Look Toward 2016?

Editor Comment: I received a telephone call from a reader in the east who said she is a doubter when someone throws possible dates for Jesus’ return but lately she has been hearing suggestions that 2016 could be a date to watch. She mentioned that only a couple of weeks earlier on one of her favourite websites concerning world events, she noticed an article mentioning this date as well. Then she asked, “Brooks, you seem to like prophecy so, is it possible.”

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I replied that anything is possible but Jesus Himself told us that no one knows the hour or day. Still, we are aware of the times and seasons and they certainly look ripe. And we are told that at the end, the wise, probably dedicated students, will understand (Daniel 12:10). Certainly, there is hope of an early return but could things come about quickly enough for 2016? Recently there was a story about how China has the capability of unleashing a nuclear attack on all major U.S. cities and we know Russia has been flexing her muscles as of late. The powder keg in the Middle-East has not yet subsided and the modern Israeli State could well draw us into a massive war by attacking Syria or Iran, thus bringing a coalition of nations against True Israel nations. So, even though there is less than three years from let’s say, the 2016 Feast of Tabernacles, it is more than enough time for an age-ending conflict.

I have always been fascinated by Isaiah 40:12 which suggests that our Mighty God will hold to His Plan and not move the pieces until all pieces are in place. Isaiah wrote, “Who [God] hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance?” The prophet Esdras declared the same thing in slightly different words when he wrote, “By measure hath he measured the times, And by number hath he numbered the times, And he will not move or stir them, Until such measures have been fulfilled”.

Isaiah begins Chapter 40 by pointing out that God is speaking to His People Israel in order to give them comfort, to reassure them and to tell them their time of service will definitely end and their iniquities will be forgiven. In Isaiah 40:3 we are told to prepare for the LORD; verse 5 tells us “The glory of the LORD will appear for all to see, that the LORD has promised this”. (Refer to Acts 1:11) And Isaiah 40:10 basically says, “Look, the all-powerful LORD is coming to rule”. (As King of kings and Lord of lords – see Rev. 19:16).

The question is, “Could it all happen sometime in the year 2016”? In pondering the reader’s question, my mind drifted back to previous articles I have penned to see if there was any correlation of prophetic events that would pinpoint 2016. And yes, there is at least one I can think of but in presenting it, I caution readers that it is simply a possibility, one probably of many. Yet, it is intriguing.

Let’s first set the stage in point form:

Through Biblical chronology, a Bible scholar named Dimbleby reckoned that the 6,000 years of God’s Great Plan (i.e. paraphrased – six days of labour, one day of rest) was reached at the 2001 Equinox (September 2001).

Noted scholar David Davidson in his study of the Great Pyramid (the Bible in Stone) also reckoned the 6,000 years at the 2001 Equinox.

Such being the case, we are now early in the seventh day or the 1,000 year Millennium. Does this hold any significance?

Well, Hosea 6:1-2 tells us that after two days He will heal us, in the third day He will raise us up and we will live in His sight. Sounds like the Resurrection. And we are in the third day from the Lord’s First Advent, coinciding with the seventh day of God’s Plan.

The pattern of Exodus 19:10-11 echoes Hosea, coming under the blood of Christ (i.e. Wash their clothes Revelation 7:14) and be ready on the third day.

And Jesus was resurrected very early in the third day.

It’s significant that Isaiah 30:25 “…..in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall” took place on September 11th, 2001, a time that I believe heralded the harvest stage of the Esau Dominion. When we look back to this date and reflect upon the loss of freedoms, staggering financial debt, becoming servant to our lenders, the downhill economic slide of Israel nations, loss of prestige around the world and so on, we should readily realize we cannot extradite ourselves from this mess by ourselves. Instead, we go on fooling ourselves day by day and immersing ourselves in materialism, sports, pleasures and denial as a way of pretending all is normal. If we could face up, we would quickly realize we lack backbone. So, we meekly accept whatever our leaders feed us.

