In Part 1, I described the frequency and significance in scripture of the number ‘3’ and the common events associated with Israel where this number occurs, especially as ‘3’ refers to a period of time. Since we commonly see repeating patterns of events in scripture that will reoccur in the end times, in Part 1 I showed where the number ‘3’ as a time period will again be significant in its application to last days events. More specifically, I examined the number ‘3’ as it will apply to the ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant’s last days: 1) escape and journeying, and 2) deliverance, hiding and rest. In this current passage, I will repeat this process for the final three events occurring in a time period of ‘3’ most often observed in scripture. These include:
- Sacrifices, offerings and teaching
- Conflict and the Lord’s judgments
- Blessings and restoration
As I did in Part 1, I will look at the time period of ‘3’ as it applies to each of these biblical events, first historically, and then subsequently how each will apply to the ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant again in the end times.
Sacrifices, offerings and teaching
One pattern or theme observed with a time period of ‘3’ in scripture is related to sacrifices and offerings. In Jewish law, sacrifices were typically offered on the first day. An offering of animals “without blemish” was made. In some cases, this began a three day period of fasting or abstaining. Any sacrifice that remained on the third day was burned in the fire and considered to be abominable if eaten.
Particularly notable, an unblemished male lamb was offered at Passover. As the ultimate holy, righteous fulfillment as a holy sacrifice and atonement, Jesus was crucified. In Isaiah, Chapter 53, which refers to Jesus, we are told, “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:6). Much can be said about Passover, but Israel’s first adherence to this feast day in Egypt marked the saving and redemption of their firstborn and their “release” as a people.
As a “firstborn” himself, Jesus’ fulfillment of the Passover was for the saving and redemption of his people. He was also a type of the goat that was sacrificed as part of the sin offering that Aaron the priest was instructed to do by God through Moses after the death of his two sons as described in the book of Leviticus (Chapter 16). This was an atonement for Israel before the Lord; one goat was sacrificed, but the other was released and freed into the wilderness as the scapegoat that carried away all of the iniquities of the people of Israel.
Of course, after his sacrificial, atoning death Jesus was then raised on the third day. Jesus had already instructed the Pharisees before this time to tell Herod of his activities including casting out devils, healing disease, and then he said that, “on the third day I shall be perfected” (Lk. 13:32). Jesus was the perfected offering, a fulfillment of commands in the law for Jews to purify themselves on this day. He no longer “remained” on the third day because he was holy and had been resurrected.
Passover was celebrated just prior to both three day journeys of Moses and his people Israel that I described in Part 1. After the initial release of the people of Israel out of Egypt, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai after their journey of three months. Moses was then told that the Lord would come down and appear on the mountain in the sight of Israel. After Moses heard a word from the Lord, he instructed his people to be “ready against the third day.” And to the men he said, “Come not near your wives.” After Moses came back down from the mountain, he then “sanctified the people and washed their clothes” (Ex. 19:14).
Similarly, while on the run from King Saul, David on his journey approached a priest who only had holy bread to offer. For the bread, David had to assure the priest that, “Women have been kept from us about these three days” (1 Sam. 21:5). Jesus, of course, we know represents the true, eternal bread of life and the water that “springs up into everlasting life.” I will describe below how we should expect to be similarly clean as was David approaching the priest prior to Jesus’ return.
In another act of purifying the people of Israel, at the time Ezra the priest had led them back to the homeland from Babylon, he and other priests observed and lamented that they and those remaining in the land had rebelled against God and that many had taken “strange wives.” They made a proclamation throughout the land that all “children of captivity” should gather at Jerusalem. They were to arrive within three days. At this time, Israel was commanded to “separate yourselves from the people of the land and from strange wives” (Ezra 10:11).
With regard to Jewish law, there were also several instances we are told that on the third day there was a requirement of tithe or offering. One notable example of an Israeli society-wide “tithe of the land” offering was when the righteous King Asa of Judah renewed the altar of the Lord, put away abominable idols in the land, and in the third month of the 15th year of his reign gathered Judah and Benjamin, as well as Manasseh and Ephraim of the northern kingdom. He called them to return, re-commit to the Lord and bring their spoil as a great offering. At the time, they entered into a covenant that all should seek him.
