Ship of the West

Imagine that one weekday you awake in the darkness without power. You have no idea what time it is so you throw open the window and ask someone passing by who says it is “6” as he fades into the night. Did he mean “6 minutes” till or “6 minutes” after? Or did he mean the hour of “6”? This partial bit of information will not be helpful due to the multitude of possibilities. The point I am making in this illustration is that time is defined by two increments. Without the minute and hour hand of the clock, you will have trouble synchronizing the events of your day. Now let us consider the time of the end, and let us also consider the Last Days in the light of the parable of the Ten Virgins (see Matthew 25). In this parable we see surprise and confusion on the part of all who have been given the responsibility to be the light bearers of the world. This parable is a prophecy specifically applied to the Holy People at the time when the Everlasting Kingdom begins to form upon the earth (just prior to the commencement of last days). In this parable, five of the Light Bearers awake and have a clear understanding of their mission while the other five are confused and go into the darkness in an effort to seek enlightenment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What does all of this mean in the light of the Anti-typical Day of Atonement? I will suggest to you that the “Holy People” (symbolized by the Ten Virgins) will be blind sighted by an event that they had not anticipated. Note the detail in following prophecy which occurs just prior to the commencement of the Last Days, “I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” (Malachi 4:5) And what is it that the prophet is tasked to do for the Holy People? "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.” (Malachi 4:4) The Parable Jesus presented to the disciples about the end of the ages was based upon symbolic events of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement. The divisions of the wise and foolish virgins are representative of two Goats brought before YHWH on that day. The two goats are brought before the High Priest, one is judged as unblemished and is accepted within the sanctuary and offered to YHWH, while the other is blemished and is not allowed into the sanctuary. Instead, it is led away from the community at the time of the evening sacrifice.

Since the time Jesus entered into the Most Holy Place, he has been making intercession for the People of Israel. He will not leave this place until Atonement for all nations has been made. This negates his ability to physically present himself before the community of Israel upon this earth as required by the High Priest of Israel. It is necessary then for a physical appearance of a High Priestly figure to gather the Holy People into a single body to perform judgment prior to the last days. I believe this judgment will be performed by the prophet spoken of in Malachi 4:5 and will possess the same spirit as Elijah. Hence we will have two high priestly figures operating during the Anti-typical Day of Atonement; one acting as the hour hand (Jesus) while the other will act as the minute hand (Elijah). The time of the end will be comprehended by the wise virgins through the interaction of these two high Priestly ministries. Hence the appearance of this End Times Prophet will bring both clarity and confusion. It is at this time that the Holy People should be seeking the spirit of enlightenment before this day commences. “Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.” (Daniel 12:10)