Happy New Year?

When does the New Year begin?

Soon, most Jews around the world will be celebrating Rosh Hashanah.  Rosh Hashanah means, "the head of the year".  This holiday is called that by the Rabbis, because they say that it is the first day of the civil year.  In fact, they recognize four different New Year days throughout the year.

The first day of Tishrei is New Year Day for civil affairs.  It is the first month on the Rabbinic calendar.  It is the main New Year Day for determining the dates of almost everything, including when the number of the year is incremented.

The fifteenth day of Shevat is New Year Day for the trees.  It is the fifth month on the Rabbinic calendar.  It is used for determining if a tree is old enough for its fruit to be eaten.

The first day of Nisan is New Year Day for the rule of kings.  It is the seventh month on the Rabbinic calendar.  (The eighth month in a leap year.)  It is used for determining how long a king has ruled, renting houses, and the fulfillment of vows.

The first day of Elul is New Year Day for the cattle.  It is the last month on the Rabbinic calendar.  It is the day when all cattle pass under the rod, so that one out of ten can be given as a tithe.

The traditional Rosh Hashanah greeting is, "l'shanah tovah".  This literally means, "to a good year".   So, strictly speaking, people do not literally say, "Happy New Year" on Rosh Hashanah, but the sentiment is similar.

This greeting is a shortened form of the longer traditional greeting of "l'shanah tovah tikateiv v'tichateimu".  This literally means, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year".

In similar manner, people eat apple slices dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah to express their earnest expectation to be inscribed and sealed for a good year.

The reason for this is the writings in the Talmud.  The Talmud is composed of two parts.  The first part is the Mishnah, which is oral traditions of the elders that were finally written down to preserve them during the fourth century AD.  The second part is the Gemara, which is the analysis and commentary of the Mishnah by various famous Rabbis.

The Rabbis teach from the Mishnah that there are three classes of people on Earth - The Righteous, The Wicked, and The Unsealed.  According to them, on Rosh Hashanah the fate of The Righteous is sealed to be written in the Book of Life forever, and fate of The Wicked is sealed to be blotted out of the Book of Life forever.  They teach that very few people fall into either category on Rosh Hashanah, so most are part of The Unsealed.  They say, that The Unsealed have until Yom Kippur to repent and make amends with other people, so that they will be counted righteous enough to be granted a good year.  They call this period, when The Unsealed have an opportunity to repent, The Days Of Awe.  They claim that being granted a good year, is to give The Unsealed another chance to be counted as one of The Righteous on the next Rosh Hashanah.

So, instead of wishing people a "Happy New Year" on Rosh Hashanah, you wish people to be inscribed and sealed for a good year.  More to the point, you are wishing that they are not found to be one of The Wicked on Rosh Hashanah, so that they may repent enough to inscribed and sealed for a good year on Yom Kippur.

However, does the Book of Truth really support this tradition of wishing people "l'shanah tovah" on Rosh Hashanah?

Some have maintained that Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the agricultural year in the Book of Truth.

However, it is the end of the feast of the ingathering that marks the end of the agricultural year in the Book of Truth (Exodus 23:16).  This is the last of the three times in the year when people were required to come to bring their offerings to the Father of Truth (Exodus 34:21-23).  It is plain that the feast of the ingathering is Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) (Deuteronomy 16:13-16).

Sukkot ends on the twenty-second day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:34-41).  The seventh month counting from Nisan as the first month, is Tishrei on the Rabbinic Calendar.

The Sabbath year, when no one is to sow or reap crops, begins after the end of the sixth agricultural year - when the grape harvest has been gathered in (Leviticus 25:2-4).  This is the Year of Release, when everyone is released from debt at the end of the Sabbath year (Deuteronomy 15:1-2).  Everyone that has been indenture as a servant to pay off their debt, is to be furnished with everything they need to have a fresh start (Deuteronomy 15:12-14).  It is for this reason, during Sukkot at the end of the seventh year, everyone is to be instructed out of everything in the Law of Truth (Torah aka The Law), so they can be successful when the next agricultural year begins, right after Sukkot ends (Deuteronomy 31:10-13).

So, the agricultural year begins on the twenty-third day of the seventh month (Tishrei) in the Book of Truth.

Some have said that the agricultural year begins on first of Tishrei, because that is the month when the Year of the Yubal (Jubilee) begins.  However, the Year of the Yubal actually begins on the tenth day of the seventh month of the seventh Sabbath year (Leviticus 25:8-10).

So, there is absolutely no basis in the Book of Truth to call the first day of the seventh month (Tishrei), "Rosh Hashanah".  However, there is another day that the Book of Truth calls, "Rosh Hashanah".

The phrase "Rosh Hashanah" does appear one time in the Book of Truth.  It is the fifth and sixth words of Ezekiel 40:1 in the Masoretic text.   (Remember that Hebrew is read right to left.)

However, "Rosh Hashanah" here is is not the first day of Tishrei, but the first day of Nisan as clarified later in the same passage (Ezekiel 45:18-21).

It is called this in accordance with the commandment in the Law of Truth, that the beginning of the month when Pesach (Passover) is kept, is to be the beginning of the year (Exodus 12:2-11).   It is the month of Abib (Aviv) that is to observed as the head of the year (Deuteronomy 16:1).  The Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him) continued to observe Nisan (Abib) as the first month of the year, after the captivity in Babylon was over (Esther 3:7).

It is rebelling against the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) to call the first day of Tishrei, the head of the year, instead of calling the first day of Nisan, the head of the year.

What is more, the first day of the seventh month (Tishri) is actually called by a different name in the Book of Truth.  It is called Yom Teruah (The Feast of Trumpets) (Leviticus 23:23-25).  The first day of the seventh month is literally called, the Day of Alarming.

So, it is violating the Law of Truth to call first day of Tishrei, "Rosh Hashanah" instead of "Yom Teruah".

The Rabbis got this rebellious practice of calling the first day of the seventh month on the calendar of the Book of Truth as the first day of the first month from the Babylonians.  The Babylonians called this the head of their year.  It was used for determining the days when they had feasts to honor their idols, and made sacrifices to their idols. 

Even before the exile to Babylon, the people of Israel had learn to call the seventh month, "Ethanim", from the Canaanites (1 Kings 8:2).  The Canaanites started their year on the first day of Ethanim, and celebrated it as the rebirth of Baal each year.  They also got their religion from Babylon before the time of Abraham (Abram).

People should especially avoid greeting each other with "l'shanah tovah" on the first day of Tishrei.  Instead, they should obey the commandment of the Father of Truth to not work on this day, congregate together, and sound the alarm on the shofar (horn) (Numbers 29:1).

The entire concept of the fate of people being sealed on the first day of Tishrei, if they were righteous or wicked enough, comes from the Babylonian religion.  In like manner, the idea that people can be inscribed and sealed for a good year, also comes from this idolatrous religion.  The Book of Truth teaches that it is how you end that matters, and your fate is sealed at death.

Celebrating "Rosh Hashanah" on this day with the practices learned in Babylon, instead of celebrating Yom Teruah with the practices taught in the Law of Truth, is no better than celebrating Easter with the practices of the Druids, instead of wishing people "Happy Firstfruits!", while celebrating the practices taught in the Law of Truth.  The Mensch Who Killed Christmas, would also kill Rosh Hashanah.

The Father of Lies (HaShatan aka Satan Aka The Devil) is behind this deception!  He has inspired this Rabbinic Distort to put the Feasts of Truth in the wrong order, to be called by the wrong names, and to be celebrated in the wrong way.  He knows, that when the Feasts of Truth are celebrated correctly and in the right order, that they form The Greatest Play Ever, which clearly tells the story of the Messiah of Israel.