Finally, in addition to sacrifices and offerings to the Lord occurring in a time period of ‘3,’ there is a teaching and disciple-ing component that is seen several times. Jesus himself was found by his parents after three days sitting amidst others in the temple while “all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Lk. 2:47). At Ephesus, the Apostle Paul taught of the Holy Ghost and baptism based on belief in Christ. We are told, “And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8). At the end of three years, Paul finally reminded the Ephesians how he had strongly warned that after he departed “grievous wolves” would enter among them and would even deceive some disciples.
In more ancient days, the son of King Asa, King Jehoshaphat, in the third year of his reign instructed his princes and Levites to teach throughout “all the cities of Judah” about the Lord’s law. This happened and the “fear of the Lord” fell upon all of the kingdoms of the lands around Judah.
Sacrifice, offerings and teaching of the last days ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant
I have explained on this site that end times ‘Jacob’ and his remnant represent a kind of atoning sacrifice for the people of Israel in these last days. While Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice as Israel’s Messiah and the world’s Savior, many will only understand more about him as their God after they see how he delivers his last days “small flock.” As the initial sacrificial lamb without blemish, Jesus was the sin offering for all, and this allowed the opportunity of grace that ‘Jacob’ and his last days remnant will receive. Jesus was also the type of sacrifice that allowed ‘Jacob’ and his remnant to become as the scapegoat that is “released into the wilderness” in the last days. This is their escape that I addressed in Part 1.
As ones who will have to go through the Lord’s purging and refining process prior to the time of “Jacob’s trouble,” the ‘Jacob-Judah “small flock” remnant will be like those of Israel who were brought forth out of Egypt’s “furnace of affliction.” I have described how end times ‘Jacob’ himself is as a kind of atoning sacrifice on behalf of Israel. In a similar although much less significant manner as Jesus, last days ‘Jacob’ is ascribed with both the sins of Samaria and the “high places of Judah” (Mic. 1:5); these represent the last days ‘northern kingdom’ within the U.S. and those in the country of Israel. The Lord says that he gives last days ‘Jacob’ as a “spoil” (Is. 42:24) because of the house of Israel’s sin and disobedience.
As an outcome of his own personal battle versus the spiritual kingdom war adversary, ‘Jacob’s own personal iniquity will be atoned for because he will make, “All the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, (and) the groves and images shall not stand up” (Is. 27:9). When ‘Jacob’ and his remnant are delivered, they will rely solely upon and will wait for the Lord in the wilderness. The following instructions from the Prophet Isaiah will apply:
- “Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” (Is. 8:13-14)
This remnant will be alone, yet still surrounded by great turmoil in the Day of the Lord. They will be forced to rely only on the Lord. They will be recovering from many wounds and in need of cleansing, sanctification and spiritual renewal. Recall that immediately following Passover, a time signaling the beginning of a couple of Moses’ peoples’ ancient journeys, there was a seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread during which no leavened bread could be eaten. ‘Jacob’ and his remnant will need to remain clean upon their escape and journey. They will need to be found without what Jesus referred to as the leaven of hypocrisy.
Even so, we are told that the Lord will have to plead with his “backsliding” people to repent and turn to him. The following verse will apply: “Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God” (Ez. 20:36). The ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant will be coming out of a ‘Babylon’-U.S. system of false, foreign gods and their associated idolatrous and abominable practices. I have described the Prophet Isaiah’s last days persona on this site and in Part 1 of this series. Recall that Isaiah said, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Is. 6:5).
Isaiah was renewed, but I have written prior on this site about how the Lord will have to plead with his people who come out of this land of a “strange language” in the last days once they are delivered into the wilderness. Not all will be righteous, and we are told that the Lord will not leave ‘Jacob’ and his “small flock” altogether unpunished. We are told that their sins will be uncovered. They will need to be sanctified. God will have to “wash away” the “filth” of the daughters of Zion and the bloodshed of ‘Jerusalem’ (Is. 4:4). The following verse from Isaiah will apply: Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil (Is. 1:16). As this applies to a time period of ‘3,’ there is not an explicit indication in scripture, but based on the historical pattern, it could be that this remnant will be “fasting” or abstaining in obedience, at least in a spiritual sense, for approximately three days.
Upon their escape, the ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant will also be coming directly out of a ‘Babylon’-U.S. society whose people have deliberately mingled among the Lord’s scattered sheep, thereby resulting in what he calls his “speckled” inheritance. Perhaps the original Patriarch Jacob’s cattle foreshadowed these last days sheep. This remnant will come out of ‘Babylon’-U.S., a scenario symbolized in ancient times by Israel retreating after their Jericho victory, but were instructed by God not to touch any of its spoil and keep themselves from any “accursed things.” In this ancient day of Joshua, a man of Judah was stoned for carrying out a ‘Babylonian’-type artifact. Similarly, recall that upon Jacob’s escape out of Syria his wife Rachel secretly carried away an idolatrous possession of her father Laban, unbeknownst to Jacob. Possessions of ‘Babylon’ and any accompanying idolatrous practices will need to be completely removed from and left behind by the last days remnant. This will be the beginning of their own purification process.
The ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant’s sanctification process will also require separation. In addition to being physically delivered out of and separated from ‘Babylon’s society and its idols and into the wilderness, they will need to be separated as a people. This is likely the time about which we are told in scripture that “none will want her mate,” and possibly the last days time described when “one will be taken and the other left.” Their separation will be similar to that described above when Ezra and his other priests exhorted the captive people of Israel to, “separate from the people of the land.” The question will be who among this remnant can finally and completely separate themselves, spiritually speaking, so that they can be cleansed, sanctified and found wearing “white garments” as Jesus instructed will be necessary. If this remnant properly uses the first three day period in the Day of the Lord to separate and abstain, then they will be spiritually prepared for when the Lord appears, which I discuss below.
Finally, I mentioned above a teaching or disciple-ing component associated with the Lord’s historical servants as it occurred in a three day period. In the last days, we have another three year (3 ½ year) period during which we are told that the Lord’s ‘Two Witnesses’ will testify. These will be Elijah- or John the Baptist-types who will exhort people to repent of their transgressions, serve Jesus Christ, and prepare for his soon-coming Kingdom. The extent to which the ‘Two Witnesses’ may have personally encountered the Lord themselves in the last days or whether they will be affiliated with the ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant in the wilderness is unknown. It is also unknown whether the ‘Two Witnesses’ will be related to the ‘Comforter’ or ‘Spirit of truth’ whom Jesus himself referred to who will: Serve as a teacher and reminder of his words (Jn. 14:26); demonstrate the sin of the world (and unbelief in him) in contrast with true righteousness (Jn. 16:8); and take from what is his of Jesus (and the Father) and make it known (Jn. 16:14-15). Regardless, these witnesses will be among others (e.g. John the Revelator, 144,000 witnesses, ‘Jacob,’ etc.) who will prophesy and teach to the world in the Day of the Lord.
Conflict and the Lord’s judgments
In scripture, we also see the number ‘3’ as it will apply to a time period of conflict or judgment. Out of all of the judgments that came onto Pharaoh and ancient Egypt, for the ninth judgment scripture says, “…there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days” (Ex. 10:22). This occurred prior to the Lord’s tenth and final judgment at the time, which was the slaying of Egyptian firstborn sons. During this time, darkness that came over the land, “came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel.” Israel’s camp was given light at this time.
Darkness that descends in the Day of the Lord will be associated with the Lord’s coming judgments that I have referred to in detail on this site. These judgments will be similar to ancient ones, especially familiar ones such as famine, pestilence and the “sword” (of war). As one historical indication, when David transgressed by conducting a census in the land, God offered him his choice of punishments; these included either famine, pestilence or the sword of the enemy. In each case, the punishment on his kingdom was to be for a time period of ‘3.’ In another instance, the judgment of famine came upon David’s Kingdom that was attributed to King Saul’s prior transgressions. This was a judgment that lasted for three days in the “days of David.”
In Israel’s northern kingdom, in speaking through the Prophet Amos to his rulers about their transgressions of foreign god worship and oppression of others, God told of his judgments of the sword and pestilence against them, and then also reminded them how he gave them hunger and withheld rain for three months prior to the harvest in some cities. Of course, you likely recall how the Prophet Elijah prayed that it might not rain in the northern kingdom due to its idolatry, and we are told, “It rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months” (James 5:17).
Among God’s ancient judgments, the “sword” was a particularly common one occurring on or just after the third day. The “sword” is mentioned on several occasions as it relates to a time period of ‘3.’ When Jacob came to reside in the city of Shechem in Canaan, his daughter Dinah was defiled in the land by the son of its prince. On the third day, Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi slew all the men of the city with the sword.
While in the land of the Philistines, while staying away from King Saul, David and his fighting men had returned on the third day to Ziklag where their families resided. The town had been burned with fire and their wives and children had been taken captive. David enquired of the Lord, and was assured that he would, “overtake them, and without fail recover all” (1 Sam. 30:8). David’s troops found the Amalekites enemy and slew them all, took the spoil, and recovered all.
