Torah and New Testament Foundations-The Beginning of the Birth Pains-Part 1

The Jewish belief is that the time period called the “Chevlai Shell Mashiach” would be a period of seven years (“The Messiah Texts” by Raphael Patai). This period is called “The Birth-Pains” in Hebrew thought and “The Tribulation” in Christianity. There is a basic difference between Hebrew eschatology and Christian eschatology. In both scenarios, the last 1000 years is taught. In Hebrew thought, this period is called the Atid Lavo. In Christian thought it is called “The Millennium.” The Tanak (old testament) calls it the “Day of the Lord.” In Christianity, the “tribulation” is before the last 1000 years. In Hebrew thought, the seven year “birth pains” are the first seven years of the Day of the Lord. So, we have a contradiction. At face value, the Christian model makes more sense because the “Millennium” is seen as a time of peace. How can you have a time of peace and yet the greatest wars of all time take place in it? In Hebrew thought, there is the concept of the “two theaters” and this concept explains how you can have a time of peace and a time of war all happening at the same time. In one theater you have a time of peace, wedding, coronation and safety. In another theater you have a time of war, darkness, gloom and distress. Both will “play out” at the same time, but what you experience will depend on what theater you are in.

What we are told is the “Kingdom” will start in Heaven. Dan 7 is going to talk about the birth pains and Leviathan, who is a picture of the false messiah and his kingdom. We are going to reference many things we have talked about in other teachings (For more detail, go to the main menu and click on our “Prophecy and Eschatology” teachings on this website). In Dan 7.7-8, we have one theater on earth and in Dan 7.9-10 we have another theater in Heaven. In the Jewish encyclopedia there is an article called “Yom Ha Din” and we are told that Dan 7.9-10 is referring to Rosh Ha Shannah, the first day of Tishri. In theses verses, we are looking at the throne of God in Heaven, it is a court scene and a Ma’aseh Merkavah (Work of the Chariot like in Ezek 1). In Dan 7.11-12 we have switched to the earthly theater. In Dan 7.13-14 we have switched back to the heavenly theater and Messiah is given a kingdom, so we have a coronation scenario in heaven. The kingdom begins on a Rosh Ha Shannah, Tishri 1, which we have already identified as being the subject of Dan 7.9-10, 13-14. This must be Tishri 1, year 6001, the first day of the last 1000 year period called the Day of the Lord. The passage corresponds to Rev 4-5. Rosh Ha Shannah is also called the “Day of the Lord” and the “Lord’s Day” because it begins on that day. The previous 6000 years are called the Olam Ha Zeh (this present age).

David will be a picture of the Messiah, and the term “David” is a term for the Messiah. David reigned in Hebron for seven years, and then he moved his throne (kingdom) to Jerusalem (2 Sam 5.4). Hebron is an idiom for “heaven” in Hebrew thought. In like manner, Yeshua will reign for seven years in Heaven (Hebron), then move his throne (kingdom) to Jerusalem. This brings us up to another concept we are going to look at.

The concept is called the “Last 10 Kings of Judah” and this was discovered several years ago by Joseph Good of Hatikva Ministries, and we agree with this concept. In the last ten kings of Judah, we have a composite picture of the seven years of the Birth Pains of the Messiah. Each king, starting with Yotham, will be a picture of a year of the birth pains until you get to year seven. Then, the last four kings (Jehoahaz, Jehoichim, Jehoichin and Zedekiah) will be a picture of the seventh year of the birth pains. So, Yotham will picture year 1 of the birth-pains. If you study everything about the reign of Yotham (in Kings and Chronicles) it will tell you what will happen in the first year of the birth pains. This goes the same for the rest of the kings. Ahaz (2nd year(; Hezekiah (3rd year); Manasseh (4th year); Amon (fifth year); Josiah (sixth year); Jehoahaz, Jehoichim, Jehoichin, Zedekiah (seventh year). The half-way point of the birth pains will be with Manasseh. In this scenario, the days leading up to the birth pains were with King Uzziah, and that is the time period we are in.

