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Sheriff Scott Israel as a prophetic sign

On February 14, 2018, which was the 70^th anniversary of the Latter Rain Movement, a high school shooting took place that is reported to have killed 17 people. The alleged shooter, Nicolas Cruz, was apprehended and arrested at the scene. It is hardly a coincidence that 17 is the biblical number for Victory, and Nicolas means a Victor, or overcomer.

It was also reported that police deputies remained outside for four minutes as the shooting continued, later claiming that they thought the shooting was coming from the outside. Four minutes is a long time to wait while school children are being killed. Did they really think the shots came from outside? Did they refuse to enter the building due to cowardice? Did they think that it was all part of a planned exercise and did not take it seriously?

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel is now coming under pressure to resign, and the article below says that 66 investigations for misconduct have been opened since 2012 under Sheriff Israel’s tenure. These investigations range from drug violations to kidnapping and even murder.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-02-27/broward-county-officials-opened-66-investigations-misconduct-under-sheriff-israel

“Many of the claims against officers - ranging from drug trafficking to kidnapping, happened under the watch of beleaguered Sheriff Scott Israel, whose office is now under investigation over allegations that his deputies failed to allow first responders to treat patients at Stoneman Douglas High School following the Feb. 14 massacre which left 17 dead, and that several deputies failed to enter the school to defend the children during the shooting - with reports of a ‘stand down’ order emerging over the last 24 hours.”

There are many suspicious elements in this school shooting, which, hopefully, will be sorted out by the proper authorities during this time. Meanwhile, there are many allegations and speculations being reported online (as usual). I was not there, so I cannot testify in any way.

The Latter Rain and Israel

However, regardless of what will be finally established as truth, the timing of the incident seems prophetic in a couple of ways. First, it occurred on the 70^th anniversary of the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on February 14, 1948. The Latter Rain Movement, as it came to be called, largely identified itself with the state of Israel that was soon to be declared on May 14, 1948. Most of the Latter Rain people believed that the Jews were Israel and that this outpouring was a parallel event among “gentiles.”

They did not understand the situation, nor did they have any revelation about the role of Esau-Edom, which I described in detail in my book, The Struggle for the Birthright.

But 70 years later, we do have that revelation. I first came to understand these things in the 1970’s after being raised a Christian Zionist in my early life. The truth was a real eye opener and, by 1978, it caused me to pursue an in-depth study of biblical law, which shed greater light on the issue.

So I find it interesting that Sheriff Israel would now be under investigation as the result of this incident. That seems to suggest a broader, prophetic layer of meaning. It seems apparent that this will mark the threshold where the state of Israel itself will be scrutinized more closely to find the truth from Scripture and from history about God’s reasons for allowing the state to be formed.

Likewise, the date of February 14 is linked prophetically to the Second Passover of Numbers 9:9, 10, 11, which was to be held on the 14^th day of the second month on the Hebrew calendar. February, of course, is our own second month, and we have taken note of this connection since about 2010.

Then there is the name of the alleged shooter, Nicolas Cruz. Nicolas is Greek for a Victor (or overcomer), and Cruz is Spanish for the cross. The cross is obviously a Passover theme, hence, appropriate for an event on February 14. This suggests that God is telling us that lies will be overcome by the power of the cross. What lies? Well, perhaps lies concerning what actually happened in this incident, but more importantly, the lies that have blinded the church for 70 years and more, causing them to support the Edomite State of Israel, regardless of their unchristian conduct toward the Palestinians and others.

A Long, Sad Story of Injustice and Carnality

When the church finally discovers how the state of Israel won their independence through terrorism, will they continue to justify Jewish terrorism by claiming divine support? Will they continue to blame the Palestinians for fighting back? Will they follow the pattern of Jacob himself, who justified his theft of the birthright and his lies to his father, Isaac, by claiming that prophecy (Genesis 25:23) was on his side?