The Father of Truth has sent the Messiah of Israel, so that the day of salvation has come for everyone, who will accept him as their savior (Isaiah 49:6-8)!  The time to repent is not during the Days of Awe, but now, because the Father of Truth has raised the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) from the dead, so all people can be certain that they will face His judgment (Acts 17:30-31)!  Today is the day, for you to come into the House of Truth and be saved (2 Corinthians 6:2)!

It will be a happy new year for you, every year of your life, if you will come into the House of Truth, by making the Man of Truth your king, because you believe that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Come into the House of Truth!

When The Saints Go Marching In

When the saints go marching in, will you be in that number?

When I got out of the Air Force, I did not have a job.  So, I did what many people do as they transition back to civilian life.  I went back to living at home, until I got back on my feet again.

During this time, I decided to teach myself to play the electronic keyboard that I had bought in the Air Force.

I had always wanted to learn to play a musical instrument.  I finally had both an instrument and the time to learn to play it.  So, I got out the beginner's book that came with the electronic keyboard, and started teaching myself.

Eventually, I worked my way up to "When The Saints Go Marching In".  I found this song really fun to play, and for some reason, I decided to see how fast I could learn to play it.  I had learn to overcome my lack of a natural sense of rhythm, by watching the beat light on the keyboard.  Pretty soon, I was playing this song at 220 beats per minute, the highest speed that it had.

I also changed the settings for orchestration, drums, and other accompaniment settings on the keyboard to produce a heavy metal sound.  I change the sound produced when I pressed the keys to electric guitar.  So, I succeed in creating a speed metal version of "When The Saints Go Marching In".

I was far from the first to change the sound of this classic song.  The original song was written in 1896 AD as a hymn named "When The Saints Are Marching In".  It was slow and mournful, often being used in funeral processions as the casket was carried to the grave site. Over the years, there were continual variations of the song with slightly different titles.  By 1923 AD, "When The Saints Come Marching In", was recorded with the modern lyrics.  The lyrics were noticeably different from the original song by this point.  The song had taken on a much more joyful tone.  However, the chorus of "When The Saints Are Marching In" was basically the same, with a one word change to become the familiar "When The Saints Go Marching In".

The song gained its familiar livelier sound, when the title was altered to the "When The Saints Go Marching In", and the tempo increased in 1927 AD, probably by Barbecue Bob, a famous Blues singer in his day.  In 1938 AD, Louis Armstrong recorded his Jazz version, that all other versions are measured against.

Since that time, recordings of this song have been made in whatever style was popular at the time.  The most well known, and most imitated, was the Fats Domino Rock and Roll version.

For those unfamiliar with this song, here are the lyrics:

    Oh, when the saints
    Go marching in
    Oh, when the saints go marching in
    Oh how I want to be in that number
    When the saints go marching in

    Oh, when the drums begin to bang
    Oh, when the drums begin to bang
    I want to be in that number
    When the saints go marching in

    Oh, when the stars fall from the sky
    Oh, when the stars fall from the sky
    I want to be in that number
    When the saints go marching in

    Oh, when the moon turns red with blood
    Oh, when the moon turns red with blood
    I want to be in that number
    When the saints go marching in

    Oh, when the trumpet sounds its call
    Oh, when the trumpet sounds its call
    I want to be in that number
    When the saints go marching in

    Oh, when the horsemen begin to ride
    Oh, when the horsemen begin to ride
    I want to be in that number
    When the saints go marching in

    Oh, when the fire begins to blaze
    Oh, when the fire begins to blaze
    I want to be in that number
    When the saints go marching in

    Oh, when the saints go marching in
    Oh, when the saints go marching in
    I want to be in that number
    When the saints go marching in.

This song has a much deeper meaning than the simple lyrics might imply.  It takes some understanding of the Book of Truth to understand the depth of this song.  There are several keys to understanding what this song is really about.

The first key is the meaning of "saint" in this song.  A saint in this song does not refer to someone dubbed a "Saint" by the False Church of Rome.  A saint is defined by the Book of Truth in this song.

Everyone who receives instruction in the Law of Truth (Torah aka The Law) is a saint (Deuteronomy 33:2-4).  Everyone who loves the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD), and puts their hope in Him is a saint (Psalm 31:23-24).  Everyone who has entered into a covenant with the Father of Truth is a saint (Psalm 50:5).  Everyone who has came into the House of Truth is a saint (Acts 26:9-11).  Everyone who is part of the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him) is a saint (Ephesians 3:17-19).  Everyone who obeys the Man of Truth  (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) in total surrender is a saint (Revelation 14:12).

The second key is knowing that this song was inspired by the book of Revelation, which ends the Book of Truth (The Bible). The imagery of end time events in the song are inspired by the book of Revelation, and related passages from the Renewed Covenant (B'rit Chadashah aka The New Testament).

The Man of Truth refers to these events collectively as the Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22).  The Tribulation ends with the Man of Truth coming to the Earth from Heaven with great glory and power (Matthew 24:27-30).  The Tribulation will bring great fear to everyone on Earth, until the Man of Truth returns in great glory and power, to bring an end to wickedness (Luke 21:25-27).

The horsemen in the song are the terrible events, that will kill one fourth of the people on Earth, when the Tribulation begins with the Man of Lies (The Antichrist aka The Beast) rising to power (Revelation 6:2-8).  The drums banging is a reference to the drums of war, that will sound when the Earth is plunged into a global war during this time (Revelation 6:4).  The moon turning red with blood, and the stars falling from the sky in the song, announce the wrath of the Man of Truth coming upon the kingdom of the Man of Lies, at the end of the Tribulation (Revelation 6:12-17).  The fire in the song is the fire, that destroys one third of the forests, and all of the grass on Earth during the Tribulation (Revelation 8:6-7).

The third key is where the saint go marching into.

The saints will go marching in with the Man of Truth, when he destroys the kingdom of the Man of Lies (1 Samuel 2:8-10). The saints will go marching in with the Man of Truth, to repay the Man of Lies for his treatment of the Children of Truth (Daniel 7:25-27).  The saints will go marching in with the Man of Truth, when he comes to rescue Jerusalem from the Man of Lies (Zechariah 14:2-5).

The saints will go marching in with the Man of Truth, to take possession of his eternal kingdom (Daniel 7:18-22).  All of the saints will go marching in with the Man of Truth, when he comes back to rule the Earth (1 Thessalonians 3:13).

The saints will go marching in with the Man of Truth, to execute his enemies (Psalm 149:5-9).  The saints will go marching in with the Man of Truth, when the Father of Truth repays the world for bringing tribulation upon them (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10).  The saints will go marching in with the Man of Truth, to bring judgment upon the Children of Lies (those who disobey the Father of Truth because they do not love Him) (Jude 1:14-15).

The fourth key is the trumpet in the song.

The trumpet in the song causes some of the saints, who are alive when it is sounded, to have their mortal bodies changed to immortal bodies, without needing to die first (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).  The trumpet in the song causes all of the saints, who have already died, to be resurrected, then those saints, who are alive, to be given immortal bodies, and then both of groups of saints to meet with the Man of Truth in the air, to be with him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).  The trumpet will tell them to come up to the Man of Truth, like it did to John the Jew (Yochanon aka the Apostle John) (Revelation 4:1).

The fifth key is the plea to be counted in that number in the song.

The Father of Truth will preserve the souls of some of the saints in the Tribulation (Psalm 97:10).  Some of the saints will give their lives as a gift to the Father of Truth in the Tribulation (Psalm 116:13-15).  Some of the saints will be overcame by the Man of Lies in the Tribulation, when he makes war on them (Daniel 7:21).  Some of the saints will be worn out by the Man of Lies in the Tribulation (Daniel 7:25).  Some of the saints will be killed during the Tribulation (Revelation 6:9-11).  Some of the saints will die in the war, which the Man of Lies will make upon those, who will not worship him (Revelation 13:6-8).  These saints, which die in the Tribulation, will be the last group to be resurrected as part of the First Resurrection, that is completed after the Man of Truth ends the Tribulation (Revelation 20:4-6).

