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Irrefutable proof of
a Pentecost
resurrection!
By Frank Borg
Nov. 27th
2009
What is Truth? How can
we recognize it? Truth
is what is recorded in
the Word of God and
revealed by Jesus
Christ, the Head of
God’s true Church. Truth
is certain, precise and
accurately represents
what scripture states.
If a teaching does not
precisely tally and
absolutely conform with
scripture, then it is
not Truth! Truth does
not come from a man or
an organization of men;
it comes from the Word
of God through a man.
One of the many truths
which Christ has given
His Church, is that the
resurrection will take
place on a future Feast
of Pentecost (or the
Feast of Firstfruits).
As we shall see, this
Truth precisely tallies,
absolutely conforms and
accurately represents
what scripture states on
the resurrection.
The New Testament word
for ‘firstfruit’ is a
translation from the
Greek word ‘aparche’ (Strongs
number 536). This word
could be translated as
“a beginning of
sacrifice, that is
the firstfruits”. An
‘offering’ is something
that is given or
presented, and in this
case, firstfruits are
being offered or
presented to God.
The dictionary
definition of the word
‘firstfruits’ is as
follows: “the initial
gathered fruits offered
or presented to God”.
That is the meaning of
the word ‘firstfruits’!
With these biblical and
dictionary definitions
in mind, the “Feast of
Firstfruits” could
potentially be called
the “Feast of the
initial gathered fruits
presented to God”.
The name “Feast of
Firstfruits” doesn’t
only refer to the
gathering of the
firstfruits, but it also
clearly refers to the
presenting of the
firstfruits to God. Of
course, the firstfruits
can only be presented to
God if they have first
of all been resurrected!
Let us here take a look
at one biblical proof of
the Pentecost
resurrection. This
irrefutable proof will
focus on the seventh
seal and the seven
trumpet plagues.
The book of Revelation
talks about seven
seals, and these
seals are prophesied to
be opened during
the Day of the Lord
(Rev. 1:10; Rev. 4
onwards). Revelation
1:10 tells us that the
apostle John was in
the spirit on the Day of
the Lord when he saw
events portrayed by the
seven seals begin to
unfold.
The Faithful Church of
God in Laodicea
understands that Christ
is about to come to His
temple ‘as a thief in
the night’ which will
mark the beginning of
the Day of the Lord
(Please ask for our free
booklet entitled, “The
Day of the Lord
cometh…”). The first
four seals, which are
depicted by the four
horsemen of the
apocalypse, will be
opened as soon as the
Day of the Lord begins,
with the Great
Tribulation (fifth seal)
to closely follow.
Following is a list of
the seven seals
discussed in the book of
Revelation:
·
Rev. 6:1-2 describes
the first seal
depicting the first
horseman representing
‘spiritual deception’
·
Rev. 6:3-4 describes
the second seal
depicting the second
horseman representing
‘war’
·
Rev. 6:5-6 describes
the third seal
depicting the third
horseman representing
‘famine’
·
Rev. 6:7-8 describes
the fourth seal
depicting the fourth
horseman representing
‘pestilence’
·
Rev. 6:9-11 discusses
the fifth seal,
or Great Tribulation
·
Rev. 6:12-17 discusses
the sixth seal or
heavenly signs
·
Rev. 8, 9, 11 discuss
the seventh seal
or Day of the Lord’s
Wrath
The final seventh seal
[which we will focus on
to prove the Pentecost
resurrection] is
referred to as the “Day
of the Lord’s Wrath” (or
last year of Great
Tribulation). We know
that the ‘Day of the
Lord’s Wrath’ will end
on a Feast of Trumpets
when Christ will return
(with His bride) and set
His feet on the Mount of
Olives (Zech. 14:4).
If the Day of the Lord’s
Wrath lasts a year and
ends on a future Feast
of Trumpets, we can
deduce that it will
begin on the previous
Feast of Trumpets.
Chapters 8, 9 and 11 in
the book of Revelation
demonstrate that the
seventh seal, or the Day
of the Lord’s Wrath,
comprises of seven
terrible plagues
which will fall on this
earth. These seven
plagues will be heralded
by the blowing of a
trumpet (See Rev. 8;
Rev. 9:1, 13; Rev. 11).
At this juncture, it is
necessary to state that
Psalms 81:3 clearly
demonstrates that
trumpets are blown to
mark each of the seven
annual Feast days: “Blow
up a trumpet in the new
moon, in the time
appointed [or on
‘festivals, feasts’,
Strong’s 3677] for
this was a statute for
Israel, and a law of the
God of Jacob”.
Evidently, the seven
trumpets (which will
mark the beginning of
each of the seven
plagues during the Day
of the Lord’s Wrath)
will be blown on each of
the Feast days. The
trumpets will not be
blown randomly or
sporadically – God is
not erratic! On the
contrary, He is very
meticulous, organized
and does things right on
time!
During the Day of the
Lord’s Wrath, or the
last year of
tribulation, a trumpet
will be blown on each of
the Feast days and at
the sound of each
trumpet, plagues will
fall on the earth. We
have already seen how
the ‘Day of the Lord’s
Wrath’ will last from
one Feast of Trumpets to
the following Feast of
Trumpets. We have also
seen that a trumpet will
be blown on each Feast
day.
Let us now take a look
at each of the seven
trumpets, the Feast days
on which they will be
blown and their
corresponding plagues:
·
The first trumpet
will be blown on the
first Feast during the
Day of the Lord’s Wrath
– which, as we have
seen, will be a Feast of
Trumpets. The plague
associated with this
trumpet is that a third
of the trees and
vegetation will be burnt
up. (Rev 8:1-2, 6-7)
·
The second trumpet
will be blown on the
next Feast, the Day of
Atonement. The plagues
brought about by this
second trumpet blast on
the Day of Atonement
will include one third
of the sea turning into
blood, a third of the
fish dying, and a third
of the ships being
destroyed (Rev. 8:8-10).