In another instance, King David gave his commander three days to prepare his troops for war against the tribe of Benjamin who had declared separation from his kingdom due to the children of Belial within. Later, the tribe of Benjamin was again identified by the rest of Israel as being associated with the wicked acts of the “children of Belial.” When Benjamin would not turn them over, Judah and Israel’s tribes came against them with the sword, beginning on the third day.
Reheboam’s son Abijah, King of Judah, who we are told reigned for three years went to war against King Jereboam. God delivered wicked Israel into his hands. This caused the end of idolatrous Jereboam’s reign. Not long after, in the third year of King Asa of Judah, the northern kingdom’s King Baasha slayed Jereboam’s son and successor King Nadab. Later, during the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, when he went to visit the king of Israel, he was invited to join in war versus Syria because its people remained residing in the northern kingdom’s land. Israel’s king observed at this time that there had not been war with Syria for a period of three years.
While we find that the number ‘3’ is associated with these kinds of overt events of conflict and judgment, it is also associated with God’s people’s collective captivity over time according to a longstanding, ancient promise of his. God promised that his people would suffer captivity at the hands of their enemies for their rebellion in ancient times. This began not long after with Gentile kings who besieged them. In the latter days of Israel’s northern kingdom, the king of Assyria besieged Samaria, and at the end of three years conquered it. Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon made King Jehoiakim of Judah his servant for three years before Jehoiakim rebelled. Judah was then destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.
Conflicts and the Lord’s judgments surrounding the last days ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant
As their own punishment, I described that the ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant will have gone through a purifying and refining process of the Lord’s judgment early on in the last days prior to being delivered at the beginning of the Day of the Lord. Although they will be delivered from the theater of God’s judgments and extreme conflict, ‘Jacob’s semi-captive remnant will still be surrounded by many judgments at this time.
Symbolic of the onset of the Day of the Lord at night, darkness will be part of God’s end times judgments. Many times in scripture we are told about darkness that will occur in the Day of the Lord similar to God’s ninth judgment on ancient Egypt described above. Darkness in the last days is referred to as: “darkness that shall cover the earth”; “thick darkness”; “no brightness”; the sun “becomes black as sackcloth” etc. This darkness is directly associated with the time that God will bring “destruction among the nations” (Ez. 32:9).
As it will be associated with the sun’s setting and the eve of judgment, both of which coincide with darkness, I described in Part 1 the ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant’s sudden deliverance and escape into the wilderness. I also described events of the sun’s setting and the moon’s rising as carrying meaning of rest, hiding, concealment, etc. The “small flock” remnant who represent some of the “children of the light” referred to by the Apostle Paul will likely be given light during this time that they are separated from their enemies. Perhaps as in the ancient days of Moses and his people, darkness in the Day of the Lord will again provide a means of separation from their enemies.
While somewhat delivered and separated at this time, this remnant will likely remain in a semi-captive state, likely somewhere in their homeland of ‘Babylon’-U.S. This will be somewhat of a continuance of siege and captivity conditions they will have experienced prior to the Day of the Lord. We have indications from the prophetic personas of Major Prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah about the continuing end times captive state of the “small flock” remnant. ‘Ezekiel’s persona is laying on his side, in bands, unable to talk, etc. Isaiah’s persona walks “naked and barefoot” as an apparent sign of his captivity.
Meanwhile, in contrast, as a result of Israel’s larger remnant’s own part in being complicit with the adversary in the spiritual kingdom war, and their own rebellion, familiar judgments of famine, pestilence, the sword and “wild beasts” in the Day of the Lord will first come onto the whole house of Israel. Just as we saw the ancient northern kingdom besieged and conquered, and then Judah’s king besieged and his society conquered, the last days house of Israel’s primary lands of residence- the U.S. and the country of Israel- will face the same fate. We see these kinds of judgments among those Jesus referred to as they will occur at the time of the “beginning of sorrows.” These will likely coincide with or lead into the time period of the riders on the horses carrying very similar judgments when the first four seals are opened in Chapter 6 of the book of Revelation. Wars and a multitude of other judgments will then come onto the entire world in the Day of the Lord as God turns his attention to the worldwide ‘Babylonian’ adversary. In one of the Prophet Daniel’s visions, in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, Daniel prophesied of these kinds of large-scale kingdom wars that will come.
