Signs of the Times

Signs are a marvellous thing because they affirm to us that we have a loving God who wants us to know when He is returning so that we can prepare our hearts and lives – He is not trying to catch us out in our Sin because every act before He even created the world, as shown above, was predicated upon Him Redeeming us. Even before we were created, and before we had sinned, He had a plan and this plan involved signs for us to find. As He said in Matthew 7:7:

⁷ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: Matthew 7:7

So, is the scripture about seeking for signs, or answers, in and of itself a sign, in that it involves two number 7s appearing as 77 ? Could this be the number of years associated with the Fig Tree Prophecy that would point us to understanding that 2025 is the appointed time for the LORD’s return. I will touch on this later in the article, before discussing the 3^rd Day prophecy, which I believe is connected to it; but firstly, I just want to touch on a few of the other Signs of Jesus’ return, that have been manifesting in recent times.

These including the following:

• Psalm 83 - recognised by many as a imprecatory prayer for a war to defeat God’s enemies has been taking place since October 7^th 2023
• The major geopolitical alliances (Russia, Iran and Turkey along with Libya ) are in place ready for Ezekiel 38.
• The technology to run the 'Cashless monetary system' in conjunction with the ‘Mark of the Beast system’ has been built, they are just experimenting with the different Digital Currencies now. It is highly possible that connection to this system will utilise the Starlink network, which is a satellite internet constellation developed and operated by SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk. This technology has been designed to provide internet access virtually anywhere on Earth, including remote, rural, and underserved regions, so this system has for the first time given rise to the possibility that no one, no matter where they are, will be able to buy or sell without connecting to and utilising the Beast System, as it states in Revelation 13:17:

¹⁷ And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Revelation 13:17

However, while there are many other signs that I have written about in a number of other articles on this site, it is not the purpose of this article to list or detail them all, rather I just want to briefly consider this last sign a little further, to see more about what God is revealing to us, before considering how all of this connects to one of the most important signs in which God reveals our salvation will occur “On the Third Day”.

Mark of the Beast

Firstly, in relation to the Beast system, it is important to note that it will require you to have an ID and an Account. To be provided with this, you will first need to accept what the bible refers to as the Mark, either in your right hand or your forehead.

Essentially it is a mark of allegiance because in the Garden of Eden, God was looking to see if Mankind would trust and give their Heart to Him, while Satan was seeking to see if Man would follow him. In this way, the Mark will be associated with worship, as the following passage shows:

¹¹ Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. ¹² And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³ He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. ¹⁴ And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. ¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
  ¹⁸ Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. Revelation 13:11-18

It will be the final sign of who belongs to God and who belongs to the World, and as such it will be a direct area of contention between God and Satan for the hearts and souls of people. This is why the bible states that if you take the Mark, you cannot be saved because you have given your heart and allegiance to Satan. It is also possible that because the Mark may at the time of implementation involve some form of RNA technology, your DNA may have been altered to the point that from God's perspective you are no longer fully human. This may be why salvation is not possible if you take the Mark. Essentially, Jesus, who was known as the Son of Man, had to be fully human to die in our place, and we need to be fully human to be saved. In other articles, I have shown that this was so important to God that He even encoded the numbers that reflect our humanity (the 46 pairs of Chromosomes - 23 x 2 - the numbers that qualified Him as the Last Adam) into the dimensions of Solomon's Temple, which became a type of Jesus - God is a God of the details.

Zion - the Mark of God

Significantly this all connects with the meaning of Zion, that as the following will show, is directly related to God Marking and Sealing those that are His, just like Satan wants to do.

Zion is the Hebrew word צִיּוֹן (Tziyyon or Ṣiyyôn). It is first mentioned in the Bible in 2 Samuel 5:7, as follows:

So geographically it originally referred to Mount Zion, a hill in Jerusalem, but over time it became what is referred to as a synecdoche (see explanation below) for:

• The entire city of Jerusalem
• The Temple Mount
• The Land of Israel
• Even the Jewish concept of the World to Come

Essentially, Zion is a synecdoche, that is a figure of speech in which a part of something refers to a whole. In this way, it is identifying something that belongs to God, such that it becomes a pointer to God’s Kingdom that is yet to come in fullness. Biblically Zion grew from just representing the City of David, that is the oldest part of Jerusalem today, to representing the whole land of Israel and the world to come.

This is why in the modern era Zionism represented the reestablishment of the Jewish people to their homeland (the Promised Land), with an expectation of what Christians would call the return of the Messiah, but Jews would see as His first appearance to save them and the World. Clearly Satan, the prince of this world, hates this idea because it represents the end of his ambitions and that is why the world also hates what Zionism represents.

However, it is important to note that while the etymology (which is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of words) of the word Zion is often disputed and said by many to be unclear, I believe this is because Satan is trying to muddy the waters because of its significance. The reality is that by ignoring the vowel markings, which were a later addition by the Masoretes, the very same letters ציוו translated as Zion are also seen as the letters for two other Hebrew words that as shown below are labelled by Strongs Dictionary as H6724 meaning a “dry place” and H6725 meaning a “Sign” a “Title”; and a “Waymark”:

An example of Strongs: H6724 being translated as “dry”  in Isaiah 25: 5 follows:

An example of Strongs: H6725 being translated “waymark” in Jeremiah 31:21 follows:

Significantly here, the word also carries the meaning of 'waymark' which, as the following from the Logos Bible software shows, includes the idea of it being a ‘road marker’, which is something that marks where you are in relation to a journey you are on. It shows you how close you are to your destination and as such could arguably be seen as being a sign of how close we are to the Rapture where Jesus will meet us and take us Home.

Additionally, it has been noted in modern Hebrew that the word לְצַיֵּן (leTzayen) that comes from the root צ־י־ן (tz-y-n), which is the root of the noun צִיּוֹן (Tziyon, Zion), is a verb that means “to mark” “to designate,” or “to emphasise.” As such, it again clearly carries the same meaning as the biblical word designated as Strongs H6725, showing us, that God has provided consistent meanings for both the word Zion and the words derived from it, from the very beginning of ISRAEL’s creation to today.

Therefore, if you put all these meanings together, to see what God is conveying to us, it becomes evident that God is the one that comes into the dry place, the wilderness where fallen man resides after the fall in the Garden of Eden (noting that man went out of the garden to the East), to establish a sign that He is returning, and He does this by marking all that belongs Him. This includes the city of Jerusalem that is the only city on earth that carries His name, and it includes the people that put their trust in Him, and that will one day dwell with God in the new Jerusalem, that will come down from Heaven to a new Earth.

Then as stated above, the fact that Israel is at the heart of Zionism, they also become the greatest sign, that like the ‘waymarker’, or Road Sign, shows that we are nearly to the end of our Journey and Jesus is preparing to meet us in the air, to take us to our final destination in Heaven.

This affirms to us that the re-birth of the modern State of ISRAEL, in line with the prophecy of Isaiah 66:8 (about a nation being born in a day), is not only a modern miracle and a fulfilment of prophecy, but it is the biggest sign of all and like a Road Sign it shows how close we are to the end of our Journey.

JESUS is truly coming back soon because He made two promises, that with the foundation I have just laid, I want to discuss further because both are timing clues that involve Israel and that involve restrictions that mean if they are not fulfilled soon, then Bible prophecy could be said to be invalid at worst, or inaccurate at best.

However, we know that this is not the case because the Bible accurately predicted the Timing of Jesus first Coming to the very day in Daniel’s famous Seventy Weeks Prophecy and there are over 300 other prophecies about Jesus’ incarnation, that were related to His birth, life; Death; Resurrection; and Ascension that were all completely fulfilled. So, with the bible’s prophetic track record of fulfilment being 100 % accurate, people truly are taking a risk if they ignore the ones about His Rapture and Second Coming.

PROMISE ONE

First timing Prophecy –  The Fig Tree Prophecy

With all that said, the first timing promise relates to the Fig Tree Prophecy that was a promise that the generation that saw the Fig Tree (which in the bible was a symbol of Israel) begin to shoot again, would not die before Jesus returned. Hosea 9:10 associates Israel with the Fig Tree:

¹⁰ I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved. Hosea 9:10

And Matthew 24:32-35 predicts that the Fig Tree will, in the end-times, begin to sprout again:

³² Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: ³³ So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. ³⁴ Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. ³⁵ Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Matthew 24:32-35

This was indisputably a reference to the re-birth of ISRAEL in 1948, after being barren for nearly two thousand years. It is now 77 years old, and a generation is defined in Psalm 90:10 as 70 -80 years:

¹⁰ The days of our years -- are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Psalms 90:10

So clearly there is a time constraint on this prophecy remaining valid and being that 77 years lies within the biblical definition and 77 is a dual representation of God’s favourite number 7 that can also be understood as 7 x 11, where 7 is God's oath and promise to complete and fulfil His work of Redemption that completely destroys the work of Satan, who will be represented by 11 in the Man of Sin or Lawlessness (the Antichrist), the 11^th horn of Daniel; then 2025 does seem a real possibility of seeing this fulfilled.