The First Resurrection, the resurrection of the Children of Truth, is not a one-time event, but happens in phases.  The First resurrection began with the resurrection of the Man of Truth, and ends with the resurrection of the Tribulation saints, right before he begins his reign on the Earth (1 Corinthians 15:20-25).

The second phase was the resurrection of some of the dead saints in Jerusalem, right after the resurrection of the Man of Truth, the first phase (Matthew 27:52-53).  The third phase is when the rest of the saints, who have died before the Tribulation, are resurrected to meet the Man of Truth in the air, so they can go marching in with him to end the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).  The fourth phase is when the two witnesses are resurrected, to meet the Man of Truth in the air, during the Tribulation, so they can go marching in with him to end the Tribulation (Revelation 11:3-12).  The fifth phase is the resurrection of all the saints, who died during the Tribulation, after the saints went marching in with the Man of Truth to end the Tribulation (Revelation 20:1-4).

In the same way, the meeting up with the Man of Truth in the air, without dying first, is not a one-time event, but happens in phases.  Enoch the Gentile met the Man of Truth up in the air, in a mortal body, as the first phase (Genesis 5:22-24).  Elijah the Jew met the Man of Truth up in the air, in a mortal body, as the second phase (2 Kings 2:9-11).  Some of the saints, who are alive when the trumpet sounds, will meet up with the Man of Truth in the air, in immortal bodies, so these saints can go marching in with the Man of Truth, as the third phase (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).  The hundred and forty-four thousand Jewish saints of the Tribulation, will meet up with the Man of Truth in the air, so these saints can go marching in with the Man of Truth, as the fourth phase (Revelation 14:1-5).

So, there is no doubt, that the Children of Truth, who die before the Tribulation, will be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in.  There is no doubt, that the two witnesses of the Tribulation will be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in.  There is no doubt, that the hundred and forty-four thousand Jewish saints of the Tribulation will be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in.  There is no doubt that the Children of Truth, who die during the Tribulation, will not be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in.

It is only those who are alive when the trumpet sounds, who need to plead to be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in.

This is because the Man of Truth said, that the Children of Truth need to avoid being distracted by the world, and pray that they are counted worthy to escape the entire Tribulation, so that they will be counted in that number, when the saint go marching in with the Man of Truth (Luke 21:34-36).  It is only the saints, who are worthy, who will be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in with the Man of Truth (2 Thessalonians 1:10-12).

The rest of the Children of Truth, who are not found worthy to escape the Tribulation, when the trumpet sounds, can only gain an immortal body by dying in the Tribulation.

Those who are found worthy at the sounding of the trumpet, to be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in, will escape all of the terrible events of the Tribulation, recounted in the song.  Therefore, the desire to be found in that number, when the saints go marching in, is repeated over and over in this song.

This meeting the Man of Truth in the air, by living saints, who will be given immortal bodies, without needing to die first, is often called the Rapture.  People often argue over when the Rapture will occur with respect to the Tribulation.  The Man of Truth said, in no uncertain terms, that those who are worthy, will escape all of the terrible events of the Tribulation (Luke 21:35-36).  Who are we to argue with him about it?

This song has many of the same themes as "People get ready!" by Crystal Lewis, that was written about one hundred years later.

They both reflect the fact, that the Father of Truth will not take collateral damage among those, who are actively seeking to do His will, when He sends judgment upon the Earth.

They both reflect the timing of the Rapture, shown in The Greatest Play Ever, that the Feasts of Truth form.  They both speak of the fear, that will engulf the Earth on the Day of Alarming.  They both point to what will happen at the sound of the trumpet!

Most importantly, they both warn, that the Children of Truth must take action to be ready, if they want to be counted in that number!  They warn, that not all of the Children of Truth will automatically be taken off this Earth, like Captain Kirk saying, "Beam me up", just in time to escape danger.

So, this song is not only a song of comfort and jubilation, but also a song of prophetic warning.  It warns of the need to strive to be counted worthy, to escape the terrible events of the Tribulation.

So the important question is: What do the Children of Truth need to do, to be counted worthy to escape the terrible events of the Tribulation?

The worthy are those, who live their lives in a way that reflects the love of the Man of Truth (Ephesians 4:1-3).  The worthy are those, who live their lives in a way that reflects the character of the Man of Truth (Colossians 1:9-11).  The worthy are those, who live their lives in a way that reflects the holiness of the Man of Truth (1 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

The worthy are those, who love the Man of Truth more than their own family (Matthew 10:34-37).  The worthy are those, who suffer persecution for obeying the Man of Truth (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5).

The Man of Truth has not called us to survive the Tribulation, even if some Old Tom, a snake in the leaves, may have tried to entice you to buy "Tribulation Survival Gear".

The Man of Truth called us to proclaim the Good News!  He called us to carry out the Great Commission!  He called us to discern, when it is a time for civil disobedience!  He called us to fight for his cause with heroic resolve!  He has called us to give the last full measure of devotion!  He called us to die! 

He called us to die, in order to live with him (Matthew 16:24-27)!  He called us to die, and never be ashamed of the Gospel, or his glorious name (Mark 8:34-38)!  He called us to die, and give up all that we have for his kingdom (Mark 10:21-22)!  He called us to die, and to put obedience to him in front of everything else we desire (Luke 9:23-26)!

The worthy are those, who are willing to die to obey the Man of Truth (Matthew 10:38-39).

He wants to avoid the endless pursuit of getting bigger, better, newer stuff.   He want us to avoid just giving to get.  He wants us escaping the Christmas Trap.  He wants our time, talents, and treasure to be spent on bringing people into his kingdom, because that is all that really matters.

He certainly does not want us wasting these things, in order to survive the Tribulation.  After all, the Children of Truth are literally better off dead.  The moment I die, will be the moment I become alive!

Even the Children of Truth, who go through the Tribulation, because they were not worthy to escape, will be fed and clothed in the Tribulation, if they will seek after the kingdom of the Man of Truth (Luke 12:29-32).

Those who are found worthy to be counted in that number, are those use these things to pursue the kingdom of the Man of Truth, instead storing them up to survive the Tribulation (Luke 12:33-34).

Therefore, the Man of Truth warns us to not be caught up in things like these, that distract us from doing what will make us worthy to be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in (Luke 21:34).

The Man of Truth warns the Children of Truth to live worthy to be counted in that number, all of the time (Matthew 24:42-44).  He warns the Children of Truth to stay worthy, because they do not know when He is coming to meet them in the air (Luke 12:35-40).  Those who stay worthy, will be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in, instead of suffering in the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:2-9).

So when the trumpet sounds, during your celebration of Yom Teruah (The Feast of Trumpets aka Rosh Hashanah), or any other time, let it remind you to live worthy to be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in.

Of course, no one can be counted in that number, when the saints go marching in, unless they first come into the House of Truth.  You start being worthy, when you decide to obey the Man of Truth in everything, because you believe that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Come into the House of Truth!

The Sound Of The Trumpet

What does the sound of the trumpet mean for you?

In most cultures across the world, one of the very first instruments that was developed was some sort of instrument made from animal horns.  These are often called brass instruments, because in western civilization they are often made from brass.  Yet, the section of an orchestra that contains these brass instruments is usually called the horn section.  That is because they have evolved over the centuries from instruments that were literally made from the horn of some animal.

While in western civilization horn instruments evolved to be made out of brass, instead in many other cultures they evolved to be made out other materials.

