Tribulation
February 11, 2007What do we know about the tribulation?
There are in circulation many explanations as to what the tribulation is. Some say it is a time of Jacobs’s trouble, some refer to a period of great tribulation, great trouble, wrath, the day of the lord, and it is often adjoined with seven years.
Where does all this come from?
The idea of tribulation comes from these verses.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:
In Mark 13 this period is also referred to as tribulation. In Luke 21 Tribulation is not mentioned but persecution and distress is.
The doctrine of great tribulation comes from the passages.
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
This great tribulation starts when the son of perdition (second Thessalonians two) sits in the temple declaring him self God.
The reason this is stated as occurring after the mid part of the covenant is because in context this passage is referring to Matt 24:15.
Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand 
Daniel talked about this in Daniel 9:27.
Seven year tribulation
The concept of a seven year tribulation is based on the assumption that the seven year covenant the Antichrist signs, is synonymous with the tribulation described. You may have noticed that the Bible does not refer to the tribulation as seven years. Matthew 24 Jesus says that those days will be cut short.
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
So from these verses alone we get a hint that maybe the tribulation is not seven years in length. There are different ways of interpreting this but this should get you thinking.
Contained in this chapter we have another hint that tribulation is not actually seven years.
Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
As you can see right after the Lord states his coming after the tribulation he tells his disciples on the Mount of Olives to watch the signs like you would the signs of summer. Subsequently he says that no one will know the hour of his coming but the Father only.
If the Tribulation were exactly seven years then people and especially angels could know the exact hour of the Lords Advent. There are likely many alternate explanations to this but as you can see just from one chapter in the Bible there is a lot of evidence that points to a tribulation that does not reach seven years. Later in this article you will see there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that points to the literal cutting short of the duration of tribulation.
Jacobs’s trouble
Jer 30:6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
Jer 30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:
How is it that this is the time of Jacobs’s trouble yet he is saved out of it? It seems that Jacob would be talking of the seven year covenant. The reason it is a times of Jacobs trouble and he is still saved out of it is may be because the times are cut short and Israel does not pass all the way through this seven year period. The time of wrath picks up after the tribulation and the remnant of Israel gets the seal of God in there forehead (Revelation 7). Those who remain on earth after the tribulation who do not have the seal endure the wrath of the lamb Revelation 6:16 and Revelation 9:5. It seems that the time of Jacobs trouble would be the entire 7 year covenant where there is a period of tribulation which Israel would go through then the period of wrath they are saved from or out of.
Indignation
Indignation seems to be along the same time line as the tribulation. Daniel 11:21-54 has characteristics that apply to the time of the tribulation described in the Gospels. Jesus himself when speaking of the tribulation in the Gospels speaks specifically about the book of Daniel and the abomination of desolation. Here in Daniel 11:31 we read of this event.
Dan 11:36 And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.
When the Lord Jesus returns he will cast the lawless one son of perdition into the lake of fire. The tribulation is said to end when the Lord comes back to earth so the indignation will end the same time as the tribulation. If you look at the meaning of each word Indignation is the cause of tribulation and tribulation is the result of indignation. So it makes sense that they would encompass the same time line.
Greetings,
Peace be with you. God bless your ministry.
Subject – Jewish custom called Brit Milah
Jewish Basics : Traditions
Brit Milah Tradition
Special Considerations
Hatafat Dam Brit: When a child is born as if circumcised, or has been circumcised before the eighth day in a hospital, a ritual called hatafat dam Brit is required. This symbolic circumcision involves drawing a drop of blood from the shaft of the penis. A dye is used on the needle when doing this procedure. The child is also named at this time.
Conversion/Adoption: When both parents are Jewish, the child is Jewish. If only one parent is Jewish, the child’s religion is determined by that of the birth mother. If the birth mother is not Jewish, the child must be converted. For a boy, the first step in this process is Brit Milah, followed by immersion in a mikveh (ritual bath), usually at the age of one year. If a male child born of a non-Jewish mother is adopted by Jewish parents, he also must undergo conversion. The process is as described above. The adoptive parents assume responsibility for circumcision and mikveh as well as for the many other educational obligations that lead to the child’s understanding and acceptance of Torah and mitzvot. An older child or adult male who wishes to convert to Judaism also must undergo circumcision, or hatafat dam, and mikveh.
Customs
The three main participants, the father, mohel and sandak, wear talitot.