Also has stated above, in the Signs of the Times section, Matthew 7:7s reference to seek and you will find, which is akin to seeking for a sign could be a hidden hint that confirms that the Fig Tree Prophecy is pointing to this year - 1948 + 77 = 2025 

Further to that, the fact that the Bible verse describing the number of years for a generation could have said that when our allotted time was reached, we die or return to the earth. However, it did not say that, it said that when our time is reached, our labor and sorrow will “….soon be cut off, and we fly away”, which seems to be a perfect description of the Rapture that will involve us suddenly being caught up into the clouds and like the birds, we will fly away to be forever with our LORD.

In fact, as the Logos Software shows below, the word translated here as fly is the Hebrew word עוף (‘ûp̱),  which has the Strong’s number: H5774.

The Olivetree Dictionary describes it as follows:

“H5774. עוּף ‘ûp̱:
A verb meaning to fly, to flutter, to flicker, to glow, to shine; to grow weary. It indicates the act of flying, especially by birds (Gen. 1:20; Deut. 4:17); of a swallow in a figurative sense (Prov. 26:2). Heavenly beings fly (Isa. 6:6). It is used of the Lord flying on the cherubim (2 Sam. 22:11; Ps. 18:10[11]); arrows flying in their flight (Ps. 91:5); of a swift army swooping, flying (Isa. 11:14). The Lord is likened to hovering (flying) birds over their young (Isa. 31:5). To fly away may have the sense of to escape in certain contexts (Ps. 55:6[7]); or the sense of dying (Ps. 90:10). It is used of the to and fro motion of a drawn sword blade (Ezek. 32:10), to brandish a sword. It is used figuratively of honor or glory flying away, disappearing (Hos. 9:11). A verb meaning to brandish. It pictures the to and fro threatening movements of a drawn sword (Ezek. 32:10).”

As this dictionary states, it is used of the Lord flying on Cherubim in 2 Samuel 22:11:

¹¹ And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. 2 Samuel 22:11

Significantly, this verse also correlates with Matthew 24:30-31, which speaks about the Lord coming in connection with His Angels to gather His elect in the clouds of Heaven:

³⁰ And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. -- Matthew 24:30-31

Additionally, the description of עוף for ‘Fly away’ in the Olive tree dictionary states it can involve flying away in the sense of escape in certain contexts, such as in Psalm 55:6

⁶ And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest, Psalms 55:6

 Two verses later, this is put into the context of an ‘escape’ from the storms of life:

⁸ I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. Psalms 55:8

This in turn reminds us of the words of our Lord, who also framed the Rapture as an escape, in Luke 21:

³⁶ Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36

Importantly, this promise as with the following one (on the 3rd Day) has a time limit set upon it by the bible's own definition of a Generation that is 70 to 80 years maximum, but only if it is by strength provided by God. So based upon the age of modern Israel this literally means that at most there would only be a little over two years before this Promise would no longer be valid. So as discussed above, 77 years would be the perfect fulfilment of this promise this year:  1948 + 77 = 2025

PROMISE TWO

Second Timing Prophecy – On the Third Day

The second promise is ultimately the one that I want to expound on further, in the remaining portion of this article. It relates to both the Jewish expectation that the Lord will revive them “On the Third Day” and the Christian belief that after Jesus’ death on the Cross He would rise from the grave and would then ascend to Heaven, where he would remain until “the Third Day’. This is based upon the understanding that to the Lord 'a Day is as a Thousand Years’, means that since we are approaching the end of the Second Day or Two Thousand years since Jesus was crucified, the advent of the Lord’s return is imminent

Jewish Expectation: Revival on the Third Day

Firstly, the Jewish expectation is that the Messiah is yet to come because their understanding of Scripture was such that they could only see the Messiah as King, not as the Suffering Servant. A Key Text is Hosea 6:1–2:

“Come, let us return to the Lord; for He has torn us, that He may heal us; He has struck us down, and He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him.” Hosea 6:1–2

This passage is often interpreted prophetically, suggesting that Israel will be revived on the third day—making it a metaphor for national restoration.

When read with Psalm 90:4  that states:

⁴ For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Psalms 90:4

this all seems to imply the following in the life of the nation of Israel:

• Two days = 2,000 years of exile or spiritual death.
• Third day = 1,000-year Messianic reign or revival.

In support of this is the Gabriel Stone (from the 1st Century BC), which is an archaeological artifact that was found by a Bedouin man near the Dead Sea in the year 2000. On it were 87 lines of Hebrew text, one of which was interpreted by the scholar Israel Knohl as meaning:

  “In three days, live!”

Knohl suggested that “this could refer to a suffering messiah—possibly named Ephraim—who would rise from the dead after three days. More can be read on this in an article by Torleif Elvin at this link: elgvin_gabriel_inscription.pdf. Essentially, he states that this interpretation was groundbreaking because it implied that pre-Christian Jewish thought may have included the idea of a dying and rising Messiah, which had previously only been considered a Christian innovation

Christian Expectation: Jesus Raised on the Third Day

Then there is the Christian expectation that has two aspects – Jesus' First Coming and His Second Coming.

Jesus’ First Coming was for the purpose of atoning for man’s sin through His death on the Cross. Importantly though, it was connected with the need to spend 3 days and nights in the Heart of the earth to fully accomplish this goal. After that, He was raised to life again before ascending to Heaven, where He has remained for the last 2 thousand years. This all demonstrates that as the Light of the World, He is Lord over the Darkness and over the Day and the Night and only He will one day be able to destroy the spiritual darkness that has plagued man since his fateful decision in the Garden of Eden.

Jesus First Coming in His Own Words

• John 2:19: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
• Matthew 12:40: “Just as Jonah was three days in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days in the heart of the earth.”

Then Paul states the following in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4:

³ For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

So Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit is possibly drawing from: Psalm 16:10 that states  “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your Holy One see corruption”, along with the Jewish belief that corruption begins on the fourth day, so resurrection on the third day preserves holiness. This is also why Jesus, in the account of Lazaruz’ death, delayed His arrival to Bethany, where Lazaruz had been entombed. He arrived on the 4^th day, when as the KJV Bible stated, “he stinketh”, to emphasise that Lazaruz was truly dead:

³⁹ Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, -- the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. John 11:39

Essentially, Jesus wanted them to understand that He was the Resurrection and the Life and that he was not restrained by any time limits, not even the Jewish idea of revival on the third day:

²¹ Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. ²² But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. ²³ Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. ²⁴ Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. ²⁵ Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: ²⁶ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:21-26

So based upon Scriptures, such as and 2 Peter 3:8 that states:

⁸ But, beloved, be not ignorant -- of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8

2 Days becomes 2,000 years since Jesus’ Crucifixion and Ascension, and the beginning of the 3^rd Day becomes a possible time that may symbolically mark His return and reign.

As such, Jesus’ Second Coming, that is widely acknowledge as occurring in two phases, the first being the Rapture (where He comes down to the Clouds to gather His Bride - the Church) and the second His Physical Coming to Earth (where His feet will touch the Mount of Olives) is based upon the same Jewish idea that Jesus will revive His people on the Third Day.

Importantly, at the same time that He comes back in the Rapture, to collect His bride, He will also turn back to His people (ISRAEL) and will rescue them from their Enemies. So, as the following table shows, there is a prophetic synthesis between the main elements contained within both the Jewish and Christian perspectives:

Significantly, while there are differences of understanding between these views, because orthodox Jews believe that they are still waiting for their Messiah’s first appearance and Christians see it as His Second Coming, when they are properly contextualised, they can truly be seen as pointing to the same reality that involves God’s redemption of mankind through Jesus, who would come twice. The first time He came in His Incarnation to die and atone for the sins of man, and the second time to establish His Kingdom on earth.

In this way, we see that Redemption involves a duality of action – atonement for sin and the establishment of righteousness. However, to fully understand this duality of thought and action, that culminate with a symbolic Third Day, I first need to lay another foundation based upon the Hebrew Language itself.

Hebrew Pictographs

Essentially in ancient times the Hebrew language had 22 consonants (no vowels), that could be understood in 3 different ways:

• The phonetic sound and meaning
• A numerical value
• A pictographic meaning

Importantly, even though the form of the letters has been modernised over time, as can be seen in the early Hebrew Manuscripts of the Bible, the pictographic meanings of the letters has carried over and much can be understood about the words in the Bible simply by considering the pictographic meaning of each of the letters that form the words.