Judgments that will only intensify during the Day of the Lord will surround the semi-captive ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant in ‘Babylon U.S. As I described is the case with some other events this remnant will experience that have commonly been historically associated with a time period of ‘3,’ there is no explicit time period given for particular judgment events that will surround them while they are in the wilderness.
We do know that the Pharaoh-‘Assyrian’ and his armies will invade and plunder ‘Babylon’-U.S. And as a leader of the spiritual kingdom adversary against the Lord and his anointed ‘Daughter of Zion’ and “small flock,” he will be aware of their presence in the land. I showed in Part 1 the approximate timeframe of the first ‘3’ or 3 ½ years of the Day of the Lord (the first half of a ‘7’-year Tribulation period), associated with the ‘Assyrian’s armies capturing ‘Babylon’-U.S.’s kings and plundering the land.
We have a couple of other clues as to this same time period of three years of war within ‘Babylon’-U.S. ‘Babylon’-U.S. is a nation of many different “peoples” that the ‘Assyrian’ has had prior affiliation with. I have shown prior on this site the many different people groups that support or partner with the ‘Assyrian.’ End times ‘Moab’ (note Moab no longer exists as a land) is just one people group that has been a partner with the ‘Assyrian,’ yet at least some reside in ‘Babylon’-U.S. where the ‘Assyrian’ has had significant prior influence. While they will have been complicit with this kingdom adversary of Israel, they will be in the crossfire when the ‘Assyrian’ invades. Recall the general principle Jesus spoke of which is that Satan’s kingdom fights against and destroys itself. In his Word, God’s warns in more than one place that last days ‘Moab’ will be condemned and destroyed within a time period as that of a three year old heifer or hireling.
In an ancient signal of this kind of future judgment, in an offering to the Lord, Abraham took a heifer of three years old among other offerings and sacrificed it at the time God gave him the eternal land promise. God also told him that Israel’s people in the interim would come into bondage but that their enemy would ultimately be destroyed. Although much of the house of Israel has been deceived and compliant in their own bondage, the meaning behind Abraham’s sacrifice is a “picture” of God’s “rod of judgment” destroying ‘Babylon’-U.S. for the way it will be found to have treated and held captive its own people of Israel within. About this last days time period of ‘Babylon’-U.S.’s judgment at the hands of the ‘Assyrian’ in the book of Micah, an ancient Prophet to both the northern kingdom and Judah, God says that he will “cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds” (Mic 5:11). Generally speaking, it will be a process of destruction that will come onto both ‘Babylon’-U.S. and the country of Israel that will take approximately the first few years of the Day of the Lord.
The ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant in the wilderness will be surrounded at the time of the ‘Assyrian’s and his armies’ invasion, but I have described on this site how they will continue to be protected. Just as they will have had a “supernatural”-assisted rescue to go into the wilderness, they will be protected by God. We are told, “And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord” (Mic. 5:7). This is the time mentioned when this remnant will rely directly on the Lord as a sanctuary and he will be as a “rock of offense” when the ‘Assyrian’ enemy enters their land. We are also told that at this time the Lord will make this remnant that includes “seven shepherds and eight principal men” as a “lion among the beasts of the forest,” and furthermore, we learn that their “hand will be lifted up upon (their) adversaries.”
The ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant will continue to see chaos and fighting around them throughout the Day of the Lord. They will continue to be surrounded by enemies and conflict, just as it was in ancient days in Canaan for their early fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They will be surrounded in the first part of the Day of the Lord by the ‘Assyrian’s and his armies. Then as time progresses both the adversary’s persecution of saints and God’s judgments on the world will become more severe. I described in Part 1 a kind of second three year phase of journeying, hiding, and fighting enemies that ‘Jacob’ and his remnant will go through, similar to that of Moses and his people Israel’s post-Sinai journeying. This second phase will begin when they “flee” the dragon and go into the wilderness at the time the woman who is described in Revelation, Chapter 12, gives birth to the “man-child” and the dragon is cast down to earth. During this phase, it is not clear the extent to which this remnant will have to “fight” enemies like Moses and his people did. But their salvation and protection in the Day of the Lord is implied because we know that they will finally return at the time when ‘Jacob’ raises up all of the tribes of Israel at the time when the isles will “wait for his law.”
