Dear Friend,
We are like Pilgrim on our way to Celestial City. Christ said, Strive to enter the narrow gate. The 144,000 who live through the life or death issues like Daniel, willing to die rather than dishonor God will be privileged to follow Christ wherever He goes in eternity
A Clarion Call to the ‘Wise Virgins’–The Time is Fulfilled; the Kingdom of God is at Hand; Repent & Believe the Gospel
#1. Is this for you? It should be. Christ said, He will make the servant who is ‘so-doing,’ ruler over all that He has, but we will be beaten with stripes if we fail to prepare.[1] In this age of scams, shouldn’t we want the real deal from the One who hung the world in space and died to give us life with Him? It must be important for Him to put the best possible reward in this wedding parable.
Weddings are important because they affect destiny as three wedding parables show. They are also a measure of maturity. Christ is looking for a mature bride spiritually and wise people consider a matter before answering;[2] please read on.
Luke’s wedding parable says we must “open unto Him immediately.”[3] If this were about His coming in the sky, of course, we would all be ready to go to heaven whenever He comes, but this is a different event as we will see…
To be ready immediately implies prior consideration, like James and John
who heard the baptizer announce the Lamb of God (John 1:29) so when Christ called them, “they immediately left the ship and their father and followed Him,” Matthew 4:22. Our prior understanding is necessary for an immediate response when He ‘knocks.’ Please be like the Bereans with an open attitude.
While everyone deserves an invitation to the wedding, only the wise invite others to the wedding as God’s servants do in Matthew 22:3-10. Sharing this and asking your email list, Have you seen this?–What do you think? is good.
#2. ‘The time is fulfilled.’ Christ’s words in Mark 1:15 are true now, but it’s a different time–it’s the time that 2Pet 3:8-10 says not to ignore. How is this so?
The 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9 (70 x 7 = 490 years) spanned 10 jubilees. Jubilees came every 49 years, because the 50th year (Leviticus 25:10) was also the first year of the next ‘week’ of years. Daniel’s prophecy began at a jubilee event when Israelites were given freedom and returned to their land in 457 BC by Artaxerxes’ decree (Google). But if we add 40 more jubilees (40 x 49) we come to the 50th jubilee—the jubilee of jubilees in 1994-95 when Pope John Paul spoke to the United Nations on the Day of Atonement.
Then a 20-year gap and Pope Francis also went to the UN and ALSO on the Day of Atonement, the same date that jubilee was to be proclaimed in Lev 25. The odds of this being ‘just a coincidence’ might be less than one in a million. We should ask ourselves, What does it mean and why the 20-year gap?
Peter says not to ignore 1,000 years as a day. How can we know it? If we put the jubilees into 1,000 years, 490 years (10 jubilees) + 490 years = 980 years, and 20 years left over–signaled by the papal visits at the end of the jubilees! In context of 1000 years, the end-time ‘day of the Lord’ comes with no delay.
The 50 jubilee cycles ended in 1994-95, and we’ve had three Sabbatical cycles,
(3 x 7 = 21) as a ‘tarrying time,’ Matt 25:5. The 3rd Sabbatical is 2015-16 and the last week of seven years (like Joseph’s famine or the king eating grass x 7 in Daniel 4), will begin in 2017 after this papal ‘Year of Mercy’ ends Dec 31.
#3. The Kingdom of God is at hand, but it’s a different kingdom! Christ said Blessed are the meek, the merciful…the kingdom is within you, Lk 17:21. The disciples wanted more–“Will you at this time restore the kingdom?” Acts 1:6. Christ said it wasn’t for them to know the “times or seasons,” but Paul said the “the times and seasons, you know perfectly, for the day of the Lord comes as a thief…for when they say ‘Peace and safety,’** sudden destruction comes as travail on a woman with child.” 1Thess 5:1-3.**The Iran Nuke Treaty is peace and safety with other signs like blood moon (Joel 2:31) and pope’s visit in 2015.
‘Travail on woman with child’ was the birth of Israel as God’s 1st-born (Exod 4:22) when He executed judgment on Egypt (Exod 12:12) and took Israel to a covenant, making them His Kingdom, Exod 19:5,6 and Bride, Jer 3:14. Paul included the Exodus–their “passing through the seas…ALL those things happened to them for examples (types, marg)…ends of the world.”1Cor 10:1,11
Egypt murdered babies; the US has aborted 60 million. God will afflict this land for its abominations that include redefining marriage and He will take those who are ready to be His kingdom by making a covenant. Millerites gave a message of judgment, but it was the ‘Great Disappointment’ in 1844, typified by John’s ‘bitter belly’ in Rev 10:10, but Christ said, “Prophesy again.” Telling us to do so again fits now because the ‘great words’ of the little horn (Dan 7:10,11), not present in 1844 (pope died in exile, 1799) were present in 2015 (#2 above). The missing ingredients of 1844 are now satisfied; Christ said, ‘prophesy again’—the messages of impending judgment and Bridegroom fit!
