The Book of Joel and The Laodicean Seventh-day Adventist Church - Number Twenty-Six

The four generations of Joel represent a progressive destruction of God’s vineyard from 1863 unto the Sunday law. The number four also symbolizes four attributes of Christ’s character. The cherubim in the sanctuary have four facial manifestations, and those manifestations align with the fourfold division of ancient Israel as they encamped around the sanctuary. They also represent the four gospels.

The Bible (Numbers 2) describes the 12 tribes (excluding Levi, who camped immediately around the tabernacle) organized into four camps of three tribes each, positioned on the four cardinal directions around the sanctuary, each under a standard, meaning, banner or ensign. The arrangement created a symbolic parallel, where the earthly camp mirrors the heavenly throne guarded by the cherubim.

Judah faced east, toward the rising sun at the entrance of the sanctuary. Judah’s standard was a lion, for it represents the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The two tribes with Judah were Issachar and Zebulun. In the vision of John, the first beast was as a lion, just as Ezekiel’s cherubim had a face of a lion. Rueben, the symbol of man was on the south with Simeon and Gad. On the west was Ephraim, with Benjamin and Manasseh represented by the ox. On the north was Dan, with Asher and Naphtali, represented by the eagle. The tribe’s association with the four faces of the heavenly sanctuary are represented in the four gospels.

Matthew is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Mark is the sacrificial ox, Luke the man and John the high-flying eagle. Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah defines Himself as the one who seals and unseals His prophetic Word. The book of Matthew has more direct references to fulfillments of Messianic prophecies (12) as the other three gospels combined. It is not even close.

The book of Matthew represents God’s prophetic Word. Luke, who was a doctor presents his gospel from the perspective of Christ as the Son of Man, for Luke is the face of the man. Mark presents his gospel of Christ from the perspective of the sacrificial offering which Christ represented, for Mark is the ox. John is the high-flying eagle, who presented the deep things of God in his presentation of the gospel of Christ.

It is important to understand the book of Matthew as it is represented within the prophetic Word. The book of Matthew is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the master of His prophetic Word, the Wonderful Numberer of secrets, the Wonderful Linguist, the one who seals and unseals His Word. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, and He is the Word. The first book of the New Testament and the last book of the New Testament are prophetic books. Most know this fact about the book of Revelation, but they might not have recognized that Matthew is the alpha of the New Testament, so it must align with the omega of the New Testament. It must represent the end, which is the book of Revelation.

Therefore, when we find in Matthew the parallel line of Genesis’ line of covenant history set forth in chapters eleven through twenty-two, it is nothing less than a truth which the Lion of the tribe of Matthew is unsealing. The twelve chapters of covenant history that are represented in Genesis, Matthew and Revelation are now being unsealed and what we are identifying is that chapter twenty-three of Matthew represents the separation of the wise and foolish in the parable of the vineyard. Eight woes upon the former covenant people, that find their prophetic counterpart in the eight souls representing the one hundred and forty-four thousand who get on the ark of safety. 23 is a representation of the work that began in the Heavenly sanctuary when the 2300 days reached its conclusion on October 22, 1844, and will do so again at the soon-coming Sunday law. Chapter 23 is marking this truth.

Chapter twenty-four takes place as Christ has just ended His dialogue with apostate Israel and left the Jew’s temple for the final time. The number 24 is a symbol of the transition of ancient to modern Israel, the very point in prophetic history where Christ stood, when He presented His message in Matthew twenty-four. The prophetic message of Matthew 24 is a Divine illustration of line upon line methodology, that specifically addresses the history of the Millerites, and therefore the history of the one hundred and forty-four thousand. 24 is represented by the church of Revelation twelve, which stands upon the moon that reflects the light of the sun of righteousness. On her head are twelve stars that represent 24, for she represents the history leading up to the birth of Christ when ancient Israel’s 12 tribes would become modern Israel’s twelve disciples. In chapter twenty-four the Millerite history from 1798 unto the great disappointment are represented. Then comes Matthew 25.

The number 25 is a symbol of the Levites, whether good or bad, but just as significantly it represents the separation of the wise and wicked Levites. Matthew 25 identifies upon three witnesses, or three parables, the separation process that is represented by the number twenty-five. Of course, the parable of the ten virgins represents the history of the Millerites, and also the history of the one hundred and forty-four thousand. That history is the history of the first angel, the parable of the talents is the second angel and the parable of sheep and goats is the judgment of the third angel.

Chapters twenty-six through twenty-eight identify the history of Passover to the post crucifixion gospel commission.

A summary of the various waymarks in chapter 26 is the plot to kill Jesus in verses three through five. Then Jesus is anointed at Bethany in verses six through thirteen. In verses fourteen through sixteen Judas betrays Christ for thirty pieces of silver. Then came Passover with His disciples, in verses seventeen through twenty-five. Verses twenty-six through twenty-nine, Jesus institutes the Lord’s supper, and in verse thirty, Jesus foretells Peter’s denial. In verses thirty-six through forty-six Jesus is in Gethsemane. Verse forty-seven through fifty-six Jesus is arrested, then in verses fifty-seven through sixty-eight, Jesus is before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. From verse sixty-nine onward Peter’s denial of Christ is set forth. The chapter contains ten specific waymarks that are to be repeated during the latter days.

Chapter twenty-seven has ten distinct waymarks as well. Jesus is delivered to Pilate, then Judas hangs himself, then Jesus is taken before Pilate, then Barabbas is chosen, Pilate delivers Jesus to be crucified, then Jesus is mocked, then the crucifixion, then the death of Jesus, then Jesus is buried and then the guard at the tomb testifies.