Blessings and restoration
Finally, blessings and restoration in scripture are many times associated with a three year time period. First and foremost are supernatural or spiritual blessings. After Israel’s three month escape from Egypt into the wilderness, the Lord came down on Mt. Sinai in their sight. Of course, the ultimate fulfillment of God coming to earth in the person of Jesus included his resurrection on the third day after his crucifixion. It was Jesus, speaking of the temple of his body, who said, “destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (Jn. 2:19). Recall from above that Jesus said that he would be “perfected” on the third day after his work of healing and casting out devils. Through Jesus’ work when he came to earth, then the “holy temple” that he represented was completed and his Spirit became available to all believers. We are restored through our faith in him.
Perhaps as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ first coming, the second temple in Jerusalem was restored and completed on the third day of the month of Adar according to the decree of Persian King Artaxerxes, Mede King Cyrus and as prophesied by the Prophet Haggai. It was Nehemiah who originally arrived at Jerusalem during this time, and he remained there for three years. With plans to restore the temple, he inspected the remains of the original temple, encouraged the people to support re-building it, and spoke with local corrupt rulers and priests to demand a release of the people who they had taken captive and taken over their land by usury and likely with other heavy-handed tactics. They agreed to comply to provide a release or a kind of “restoration” for the people.
Additional examples in scripture show that Gentiles and their kings were sometimes used by God for blessings according to a three day pattern or cycle. Recall that it was an Egyptian man who approached King David and his troops after he had been cast out by his camp and been without food or water for three days and three nights. David replenished him, and the Egyptian led David and his people to the enemy’s location. It was King Ahasuerus who in the third year of his reign showed off the “riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty” and then heard Queen Esther’s plea for her people. Later, this king issued a decree in the third month that granted the Jews a right to “stand for their life” and fight back against their enemies.
In yet another example, Joseph interpreted his fellow prisoner’s dream according to his fate at the hands of Pharaoh who had cast both of them into prison. Joseph assured this other prisoner who was Pharaoh’s chief butler that he would be restored within three days. Interestingly, part of the butler’s dream included a vision of a vine with three branches that budded, blossomed and brought forth clusters of ripe grapes. Perhaps the butler’s dream had some prophetic meaning of blessing and restoration for beyond himself and also for Joseph and the people of Israel.
In addition to these examples involving Gentiles, Israel of course did experience its share of restoration or replenishment in time periods of ‘3.’ Recall after their initial three day journey from Egypt into the wilderness, the Israelites at first found no food or water. Then, they were replenished by 12 wells of water and quails and manna for food. Also recall the Prophet Elisha went away from the sons of prophets of the northern kingdom in Jericho as a sort of hiding his face. He then returned after three days and healed the waters of the “dry, barren” land, proclaiming that there would be “no more death or barren land” (2 Ki. 2:21). On another occasion, when the Prophet Samuel was led to appoint Saul as the first king of Israel, after Saul was brought to him, he made a point to assure Saul that the asses his father lost three days prior had been recovered. This was the original intended purpose of Saul’s journey. Finally, Joseph placed his brothers in a holding place of captivity in Egypt for three days under the auspices that they were spies; at their release he restored them with grain and gave their money back in this ancient time of famine.
Not too long after the early days split-off of Israel from Judah, Solomon’s son Reheboam’s Judah kingdom was restored and “made strong.” This was after God’s commands that Reheboam held his peace and not fight against Israel. Instead, under his direction in fortifying cities of Judah, many Levites and priests returned to his kingdom, including those from Jereboam’s idol-worshiping northern kingdom. These assisted Reheboam in making his kingdom “strong” for three years, thereby walking in the ways of his fathers Solomon and David. Speaking of, King Solomon’s kingdom had been replenished with various riches every three years by his ships of Tarshish.
Later, Judah’s King Hezekiah who was told by Isaiah that he would soon die of illness repented to God and begged for extended years. God granted him these. God told the Prophet Isaiah for Hezekiah, “Turn again…I have seen thy tears, behold I will heal thee: on the third day thou shall go up to the house of the Lord” (2 Ki. 20:5). It was also in Hezekiah’s day that the Lord saved a remnant of Jerusalem from the king of Assyria’s attacks. This remnant we are told was the “escaped of the house of Judah.” God said to them:
- “And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.” (2 Ki. 19:29)
This remnant’s saving, blessing and subsequent growth as a vineyard reminds one of the butler’s dream above, but is a continuation of God’s original promise to Israel through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was Abraham who was on his journey to sacrifice his son Isaac according to God’s instructions about whom we are told: “Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.”(Gen 22:4). Of course, the Lord provided a sacrifice in Isaac’s place. And it was at this place that the Lord told Abraham because of his faith:
- That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. (Gen. 22:17)
I mentioned earlier how Jesus fulfilled this kind of sacrifice in our place. His sacrifice will allow the last days remnant of Israel to be released and carry forward his own original promise to Abraham. Perhaps there is a chance that on the third day (or year) after the ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant’s initial deliverance into the wilderness they will be provided a vision of the coming kingdom as Abraham was, or possibly even experience the presence of the Lord. I describe in the section below the possible blessing of the Lord himself appearing at around three year mark into their deliverance in the Day of the Lord. There is certainly a strong pattern in scripture for blessings given by God at a time period of ‘3’; this assumes obedience and committal to him.
