By Pastor F. M. Riley

“And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.  And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.  And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering, for it was without number. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came,…..”

Genesis 41:47-50

Introduction

I recently wrote two Bible studies setting forth the prophetic significance of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.  These two studies are entitled, “Another view on the Last Trump,” and “Cinderella, are you ready?”  If any of our readers missed these studies, I will be glad to send them to you upon request.

This is a third study in this series, written as a follow up and further confirmation of  the prophetical significance of The Feast of Tabernacles. In several previous studies I have emphasized the significance of the Lord’s declaration clearly stated in Isaiah 46:9-10; that the Lord has declared “…the end from the beginning…”

If we really want to know how this present age is going to be concluded, then we need to look at the beginning of Israel’s history to see what the Hebrew people [and the world] experienced at that time.  So now let’s step back in time to the days of Joseph in the land of Egypt…..

Biblical Types

I think all of our readers are surely familiar with the account of Joseph interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh, the ruler of all Egypt.  As I have pointed out in previous studies, Joseph was a type of Christ, Egypt was a type of the world, and the Pharaoh ruling at that time in history was a type of God the Father.  These types can easily be seen by any true believer who is serious about studying the Word of God.

Just as Joseph left his home and became a slave, so the Lord Jesus Christ left His home in glory and became a servant, Philippians 2:5-8; 2 Corinthians 8:9; John 17:5.  And just as Joseph was taken from prison and judgment and made Lord over all the land of Egypt, so the Lord Jesus Christ was taken from the prison house of departed spirits and from the grave [resurrected] and made Lord over all of God’s kingdom, Philippians 2:9-11; Matthew 28:18.

Also, just as Joseph was given a Gentile bride by Pharaoh [Genesis 41:45], so the Lord Jesus Christ has been given a Gentile bride [His church] by His Heavenly Father, John 6:37-40; 2 Corinthians 11:1-2; Ephesians 5:22-32.  I could point out many more types of Christ in the person of Joseph, but for lack of time and space I want to emphasize only one more commonly overlooked prophetic truth in this study…..

The Gathering in of the Corn

FIRST…..What is the corn, and what does the corn typify?

The word translated as “corn” in Genesis 41:35 and 41:49 is the Hebrew  word, “bar.”  This Hebrew word literally means, “grain; wheat, barley, rye; cleansed grain; that is, grain that has been cleansed or separated from the chaff.”  See Gesenius Hebrew Chaldee Lexicon, page 138, Strong’s No. 1250.

Joseph did not gather just any “corn” into the storehouses, but rather gathered only that “corn” which had been thoroughly “cleansed” or separated from the “chaff.”  This then brings us to our second point…..

SECOND…..The “corn” that Joseph gathered is a perfect type of God’s people; that is, true New Testament believers who have been called out from among the unbelievers of this world, saved by God’s GRACE, and perfectly cleansed of sin by the precious blood of Christ.

That such “corn” is typical of God’s people cannot be denied for this truth is clearly and repeatedly set forth in the Scriptures.  See such passages as Matthew 13:3-9, 13:18-23, 13:24-30, 13:36-43, Mark 4:26-29, John 12:24,  1 Corinthians 15:35-38, and many other similar passages throughout the Scriptures.

THIRD…..All of the “corn” that Joseph gathered in the land of Egypt was gathered BEFORE the seven evil years began. Read it for yourself in Genesis 41:48, “And he gathered up all of the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt…..”  Then in verse 50 it is plainly stated, “And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came…..”

It is then obvious that Joseph gathered all of the “corn” BEFORE the seven evil years began.  He didn’t miss any of it or leave any of it behind.  This is a vivid type of the resurrection and rapture of all true believers in this present “dispensation of grace” occurring BEFORE the seven evil years of the Tribulation begins.

It is a total confirmation and vindication of the Pre-tribulation rapture of God’s people.  Glory to God!  Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!  Thank you Lord Jesus!

FOURTH…..WHEN did Joseph gather the “corn” into the storehouses?  Remember that the Hebrew word translated as “corn” is referring to GRAIN; barley, rye, wheat, etc.  When were such grains normally placed in the granary or storehouse in Biblical times?

If we use the Book of Ruth as an example, then it is clearly stated that Ruth gleaned in the fields of Boaz “…unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest…,” Ruth 2:23.  It is also clear that it was AFTER THE END of both of those harvests that she then went to Boaz to become His Gentile bride as recorded in Ruth 3.

