Thank you, dear friend, for your love, encouragement and prayerful support. Your latest letter was uplifting and enlightening, and I truly appreciate our time together. I am delighted to hear of the progress made by your discipleship group, and the other new groups that have now begun under their tutelage. Discipleship unto Yahshuah is an endeavor worthy of our complete energy, because fulfillment of that goal has magnificent eternal ramifications. Yet, discipleship is a difficult road. As a discipler, I could not have asked for a better student. And now the student is helping others find Yahshuah, as well as instructing them how to be Disciples of Yahshuah as well. I am humbled by your faithfulness, and proud of your accomplishments. I know Elohim is being glorified, and the name of Yahshuah is being magnified by His faithful Mathetes.

The notebook is closed, my friend. The long lists of topical references sit unopened on my shelf. The lessons for this part of your spiritual growth are finished. As I sit here at my keyboard, I wonder how I should conclude these teachings. Seven years have been dedicated to the research, preparation and writing of these letters, and your study over those years has been as intense. The time has been exciting and spiritually profitable for me, and your spiritual growth, through the application of these instructions and your dedicated study of the concordance materials, has also proven fruitful for you. I know Yahshuah will be pleased as we press on in our discipling of others, and as we work together for the harvest of Elohim.

I look forward to the challenges we will face. I anticipate, with tremendous excitement, the time we will have combating the forces of evil confronting us today. I sincerely look forward to meeting with you soon, Yahshuah willing, as well as meeting with the Disciples you are instructing. Never forget, that as the day of Yahshuah's return nears, there will be a tremendous increase in the number of souls traversing the battlefield of faith and discipleship. Instruct your students to be prepared. Remind them that all instruction must be rendered in love and humility.

SPECIAL NOTE:
For a quick explanation of the NAMES used throughout The Letters, please click here... For an in depth accounting of these matters though, please go to Letter #22.

Letter #19 continues here:

As yet another winter approaches, I feel a moving in my heart that something monumental is about to happen. I am unable to offer anything specific, because I have not been given a foretelling vision, but I am expectant of things in a way I have never before experienced in my life. I am not certain when any of these things will occur, just that we are living in what is the most exciting and challenging times ever. Throughout the last two thousand years the harvest has been ripe for each generation, but the final harvest has been prophesied for centuries, and I believe we are living in those long prophesied days.

The Word of Elohim is very explicit in some areas, Mathetes, and tremendously vague in others, yet He always told His children everything they needed to know in order for them to abide faithfully. The end time prophetic messages certainly fall into the explicit, yet vague category. As I consider the message we have been given in the sixth Chapter of the Book of Revelation though, I wonder - which seal is about to be broken. History has surely reached this stage.

The events depicted to occur through the opening of the first five seals of the scroll handed to Yahshuah by the Father, as shown in Revelation 6, do not really appear to be events that we can pinpoint, but speak instead of a mood or an attitude. They seem to represent events in general that will permeate society: Revival, wars and rumors of war, famine and inflation, death and pestilence, and the martyrdom of the saints. All of these things have been evidenced throughout the history of the EKKLESIA, but Revelation 6 tells us that they are going to be witnessed again - especially during the end time period. Surely, a tremendous number of Disciples are being slaughtered for their faith today, and most assuredly, wars and rumors of wars, and famine and inflation are being evidenced throughout the world. Yet we are told that these are merely the birth pangs; merely the beginning of the end.

The sixth seal of Revelation 6 is different than the first five seals though, and maybe it is these things my heart expects to see. The breaking of the sixth seal, Revelation 6:12-17, is the beginning of some very noticeable events. And Revelation 7:1-8 is vital to our understanding of the cataclysm that will occur during the period of the great tribulation. While Revelation 6:12-17 speaks of a great earthquake, the sun becoming black and the moon appearing like blood, Revelation 7:1-3 tells us that no harm is to come to, "the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the bond-servants of our Elohim on their foreheads" (Revelation 7:3). Where Revelation 6:14 tells of every mountain and island being moved out of their place by a great earthquake, Revelation 7:1-3 tells us that something else must occur first.