See both the chart of the Hebrew Pictographic letters, in their original form, and the Summary below with the modern form of the letters, for the common understanding of each letter:

Summary of Pictographic Meanings of Hebrew Letters:

Here is a slightly expanded summary of the generally accepted pictographic meanings for each letter, showing the letter in its modern form:

• Aleph (א):Ox, Strength, Leader, First
• Bet (ב):Tent, House, Family, In, Within
• Gimel (ג):Camel, To Go, To Travel, To Receive
• Dalet (ד):Door, Gate, To Enter, To Leave, Pathway
• He (ה):Window, Behold, Breath, Spirit, To Reveal
• Vav (ו):Nail, Hook, Pin, To Connect, To Secure
• Zayin (ז):Weapon, Sword, Axe, To Cut, To Divide
• Cheth (ח):Fence, Wall, To Separate, To Protect, To Enclose
• Teth (ט):Basket, Pot, To Contain, To Enclose, Goodness
• Yod (י):Hand, Arm, To Work, To Throw, To Do
• Kaph (כ):Hand, Palm, To Cover, To Allow, To Open
• Lamed (ל):Staff, Stick, Shepherd's Crook, Authority, To Teach, To Learn
• Mem (מ):Water, Chaos, Judgement,Life, Blood, To Flow
• Nun (נ):Fish, Life, To Continue, To Grow, Seed
• Samekh (ס):Support, Prop, To Encircle, To Turn Around
• Ayin (ע):Eye, To See, To Watch, To Understand
• Pe (פ):Mouth, Word, To Speak, To Blow
• Tsade (צ):Fishhook, Plant, To Hunt, To Desire, To Trap
• Qoph (ק):Monkey, Sun, To Measure, To Weigh, To Be Holy
• Resh (ר):Head, Top, Beginning, Chief, To Think
• Shin (ש):Teeth, Fire, To Consume, To Destroy, To Change
• Tav (ת):Mark, Cross, Sign, To Seal, Truth

The Letter Mem (מ) - with this information, we can now narrow our focus to one letter - the letter Mem (מ), which is particularly rich in symbolism because it has an inherent duality about it. That is, it has two clearly defined meanings that are associated with its pictograph, that is widely understood to represent water, which can be:

• Waters of Chaos: In its primal sense, Mem מ can symbolise the vast, formless, and potentially chaotic waters that existed before creation. This represents a state of unformed potential, a powerful, untamed force, such as seen in Genesis 1:2

² The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2

Or notably, these can be the chaotic waters of Judgement, such as seen in Noah’s flood.

• Living Waters: Conversely, Mem מ also signifies life-giving, flowing water, as described in John 4:14

¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

This is water that sustains, purifies, and brings forth life. It represents sustenance, nourishment, and the flow of vitality; and as such is a symbol of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was saying would be given to those who come to Jesus in Faith.

So in this one letter, we see the richness of its meaning, which helps us to understand how the combining of Hebrew Letters to form words can give them such a deeper meaning than we will normally find in other languages. An example of this can be seen by continuing on our theme of ‘Water’ and looking at the ‘whole word’ for Water, which in Hebrew is Mayim מַיִם

As can be seen, this word is composed of three letters, two of which are the letter Mem, being the first (מ) and last letters (ם) and in the middle is the letter Yod (י). The reason that the last letter in the word Mayim looks different to the first, even though they are both the same letter, is because in Hebrew there are 5 letters that have what is called a “sofit” or “final” form, where the letter has a different shape if it is the last letter of the word. Mem as one of these letters has the following shape ם as its sofit form. Notably though, the pronunciation and its pictographic meaning remain the same.

In summary, the letters of the word for water (Mayim מַיִם) carry the following individual meanings:

• Mem (מ):Living Water, Chaos
• Final Mem (ם):Living Water, Chaos
• Yod (י):Hand, Arm, To Work, Deed, Divine Work

However, while the word Mayim is just translated as Water, the pictographic meanings of the letters expand on this to show that it also carries the idea of it being a divine work (Yod י – hand of God) through which we can experience either Living Water (Mem מ or ם) as offered by Jesus, or Chaos (Mem מ or ם) such as the flood of Noah, which was a judgement of God for Sin of mankind.

Essentially, there is a Dual Nature of Water in ‘Hebrew thought’ that can be summarised as follows:

Notably, water, or mayim in Hebrew, is always designated as plural because the ‘im’ on the end is the plural suffix. Perhaps this is meant to reflect this duality, showing that it can both nourish or destroy, reveal or conceal, bless or judge, with that tension being part of its power.

However, more importantly for this discussion, while these meanings are polar opposites, it should be noted that both are describing a ‘human experience’ that directly relates to our relationship with God, either blessings or curses, as outlined throughout the book of Deuteronomy, such as Deuteronomy 30:19-20:

¹⁹ I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; ²⁰ that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Here we see the duality, that the meanings connected with Water reflect. They are associated with Life and Death and Blessing and Cursing and in this passage we see God through Moses reveal that it is a choice that man can make, with only trusting in the Lord bringing Life and Blessing.

This Duality can be summarised as below:

"Mayim Chayim" – Living Waters – the Blessing

• Meaning: Firstly, Mayim can be "Mayim Chayim" מַיִם חַיִּים) ) which literally means "living waters" - fresh, flowing water from springs or rivers. Throughout the bible, it is essentially a symbol of the Holy Spirit:
• Symbolism:
  • Spiritual Nourishment: In Jeremiah 2:13, God is called the "fountain of living waters," symbolising the divine source of sustenance and truth.
  • Purity & Renewal: Used in mikvah rituals for purification, living waters represent spiritual cleansing and rebirth.
  • Messianic Promise: Jesus refers to "living water" in John 4:10–14, offering eternal life and spiritual fulfilment.
  • Torah Revelation: Rabbinic tradition links living waters to the revelation of Torah—truth flowing from divine source.

"Mayim" – Waters of Chaos – the Curse

• Meaning: Secondly, The same word, "Mayim," is used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the primordial waters before creation.
• Symbolism:
  • Pre-Creation Chaos: In Genesis, the earth is "tohu va’vohu" (formless and void), and darkness is over the face of the deep—these waters represent disorder and potential destruction.
  • Judgment & Destruction: The Flood (Genesis 6–9) is a return to watery chaos, symbolising divine judgment.

Connecting Mem and the word Mayim to Jesus' Words:

The duality of Mem מ —representing both the chaotic and the life-giving aspects of water—finds a profound resonance in Jesus' invitation in John 7:37-38:

³⁷ -- In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. ³⁸ He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John 7:37-38

The Thirsty Soul: Here Jesus addresses the spiritual thirst of humanity, a thirst that the "waters of chaos" cannot satisfy, but which the "living waters" can.

Flowing from Within: When Jesus speaks of "rivers of living water" flowing from the believer, He is not just referring to receiving spiritual sustenance, but to becoming a source of that life-giving power that flows out 'towards others'. This echoes the concept of Mem מ as a source of vitality and flow for all who put their Trust in Jesus.

Overcoming Chaos: By accepting Jesus' offer, the believer moves from a state of spiritual chaos or emptiness (the unformed waters) to a state of abundant, life-giving spiritual flow (the living waters).

In this interesting connection to the letter Mem מ, the bible not only affirms that those who receive Jesus will receive the Holy Spirit, the Living Waters, but it actually connects the fate of those who reject Him, in relation to the Spirit. This connection is made in the well-known account of Jesus and the ‘Woman caught in Adultery’ in John 8. However, to fully comprehend what is going on here, we need to understand it in its full context.

Mem and Mayim –  as the Blessing

Importantly, we can see Mayim outlined as a blessing the most clearly in the Gospel of John, that has been called the 'Spiritual Gospel' because it emphasises Jesus' Divine nature, both as the eternal Word of God and the source of the Holy Spirit. Here there is no conflict with the Trinitarian view of the Holy Spirit as the third person of the God Head, rather it emphasises a divine order, such that God the Father sent His Son (Jesus) to atone for the sins of the world, so that all who believe in the Son will receive the Holy Spirit, who Jesus said He would send:

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. John 16:7

Therefore, starting in John 7, we see Jesus in the Temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. Here He was attending one of the 3 major Feasts that all Jewish men were required to attend in Jerusalem. Due to the rising hostility from Jewish leaders; Jesus initially travels in secret due to threats on His life and the fact that it was not yet His time to die. His death was only to occur at the appointed time (approximately 6 months later), when He would literally become the Passover Lamb of God.

In this chapter, we see Jesus openly debate the Jewish Officers who had been sent by the Pharisees and Chief Priests to take or arrest Him. The fact that they don’t arrest Him emphasises the divine timing and authority surrounding His ministry. It is clear that Jesus had been sitting to teach and debate the Jewish men that were there because in the chapter’s key verse John 7:37 it states that Jesus “stood”. This act emphasised His authority and the importance of what He was about to say. Then, in an impassioned cry, He said the following in relation to the Holy Spirit, which was described as “Living Water”.

³⁷ -- In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. ³⁸ He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. ³⁹ (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) John 7:37-39

Significantly, this offer of “Living Water” was made on what verse 37 describes as the “the last day, that great day of the feast”. The Jews called this day “Hoshana Rabbah” (הוֹשַׁעְנָא רַבָּה).  It is considered the final day of "divine “judgment”, the day when the decrees of God on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement - on Tishrei 10^th) and Rosh Hashana (New Year also known as the Feast of Trumpet - on Tishrei 1^st and 2^nd) are finalised and their fate for the coming year is determined. It occurs on the final or seventh day of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles - on Tishrei 21^st).