At the very time Ruth came to Boaz [a type of Christ], he was winnowing “barley…..in the threshing floor,” Ruth 3:2.  This means that Boaz was separating the barley grain from the chaff in order that he might put only clean grain in his storehouse, even as the Lord Jesus Christ has been separating between true believers and the lost for the past 21 years since 1988.  See Habakkuk 2:3-4 and compare that passage with Hebrews 10:37-39.

When Ruth went to Boaz there was a “heap of corn” at his feet [Ruth 3:7] which he had cleansed from the chaff by winnowing. I suspect that “heap of corn” would have been beyond the ability of any man to number.  Compare Genesis 41:49.  How many people have been saved and cleansed by God’s grace during this present dispensation?

I don’t know!  But I do know that the inspired Word speaks of “…the fullness of the Gentiles…,” Romans 11:25, and I suspect that will be a number of Gentile believers known only to God; a quantity which no man will be able to number.  Glory to God!  Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!

Now putting this whole inspired picture together from the Book of Ruth, it is then obvious that Ruth went to Boaz right at the very end of the Jewish harvest season.  When would that be?

I don’t think it requires much brain power on the part of any true believer to understand that Ruth must have gone to Boaz to become his Gentile bride on or following “…the feast of ingathering…,” Exodus 23:16; 34:22, which in other places in the Scriptures is referred to as The Feast of Tabernacles.  Glory!  Glory to God!  Hallelujah!

This then is also the time when the seven good years ended in the days of Joseph, and the time when Joseph “…gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.”  Folks, it all took place on or around The Feast of Tabernacles, and the Scriptural evidence clearly indicates this truth.  Praise the Lord!

The Harvest Moon

But WHEN is the correct date for The Feast of Tabernacles?  Psalm 81:3 clearly commands the Jews to “Blow in the new moon the ram’s horn at the full moon on our feast day.”  Read my study, “Another view on the Last Trump.”
The only Jewish festival that meets those qualifications this year is The Feast of Tabernacles.  Look at your calendar!

The full moon falls exactly on the night of October  4th.  In fact I have a news release laying right here on my desk in front of me as I write, which explicitly states that the full moon in the month of October this year will be a “harvest moon.”

This means that it will be the closest full moon to the Autumn Equinox.  The fall equinox occurred this year on September 22nd.  This makes a total of 13 days between the fall equinox this year and the full moon. This news article also says that this is a rare occurrence, for in most years the full moon nearest the fall equinox occurs in the month of September.

I thought it was quite interesting that this news article mentioned this fact, for the article also states that the next time a “harvest moon” will occur in the month of October will be in 2017.   Hello!  Are you awake?  Seven years between harvests!  Believing Gentiles and believing Jews.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so!

But when will this “harvest moon” actually become a complete “full moon?”  This news article states that the moon will become full at exactly 2:10 a.m. EDT here in the United States of America.  Due to the time zones, there is a 7 hour difference in the time between Israel and the U.S., with Israel being 7 hours ahead of those living on the east coast of the U.S.

In other words, when the moon becomes full at 2:10 a.m. here in the U.S. on October 4th, it will already be 9:10 a.m. on October 4th in Israel.  Our readers can now make any further calculations you desire using this information, but the “harvest moon” will become a full moon exactly as stated.

Therefore the Feast of Tabernacles this year will occur on October 4th.  It is more than ironic that this would not have happened except for the fact that the new moon was not sighted on the evening of September 18th and therefore Rosh HaShanah was set back one day. The first day of Tishri and Rosh HaShanah then began at sundown on September 19th.   Therefore all of the other Jewish holy days have to be adjusted accordingly.

Conclusion

Dear readers, Joseph gathered in the “corn,” all of the corn, in the land of ancient Egypt on or just after the Feast of Tabernacles.  The seven good years ended at that same time, and the seven evil years of famine began.
Today the seven years of good are swiftly ending, and the seven evil years of Tribulation and famine are staring humanity in the face.  I am fully expecting our Lord Jesus Christ to come and rescue His people on or just after the Feast of Tabernacles.

Read Luke 21:36, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9, Titus 2:11-15, and Revelation 3:10 again and hold these promises fast to your heart.  Folks, I have absolute confidence in the inspired promises of our Lord as set forth in His Word.  He is coming to gather His “corn” into His storehouse in Heaven.  ARE YOU READY?

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