As far as looking into prophetic timelines and, like, assessing where we might be on that timeline...i believe that to be a reasonable excercise. For example i know of a person who has been tracking the slow developing nuances of how Ez 38 has been slowly coming into phase approximation. When you have so many details like Ez 38 provides, like synchronizing a watch flowered out in semi-poetic prophetic literature, it kind of does let us know our timeline. So i would venture, based on the Ez 38 signature approaching, that the word is laid out in such a way to discover "some" things regarding prophetic timing. This person tracking with Ez 38 has noted that he has been tracking it for a few years and has some 10k news link datapoints tracing how it has been developing into the picturesque prophecy lineup we see in scripture. I have seen his research, and unfortunately it kind of puts pastors to shame who might have had an interest in Ez 38. This person has really done their homework. And the research they have is more solid than anyone speaking on Ez 38 of recent that i have seen. Extrelemy detailes and simplified, with their nose to the ground.
How that relates or does not relate to the rapture is anyone's guess on timing. Some see Ez 38 as occuring prior to the tribulation (as the researcher mentioned above does). But some like Andy Woods sees Ez 38 as the 2nd seal. I am in that camp. However, Andy believes Ez 39 is Armegeddon, whereas i would see Ez 38-39 as the same war. I believe, because of 1 Thes 5:3, that the rapture likely occurs on Ez 38 eve. But see the funny thing there is, for that to be date setting or high watch, Ez 38 would have to be the result. I don't believe the church is here for Ez 38. If you might notice, if you guessed i believe the church is here for the 1st seal, you'd be correct. In general, the reason why I would see a rapture timing on the distant horizon is not related to trying to find a date (for it can be much sooner...even today), but I believe in general that watching for the formation of beast system, NWO takeover, and AC is the exact wrong blueprint the church should be looking at. And in that i hope to concur with the spirit of this thread.
I believe that trying to track NWO and beast system flowering into the tribulation is the exact wrong stream to follow. In a perfect world...if the church were prophets, we would be on to something. But i believe (to some degree) we might have an identity crisis. I believe the next prophets for us is the two witnessses. I believe prophesy belongs to Israel (not the peeps we see today--but refined through the fire of tribluation). So in that respect i believe the church will have blinders concerning prophesy because what is coming does not concern us. It concerns Israel. Which is where i believe the focus (as an hour glass or sun dial) in what is likely "really" going on. I believe the church is a higher order than prophet: we are the body, the bride to be. But i don't see that that includes that we are prophetic. I don't see our office as prophet in any way. So we might in that respect be to a degree a plane flying without real radar in a sense.
I do believe however that the church is linked in end times prophecy but not so much in that we can be the blueprint shotcallers. I believe since we are the wild branch graphted into the tree, we are providential. We are blessed because Israel "as a nation" was removed...partially hardened. So we are the children of providence (not prophecy). Looking at prophecy watch today...i don't believe we are aware of this so much. I would just stress that as children of providence, the way in which prophecy would make the most sense is in line with our being the wild branch providentially grafted in. And perhaps Romans 11:18 is prophetic for our vanityfair moment. Are we the interpretators of prophecies? I believe God in His mercy will provide some measure of awareness and sensitivity. Amen.
Like even in the Scotty Clark Sept 23 2017 rapture sign. Was that anything? People have differing views. But one thing is for sure, if the church today can confuse a sign for the thing it points to "later," then yeah i guess it is somewhat descriptive of our age and where we could stand to mature i reckon. I know i was caught off gaurd in the day. But 2017 was when i recall several things to shift. Looking to Israel we have Jerusalem affirmed as their captital that year. We also have Golan Heights (which is militarily strategic, super mineral rich, and Ez 38 could not form without...mountians) in aproximation of that year. So it looks llike 2017 meant something. In April 2024 we will have the solar eclipse of America (the Great America Solar Eclipse) part two. Making an X with it's viewing path. Does this mean something perhaps? Well i think so but that is kind of going against the spirit of this thread...perhaps for another time.
In staying in context with this thread though i would say that the rapture date is not so much something anyone can know. But i believe because of God's desire for the church to look at Israel more than perhaps our own blueprints, it is highly likely (I believe) that Ez 38 is multied geared master swiss craftmans watch of "what time is it?" Because i have seen you can watch it form like the sun setting. And its about "Israel" not us. And that sounds like a better focus because we won't be here for the tribulation i believe. On that note i guess i would ask, so why would we believe that our prophetic timelines and blueprints matter more? And so yeah that is kind of the tension for me. I believe there are some great things we can be aware of even in our blueprints. But as far as master plans unfolding...i humbly believe we have our eyes on the thing that would be the thing to have our eyes on if our offices were prophet. But I believe that will be for Israel in the tribulation. So i guess in the spirit of this thread i would just stress that perhaps a better focus is to perhaps interpret prophetically what might be unfolding through a very healthy ear to the grown toward Israel...not the church blueprint. It would seem as Ez 38 has been constructed and provided...the word would suggest something Israel could come to realize, but since they are partially hardened as a nation won't. And i believe, as a good Samaratan Neighbor, that is likely where the church can come in. But the irony i believe is that Israel is partially hardened and won't see it...and the church is focus on our own blueprint thing and we have Israel in the cue but seem to be chasing after shiny objects kind of found in our sandbox blueprints? lol. Well i meant that to sound a bit silly. But in that sense, it would mean that likely no-one is at the helm. Just Israel partially blind, and perhaps a church unwilling to consider the beauty of Israel's hour glass shape provided by Him 2600 years ago. Where this differs from date setting is it looks to the word to see time literally match up with it. And its focus is Israel (where clarity might be most given perhaps). So i would say in that way it is not soothsaying to take the word as a map it might have meant to be for us today. Many may have Ez 38 on their radar. But it's like a salad (in how i understand we might be seeing it) and not the meat and potatoes of prophecy watch. In the way i would understand it it. Since it is His word. And soemthing actually knowable and measureable. And its about Israel. I would say its not the potatoes but the meat. Is that how the church is looking at it today? Are we even aware how to? I have not seen much beyond hats being tipped to Ez 38. And fists bumps turned to finger snapping hand slapping finger hook re-fist bump hand shaking gestures about it. But the bulk of church focus is on the unkowable and providence in relations to Satan....more than Israel...as least as far as "in general" from what i have seen.
As it would seem, these kinds of observations super fascinate me. And i guess the best way to end this post in concert with the thread theme is to suggest perhaps where our focus might be encouraged toward as much as what also not to get caught up in, perhaps. Just saying. Blessings...and thanks for the opportunity to share in a sense this context.
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