Marriagesbw

The Royal Marriages of the Israelites, Esther, and the Church. The Last Trump.

     Esther 2:12 says that Esther's and the other virgins' year of "purifications" took place in two parts: "six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors." Now, myrrh derives from the word marah, which means bitter. Symbolically, therefore, the first half of their purification was bitter, the second half sweet.

The Resurrection of the Dead, according to Paul, will take place "at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [the living] shall be changed. ... For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thes 4:16-17
    This 'last trump' is a reference to the Jewish tradition that there are to be two great reckonings of God's people on Earth. The First great Trump of God was blown on earthly Mt. Sinai before Moses and all the Israelites during their Exodus out of Egypt. The Last Trump will be blown from celestial Mt. Zion in the Last Days. (For a summary of this teaching, see Hebrews 12:18-28.)
   In the following paragraphs, I will preface the era of the foreshadowing First Trump with an S(inai), and the era of the fulfilling Last Trump with a Z(ion).

S Now, before that first meeting with God, "all the hosts of the Lord [i.e., the Israelites, and those who cleaved to them] went out from the land of Egypt...[in the] night..." Ex. 12:41-42 Z Jesus prophesied that the second meeting's initial stage will be "likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom," Matt. 25:1. (Traditional Jewish weddings likewise began at night.)
    Neither group immediately met/will meet with God. S The Israelites spent about seven weeks undergoing trials in the wilderness before they came to Sinai. Z As for the "virgins," it will appear to them that "the Bridegroom [will be] delayed," Matt. 25:5.

S After the Israelites' waiting period, "Moses brought forth the people...to meet with God; and they stood at
the foot of the mount." Ex. 19:17 Z Of the Latter Day assembly, it is written: "...a cry [will be] made, Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him." Matt. 25:6
    Seemingly this would be, past and present, a time of rejoicing for all, but it was not and will not. S In the former gathering, many of the Israelites were struck with terror. Thousands of the unfaithful among them died during the first six months of the Exodus, both before and after meeting with God on Mt. Sinai. Z Likewise, in the Latter Day assembly many of the virgins will be unable to come into the wedding, having the "door shut" to them, Matt. 25:8-12. Others who have entered in will later be "cast out," Matt. 22:11-13.

S The first six months of the Exodus were a time of trial and testing. That period is well symbolized by the events at the Waters of Marah (lit. Bitter Waters): "...there He [the Lord] tested them," Ex. 15:23-25. Six weeks later, Moses said to the people after the Lord descended onto Mt. Sinai: "Do not fear, for God has come to test you..." Ex. 20:20 Z We see the same thing indicated in Esther 2:12: the first six months of the virgins' purifications were with "oil of myrrh;" i.e., the bitter oil of trial and testing. This denotes the Great Tribulation of Matt. 24:21 and Rev. 7:14. Jesus called this period "the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." Rev. 3:10 Daniel 12:8-10 likewise testifies that "many shall be purified, and made white, and tried" "at the time of the end." However, during this period, "the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand" � just like the rebellious and carnal Israelites during the Exodus, and the foolish virgins of Christ's parable about the End Times..
    [S The Exodus began immediately after the Destroyer defiled every house of pagan Egypt with a human corpse. Ex. 12:12, 23, 29-30 Z In the End Times, the Great Tribulation exodus will begin immediately after the Son of Destruction defiles God's Holy Place with the Abomination of Desolation. Matt. 24:15f.; see Part 2 of this article. Both events followed/will follow periods during which God's people suffered/will suffer great persecutions from the ruling authorities and their people. Ex. 5:6f.; Luke 21:12]

S In the second six months of the Exodus, the Israelites built the Tabernacle and its ornaments, and made the garments of the priests. This was a joyful period, best symbolized by the "spices [brought] for anointing oil, and for sweet incense;" and, for the offering of a ram by Aaron and his sons for "a sweet savor...unto the Lord." Ex. 35:8, 29:18; Lev. 8:21 Z These things were again paralleled in Esther 2:12: the virgins were purified during their second six months "with sweet odors." In the End Times, the sweet "odors...[will be] the prayers of the saints," Rev. 5:8, 8:3-4.

S In the final week of the first year of the Exodus, Aaron and his sons washed in water, put on clean new linen garments, and offered the ram for a "sweet odor." Then on the first day of the new year, the newly-completed Tabernacle was erected. "And all the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord." Lev. 9:5 The Ark of the Covenant was installed in the Most Holy Place; and, after offering sacrifices, "Moses and Aaron went into the Holy Place"; literally, "the Tabernacle of Meeting" with God. Ex. 40:2f.; Lev. 8-9 (9:23) Thereafter "the glory
of the LORD filled the Tabernacle," Ex. 40:35.
    Z After her year was fulfilled, Esther was given "whatsoever she desired" � i.e., the best of clothing and finery � and "[went] in unto the king" and became his wife and queen, Est. 2:13f.
    Z In the End Times, "the general assembly [of the] firstborn," the Church, will likewise be "clothed with white ['fine linen'] robes," and then "[will] stand before the throne" of the heavenly King, Heb. 12:23, Rev. 7:9, 19:8 � but only after her own full year of purification. At this time the spiritual "Holy Temple in the Lord," the Church � which up to then has been "grow[ing]" and "being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit," Eph. 2:19-22 � will be fully erected and inhabited by the Lord, like during the Exodus. Then "He who sits on the throne will dwell among them," Rev. 7:15.

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