Blessings and restoration of the last days ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant
It goes without saying that for all believers in the end times, the ultimate blessing will be Jesus’ return and the establishment of his Kingdom. I just mentioned above the possibility that the ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant will experience an early or supernatural appearance of the Lord in some form. For an idea, we might begin by recalling some of the ways in which the Lord was continually present with his ancient people when they came out of Egypt and were in the wilderness (i.e. pillar of fire/cloud of smoke, in the Tabernacle, on top of the Mount Sinai, in the burning bush (to Moses), etc.). It is likely that this kind of supernatural presence of God among his remnant people will continue throughout the Day of the Lord. At the least, we know that the Lord has promised last days ‘Jacob’ and his Judah-centric remnant: “I will hold your hand” (Jer. 30:10); “I am with you” (Jer. 42:11); “I am in the midst” (Jer. 14:9); etc. This remnant may also wait for an actual appearance of the Lord, which I will describe below.
Meanwhile, this remnant will have come out of an environment in ‘Babylon’-U.S. where they have been targeted, oppressed and persecuted by the anti-Christ Chaldeans. The Lord admits to this remnant that he has, “given (them) the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction…” (Is 30:20). They will essentially be escapees; they will be part of God’s people who are “left of the sword.” Recall how Israel escaped from Pharaoh, out of the valley of the shadow of death. Also, recall how both Job and King David walked through and were delivered out of this same “valley.”
In a world of turmoil that will experience the Lord’s judgments coming onto it, as well as a very powerful adversary aligned against the people ‘Israel’ and all Christ-believers, a blessing for the “small flock” remnant will be the deliverance, protection and comforting that they receive. These semi-captive escapees and refugees will become isolated from the world and alone in the wilderness. As the true plumb line of righteousness in the last days, the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ will remain the cornerstone among them. He is the rock of righteousness and justice this remnant will continue to rely on all the way through the Day of the Lord, described as: “a tried stone”; “a rock of offense”; and a “snare.” I showed above how the last days remnant is instructed, “Let (the Lord) be your sanctuary.” They will indeed return directly “unto the mighty God” (Is. 10:21). This is explained as follows:
- “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.” (Is. 10:20)
Of course, the blessing of the light among them will be first and foremost attributed to the Lord’s Spirit being in their midst. Recall Jesus saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12). ‘Jacob’ and his remnant will also be led and provided for at this time in a world of famine and dried up waters. As in the day Israel entered the wilderness and God provided for them, the Lord will be their pathmaker once again:
- “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” (Is. 42:16)
In my passage entitled, Ezekiel’s personal and prophetic story (Part 4), I described this Judah-centric remnant’s likely temporary “holding pattern” situation in the wilderness in ‘Babylon’-U.S. under some form of protected captivity, I described that this will be a time when God is doing a “new thing” and is: “making a way in the wilderness”; giving “waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert”; and providing “fountains in the midst of valleys.” The Lord promises:
- “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” (Is. 44:3)
- “In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.” (Is. 27:3)
Again, there is no definitive time period of ‘3’ attached to this phase of the “small flock” remnant’s provision in the wilderness. It will continue throughout the Day of the Lord. However, I mentioned above that in the third year, or just after (~3 ½ years), this would be a point in time, based on precedent, when the Lord could appear in a more visible manner to his “small flock” remnant of refugees in the wilderness. The first three year period after their deliverance will have allowed them a time to separate, abstain, sanctify, worship and prepare for his appearance. This timing of his appearance would be consistent with precedent in Moses’ day and in Jesus’ day (i.e. after the third day). There may be other indications in scripture, such as the following verse:
- After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. (Hos. 6:2)
In fairness, this particular verse is most often referred to by prophecy teachers to mean that it will be after two days (meaning 2,000 years since Jesus’ resurrection, with a day equal to 1,000 years), and in the third day we will join Jesus and his kingdom. And this view is consistent with what is known as the 7th day of creation that has the Millennial Kingdom beginning after 6,000 years of human history. It is possible that both interpretations are the case. You might recall those who were close to Jesus and were lamenting on the third day after his crucifixion about his promise to redeem Israel. Jesus immediately appeared to them and soon after to many others who experienced his post-resurrection presence.