In addition to Paul saying we know the times and seasons (to restore kingdom) Daniel 2:44 shows God will set up His kingdom “in the days of these kings”– not when Christ comes in the sky after 7 plagues and no kings are standing.
The stone kingdom is cut out of a mountain. The only other usage in Daniel for mountain is Jerusalem, a representation of God’s people. The stone is cut out of the church without hands (human devising or church politics) and the stone becomes a mountain that grows to fill the earth, Dan 2:45,35.
In the judgment, making a timely covenant with Christ, we become His king-dom and have power to bring plagues for 1260 days as shown in Rev 11:1-7. No wonder Ellen White says we will be blamed as Elijah was, GC 590.
#4. Repent. We are by nature lukewarm Laodiceans, content with possessions. We think we wouldn’t do as the rich young ruler who, when asked to sell what he had, went away sad. But Christ tells us to do the same in His introduction to Luke’s wedding parable, Luke 12:32-48. “Let this mind be in you…”? Phil 2:5
Christ warned His followers to flee when they saw the abomination “standing where it ought not.” Mk 13:14. The Supreme Court decision on marriage was an abomination, Lev 18:22. Early believers understood His warning to include the Roman army and we saw a military drill on US soil along with the pope’s coming to the US Congress. All this was “standing where it ought not.” We are so numb with signs that maybe no one moved out of a city, though martial law could come anytime, as anticipated by Presidential Executive Orders in place.
Homeland Security documents suggest that what pioneers considered prudent planning with extra food stored for drought will now be “hording” and will be confiscated. Food will be dispensed by food banks that will require addresses and permission to search your house for guns and who knows what else?
Christ foresaw all this and told us to flee when we saw military which some are seeing as reported on YouTube and alt media. And in His introduction to Luke’s wedding parable, Christ said, “Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have…” Luke 12:32,33. Houses and lands may be a problem when mobility or seclusion are needed.
God took Israel to the wilderness. Christian patriots understand “strategic re-location” away from high population density where martial law will focus. Moving to the country a year early is better than a day late–Matt 24:15-21.
#5. Believe the Gospel. “The Bridegroom Comes” is Great News in all this.
Those words startled sleeping women who were waiting for a wedding. Christ’s parable in Matthew 25 describes most Christians today. In spite of many signs of His coming, most Christians are asleep with lights out in their understanding of the wedding parables and marriage as a measure of maturity.
We may think we are mature, but what’s coming could surprise us. God is going to have a people who be true to Him, even in the face of death. The judgment of the living will bring life and death issues as in Daniel 1-6.
The 144,000 are seen in Rev 14:1-5 before three messages are given in v 6-10. Now is the time for the 1st message of impending judgment on the US and church as implied by Christ’s saying, ‘Prophesy again.’ It means to give the message of Miller (1844’s message of judgment and the Bridegroom comes!) Luke’s wedding parable offers high reward and insights we will consider…
“Ruler Over All That He Has” or “Beaten With Many Stripes”?
All three wedding parables suggest that we don’t understand them. The wed-ding invitation in Matthew 22 is scorned. Even the wise women were asleep with lights out, like us? Peter asked if the parable was for them or all. Christ said it was for the servant “so doing” when He comes; “He will make him ruler over all that He has,” or beaten with stripes for failure to prepare.[4]
Some Bible students recognize that where a word or phrase is first found, it may have a meaning or context for end-times because Christ is the Word… the First and the Last.[5] This helps us understand the midnight cry in Matthew 25.
A cry at midnight is first found when God “executed judgment” on Egypt[6] and took Israel to a covenant (marriage). Paul included the Exodus in “all those things happened for examples…ends of the age.”[7] That history will replay for the US as Egypt for those who sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, Rev 14:3
Matthew 22:7 reveals calamity as a city burns. It also includes judgment when the king discerns a man without a wedding garment, v 11. This could represent pastors in lukewarm churches because the Laodicean message is addressed to the aggelos, messenger, who is “naked.” Hint: it’s not an angel who is naked.[8]
Some may think this is taking “naked” out of context in applying it to the wedding parable of Matthew 22, but six parallels to Luke’s wedding parable make Laodicea’s message a wedding message…
- Having loins girded is like naked and needing white raiment.[9]
- Having lamps burning is the same idea as needing eye salve[10] to see.