Importantly, Sukkot always involved what was called the ‘Water Libation Ceremony’, or Nissuch HaMayim (הַמַּיִם נִסּוּךְ), which literally means ‘the pouring of the water’. It is said to have been one of the most joyful and spiritually rich rituals of the Second Temple period. The ritual involved the drawing of water from the Pool of Siloam (the source of Living Water that originated from the Gihon Springs) and pouring it on the altar in the Temple. It was a daily event during the seven days of Sukkot, especially celebrated during the Simchat Beit HaShoevah (Rejoicing at the Place of the Water Drawing), where each night after the Water Libation ceremony, many would gather at the Pool of Siloam, the source of the water that was drawn during the day. And while some would be carrying lit torches, others would be playing musical instruments, while the crowd would sing and dance.

So literally on the ‘last Day’ of Sukkot, on the Last Great Day of Salvation that the ‘Living Water’ was being poured out on the Altar, Jesus Stood and cried out that if anyone who was thirsty (spiritually) came to Him, then out of his Belly would flow Rivers of Living Water indicating that it would not be the physical water that flowed from the Gihon Spring, from which anyone who drinks would become thirsty again, but the Holy Spirit Himself, just as He indicated in John 4:13 when talking to the ‘Samaritan woman at the Well’.

It is important to understand the timing of all of this because of what happens on the very next day, which biblically is known as “the Eighth Day Gathering” or Shmini Atzeret (שְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת‎). Basically, it was a separate, yet connected, holy day that was devoted to the spiritual aspects of the festival of Sukkot.  Biblical Mentions of Shemini Atzeret, as a separate day, include Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35; and  Nehemiah 8:18. As the last of the days that are all a part of the Feasts of the Lord, as outlined in Leviticus 23, it is essentially the day that all of bible prophecy points to because Jesus literally fulfilled the first four Feasts with His first coming (see link here for more information) and the establishment of the Church (His body). So that is why the expectation exists that He will precisely fulfil the last 4 Feasts as follows:

• Feast of Trumpets - The Rapture
• Day of Atonement - Judgement Day
• Feast of Tabernacles - Millenial Reign
• The Eighth Day - Eternity; New Heaven and Earth; when there will be no more Death; Tears; Pain; or Sorrow.

Essentially, after debating with the Jewish officers and offering everyone there ‘Living Water’, Jesus went to spend the night on the Mount of Olives and the Officers met with the Pharisees and the Chief Priests, who were upset that Jesus had not been arrested and believed that they had been deceived. Therefore, on the very next day, following on from the last day of Sukkot, it was Shmini Atzeret (the Eighth Day Gathering), the very Feast day that all of 'Bible prophecy' points to, and the day that the Scribes and the Pharisees confronted Jesus directly; bringing with them a ‘Woman caught in Adultery’ because they hoped to trap Him on a point of the Law, to justify arresting Him.

However, Jesus famously stoops down and writes in the dust on the Ground with His finger (with dust reminding us of the fall of Man in Genesis 3:19, which included the woman's accusers)  before raising himself up again, symbolic of His authority. Fortunately, while many debate what Jesus wrote, the bible always interprets the Bible and does not leave it to our speculation and this is why it was important to see that Jesus had offered Himself as the Source of ‘Living Water’ the previous day, when the serving Temple Priest was literally pouring Living Water on the Altar in the Temple. Essentially, it was the very next day to the one in which His offer had been rejected.

The Scribes and Pharisees, who knew the Law backwards would no doubt have known about the Scriptures in Jeremiah 2:13 and Jeremiah 17:13 that state:

¹³ For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken -- me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13

And

¹³ O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken -- the LORD, the fountain of living waters. Jeremiah 17:13

The NIV puts it this way to perfectly describe what Jesus was doing:

¹³ LORD, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame.
Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water. Jeremiah 17:13

So, no doubt the actions of Jesus, who was fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy that those who forsake the fountain of ‘Living Water’ would have their names written down in the dust, would have shaken them to their core. Then, after the famous challenge that ‘He who was without Sin should cast the first stone’, the text says they were all “convicted by their own conscience” and all began to leave, starting with the eldest, who being older had a greater litany of sins throughout their lives that they would have been conscious of. Then Jesus, our wonderful Saviour, stood up again, confirming His authority over the Law; Sin and Rebellion and asked the Woman “hath not man condemned thee?” and when she replied in the negative, He stated in chapter 8 (the number of Jesus whose name means God Saves) and verse 11 (the number of Sin), the very same declaration that He makes to everyone that Repents and turns to Him:

¹¹ -- She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:11

This is the Blessing…

Mem and Mayim –  as the Curse

Without labouring too much on this aspect of it, we can by contrast also understand Mayim as ‘Waters of Chaos’. This ancient understanding, that is also connected with the Hebrew Pictographs, could perhaps be again put in the context of the same text as above, in Jeremiah 2:13, as it also spoke about the vessels that were incapable of actually holding any water, let alone Living Water:

¹³ For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken -- me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13

Here, God reveals that those who reject the Fountain of ‘Living Water’ (Jesus), which was meant to spiritually flow out of a person’s very being, according to Jesus’ description of it as flowing like a river out of their belly, they would have essentially created within themselves ‘broken cisterns’, or wells, that are not capable of holding any water. So spiritually they would be dry as the Holy Spirit could not fill them. In this way, the Water would always be external and as physical waters, they could bring judgements and chaos, such as the Flood of Noah.

Essentially, if Spiritual Waters are not within You, then chaotic waters could bring Judgement, such as when the Holy Spirit (Living Water), as the Restrainer, is removed. This would lead to the Rapture for those that are full of Living Water and Judgement for those that are empty. This is similar to the parable of the '10 virgins' that in another type of the Holy Spirit compares Him to the oil that must be present in the Lamps of People’s lives for you to be saved on the Day of the Lord when Jesus comes to gather His bride unto Himself and judge the world for their rejection of Him.

This is the Curse….

“Shamayim” – Heaven

In a fascinating extension to all of, this we have the word for Heaven, which in Hebrew is Shamayim שָׁמַיִם – this word is comprised of 4 letters and is clearly the word for Water - Mayim מַיִם with the addition of one Letter, the letter Shin שׁ, so it is directly connected in meaning to aspects of people and water that we have been discussing.

To understand the full significance of this, one needs to firstly consider the pictographic meaning of the letter Shin שׁ, that speaks of it representing the power to consume and destroy, as follows:

• Shin (ש):Teeth, Fire, To Consume, To Destroy, To Change

Secondly, its role in Jewish life reveals the depth of its meaning. In this regard, the letter Shin שׁ is the one letter that Jews use to represent God Almighty – El Shaddai שַׁדַּ֔י אֵ֣ל, with it being the first letter of 'Shaddai' or ‘Almighty’, as seen in Genesis 17:1 that states:

​¹ And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, -- the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Genesis 17:1

As such, many put the letter Shin שׁ on the door post of their home to represent that El Shaddai is their God and is over their household. It is a significant Letter and symbol for them, being a visual connection with their faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Additionally, it has been noted, that the old city of Jerusalem, is the one city on earth that God chose to put His name on, as the follow scriptures show:

Key Verses Declaring God's Name on Jerusalem:

Given that these verses collectively emphasise that Jerusalem holds a unique place in God's covenant and divine plan, it is fascinating to note, in what appears to be a divine act in creating the Promised Land for His people, that Jerusalem is actually located amongst 3 valleys and peaks, that when viewed from an elevated position resemble the letter Shin (שׁ) that looks like a stylized W - the very letter used to represent His name to His people.

So, God has quite literally put His name on that location and most importantly, we have now seen that the word for Waters - Mayim and the word for Heaven - Shamayim are connected and they represent both aspects of Humanity and of God Himself.

ON the THIRD Day

Now with that understanding, we will return our attention to the Third Day that carries both the Jewish expectation of the Messiah’s First Coming and the Christian expectation, that is based on understanding that Jesus was the Messiah and that His Return will be on the Third Day.

While there are a number of ways that this could be considered, I will primarily look at it in light of the Creation Week, due to a belief that God has hidden a clue to His Return (that will start with the Rapture), within the events of the days of Creation. So, the following will only consider the first Three Days of Creation, to make this point; but it will be done from 3 aspects, as follows, because God as a Trinity always does things in threes:

1. A Day as a 24-hour period
2. A Day as 1,000 years, with each day of creation prophetically predicting what will occur within that day in history, noting:

Day 1 = 0 - 1000 years

Day 2 = 1000 years  - 2000 years

Day 3 = 2000 years  - 3000 years

3. A Day as 1,000 years, with each day of creation week representing the end-time prophecies that began with Jesus’ Death on the Cross; noting that for the following, it will be based upon the common understanding that this occurred in 32 AD:

Day 1 - Jesus Death 32AD – 1,032AD

Day 2 – 1032 AD – 2,032 AD

Day 3 – 2,032AD – Second Coming (Christian expectation) or First Coming Jewish expectation

Note: If Jesus died in 33 AD instead of 32 AD, then all of the following assumptions would be pushed out a year, but there are many scholarly articles on the internet that affirm Daniel's 70 Week prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27) that predicted that the command to rebuild Jerusalem that started the Countdown to the Messiah began in 445 BC and ended on April 6 AD 32, when Jesus was Cut off or Crucified. These include Sir Robert Anderson (an Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard) who wrote the book called "The Coming Prince" (in 1894), where he expounded on the mathematics that arrives at that date - see following link to a free online version of his book here.