The alphorn, didgeridoo, rozhok, and lur, are all made from wood.  They were all developed in areas where either there are no animals with suitable horns for making horn instruments, or there are no animals with large enough horns to make the instrument.  In some cases, it is quite possible that these instruments were originally made from horns of animals that have become extinct.  In other cases, people brought instruments made from horn with them when they migrated to a new location, and there simply were no animals with suitable horns living there.  In either case, they were forced to make replicas of the original instruments that were made from horns, out of wood.

This is similar to what lead to metal horn instruments.  There have been many ancient horn instruments found throughout the area of the old Roman empire, and to the north and east of it, that were made out of all types of metals.  The oldest ones all look similar to instruments made out of animal horns.

Some were made of cheap metals like tin, copper, and bronze, that were easily damaged.  Others were made from stronger medals like iron and steel, but did not produce the tonal quality of copper.  Others were made of expensive metals like silver and gold that produced a good tonal quality, but were too costly to be practical.  So eventually, brass - an alloy of copper and zinc - became the standard material, because it produced a superior tonal quality like copper, it was strong like steel, and it was considerably cheaper than precious metals like silver.

Metal instruments also have the advantage of being able to be made into shapes that would be impossible to achieve with an actual animal horn.  They can also have features, like valves and keys, added that would be about impossible to do with wood.  For these reasons, the majority of horn instruments in western civilization are made from brass and are often called brass instruments.

In modern times, horn instruments have often been made from plastic as well.  These plastic instruments, like the vuvuzela, are not usually meant to be used to play songs, but rather as noise makers in sporting events and celebrations.

Yet the earliest horn instruments were not carved from wood, or forged from metal, or molded from plastic.  They were simply naturally occurring instruments like the conch shell - the exoskeleton remains of a giant sea snail.

The earliest horn instruments were made from actual animal horns that were hollowed out, like the shofar, an instrument made from a curved animal horn, usually from a ram.

The shofar has limited use as a musical instrument, because it basically only produces two notes.  One is a bass sound called a "teqiah", and the other is a treble trill called a "teruah".  The variation between these sounds entirely depends upon the blower altering the shape of their lips while blowing.  These notes are played in alternating patterns of teqiah-teruah-tequiah to form the basic unit of play.

Combinations of this basic unit of play, then form the three basic sounds, two of which are confusingly called a "Teqiah" and a "Teruah".  The third basic sound is called a "Sh'barim".

The Sh'barim consists of three basic units of play, with each basic unit of play being medium in duration, and no noticeable breaks between units of play.  The Teqiah consists of the three sets of the basic units of play being short in duration, played in rapid succession, and with a noticeable break between sets.  It is the same length in duration as the Sh'barim.  The Teruah consists of one basic unit of play being long in duration.  It is slightly longer than the Sh'barim.

Finally these three basic sounds are combined to form three series.  Each series is called after words that are formed by their acronyms.  The acronyms are formed using "SH" for Sh'barim, "T" for Teqiah and "R" for Teruah.

The first series is the TaSHRaT (Tashrat), that consists of a sequence of four basic sounds: Teqiah, Sh'barim, Teruah, Teqiah.  The second series is the TaSHaT (Tashat), that consists of a sequence of three basic sounds: Teqiah, Sh'barim, Teqiah.  The third series is the TaRaT (Tarat), that consists of a sequence of three basic sounds: Teqiah, Teruah, Teqiah, with final note being sounded as long as possible.

Everything else is just various combinations of these three series.  This is probably close to how the original horn instrument was played, before various improvements were made to produce a wider variety of notes.

So the shofar is one of the instruments that is closest to the original horn instrument, still in use today.  It is similar to the original horn instrument that evolved into brass instruments, and all other horn instruments in use today.  So the question arises, where did the original horn instrument come from?

Like most things, the best place to begin is at the beginning.

A man named Jubal (Yubal) invented music instruments that are played by plucking strings, and music instruments that are played by blowing, before the Great Flood (Genesis 4:21).  The original horn instrument was named after Jubal, the yubal, like the one that was played at Mount Sinai to announce that the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) was ready to meet with Moses (Exodus 19:13). [In the original Hebrew text, there were no vowel markers, and the Hebrew word translated as "trumpet" is "yubal", the exact same word as the name of the man, who invented instruments that are played by blowing.]

So the original horn instrument was made from a straight animal horn like that possessed by an oryx, and had an appearance like a long straight trumpet.  This is why the word "yubal", is frequently translated as "trumpet".

In fact, an animal horn instrument that is straight, sometimes with a mouth hole on the side like a flute, instead of on the end, is called a "yubal", or "yuval".  (People sometimes mistakenly call it a shofar, but that is a curved animal horn instrument.)  However, the word "yubal" is sometimes used generically of any horn instrument, similar to the term "brass instrument".  So "yubal" can also refer to a horn instrument of any type and made of any material.

This can lead people to miss useful information when reading a translation for the original Hebrew, for the word "trumpet" may appear later in the same passage, but not be as specific as the original text.  For example, people again heard a "trumpet" on the third day when the Father of Truth arrived on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16).  However, a shofar was the type of yubal, that people actually heard.

This is nothing insidious on behalf of the translators.  They simply may not have been familiar enough to know what a shofar was, beyond some sort of trumpet.  It would be like translating "rose" as "flower", by someone who had never seen a rose, but only knew that it was some sort of flower.

Neither "yubal" or "shofar" are the word for an ordinary animal horn.  One is a musical horn instrument made of a straight animal horn originally, and then came to be used of any musical horn instrument made of any material.  The other one is a musical instrument made from a curved animal horn.

The ram that was caught by the horns in the thicket became a substitute of Isaac (Yitzakh) (Genesis 22:13).  These horns were not yubals or shofars.  There is a completely separate Hebrew word, "qeren", for a horn that has not been made into a musical instrument.

A yubal can also be made of metal, like the silver trumpets that were made to call the congregation in the wilderness together (Numbers 10:2).  Metal trumpets are not a shofar, and are usually not called a yubal, even though they are shaped like the original horn instrument.  Just as shofar means a yubal made from a curved animal horn, so also "chatsotserah" is a yubal made from metal that was originally straight like the original horn instrument.

So a qeren refers to an animal horn that has not been made into a musical instrument.  A yubal can refer to the original musical instrument made from a straight animal horn.  A yubal can also refer to any musical instrument that is blown like a yubal, regardless of the material used to make it.  A shofar refers to a yubal that is made from a curved animal horn.  A chatsotserah refers to a yubal made from metal.

Except for the conch shell, all brass instruments, or musical horns, came from variations of one of these three instruments.

What really sets apart a shofar from a chatsotserah is what each one is used for.  This can be determined by examining the passages where each one produces the sound of the trumpet.

The sound of the shofar announced that it was time for Moses (Moishe) to go up to meet with the Father of Truth (Exodus 19:18-20).  The sound of the shofar announced that it was time for Moses to be separated from those who did not go up to meet the Father of Truth (Exodus 20:18-21).  The sound of the shofar announced that presence of the Father of Truth had arrived (2 Samuel 6:15).

The sound of the shofar announced that it was time to show people their sins against the Father of Truth (Isaiah 58:1).  The sound of the shofar announced that was time for people to fast and repent of their sins, so the Father of Truth could show them His mercy (Joel 2:15-18).

The sound of the shofar announced that the day of alarming had arrived (Psalm 81:3-4)!  

The sound of the shofar announced that the time of liberty had come for those whose sins had been atoned for (Leviticus 25:8-10).  The sound of the shofar announced that deliverance was coming for those who obeyed the Father of Truth (Judges 6:34-36).  The sound of the shofar announced that the Father of Truth would come to defend those who carry out His work (Nehemiah 4:18-20).  The sound of the shofar announced that the Father of Truth will come to save His people (Zechariah 9:14-16).