- Both get a “knock.” We appreciate Jesus always knocking at our heart’s door, but we forget that lukewarm church in Rev 3:14-20
ended in an earthquake that destroyed the city–serious knock. - Both are to “open,” but in Luke, it’s “immediately.” This suggests something other than Jesus always knocking. When Christ called James and John, they “immediately left the ship and their father and followed Him.” Are we that ready to drop all to have what He offers?
- “Ruler over all that He has” in Luke is the same reward as “sit with Me in my throne.”[11] This is not some internet scam. It’s the real deal.
- Luke’s parable is “when He comes,” Laodicea is the last church.
Because of these parallels, we should consider the man without a wedding garment in Matthew 22 represents the messengers to lukewarm US churches who talk on old familiar truths, but have the door closed to new understanding not ready for Christ’s coming as a thief in spite of signs like ‘peace and safety.’
So what does God want from us? Both wedding parables (Matthew 25:13 and Luke 12:37) tell us to “watch.” We think it means to be aware, as if everyone watching TV news is aware. Let’s turn the TV off and use our concordances. The Greek word for watch is gregoreo, and it means to be awake!
If would be unfair for Christ to tell us to be awake without being specific; we can’t be awake every night. But Passover was the only night that being awake was commanded. They were to eat the Passover lamb and leave nothing till morning.[12] Why couldn’t we do this spiritually by considering His suffering by reading the Bible account in John 13-20 or an online biography such as Desire of Ages, chapters 71-81, praying God will pass over us in judgment.
As Christ ate the Passover with His disciples, “He instituted in its place” the emblems of His sacrifice. It means at Passover; wouldn’t it be great if churches everywhere were open on the eve of Passover to celebrate the tokens of our Lord’s death and review what He did for us, praying as He asked us to do?
The eve of Passover is two weeks from the new moon crescent (chodesh) that God said was the beginning of the month, Exod 12:2. It’s a day or so later than most calendar show; they go by the dark moon in conjunction as seen here. God gave Israel a visible sign and they blew the trumpet when they saw the crescent in the west, about 20 minutes or so after sunset in the spring.
The pure woman in Revelation 12 is standing on the moon—she has a lunar understanding that the crescent (chodesh) is the beginning of months and the basis of God’s appointed times (mo’ed) in Genesis 1:14, before Moses gave the ceremonial laws that applied to them and which ended at the cross. We can now share the Lord’s Supper instead of eating lamb and bitter herbs, etc.
Paul said they “are shadows of things to come.” Colossians 2:17 Some say they are just shadows, ‘the body is of Christ.’ Let’s examine the text. The italicized “is” indicates translators added it and changed the meaning. Without the “is,” the text could read, Don’t let anyone judge how you keep those days but the body of Christ. (The local church can decide how to observe those times.) Paul kept those days with Greek believers in Philippi and Corinth,[13] and He said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” Do we think he changed his mind?
Paul’s fear of the Galatians was their legalistic effort to earn their salvation by the works of the law; they had become hair-splitters as the “scrupulous” meaning for “observe” in Greek shows in Galatians 4:10.
God executed judgment on Egypt. The US has numerous parallels to Egypt. They were the greatest nation then as we have been. Israel went to Egypt in a time of famine. Pioneers came to America when there was a famine for the Bread of Life when the Bible was banned by the medieval church. Israel got into bondage and millions in the US are in bondage to alcohol, tobacco, drugs and lifestyles celebrated as freedom–we may need martial law to see bondage!
Because there is no tarrying in the context of 2Peter 3:8-10, we can expect God to act in spring, Amos 3:7. Readiness is crucial. Several passages suggest that ‘watching’ is protective. “If the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.”[14] If we don’t watch, Christ said He will come as a thief.[15] Paul included “watch” when citing “sudden destruction.”[16]
We could be like the goodman who has his house broken by the thief. The King James has further insight to the goodman. “The goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: He has a bag of money and will come home at the yom kece [Hebrew means full moon].[17] Passover comes on a full moon, but long journey means 2nd Passover. Israelites didn’t travel in winter. If they took a long journey in spring and couldn’t get back for Passover, they kept it a month later–a provision for travel in the law of Numbers 9:10-11.
