The Red Heifer
There is much talk lately about the Red Heifer in Israel. What significance is its sacrifice? Steaks.
Very soon there will be in North America an unusual solar eclipse (April 8, 2024). What is going to happen on April 8th? It's going to get dark. If you do not live close to a region of totality, you can still see the eclipse. Shut your eyes. It looks about the same as an eclipse.
It might sound as if I think there is no significance to these events. I believe there is significance, just not on those days of the event. Except...on the 8th we will probably see traffic jams like a hurricane evacuation out of Florida.
The Red Heifer
The Red Heifer is a strange requirement in the Old Testament related to purification. For us today, who are believers in Christ, we understand it was a foretelling of the work of Jesus. His sacrifice on the cross provided purification for all who will trust completely in Him. It was accomplished when Jesus said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). For the believer, I do not think that the Red Heifer has any significance after that.
For those who consider themselves still under the Mosaic Law, the ashes of a red heifer are necessary to purify everything connected with a third temple. The Temple Institute of Israel makes a lot of noise about a red heifer. Some claim that this organization is a scam. They have been raising millions of dollars from American Evangelicals over decades with more intention to raise money than to build anything. The red heifer is mostly noise at this point.
Of course, if a zeal to sacrifice the “holy cow” leads to an actual sacrifice in Israel, it would have international ramifications. If it is done without the permission of the Israeli government, it would probably cause tremendous violence. If it is done in connection with an allowed third temple construction, it would also have great importance initiating end-time events.
The Great Eclipse
There is an unusual solar eclipse that will occur over much of North America on April 8, 2024. There is a lot of information about it online. This eclipse has to be very significant. The known details of this eclipse all happening at the same time are of astronomical probability. Therefore, many say that this is the day of the Rapture. (May it be today. Forget April 8th). Some think it is the day of some other end-time event.
This is what I think will probably happen. The day will come and then the day will go, without any significant event happening. Why? Because it is a sign. When you are driving you see a road sign that says:
Springfield 15 miles
You see the sign before the reality. They do not put up the sign on the side of the post office building or city hall. It is out on the highway, a ways from the city itself. The prophet Jonah went to the city of Nineveh. Jesus said the great sign of Jonah was that he was 72 hours in a great fish. Some say that in addition, there was an extra-biblical sign of a great eclipse. (There are many connections with that eclipse and the one coming on April 8.) It was considered a sign of doom.
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. (Jonah 3:4)
For some reason, everyone believed God. The destruction was not intended to come on that very day that Jonah entered the city. Jonah's preaching and/or a great eclipse had everyone's attention. The overthrow of the city was to be scheduled for 40 days from the preaching of Jonah.
Note: God did not tell Jonah but the message was conditional upon the people's repentance. The destruction was delayed and Nineveh was overthrown about 150 years later when no one was alive who could remember the sign.
The eclipse is probably a sign that something very significant is coming. It may be something related to our leadership trying to divide the land of Israel. After the sign is forgotten by the next crazy thing in the news, the reality will come, without further warning. Everyone will say, “Why does God allow bad things? Why doesn't He warn us?”
??
God's deafening silence means, Deal with it.
That may sound harsh. The reality is that a sign or warning comes. It is forgotten. Then the event comes seemingly without any warning. There was a great warning. In the space that was intended for us or a people to change their mind (repent) all Divine kindness is forgotten or ignored. So, it appears that things come out of nowhere, without warning.
For us who know the Scriptures, if God said anything once, we take God's words seriously. Let us not be people that need warnings to be shoved down our throats with a broom handle. If the Bible says it once, we pay attention.
Mar. 27, 2024