·
The third trumpet
will be blown on the
Feast of Tabernacles.
The plagues brought
about by this trumpet
blast include fresh
water becoming bitter
and many will die (Rev.
8:10).
·
The fourth trumpet
will sound on the next
Feast during the Day of
the Lord’s wrath, which
will be the Last Great
Day. This plague results
in darkness brought upon
the earth (Rev. 8:12).
·
The fifth trumpet
will be blown on the
first day of Unleavened
Bread. Please read Rev.
9:1-12 carefully. With
the sound of this fifth
trumpet, we can see the
first of the three woes
come into play
representing war which
is inspired by Satan
and, significantly,
verse 5 and verse 10
both tell us that
mankind will be
tormented by this plague
FOR FIVE MONTHS. Notice:
this plague will last
for FIVE MONTHS! Why is
this five months
significant? Because it
gives us further
evidence that these
seven trumpets are
blown on each of the
Feast days during the
Day of the Lord’s Wrath!
Remember the fifth
trumpet is blown on the
first day of Unleavened
Bread which covers the
five month period
between the first day of
ULB and the final Feast
of Trumpets marking the
end of the Day of the
Lord’s Wrath, or the
return of Christ with
his bride on the Feast
of Trumpets. This is
further evidence to
those with eyes to see
and willing to accept
the Bible that these
seven trumpet plagues
will be showered down on
this earth commencing on
each of the seven Feast
Days that are to fall
within the last year of
tribulation.
·
The sixth trumpet
will be blown on the
Last Day of Unleavened
Bread. With the sound of
this trumpet, the second
woe will come into play
with a third of the
population dying from
fire, smoke and
brimstone (Rev 9:13-21).
·
The seventh trumpet
will blow on the next
Feast which is the day
of Pentecost:
“In a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and
the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we
shall be changed” (1
Cor. 15:52).
As is stated in 1
Corinthians 15:52, this
seventh final trumpet
which will be blown on
the Feast of Pentecost
will signal Christ
coming to meet the
firstfruits in the
clouds. Those who have
died in Christ over the
ages including the
repentant Laodiceans who
would have died in
tribulation will be
resurrected and the rest
of the Philadelphians in
a place of safety will
be changed on this
resurrection day! (Note:
There is no mention of
Christ returning to the
Mount of Olives YET!)
The events which will
take place when this
seventh trumpet sounds
are as follows:
a) The resurrection of
the firstfruits (1 Cor.
15:51)
b) Christ meets the
firstfruits in the
clouds (1 Thess.
4:16-17)
c) The third woe
(lasting for 110 days)
consists of seven vials
will begin to be poured
out on the earth (Rev.
15:6-8) as follows:
1) Rev 16:1-2
Terrible
sores
2)
Rev 16:3
Sea becomes blood
3)
Rev 16:4-7
Water becomes bitter
4)
Rev
16:8-9
Scorching sun
5)
Rev 16:10-11
Darkness & pain
6)
Rev 16:12-16
Euphrates dries up
7)
Rev 16:17
Greatest earthquake ever
& hail
d) Christ presents the
firstfruits to the
Father (Jude 24)
e) The coronation of
Christ as King of Kings
and Lord of Lords (Dan
7:14)
f) The marriage of the
Lamb takes place (Rev.
19:7)
g) The firstfruits bride
is arrayed in fine
linen, clean and white
(Rev 19:8)
Evidently, the seven
vials will take
four months (or
110 days) to be
fulfilled. (It is
logically impossible for
these to be fulfilled in
one day as we previously
believed). The effects
of these seven vials
will end the following
Feast of Trumpets, at
the end of the Day of
the Lord’s Wrath, when
Revelation 19:13 and
Zechariah 14:4 will be
fulfilled with Christ
coming to the Mount of
Olives already married
to His wife. Notice:
“And He was clothed with
a vesture dipped in
blood: and His name is
called The Word of God.
And the armies
which were in heaven
followed him
upon white horses,
clothed in fine
linen, white and clean”
(Rev 19:13-14). This
scripture states that
the “armies” followed
Christ to earth, clearly
referring to His
firstfruits wife (Rev.
14:4). We are also told
that the armies were
‘clothed in fine linen,
white and clean’.
Scripture shows that
these garments are worn
by Christ’s bride (see
Rev. 19:8). Verse 14
also states that the
‘armies’ that followed
Christ ‘were in heaven’
again indicating that
the resurrection must
occur before Christ
returns on the Feast of
Trumpets. These
scriptures prove beyond
doubt that the
resurrection occurs on
Pentecost with the
marriage taking place in
heaven (Rev 19:7) before
Christ returns to this
earth with His
firstfruits bride on the
Feast of Trumpets:
“And His feet shall
stand in that day upon
the Mount of Olives,
which is before
Jerusalem on the east,
and the Mount of Olives
shall cleave in the
midst thereof toward the
east and toward the
west, and there shall be
a very great valley; and
half of the mountain
shall remove toward the
north, and half of it
toward the south” (Zech
14:4).
How plain and clear
scripture is when we
allow it to interpret
itself! This Truth on
the Pentecost
resurrection is certain,
precise and accurate and
comes right out of the
Word of God.
It is now the
responsibility of each
begotten member of God’s
Church to prove it (1
Thess. 5:21), believe
Him (Heb. 11:6) and
follow Him (John 12:26)!
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