Numbers 9:10,11 is a surprise basis of timing for five of Christ’s mini–parables and they all reflect a sudden event “as the days of Noah” between Christ’s 2nd coming seen in Matthew 24:30 and again in Matthew 25:31.
- When five women missed the wedding, Christ said to watch (be awake at Passover) for you know neither the day nor the hour. The Greek, eido, means because you don’t understand, “for the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country.” Christ is linking the reason they don’t understand to it being like a long journey*—a clue for 2nd Passover explained above. Christ would be taking the far journey. His return as Bridegroom must conform to the law that He said is in effect “till heaven and earth pass.”[18]
- *That long journey wording was also His introduction to His last parable– when the wise stewards knew when to expect Him and they were ready with their talents.
- The evil servant at the end of Matthew 24 begins to smite his fellow servants. “THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be like 10 virgins…” We saw above that parable has 2nd Passover timing.
- The goodman in Matthew 24:43 is ALSO on a long journey in Prov 7:19,20 (KJV) explained previously as pointing to 2nd
- “As the days of Noah,” the Flood came with Passover timing, but in the 2nd spring month. Methuselah’s name meant, at his death, the sending forth of waters. He died the year of the Flood and Noah had to bury his grandfather. He was unclean by reason of a dead body as Numbers 9:10,11 shows; the Flood coming in the 2nd spring month fit.
The Flood had Passover timing because Noah entered the ark on the 10th day, the same day that the sacrifice was selected in Egypt.[19] When people refused Noah’s invitation, they selected themselves for sacrifice.
We misunderstand “you don’t know the day or hour.” Eido means be aware, consider, understand. Christ was saying we don’t understand and each time He said it, He gave examples like the days of Noah or goodman for 2nd Passover.
Christians should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise. Paul said it comes as a thief when they say ‘Peace and safety.’ The Iran Nuclear Treaty was ‘peace & safety.’ That event and other “when-then” signs in 2015 suggest something huge is impending.
We aren’t setting times; God set them. We said they are mo’ed, first seen in Genesis 1:14 before sin or Jews and enforced by statutes forever.[20] Did God forget they would be ‘nailed to the cross’ or did the little horn (papacy) change those times (Daniel 7:25) as the papacy admits? If Elijah is to come and “restore all things,”[21] shouldn’t we help as ‘repairers of the breach’? Isa 58:12.
We may wonder what the ‘all things’ are, but we gain insight from Mal 4:4,5–“Remember the law of Moses…with the statutes and judgments. Behold I send you Elijah.” As a mark of end-time truth, the statutes and judgments have a seven-fold emphasis in Ezek 20:11-24
That’s interesting because we look forward to making a covenant with Christ and Bible covenants were also linked to 7’s, like the 7 ewes Abraham gave to Abimelech in Gen 21:27,28 and the seven holy convocations God gave Israel in Lev 23. Seven times God told Abraham He would give him that land (Gen 12:1-17:8 and God was the initiator of the covenant–He alone went between the pieces of sacrifice as a burning lamp in making the covenant, Gen 15:17,18
Christ tells us to have our lights burning[22] and be watching for His ‘knock.’
If so, we have the opportunity of becoming His kingdom and Bride by keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a prenuptial supper of betrothal…
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is about doctrines. Matt 16:12 It was not fulfilled by Christ—He was in the grave with no holy convocation as in Lev 23:7. This is another model showing how all things are restored by 144,000.
Unleavened bread is used for communion. It means union with Christ in His unleavened Word. But marriage also is union with Him and the covenant we make is also based on His Word with topics having a 7-fold emphasis.
These two meanings superimpose for the seven days of unleavened bread and the week for a biblical wedding (Gen 29:27) if Christ ‘knocks’ at His mo’ed (appointed time) while we are watching as He asked. If so, we ‘open to Him immediately’ by initiating a Feast of Unleavened Bread, mentally chewing 7 topics that beg our consideration because of their 7-fold emphasis and their need to be restored. “Immediately” because it’s the 1st of 7 days of Passover.
Examples: A bride takes her husband’s name. We must have God’s name as we see in the 144,000 where His name is also linked to great thunder, Rev 14:1-2.
When Christ asked God to glorify His name, He thundered in John 12:28-29. Since the 144,000 are ‘sealed,’ we should see the 1st seal is linked to God’s name because thunder calls attention to it in Revelation 6:1,2
God’s name is not Lord and the Lord’s name is not God. Translators removed God’s name from Scripture to make it more generic. Bad: ‘not one yod (the 1st letter of God’s name) shall pass from the law…till heaven and earth pass.”
