THE KEY TO THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE--
GENESIS 45--THE FAMINE WEEK - PART 2
I believe with all my heart that Genesis 45, the story of the 7-Year Famine Week of Joseph, teaches us that the Rapture will take place after 2 years of the Final 7 Years have taken place, and when there are still 5 Years left. In this letter, we will take an in-depth look at the first few verses in Genesis 45, and we will discover that God has made it abundantly clear that this chapter is the key to unlocking the great mystery of the time frame of the Rapture. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS STUDY!!!
The study of typology, or “types”, in the Old Testament is the foretelling of future events in the New Testament. The difficult thing for Bible students is that so many of these “types’ are CONCEALED. It takes some digging, some studying, to find some of these golden nuggets. In Mark 13:23, Jesus says, “But take heed: BEHOLD, I HAVE FORETOLD YOU ALL THINGS.” The "FORETOLD" in this verse HAS to mean that things in the New Testament MUST BE CONCEALED in the Old Testament. How many things? JESUS SAYS ALL THINGS!!! ALL!!! A-L-L!!! ALL THINGS MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST THE GENERAL TIME FRAME OF THE RAPTURE!!! I repeat, IT MUST. We should NOT expand the "no man knows the day or hour", to months, years, decades, etc.
Many of us watchmen who have been studying end-times Bible Prophecy for several years have been believing that the Rapture would take place VERY, VERY SOON, for a quite some time now. After all, didn’t Jesus say, “We COULD KNOW WHEN HIS RETURN IS NEAR, EVEN AT THE DOORS.” It is obvious to me that the phrase “EVEN AT THE DOORS”, involves a VERY short space of time, probably within the space of a few short days or weeks.
The multitude of end-times Bible Prophecy signs that have been unfolding all around us for several years, have been pointing us in the general direction of our Lord’s Return. Many, many of us, including me, have given suggested times when we thought that our Lord might be returning, but there has never been a DIRECT answer in the Scriptures as to when the Rapture would actually be. There have been lots and lots of calculations, supposed revelations, signs galore, and all kinds of projections of when the Rapture was going to take place.
Yet JESUS SAID WE COULD KNOW. K-N-O-W!!! So why is it that nobody has been able to figure it out. It is obvious to me NOW, as I am writing this, why JESUS SAID WE COULD KNOW, yet nobody has yet been able to figure it out. IT IS BECAUSE WE COULD NOT KNOW UNTIL 2 THINGS HAPPENED FIRST.
I know that there are at least two schools of thought on 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 2, regarding the Antichrist and the timing of the Rapture. I know all about the other theories, so please do not try to get me into a debate on your theory. I have been studying this for 35 years, and have come to the conclusion that THE RAPTURE CANNOT HAPPEN UNTIL THE ANTICHRIST IS REVEALED. That does not make me mid-Trib, post-Trib, or Pre-Wrath, in my doctrine.
I believe that the Rapture happens at the same time as the Sudden Destruction. God would have no reason to take us out of here before the Sudden Destruction, which almost certainly involves the nuclear destruction of World War III. Did our Lord not take out Lot THE SAME DAY OF THE SUDDEN DESTRUCTION. Did Jesus not say that, “Even thus shall it be in THE DAY THE SON OF MAN IS REVEALED”? God is all about saving souls, and we are His soul-winning agents. Why would he take us out before He absolutely had to?
I believe the first thing that has to happen before WE CAN KNOW THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE, the REVEALING OF THE ANTICHRIST, has already happened. According to what we are about to look at in Genesis 45, the Famine Week of Joseph, the 2nd thing that has to happen is the Famine Week, or the 70th Week of Daniel, has to be in progress. In my opinion, ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD, THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE CANNOT BE KNOWN UNTIL THE FINAL 7 YEARS HAVE STARTED. As most everyone knows who is reading this letter, I believe both of these pre-requisites for KNOWING THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE have NOW been met.
On Oct. 29, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama revealed himself as the Antichrist, (at least to MANY discerning Christians), by confirming his covenant with millions and millions of people to CHANGE THE WORLD. The Famine Week started on this day, the day that Daniel 9:27 was fulfilled. The Famine Week will conclude EXACTLY 7 JEWISH YEARS LATER, on Feast of Atonement, Sept. 23, 2015, that day that everything is pointing towards. I believe with all my heart that NOW WE CAN KNOW THE APPOXIMATE TIME OF THE RAPTURE, BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS BEEN CONCEALED IN GENESIS 45!!!
Let’s now take a very close look at Genesis 45. It is my very strong conviction that this chapter is the FORETELLING OF THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. If you will follow closely, and be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, I believe many of you will agree. Remember now, Jesus said that ALL things have been FORETOLD to us, meaning in the Old Testament. Jesus also says, that we COULD KNOW THE TIME! KNOW! K-N-O-W!