In Christian eschatology, the last great battle is called the “Battle of Armageddon.” But in Hebrew eschatology, the last great battle is at Jerusalem. That is where Yeshua will come. The word “Armageddon” in Christian thought means “mountain of Megiddo.” The two places aren’t even close. The sixth king Josiah is killed at Megiddo. The Egyptians are allied with Assyria against the Babylonians, so they go to help. Egypt is going to the aid of the Assyrians who are fighting Babylon. Egypt in prophecy is a picture of Europe and the false messiah. Assyria is Russia and the army of Babylon are the Kings of the East. Prophetically, Josiah is a picture of believers who will go to fight the false messiah, who has the remnants of Russia allied with him (Ezek 39.6; Micah 5.5-6). Europe and the false messiah are going to try and stop the Kings of the East from moving into Israel and the believers (Josiah) will try and stop the false messiah and his army, but they will be defeated at Megiddo in the sixth year of the birth-pains.

Many think that the first Abomination of Desolation (Shikutz Somem= an idol that causes horror) was with Antiochus Epiphanes in the Maccabean war. However, that does not fit into the last ten kings of Judah and the birth pains scenario. When you look at the fourth king (fourth year) Manasseh, we learn that he set up an idol in the Temple (2 Chr 33.7). In the Babylonian Talmud (Ta’anit 28b) and the Jerusalem Talmud (Ta’anit 4, 68d) it also mentions this, and there is an aggadah that says he set up two images, one of which fell over on the other and broke off its hand. Basically, Manasseh is a picture of the false messiah of the future. Manasseh is the fourth king in this sequence of ten kings. We know that the false messiah will set up the Abomination of Desolation in the Temple in the fourth year of the birth pains.

The Tanak describes a whole series of battles and “Armageddon” is in the sixth year. It is a battle that will be at the beginning of the last move towards Jerusalem. This will culminate in the seventh year, with Yeshua returning to Jerusalem on Yom Kippur. Why is all this important? Israel at the half-way pint of the birth pains will flee into the wilderness of Moab and Jordan (Rev 12). God has prepared a place for them there. Most of us are familiar with that, and have heard that before. Most believe they will flee to Petra, and we would not disagree with that. However, they will also go to Pella, the Yarmuke and Jabbok River, through the Arnon Valley all the way down to Petra as well. This is in Jordan. They will be there for 1260 days, or the last half of the birth pains (three and a half years). Rev 12 describes the concept of the coming of the Messiah and the birth pains. You have to have birth pains if the Messiah is coming. Isa 66.7-9 says, “Before she (Israel) travailed (birth pains in 70 A.D.) she brought forth; before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy (Yeshua). Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed (the coming birth pains) she also brought forth her sons (the 144,000, the Two Witnesses-Rev 7.3, 14.1-4; Micah 4.10); shall I bring to a point of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God. In the first century, the “birth pains” came after Yeshua was born, during the seven year Jewish war with the Romans, from 66-73 A.D. In his second coming, the birth pains will come before Yeshua comes again.

Where did Elijah go in the wilderness? He went to the Kerith Valley (1 Kings 17.5). David fled to this area when he fled from Absalom (Machanaim). Believers fled from the Romans in 70 A.D. and went to Pella. The Scriptures are full of these pictures. Israel will flee to the wilderness from the false messiah, from Pella in the north to Mount Sinai in the south. Petra is just north of Sinai. They will also believe in Yeshua and be Torah observant (Rev 12.17). The redemption of Israel, therefore, happens during the first three and a half years of the birth pains with the defeat of Gog and Magog (Ezek 38.1 to 39.22). This defeat happened during the reign of Hezekiah, the third king of the last ten kings of Judah. Therefore, the defeat of Gog/Magaog/Russia will come between Rosh Ha Shannah and Yom Kippur in the third year of the birth pains, leading to the beginning of the fourth year. God will then deal with the non-Jews during the last three and a half years of the birth pains.

We will pick up here in Part 2.

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

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