennial way of thinking, we have the millennial blessings of Revelation 20 today, through Christ in spiritual ways.
Rev 20v4b-6
“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years... This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part of the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”
We have great blessings from God now, in this current age:
Eph 1v3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Consider our first death and first resurrection as you read the below verses. Understand how as a kingdom of priests we now live and reign with Christ in the current millennial Gospel age.
2 Cor 5v17-18a
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ”
Col 2v12-13a
“having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ.”
Col 3v1
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”
Eph 2v4-7
“because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 5v17
“For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.“
As Christians we are richly blessed by God to know His righteousness which is freely given to us through faith in Jesus, by the power of his victory at the cross. While we share this good news we are God's witnesses and His priests. While Satan is being restrained we have God's protection and reign with Christ during this whole gospel age. Therefore the amillennial view sees the millennium to be symbolic of this whole time between Jesus' first coming, and up until just before He returns.
The Millennium in Exodus
Israel was born as a nation at the Exodus which for them was a kind of resurrection event. After coming up out of Egypt, the Israelites met with God at Mount Sinai where God promised, “you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”. (Deut 19v6).
This relates directly to the millennium of Revelation 20, “Blessed and holy are those who have part of the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” Rev 20v6
This is also how the church is described in Revelation 5v10, “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God and they will reign on the earth.” This is made possible by Jesus' victory at the cross as the previous verse says, “with your blood you purchased men for God” (Rev 5v9). It is thanks to Jesus victory for us at the cross, and his defeat of Satan.
Typologically we see Satan's defeat at the time of the Exodus. The Pharaoh who represented Satan went after Israel when they escaped from Egypt. God's people feared they were about to be destroyed, but God saved them, and destroyed the Egyptians when crossing the Red Sea - Exodus 14.
On the first day of the third month after Israel had experienced this resurrection event and come up out of Egypt they arrived at Mount Sinai, and God spoke to them through the prophet Moses. This word to Israel came in preparation for receiving the law which coincides chronologically with the feast of weeks, and which corresponds to the receiving of God's Spirit Pentecost.
Exodus 19v4-6a
4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’
Jesus fulfilled the Exodus for us, and while Satan remains bound in the Abyss at the bottom of the Red Sea, we are blessed. We have new life in Christ, living out the victory, the freedom and blessings of Jesus’ Exodus in our own lives. Since the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost we continue to live and reign as God's kingdom of priests.
We fulfil the exodus when we come to Christ receiving His death and resurrection, being born again. Typologically and historically this word of God through Moses is fulfilled within us by the pouring out of God's Spirit at Pentecost. It describes the power of our resurrection life in the kingdom, now living and reigning as Gods priests in His holy nation, the true church. The kingdom is within us.
Revelation 20v6
“Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”
The millennial blessings of Revelation 20 relate strongly to all four of the spring festivals in the following ways: (the festival in bold and how it relates to Revelation 20 underlined).
We have the Passover sign, the seal of God's millennial protection by faith in Jesus, and as His flock we take up our own cross in obedience to Jesus. So we participate in His blood sacrifice.
We remove the yeast of sin (unleavened bread), overcoming its slavery and removing its 'mark' from our lives. We don't serve Pharaoh or any evil beast of this world (Rev 20v4).
We are the firstfruits of the Kingdom having the first exodus and the first resurrection.
We bring in more firstfruits, (feast of weeks) as we harvest the wheat which represents winning souls to God, for since Pentecost we serve as priests, living and reigning victoriously.
Satan is bound since he was defeated at the cross. We are now free, having the first exodus and the firstfruits of the first resurrection. This is our new life in Christ. The “second death” (Rev 20v6) has no power over us for we are a Kingdom of priests and we reign with Christ, but we have not yet received the full glories of His Kingdom.
There is a parallel between our current lives and Israel's wilderness wanderings. We are at the in-between stage of having been brought out of Egypt but not having yet entered the promised land. We receive the freedom of Christ but have not yet received our full inheritance or the glories of the life to come.