Just as Jacob took advantage of his father’s blindness (Genesis 27:1) and stole Esau’s identity, so also in 1948 Esau took advantage of the church’s blindness and stole Jacob’s identity in order to take back the birthright. Both actions were done in an unlawful manner, and so in both cases their claim on the birthright could only be temporary. Justice will always be done in the end when God reconciles the accounts.

The real underlying lesson to be learned here is that in our zeal to see prophecy fulfilled, we cannot assist God by unlawful means. Lying has never been a fruit of the Spirit. One cannot obtain the birthright through lies and expect God to put His blessing upon it. Because Jacob did this, Isaac later told Esau in Genesis 27:40 KJV, “when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.”

In other words, Isaac said that Esau would be given the Dominion Mandate at a later time, at which time Esau would no longer be under Jacob’s “yoke” (authority, dominion). This means Jacob would eventually have to give the birthright back to Esau to allow the “hated” son (Malachi 1:2, 3; Deuteronomy 21:15, 16, 17) time to prove himself unworthy as a rebellious son according to the law in Deuteronomy 21:18, 19, 20, 21. By law, unworthy sons could be replaced, as we see in the case of Reuben himself (1 Chronicles 5:1, 2).

The descendants of Esau, later known as Edom, were finally conquered and incorporated into Jewry in 126-125 B.C. and forced to convert to Judaism. Virtually all Jewish historians acknowledge this, including Josephus who wrote around 95 A.D., “that they were hereafter no other than Jews.” (See Antiquities of the Jews, XIII, ix, 1.)

The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia, edited by Dr. Cecil Roth and Dr. Geoffrey Wigoder (1970 edition) affirms this, saying,

“The Edomites were conquered by John Hyrcanus who forcibly converted them to Judaism, and from then on they constituted a part of the Jewish people.”

The end-time prophecies regarding Edom, then, cannot be fulfilled in any other people other than the Jews or some portion of world Jewry. In 1948 the State of Israel was formed, claiming to be Israel, but because they had not fulfilled the law’s requirements for reinstatement (given in Leviticus 26:40, 41, 42), they could only receive statehood on account of their connection to Edom. Isaac’s prophecy to Esau had to be fulfilled.

Hence the Dominion Mandate and the Birthright as a whole was given back to Esau’s heirs in order to rectify the injustice that Jacob had perpetrated upon Esau. In 1948 the British flag, known as Union Jack (i.e., Jacob) was lowered, and the new Israeli flag was raised. Thus, Jacob gave the dominion back to Esau.

The Fig Tree Prophecy

A secondary prophecy was fulfilled at the same time, that of the cursed fig tree of the remnant of Judah. Jesus had cursed the fig tree for its unfruitfulness in Matthew 21:19, prophesying, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” Jesus later told His disciples that the fig tree would again bear leaves at the end of the age (Matthew 24:32, 33). But He did NOT prophesy that this tree would bear fruit, for that would have contradicted His earlier prophecy.

Hence, in 1948 the State of Israel was a combination of the fig tree remnant and Edom, both of which were to fulfill their own prophecies. The fig tree prophecies show that the State of Israel will never bear fruit unto God, and the prophecies to Esau show that this state is not the ultimate inheritor of the Kingdom. God has given them the land as a matter of justice to Esau, but Esau’s claim to the birthright is only temporary. He is not the ultimate birthright holder.

We have long wondered how long Esau was given to prove himself to be a stubborn son that is unworthy to hold the birthright. It now appears that 70 years is the answer. The fact that Sheriff Israel is now under investigation may be a major hint of this broader prophetic picture. If so, I would expect him to be forced to resign, even as I expect the Israeli state to be forced to give up the birthright to the overcomers—the “saints of the Most High,” as Daniel 7:22 KJV calls them.

We are, after all, at the end of the long captivity to the various beast nations that have ruled since 604 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem. It is time for the fruitful “saints” to be given the dominion mandate, that they may rule and reign with Christ in a greater way.