Now that the identity of the Antichrist, Barack Hussein Obama, has been revealed, and the EXACT time frame of the 70th Week of Daniel has been made so VERY obvious to us, WE CAN KNOW THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. It is the ONLY way we could KNOW. Everything has always been speculation. No one has ever known the time, yet JESUS SAID WE COULD KNOW. For the first time in history, with the unveiling of these two EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PROPHETIC EVENTS, WE CAN KNOW!!!
Let’s examine the first 8 verses of Genesis 45, the story of the Famine Week of Joseph, keeping in mind that Joseph is the MOST COMPLETE TYPE OF JESUS IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE. It is NO coincidence that the Famine Week of Joseph is a parallel, or a type of the Final 7 Years in the Book of Revelation. It is by prophetic design, and was FORETOLD BY GOD TO GIVE US THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. Hang on to your hats, as this is about to get REAL EXCITING!
Verse 1 says, “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood NO man with him, while JOSEPH MADE HIMSELF KNOWN UNTO THE BRETHREN.” First, Joseph could not refrain himself and he cried tears of happiness and joy because that long-awaited day was finally here, when he is finally going to make himself known, after MANY long years, to his brethren. Is this not the heart of Jesus, as He sees His Wedding Day approaching, when He is going to MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US AT THE RAPTURE, after almost 2000 long years? I believe that Jesus will not refrain Himself from crying tears of joy at that long-awaited day when He will be reconciled unto us, THE DAY OF THE RAPTURE.
The 2nd thing we notice in this verse is that a SEPARATION took place, as ONLY THE BRETHREN WERE ALLOWED TO BE PRESENT WHEN JOSEPH MADE HIMSELF KNOWN. Joseph made sure that everyone WHO WAS NOT HIS BRETHREN, was not present at HIS REVEALING. Is this not the way it will be at the time of the Rapture?
The Rapture is THE DAY OF GREAT SEPARATION, the separation of the brethren, from those who are not part of His family. The separation from those who have oil in their lamps, from those who do not. The separation of those whom the Lord finds worthy, from those He does not find worthy. Verse 1 brings out the profound realization that at the Rapture there will be a GREAT SEPARATION.
The third, and last, thing I want to bring out in Verse 1, is that JOSEPH (JESUS) MADE HIMSELF KNOWN UNTO HIS BRETHREN. Is this not an EXACT DESCRIPTION OF THE RAPTURE? This was the DAY OF RECONCILIATION for Joseph and his brothers, a long-awaited day of reconciliation. As born-again Christians, we do know Jesus. But we have not SEEN Him. We have not been in His physical presence. The Hebrew word “known” here, means “to ascertain by SEEING”. WE WILL SEE HIM AS HE IS, AT THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE, AT OUR DAY OF RECONCILIATION!!! For almost 2000 years, Jesus has been sitting at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us. All this time, He has been patiently waiting for, and longing to, MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US AT HIS WEDDING DAY, THE DAY OF THE RAPTURE.
In verse 4, Joseph says, "COME NEAR TO ME, I pray you. And THEY CAME NEAR.” Here is the Hebrew definition of this particular usage of the word, “near”. “Near” means to approach, to bring forth, to come hither. AT THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE, we are going to approach Jesus, He is going to bring us forth, and we are going to come hither. Many believe the Rapture takes place in Revelation 4:1, where it says, “behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was, as it were, OF A TRUMPET talking with me: which said, COME UP HITHER.” Sounds like the Rapture, does it not?
If COME UP HITHER are the words used to describe the Rapture, the identical meaning is found in this verse of Gen. 45:4, which says, “Come near, (or hither) to me.” The word “hither” in this verse means “here, in the same place”. So Joseph, (Jesus) is saying, “Come up here, approach me, in the same place that I am, and they came up to Him.” Hallelujah! Are you beginning to see how very obvious the Lord is trying to show us that the Rapture happens in Genesis 45? Thank you, Lord.
In verse 5, Joseph says, “God did send me before you, to preserve life.” That is another EXACT DESCRIPTION OF THE RAPTURE. God is going to send forth Jesus, just as He sent forth Joseph, TO SAVE OUR LIVES. In 1st Thessalonians, Chapters 4 and 5, we read how the Sudden Destuction and the Rapture will take place at the same time. The Rapture is OUR ESCAPE FROM THE SUDDEN DESTRUCTION, just as Lot, who is a type of the Rapture, was allowed to ESCAPE FROM THE SUDDEN DESTRUCTION.
That is just one of the reasons why I cannot believe only in a post-Trib Rapture, or a pre-wrath Rapture. Jesus would not tell us Christians to pray that we be found worthy to ESCAPE ALL unless it was possible to escape ALL. In my opinion, Jesus is not talking about escaping ALL of the Final 7 Years here. He is talking about ALL OF THE MASSIVE, CATACLYSMIC DESTRUCTION. Until THAT happens, there is no reason to take us out of here at the Rapture.
