Nisan 10: Rapture of FirstFruits
& Beginning of Great Tribulation?
The total time of
the Great Tribulation spoken of in Scripture is 1260 days. As we shared
before, the 70th week of Daniel has already fulfilled in Jesus but will
see a symbolic fulfillment as well. If you recognize the fact that the
7th Trumpet makes its final blast on the Day of Trumpets you should also
be aware that the 1260 days of the Great Tribulation began on the 10th
day of Nisan, 3 and 1/2 years earlier. What is the importance of the 10th
day of Nisan?
In the 12th chapter
of Exodus Yahweh instructed Moses that on the 10th day of the 1st month
(Nisan) he was to take an unblemished male lamb of the 1st year and separate
and watch over it for 4 days. On the 14th the lamb was to be sacrificed
and its blood struck upon the side posts and upper door post of the house
in which it would be eaten. That night, the 15th of Nisan, the Death Angel
passed over the houses of the Israelites protected by the blood. Hence
the "Passover."
Jesus fulfilled the
pattern of the "sacrificed lamb" in giving His life for each of us His
children. Jesus entered Jerusalem on the 10th day of Nisan to acclamations
of "Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of
the Lord." Hosanna has a Hebrew origin in the word "yasha" meaning "to
be open, wide or free." It is often translated "save now." It could just
as well be translated "free now." In Psalm 118 you will see that context.
Verse 14, "The Lord is my strength and my song, and is become my salvation
(deliverance). Verse 19, "Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will
go into them, and I will praise the Lord." Verses 25,26, "Save (free)
now, I beseech You, O Lord:....Blessed is he that comes in the name
of the Lord...."
Jesus was crucified
on the 14th of Nisan, as the lambs were being sacrificed for the Passover
meal some hours later on the 15th. Jesus was taken down from the cross
as the 14th day closed and was buried to rise again, the "firstfruit"
from the dead on the 16th of Nisan. Luke 24:7 "Saying, The Son of man
must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and
the third day rise again."
The 10th of the first
month also portrays in type the larger picture of Jesus' work in each
of our lives. As 1000 years are as a day unto the Lord so it was that
Jesus, the unblemished sacrificed lamb was set apart for us 4 days or
4000 years previous to His incarnation and subsequent sacrifice. His being
set apart as the Lamb of God was necessitated by the fall, the entrance
of sin into the world, 4000 years B.C.
After 4 days (4000
years) Jesus gave His life for the sin of the world. 2 days or 2000 years
years later there will be another Firstfruits rapture and that in the
next few years.
The 10th of Nisan
is a compelling date for the Firstfruits Rapture as a fulfillment of one
of Scriptures most exciting patterns. After their servitude and bondage
to Pharaoh, the Israelites, led by Moses, were set free to journey to
God's mountain, Mt. Sinai, and ultimately re-enter Canaan from whence
they had come 430 years earlier. Because of their rebellion their journey
was extended by 40 years of testing in the wilderness. Finally, on the
10th day of Nisan the Priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant stepped
down into the swollen Jordan river. As they did the waters "rose up upon
an heap", that is the Jordan dried up allowing the people to cross over
on dry land.
Each of us are or
have been in bondage to Pharaoh (Satan) living in Egypt (Satan's kingdom,
the world). Moses, a type of Jesus, sets God's people free, leading them
towards the Kingdom of Heaven, the land of Canaan. After a symbolic 40
years of testing in the wilderness of this world we finally have the opportunity
of "crossing over" into the Heavenly Kingdom, and that without touching
or experiencing death (Jordan dried up). The Jordan River comes forth
from high in the mountains of Lebanon feeding into the Sea of Galilee
(the nations). From there it flows into the Dead Sea (Hell), the lowest
place on earth. Jordan means "descender" and types "death." Jesus was
immersed in Jordan (death) that we need not die. He took death upon Himself
that we might have life.
Rom. 6:4,23 Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Josh. 4:19 And the
people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and
encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
Phil. 3:13,14 Brethren,
I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which
are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus.
The word "high" is
literally "on the top" or "upward." Therefore Paul pressed "toward the
mark" of the "upward calling." In what ever year that call comes it will
be on the 10th of the first month, the 10th of Nisan. 1260 days later
is the Day of Trumpets when at the "last trump" first the dead in Christ
shall rise then we who are alive at His coming shall go to meet Him in
the air.
Will that call come
this next year? It is not likely but if it does it will come on March
24/25, 2002, the 10th of Nisan. Will Jesus make that call at any other
day of the year? It is our conviction that He will not. He will follow
the pattern He has set forth. Similarly Jesus could not have been crucified
on any other day than the 14th of Nisan, for He is the "Sacrificed Lamb."
Presently we see
the fulfillment of the 70th week in type as beginning on the astronomical
Day of Trumpets, September 28, 2000. We would then be in a period of 3
and 1/2 years of preparation for the Great Tribulation. Jesus is giving
each of us an opportunity to buy from Him "gold tried in the fire", "white
raiment" and "eyesalve." (Rev. 3:14-22)
The 1260 days of
the Great Tribulation will most probably begin on Nisan 10, March 30,
2004. But that is entirely up to Jesus for He may tarry even longer. Read
the article 1260 Days of Tribulation. Why
isn't the Great Tribulation 7 years long as commonly taught? Read the
article on How Long Is The Tribulation. The prophecy of Daniel's
70th week is the basis of the 7 year Tribulation.
"....they received
the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily,
whether those things were so." Acts 17:11
BY D.M.
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