Revelation 7:1 caught my attention about fifteen years ago, Mathetes, because what I believe Elohim is telling us, is that we CAN know, with certainty, when the great tribulation has begun... Noah was given a seven day period in which to load the ark, and we have been commanded to draw a parallel between Noah and the return of our Messiah. (See Matthew 24:37-38). Therefore, Revelation 7 is clearly telling us that the 144,000 are to be sealed at the beginning of the Great Tribulation period - and that they will (in accordance with Noah) have seven years in which to "Bring in the Harvest"...

I have often wondered why I never heard anyone teach on this event before, but I realize that all things happen in Elohim's time. In Revelation 7, John wrote, "After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind should blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree." The passage continues to say, "And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living Elohim; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, `Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the bond-servants of our Elohim on their foreheads.' And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel" (Revelation 7:2-4)

In a literal translation of this passage, we read that no harm will befall the earth or the trees or the sea until the 144,000 bond-servants of Elohim are sealed. (This positively places the events of Revelation 6:12-17 after the sealing of Revelation 7). Has there ever been a day in recorded history when the wind did not blow for even a second? Those who teach a wholly symbolic translation of The Book of Revelation, zero in on the 144,000, interpreting that number as simply the "vast number" of Elohim's children who are redeemed from the earth. They ignore the remainder of the passage though, in which a very specific number is drawn from the very specific tribes of Israel. I have found, however, that whenever Elohim wants to express a "vast number", He does so with Words like, "And the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands" (Revelation 5:11). No, I believe that the 144,000 of Revelation 7 are very specific representatives of Yahshuah, chosen from ages past, who will represent the Master Yahshuah to the world during the days immediately preceding His return.

Additionally, I see the seventh chapter of Revelation revealing both the beginning and end of the tribulation period. The beginning is marked with a time of no wind - and the sealing of Elohim's chosen 144,000. The end comes with the Lamb of Elohim in the center of the throne, and the body, "the ones who come out of the great tribulation" (Revelation 7:14), standing before Him.

A period of no wind. How do you suppose this event will be rationalized? Do you think the absence of the jet stream, for even an instant, will cause concern? I wonder how it will be explained! Yet, look what happens while the wind stops blowing: 144,000, "sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel" (Revelation 7:4). Having already expressed my belief that the body of Yahshuah, the EKKLESIA, is the spiritual Israel of end time prophecy, I will also express my belief that the 144,000, quite literally, are not Jews, as the religious institutions believe. They are members of the EKKLESIA.

Revelation 14:1-5 tells us that these 144,000 will have, "His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads" (Revelation 14:1), and that they have, "not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste" (Revelation 14:4). While the day of no wind may possibly be explained away scientifically, to the relief of humanity, the world and the EKKLESIA will suddenly see 144,000 people sealed with the name of Yahshuah on their foreheads. And their message will be unmistakable and undeniable. The historical teaching on Revelation 14:4 is that the 144,000 are virgin men - men not defiled with women. I think the spiritual implication behind the passage has a greater significance though, because if the spiritual truth of chastity is to be meaningful to us, we need to look at that greater significance.

In the Greek language, articles, like the word "the", as well as punctuation marks, are primarily non-existent. It is not only possible, but also quite likely, therefore, that Revelation 14:4 speaks of the 144,000 not being defiled by "the woman", instead of the generic "women". The word interpreted as women is the same word used for woman, and the certainty of the current translation is doubtful. If the passage is speaking of the 144,000 not being defiled by "the woman, for they have kept themselves chaste", we can view the passage in an entirely new light.

If the passage is meant to say, "The woman", then the reference is extremely pointed, and directs us to the false church, Babylon of Revelation 17. If Revelation 14:4 is speaking of 144,000 who have not been defiled by "the woman", the significance and understanding of the verse is altered tremendously, because the chastity required is spiritual, not physical. And, Revelation 14:5, which says, "And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless," speaks to the prophetic nature of their calling, and to the fact that they are redeemed and sanctified through Yahshuah; blameless in the Blood of the Lamb. This interpretation would also support the 144,000 being from the EKKLESIA.