We are going to skip the MOST IMPORTANT VERSE, VERSE 6, and then finish with it, after we have taken a look at verses 7 and 8. In verse 7, Joseph says, “And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives BY A GREAT DELIVERANCE.” Here we have the same phrase repeated AGAIN that describes the Rapture, “God sent me before you”. Will you agree that at the TIME OF THE RAPTURE, that God sends Jesus to us?
Now let’s look at the phrase, “to preserve you a posterity in the earth”. The word “earth” here does mean “earth, or world”. The Hebrew word for “preserve” here is actually a different Hebrew word from the word “preserve’ in verse 5. The word “preserve” in this verse can mean “reward”. The word “posterity” means (ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?) THE REMAINDER THAT HAD ESCAPED, and comes from the root word meaning “TO LEAVE”. Are we getting ready TO LEAVE this earth, or what? Are you shouting yet? This is worth shouting about, don’t you think?
Doesn’t the Word of God teach us that the Rapture is our Great ESCAPE? Doesn’t the Word teach us that at the Rapture, “We who are alive AND REMAIN shall be caught up together (the Rapture) to meet Him”. The last phrase in this verse, in my opinion, is ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE RAPTURE. It reads, “And to save your lives by A GREAT DELIVERANCE.” The word “great’ here means exceedingly great and mighty. The Hebrew word for “deliverance” here (ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?) means “an ESCAPED PORTION OR REMNANT”. That is the ONLY Hebrew meaning for this word “deliverance” in this verse.
What an obvious reference to the Rapture of the Bride, or a remnant, if you will! This verse is telling us there is going to be an ESCAPE FOR A REMNANT. This is not just some ordinary deliverance, my friends, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND MIGHTY DELIVERANCE FROM THE AWE-INSPIRING AND DEVASTING, MASSIVE SUDDEN DESTRUCTION THAT IS GOING TO HIT THE EARTH AT THE SAME TIME!!!
Not only that, but at the time of the Rapture, the Bride is going to BE DELIVERED from the presence of sin, the power of sin, and the penalty of sin, FOREVER AND EVER!!! WHAT AN AWESOME DELIVERANCE GOD HAS IN STORE FOR HIS BRIDE. I refuse to believe that our Lord is going to allow His bride to get beat up before His Wedding Day. Is it any wonder that our Lord would so aptly describe this ESCAPE AS A GREAT DELIVERANCE!!! WHAT A REWARD HE HAS IN STORE FOR US!!!
So, let’s try to put this verse in Genesis 45:7, into modern-day English. It should read something like this, “God will send JESUS, as a REWARD to a remnant of His brethren, to remove them from this earth in a GREAT ESCAPE, AND IN AN EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND MIGHTY DELIVERANCE, FROM THE HORRENDOUS AND UNPARALLELED DESTRUCTION THAT IS COMING UPON THIS EARTH.” Praise God for this AWESOME GREAT DELIVERANCE, THE RAPTURE OF THE BRIDE!!!
By doing a Hebrew word-by-word study of Genesis 45, there can be only one conclusion. That conclusion is that GENESIS 45 TEACHES US THAT DURING THE FINAL 7 YEARS, OR THE FAMINE WEEK, JESUS WILL REVEAL HIMSELF TO US AT THE RAPTURE, WHICH IS OUR EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND MIGHTY DELIVERANCE!!! Because of the magnitude of the Rapture and Sudden Destruction, verse after verse after verse, in this Chapter, is teaching us this. God is trying to remove any doubt in our mind, that this chapter is DEFINITELY REFERRING TO THE RAPTURE, AND THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE!!!
In verse 9, Joseph says TO HIS BRETHREN, “HASTE YE, AND GO UP TO MY FATHER.” Is this not what Jesus will do at THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE? Please notice the word “up", in this verse. Is that not what we do at the time of the Rapture? “Come UP hither.” Do we not “ascend” to Heaven, where God the Father is, at the time of the Rapture? The word “Haste” here simply means “to hurry”. To me, this is implying AGAIN the simultaneous Sudden Destruction and the Rapture. The word “Sudden” means without warning. Just like the Lord got Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah just in the nick of time, so shall it be at the time of the Rapture.
Verse 6 is the highlight of Genesis 45, because IT GIVES US AT LEAST THE APPROXIMATE TIME FRAME FOR THE RAPTURE, or when Jesus makes Himself known to the brethren, or the GREAT DELIVERANCE. Genesis 45:6 says, “FOR THESE TWO YEARS HATH THE FAMINE BEEN IN THE LAND: AND YET THERE ARE FIVE YEARS, in the which shall neither be earing or harvest.”
