Chapter 31
The Fourth Watch Great Windy Storm
A Picture of the Rapture/Resurrection
Please prayerfully read the following three Scripture passages. This historical event happened the night after Yeshua fed the 5,000 hungry people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Notice that after the feast, the disciples of Yeshua gathered 12 baskets of food scraps, a picture of the end time regathering of the remnant 12 tribes of Israel!! Now carefully read the story picturing the mega storm of the last days.
Matthew 14:22-34, “Immediately Yeshua made His disciples get into the boat [Ark of grace] and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray [ascension to Heaven]. Now when evening came [just before night of tribulation], He was alone there. 24But the boat [the Ark of grace] was now in the middle of the sea [of humanity], tossed by the waves [of tribulation], for the wind was contrary [Antichrist, against us].
25Now in the fourth watch of the night [LATE in the tribulation] Yeshua went to them [JESUS ADVENT 2.0], walking on [over, in the breathable air of the lower atmosphere] the sea [of humanity]. 26And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear [see Luke 18:8].
27But immediately Yeshua spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” [1 Thes. 4:16, a shout!]
28And Peter answered Him and said, “Master, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
29So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to GO TO Yeshua [Rapture/Ressurection]. 30But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Master, save me!”
31And immediately Yeshua stretched out His hand and caught him [1 Thes. 4:17], and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” [see Luke 18:8] 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. [2 Thes. 2:8, death to Antichrist!]
33Then those who were in the boat [saved in the Ark of Grace] came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of Yahweh.” [Revelation worship is a vote to elect Yeshua as our King of kings!]
34When they had crossed over [The Flood, the Exodus, the Rapture/Resurrection. The word Hebrew can mean to pass over, or to cross over, or sojourn.], they came to the land of Gennesaret [garden of princes].” [Back to Genesis, back to the Garden of Eden, back home on earth!]
Mark 6:45-53, “Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat [Ark of Grace] and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida [house of fish], while He sent the multitude away. 46And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray [a picture of Yeshua’s ascension to heaven to be our intercessor for 2,000 years]. 47Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. 48Then He saw them straining at rowing [will the Church finish in the flesh what she started in the Spirit?], for the wind was against them [Antichrist]. Now about the fourth watch of the night [late, just before the dawn of the Millennial Age] He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by [A possibility if our heart attitude is not right. Yeshua wants to see faith and trust when He returns. Get saved by grace through faith and get in the boat!]. 49And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50for they all saw Him [saints see, pagans don’t see this great spiritual event] and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 51Then He went up into the boat to them [The great meet and greet!], and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. 53When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret [garden of princes] and anchored there.” [The Kingdom Ship of State anchors ON EARTH for all eternity!]
John 6:16-21, “Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum [village of comfort] [The saints fulfilling the Great Commission for the last 2,000 years!]. And it was already dark, and Yeshua had not come to them [A crushing statement of truth AGAINST a pre-tribulation rapture/resurrection.]. 18Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing [Present tense blowing, the storm is happening WHEN Yeshua returns for the saints.]. 19So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Yeshua walking on the sea and drawing near the boat [Luke 21:28, our redemption draws near!]; and they were afraid. 20But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21Then they willingly received Him into the boat [Rapture/Resurrection/Redemption/JESUS ADVENT 2.0. Salvation is a two way street; Yeshua gives us faith by His grace, but we must receive Him into our lives!], and immediately [in the twinkling of an eye] the boat was at the land [The Promised Land, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of Yahweh, true spiritual Israel.] where they were going.” [Reaching our destination is a done deal, no doubts about it, we make it; we reach and receive the Kingdom! Our arrival at our destination in the Kingdom is guaranteed through what Yeshua has already done for us on the execution stake.]
I just read these passages in a study done by a pre-tribulation rapture preacher. He claims Yeshua rescued the disciples BEFORE they were destroyed by the storm, which is true, but did Yeshua rescue them BEFORE the last great wind storm BEGAN? I don’t believe so. This last great wind storm is a picture of the Tribulation years of the end times. The disciples were ALREADY in the midst of the mega wind storm when Yeshua returned from the high prayer mountain (heaven) to rescue them. After all, they were ALREADY in the FOURTH WATCH OF THE DARK NIGHT OF THE STORM!!
