I Know Whom I Have Believed

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. (Psalm 37:10)

These are exciting times in which we live. The world’s attention is focused to the time around mid-September.  End-times Bible prophets point to the Jewish Fall Feasts (more accurately, the Feasts of the Lord), and note that this year’s feasts are more significant than any others in the past. Jonathan Cahn, author of The Harbinger, recently released his latest book, The Mystery of the Shamitah, where he meticulously points out that in recent US history, Shamitahs have resulted in economic collapse demonstrated by huge drops in the stock market.

The Shamitah is the seven-year cycle assigned by God (Leviticus 25:4) where the Jews were required to leave the land fallow for the entire year to give it a rest – a Sabbath for the land. The Jews failed to keep the Shamitahs for 490 years (7 years x 70 Shamitahs) resulting in their 70 year Babylonian captivity (2 Chronicles 36:21; Jeremiah 25:11-12), one year for each Shamitah they failed to keep. You will need to get Cahn’s book for specific details, but in short, he suggests that God’s laws have transferred to the US because of how our nation was founded – “One nation under God.” Our nation is now reaping the consequences for our rejection of God. Cahn observes that every great economic collapse that America has experienced has fallen at the conclusion of a Shamitah year.

This year (2015) the Shamitah concludes on September 13. If the cycle keeps true to the pattern, the United States will experience a great economic collapse on September 14. This is due to the fact that September 13 falls on a Sunday when the stock market is closed. I noticed this past week that the stock market took a huge hit dropping over 500 points and making Wall Street very nervous. This seven-year cycle has not escaped many economists; however they cannot explain why this happens.

Another interesting event in September is that of Rosh Hashanah (the Feast of Trumpets), which signals the Jewish New Year. This event occurs on September 14. It also signals the beginning of the Jubilee year (Leviticus 25:8). After seven Shamitahs (7×7 or 49 years), the following year was special Shamitah called the Jubilee making a 50-year cycle. At this time all debts were cancelled, all properties were returned to the original owners and all accounts were zeroed. What is significant about this coming Jubilee is that it will be the 70^th Jubilee since the law was given 3500 years ago. More could be said on this, but I recommend getting the book God’s Final Jubilee by Dan Goodwin.

These are significant events on God’s calendar (which, by the way, does not follow our solar calendar). But even in the secular world, this coming September seems to hold the promise of “something big” happening. As stated earlier, economists are aware of the 7-year cycle, and even though they do not understand it nor can they explain it, they predict an economic collapse this fall, sometime in September or October. The Pope plans to address Congress on September 24. This will be the first time a Pope has ever addressed the US Congress. This follows immediately after Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths) begins on Sunday just three days later.

What does this all mean? I do not know, but it is interesting that all these events are converging from the middle to the end of September. Perhaps this is the year that the Lord will call His bride home. That is my earnest hope at least, but I am not packing my bags and heading to the hills. Jesus gave us all our assignments before He left, and He said, “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13). Ever since the turn of the 21^st century (perhaps even before that), every time this season rolls around, I start looking toward the eastern sky listening for the call of that last trumpet. So far, I have been disappointed, but not despondent. This is God’s plan, and He is in full control. I know that the call will not come until His time is right. Whenever that happens, I am ready!

One of my favorite hymns says:

     I know not why God’s wondrous grace

To me He hath made known,

Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love

Redeemed me for His own.

     I know not how this saving faith

To me He did impart,

Nor how believing in His Word

Wrought peace within my heart.

          I know not how the Spirit moves

Convicting men of sin,

Revealing Jesus thro’ the Word,

Creating faith in him.

     (I know not what of good or ill

May be reserved for me,

Of weary ways or golden days,

Before His face I see.)

     I know not when my Lord may come,

At night or noonday fair,

Nor if I walk the vale with Him,

Or meet Him in the air.

     Refrain:

But “I know Whom I have believed,

And am persuaded that He is able

To keep that which I’ve committed

Unto Him against that day.” [1] (2 Timothy 1:12)

I look forward to September 2015 in anticipation of our Lord’s return. If it doesn’t happen, that just means that we have more work to do. There is also the possibility that I may die before He returns. Either way, I will be with Him. As the last verse of the hymn says, “I know not when my Lord may come, at night or noonday fair, nor if I walk the vale with Him, or meet Him in the air.” The point is, I know in whom I have believed, and I am fully trusting in His sovereign will. How about you? Are you ready for His return?

Notes:

[1] Daniel W. Whittle, “I Know Whom I Have Believed,” Published 1883.