In my opinion, God has made it so blatantly obvious that this chapter is referring to the Rapture, the Great Escape, the Great Deliverance. It is also so plain to see that the Famine Week is a “type” of the Final 7 Years in the Book of Revelation. How can we possibly NOT BELIEVE THAT VERSE 6 GIVES US THE TIME FRAME FOR THE RAPTURE???!!! Only our pre-conceived ideas will keep us from receiving this truth.
Two years into the Final 7 Years, or the Famine Week, takes us to the FALL OF 2010 FOR THE PROBABLE TIME OF THE RAPTURE!!! The Lord did not have to say “AND YET THERE ARE FIVE YEARS”. He had already told us that JOSEPH (JESUS) REVEALING HIMSELF TO THE BRETHREN AND THE GREAT DELIVERANCE WOULD BE AFTER 2 YEARS OF THE FAMINE WEEK.” 7 years minus 2 years obviously equals 5 years. He knows we can subtract.
BUT HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID NOT MISS THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE, OR THE GREAT DELIVERANCE. He said there would be FIVE MORE YEARS OF THE FAMINE WEEK, AFTER THIS GREAT DELIVERANCE, OR RAPTURE, TAKES PLACE. And then in verse 11, He tells us AGAIN, for a second time, “And yet THERE ARE FIVE YEARS OF FAMINE”, AFTER THIS GREAT DELIVERANCE. GOD IS EMPHASIZING THE TIME FRAME. He wants to make sure that we do not miss it.
This verse also tells us that there will be "no more earing, nor harvest." In the Hebrew, it appears this could be referring to a physical sowing and reaping, OR a spiritual sowing and reaping. To the brethren of Joseph, there would be no more physical sowing and reaping AFTER TWO YEARS, but for the brethren of Jesus, for those whom the Lord takes in the Rapture, our time for sowing and reaping, or harvesting, is then over AT THE END OF TWO YEARS INTO THE FAMINE WEEK. I believe the Lord is telling us we need to accelerate our efforts, concerning our sowing and harvesting of souls, before it is eternally too late.
Please do not miss what the Lord is so obviously showing us in Genesis 45. Only if you believe that we have entered the Final 7 Years, can YOU KNOW THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. The rest of you CANNOT KNOW, yet Jesus said we COULD KNOW. Jesus said that He has FORETOLD ALL things to us, which means the timing of the Rapture should be able to be found in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, is the New Testament CONCEALED. But only CONCEALED until the time of the end, according to Daniel. We are at the Time of the End. So where in the Old Testament are YOU finding the timing of the Rapture, if not in Genesis 45?
I do not believe you will find it, unless you just found it in Genesis 45. Because I believe with all my heart, that THIS IS WHERE THE RAPTURE, EVEN THE TIMING, IS FORETOLD. With Joseph being the MOST COMPLETE TYPE OF CHRIST FOUND IN THE ENTIRE WORD OF GOD, why would God not put the timing of the Rapture in His Word, using Joseph as the type. With a Famine Week of 7 Years a MAJOR part of the life of Joseph, how can anyone believe that this is not a type of the Final 7 Years of the Book of Revelation?
If you agree with the above paragraph, then what reason could the Lord possibly have for having a MAJOR SEPARATION OF THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE FAMINE AND THE LAST 5 YEAR OF THE FAMINE??? The Lord EMPHASIZES THE TWO AND FIVE YEAR SEPARATION HERE. There is NO other separation, no other time frame mentioned at all in the entire story of Joseph’s Famine Week. The entire context of this Chapter, is DEFINITELY referring to the Rapture, as has been shown here in this letter.
I know MANY of you believe that we have entered the Final 7 Years in the Fall of 2008. But probably the majority of you do NOT believe that. It is my belief that the evidence is conclusive and that GOD WANTS US TO KNOW THAT. Because if we can believe that, then, and only then, CAN WE KNOW THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. The evidence presented to you in this letter, in my opinion, shows that the Rapture will be AFTER TWO YEARS OF THE FINAL 7 YEARS, AND WITH FIVE YEARS YET TO GO IN THIS SAME FAMINE WEEK!!!
So, please let me know when you think the Final 7 Years begins, or has begun. For the majority of you who believe that the Final 7 Years have not started yet, this means that if you believe what has been presented today, concerning this "type" of the Rapture in Genesis 45, of Joseph’s Famine Week, then you would have more than two years to go before the Rapture can take place.
For those of us who believe the Final 7 Years started in the Fall of 2008, the Blessed Hope just got a whole lot sweeter, because according to the Famine Week of Joseph, the Rapture SHOULD BE IN THE FALL OF 2010, or at least within a few months of that time frame. Praise the Lord. Let us all make valuable use of the time we have left.