The sound of the shofar announced that it was time for the wicked to be destroyed (Joshua 6:4-21).  The sound of the shofar announced that it was time for the enemies of the Father of Truth to be subdued (Judges 3:27-30).  The sound of the shofar announced that destruction was coming to the enemies of the Father of Truth (Judges 7:16-22).  The sound of the shofar announced that destruction was coming for those who refused to obey the Father of Truth (Jeremiah 6:16-19).  The sound of the shofar announced that destruction was coming for those who refused keep His covenant (Hosea 8:1).  The sound of the shofar announced that the destruction of the wicked was certain (Amos 2:1-3).  The sound of the shofar announced that the Father of Truth would pour out His wrath upon His enemies (Zephaniah 1:15-18).

The sound of the shofar announced that it was time to gather for war (1 Samuel 13:3-5).  The sound of the shofar announced that it was time to prepare for war (Jeremiah 4:5).  The sound of the shofar announced that armies were gathering to wage war (Jeremiah 51:27-29).  The sound of the shofar announced that the war was on the way (Ezekiel 33:3-6).

The sound of the shofar announced that the war had begun (Job 39:24-25).  The sound of the shofar announced that the war was being fought (Jeremiah 4:19-21).  The sound of the shofar announced that there was no escaping from the war (Jeremiah 6:1).  The sound of the shofar announced that the war was in the land (Jeremiah 42:14).  The sound of the shofar announced that the war was bringing great destruction (Joel 2:1-3).  The sound of the shofar announced that the city was filled with the fear of war (Amos 3:6).

The sound of the shofar announced that the war was over (2 Samuel 2:26-28).  The sound of the shofar announced that the rebellion was over (2 Samuel 18:14-16).  The sound of the shofar announced that the destruction had ended, because the deceiver had been destroyed (2 Samuel 20:20-22).

The sound of the shofar announced that it was time for a new king to reign (2 Samuel 15:10).  The sound of the shofar announced that the reign of the old king was over (2 Samuel 20:1-2).  The sound of the shofar announced that the reign of the son of David had begun (1 Kings 1:33-43).  The sound of the shofar announced that the reign of the king chosen by the Father of Truth had begun (2 Kings 9:11-13).

The sound of the shofar announced that the Father of Truth is coming to rule over all nations (Psalm 47:5-8).  The sound of the shofar announced that the even the most fearsome of nations will pay tribute to the Father of Truth (Isaiah 18:3-7).  The sound of the shofar announced the the Father of Truth will finish gathering the descendants of Israel back to the land of Israel (Isaiah 27:12-13).

The sound of the shofar announced that the Father of Truth is being praised for His power, might, and greatness (Psalm 150:1-3)!

So the shofar is about The King who leads people in obeying the Father of Truth, and destroys the wicked off the face of the Earth.

What about the chatsotserah? 

It depended upon rather the chatsotserah was being blown to produce the teqiah - the bass sound, or the teruah - the treble trill. The chatsotserah was used to make two sounds with two different purposes.  Sometimes the exact sound is not not important, so it is not specified.

The first word is "taqa", which means, "to bring one thing against another with force", whether to cause damage like a strong wind coming against an object, or to bring two objects together like clapping hands, or bringing a hammer against a tent peg to drive it into the ground.  When used in reference to a chatsotserah, or a shofar, or a yubal, it means the bass sound that comes from forcing air through the mouth piece that is called the teqiah.

The second the word is "teruah", which means "to make a sound to get attention", whether to signal an event like the sound of a bell at school to let the students know that it is time to change classes, or an alarm that signals an emergency like the sound of the siren of a fire truck.  It can be any kind of sound to get attention, including shouting, but when used in reference to a chatsotserah, or a shofar, or a yubal, it means the treble trill that is called the teruah.

There is also a third word, "chatsar", which means to sound a chatsotserah, without specifying what sound is made.

The bass sound of the chatsotserah announced that it was time for the congregation to meet together before the Father of Truth with the priests (Numbers 10:2-7).  The bass sound of the chatsotserah announced that the priests of the Father of Truth were carrying out His instructions (Numbers 10:8).  The bass sound of the chatsotserah announced that sacrifices were being made to the Father of Truth by the priests (Numbers 10:10).


The bass sound of the chatsotserah announced that the people accepted the king who the priest had anointed (2 Kings 11:12-14).  The bass sound of the chatsotserah announced that the people would no longer accept a ruler who the priest had not anointed (2 Chronicles 23:13-16).

The treble sound of the chatsotserah announced that it was time for the congregation to start moving (Numbers 10:2-6).

The treble sound of the chatsotserah announced that the Father of Truth was moving to bring salvation in the midst of the war (Numbers 10:9).  The treble sound of the chatsotserah announced that the priests of the Father of Truth were also fighting in the war, for it was spiritual as well as physical (Numbers 31:6).  The treble sound of the chatsotserah announced, that the Father of Truth was bringing the deliverance that the priests had asked for (2 Chronicles 13:12-15).

The sound of the chatsotserah announced that the Ark of the Covenant was returning, so the priests could fully carry out their duties (1 Chronicles 13:6-8).  The sound of the chatsotserah announced that the priests were ensuring that the Ark of the Covenant was being handled correctly (1 Chronicles 15:24-26).  The sound of the chatsotserah announced that the priests could fully carry out their duties, after the Ark of the Covenant had been put in its place (1 Chronicles 16:1-6).  The sound of the chatsotserah announced that the priests had resumed fully carrying out their duties, after the Ark of the Covenant had returned (1 Chronicles 16:39-42).

The sound of the chatsotserah announced that priests could begin fully carrying out their duties in the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:11-14).  The sound of the chatsotserah announced that priests had given an acceptable sacrifice in the Temple (2 Chronicles 7:1-6).

The sound of the chatsotserah announced that there was rejoicing in the Temple, because of the deliverance that came from the Father of Truth (2 Chronicles 20:27-29).

The sound of the chatsotserah announced that the duties of the priests were being fully carried out in the Temple once more (2 Kings 12:9-14).  The sound of the chatsotserah announced that the priests were making sacrifices in the Temple once again (2 Chronicles 29:22-28).

The sound of the chatsotserah announced that the priests could once again serve in the Temple (Ezra 3:9-11).  The sound of the chatsotserah announced that the priests had been restored to their rightful place in the Temple (Nehemiah 12:35-47).

So the chatsotserah is about the priest who leads people in worshiping the Father of Truth, and calls on the Father of Truth to deliver the people.

However, something else even greater occurs, when the shofar and the chatsotserah are both sounded together.  This can be seen by examining the passages where this occurs.

The sound of the shofar and the chatsotserah announced that the king was dressed as a priest and leading the people in worship (1 Chronicles 15:27-29).  The sound of the shofar and the chatsotserah announced that the king had caused people to return to the worship led by the priests in the Temple (2 Chronicles 15:12-18).  The sound of the shofar and the chatsotserah announced that the Father of Truth is the King who the priests led people into worshiping (Psalm 98:4-6).  The sound of the shofar and the chatsotserah announced, that the Father of Truth would destroy both the priest and the king who rebelled against Him (Hosea 5:1-8).

So the will of the Father of Truth is brought to completion when the shofar and the chatsotserah are blown together, because it announces that the king and the priest are united together as one, in leading people to obey the Father of Truth and to worship the Father of Truth.

This is pictured in the Renewed Covenant (B'rit Chadashah aka The New Testament). 

There is only one word for trumpet in the Renewed Covenant and that is "salpigks".  There is only one word for the sound of the trumpet and that is "salpizo".

This is no accident. 