So I will base the following conclusions largely on that AD 32 Date.

Day 1 – is defined in Genesis 1:1-5

​¹ In the beginning God created -- the heaven and -- the earth. ² And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. ³ And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ⁴ And God saw -- the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. ⁵ And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And -- the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:1-5

• Day 1 of Physical Creation was about Letting Light Be and separating it from the Darkness.
• Day 1 (0 – 1,000 years after Adam): As a prophecy of history, it was about Man’s battle with Good and Evil / Light and Darkness and his ultimate Fall during day 1 (0 – 1,000 years), noting that just as God said He would, Adam died the day that he sinned - Adam was 930 years old, so died within the first 1,000 year Day.
• As a predictor of the 1,000 years following Jesus’ Death and resurrection in AD 32, it was about the Light of the Gospel that went out into the world at that time, to dispel the Darkness of mankind’s Fall into sin and rebellion.

Day 2 – is defined in Genesis 1:6-8

⁶ And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. ⁷ And God made -- the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. ⁸ And God called the firmament Heaven. And -- the evening and the morning were the second day. Genesis 1:6-8

• Day 2 of Physical Creation was about the Separation of the Waters to establish Heaven as a separate entity from the Waters of the Deep that were under the Firmament. This created a separation between God’s dwelling place and that of Man’s.
• Day 1,000 – 2,000: As a prophecy of history, it was about the Water’s above and the Waters below the firmament that would become the Waters of Chaos in Noah’s Flood in 1,656 AM, when as God saw the wickedness of man in the earth and said “…. that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And it repented the LORD that he had made -- man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. ⁷ And the LORD said, I will destroy -- man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. Genesis 6:5-7.

So man was judged during the 2^nd 1,000 year period (1,000-2,000).

• As a predictor of the 2^nd period of 1,000 years, following Jesus’ Death and resurrection in AD 32, being the years between 1,032 AD and 2,032 AD, it was about the separation of God’s word from Man’s word during the Reformation period (typically dated from 1517 to around 1648) and the Enlightenment period (which is commonly said to have started with the Glorious Revolution in England (1688) and ended with the French Revolution in 1789). Catholicism in its purest form leads man down a path of Faith plus Works and includes things such as Indulgences; Penance; and Purgatory while the Protestant Churches were centred on Sola Scriptura (“Scripture Alone”); Sola Fide (“Faith Alone”); Sola Gratia (“Grace Alone”); Solus Christus (“Christ Alone”); Soli Deo Gloria (“To God Alone Be the Glory”) all of which emphasises that Salvation, as based upon the word of Scripture alone, is by Faith alone through Grace alone from Christ alone to the Glory of God alone. There is nothing that we can add to what Christ has done on the Cross; we simply put our trust in the salvation that Jesus purchased for us through His vicarious life and death, and demonstrate our love for Him by turning away from Sin; as He told the woman caught in adultery to do – go and sin no more.

IMPORTANT – the most significant thing to notice about Day 2 is that it was ultimately all about the separation of the Holy from the Profane, until God Himself had made a way to bridge the gap. As such, it was the one day of Creation that God DID NOT say anything about it was good. Each of the other days of Creation included a reference to them as being ‘good’, such as Day 1’s reference to the Light being good, and Days 3 - 6 all having a reference, at the end of each day, to God seeing that what He had done was good. So only on Day 2 did God not see His activities as something good or ultimately desirable. Significantly this emphasizes, as is evidenced by the rest of Scripture, that God’s ultimate desire is to dwell with mankind who is made in His image, it is not to be separated from them. This is why Day 3 becomes so vital in God’s plan of Redemption, for it is on this Day that He can enact His strategy to establish His dwelling place on Earth with Man, forever reversing what was not good about Day 2.

Day 3 – is defined in Genesis 1:6-8

⁹ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. ¹⁰ And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. ¹¹ And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. ¹² And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ¹³ And -- the evening and the morning were the third day. Genesis 1:9-13

• Day 3 of Physical Creation was about the Gathering of the Waters under the Heaven, which effectively created a separation of a different kind, that was ultimately labelled as good. As such, it involved a gathering that revealed the dry land that would be separated from the gathered waters called ‘Seas’. The result of this gathering would be the appearance of living things that would produce seeds and fruit within them, which is something God also saw as good.

IMPORTANT: So here, quite uniquely in the account of creation, we see one Day in which God declares aspects of it to be good twice – once when He gathers the waters (separating it from the dry land) and once when he creates something that produce seeds and fruit, which  appear as separate entities from the Waters of the Deep that were under the Firmament, which became the Seas and the Dry Land.

• Day 2,000 - 3000: As a prophecy of history, the key event was the birth and calling of Abraham, which according to the genealogies occurred around 2023 years after Adam, in the 3^rd day. So just like we see in Day 3 of Creation the appearance of Land and Seeds and Fruit, Abraham is called to come to a Land that God would show him and he is promised Seed too numerous to count and in verses like Gen 17:6 he was told that God would make him Fruitful.
• As a predictor of the 2^nd period of 1,000 years following Jesus’ Death and Resurrection in AD 32, being the years between 2032 AD and 3,032 AD – we are clearly not there yet, but as there are now an abundance of prophetic signs that are beginning to converge, we can know with a high degree of certainty that the day is fast approaching, when in obedience to Jesus’ words in Luke 21, we can look up because our Redemption is drawing nigh. As such, if this occurs soon, it would dictate that this period is comprised primarily of the Millenium (the 1,000 year rule of Christ) prior to the Eighth Day Shemini Atzzeret, mentioned in Leviticus 23:36, which as stated before is the day that all bible prophecy looks forward to and is the day spoken of in Revelation 21:1, when Jesus creates a new Heaven and Earth

​¹ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Revelation 21:1

So here it is my contention that in the Third Day of Creation – Genesis 1:9–13, with its symbols of the gathering of the waters; the dry land; and the seed and the fruit; along with God uniquely saying twice on this day that aspects of it were good; that we actually have a hidden reference to the Rapture, such that the meaning of each of these symbols is as follows:

• Waters Gathered: Symbol of believers being drawn together
• Dry Land Appears: Those left behind—spiritually barren
• Earth Brings Forth Life (seed and Fruit): New believers during Tribulation

Essentially, God brings order from chaos, life from death, and hope from judgment, so while the Rapture will remove those who have put their trust in Jesus, even the Tribulation that follows will see many new believers come to the Lord.

Firstly in considering this it is important to note the word for gathered in verse 9 below:

⁹ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. Genesis 1:9

In the Hebrew manuscript it is יִקָּו֨וּ, which comes from the root word קָוָה , that I have highlighted above in the Olive Tree Bible Software.

This connection can also be seen clearly in the following screenshot from the Logos Bible Software that lists the word as it appears in the Manuscript (יִקָּו֨וּ) and then underneath, it lists the Lemma and the Root Word forms, both of which are listed as קוה.

According to the Strong’s Dictionary, this root word is designated as Strong’s Number h6960: קָוָה qâwâ; and it described as carrying the meanings below that include to:

• gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon)
• look for, hope, expect(Qal) waiting (participle)
• look eagerly for; to lie in wait for
• to collect, bind together(Niphal) to be collected

The validity of these meanings are seen in the Olive Tree Bible Software screen-shot of just the relevant Dictionary entry for Strong’s Number h6960 below:

Clearly, it can be seen that this word goes much deeper than merely describing a physical gathering of inanimate objects (like the Sea), as it includes meanings that are descriptors of human activity, such as 'waiting for something' and 'eagerly looking for something'. So combining these meanings for this word, that is used in Genesis 1:9 for the ‘Gathering of the Waters’ on the Third Day and remembering that the word for water(s) in Hebrew is Mayim; and that this also carries within itself the dual spiritual meanings of Chaos or Blessing (via its symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit as the Living Waters that Jesus spoke of ) upon people’s lives, as discussed above; we can now see that this word could also be symbolically talking about People that are full of the Holy Spirit (Living Water) who are patiently, but eagerly waiting, to be Gathered by God in the Rapture, that Paul calls the Blessed Hope in Titus 2:13:

¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ Titus 2:13

Further to this, on the Third Day of Creation, verse 9 states that after the waters were gathered, the dry land would appear:

⁹ Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. Genesis 1:9

Here, the word for dry in Hebrew is יַבָּשָׁה  (yabbāshāh). It is a feminine noun derived from the root יָבֵשׁ (yavesh), which means “to be dry.” So yes, at its core, it relates to dryness. However, the word יַבָּשָׁה itself is not just any “dry thing”—it specifically refers to dry ground or dry land, and this is consistently how it’s used in the Hebrew Bible. The term appears 14 times in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), and in every instance, it refers to dry land or ground, often in contrast to water or sea:

• Genesis 1:9–10: “Let the dry land appear…” God calls the יַבָּשָׁה “earth,” distinguishing it from the gathered waters called “seas.”
• Exodus 14:16, 22, 29: The Israelites walk through the Red Sea “on dry ground” (בַּיַּבָּשָׁה).
• Jonah 2:10: The fish vomits Jonah onto the יַבָּשָׁה—again, clearly land.