Until this age is complete we must continue to live out our exodus journey, and we will still face physical death and judgement, but if we remain in Christ we certainly won't face hell. We will pass through judgement in Christ and enter into His eternal and glorious kingdom.
For those who question the ‘millennial’ greatness of this past 2000 years, I would suggest that with the growing flood of deception in society the millennium will soon become more clearly recognisable - in hindsight. The glorious age during which many people would at least acknowledge the truth of Scripture and acknowledge the Church as having God's priestly authority - is becoming a thing of the past.
At the decline of this age, when the day of the Lord reaches evening time, the amillennialist view does not anticipate a pre tribulation rapture. When a powerful deception fully takes hold of all the nations of the world (Rev 20v7-8) a major conflict of ideologies will occur leading to a great persecution, a tribulation, the worst suffering occurring just prior to the second coming of Jesus (Rev 20v9-10).
God hardened the heart of Pharaoh in ancient times, and likewise, He will do it again at the end of the age when the final Antichrist takes his throne. Then God will act to accomplish the final exodus of the saints from this world, bringing His people into the promised land of heaven. Then will come the final judgement on all His enemies, and our kingdom will not be limited to a millennial age but will be established for eternity.
While I call my view an “amillennial” view, I also feel that many amillennialists over spiritualise and often lean too far toward the “partial-preterist view” - saying that the final crisis has already occurred in the events of 70AD, but still agreeing that Jesus is coming soon.
While I understand that 70 AD was 'a' fulfilment, I don't believe that it was 'the final' fulfilment. With important events expected to take place just before Jesus returns my view of Revelation 20 is amillennial with a special futurist focus on the events expected to follow the millennium, occurring in the days immediately prior to Jesus’s second coming. We may be instructed by the pattern of prophecy and the testimony of Jesus.
In view of the end, having considered our past exodus that we fulfil spiritually in Christ, and the millennial blessings that we now enjoy, we can look forward to one more great exodus in the future when we will leave this fallen world and cross over to the new and perfect world to come:
Millennium now ---> The warning plagues and the final generation ---> The final Exodus to Heaven.
Again,
The Gospel age ---> Testing times in the last days ---> The final Exodus and second coming of Jesus
The Greater Exodus
Still to come
Jesus did not fully accomplish all God's purposes at His first coming. Jesus fulfilled the spring festivals, and also the law and the prophets, but he did not abolish them. These things remain until the end (Mat 5v17-18). The festival system was given as “a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.” (Lev 23v14b, 21b, 31b, 41b). Their ultimate purpose remains to the end.
There is an important sense in which we are now living as the Israelites lived while they were still in Egypt. We are not yet in our promised land which is heaven. This world is corrupt, polluted and wearing out. Our lives here are temporary. Like Israel in Egypt we are in slavery, in bondage to decay and we wait for the redemption of our bodies, Rom 8v21 and 23. That final exodus is still ahead of us.
Therefore our salvation is both now and not yet. We live out the spiritual blessings of the festivals today thanks to Jesus, but the final fulfilment, our ultimate exodus remains until heaven and earth pass away. Only then “will everything be accomplished” (Mat 5v18). Our final transformation will be the greatest. That exodus will be completely physical, spiritual, and eternal.
Fire, blood, water and Spirit
Just imagine for a moment how we will go from this world into heaven. When this world was created the waters above were separated from the waters below, (Gen 1v6-8). When we make our final exodus and leave the Egypt of this world we must cross through that great sea above, so to speak, to enter into heaven. We will 'cross over' when Jesus appears in the sky to take us to His heavenly Father.
This is an ancient word picture. The picture is truth, but it is tempting not to see the picture due to being distracted into questioning the details. It is not helpful to begin debating what is literal and what is symbolic because first we need to understand the general framework of God's plan. The details will become evident later.