Did you know that this last great wind storm is referred to in the Book of Revelation? First, let’s take a picture of the Tribulation days BEFORE this last great wind storm begins, in Revelation 7:1-3, “After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living Mighty One. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our Mighty One on their foreheads.”” Notice that these four angels had the specific duty to harm the earth and the sea of humanity, but NOT BEFORE the servants of Yahweh were sealed for protection from this judgment. Now take note of the fact that this holding back of the last great wind storm and the sealing of the saints occurs AFTER THE OPENING OF THE SIXTH SEAL!! Go back and read Rev. 6:12-17 and see that the sixth seal really opens up the day of the wrath and judgment of Almighty Yahweh! So, get this in your thinking and realize that deep inside of the tribulation, this final great wind storm against the saints HAS NOT EVEN BEGUN YET!!
Now, let’s move forward in Revelation and see when the four angels get the command to release what they’ve been holding back. Revelation 9:13-15, “Then the sixth angel sounded [sixth trumpet judgment, the second woe]: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before Yahweh, 14saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.” Remember, these four angels had a commission from verse 2 of chapter 7 to harm earth and mankind. NOW THE WIND BEGINS TO BLOW AGAINST THE SAINTS!! NOW THE SEALED SAINTS ARE IN THE ARK ON THE SEA OF GALILEE STRIVING IN THE FLESH ROWING A SAILING BOAT AGAINST THE ANTICHRIST WIND STORM!!
Why are the saints rowing instead of letting the wind drive the ship? Well, maybe they are disheartened because they weren’t raptured, or rescued, BEFORE the storm began! Maybe it’s because they’ve been beaten down for seven years by the Antichrist and the One World Order! Daniel 7:21-22, 25, “I was watching; and the same horn [Antichrist] was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. . . 25He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time [final 3 ½ years].” Daniel 12:7, “Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.” Friends, these are not pictures of a pre-tribulation rapture day.
Our faith and trust in Yahweh’s power and protection is going to be tried severely. Our strength to row against this last great mighty wind storm of evil is going to be tested to the uttermost. But please do not miss the point that this storm occurs late in the Great Tribulation, in the fourth watch of the dark night!! But then notice what happens when Yeshua does come back, walking above the sea of humanity, and actually enters our ark with us! The wind storm on the sea of humanity is immediately, in the twinkling of an eye, calmed to a state of peacefulness, and we are transported instantly to our eternal destination to the house of fish [disciples’ home], the garden of princes [the Garden of Eden, Yahweh’s Garden], the village of comfort [the Holy City of Jerusalem]!!
Saints, again we see that we win in the end, but even the ride in our Ark will be a rough one until Yeshua does come back to rescue us and rapture/resurrect the saints at His JESUS ADVENT 2.0!! Notice Yeshua went TO the saints walking OVER the sea, in the breathable air of the lower atmosphere, just like Paul taught. Then Peter, as a representative of all saints, GOES to Yeshua. The factual historical story of the mega wind storm on the Sea of Galilee during the JESUS ADVENT 1.0 is a beautiful picture of the future Rapture/Resurrection of the saints at the JESUS ADVENT 2.0. Notice that Yeshua came back to earth from the high country of the heavens [prayer mountain], where He had been interceding for the saints for 2,000 years! Peter going out of the boat onto the water is a picture of the rapture into the breathable air of the lower atmosphere. Notice that Yeshua GOT INTO THE BOAT WITH THE DISCIPLES!! The stormy sea was calmed. They then LANDED and ANCHORED the boat in ISRAEL!!!! There is so much end time truth in just these three passages. Please get the picture into your spirit! An evil, powerful, deadly storm is coming against the saints of the Most High, during the final watch of the Great Tribulation dark night, but if you’re sealed, you’re safe!!
Yeshua gave us a glimpse of this same end time scene in His Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24:31, “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Yeshua will save us from this windy day sure to come soon to a planet near you.
Rejoice saints, praise our Heavenly Father, we win!! So don’t focus on the great contrary, boisterous, adversarial evil wind storm, focus on Yeshua our Redeemer and Captain of the kingdom ship! As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the JESUS ADVENT 2.0. NOAH MADE IT SAFELY TO SHORE, AND SO WILL YOU!!
Gene Benjamin II
November 23, 2012 CE