So significantly, these examples show that יַבָּשָׁה is not just “dryness” in the abstract, but is dry terrain, that stands in contrast to water. Therefore, as suggested above, the dry land is symbolic of those who are spiritually barren and have been "left behind" at the Rapture, after being separated from those who are full of Living Water (the Holy Spirit).

Then finally, to complete the prophetic nature of the 3^rd day, verses 11-12 state that God commanded for Life to come forth from the earth with Seeds and Fruit being produced:

¹¹ Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. ¹² And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. ¹³ So the evening and the morning were the third day. Genesis 1:11-13

Essentially, the earth bringing forth the Grass and the Seed and the Fruit would be representative of God bringing forth new life in those left behind through the ministry of the two witnesses and the 144,000 sealed servants of God. So even after God has gathered His people to Himself and everyone that remained appeared to be barren and dry, yet because of His mercy and power He was still able to bring new life to the earth.

Summary - The Third Day of Creation as Prophecy:

Hopefully, this has shown that Genesis 1 is not just history, but it’s also eschatological poetry with the Third Day being the fulfillment that takes God’s people from chaos to order, from death to life, from the separation of God, as emphasised on the Second Day to the gathering of the Rapture on the third. Here, the waters being gathered are symbolic of believers filled with the Holy Spirit (the Living Waters) being gathered, or caught up to God; and the ‘Dry Land’ that appears represents the barrenness of those left behind in judgment, but with the opportunity for new growth, as symbolised by the Seed and the Fruit, that will ultimately lead to the salvation of many of them through the Trials of the first-half of the Tribulation.

Then they too could be Raptured mid-tribulation, as summarised in Revelation 14, noting that the one doing the harvesting of souls here is described as ‘one like the Son of Man’, which was Jesus’ favourite title for Himself in the Gospels:

¹⁴ Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. ¹⁵ And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. Revelation 14:14-16

This is contrasted to a second harvesting that occurs at this time, which is enacted by an Angel, who also thrusts in his sickle, but this time those harvested are part of the ‘Grape Harvest’, which is for those destined for the ‘wrath of God’ in the second half of the Tribulation, as the following shows:

¹⁷ And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. ¹⁹ And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Revelation 14:17-19

The important thing to note here is that in this ‘second harvest’ of Chapter 14, those being gathered are cast alive into the ‘great winepress of the ‘wrath of God’ aka the Tribulation; and so there is no reason not to think that the ‘first harvest of souls’, in this same chapter, who by the description of the Reaper are seemingly being reaped by Jesus, are also being gathered alive and taken to heaven. If this is so, then this would also be a Rapture that brings many who had initially been left behind into union with their God, thus again ending the separation of the ‘second day’.

Significantly, this union can be understood as the Mayim (waters) in connection with the letter Shin ש that when combined points NOT to a place, but to a presence, that of Jesus in Heaven with His people. In other words, Heaven, which in Hebrew is Shamayim, is where God Almighty (El Shaddai) represented by the letter Shin ש meets those filled with the Living Waters of the Holy Spirit, represented by the word Mayim.

As such, all the events that occur on Day 3 of Creation, as defined in Genesis 1:9-13, appear to be a hidden confirmation of the prophecy about Jesus coming to revive us on the 3^rd Day. Even the verse numbers for the 3^rd Day that are contained in the 1^st Chapter of God’s revelation to man reveal the intent of this Day in that (as shown in other articles on this site) God’s Redemptive plan, that is centred on the Cross of Jesus, involved the weaving together of the numbers 3 and 9 to reflect the trinitarian nature of God; as well as 13 for the redemption of rebellious man (13) who fell at 99 years of age and the refining nature of Jesus’ Sacrifice that purifies the soul of those who believe, to be like fine and precious Gold.

In this regard, the Gospels suggest that Jesus prayed 3 times for periods of an hour, beginning around 9 pm before being arrested around midnight. Then He was crucified at the 3^rd Hour, which was 9 am before dying at the 9^th  Hour, which was 3pm. So in summary we have:

• 3 – praying 3 times for a total of 3 hours – reflects both the 3^rd Day and His age at Death being 33
• 3^rd hour of day being Crucified, and Dying at 3 pm, again reflect Jesus’ age of 33
• 9 – praying 3 times for around 3 hours, beginning around 9 pm and ending around midnight is the first of three 9s associated with the Cross Event
• 9 – Crucified at the 3^rd hour of the day which was 9 am  - this is the second of the three 9s.
• 9- Died at the 9^th hour of the day, which was 3 pm – this is the third of the three 9s.

So on the Cross Jesus was paying the price for the 3^rd Day revival and His time on the Cross was defined both by his age at 33 (3^rd hour in morning and 3 pm in afternoon) and 99 (9 am in morning and 9^th hour in afternoon).

•  33 (3 x 11) was Jesus’ age when atoning for Sin – the Triune God is 3 and Sin is 11, with Daniel showing the Man of Sin as the 11^th Horn because 11 is the number that breaks or tries to add to the Law of God which is represented by 10 in the 10 Commandments.
• 99 (9 x 11) was the age that man fell in the Garden of Eden, so Jesus on the Cross with the two 9s forming 99 is reversing the curse of the Fall by atoning for man’s Sin (11).
• 999 – in total, we have three 9s associated with the Cross Event, the 9 pm associated with the Prayers that led to the Cross, after 3 hours, and then the two 9s on the Cross spanning the 6 hours from His Crucifixion at 9 am to the 9^th hour of His Death. So we have here 999 for Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, noting that it also relates to man’s Gold Purity Scale.
• Gold purity is measured in two main ways: karats (K) and fineness. The "999" designation refers to fineness, meaning the gold is 99.9% pure—which is the purest gold that one can purchase. 24K Gold has a fineness in the range 999 - 999.9. So even in this secular scale, we can see God’s hand because as it says in Job 23:10:

¹⁰ But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. Job 23:10

Here Job expresses confidence that his suffering will lead to spiritual purity and strength.

Additonally, all the articles that are in the Inner Rooms of the Tabernacle and later Solomon’s Temple, where God’s Holy Presence resided, were covered in Gold. This showed that the three 9s associated with Jesus, from the Garden of Gesthemane to the Cross, would by Faith in His finished work of Redemption, through Grace, provide a refining and purifying of our souls, such that we could enter God’s Presence. It also speaks to our ultimate destination with God in the new Jerusalem that will descent from Heaven to a new Earth, where Revelation 21:21 describes its breathtaking beauty, including streets of Gold:

²¹“The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.” — Revelation 21:21

13 – this is the number for Rebellion, as seen in Judas, who effectively became the 13^th disciple, after he had walked so closely with Jesus for over 3 years before betraying Him. This Rebellion and the number 13 are reflected in the Old Covenenant (Old Testament) that was established by God, who perfectly reverses the curse, in that there are 39 (13 x 3) books in the Old Covenant, a perfect trinitarian multiple of 13 that first reveal Gods plan of Redemption to provide a sacrifice that will make a way for Man to return to Him. So here we see 13 move from Rebellion to Redemption.

Amazingly, this becomes foundational to God’s schedule of Redemption in that it is woven into the Calendar of human history. Again I have written on this in other articles on this site, but will briefly touch again on it here.Essentially, it appears twice to frame the two most significant time periods human history that are centred on God’s Redemptive plan for Mankind – they are from:

• Adam to Jesus Christ
• Israel’s entry into Promised Land to 2025

Adam to Jesus Christ

This is calculated in three stages beginning with the following:

Stage 1 - addition of the ages from Adam to Abraham, as revealed in Genesis 5

• Adam (130 when Seth born)

• Seth (105 when Enos born)

• Enos (90 when Cainan born)

• Cainan (70 when Mahalaleel born)

• Mahalaleel (65 when Jarad born)

• Jared (162 when Enoch born)

• Enoch (65 when Methuselah born)

• Methuselah (187 when Lamech born)

• Lamech (182 when Noah was born)

• Noah – see note below:

• Firstly, it is worth noting that Noah’s name means comfort or grace. His name in Hebrew is נֹחַ and the word for Grace is actually the same two letters reversed. Significantly Noah’s name ends a unique line of 3 people that started with his great grand-father Enoch, who was special because he was the first person in history to be Raptured. In this regard, it is worth noting in the numbers prophetically assigned to him that Enoch lived 365 years before He was taken to be with the LORD – that is a year for each day of a normal year. Then Enoch’s Son (Methuselah) and Grandson (Lamech) in the years that they lived before their first born son arrived both reveal the number of days between what is now known as the Equinox and the Solstices (Winter and Summer) when the Light of the Day is respectively equal in length to the Darkness of the Night (Equinox); less than the Night (Winter Solstice); and greater than the Night (Summer Solstice). So, the family connecting Enoch and Noah literally defines the ‘Change in the Light’ in the world that reflects the Spiritual shift from Darkness to Light in connection with God’s Redemptive plan that reveals a Rapture and culminates with a man whose name means Comfort and Grace, the very things all who are Raptured will one day experience.