This did not start with the Renewed Covenant, but rather with the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Original Covenant (Tanakh aka The Old Testament).  In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word "yubal" is translated as "salpigks".  In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word "shofar" is translated as "salpigks".  In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word "chatsotserah" is translated as "salpigks".

So why is the shofar and the chatsotserah treated as the same in the Renewed Covenant?

It is because the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) is both the King and the Priest of the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him).  They are not listening for only the sound of the shofar to signify that he is coming as the King who will lead the world into obeying the Father of Truth.  They are not listening for only the sound of the chatsotserah to signify that he is coming as the Priest who will lead the world into worshiping the Father of Truth.  They are listening for the sound of the trumpet, without distinction, to signify that their priest is coming to reign as their king.

The sound of the trumpet will announce that the Man of Truth has delivered them from death (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).  The sound of the trumpet will announce that they are in the presence of their Priest and King (Revelation 1:10-18).  The sound of the trumpet will announce that the Man of Truth has brought them up to be with him (Revelation 4:1-3).

The sound of the trumpet will announce that the Man of Truth is bringing about one of seven phases of the destruction of the wicked, each time that the trumpet is sounded (Revelation 8:1-6).  The sound of the trumpet will announce that the Man of Truth is bringing to pass everything, which the Father of Truth spoke about through the Prophets of Truth (Revelation 10:7).  The sound of the trumpet will announce that the Man of Truth has returned to the Earth with the Children of Truth to lead the entire world into obedience to the Father of Truth, and into worship of the Father of Truth (Revelation 11:15-18)!

The sound of the trumpet will announce that the Man of Truth is bringing about the final gathering of the descendants of Israel into the land of Israel (Matthew 24:29-31).

This was all foretold by the Feast of Trumpets, the fourth act of the Greatest Play Ever. 

The term "Shofarim" is totally contrary to the actual commandment about keeping this Feast of Truth.  The commandment does not specify to use a shofar or a chatsotserah, because neither one is adequate alone.  People are simply told to sound the alarm, because both the King who will deliver them, and the Priest who will bring about their deliverance, is coming.  The sound of the trumpet, without distinction, is commanded, because it is announcing the arrival of the Man of Truth as both their King and Priest!

It is right for the Children of Truth to sound both the shofar and the chatsotserah to announce the arrival of their King and Priest!

They have the right to sound both, because they have also been chosen to be priests and kings (1 Peter 2:9)!  Their Priest and King has made them into priests and kings (Revelation 1:5-7)!  They will act as priests and kings when the Man of Truth returns to this Earth (Revelation 5:9-13)!

Just as many Gentiles have been grafted as wild branches into the olive tree that is the kingdom of the Man of Truth producing a greater diversity than previously existed when there were only Jews, so also a greater diversity is appropriate for sounding the alarm that their King and Priest is coming (Romans 11:13-25).

So the Children of Truth are not limited to only the shofar or the chatsotserah, but the many wild variations that came from these instruments, and the yubal, when they sound the alarm to let the world know in the context of their own culture that their Priest and King is coming!

Let them sound the alarm with their trombones, coronets, vuvuzelas, alphorns, didgeridoos, rozhoks, lurs, french horns, and every other form of trumpet!  Let them have the loudest and wildest celebration with horns that the world has ever heard! 

They are celebrating something greater than the greatest victory in sports!  They are celebrating the day that their Priest and King will set into motion everything that will make them to reign with him as priests and kings!  Let the sound of their trumpets proclaim everything that will begin with the sound of the trumpet!

Of course, the sound of the trumpet only heralds good things for those, who have come into the House of Truth.  For everyone else, the sound of the trumpet is the sound of destruction.  The sound of the trumpet heralds destruction that is so terrible, that no one on Earth would be left alive if it was not cut short, so the Children of Truth would have someone to be priests and kings over (Matthew 24:22).

It is not too late to join the winning side, and join in the celebration! 

You can come into House of Truth right now, by making the Man of Truth your King who leads you into obedience to the Father of Truth, because you believe, that his Father raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).  When you come into the House of Truth the Man of Truth will become your Priest, who leads you into worship of the Father of Truth (Hebrews 4:14-16).  When you come into the House of Truth, then you will be glad to hear the sound of the trumpet!

Come into the House of Truth!

People Get Ready!

Are you ready for the Rapture?

For about a three months, I made a daily 110 mile one way commute to Oklahoma City to work as a contractor for the government.  The job paid very well, but the one hour and forty minute trip each direction, would take its toll on me.  It was especially hard on the way home each evening.

Sometimes, it seemed like I could not go on, and would have pull over to rest.  The problem is that between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, there is one midway, and one small gas station on each side of the interstate.  There really was no good place to pull over and rest, once you got past the midway.

Just when I would feel like I was going to have to pull over on the side of I-44, this song would come on the radio named "People Get Ready" by Crystal Lewis.  When I would hear this song, I would get energized and become very alert.  I would remain awake and alert until I got home.  My spirit was revived every time I heard that song.

This chorus of the song went like this:

People get ready! Jesus is coming
Soon we will be going home.
People get ready! Jesus is coming
To take from the world his own.

Well, it has been almost twenty years since the first time I heard that song on the radio.  As of this writing, the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ), has not yet came to take from the world his own.  Yet, I still get excited every time I think about the day, when he will do just that.

This event called "the Rapture", is closely tied to another event, where the world is brought under the judgment of the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD), called "the Tribulation" (Matthew 24:21).  The Rapture is a name given to the event, where the Man of Truth takes the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him) from this world, to meet him in the air, so they can live with him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Now people, argue about the timing of these two events and divide themselves up into pre-trib Rapture, mid-trib Rapture, and post-trib Rapture camps.  It is understandable that there are disagreements about the timing of these events.  The fact is that somethings in the Book of Truth (The Bible) can only be understood correctly with a lot of study (2 Timothy 2:15).  Somethings in the Book of Truth are simply hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16).

There is also a third event related to the Tribulation called the Return.  For the most part, the pre-trib Rapture, mid-trib Rapture, and post-trib Rapture camps all agree, that the Return is the event that brings the end of the Tribulation.  The Return is when the Man of Truth returns to the Earth with the Children of Truth to destroy the wicked off the face of the Earth (Revelation 19:11-21).  The Return also ushers in the thousand year reign of the Man of Truth over the Earth called the Millennium (Revelation 20:1-6). 

A major reason for the disagreements over the timing of the Rapture with respect to the Tribulation is that people get passages about the Rapture and the Return confused with each other.  When someone tries to apply a passage about the Return, when the Man of Truth comes with the Children of Truth to take over the Earth, to the Rapture, when the Man of Truth comes to take the Children of Truth off of the Earth, then they are bound to come to the wrong conclusion.

For example, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul the Jew (Shaul aka Saul aka The Apostle Paul) defined "that Day" as the Return, when the Man of Truth returns to the Earth with the Children of Truth to destroy the wicked (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10).  He then wrote in the very same passage about how "that Day" (the Return) could not occur until many people leave the House of Truth and the Man of Lies (The Antichrist aka The Beast) is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).

Yet frequently people contribute "that Day" to be the Rapture in the second part of the passage even though "that Day" was clearly defined as the Return in the first part of the passage.  Needless to say, this gives them all kinds of difficulties reconciling the sequence of events.  One way to reconcile the sequence of events is to say that the Rapture does not occur until after the Man of Lies comes to power.  The main issue with using this passage to support this sequence of events is that the entire passage is about the Return - and not the Rapture.

If they stick with "that Day" being the Return, as clearly defined in the passage itself, then the sequence of events works out easily and naturally.  The sequence of events in this passage is that the Man of Truth will not return to the Earth with the Children of Truth, to destroy the wicked lead by the Man of Lies, until after the Man of Lies comes to power.   It is so simple to understand, when taken in context, that it takes effort to get it wrong.  People only have difficulty when "that Day" is taken out of context.