Chapter twenty-eight has but three waymarks, the first being the resurrection, followed by the lie of the Sanhedrin and then the great commission. Three chapters with twenty-three distinct waymarks of the cross that will be repeated in the history of the one hundred and forty-four thousand.

Just as Christ’s experience from the anointing at Bethany to the Great Commission marked the close of His earthly ministry and the beginning of the gospel to all nations, so these same waymarks are repeated in the experience of God’s remnant as they approach the close of probation and their final triumph.

Chapters twenty-six through twenty-eight represent the Passover history structured upon 23 distinct waymarks that are repeated during the history leading to and following after the Sunday law.

The end of the 2300 days on October 22, 1844 is repeated at the Sunday law. The 23 waymarks located in the last three chapters of Matthew identify the precious blood that is employed to combine Divinity with humanity.

Chapter 23 of Matthew emphasizes the condemnation upon the counterfeit priesthood. Chapters twenty-six through twenty-eight are the omega to chapter twenty-three. The counterfeit Levites, the old men’s escalating rebellion over four generations produced the waymarks in the last three chapters.

Chapter twenty-four identifies the line upon line methodology as the methodology of Christ, as He employs the destruction of Jerusalem to describe the things that are, the things that have been and the things that will be.

The fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, took place on the same day of the year that Jerusalem was first destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. The destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar was past history, and Christ’s history, when Titus took Jerusalem, typified the end of the world. Matthew 24 is lifting up the line upon line methodology, thus identifying “methodology” as an element of the prophetic testimony.

It is in chapter 24 that Christ identifies the necessity of understanding the “abomination of desolation” spoken of by Daniel the prophet, the very foundational understanding of William Miller, and the symbol that establishes the vision in Daniel. It also represents the rebellion of Adventism, as they rejected the Millerite understanding of “the daily” in the book of Daniel, and thus partook of the strong delusion of 2 Thessalonians chapter two. The chapter directly connects with Luke 21, thus identifying August 11, 1840 through October 22, 1844, which typifies 9/11 unto the Sunday law. It also connects with the “times of the Gentiles” in Luke 21:24, which is a primary key in unlocking the “seven times” of Moses, while also aligning with the measuring of the temple in Revelation eleven.

Beginning with chapter twenty-three, followed by 24 and 25, and then concluding with chapters 26 through 27, three chapters which possess twenty-three waymarks that are the omega to the alpha of chapter twenty-three. Chapter twenty-six added to twenty-seven and twenty-eight equals “81,” which is a symbol of the priesthood. Upon three witnesses (Genesis, Matthew and Revelation) chapters 11 through 22 are one line. Chapters 23 through 28 are a line of truth which begins with 23 and ends with 23.

Chapters one through ten are the first of three prophetic lines in the book of Matthew. Ten chapters, followed by twelve chapters, followed by six chapters. Inspiration informs us that all the books of the Bible meet and end in the Revelation, and therefore all the books of the Bible meet and end in Matthew. Matthew, as the face of the lion of the tribe of Judah identifies twelve distinct Messianic prophecies, and those twelve passages produce the waymarks of the history of the Millerites and the one hundred and forty-four thousand. As the book of Revelation begins with the revelation of Jesus Christ, Matthew chapter one presents a revelation of Jesus Christ which connects with the life and testimony of Moses, with the history of Antichrist while identifying the three elements of the church triumphant as represented by the prophet, the priest and the king.

Matthew begins with the revelation of Jesus Christ in the context of God’s covenant with a chosen people. From Abraham to David was 14 generations, from David to captivity in Babylon was fourteen generations, and from Babylon to Christ is another fourteen generations. The genealogy of Christ in Matthew aligns with Moses, for Moses is the alpha of Christ the omega. Moses life of one hundred and twenty years, aligns with the one hundred and twenty years of probationary time in the history of Noah. Noah’s covenant is therefore connected with the covenant of a chosen people. The one hundred and twenty years of Moses represents three periods of forty years that concluded with Moses slaying the Egyptian at the end of forty years, and the first born, Pharaoh and his army being slain at the end of the second forty-year period. The second forty-year period ended at a rebellion at Kadesh and the third forty-year period ended at the second rebellion of Kadesh. All of the three prophetic lines of the alpha end at Kadesh and the three prophetic lines of Matthew’s genealogy end at David, captivity in Babylon and the Messenger of the covenant.

When the alpha of Moses is aligned with the omega of Christ there are six witnesses of Kadesh, which is 1863 and the Sunday law. Matthew’s genealogy places king David at Kadesh, which is where apostate Adventism is taken to Babylon, as Christ confirms the covenant with the one hundred and forty-four thousand. By placing David at the Sunday law a second witness of David is established with David being one of three human representatives that began to serve when they were thirty years old. Christ, David, Joseph and Ezekiel all began their work at thirty years of age. Together the four thirty-year-old’s that began to serve represent the combination of Divinity with humanity, when the church militant is transformed into the church triumphant. That church is made up of a prophet, a priest and a king. The transformation is marked at the Sunday law, which is also Kadesh, so David in the genealogy of Matthew aligns with the thirty year old David.

The thirty years of preparation aligns with the four hundred and thirty years of Abraham’s covenant, and also the age of a priest and the 1290 years of Daniel 12:11. In the next article we will consider each of those twelve Messianic prophecies within the book of Matthew. We are first identifying three prophetic lines within Matthew; chapters one through ten, followed by chapters eleven through twenty-two, and then twenty-three through twenty-eight.