I feel led by the Holy Spirit to close with the words of this song:
OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE
GLIMPSES OF TRUTH THOU HAST FOR ME
OPEN MY EYES, ILLUMINE ME
SPIRIT DIVINE
Maranatha!
Ron Reese
[email protected]
The study of typology, or “types”, in the Old Testament is the foretelling of future events in the New Testament. The difficult thing for Bible students is that so many of these “types’ are CONCEALED. It takes some digging, some studying, to find some of these golden nuggets. In Mark 13:23, Jesus says, “But take heed: BEHOLD, I HAVE FORETOLD YOU ALL THINGS.” The "FORETOLD" in this verse HAS to mean that things in the New Testament MUST BE CONCEALED in the Old Testament. How many things? JESUS SAYS ALL THINGS!!! ALL!!! A-L-L!!! ALL THINGS MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST THE GENERAL TIME FRAME OF THE RAPTURE!!! I repeat, IT MUST. We should NOT expand the "no man knows the day or hour", to months, years, decades, etc.
Many of us watchmen who have been studying end-times Bible Prophecy for several years have been believing that the Rapture would take place VERY, VERY SOON, for a quite some time now. After all, didn’t Jesus say, “We COULD KNOW WHEN HIS RETURN IS NEAR, EVEN AT THE DOORS.” It is obvious to me that the phrase “EVEN AT THE DOORS”, involves a VERY short space of time, probably within the space of a few short days or weeks.
The multitude of end-times Bible Prophecy signs that have been unfolding all around us for several years, have been pointing us in the general direction of our Lord’s Return. Many, many of us, including me, have given suggested times when we thought that our Lord might be returning, but there has never been a DIRECT answer in the Scriptures as to when the Rapture would actually be. There have been lots and lots of calculations, supposed revelations, signs galore, and all kinds of projections of when the Rapture was going to take place.
Yet JESUS SAID WE COULD KNOW. K-N-O-W!!! So why is it that nobody has been able to figure it out. It is obvious to me NOW, as I am writing this, why JESUS SAID WE COULD KNOW, yet nobody has yet been able to figure it out. IT IS BECAUSE WE COULD NOT KNOW UNTIL 2 THINGS HAPPENED FIRST.
I know that there are at least two schools of thought on 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 2, regarding the Antichrist and the timing of the Rapture. I know all about the other theories, so please do not try to get me into a debate on your theory. I have been studying this for 35 years, and have come to the conclusion that THE RAPTURE CANNOT HAPPEN UNTIL THE ANTICHRIST IS REVEALED. That does not make me mid-Trib, post-Trib, or Pre-Wrath, in my doctrine.
I believe that the Rapture happens at the same time as the Sudden Destruction. God would have no reason to take us out of here before the Sudden Destruction, which almost certainly involves the nuclear destruction of World War III. Did our Lord not take out Lot THE SAME DAY OF THE SUDDEN DESTRUCTION. Did Jesus not say that, “Even thus shall it be in THE DAY THE SON OF MAN IS REVEALED”? God is all about saving souls, and we are His soul-winning agents. Why would he take us out before He absolutely had to?
I believe the first thing that has to happen before WE CAN KNOW THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE, the REVEALING OF THE ANTICHRIST, has already happened. According to what we are about to look at in Genesis 45, the Famine Week of Joseph, the 2nd thing that has to happen is the Famine Week, or the 70th Week of Daniel, has to be in progress. In my opinion, ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD, THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE CANNOT BE KNOWN UNTIL THE FINAL 7 YEARS HAVE STARTED. As most everyone knows who is reading this letter, I believe both of these pre-requisites for KNOWING THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE have NOW been met.
On Oct. 29, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama revealed himself as the Antichrist, (at least to MANY discerning Christians), by confirming his covenant with millions and millions of people to CHANGE THE WORLD. The Famine Week started on this day, the day that Daniel 9:27 was fulfilled. The Famine Week will conclude EXACTLY 7 JEWISH YEARS LATER, on Feast of Atonement, Sept. 23, 2015, that day that everything is pointing towards. I believe with all my heart that NOW WE CAN KNOW THE APPOXIMATE TIME OF THE RAPTURE, BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS BEEN CONCEALED IN GENESIS 45!!!
Let’s now take a very close look at Genesis 45. It is my very strong conviction that this chapter is the FORETELLING OF THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. If you will follow closely, and be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, I believe many of you will agree. Remember now, Jesus said that ALL things have been FORETOLD to us, meaning in the Old Testament. Jesus also says, that we COULD KNOW THE TIME! KNOW! K-N-O-W!
Now that the identity of the Antichrist, Barack Hussein Obama, has been revealed, and the EXACT time frame of the 70th Week of Daniel has been made so VERY obvious to us, WE CAN KNOW THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. It is the ONLY way we could KNOW. Everything has always been speculation. No one has ever known the time, yet JESUS SAID WE COULD KNOW. For the first time in history, with the unveiling of these two EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PROPHETIC EVENTS, WE CAN KNOW!!!