• Note also: scripture states that Noah was 500 when he begot “Shem, Ham, and Japeth”. However it also reveals later that they were not born as triplets, and Shem was not the first born as listed in scripture, which is irrelevant for what God wants to reveal here because God has revealed the ages and listed the order of the names for the purpose of revealing a structure to His plan of Redemption that is woven into the free will of humanity, without compromising God’s sovereignty.

• Understanding this, we now note that Shem was actually 100 years old 2 years after the flood, that began when Noah was 600, so Noah was 502 when Shem was born.

• Noah (502 when Shem was born)

Continuing on we now add the ages as revealed in Genesis 11:

• Shem (100 when Arphaxad born)

• Arphaxad (35 when Salah born)

• Salah (30 when Eber born)

• Eber (34 when Peleg born)

• Peleg (30 when Reu born)

• Reu (32 when Serug born)

• Serug (30 when Nahor born)

• Nahor (29 when Terah born)

• Terah (70 when Abram, Nahor and Haran born)

• Note: same as above, these are not triplets and the order of the actual births may not have been as listed, but God through His Holy Spirit inspired for it to be recorded this way again, for the purposes of revealing His redemptive plan, that shows God is in full control of History and can be trusted with our lives.

So adding these ages from Adam to Abram / Abraham we get:

130+105+90+70+65+162+65+187+182+502+100+35+30+34+30+32+30+29+70= 1948

As above, the God who does want His servants to know what He is about to do, as stated in Amos 3:7, revealed through Moses, exactly 2 verses after the genealogy that ends in Abraham; exactly 1,948 years after Adam; that He would make Him into a great Nation, which scripture later shows would be Israel:

² And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: ³ And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:2-3

How much more precise can the Lord be – Israel was reborn after nearly two millenia of dispersion because they did not recognise the time of their visitation on May 14^th , 1948.

Therefore, we should heed the warning and ensure that we do recognise the time of our visitation, which is now upon us – don’t miss it, put your trust in the Lord for many signs are now pointing to 2025.

Stage 2 - Now continuing on to find the number of years from Abraham to Jesus by noting the following:

Abraham was called by God to come to the Promised Land when he was 75:

⁴ So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy -- and five years old when he departed out of Haran Genesis 12:4

We now have the years from Adam to the 'Call of Abram' being 1948 + 75 = 2023

Then in Exodus 12:40-41 and in Galatians 3:17, we are told that from the 'Call of Abram', the time when he was given the promises, it would be exactly 430 years, to the very day, that the nation of Israel that God promised Abram would leave Egypt in the Exodus.

⁴⁰ Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred -- and thirty years. ⁴¹ And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred -- and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:40-41

And

¹⁷ And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. Galatians 3:17

So, we can now add 430 years to get the number of years from Adam to the Exodus being 2023 + 430 = 2453

Then we add 40 years for the 'wilderness wanderings' and we get the number of years from Adam to the entry of the Israelites into the promised Land: 2453 + 40 = 2493

Stage 3: At this point there are 2 ways to confirm the years from entering into the promised land until Jesus Christ:

• The first involves using a commonly held date for when Solomon began to build the Temple, which is accepted to be 966 BC and combining this with the scripture in 1Kings 6:1 that states it was 480 years after the exodus in the 4^th year of Solomon’s reign that he began to build the Temple:

​¹ And it came to pass in the four hundred -- and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. 1 Kings 6:1

So working backwards we now have:

966 bc - 480 years that brings us to 1446 bc for the Exodus. Therefore we now have a BC date that subtracting the 40 years for the wilderness wandering gives us a date of 1406 BC for the year of the Israelites’ entry into the Promised Land.

• The Second way to confirm this comes from archaeology, which can be verified on various sites such as:

https://www.worldhistory.org/Library_of_Ashurbanipal/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Ashurbanipal

https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/aebp/eponymlistsandchronicles/index.html

Essentially, in the late 1840s, British archaeologist Austen Henry Layard excavated the ruins of Nineveh, the ancient Assyrian capital located in modern-day Iraq. He uncovered thousands of clay tablets inscribed in cuneiform, which were later identified as part of the Library of Ashurbanipal, the last great king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (r. 668–627 BCE). These tablets covered a vast range of subjects - mythology, medicine, law, astronomy, and history—including the Epic of Gilgamesh and administrative records.

Eponym Lists and Chronicles

Among the tablets were the Assyrian Eponym Lists, which recorded years by naming them after high officials (eponyms), similar to how ancient Athens named years after archons. Some versions of these lists, called Eponym Chronicles, included historical events tied to specific years—such as military campaigns, famines, and celestial phenomena. These records were critical for reconstructing Assyrian chronology, especially the Eponym Chronicle from Nineveh, which spans 817–727 BCE and is housed in the British Museum

Astronomical Alignment — The Eclipse of 763 BC

One entry in the Eponym Chronicle mentions a solar eclipse during the eponym year of Bur-Sagale, governor of Guzana. Modern astronomers, including NASA, have confirmed that a total solar eclipse occurred on June 15, 763 BCE, visible in northern Mesopotamia.This eclipse provides a fixed anchor point in ancient chronology, allowing scholars to date surrounding events with precision.

The eclipse has been linked by some scholars to the time of Jonah, who preached in Nineveh. While speculative, the idea is that such a dramatic celestial event could have contributed to the city's repentance described in the Book of Jonah. More importantly, the eclipse anchor helps validate the broader Assyrian timeline, which in turn supports the dating of biblical events.

To see more information on this, I recommend that you access the work of Joel P. Kramer, who wrote the top selling Archaeology Book called “Where God Came Down – The Archaeological Evidence”. He has also produced an excellent video titled “How we KNOW the dates for the Old Testament!” explaining how all of this was determined – click on the following link to watch it on Youtube: https://youtu.be/3DJtVlLRMGw?si=SWNo3Xjj84crtqg5

So using the Assyrian king lists and synchronizing them with biblical reigns, scholars have affirmed Solomon’s fourth year—when he began building the Temple—as 966 BC, which as above aligns with the 1 Kings 6:1 scripture that states the Temple construction began 480 years after the Exodus, placing the Exodus around 1446 BC and again affirming the entry into the Promised Land around 1406 BC

So the important point of all this is that through Genealogies and other Bible Texts we have 2493 years from Adam unto the entry of God’s people into the Promised Land. Then we have 1406 years from the entry to the Promised Land until Jesus Christ:

2493+1406 = 3899 which needs to be adjusted by 1 year to allow for there not being a year 0:

3899 + 1 = 3900

Therefore from Scripture and Archaeology we literally have a solid time period of 3900 years from Adam to Jesus Christ and 3900 (13 x 300) which ties us directly back into our discussion of 13 and its multiples, reflecting both Man’s Rebellion and God’s Redemption; noting that the meaning of the multiplier of 300 here comes from understanding that Jesus began His ministry at the age of 30, which was the age one had to be to serve as a High Priest and as He said, He came to fulfil the Law, not do away with it. So the Law that is represented by 10 (for the ten commandments) multipled by Jesus' age of 30 = 300. In this way, 300 biblically represents the 'blood sacrifice of Jesus' which was symbolically prophesied in the Ark of Noah that was 300 cubits long, noting that the Ark also was a symbol of Jesus. As such, Jesus Sacrifce (300) for Man’s Rebellion (13) becomes the 3900 years from the first Adam to the Last Adam - Jesus Christ. It is the time allotted to achieve Man’s Redemption.

Adam Israel's entry into the Promised Land to 2025

Then in the second time frame what I consider to be an amazing alignment  because it points to this year.

Essentially, if Israel left in the Exodus from Egypt in 1446 BC and that was 430 years to the day when Abraham was given the promises, then it would have been 1876 BC when Abraham, the Father of our Faith, was given the promises that resulted in our salvation. Significantly then, if you add exactly 3900 years from this time, you get the following:

1876 BC + 3900 = 2024 +1 (adjusting for no year 0) = 2025

What are the odds of this, the very same number (3900) that defines Redemption History from Adam to Christ, the last Adam, is also the number from when Abraham was given all of the promises that would end in our salvation, until 2025.

This is clearly not a coincidence of chance happening, it is telling us that it is time to look up for our Redemption draws nigh. The numbers keep aligning this way and so they have to mean something and so this could be the year that God’s people enter the greater Promised Land in Heaven, as part of the Rapture event that is effectively an Exodus from the World, that biblically was symbolised by the slavery of Egypt.