God preserved His name in stone in 10 Commandments 7 times, but wherever we see LORD in all caps, translators removed the name and substituted the title. Adventists say the 4th Commandment is the seal of God, but we lost His name.
Elijah turned Israel to God’s name; the translation of Baal is lord. We don’t worship a calf, but we call God by same title. God says, “Call me Ishi [husband], call me no more Baali,” [lord] Hosea 2:16.
Beyond God’s name, the white horse also represents a message of truth to seal and protect us before or as the end-times begin. If we are ready, and open to Him, “He will make [us] ruler over all that He has.” Luke 12:44
Since my name is Ruhling, I wanted to understand how it happens and I believe God gave me a token of His promise, a white Mustang (car) left by my mother when she died, like the white horse linked to thunder** (Name) in Rev 6:1,2.
Because many Bible characters had names that fit their message, please consider how this may be possible, not just for me, but 144,000 who watch and pray, ready to ‘open to Him immediately’ when He knocks.
What’s the “knock”? The Bible explains itself. The only other place where Christ “knocked” was for the church of Laodicea which was lukewarm and content with their materialism—it ended in an earthquake that destroyed the city circa 63 AD.
Let’s think of it as type and antitype for our end-times that are impending. “The day of the Lord” is seen to be initiated by an earthquake in Joel 2:10,11, Zeph 1:7-10, Zech 14:1-5. An earthquake is seen before the trumpets of Revelation 8:5,6.
Thinking of the US as a Christian nation, I told a Messianic rabbi that “judgment must begin at the house of God.” 1Peter 4:17. He said that God has two houses and He will clean them both before He puts them together. He was alluding to Ezekiel 37:16,17,22 where two sticks become one kingdom, also dry bones come together and get life.
Jews who accept the Messiah and Christians who accept the torah (five books of Moses without the ceremonial laws and sacrifices fulfilled by Christ) will be fully compatible as a kingdom, and both must renew their covenant as above.
The nation of Israel is currently secular, with 90% having no interest in their spiritual heritage, and maybe 8% orthodox Jews who hate Christians. So how is God going to “clean house” before putting His two houses together?
Under #3 near the top, we saw that “the day of the Lord” was indicated by the Iran Nuclear Treaty as ‘peace and safety.’ (1Thess 5:1-3) A few months earlier, the rare solar eclipse and blood moon also signaled it—“the sun shall be darkened and the moon turned to blood before the day of the Lord.” Joel 2:31. The word for before in Hebrew is paniym—‘facing.’ They are facing the day of the Lord.
“The day of the Lord comes…I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle and the city shall be taken and the houses rifled and the women ravished and half the city shall go into captivity…then shall the Lord…fight against those nations.”
“The Lord shall roar out of Zion; He shall utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and earth shall shake.” Joel 3:16. This earthquake is probably the same one shown to be at 2nd Passover above. Jerusalem’s woes at 1st Passover.
Human instinct may say, Oh, I’ll wait till I see Jerusalem destroyed and if so, then I’ll tell my friends to be ready for 2nd Passover. But if we wait till we see it, few people except our friends will be ready. The whole Christian world deserves the opportunity of lighting their lamps and being ready for His knock.
We must do what we can now to walk people up—they’re numb from so many ‘signs’ Will we act on His Word? “Whatever is not of faith is sin,” Rom 14:23 How can we claim His promise to make us ruler over all if we ‘wait and see’?
Summary: Christ offers two choices: “ruler over all that He has” or “beaten with stripes,” Lk 12:44-48. We can be spared stripes by embracing this message.
This article suggests that we can be spared if we ‘watch and pray’ at God’s appointed time, praying that He will pass over us in judgment. Those who expect to ‘open to Him immediately’ need to make it a priority now.
Why can’t we share this with our email or church list and ask, Did you see this? What do you think? First, please call Richard Ruhling for any questions or discussion and prayer; also get a link for information on God’s name as the 1st seal: 928 583 7543.
[5] John 1:1,14; Revelation 1:11
[9] Luke 12:35; Revelation 3:18
[10] Luke 12:35; Revelation 3:18
[11] Luke 12:44; Revelation 3:21
[12] Exodus 12:10; Matthew 26:38-41
[13] Acts 20:6;16; 1Corinthians 5:8
[14] Matthew 24:43, KJV
[17] Proverbs 7:19-20, KJV
[19] Genesis 7:4,11; Exodus 12:3
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