Let’s examine the first 8 verses of Genesis 45, the story of the Famine Week of Joseph, keeping in mind that Joseph is the MOST COMPLETE TYPE OF JESUS IN THE ENTIRE BIBLE. It is NO coincidence that the Famine Week of Joseph is a parallel, or a type of the Final 7 Years in the Book of Revelation. It is by prophetic design, and was FORETOLD BY GOD TO GIVE US THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. Hang on to your hats, as this is about to get REAL EXCITING!
Verse 1 says, “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood NO man with him, while JOSEPH MADE HIMSELF KNOWN UNTO THE BRETHREN.” First, Joseph could not refrain himself and he cried tears of happiness and joy because that long-awaited day was finally here, when he is finally going to make himself known, after MANY long years, to his brethren. Is this not the heart of Jesus, as He sees His Wedding Day approaching, when He is going to MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US AT THE RAPTURE, after almost 2000 long years? I believe that Jesus will not refrain Himself from crying tears of joy at that long-awaited day when He will be reconciled unto us, THE DAY OF THE RAPTURE.
The 2nd thing we notice in this verse is that a SEPARATION took place, as ONLY THE BRETHREN WERE ALLOWED TO BE PRESENT WHEN JOSEPH MADE HIMSELF KNOWN. Joseph made sure that everyone WHO WAS NOT HIS BRETHREN, was not present at HIS REVEALING. Is this not the way it will be at the time of the Rapture?
The Rapture is THE DAY OF GREAT SEPARATION, the separation of the brethren, from those who are not part of His family. The separation from those who have oil in their lamps, from those who do not. The separation of those whom the Lord finds worthy, from those He does not find worthy. Verse 1 brings out the profound realization that at the Rapture there will be a GREAT SEPARATION.
The third, and last, thing I want to bring out in Verse 1, is that JOSEPH (JESUS) MADE HIMSELF KNOWN UNTO HIS BRETHREN. Is this not an EXACT DESCRIPTION OF THE RAPTURE? This was the DAY OF RECONCILIATION for Joseph and his brothers, a long-awaited day of reconciliation. As born-again Christians, we do know Jesus. But we have not SEEN Him. We have not been in His physical presence. The Hebrew word “known” here, means “to ascertain by SEEING”. WE WILL SEE HIM AS HE IS, AT THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE, AT OUR DAY OF RECONCILIATION!!! For almost 2000 years, Jesus has been sitting at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us. All this time, He has been patiently waiting for, and longing to, MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN TO US AT HIS WEDDING DAY, THE DAY OF THE RAPTURE.
In verse 4, Joseph says, "COME NEAR TO ME, I pray you. And THEY CAME NEAR.” Here is the Hebrew definition of this particular usage of the word, “near”. “Near” means to approach, to bring forth, to come hither. AT THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE, we are going to approach Jesus, He is going to bring us forth, and we are going to come hither. Many believe the Rapture takes place in Revelation 4:1, where it says, “behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was, as it were, OF A TRUMPET talking with me: which said, COME UP HITHER.” Sounds like the Rapture, does it not?
If COME UP HITHER are the words used to describe the Rapture, the identical meaning is found in this verse of Gen. 45:4, which says, “Come near, (or hither) to me.” The word “hither” in this verse means “here, in the same place”. So Joseph, (Jesus) is saying, “Come up here, approach me, in the same place that I am, and they came up to Him.” Hallelujah! Are you beginning to see how very obvious the Lord is trying to show us that the Rapture happens in Genesis 45? Thank you, Lord.
In verse 5, Joseph says, “God did send me before you, to preserve life.” That is another EXACT DESCRIPTION OF THE RAPTURE. God is going to send forth Jesus, just as He sent forth Joseph, TO SAVE OUR LIVES. In 1st Thessalonians, Chapters 4 and 5, we read how the Sudden Destuction and the Rapture will take place at the same time. The Rapture is OUR ESCAPE FROM THE SUDDEN DESTRUCTION, just as Lot, who is a type of the Rapture, was allowed to ESCAPE FROM THE SUDDEN DESTRUCTION.
That is just one of the reasons why I cannot believe only in a post-Trib Rapture, or a pre-wrath Rapture. Jesus would not tell us Christians to pray that we be found worthy to ESCAPE ALL unless it was possible to escape ALL. In my opinion, Jesus is not talking about escaping ALL of the Final 7 Years here. He is talking about ALL OF THE MASSIVE, CATACLYSMIC DESTRUCTION. Until THAT happens, there is no reason to take us out of here at the Rapture.