The Order of the Events

Finally returning to our discussion about the 3^rd Day, it is important to note the order of events. Essentially, the third day of Creation in foreshadowing the Rapture is describing the gathering (Rapture) as the first event of the 3^rd Day, it is not something that happens late in the Day.

Therefore, for those who understand that AD 32 is academically considered as a sound date for the Crucifixion of Christ, this affirms that Jesus Second Coming, as described in Revelation 19 and Zechariah 14, when His feet touch the Mount of Olives, will occur in 2032 (exactly 2 days or 2 thousand years after His death and Resurrection), not some time later in the symbolic 3^rd day. Then because this comes at the end of the 7-year Tribulation, that Jesus promised the Faithful Church (of which the Church of Philadelphia was a type) that He would keep them from, saying:

¹⁰ Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹ Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. Revelation 3:10-11

we can know, with a degree of certainty, that the Rapture will occur at least 7 years prior to His Second Coming, placing it squarely in 2025 sometime.

As in other articles I do not want to be overly dogmatic and appear to be setting dates for Christ’s return because God cannot be put in a box and may delay to ensure that no one is lost as stated in 2 Peter 3:9:

⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Additionally, since I have for a long time been convinced that since Jesus fulfilled the first 4 Feasts of the Lord in His First Coming, then it was logical that He would fulfill the remaining 4 Feasts (including the Shmini Atzeret) in His Second Coming. Like many I considered that this sequence would begin with the Rapture at the Feast of Trumpets and the Second Physical Coming on the Day of Atonement, followed by the Millenium that would itself begin with the Feast of Tabernacles and end with the Eighth day Gathering (Shmini Atzeret), which is Eternity when there will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, as promised in Revelation 21:4 because it says that "...the old order of things has passed away." However, I also believe that the Rapture will align with Ezekiel 38 because the events that it speaks of aligns with many other Scriptures (see just a few below and here for a more detailed discussion of why I believe this to be true) that are about the Day of the Lord, that as 1 Thessalonians 5:3 says will involve “Sudden Destruction”, when the world is speaking about Peace and Safety. The creates a potential problem in that I cannot see an army gathering against Israel by next week (around 23rd Sept 2025), which makes the idea of the Feast of Trumpets in 2025, at least for me, still possible, but uncertain. 

AI Query about ISRAEL, the UN and the Two State Solution

 To see if there was any further major news on Israel and the two-state solution, as of Saturday night 20th September 2025, to determine if Ezekiel 38 was a possibility by next week, considering how quickly things can change, I obtained the following summary from an AI query:

🌍 What's in the New York Declaration?

The declaration lays out a timebound roadmap for a two-state solution, including:

• An immediate ceasefire in Gaza

• Release of all hostages

• Disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from governance in Gaza

• Establishment of a viable, sovereign Palestinian state

• Normalization of relations between Israel and Arab countries

• Collective security guarantees for both sides

🧭 What's next? Symbolic or strategic?

While the vote itself doesn’t compel Israel to act, it’s part of a broader diplomatic strategy:

• France and Saudi Arabia, who co-sponsored the declaration, are leading efforts to formally recognize Palestine at an upcoming summit on September 22 in New York.

• Several European nations, previously hesitant due to U.S. and Israeli pressure, are now signaling support for recognition.

• The declaration is expected to shape the agenda of the 2025 UN General Debate, keeping pressure on Israel and its allies.

🇮🇱 Israel’s reaction

Israel, backed by the U.S., rejected the declaration, calling it “one-sided” and a “gift to Hamas”. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent statements and settlement expansion plans in the West Bank suggest a hardening stance, making implementation of the two-state solution even more complex.

🛠️ Can the UN pressure Israel?

The UN lacks enforcement power without Security Council backing, but it can:

• Mobilize international recognition of Palestine

• Apply diplomatic pressure through resolutions, debates, and public opinion

• Support civil society and humanitarian efforts in Palestinian territories

• Encourage sanctions or trade shifts via member states, though this is rare and politically fraught

In short, while the vote doesn’t change legal realities, it reshapes political ones. The UN is clearly trying to move beyond symbolism by coordinating recognition efforts and keeping the issue front and center on the global stage.

Then when asked about Future UN Summits, to determine what was currently scheduled that may affect the situation with ISRAEL and the Nations, I got the following AI response.

🗓️ September 22, 2025 – High-Level Summits Kickoff

This day marks the start of the high-level week of the 80th UN General Assembly, and it’s packed with major events:

• High-Level Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine This summit will focus directly on the two-state solution, building on the momentum from the New York Declaration. Leaders will discuss implementation strategies, recognition of Palestinian statehood, and regional normalization efforts.

• UN 80th Anniversary Commemoration

• SDG Moment – A spotlight on accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

• 30-Year Anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women

🗓️ September 23–29, 2025 – General Debate & Broader Summits

This is when world leaders take the stage at the General Assembly Hall to deliver national statements. Several thematic summits are scheduled during this period:

• Pact for the Future Summit This is a multi-issue summit that includes the two-state solution among broader topics like:

  • Climate action

  • Sustainable development financing

  • AI governance

  • Global health (noncommunicable diseases and mental health)

  • Minority rights (including the Rohingya crisis)

🗓️ Other Related Summits

• July 28–29, 2025 – French-Saudi Ministerial Conference Held earlier this year, this summit laid the groundwork for the September 22 event. It focused on:

  • Recognition of Palestinian statehood

  • Regional normalization with Israel

  • Diplomatic coordination among Arab and European nations

These summits are designed to build diplomatic momentum and shape the UN’s agenda for the coming year. The two-state solution is a central theme, but it’s being woven into a broader tapestry of global reform and cooperation.

Ezekiel 38 - Current Status

So the bottom line seems to be that the Nations listed in Ezekiel 38 have no current plans to come against Israel, at least not by next week for the Feast of Trumpets.

Importantly, it will not be a silent hidden event where millions of people just disappear, like the Left Behind Movies, rather it will be a very dramatic and catastrophic event as describe in Revelation 6, and the 6th Seal:

^“12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; ¹³ And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. ¹⁴ And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. ¹⁵ And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; ¹⁶ And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: ¹⁷ For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Revelation 6"12-17

In reading about this 6^th Seal, which correlates to the number of Man (6) and therefore appropriately deals with the judgement of Man, it should be remembered that during the first half of the Tribulation there is relative calm. This can be seen by noting Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:10 to the faithful Church symbolically represented by the Church of Philadelphia:

¹⁰ Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Revelation 3:10

Here, just as God in 2 Peter 3:8, that symbolically compared a Day to a Thousand Years, Jesus symbolically compares the 7 years of Tribulation to 1 hour. Therefore when Revelation 8:1 states after opening the 7^th seal that there was silence in Heaven for about half an hour, it is telling us that God’s wrath is being held back for nearly half of the Tribulation.

¹ And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. Revelation 8:1

This is exactly what we see in Revelation, with only the 7 Trumpets that start just prior to the middle of the Tribulation breaking the silence. Therefore the great multitude of Revelation 7 is not a genocide of humanity, as some believe, rather it is the Raptured Saints who appear in Heaven following the 6^th Seal Rapture:

⁹ After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; ¹⁰ And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. ¹¹ And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, ¹² Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 7:9-12

Please read my full article on the timing of the Rapture in relation to the Seals of Revelation and the Ezekiel 38 Gog / Magog war for a full biblical exposition of why this is the case:

https://www.endtime-bibleprophecy.com/blog/2283301_revelation-4-and-5-timing-of-rapture-and-nature-of-tribulation-misunderstood-david-wills-2025

For those that want to think it is a genocide, it should be remembered that the scripture above is describing millions from all nations on earth, which obviously includes Israel that has a 7 year Peace Covenant that is not broken by any genocide of its people, but it remains intact until the middle of the Tribulation when the Antichrist sits in the rebuilt Temple and declares that he is God and must be worshiped.

Essentially, the first 5 seals were actually opened down throughout history, they are not being opened at the start of the Tribulation as many propose. As this is a big topic in itself, and it is not the purpose of this article to expound on that further, for those that are interested more on this can be found at the link above.

The important thing to note here, in relation to Ezekiel 38 and its connection to the Rapture, is that we can see that it has parallels with Revelation 6, with it describing both a great earthquake and describes it as a time when Men will be shaking at God’s presence. This correlates to the Sixth Seal, when all men that are not taken in the Rapture will be hiding in "dens and in the rocks of the mountains":

Ezekiel 38:18-23 - ¹⁸ And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. ¹⁹ For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;²⁰ So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. ²¹ And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother. ²² And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. ²³ Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

Notably, the Hebrew word translated as “Shake”, where men shake at God’s presence, is the Hebrew word רָעֲשׁ֣וּ or raasu that comes from the root word רעשׁ  or raash, that is designated as Strongs Number h7493. רָעַשׁ râ‘aš