People Missing in Paradise – a Most Unusual Sign
From the distant land of Australia we have heard the very sad and alarming news of the ferocious fires in California. I was in Hobart when the (Tasmanian) fires broke out on 7 February 1967, and in Canberra when bushfires burnt into the suburbs of this city (known as the bush capital) on 18 January 2003. These fires had a devastating impact on the communities, but property losses were small relative to the homes lost in just the town of Paradise (mainly on 8 November 2018). The loss of life in the Tasmanian fires was high. While I was not directly affected, I can empathise with those who have lost everything, and pray that recovery will come about as quickly as possible.
It has been noted that John Milton, who wrote Paradise Lost (1667) and Paradise Regained (1671), died on 8 November 1674.
It is interesting that 9th/10th November 2018 marked 80 years from Kristallnacht in Germany in 1938. .
People Missing in Paradise
One unusual aspect of the Camp Fire is the large number of people still listed as missing, and the town of Paradise would account for many of these. In most fire events the missing list reduces quite quickly, and our hope is that most of the missing are found alive. In this instance, however, the missing list has remained large.
Bible References to Paradise
It is interesting to reflect on the word Paradise in the Holy Bible. There are three references in the KJV version:
Luke 23:43 Jesus said unto him (the dying thief), verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
2 Corinthians 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
When was the Last Time People Went Missing from (the Biblical) Paradise?
Without delving into the theology of Paradise, it appears that this was a place for the righteous dead. There is a very interesting answer to the question above, and I am grateful for a timely Bible Study from Pastor Riley for this. There is a very noteworthy passage in Matthew 27:
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and MANY BODIES of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and APPEARED UNTO MANY!!!!
The veil (curtain) of the Temple was rent from top to bottom (signalling Jesus’ imminent entry into the Heavenly Tabernacle with His blood!
There was an earthquake and rocks were rent (reminiscent of volcanoes).
Then this amazing sign - after His resurrection, people went missing from Paradise!! With scenes reflecting aspects of the Rapture, graves were opened!! The bodies of saints arose, and were seen by many!! We are not told what happened to these resurrected saints, but we do understand that it is likely that Jesus took the souls of those in Paradise with Him when He ascended to Heaven!! And the dying thief on the cross was one of those souls!!
So this rather unusual sign of people missing in Paradise may be one more earthly sign that the Rapture is very near!!
The Connection to Lazarus and the Imminent Day of the Lord
Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died and was buried.
Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus is quite unusual, in part because the poor man/beggar is given the name Lazarus. There is also a link to Paradise here. Abraham’s bosom is generally thought to be another name for Paradise, and this connects to the raising of Lazarus from the dead (after four days) in John 11. I wrote a Five Doves letter (10 September 2012) that asked the question: Are there not 12 hours in the Day of the Lord!! The link is below, and I have also copied the text below (although it is quite long).
We look through (the prophetic) glass darkly, but the signs of His 2nd Coming and the Rapture are getting exceptionally strong!!
Maranatha!! Denis from Canberra!!
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/sep2012/denish910.htm
Denis Hart (10 Sep 2012)
"Are there not 12 hours in the Day of the Lord?"
Are there not 12 hours in the Day of the Lord?
Jesus - Are there not 12 hours in the day? (John 11:9)
As we approach the 11th anniversary of the destruction of the Twin Towers, I wanted to share some interesting dates sparked by the words of Jesus in John 11(all about Lazarus). Theultimate aspect of the Day of the Lord is when Jesus returns to the Mount of Olives and destroys all His enemies with the brightness of His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8). However, can we discern the hours within the Day of the Lord, rolling back curtain after curtain in the unveiling of Jesus’ glory?
The Day of the Lord - and the Night before the Day
(12 hours - 12 days - 12 years - 12000 years!)
In the day of the great slaughter [the day of the Lord], when the towers fall [and all His enemies are destroyed] Isaiah 30:25
Jesus spoke of there being 12 hours in the Day. In creation night and day are equally divided and night (darkness) comes before day (light). While there is clearly a future fulfilment of Isaiah 30:25, the reference to when the towers fall indicates a link to the Twin Towers collapse on 11 September 2001. The following dates may be of interest to Doves:
Twin Towers on 11 September 2001 was seven days (one week) before Rosh Hashanah that year on 18 September 2001.
With Rosh Hashanah 2001 as a starting point, 24 prophetic or 360 day years (12 of the night and 12 of the day) takes you to 15 May 2025! This is exactly 77 years from Israel’s birth as a nation on 15 May 1948!