We are going to skip the MOST IMPORTANT VERSE, VERSE 6, and then finish with it, after we have taken a look at verses 7 and 8. In verse 7, Joseph says, “And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives BY A GREAT DELIVERANCE.” Here we have the same phrase repeated AGAIN that describes the Rapture, “God sent me before you”. Will you agree that at the TIME OF THE RAPTURE, that God sends Jesus to us?
Now let’s look at the phrase, “to preserve you a posterity in the earth”. The word “earth” here does mean “earth, or world”. The Hebrew word for “preserve” here is actually a different Hebrew word from the word “preserve’ in verse 5. The word “preserve” in this verse can mean “reward”. The word “posterity” means (ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?) THE REMAINDER THAT HAD ESCAPED, and comes from the root word meaning “TO LEAVE”. Are we getting ready TO LEAVE this earth, or what? Are you shouting yet? This is worth shouting about, don’t you think?
Doesn’t the Word of God teach us that the Rapture is our Great ESCAPE? Doesn’t the Word teach us that at the Rapture, “We who are alive AND REMAIN shall be caught up together (the Rapture) to meet Him”. The last phrase in this verse, in my opinion, is ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE RAPTURE. It reads, “And to save your lives by A GREAT DELIVERANCE.” The word “great’ here means exceedingly great and mighty. The Hebrew word for “deliverance” here (ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?) means “an ESCAPED PORTION OR REMNANT”. That is the ONLY Hebrew meaning for this word “deliverance” in this verse.
What an obvious reference to the Rapture of the Bride, or a remnant, if you will! This verse is telling us there is going to be an ESCAPE FOR A REMNANT. This is not just some ordinary deliverance, my friends, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND MIGHTY DELIVERANCE FROM THE AWE-INSPIRING AND DEVASTING, MASSIVE SUDDEN DESTRUCTION THAT IS GOING TO HIT THE EARTH AT THE SAME TIME!!!
Not only that, but at the time of the Rapture, the Bride is going to BE DELIVERED from the presence of sin, the power of sin, and the penalty of sin, FOREVER AND EVER!!! WHAT AN AWESOME DELIVERANCE GOD HAS IN STORE FOR HIS BRIDE. I refuse to believe that our Lord is going to allow His bride to get beat up before His Wedding Day. Is it any wonder that our Lord would so aptly describe this ESCAPE AS A GREAT DELIVERANCE!!! WHAT A REWARD HE HAS IN STORE FOR US!!!
So, let’s try to put this verse in Genesis 45:7, into modern-day English. It should read something like this, “God will send JESUS, as a REWARD to a remnant of His brethren, to remove them from this earth in a GREAT ESCAPE, AND IN AN EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND MIGHTY DELIVERANCE, FROM THE HORRENDOUS AND UNPARALLELED DESTRUCTION THAT IS COMING UPON THIS EARTH.” Praise God for this AWESOME GREAT DELIVERANCE, THE RAPTURE OF THE BRIDE!!!
By doing a Hebrew word-by-word study of Genesis 45, there can be only one conclusion. That conclusion is that GENESIS 45 TEACHES US THAT DURING THE FINAL 7 YEARS, OR THE FAMINE WEEK, JESUS WILL REVEAL HIMSELF TO US AT THE RAPTURE, WHICH IS OUR EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND MIGHTY DELIVERANCE!!! Because of the magnitude of the Rapture and Sudden Destruction, verse after verse after verse, in this Chapter, is teaching us this. God is trying to remove any doubt in our mind, that this chapter is DEFINITELY REFERRING TO THE RAPTURE, AND THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE!!!
In verse 9, Joseph says TO HIS BRETHREN, “HASTE YE, AND GO UP TO MY FATHER.” Is this not what Jesus will do at THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE? Please notice the word “up", in this verse. Is that not what we do at the time of the Rapture? “Come UP hither.” Do we not “ascend” to Heaven, where God the Father is, at the time of the Rapture? The word “Haste” here simply means “to hurry”. To me, this is implying AGAIN the simultaneous Sudden Destruction and the Rapture. The word “Sudden” means without warning. Just like the Lord got Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah just in the nick of time, so shall it be at the time of the Rapture.
Verse 6 is the highlight of Genesis 45, because IT GIVES US AT LEAST THE APPROXIMATE TIME FRAME FOR THE RAPTURE, or when Jesus makes Himself known to the brethren, or the GREAT DELIVERANCE. Genesis 45:6 says, “FOR THESE TWO YEARS HATH THE FAMINE BEEN IN THE LAND: AND YET THERE ARE FIVE YEARS, in the which shall neither be earing or harvest.”
In my opinion, God has made it so blatantly obvious that this chapter is referring to the Rapture, the Great Escape, the Great Deliverance. It is also so plain to see that the Famine Week is a “type” of the Final 7 Years in the Book of Revelation. How can we possibly NOT BELIEVE THAT VERSE 6 GIVES US THE TIME FRAME FOR THE RAPTURE???!!! Only our pre-conceived ideas will keep us from receiving this truth.