The second coming of Jesus is like the miracle of the parting of the seas, but when the waters above part we will see fire in the sky.
By God's word the world was created out of water and then deluged in ancient times, with Noah's flood, similarly the end will come by fire.
2 Peter 3v7
“By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of ungodly men.”
Peter says that for God a day is like a thousand years, before continuing. Consider the final exodus:
2 Peter 3v10
“The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.”
2 Peter 3v13
“That day will bring the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
God's angel of death won't harm us in the end, because Jesus will call us up by the sound of a trumpet, and we will rise to safety through that great doorway in the sky. It's door posts will be stained with the blood of many passover lambs, those chosen as the best of God's flock, those of the final generation who's lives are sacrificed - the blood of the martyrs during the great tribulation.
United in the death and resurrection of Christ, the blood of our suffering in the last hour will be put on display, the blood of the Passover lamb, the sign of our protection will mark the door posts of the sky.
Mathew 24v29-31
29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
This same account is given in more detail in Revelation 6v9 – 7v17.
“The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up” (Rev 6v14), and faced with judgement the people of the world will mourn. They will hide themselves in caves and among the rocks of the mountains (Rev 6v15). But we will act in faith. Instead of fleeing from that great fire in the sky, we will be drawn toward it – beautiful, pure, holy and righteous, the fire of God's life giving Spirit.
Just as the Israelites followed God's pillar of fire through the Red Sea (Ex 14v24), we will cross the great divide into the new creation, guided by the purifying fires of obedience and faithfulness to God's holiness and righteousness, made known to us at the cross of Christ.
When Jesus comes in judgement He will be as lightening that comes from east is visible even in the west (Mat 24v27). He will save His people from destruction, and we will cross through the judgement fire – that “Red Sea” as we leave the Egypt of this world and cross over into the new creation. This is a picture of salvation with refinement. Judgement begins with the family of God (1 Peter 4v17a).
Mat 3v11b-12
“He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
The final exodus is be likened to birth. We are already born of the Spirit, but in the end we will be born into the new creation. This final birth will be fully physical, and involving all of creation. Global birth pains will come, and then there will be one great final struggle as the fruit of earth's womb is gathered into God's glorious Kingdom, where it will be enjoyed for eternity.
The earth is like a woman in labour. When her 'waters break', as 'the seas part', she will give birth to her dead, and we will be born into the new creation. Birth is a bloody and painful process. There is blood sacrifice at Passover, and so her pains grow. Through suffering we will enter into glory. The way will be opened for us to cross through the broken and bloody waters of the 'Red Sea'.
That final birth will be a baptism for the spirit - a baptism of fire as fire relates to judgement. In Revelation 15v2 we see why the sea is red - it is “glowing with fire”. Having suffered as Christ suffered, having being sanctified, having passed through the sea, being made holy by the blood of Christ, and united in Christ through death and resurrection, we will be born into the new creation.
Revelation 15v1-4
I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:
“Great and marvelous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
4 Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
This song of Moses is found in Exodus 15, and was sung after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, in celebration of their victory over the Egyptians.
Exodus 15v1, & 13
“I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.”
“In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.”
When Jesus died there was water and blood (John 19v34). So, this will be the nature of our final exodus as we are being sanctified and made into the exact representation of God's Son. Blood like fire is for purification and refinement, water for purification and life. Through the water and the blood we will leave this world and cross over to the next. Then we will receive new heavenly bodies.
1 John 5v6-10a
“This is the one who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has his testimony in his heart.”
Revelation 19v10b-12a
“Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire,”
When the heavens open there will be a roaring fire in the sky. We will pass through the fire.
When the earth gives birth to her dead we will rise. We will cross through the waters above.
To meet with God we must be transformed through judgement, through both fire and water we will be baptised into Christ. We will be changed in the twinkling of God's fiery eye. We must be made completely perfect in every way, leaving behind all that is mortal and putting on immortality, and we will be glorified in Christ when He comes.
