PROPHETIC BACKGROUND AND THE END TIMES
It was in the spring of 1985 that I was ordained in Redwood City. Pastor Rick Howard was one of the men that laid hands on me and prophesied Jeremiah 1:5-8.
Jer 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." 6 Then said I: "Ah, Lord God ! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." 7 But the Lord said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the Lord.
It was a year earlier during an Expository preaching class conducted by Rick Howard at the now defunct Bethany Bible College that he took me aside and said that I need to seriously consider giving myself to the exposition of Scripture. I heard the voice of the Lord in his exhortation and have done so ever since.
These two events began to shape my life over the next 27 years. But the event of the spring of 1980 has eclipsed everything in my life up to January of 2009 when the Lord appeared to me a second time. Janet and I were in Boundary Waters Canoe Area which is a remote wilderness area in Minnesota on the Canadian border. We were in our first three day fast to the Lord. I awoke that beautiful Spring morning and was walking from our tent to the lake to get some water. On the way I "fell into a trance". Much like Peter in Acts 10:10.
Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened
There were many things the Lord showed me and told me about the end times and my specific call during the trance. In January of 2009 we did 100 hours of worship and prayer for the third time in Israel: 50 in Carmel and 50 in Jerusalem. Pastor David Davis prophesied over a group of us at the end of the 50 hours in Carmel as they apostolically sent us up to Jerusalem. He prophesied Matt 28:10 That the Lord would meet with us in Galilee after we finished the 50 hours in Jerusalem.
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."
After finishing the 50 hours in Jerusalem we drove to Galilee along the Jordan river. As I was following the bus with the team on it the Lord appeared to me in the van and proceeded to ride with me for 45 minutes. He reconfirmed things that He had told me in the trance 29 years earlier and many other things that He had spoken to me through my study of the Scriptures and through other prophets. He spoke concerning the 50 hours, Jerusalem, Israel, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, United States, my family, Word of Grace Church in Las Vegas, the worship team and myself. Each phrase that He spoke to me in that 45 minute ride was like a zip file that went into my brain and opened with 5-10 minutes of dialogue. It was amazing to say the least. So the 45 minute conversation protracted out to 3-5 hours of conversation. He was very time efficient! I wish I could do that when I am preaching!
Through my studies and experiences He gave me some dates. Not the date of His return but of events to watch for. He also told me that less then 20% of the Body of Christ would be ready for what is going to happen on a global basis and that it would come suddenly. He instructed me that I was called to the 20% not the 80%. That my call was to be prepared by the remnant and to help to prepare the remnant. This did not have to do with salvation but had to do with end time destiny.
PROPHETIC SCRIPTURE AND END TIME EVENTS
Another thing that He spoke to me was regarding end time prophetic Scriptures or unfulfilled prophecy. This is what He said;
"No one has the end times figured out for I have hidden it in My Word and in relationship to Me. In these days you will understand unfulfilled prophetic texts in the light of current events and you will understand current events in the light of the last day prophecies as you seek Me for wisdom in these mysteries."
Let me say it another way. The prophetic Scriptures and the unfolding of current events will help to interpret each other as we study the Word and walk in intimacy with Him. This interplay of Holy Scripture with global events will keep us in the Word and in prayer. However, if we have embraced a wrong eschatological framework, we will be set up for deception. Exegesis and not isogesis has to be paramount in the interpretation of end time prophecy as well as a literal and not an allegorical hermeneutic. Prophecy will be fulfilled to the letter regarding Israel. Just as it is written so it shall be. Just as the judgments against Israel have been fulfilled to the letter so shall the ultimate fulfillment of restoration and salvation to Israel be perfectly fulfilled to the letter. We can not bend the Scripture to "try to fit" current events in to our own eschatological framework. We are living in a time where there is much "for shadowing" and "partial fulfillments" of end time Scripture. For example: There are many anti-christs and anti-christ types. Do not mistake a "partial fulfillment" for the "total fulfillment". The current events must fit the Scriptures flawlessly or it is NOT the "total fulfillment".
JESUS WHO WAS, WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME
Many Christians love the Jesus who was; that is to say the Jesus who saved them and what He did 2000 years ago and there are many now who are "love sick" for the Jesus who is but not many are prepared or looking for the Jesus who is to come. He was, He is and He is to come! Three times mentioned in the book of Revelation.
Some of those that are looking for the Jesus who is to come are caught up in a fantasy of what they think is going to happen much of it based on hokey movies or erroneous end time teaching.
DAY OF THE LORD
We have more Scripture on the Jesus who is to come than the Jesus who was and who is and yet know so little about it. I understand that the greatest subject in all of Scripture is the "day of the Lord" and over 84% of the Bible is about Israel. The vast majority of the "day of the Lord" Scripture is about Israel and the day of the Lord is not a day where He is only coming for the Church but for His people, the Jews, and His land, the land of Israel, and His city, Jerusalem and to set up His throne in Jerusalem in Israel with the 1/3 remnant of the surviving Jews that have come through the "time of Jacob's trouble".
MYSTERIES
The word "mystery" is used 28 times in the New Testament. I have found 14 distinct mysteries out of the 28 verses.
NT:3466 musterion (moos-tay'-ree-on); from a derivative of muo (to shut the mouth); a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites): KJV - mystery.
We are called to be stewards of the mysteries.
1 Cor 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Each mystery requires a revelation from God. In other words God has to open to you the mystery. You are blinded and hardened to the mystery if the Holy Spirit does not open the eyes of your heart to understand it.
