Methuselah Dies The Same Year The Judgment of Noah’s Flood Began. Will The Judgement Of The Tribulation Begin The Same Year Of Billy Graham’s Death?

Understanding that nothing happens by accident in this universe as God is sovereign over every microsecond of its existence, we must wonder how the passing of Billy Graham will impact the earth and the people who live upon it.

Billy Graham was uniquely called by God for a specific time and purpose. His message was salvation by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; a message for which Dr. Graham did not venture from for nearly 80 years.

Before the Great Flood of Noah, a similar set of circumstances took place on earth. A man called Enoch was taken from the earth before the judgement of the flood because God said that he walked in fellowship with Him.

The oldest man alive at that time was Methuselah, whose name literally means, “when he dies, judgement comes.”

God chose Methuselah as the longest living human being of that time to be a sign to the world that when this man died, the patience of God would run out and His judgement would fall. Before the flood arrived,  Enoch, was removed from the earth.

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.  ~Hebrews 11:5

Enoch represented Jesus church, all those who love Him.

We read in 1 Thessalonians 4 that God told Paul to inform Jesus’ church that before the judgement of the seven year Tribulation will begin, all those who love Jesus will be removed from the earth.

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  ~1 Thessalonians 5:9

We must wonder if the passing of Billy Graham, who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to over 215 million people, is a similar sign to us of this impending judgment for our generation. Is Dr. Graham’s death similar to that of Methuselah?

Billy Graham’s Death And The Death Of Moses

Anne Graham-Lotz, the daughter of Billy Graham, said on the day of his funeral, that she believed from heaven’s point of view, her father’s death was as significant as his life. It was not an accident that February 21, 2018, was the day that God chose to take Billy Graham home.

Known to God from eternity are all His works.  ~Acts 15:18

February 21, 2018 is the day that the Jews focus on reading scriptures that describe the death of Moses. For 30 days after Moses died, the people mourned for this man.

“Moses was the great liberator, he brought millions of people out of bondage to slavery. Moses brought the people to the edge of the promised land and then God took him to heaven. Then God brought Joshua to lead the people into the promised land to take them home. My father was also a great liberator. He brought millions of people out of bondage to sin. He gets us to the edge of heaven, the edge of the promised land, and then God called him home. Could it be that God is going to bring Joshua to lead us into heaven, into the promised land? Do you know what the New Testament name is for Joshua? Its Jesus. I believe this is a shot across the bow from heaven. I believe God is saying ‘wake up church, wake up world, wake up Anne, Jesus is coming. Jesus us coming!’ Jesus said when the gospel is preached to the whole world, as it is today in this service, as it is today through churches, missionaries, ministries; Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, when the gospel is preached to the whole world, then the end will come.”  ~Anne Graham-Lotz

A Midrash Tradition, Zohar 2:156a, states that the Sun darkened at noon on the day Moses died and this darkness lasted until 3 pm.[1,2]

This particular Solar Eclipse occuring on March 1, 1399, passed by Mount Nebo during its maximum eclipse stage, but it was also a very rare hybrid eclipse where the the darkening is total during the central path of its course. These hybrid eclipses occur in less than five percent of all solar eclipses.[1]

The Traditional Jewish rabbinical tradition states that Moses was born and died on Adar 7. The Roman-era Jewish historian, Josephus said Moses died on Adar 1.[4]

The Jewish date of Adar 7 would convert, in the Gregorian calendar, to Thursday, September 22, 2018. This was the first day the world heard that Billy Graham had died at approximately 7:45 am on September 21, 2018.[3]

The Parallels Between Billy Graham and Moses:

• Both led in the redemption of many people.
• Moses led the people out of Egypt, an illustration for sin in the Bible, and to the edge of the promised land.
• Billy Graham led people out of sin, to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and brought them to the promised land of heaven.
• Moses led the people to the edge of the Jordan river, but not across into the promised land. This was accomplished by Joshua. The promised land is a picture of heaven.
• Billy Graham, led people to the edge of the promised land, but like Moses, he died before they entered.
• Joshua is another name for Jesus, who will come soon after Billy Graham and lead the people home to heaven at the Rapture of the church.
• The name “Jesus” as it is used in the New Testament, comes from the Latin form of the Greek name Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous), a version of the Hebrew Yeshua (ישוע), which is another form of the name Joshua.

Will Billy Graham’s passing signal the end when the church will be removed and the seven year Tribulation will begin?

Noah preached to the world about God’s desire to save the world if they would repent and turn to God. This was the same message of Billy Graham.

