Scrutinizing the “Hosea Clock”!
Scrutinizing the «Hosea Clock»!
Hosea ministered to the Northern Kingdom (the ten tribes) of Israel,
750 – 722 BC, in the time of king Jeroboam II (785-745 BC).
Jan Lilleby
The so-called «Hosea Clock» has been mentioned in some of my earlier articles.
It has to do both with the future Israel and with the Church dispensation, as far as the time-question is concerned.
In short: The prophecy spoken by Hosea tells of a certain time to come, when Israel will be revived as a nation for God; And thus followed by the Millennial Kingdom which was promised by the prophets.
Here I want to use the context in which Hosea prophesied, so that we should have no doubts that the time-aspect is trust worthy.
I shall use Amplified Bible for quotes.
THE CONTEXT FOR HOSEA’S PROPHECY
Hos. 5:15,
“I will return to My place (on high) until they acknowledge their offense and feel their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction and distress they will seek, inquire for, and require Me earnestly, saying..” (thus it continues in chapt. 6)
Actually, the words in this verse are uttered by Hosea, but in the metaphorical meaning that these are spoken by Israel’s Messiah, the future Jesus Christ.
How so?
Because He here is pointing to the fact that He had been some place, and thereafter left that place. Which place?
He had been with His people in Israel (as we read the four Gospels) – and He was killed by those who hated him, those who would not believe that He was God’s Messiah King. We know this story, don’t we?
He actually returned to His place in heaven. We read of Jesus’ ascension in Acts 1:9 and in Luke 24:51. Luke says, - was taken up into heaven. Here we also get to know that Jesus actually came from heaven, since it says that He returned. He could not have ‘returned’ if He did not first come down here, from heaven on high.
But notice that He said a very important word, until they (Israel) ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR OFFENSE, or said with other words: Until they confess their sins of having killed their own Messiah! As well as they will feel the heavy burden of guilt having done this. And in this regretful mindset they will seek Him – and they will say….what?
That is where the Hosea clock comes in, answering on what Israel will say. So we read in Hos. 6: 1, 2,
“Come and let us return to the Lord, for He has torn so that He may heal us; He has stricken so that He may bind us up. 2: After TWO DAYS He will REVIVE US; on the THIRD DAY He will raise us up that we MAY LIVE BEFORE HIM.”
Hosea wrote this down, and now we actually have an exact time (by year) for the coming of Jesus Christ from heaven! We cannot find any Bible Scripture saying against Hosea 6:1, 2. And notice that Israel (verse 1) is admitting to having been torn (destroyed), and stricken as a nation, so that in His return to earth, He will then heal them and mend all their wounds and afflictions. He shall “bind them up”- which means to restitute them and give them back their right standing with God as His nation on earth.
WHAT OF THESE 2000 YEARS – THE TWO DAYS?
If these “Two Days” had been ordinary calendar days, then it would have meant that Jesus would have come from heaven two days after that they died (as a nation) in 10th of September 70 AD. That day was a Sunday, which means that Jesus would have come from heaven Tuesday 12th of September. But that never happened. Thus we have to look for the other option: The two days are 2000 years. Peter’s words in his epistle come to mind, - one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day in the eyes of God. ( II Pet. 3:8).
We have to use the Jewish calendar system when putting this together.
Counting 360 days (one Jewish year) x 2000 gives us 720 000 calendar days, and if converted into the Gregorian calendar which we have, this makes up 1972,6 years, adding the 70 years to when Israel was destroyed, we get 2042 and also make adjustments in regard to leap years, it is fair to say 2041 as the year of Jesus coming from heaven.
It will actually give us November 17th 2041, when the counting started at 10th September 70 AD.
That is the day which then becomes the first day of that THIRD DAY: The Millennial Kingdom. Thus the Great Tribulation is ended 16th of November of course. (In another article, I have added that it might also come to that Jesus arrives in the Passover 2041, which is in springtime, and not in November.) I shall come back to this.
So having this settled, we have to subtract these 7 years of tribulation for Israel, and get 2034 AD as the year in which that Great Tribulation is started.
That leaves us to reason that the Church dispensation will have to end at this year at the latest. However, it might also come to that God will find it convenient to take us to heaven in good time before that tribulation is starting up. If it is 2034, then we have only 12 years left on earth before taken into heaven. It is a sensational short interval of time, isn’t it? But God’s prophet to the Northern Kingdom (the ten tribes) he was a real truth-teller. There would not fall one single syllable or utterance from his lips which would not be a true Word of God! This you can take to the bank, and they will favor you with interest! And there is no other, eventually opposing Word of God to say against the truth told in Hos. 5:15; 6:1- 3.
But still, it might come to that God takes us into heaven several years before that. (See my article “Can the Present Dispensation Be Concluded Much Earlier Than the Great Tribulation For Israel?”.)
There is no doubt that Hosea 5:15 as well as 6:1, 2 have the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as the topic and context.
It is pointing to Israel as a revived nation, as they will seek the Lord Jesus and utter great regrets over what they did to Him 2000 years ago – another prophet in the Bible say straight forward that they shall mourn and lamenting with tears before Christ at His return, like a woman over her only son (having died).
Hosea 6:3 must also be quoted here,
“Yes, let us know Him; let us be zealous to know the Lord. His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn, and He will come to us, as the rain (from heaven), as the latter rain that waters the earth.”
“His going forth is prepared” it says. That is a hint towards Elijah who shall come and make everything restored and ready for the coming of Messiah Jesus (Mat. 17:11). Jesus said this after John the Baptist was beheaded by Antipas, so this proves that He spoke of the real Elijah, and not “one like Elijah, John the Baptist”.
Hosea used the imagery of rain falling from the clouds, speaking of Christ’s return. Rev. 19:11-14 shows us when Christ will appear in the clouds of heaven, and riding a white horse followed by an army of God’s angels. It is Christ Who will fall upon Israel (as a relief from the tribulation) like when latter rain falls on the dry soil, watering the earth.
Jesus knew this, since He had read Daniels Book, mentioning “One like a Son of Man, who came with clouds of heaven” – Dan. 7:13.
Jesus used this ‘nickname’ if you will, Son of Man, many times in His earthly ministry. It was recognizable to the learned Jews who heard Him, and they got angry over Jesus’ using this name on Himself!
I mentioned that Jesus would rather come in the Passover than in November 2041.
The seven years of tribulation can also be held as a time-frame, in the sense that it might not take full seven years of tribulation. It can be shortened. Thus, it is absolutely probable that Jesus would come at Passover – especially when He said to his people, right before the crucifixion, that - you shall not see me again before you say – Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Well, that particular line/sentence is a quote from Psalm 118:26 – the Passover Psalm in Jewry which is sung every year at that time,
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord”.
So it may be a fair and reasonable assertion that Jesus will come in Passover 2041 instead of November. But – it will remain to be seen of course.
I fully have confidence in Hosea’s prediction of the three prophetic days, which are three millennia. Hosea spoke in full inspiration of God and the Holy Spirit, I am sure.