Job 11:4 For you have said, 'My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in your eyes.' 5 But oh, that God would speak, and open His lips against you, 6 That He would show you the secrets (mysteries) of wisdom! For they would double your prudence. Know therefore that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves. 7 "Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are higher than heaven - what can you do? Deeper than Sheol - what can you know? 9 Their measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.
There is a God in heaven who reveals secrets!
Dan 2:21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.
Ps. 25:14 The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.
THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL
Paul said in
Eph. 6:19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Prior to being born again you did not understand the "mystery of the gospel" but upon conversion you began to understand this mystery. Prior to that you were hardened and ignorant to the mystery of the gospel.
Today most Jews around the world do not understand this mystery.
THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
There is also the mystery of Christ.
Col 4:3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Eph 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles - 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
THE MYSTERY OF ISRAEL
Last week I just finished over 36 hours of teaching in Naioth Prophetic School in Taiwan on this subject. I would submit to you that Israel is a mystery that most do not understand.
Rom 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
"The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins."
It behooves us to go deep into this mystery for the "day of the Lord" has more to do with Israel then the church. It is all about His everlasting covenant that the gentile church is a partaker of. But it is established with Israel! We are only grafted in. (see Romans 11)
Let me give you a couple of critical points regarding these verses:
1. Ignorance-Paul did not want the predominantly gentile church of Rome to be ignorant of this mystery. Most of the church today is ignorant because of the horrific damage of replacement theology.
2. Arrogant-If you are ignorant you are also arrogant or wise in your own opinion concerning Israel.
3. Blindness in part has happened to Israel for a season-a very long season. Consider
Is 6 :10 "Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed." 11 Then I said, "Lord, how long?"
It has been over 2600 years so far. Jesus continued this verse past the 70 year captivity in Babylon.
Mt 13:10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should* heal them.'* 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
4. Until the fullness of the gentiles has come in.
5. Then all Israel will be saved.
6. Because the Deliverer will come out of Zion
7. He will turn ungodliness from Jacob. (Jacob's trouble)
8. For this is my covenant with them
9. When I take away their sins.
Paul gives us a clarification of the fullness of gentile conversion here. But we also must consider Isaiah's question in Is 6:11 of "Lord, how long?" Here is the response of the Lord;
Isa 6:11Then I said, "Lord, how long?"
And He answered:
"Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, the land is utterly desolate, 12 The Lord has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 But yet a tenth will be in it, and will return and be for consuming, as a terebinth tree or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down. so the holy seed shall be its stump."
This is another prophetic look at the time of Jacob's trouble which will take place during the great tribulation in the last 3.5 years prior to the Lord's return.
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
Right now most of modern Jewry is blinded to the mystery of the Gospel and the mystery of Christ and most of the church is blinded to the mystery of Israel.
These mysteries are linked together because the times of the gentiles will end when the veil is lifted from the hearts of the Jewish people at the end of Jacob's trouble which will last for 3.5 years before the return of the Lord according to Jesus Himself in Matt 24:15-31. And that is when
"The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins." Rom 11:26-27
This is the everlasting covenant with Israel which is also our covenant or what we call the new covenant. The everlasting covenant is not fulfilled until "all of Israel is saved" at the time of the fullness of the Gentiles. It has to do with Jews being saved and the redemption of the Land as well because the Redeemer comes out of Zion. All of these events will happen when the Lord returns to Jerusalem on the Day of the Lord.
If the Lord does not save all of Israel and fulfill the everlasting covenant to them then we also are lost and without hope because we are grafted in branches that rely on the covenant that was given to the Jewish people-we do not support the root but the root supports us (gentiles). (Rom 11)
Ro 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
Eph 2:11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh - who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands - 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
WHATS MY POINT?
Over the last few months the Lord has been increasing His burden upon me regarding the days that are quickly approaching. This burden is four-fold in nature:
1. The spiritual awareness of the believers, even the remnant, as to the mystery of Israel.
2. The shallowness of intercession for Israel and Jewish people regarding the time of Jacob's trouble.
3. The lack of preparation in the body of Yeshua for the days ahead where darkness will cover the Earth and deep darkness the people.
4. The horrible deception sweeping through the western church as to the day of the Lord or the time of the end through preterism, post-millennialism and dominion theology that is setting up many believers for the falling away that Paul spoke of. As well as America turning its back on Israel which is a result of the above points.
2Th 2:1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ* had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin* is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God* in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
100 HOURS OF PRAYER AND WORSHIP IN CARMEL AND JERUSALEM
The Lord has instructed us once again to have 50 hours of prayer in Carmel and 50 hours of prayer in Jerusalem. I want to invite you to pray and fast with us regarding this season.
The Palestinian vote in the UN will have happened by then. These 100 hours are during the days of Awe. The 10 days between Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashanah) and Yom Kippur. (see archived newsletters about this time period)
We will start in Carmel Assembly on Shabbat, Oct 1 and finish there on the evening of October 3. Then on Tuesday morning at 10 am we will take a bus to Jerusalem and start the 50 hours of prayer and worship at the Pavilion Prayer Tower (King of Kings) at about 2 in the afternoon. We will finish on Thursday late afternoon.
October 2 is also the day for the global day of prayer for the peace of Jerusalem. It is a strategic time.
We are entering the greatest time of all of human history. The not to distant Day of the Lord. Please be in prayer.
Shalom, Clint