2018 is the 70th year since the Jews returned to Israel on May 14, 1948. The number 70 is significant to Israel in that they were disbursed to Babylon for 70 years after they forgot God during a period of 490 years.

Jesus pronounced that Israel would be taken captive again in 32 A.D., and their house would be left to them desolate, because they did not know understand the time of their visitation by the Messiah. This took place in 70 A.D.

“Your House Is Left To You Desolate”

Just 38 years after Jesus pronounced this prophecy upon the nation of Israel, Titus stormed Jerusalem, burned the city and the temple and disbursed the Jews from their land. This happened in 70 A.D.

We are faced with many similar and coincidental circumstances today to those of the time of the Great Flood and the destruction of Israel. The world has forgotten God; the United States has abandoned Him and fallen away. The time of all the final prophecies of the Last Days is upon us and we very well may be in the specific year when these things will all come together.

It would be a good time for all of us to re evaluate where we are at with the Lord and be ready, for the time of our own departure may be at hand.

After Moses died, the Jews stayed at Moab, opposite Beth Peor for 30 days in morning.

Then Joshua led the people across the Jordan river and into the promised land on Passover. This is the day that we celebrate Easter, the day Jesus rose from the dead.

It is interesting that 40 days after Billy Graham died, will bring us to Easter this year, April 1. The number 40 is significant of judgement. Some who study these events believe it is possible that the death of Billy Graham is a signal to the world that Jesus is coming for His church, perhaps in 2018. Whether it is on or near the day we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on April 1, or at the end of the year in fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets, September 10-11, we cannot know for certain.

What we do know is that Dr. Graham’s death means something significant to the return of Jesus and we should be paying attention this year.

The Prophecy of Enoch And The Future Removal Of His Church

…And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.  ~Genesis 5:24

New Testament Fulfillment:

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  ~1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.  ~Hebrews 11:5

One of the most interesting verses of scripture found in the Bible is the description of Enoch and his Rapture to heaven, found in Genesis Chapter 5, verse 24.

This event in the Old Testament is intended by the Holy Spirit to typify or illustrate for us a similar event that will occur in the last days, just before the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation. Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica and revealed that, The Lord will descend from heaven…the dead in Christ will be raised… then we who are alive will be caught up (Raptured) to meet the Lord in the air…

In this third prophecy found in the Bible—where the Rapture is illustrated, we are directed to Enoch in Chapter 5 of Genesis. At first glance, there appears to be nothing worthy of further study—only the simple Genealogy of Adam.

Genesis 5:1-40 includes a list of 10 names describing the descendants of Adam:

Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah.

When a son was given a name in the Old Testament, there was a particular meaning behind that name. When we take the original Hebrew translation of these ten names as found in Genesis 5, we find that the meaning of each tells a story:

1. Adam: Man
2. Seth: Appointed
3. Enosh: Mortal
4. Kenan: Sorrow
5. Mahalalel: The Blessed God
6. Jared: Shall Come Down
7. Enoch: Teaching
8. Methuselah: His Death Shall Bring Judgment
9. Lamech: The Despairing
10. Noah: Rest

“Man, Appointed, Mortal, Sorrow, (But the) Blessed God, Shall Come Down, Teaching, (That) His Death Shall Bring, The Despairing, Rest.”

What are the chances that the Christian Gospel of Jesus Christ would be found in the fifth Chapter of the first book of the Bible? Of course, there is absolutely no possibility that this genealogy, with these exact names could have occurred by accident. They are here by design because God placed them here for the diligent seeker.

The seventh name in this genealogy is Enoch, the one whom God Raptured and took to heaven. Enoch was a Gentile who was removed from the earth before the judgment of the great flood of Noah. The illustration that the Holy Spirit appears to make here in the text of Genesis chapter 5 is that a redeemer is coming to the earth who will bear the sins and sorrows of all people, bringing us rest.

Man was appointed mortal sorrow, but the blessed God came down from heaven in the form of Jesus Christ to teach the entire world that His death will bring rest to the souls of everyone who trust in Him.

Before God sent judgement to the world at the time of Noah, He removed Enoch who walked in fellowship with God. In parallel with this illustration; before the judgement of the seven-year Tribulation, God will also remove all those who have been walking in fellowship with Him—at the Rapture.

In other words, there is a promise in this third Prophecy of the Bible, that Jesus Christ will redeem mankind and fulfill the promise of the Rapture, as illustrated by Enoch in Genesis 5:24.