Two years into the Final 7 Years, or the Famine Week, takes us to the FALL OF 2010 FOR THE PROBABLE TIME OF THE RAPTURE!!! The Lord did not have to say “AND YET THERE ARE FIVE YEARS”. He had already told us that JOSEPH (JESUS) REVEALING HIMSELF TO THE BRETHREN AND THE GREAT DELIVERANCE WOULD BE AFTER 2 YEARS OF THE FAMINE WEEK.” 7 years minus 2 years obviously equals 5 years. He knows we can subtract.
BUT HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID NOT MISS THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE, OR THE GREAT DELIVERANCE. He said there would be FIVE MORE YEARS OF THE FAMINE WEEK, AFTER THIS GREAT DELIVERANCE, OR RAPTURE, TAKES PLACE. And then in verse 11, He tells us AGAIN, for a second time, “And yet THERE ARE FIVE YEARS OF FAMINE”, AFTER THIS GREAT DELIVERANCE. GOD IS EMPHASIZING THE TIME FRAME. He wants to make sure that we do not miss it.
This verse also tells us that there will be "no more earing, nor harvest." In the Hebrew, it appears this could be referring to a physical sowing and reaping, OR a spiritual sowing and reaping. To the brethren of Joseph, there would be no more physical sowing and reaping AFTER TWO YEARS, but for the brethren of Jesus, for those whom the Lord takes in the Rapture, our time for sowing and reaping, or harvesting, is then over AT THE END OF TWO YEARS INTO THE FAMINE WEEK. I believe the Lord is telling us we need to accelerate our efforts, concerning our sowing and harvesting of souls, before it is eternally too late.
Please do not miss what the Lord is so obviously showing us in Genesis 45. Only if you believe that we have entered the Final 7 Years, can YOU KNOW THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. The rest of you CANNOT KNOW, yet Jesus said we COULD KNOW. Jesus said that He has FORETOLD ALL things to us, which means the timing of the Rapture should be able to be found in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, is the New Testament CONCEALED. But only CONCEALED until the time of the end, according to Daniel. We are at the Time of the End. So where in the Old Testament are YOU finding the timing of the Rapture, if not in Genesis 45?
I do not believe you will find it, unless you just found it in Genesis 45. Because I believe with all my heart, that THIS IS WHERE THE RAPTURE, EVEN THE TIMING, IS FORETOLD. With Joseph being the MOST COMPLETE TYPE OF CHRIST FOUND IN THE ENTIRE WORD OF GOD, why would God not put the timing of the Rapture in His Word, using Joseph as the type. With a Famine Week of 7 Years a MAJOR part of the life of Joseph, how can anyone believe that this is not a type of the Final 7 Years of the Book of Revelation?
If you agree with the above paragraph, then what reason could the Lord possibly have for having a MAJOR SEPARATION OF THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE FAMINE AND THE LAST 5 YEAR OF THE FAMINE??? The Lord EMPHASIZES THE TWO AND FIVE YEAR SEPARATION HERE. There is NO other separation, no other time frame mentioned at all in the entire story of Joseph’s Famine Week. The entire context of this Chapter, is DEFINITELY referring to the Rapture, as has been shown here in this letter.
I know MANY of you believe that we have entered the Final 7 Years in the Fall of 2008. But probably the majority of you do NOT believe that. It is my belief that the evidence is conclusive and that GOD WANTS US TO KNOW THAT. Because if we can believe that, then, and only then, CAN WE KNOW THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE RAPTURE. The evidence presented to you in this letter, in my opinion, shows that the Rapture will be AFTER TWO YEARS OF THE FINAL 7 YEARS, AND WITH FIVE YEARS YET TO GO IN THIS SAME FAMINE WEEK!!!
So, please let me know when you think the Final 7 Years begins, or has begun. For the majority of you who believe that the Final 7 Years have not started yet, this means that if you believe what has been presented today, concerning this "type" of the Rapture in Genesis 45, of Joseph’s Famine Week, then you would have more than two years to go before the Rapture can take place.
For those of us who believe the Final 7 Years started in the Fall of 2008, the Blessed Hope just got a whole lot sweeter, because according to the Famine Week of Joseph, the Rapture SHOULD BE IN THE FALL OF 2010, or at least within a few months of that time frame. Praise the Lord. Let us all make valuable use of the time we have left.
I feel led by the Holy Spirit to close with the words of this song:
OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE
GLIMPSES OF TRUTH THOU HAST FOR ME
OPEN MY EYES, ILLUMINE ME
SPIRIT DIVINE
Maranatha!
Ron Reese
[email protected]