Understand the Mystery of God - in the Greater Exodus
Ephesians 1v7-10
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment – to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. “
The final spring festival season of the end will be to accomplish all God's purposes for this current creation including all that the law and the prophets stood for (Mat 5v17-18). The greatest of all mysteries is that of Christ and Him crucified, and this will be fulfilled in the temple of His body, the church, for even Jesus was made perfect through suffering.
Hebrews 2v10
“In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.”
Hebrews 5v8-9
“Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him”
Luke 17v19
“For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”
Rev 10v7
“But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound the trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
The mystery of Christ is revealed to us in these last days. For Daniel it was sealed up until the time of the end, but now we may understand in part, and our understanding is growing to become full. When we see the final disaster approaching Jesus says, “let the reader understand...” It concerns a fiery but brief ordeal, and in that final hour the word that was “sealed up” will be revealed to us by God's Spirit.
Mat 24v15, 16 and 21
“So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation.' spoken of though the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains... For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equalled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.”
Daniel 12v1b-4
“There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
Colossians 1v24-27
“24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
This mystery refers to the crisis of the cross, which was the final crisis in Jesus' earthly life, and will also be the final crisis for the Church, the body of Christ on earth in the last days. As Jesus said in Matthew 24, “when you see the abomination... let the reader understand... flee...” And in the parallel passage of Luke 21 Jesus says, “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies... flee...”
The final crisis, the abomination that causes desolation in the books of Daniel, Matthew 24 and Mark 13 is also the crisis of “Jerusalem surrounded” in Luke 21, and which John describes as Armageddon (Rev 16v16). In Revelation 20 John describes this event as coming after the millennial blessings of this gospel age,
Rev 20v7-9
“When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – to gather them for battle... They... surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.”
When the time comes for us to attain perfection God will bring us into the fires of affliction to prepare us, purify us and to clothe us in glory. In Revelation 10 the voice of the seven thunders spoke, but the message was sealed up (Rev 10v4), however the message of the scroll warns of the power of deception coming on the nations of the world (v9-11). The nations are the tools of God's wrath.
Rev 10v6b-7,
“There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
God's plan is good, He works out all things for the good of those He loves. We need not fear, but we must understand the 'the mystery of Christ'. When the Spring time festival season comes at the end of the age the ultimate mystery of God will be accomplished in us.
As we participate in that eschatological Passover and eat the Unleavened bread of affliction, God will prepare us for a more glorious resurrection so that we will be ready to meet Jesus when He returns on the great and glorious day of the Lord. Then we will enjoy Firstfruits in the Kingdom of heaven.
At Springtime the Seed Dies, and New Life Comes.
We are the seed, and we are waiting to be sown into heaven.
When Jesus says, 'the seed dies' He is talking about two things, the first resurrection when we come to Christ, putting to death our sinful nature to live new lives of obedience to Jesus, and the final eschatological crisis of the cross when the time comes for this world to pass away and for the mortal to be clothed in immortality.
Jesus is our righteousness and our life, and He is also our example to follow. He lived out the mystery of His death and resurrection, opening the way for us all to be saved, and showing us the way to the Father. “Whoever serves me must follow me,” Jn 12v26.
So as we keep watch, we will see the seasons changing, and when we see that final most dreadful of all signs, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, we the readers will understand that the final hour has come. Winter is over, and Spring is here! So we will let go of the old seed, and the tent of our current mortal bodies will give way to the glorious life to come.
John 12v23-33
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgement on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
The springtime passover and exodus event will be for new life in us as we make a glorious entry into the new creation. The end of this world will be with plagues from God, blood sacrifice from the flock, and a final week of purification for the removal of all the last traces of the yeast of sin so that we may be ready for a more glorious resurrection.
The mystery of Christ is His second exodus, His great victory at the cross.
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev 19v10b).
Jesus was treated as a criminal and crucified, but He rose victorious over death and entered into glory.