And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Paul wrote that when Jesus rose from the dead, He was fulfilling the prophecy of The First Fruits. This is an Old Testament feast of Israel in which those who went out to harvest their crops—gave back the first part, the best part of their crops, to the Lord.

The Fulfillment of this 3rd Old Testament Prophecy

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man (Adam) came death, by Man (Jesus) also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  ~1 Corinthians 15:20-22

It is my opinion that Paul is referring to Jesus, when He returns for His church at the Rapture. At that time, He will be fulfilling this prophecy of Enoch found in Genesis Chapter 5 and 1 Corinthians 15:20-22.

Methuselah And Billy Graham As Agents Of The Last Days

The following chart illustrates the ages of those before the flood of Noah.

Methuselah, listed immediately after Enoch, was the longest living person ever recorded by the Bible. His name means: when he dies, judgment comes.

Methuselah’s name, as it is written in Hebrew, is muwthselah. The Hebrew word muwth is defined as  death or to die. The Hebrew word selah means stop and listen, weigh, an interlude or pause, and is used in conjunction with understanding what is to come next..

In this context, it would be reasonable to understand that God has so named Methuselah because He is seeking to illustrate something very important for us in regards to his death, and the coming flood of Noah—a judgement of God.

Methuselah, meaning a mortal who will die before an interlude or pause when God is weighing all men in the balances, therefore, those who understand this should stop and listen.

When we consider the entire context of the verses that deals with Methuselah, Enoch and the flood account, we come to a conclusion that God was seeking to illustrate a point.

To the generation of the last days before the Flood, when Enoch was taken before the judgment, helps us understand how the church will also taken before the Tribulation Period,

The flood of Noah came after Methuselah’s death. Methuselah was an agent of the Gospel who declared by his very name that judgment was coming to that generation. There is no doubt that Billy Graham was the same agent of impending judgement as he declares to the whole world that all must repent and believe the Gospel.

Will the judgement of the Great Tribulation come in the same year after Billy Graham’s death, just as the judgment of the flood came in the same year after Methuselah’s death?

In both cases, God was illustrating His grace that is exercised to all those who obey the Gospel and turn to Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.

Billy Graham As The Burning And Shining Lamp

We have known for many years that we are the final generation who will be alive when Jesus returns for His church. We know this because of Ezekiel’s prophecy in chapters 36 and 37 regarding the budding of the Fig Tree, Israel. In the last days, God will bring the Jews back into their own land once again and this will begin the final prophetic time clock in counting down the return of Jesus.

Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!  ~Matthew 24:32-33

Jesus used the Fig Tree as a representation for the Nation of Israel. He said that when we see the nation blossom and bud again, when the Jews return, we know that Jesus return is near. It has been exactly 70 years, this year, 2018.

In order for the antichrist to make a covenant of peace for Israel that will last for seven years, the Jews must be in their own land. In order for Jesus to return again, the third temple must be rebuilt because the antichrist will enter this temple and erect a statue of himself, commanding the world to worship him as God (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4). Jesus called this event the “Abomination of Desolation,” (Matthew 24:15).

This event will begin the final three and one half years, called, “The Great Tribulation.” Three and one half years after the abomination of desolation, Jesus will return to earth, from heaven, with His church. He will destroy the antichrist and his armies, judge the nations, and set up His one thousand year kingdom on the earth.

Before Jesus came the first time, God sent a burning and shining light into the world (John 5:35). John the Baptist began preaching the message of repentance and that the people should prepare themselves for the arrival of the Messiah.

In our generation, God sent us Billy Graham as the same burning and shinning light to call the world to repentance and to get ready for the coming of the Messiah the second time.

For this reason, it should come as no surprise to us that Billy’s death would be a signal to the world that Jesus’ return is very near.

At the beginning of this article I wrote that the flood came (judgment of God), in the same year that Methuselah died. God intentionally prolonged the life of Methuselah so that his death would coincide with the judgment God was bringing to earth. Billy Graham has long since stopped preaching the message of Jesus’ cross publically. For the past five years He has not been able to leave his home in Montreat, North Carolina. God has extended Billy Graham’s life, perhaps, for the same reason that God extended Methuselah’s life, for the judgement.

The seven year Tribulation is the final judgment of God for sin on a Christ rejecting world. Jesus said that unless God has shortened this time to just seven years, no person on earth would survive (Matthew 24:22). Nearly two-thirds of the people on earth will die during seven sets of judgements (Revelation 6-18).

Based upon the Bible and what God has done in the past with Methuselah, removing Enoch before the judgment came, there is great reason to believe that Billy Graham’s death may bring the judgement of the seven year Tribulation.