Additionally, and this will really cause howls, if the correct interpretation of Revelation 14:4 is "the woman", there is no longer a gender restriction; the 144,000 need not all be men. We have already discussed the gifts, Mathetes, and we have covered extensively the fact that women are gifted as prophets and evangelists - which is precisely what the 144,000 will be. The reference in v 4, that these, "have been purchased from among men as first fruits to Elohim and to the Lamb," is similar to the reference of Genesis 1:27, where Elohim said, "And Elohim created man in His own image, in the image of Elohim He created him; male and female He created them," which further eliminates pompous gender restrictions.

Nevertheless, the day of no wind approaches, and the disciples of Yahshuah will be called upon to glorify Elohim. While we do not know when He will return for us, He has told us to be prepared. He has told us to be expectant and excited. Above all, He has told us to be fruitful. The fields are white with harvest, Mathetes, and my sincere prayer for every Disciple is that our eyes will be opened to the realities before us. As Elisha's eyes were opened to see the angels protecting he and Elijah, I wholeheartedly pray that we too will see the spiritual truth and significance of the people in our lives, and the events occurring in these days.

Even though a great portion of society will refuse the cure offered in Yahshuah, our focus must be on the harvest of His crop. Judgmentalism must be shunned. This is so, because a vast portion of the world's society WILL accept Yahshuah as Master and Messiah - this is the time of the great harvest - and our hearts must be prepared to receive them.

I anticipate television getting even more sexually explicit and violent, and each year humanity will become more calloused. As programs meant to shock and titillate abound, we will have to use much greater discernment in our viewing of these things, turning off everything that stands against the Truth that we know and love. We must voice our disapproval to the sponsors of every offensive program with increased fervor and zeal. Additionally, the stereotype of 'Christians' portrayed on television, and in the movies, is growing increasingly unflattering. We must protest this as well. How faithful are we in these matters, Mathetes? How discerning are we by allowing this defamation - when we can still stop it? Will it shock you when, in the next ten years, prime-time programs include total frontal nudity of men, women and children? Will we be shocked with sex acts performed in daytime and prime-time programming? If you think this is a stretch, consider how the courts are manipulating every constitutional amendment to sanction immorality and licentiousness, while they go out of their way to restrict the Judeo-Christian tenets.

This time with you has blessed me in ways I will not realize until Yahshuah points them out to me. But the prayers we have devoted to each other are evident. I have known your faithful support, and I am humbled by your friendship and love. Abide in the Word of Elohim, dear friend, and read again our letters, if they can be useful. I will write again, Elohim willing, because there is more to discipleship; there is always more to learn. You certainly know the basics, however, and in the application of what you know, Elohim will truly be glorified.

Remember also, that you are a P*R*A*I*S*E*R, and in your remembrances, praise, worship and glorify Elohim. Anything contrary to that is counterfeit and intent on destroying your obedience. The "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil" has produced countless counterfeit spirits and ministries, but every Disciple of Yahshuah has been set free from the curse of that knowledge. Remain pure in the innocence of the Lamb.

Perhaps the Master will provide time and opportunity for us to discuss other important issues, as well as other end time prophetic messages, in the near future. This phase of your discipleship training is over though, dear friend, and my heart is both overjoyed with your progress and saddened by this passage. The sadness is simply my pride, and it will pass. The joy, on the other hand, is eternal, and it shall remain with us forever. Praise be to Elohim!

For now though, I leave you with my sincerest prayer for your continued obedience in faith, and I pray for your spiritual prosperity, joy and peace. May the Master grant you the desires of your heart, and may your desire be for His glory.

I remain faithfully your brother in Yahshuah our Messiah and Master,

larry vosen

Topical Concordance:
New Testament: Revelation (all).