However, when I was growing up, the Methodist church I attended, was no-trib.  There was simply no concept of the Tribulation or the Rapture ever occurring.  This is why none of the religious professionals that I talked to could explain the dreams and visions that I had of the Tribulation, before I came into the House of Truth.  They also could not explain my dreams of being caught up in the Rapture, that started on the night that I came into the House of Truth.

The Man of Truth plainly warned the Children of Truth about the Tribulation.  Paul the Jew plainly wrote that the Children of Truth would meet the Man of Truth in the air to be with him forever.  John the Jew (Yochanon ben Zebedee aka The Apostle John) plainly wrote that the Man of Truth would return to the Earth with the Children of Truth and then reign over the Earth for a thousand years.  So those who preach that there is no Tribulation, no Rapture, no Return, and no Millennium, are preaching another Gospel, that is different than what is found in the Book of Truth (The Bible).

Needless to say, I did not get my understanding of the Rapture and the Tribulation based on any tradition that I grew up with.  Neither have I based my understanding of the Tribulation and the Rapture on my own personal experiences.

Yet, those experiences did lead me to see what the Book of Truth had to say about what I saw.  It was by studying out these events in the Book of Truth that I came to understand how these events relate to each other.  My understanding came from studying the Book of Truth extensively as I was lead by the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaQodesh aka The Holy Spirit aka The Holy Ghost).

For me, there is no doubt about the sequence of the Rapture and the Tribulation because it is laid out in the Feasts of Truth (Moedim aka Feasts of the Father of Truth ) that form the Greatest Play Ever.  In these feasts, The Day of Alarming comes before the the Great War of the Tribulation that brings this world into Total Surrender to the Man of Truth.  The Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD) simply will not accept His Children being collateral damage when He pours out His wrath on this world.

You see this song would wake up my spirit and renew my strength because I long to be with the Man of Truth.  If I could say "Beam me up" today and meet him in the air, then I would do it, but it is up to His Father when that day will come.  I know that in a very real way, that the moment I am raptured, will be the moment I become alive.  Yet I am encouraged, because I can see things like Greece rising, that are preparing the world for the Tribulation, that follows the Rapture.

Now that I have established what the Rapture is, and what the Tribulation is, it brings up more questions.  What exactly is meant by "People get ready" when it comes to the Rapture?  Does the Book of Truth even say anything about the Children of Truth getting ready for the Rapture?  If so, then how exactly are people supposed to get ready for the Rapture?

While there are honest people who believe that the Rapture will occur in the middle of the Tribulation (the "mid-trib" camp), and at the very end of the Tribulation (the misnamed "post-trib" camp), there are also plenty of dishonest people selling a mid-trib Rapture or post-trib Rapture to make money.  They are not hard to spot, if you just pay attention to what they are doing. 

First, they create FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt), by telling people that there is not a single verse in the Book of Truth to suggest that the Rapture will occur before the Tribulation.  Then after that, they go on to explain how all of the signs for the Tribulation to start soon are in place, so the Children of Truth had better prepare right away, if they want to survive the Tribulation.  Once they have sold the Children of Truth on the idea that their families will suffer, unless they prepare now, then they seek to cash in on the FUD that they have created, by offering "Tribulation Survival Gear".  This "Tribulation Survival Gear" consists of things like portable power generation, survivalist food, water distillation kits, and every other imaginable thing, that people are willing to pay money for, in order to protect their families during the Tribulation.  The best part of their marketing scheme, is that they are registered as a 501c3 charitable organization, and the "donations" that people make to get their "Tribulation Survival Gear" are all tax free.

Let's be honest, for anyone running such a scam, people expecting a pre-trib Rapture is very bad for business, because there is no incentive for people to buy "Tribulation Survival Gear", when they are going not to go through the Tribulation.  Those pre-trib Rapture people will do something else with their money - like taking care of the poor and supporting missionaries.  However, if they can convince people of a mid-trib Rapture, then they can sell them enough "Tribulation Survival Gear" to last for three and half years.  Even better, they can double their sales, if they can convince people of a post-trib Rapture.

It should be no surprise that selling people on a mid-trib Rapture, and post-trib Rapture, has become a big business, with infomercials, disguised as "ministries", on Christian Television.  After all, the Book of Truth warned us that some people, who call themselves followers of the Man of Truth, would teach whatever doctrine that would allow them to make the most money off of the Children of Truth (2 Peter 2:1-3).

So really, the Jim Fakers of the world are telling people to get ready for the Tribulation, not the Rapture.  They have no plan of being taken off of this world before the Tribulation, and neither would I, if I was like them.

While there is literally enough written in the Book of Truth, that removes all doubt that the Rapture occurs before the Tribulation to write a thick book, it is not really necessary to do so.  All that is necessary, is to consider what the Man of Truth said, about the timing of the Rapture and the Tribulation.  The Man of Truth plainly said, that those who are worthy are going to escape the entire Tribulation, and be with him instead (Luke 21:35-36).  This is so straight forward, and simple to understand, that most people can only get it wrong, with the assistance of a religious professional, or a "Tribulation Survival Gear" sales person.

The fact is that no where does the Book of Truth tell us to get ready for the Tribulation.  However, the Book of Truth does tell us to get ready for the Rapture.

The Man of Truth said that there would be signs that the Tribulation is near, including the convergence of many people claiming to be him, a multitude of wars, all kinds of conspiracy theories (rumors) about wars that never even happen, internal wars between ethnic groups, and external wars between countries (Matthew 24:4-8).  He also said that earthquakes (including underwater ones that cause tsunamis) would occur across the globe, including places that normally do not get earthquakes like Oklahoma, famines, devastating disease outbreaks, and unusual astronomical events, all occurring in waves, would be signs that the Tribulation is near (Luke 21:9-11).

The Man of Truth said that the Children of Truth can know when the Tribulation is near, because everything from the beginning of the signs of the approach of the Tribulation, to his return to rule this Earth, would occur during the lifetime of a single generation (Matthew 24:32-34).  The Man of Truth said, when the signs appear to show that the Tribulation is near, then the Children of Truth should look up, because their redemption is about to happen (Luke 21:25-28).

The redemption of our bodies is what is near, when the signs of the Tribulation are near (Romans 8:23).  Some of the Children of Truth will have their bodies redeemed without ever dying (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).  This redemption occurs, when the Children of Truth are taken off of the Earth in glorified bodies, to meet the Man of Truth in the air, which is commonly called the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).  The Children of Truth are to comfort each other with the message that those, who are worthy, will escape the Tribulation, by being taken up in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).  They are not be overtaken by the Tribulation coming upon them, like a thief in the night, that will come upon those who do not know to look for the signs that the Tribulation is near, but they are instead to be awake to what is really going on, so they can escape the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4).

He warned that no one, except His Father, knows when the Tribulation will start, but everyone can be certain that everything He said, will happen (Matthew 24:35-36).  He warned the Children of Truth to not be so wrapped up in day to day living, that they are unaware of the signs that the Tribulation is near, so they can be like Noah and escape the wrath, that His Father will pour out on the entire Earth (Matthew 24:37-39).  He warned the Children of Truth, since they do not know when the Tribulation will start, then they should watch for signs and stay ready to escape the Tribulation (Matthew 24:42-44).  He warned the Children of Truth, to not get caught up in Earthly pleasures, so that they are not prepared, and end up going through the Tribulation, but to instead to seek to be counted worthy, to escape going through any part of the Tribulation (Luke 21:34-36).   So the Man of Truth is saying to the Children of Truth, "People get ready!".