Where do the extra 7 years fit in? I have drawn attention to this possibility in a letter of 9 March 2012 (Are we Moving through the Leah years - direct link below). In essence, the Leah/Rachel ‘swap’ may foreshadow that Israel could initially miss their Jubilee, with seven years added as the final seven years for Daniel’s people (Daniel’s final week).
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/march2012/denish39.htm
When could the Day of the Lord begin? If we move 12 prophetic years forward from Rosh Hashanah 2001 (18 September) we arrive at 17 July 2012. This is just one day after the 9th of Av - the day of the destruction of the first and second temples. In Isaiah 13:6 we read:
Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty and Sufficient One [Shaddai] will it come!
Two other dates/times in 2013 are interesting: first, Shavuot (Pentecost) falls on 15 May 2013, the 65th anniversary of Israel’s birth as a nation. Secondly, there are 50 days between 17 July and Rosh Hashanah on 5 September 2013.
What can we know about the 12 hours - days/years in the Day of the Lord?
From my perspective the final 7 hours (years) of Jacob’s trouble are for perfecting Israel for God’s eternal purposes on Earth and throughout the ages. These seven years are split between the first 31/2 years during which the two witnesses and the 144 000 from the tribes of Israel witness to the nations. The second 31/2 years is a time of great tribulation. I do not consider that we have entered these final 7 years yet, nor have we entered the Day of the Lord. But we will very soon! We are in a twilight (two lights) period, quickly approaching the Day of the Lord and an intense spiritual battle (as in the days of John the Baptist) can be expected, with the natural, economic and social world reflecting this turbulent period.
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12)
The Other Five Hours in the Day of the Lord
Three hours (years/ays) of Elijah
In Malachi 4:3 God promises to send Elijah the Prophet before the (great and terrible) Day of the Lord. Now I am aware that there are differing views on this, and my observations are set out in a letter on 19 March 2012 - the Coming of Elijah and the Pre-tribulation Rapture (direct link below). There is, however, likely to be a period of around three years, kick- started by a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, that will release the Spirit of Truth and Holiness, and mighty works/miracles will be done in the name of Jesus.
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/march2012/denish319.htm
This revival will be derailed (taken off course) by the Enemy (Antichrist), including replacement theology (that the church has replaced Israel). There will be a monumental battle for Israel (as indicated by the Tetrads during 2014 and 2015) and those individuals and churches who stand for Israel will be on a narrow and upward path!
The fourth hour (or thereabouts) can be expected to be the day/year of vengeance of our God - Israel’s victory as depicted in Isaiah 61:2, Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17, and judgments on the United States (Isaiah 47). The Lord will, I believe, use this victory to judge churches (especially leaders) on their treatment of Jews. Bill Salus’ book Isralestine covers this well.
The fifth hour may refer to the (full and final) establishment of the New World Order, the global empire of the Antichrist. In Revelation 17:12 we read: “Also the ten horns that you observed are ten rulers (kings) who have as yet received no royal dominion, but together they are to receive power and authority as rulers for a single hour, along with the beast.” For the final seven years the Antichrist probably usurps total control. We also read (Revelation 3:10 the promise to the church in Philadelphia: I also will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial (testing)which is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth. Those left behind may face persecution in this fifth hour, and then possibly through the final seven years. In summary:
Before the Day of the Lord - Elijah and repentance, with world shaking events
Before/During - Remnant church (standing with Israel) - ready for rapture at any time!
Hour 1: Outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh /revival/mighty works
Hours 2 and 3: Continuing revival but ecumenism and deception in the church - spiritual/political battle for Israel
Hour four: year of vengeance - for Israel and the remnant church (if not raptured by then)
Hour five: ten kings reigning with beast/time of persecution for Christians left behind.
Hours six to 12: seven years of Jacob’s trouble (for Israel).
A couple of final thoughts from the Lazarus chapter (John 11) - Jesus delayed going to Lazarus for two days and Lazarus was dead for four days. Could the raising of the full church/body of Christ from its present state of decay (and even with a declaration of death for the church of Sardis!) take around four years? The first fruits (Rebecca) rapture is by nature imminent! Eleven years ago on 11 September 2001 I was watching the late night news (Australian time) and saw the destruction of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon - one of the greatest turning points for the world! Seven years in later in 2008 we witnessed the 777.7 points fall in the Dow at Rosh Hashanah!
We are in critical times - times to watch closely. Once again I would like to thank John Tng for his tireless work and other Doves for the many contributions that have guided us through these past eleven years! Maranatha! Denis