Jesus overcame the enemy at the cross, purchasing our freedom by His blood. He drove the enemy out (Jn12v31), and therefore we are richly blessed. We enjoy the summer blessings of our millennial reign during this long year of the Lord's favour. But this season will only last until the appointed time when enemy shall be released again at the end of the age.
The enemy will come back in again, the beast from the Abyss, the Pharaoh of old. But don't fear.
Rev 12v11
“They overcome him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony, and they did not love our lives so much as to shrink from death”.
We will walk the way of Jesus at the end of time, (Jn 12v25-26). The morning star will rise and we will fulfil the Spring festivals again. The first will be last, and the last will be first.
Trapped by the metaphorical Red Sea with the Gog and Magog version of the Egyptian army closing in on us, we will reach that final 'crossing' point. In the face of the final great crisis as the Antichrist version of Pharaoh corners us against the sea at the end of the world, Jesus will raise His staff in the sky and will open the way for us to make that great crossing – through the fire and into paradise.
When these things begin to take place we must be brave, stand up and lift up our heads (Luke 21v28).
Heb 10v35-39
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while,
“He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.”
But we are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”
All mysteries will be revealed when we make that great crossing, when we go like Christ from suffering to glory, and when we receive our eternal victory.
Pharaoh is the Sea Monster called Rahab
The final Pharaoh at the time of the Israelite Exodus from Egypt foreshadows the final Antichrist. Pharaoh is a representative type of the enemy who foreshadows the final beast to come in the last days. Both Pharaoh and the final beast of Revelation are described as great sea monsters who deceive, (clouding the water), coming up and leading all the peoples astray, all the “fish” to destruction.
Ezekiel 29v3,
“I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, you great monster lying among your streams. You say, “The Nile is mine; I made it for myself.” But I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales. I will pull you out from among your streams with all the fish sticking to your scales. I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish of your streams. You will fall on the open field and not be gathered or picked up. I will give you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air.” (See also Eze 32v2-8)
Ezekiel 32v2 - 8
“Son of man, take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:
“You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas thrashing about in your streams, churning the water with your feet and muddying the streams...
When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you; I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
Rahab, (not to be confused with the Rahab from Jerico who helped the spies) was a byname emblematic for Egypt. In Hebrew, “Rahab” meant “storm”, and was also a sea monster (Strongs 7293). Rahab is similar to the Hebrew “Radaph” which means “to pursue, chase, persecute” (Strongs 7291).
Isaiah 30v7
“Even Egypt, whose help is vain and empty. Therefore, I have called her “Rahab who has been exterminated.” - NASB
Isaiah 51v9-10,
“Awake, awake! Clothe yourself with strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced that monster through? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over?”
See also Psalm 87v4, 89v10. Earlier References to the sea monster Rahab, are Job 9v13 and 26v12.
The beast of Revelation at the time of the end will be a sea monster - Rahab, (Rev 13v1). The beast comes up out of the sea, and the sea represents the peoples of the world who are in rebellion against God, Rev 17v15, Isaiah 5v30, 17v12-13) The beast acts with the power of the dragon, who is Satan.
John saw a harlot riding this beast in Revelation 17. The beast from the sea is that ancient Rahab or Egypt. She had been destroyed but she will come back. She is coming in the form of a great city (Rev 17v18). Her name is “Babylon the Great.”
Revelation 17v5-8
“Mystery
Babylon the great
The mother of prostitutes and of the abomination of the earth.”
I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.”
The beast that “now is not” while it is currently restrained in the Abyss (Rev 20v3) will come up out of the sea in the future (Rev 13v1). It will come out of the Abyss (Rev 11v7, 17v8). This beast is the same enemy that Israel faced in ancient times, and that Jesus faced on the cross.
Rev 11v7-8
“Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and over power and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also the Lord was crucified.”
We are God's witnesses, and our final testimony is foretold in prophecy. It is the same as Jesus' testimony. The enemy is the same enemy, and our testimony is the same testimony. Our exodus will be the final exodus, the final great resurrection as this world passes away Rev 11v11-19.