Billy Graham fulfilled the command of Jesus to give the Gospel to every creature on earth, more completely than any other man in the history of the world. Billy preached the Gospel to more people than any other human being in the history of the world. It is very likely that Billy’s death may result in the judgment of God arriving in the same year. This is the the seventieth year of Israel’s anniversary as a nation. There is serious talk right now as you read this article of a peace plan that President Trump will present to leaders of Israel and the Palestinians. If this happens, there is no question that this year will be the best candidate for the return of Jesus during the Feast of Trumpets, September 10-11.

Come Quickly Lord Jesus!

NOTES:
[1] Source: Rabbi George Gittleman, “The Death of Moses,” Yizkor 5771, http://www.shomreitorah.org/the-death-of-moses/

There is a Hebrew Tradition from the Torah that when God told Moses he would die and not enter the promised land, he begged the Lord to allow him to enter. Each request was denied.

“When Moses saw that his prayer was not heeded, he went to implore heaven and earth, saying: Entreat mercy on my behalf. They replied: Before entreating mercy for you, we should entreat mercy for ourselves, for it is said, “The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment” (Isa. 51:6). He then went to implore the sun and the moon, and said: Entreat mercy in my behalf. But these replied: Before entreating mercy for you, we should entreat mercy for ourselves, for it is said, “The moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed” (Isa. 24:23).”[1]

From this Hebrew Tradition, and the text from Isaiah 24:23, “The moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed,” it was said in the Torah that when Moses died, on that day a Solar Eclipse took place. If this is true, then there are very few candidates for the day Moses died.
On March 1, the year 1399 B.C., a Solar Eclipse took place in Jordan that would have darkened the skies of Jerusalem. This took place at 1:24 in the afternoon.
Thomas Mantesch, of Michigan State University, with Wayne Osborn from Central Michigan University, wrote an extensive paper examining the death of Moses in conjunction with the Solar Eclipse of 1399 B.C., and the Torah.[1]
The final chapter of Deuteronomy with the first chapter of Joshua, tells us that Moses was 120 years old when he died on Mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 32:50).
Mount Nebo is 18 km east of where the Jordan river enters the Dead Sea. The Bible states that the Israelites mourned for Moses for 30 days before they prepared to cross the Jordan river and enter the land God promised (Deuteronomy 34:8).
The first event that took place after crossing the Jordan was to defeat Jericho. The spies who were sent from the camp at Shittim, to Jericho, was about 10 km. The spies stayed one night hidden and three days hiding in the surrounding hills before they returned to the camp of the Israelites (Joshua 2:1-23).
The Israelites moved their camp from Shittim to the Jordan river, and after three days,  they received instructions from God on how to cross the Jordan River (Joshua 3:1-3).
According to the Bible, on the tenth day of Israel’s first month (April), Nisan 10, (Joshua 4:19),  they celebrated Passover on the fourteenth day of the month, across the river Gilgal (Joshua 5:10).
The Jews had now been in the desert for 40 years, since their exodus from Egypt. The men of military age were uncircumcised, necessitating that they be circumcised before the attack on Jericho. These men remained in the camp until their wounds healed (Joshua 5:2-8).
The attack on Jericho took place at a time unknown, after Passover. Whether it was a few days of weeks.

[2] Y. Chasidah, Encyclopedia of Biblical Personalities: Anthologized from the Talmud, Midrash, and Rabbinic writings (Shaar Press, Jerusalem), 1994, Page 397, Attributed to Zohar 2:156a.
[3] https://www.hebcal.com/converter/?hd=7&hm=Adar&hy=5778&h2g=1
[4] Meg. 13b; Mek., Beshallaḥ, Wayassa’, 5 [ed. Weiss, p. 60a]; comp. Josephus, l.c. iv. 8, § 49), the angel of death not being present (B. B. 17a.

Categories: Believers Removed before Tribulation, Great Tribulation: Time of the End, Jesus Church, Rapture during Rosh Hashanah, Robert Clifton Robinson, Salvation is a free gift, Salvation through Jesus, The beginning of judgement, The Last Days, The Sovereignty of God, The Time and Season of Jesus Return, The Tribulation Period

Tags: 1 Thessalonians 5:9, 30 Days of Mourning For Moses, Adar 1 and Adar 2, Adar 7 and Moses Death, Anne Graham-Lotz, Billy Graham's Death and Moses Death, Daniel's 70th Week, Enoch, Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5, Methuselah, Passing of Billy Graham, Solar eclipse during Moses death, The seven year Tribulation, Video Billy Graham and Moses