On the first Friday night after a boy is born, it is customary to celebrate by gathering in the home of the newborn to welcome him This is known as Ben Zakhor (also Shalom Zakhor). G-d finished the creation of the world with the Sabbath and introduced peace and rest. Thus Shabbat surrounds the newborn with an aura of holiness and enhances his entry into the Covenant of Abraham, our father.
The redemption of the first born son of a Jewish mother requires a pidyon haben. If the father or mother is a kohen or levi, the child is exempt. The ceremony takes place on the 31st day of the child’s life. If this day falls on Shabbat or a Yom Tov, the ceremony is postponed until the first following weekday. A religiously observant kohen is needed.
Background
Proper Brit Milah Observance
The Tradition of Brit Milah.
foot notes:
1. You do not need to be Jewish to do this custom. And you can do hatafat dam brit on yourself at any age and in private if need be.
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2. Bible verses that justify this ritual.
Jeremiah 4:4 -4: Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the error of your doings. Genesis 3:15 – 15: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
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3. The shaft of the penis is the hole that urine come out of in males. When you prick the hole at the part where the hole meets the bladder this blood vessel leads directly to the heart and agrees with the verse in scripture Jeremiah 4:4 and Genesis 3:15. Remember to use a dye on the needle or the procedure is a waste of time.
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4. This Jewish Document talks about this custom.
19 Laws as to Oaths.
19 1 …(Shall not swe)ar either by Aleph Lamed or by Aleph Daleth, but by the oath (written) in the curses of the covenant. 2.But the Law of Moses he shall not mention, for…3 And if he swears and transgresses he profanes the Name. 4 And if by the curses of the covenant…the Judges. 5 And if he transgress he shall be held guilty but if he confess and make restitution he shall not bear (the penalty) of death. 6 And whosoever in all Israel shall enter into the covenant by a statute forever, together with their children who are (not of an age) to pass over into the number of those who are enrolled by the oath of the covenant, shall confirm it on their behalf. 7 And this is also the law throughout the entire period of the wickedness for every one who returns from his corrupt way. 8 On the day when he speaks with the Censor of the many they shall enrol him by the oath of the covenant that Moses established with Israel-10 the covenant to re(turn to the Law of M)oses…with all (his) heart…(and with all his) soul: as regards that which there is found to be done by them… 10 And no man shall make known to him the laws until he stand before the Censor (who) shall search out concerning him when he examines him. 11 And when he imposes it upon him to return to the Law of Moses with all his heart and all his soul …of him if… 12 And every thing that was revealed of the Law with regard to a suit… in him…the Censor him and shall command him…until…killed him…and the madman and all…(loss of five lines) 13 covenant with you and with the whole of Israel. 14 Therefore the man shall impose it upon himself to return to the Law of Moses; for in it everything is accurately treated.
20 1 Reference to the Book of Jubilees.
20 1 And as for the exact statement of their periods to put Israel in remembrance in regard to all these, behold, it is treated accurately in the Book of the Divisions of the Seasons according to their Jubilees and their Weeks.
20 2-12. Laws as to Oaths and Vows.
2 And on the day on which the man imposes it upon himself to return to the law of Moses the angel of Mastema(ENMITY) will depart from him if he make good his word. 3 Therefore Abraham was circumcised on the day of his knowing it. 4 As to what he said, ‘That which is gone forth from thy lips thou shalt keep’ to make it good- 5 No binding oath, which a man imposes upon himself with a view to perform a commandment of the law, shall he cancel even at the risk of death. 6 Nothing which a man (imposes) upon himself with a view to (frustrate the la)w shall he make good even at the risk of death. 7 (As for) the oath of the woman, whose oath Mos(es sa)id should be disallowed, no man shall disa1low an oath which no man knew. 8 It is to be confirmed. And whether it be to disallow or to transgress the covenant, he shall disallow it and not confirm it. 9 And so is also the law for her father. As to the law of the of(fer)ings no man shall vow anything for the altar under compulsion. 10 Nor shall the (pr)iests take anything from the Israelites… 11 (Nor) shall a man dedicate the food…this is what he said, ‘They hunt every man his brother with a net.’ 12 Nor shall de(vote)…of all…his possession…holy…shall be punished he…who takes a vow… to the judge…
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4. Author’s note. Do not e-mail me and waste my time if you do not believe me. You will find stuff on the internet about this ritual on web sites if you type into the search engine hatafat dam brit – brit milah. I do not know how to talk to others about this subject because of mans’ ego.
Sincerely,
Victor Michael Lashewitz (3-31-71)
PS. I am sending this message out to as many people as I can. I come in peace. This custom is not a joke. You will find several internet sites that talk about this ancient ritual.