Heaven is our promised land
We are a people of hope, knowing that we have not yet received the promised blessings in full physical glory. Like Israel our faith is based on the hope of God's promises because the physical reality and true glory of God's eternal kingdom remains hidden, only to be revealed at the end of the age when this this world passes away.
Rom 8v22-25
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
As for verse 23, waiting eagerly for our “adoption to sonship”, remember what was said of Jesus; “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Mat 2v15). That was Jesus' first exodus. His second exodus was accomplished at the cross. We also have two exodus events to fulfil in the last days, and here we are considering the final, greater exodus.
The greater exodus, or second exodus will be our departure from this world of pain and hardship, and our crossing over to the new creation, the eternal dwelling place of the family of God. Heaven is our promised land.
The apostle John saw visions of heaven, and this is how he described our promised land:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming sown out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.” (Rev 21v1-3a)
Summarising the rest of the chapter:
The new creation will be without pain and suffering for the old order of things will pass away. He who overcomes will inherit the new creation, the Holy City of God, Jerusalem, which is beautifully made from precious stones and shining with God's glory. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it. The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it. (Rev 21)
What is this “splendour” that the Kings of the earth will bring in to heaven? What is this glory and honour of the nations? - Zechariah says, that it will be the flock of God's people which is us who believe and follow Jesus.
“The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be!” (Zechariah 9v16-17a)
All the things of this world will pass away, but we are God's treasured possession, and God has set eternity in our hearts. Therefore, lets be wise in how we live and not invest in things that will pass away with the world, but in the people who God loves. Lets encourage each other to understand and be ready for what comes next.
Spring Festivals Final Future Fulfillment
The signs of the first exodus of Israel from Egypt included the 10 plagues that God sent on the Egyptians because of the way they treated his people. The book of Revelation harks back to those plagues describing how God's wrath will come on the whole world at the end. Israel's exodus from Egypt sets the scene of the final great drama of history, and the book of Revelation provides further details.
In the book of Revelation we see that God's coming plagues of wrath will intensify towards the end. The plagues will come as a divine warning, a signal event, the end is near. They come firstly in quarter measures (the seals - Rev 6), increasing to thirds (the trumpets - Rev 8 & 9), and then God's wrath is dished out in full measure at the end (the bowls - Rev 16). We will sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb, (Rev 15v3).
Instead of being drowned in a flood, or in the Red Sea, God's final wrath will come as a consuming fire that will devour all His enemies and also the heavens and the earth. Even the elements will melt in the heat (2 Peter 3). God's wrath will target His enemies, all those who are deceived and who unite in a great conspiracy to pursue and make war against the saints (Daniel 7 and Revelation 13).
At that time we who hold to the testimony of Jesus will complete the great blood sacrifice of Passover as we flee from the enemy, and in doing so we will be making a great escape from God's coming judgement. We will flee from Egypt, and come out of Babylon the great. God will call us out to be separate and holy. We will make an important exit just before the end, just before we cross the sea.
Then our Lord and God will appear in the sky and will bring the final judgement on all our enemies. He will gather up His scattered people and lead us across the great chasm into the glories of the world to come. Jesus lived out the exodus story, for “out of Egypt I called my son” (Mat 15b). His greater exodus was at the cross, and “the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19v10b).
At the appointed time of the end we will follow the springtime pattern of Scripture which was first revealed in Israel and later fulfilled in Jesus, Who is our Passover lamb. We will accomplish the final spring festival season not in the Jewish way as a mere rehearsal or “moedim” but in reality and in truth.
Please excuse me, I haven't finished writing yet...
This is a work in progress.
If you find truth here lets give all praise and glory to God. I who write have nothing but what God gives to me because all truth comes from God. We find truth in the Scriptures, and when we recognise the truth it shines brightly in our minds - by God's Spirit.