Similarly, consider that it will be 3 ½ years into the Day of the Lord when the ‘Two Witnesses’ who have prophesied to this point are killed. They will then be supernaturally raised for all to see and then resurrected to heaven after 3 ½ days. This will be similar to Jesus’ crucifixion and his raising on the third day. Interestingly, after the ‘Two Witnesses’ are raised, we are told that seven trumpets will sound with voices in heaven saying, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).
Next, consider that this is the same time period that the “Wonderful Counselor” I described in Part 1 is birthed, about whom we are told, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever” (Is. 9:7). This sounds like the same message accompanying the seven trumpets above. This is also the time about which we are told in this same chapter of Isaiah that: there “will be a great light” that is shown in the land; the “small flock” remnant’s bonds will be burst; and, “The Lord has sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted Israel” (Is. 9:8). This will be a time of blessing, “release” and restoration for this remnant. This could be the point after the Lord has hidden his face for approximately three years but then subsequently reappears. This may especially be the time that the larger worldwide house of Israel realizes Jesus as their Messiah and finally begins to awaken.
Furthermore, consider that this is the same time period when the man-child is birthed by the woman in Revelation, Chapter 12, mentioned above. Virtually the same message about the Lord’s Kingdom is communicated referring to this child about whom we are told “was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.” He will be “caught up” to his throne.
Altogether, all of this is to say that at about 3 ½ years after the “small flock” remnant is delivered at the beginning of the Day of the Lord (i.e. around the mid-point of the ‘7’-year Tribulation period), this will be a “high watch” period for an appearance of the Lord himself.
At this point, Israel, as symbolized by the woman and her remnant will flee into the wilderness for the remaining time period of 3 ½ years. This is the same time (i.e. 42 months) the beast is given to reign over the world and that we are told the third Woe of judgment comes. It will be this second and final 3 ½ year phase in the Day of the Lord during which the ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant and the newly awakened, greater house of Israel believers will flee and hide, waiting for the Lord’s return. In the meantime, the holy land of Israel will be in too much turmoil for this return until the end of the Day of the Lord.
We know that at the end of the Day of the Lord ‘Jacob’ will finally raise up the tribes of Israel. Gentile believers will be among them. This will be the time about which we are told:
- That thou (‘Jacob’) mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. (Is. 49:9)
It will be at this time we are told that the Lord will “stretch out his hand a second time.” The Lord will gather a second harvest when he recovers his larger house of Israel remnant from the “four corners of the earth” (Is. 11:11-12) and from “all the ends of the earth” (Is. 45:22). He says:
- And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. (Jer. 12:15)
The “small flock” remnant, the larger remnant of Israel believers, and believing Gentiles will all return to the Lord’s Kingdom together.
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In conclusion, there is a strong pattern of common events that occurred historically in a time period of ‘3’ that will repeat in the end times. While this particular time period is not always explicitly indicated for these events, we can generally see how they will repeat in two periods of ‘3’ or ‘3 ½’ given what will be a clear midpoint of highly significant events described above. Events of Israel’s escape, journeying, sanctification, and blessings will occur in these phases to some extent while they are surrounded by the Lord’s judgment events.
It should be mentioned that these kinds of events will be underway in the time of the “beginning of sorrows.” Thus, there could be events with periods of ‘3’ that occur prior to the onset of the Day of the Lord. These are not clearly indicated in scripture, but I briefly mentioned a couple. For example, I mentioned the possibility of an end times Son of man being hidden in the “heart of the earth” for 3 days and 3 nights. I also mentioned the pattern we see of initial siege that occurs in a time period of ‘3’ prior to invasion. This kind of siege may very well precede initial invasions that we will see come upon ‘Babylon’-U.S. and the country of Israel. Events like these may not be readily recognizable and trackable in terms of time period, however, because we know that the Day of the Lord will come as a “thief in the night.”
Of course, the ultimate blessing will occur at the end of the Day of the Lord when the Lord establishes his eternal Kingdom and all believers return.
Grace & Peace,
Lion’s Lair (LL)
Lion's Lair 