So not only did the Man of Truth say that the Rapture would come before the Tribulation, but he also said that the Children of Truth should seek to be counted worthy to escape the Tribulation, and be with him instead (Luke 21:36).  (This is literally "a single verse" that tells about a pre-trib Rapture.)  So, not all of the Children of Truth will escape the Tribulation through the Rapture.  Only the Children of Truth who ready for the Rapture, by being counted as being worthy of escaping the Tribulation, will escape the Tribulation through the Rapture!  Those who are not ready will be left behind to go through the Tribulation.  In other words, the Man of Truth is saying to the Children of Truth, "People get ready!".

So what do the Children of Truth have to do to be counted worthy to escape the Tribulation?  How does any one get ready for the Rapture?

The Man of Truth said, that those who are worthy to escape, are those in the congregations of the Children of Truth who are carrying out his instructions, which he gave before he left the Earth, when the time to meet him comes (Matthew 24:45-47).  In like manner, those in the congregations of the Children of Truth who are not carrying out his instructions, but instead taking abusing other people and living like the Children of Lies, will face the consequences of their hypocrisy (Matthew 24:48-51).

The Man of Truth said that the Children of Truth are to be occupied, with taking care of his business on this Earth, while he is away (Luke 19:11-13). The Man of Truth made it very clear what the business that the Children of Truth are to occupied with, when he gave his final instructions before leaving the Earth.

The Man of Truth said that the Children of Truth are to be occupied with baptizing people of all ethnic groups into the House of Truth and teaching them to do everything that he commanded (Matthew 28:18-20).  He said that the Children of Truth are to be occupied with preaching the Good News about him and confirming their message with supernatural signs (Mark 16:16-18).  He said that the Children of Truth are to be occupied with seeking out the Baptism of the Spirit of Truth that his Father promised so they can preach the Good News with signs following (Luke 24:46-49).  He said that the Children of Truth are to be occupied with the tasks that he has assigned them regardless of the cost (John 21:17-22).  He said that the Children of Truth are to be occupied with taking the Good News about him world-wide, after they have been baptized in the Spirit of Truth, instead of preparing for the Tribulation, which only his Father knows, exactly when it will start (Acts 1:4-9).  This is what the Man of Truth means by "People get ready!".

This does not mean that the Father of Truth wants His Children ignoring what the Book of Truth says about the future.  The truth is that the Father of Truth commands His Children to be aware of his plans and act accordingly.  This is why He gave the Revelation to the Man of Truth to give to His Children (Revelation 1:1-3).

He does not want His Children being asleep to danger so that they are destroyed like those who were sleeping in Galveston.  He wants them to understand that the fate of the Gentile Children of Truth is tied to the fate of the Jewish people through the eternal covenant that He made with Abraham.   It was by studying out what the Father of Truth had said in the Word of Truth about the future, that lead Sir Isaac Newton to be inspired to action by the greatest Zionist ever.

Sir Isaac Newton, believing what was written in the Book of Truth, worked his way backwards from the Return, to come up with as close of a timeline as possible, of what would occur between his time and the Return.  In doing, so he made many predictions that have come to pass, like men would build flying vehicles of some sort that would go hundreds of miles per hour, and that there would be a tremendous growth in global population that would start around 1800.  (Voltaire ridiculed him mercilessly for the prediction about men traveling in vehicles going hundreds of miles per hour.  Voltaire held the common belief that the heads of people would explode if they went faster than about 35 miles per hour - the speed of a running horse.)  His timeline used the day that Israel became a nation again, as the event that would mark the first day of the generation, who would not die off before the return of the Man of Truth, to rule the Earth.  His timeline showed Israel as becoming a state in 1944, and the Return occurring 2060.  He was four years early in his time line concerning when Israel became a state (May 14, 1948 was the actual date), so the Return would occur in 2064 if he is off by the same amount in his estimate for that event.  This means that a mid-trib Rapture would not occur until about 2061 - more than 45 years from now.  If that is the case, then "Tribulation Survival Gear" benefits no one except those who are selling it and the Father of Lies (HaShatan aka Satan Aka The Devil).

The real purpose of the Father of Lies in getting the Children of Truth to buy "Tribulation Survival Gear" is to keep them from spending their time, talents and treasure carrying out the instructions of the Man of Truth.  It is carrying out the instructions of the Man of Truth that makes them worthy to escape the Tribulation through the Rapture.  Getting the Children of Truth focused on surviving the Tribulation, is a double win for the Father of Lies, because not only is he preventing them from being taken up in the Rapture, but he is also preventing them from completing the mission the Man of Truth gave them.  He knows that the Tribulation cannot come, until the Children of Truth have completed their mission, to bring the Good News to every ethnic group on Earth (Matthew 24:14).

The truth is that when the Man of Truth calls people into the House of Truth, he is calling them to die.  He warned the Apostles of Truth that some of them would be killed, and even crucified, as happened to the Prophets of Truth and himself (Matthew 23:34-35).  He said that the Children of Truth would be killed by the Children of Lies until he returns (Luke 21:12-16).  He demonstrated love when he laid down his life for us, so that we could live forever with him in the House of Truth (John 10:14-16).  He has in like manner, called us to lay down our lives, so others can live forever with him in the House of Truth (1 John 3:16).

It is by losing our lives, to carry out his instructions to bring the Gospel to all people, that causes us to gain eternal life with him (Mark 8:35).  We are not supposed to be seeking survival, but rather looking to die in carrying out our mission (Acts 20:24).  The Man of Truth has called us to suffer with him, so we can reign with him, instead of doing whatever takes to survive - like denying him (2 Timothy 2:10-12).

People cannot come into the House of Truth from unreached ethnic groups, unless missionaries reach them with the Good News, and missionaries cannot reach them, without the support of the rest of the Children of Truth (Romans 10:13-15).  We no longer belong to ourselves, since he bought with his own blood, so neither does our stuff (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  We are supposed to use our time, talents and treasures to show his love to others, by doing things like caring for the poor (1 John 3:17-18).

We are not supposed to be diverting our time, talents and treasures from helping the poor, and supporting missionaries, to getting ready for the Tribulation, because our survival is not our primary concern.  If we put our treasure into "Tribulation Survival Gear" that we hide in some cave, then our hearts will be buried in that cave as well, instead of being in Heaven, when we put our treasure into carrying out the instructions of the Man of Truth (Matthew 6:19-21).  The Man of Truth said that though we die for his cause, that our lives will be safe with him (Luke 21:16-19).  So whether we invest our time, talents, and treasures, into caring for the poor, and supporting missionaries, OR stockpiling "Tribulation Survival Gear", is really a matter of whether or not, we have faith in the Man of Truth to do what he has promised (James 2:14-18).

There is no reason to purchase "Tribulation Survival Gear", when you have no guarantee that you will survive until the Tribulation.  However, unless you are part of the Rapture, you can be sure that you will die.  You are not guaranteed tomorrow, or even the rest of this day (James 4:14).

Since you do not know when your heart will stop beating, then you need to repent of rebelling against the Father of Truth, right now, and come into the House of Truth (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).  If you have already came into the House of Truth, but have been getting ready for the Tribulation instead of getting ready for the Rapture, by diverting what belongs to the Man of Truth for carrying out his instructions to purchase "Tribulation Survival Gear", then now is the time for you to repent, and get back to doing what he commanded, because he will forgive you, if you will confess that you have done wrong (1 John 1:8-10).  The Man of Truth is saying, "People get ready!".

You can come into the House of Truth today by putting the Man of Truth in control of your time, talents, and treasures, because you believe that his Father raised him from the dead (Romans 10:8-10).  After all the Good News about the Man of Truth, is for every ethnic group on Earth, so you are invited to come into the House of Truth, rather you are a Jew or a Gentile (Romans 10:11-13).

Come into the House of Truth!