It is important to understand there is an antidote for all of our troubles. 2 Chronicles 7:14 sets this out, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”. There is no other way. But, sadly, the Israel people are just not ready to humble themselves. Still, we will be. It is only a question of time before some event affects each and every one of us to make us listen. Perhaps it will be a financial collapse, or nuclear war, or cataclysmic nature, but something will occur to get us to our knees and ask for help. It could even be the unveiling of our identity and wake true Israelites up as to their relationship with God.

But, will it occur so a 2016 rescue takes place? Is there any event in the Bible that could give us comfort in Isaiah’s words in 40:1-2?

Maybe this one! Remember King Hezekiah, he was king of Judah when the Assyrians swooped down and conquered the Kingdom of Israel and deported the Israelites north to Halah and Habor. His own nation was attacked shortly thereafter and 46 fenced cities subdued and those people deported as well. This left Hezekiah in a very vulnerable position. He had come to the throne in very troublesome and idolatrous times but as 2 Kings 18:3 relates, “And he did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did”. He removed the idolatrous images and kept the LORD’s commandments. So when the Assyrians came against Jerusalem, God stepped in and smote 185,000 of the enemy and drove the king of Assyria back to his land. It’s kind of reminiscent of what Christ will do when Gog and Magog come against us in the final battle.

By 2001, True Israel was experiencing troublesome times and idolatry was rampant. Strangers were our leaders and we were headed for difficult times. It has become increasingly worse and the great falling away prophesied by the Apostle Paul has intensified, as God is being shut out of our lives and our lands are overrun by non-Christians. Not much different than what Hezekiah faced. So, the “six days of labour” have been extended to our chagrin.

Now comes the good part. As sick as we in True Israel are today and as close to total slavery, as we are, we can be lifted by what happened to Hezekiah. He was sick unto death too, but unlike the majority of True Israel people at this particular moment in time, he walked with God in truth and faithfulness and when he asked the Lord for mercy, the prophet Isaiah delivered God’s message that he would not die and to set his house in order. Later the Lord gave Hezekiah certain instructions. He told Hezekiah that fifteen years would be added to his life. I must say that despite a number of Bible studies, I have not been able to completely understand this chapter (2 Kings 20) but it is intriguing that God said, “I will heal thee, on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.” This sure reminds us of Hosea 6:1-2.

What if these passages depict a dual fulfillment! Could we see fifteen years added to the six days (6,000 years) from 2001 taking us to 2016, as our reader pointed out is being bandied about in some quarters?

Here’s a couple of stimulating thoughts. The name “Hezekiah” means “Jehovah strengthens” so perhaps God will give us renewed strength to overcome our idolatry and bondage. I have always thought the exclusion of the leaders in Isaiah 41:9 depicts God’s excluding them when He strengthens True Israel.

The other stimulating thought is that the number “fifteen” stands for “Rest”. I love the underlying meaning of John 15:21, when tribulation is at its pinnacle and Jesus arrives and simply says, “It is I: be not afraid” and we enter into the beautiful Kingdom for the Millennium. Remember, friends, “Rest” is the result of “Deliverance” or “Salvation”.

Is 2016 a possibility? You be the judge.

An After Thought

Psalm 2 basically begins by saying, “ The kings of this earth have all joined together to turn against the Lord and his chosen one, they say let’s cut the ropes and set ourselves free.” In 1945 we Israel nations trod where we shouldn’t have, we joined ourselves to the United Nations, made a treaty with the heathen.

Now here is something very interesting. The beginning of the U.N. began in 1946, Here’s what one journalist wrote: “The first session of the United Nations General Assembly opened on the 10th of this month ,(Jan/46) ushering in a renewed effort in the quest for world peace and co-operation. ….. British Prime Minister Clement Attlee welcomed the representatives of 51 nations …….. Attlee said the new venture would succeed if the nations involved brought the same sense of urgency, the same self-sacrifice and the same willingness to subordinate self-interests with which they won the war.”

Ironically, the first U.N. problem involved Iran.

But, let’s go further. From 1946 to 2016 represents 70 years. And according to Evangelist Ed Vallowe, in his book “Biblical Mathematics” “70” is the number of Universality—Israel and her Restoration”

So, keep tuned. Maybe 2016 will have a significant impact on our future.