A Spiritual Convergence*

     A convergence is defined as "the act of converging and especially moving toward union or uniformity especially : coordinated movement of the two eyes so that the image of a single point is formed on corresponding retinal areas." This is a holy season for Jews and Christians beginning with Purim, Palm Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, and then Passover. During this season, there will also be heavenly events occurring that represent a convergence. These events include a complete solar eclipse and, during that eclipse, the sighting of the Devil's Comet. 

     The observance during this season that we will discuss today is Purim, which joyfully celebrates the victory over an evil enemy in the Book of Esther. However, Esther is also a prophetic Book. It has this important end time meaning for the Church: If you don't take responsibility to fulfill your purpose here, you won't be saved, and someone else will be raised up who will obediently do the will of God.

     God's Word is prophetic, and Jesus is the Word that was with God from the beginning: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (Jn. 1:1-5). This is our first rule: The Word was in the beginning with God. Our second rule: The Word of God is prophetic, with Jesus as prophecy walking on earth. As scripture says: "...These are the true sayings of God...for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Rev. 19:9-10). This assurance is given to us as the marriage supper between the Lamb and His wife is revealed and is announced in heaven as having come (Rev. 19:7-10).

     God's Word, Jesus, is the light of life, but the Word of God also explains His creation of the sun, moon and stars this way: "And God said, Let there be light in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years." (Gen. 1:14). God is not talking about astrology here. Astrology and horoscopes hold people in fear and under its control. However, we are not to look at the signs of heaven in such a way, but with the understanding of the LORD (Jer. 10:2). When the LORD speaks about the sun, moon and stars, He is talking about prophetic signs and timing. Jesus and the prophets also referred to the sun, moon and stars in this manner. Jesus talked to those who could not discern the signs and timing of His arrival as the Son of God: "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven." (Mt. 16:1). Jesus scolded them for looking to the heavens only for determining the weather for the day: "...ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" (v. 2-3). Again, Jesus was not talking about looking at the heavens in the sense of astrology, but for discerning signs. Later, Jesus would reveal the signs of the end times before His return by pointing, in part, to the signs that would be occurring in the heavens: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened (an eclipse?), and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven..." (Mt. 24:29-30). When Jesus spoke about the times of the Gentiles being fulfilled (fulfilled when Israel regained control of Jerusalem and more recently, the Temple Mount), He added: "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh....Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away."  (Lk. 21:24-28, 32-33). Jesus was not practicing astrology with these words. He was talking about Gen. 1:14 in action, and the heavenly signs which had been set in place since the beginning because He is the prophetic Word. We are the generation who has seen these signs begin to come to pass. Why would we ignore any of the signs?

     At the time of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, wise men or magi came from the east. They came to Jerusalem to pay honor to a King. A new star in the heavens, that they knew was a sign of a new king, directed them to Israel. They came before King Herod with their news, and after seeking information from the chief priests and scribes, Herod directed the wise men to Bethlehem, as was written in God's prophetic Word. When they found this child King, they were to bring the news back to Herod, who secretly planned to kill Him. (Mt. 2:1-8). "When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." (v. 9-11). The wise men were warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod so they departed a different way (v. 12). The magi had studied the stars and knew the signs of the times. Herod in fulfilment of the prophecy of Jeremiah did begin a campaign of murder against the children of Bethlehem, but Joseph had already taken Jesus and Mary to Egypt after being warned to do so in a dream (v. 16-18).

      The people of the Middle East were not blond-haired and blue-eyed, as many portray Christ. They were people of color. As we begin to look at the story of Esther in connection with Purim, we are told that Esther was a hidden Jew within the Persian kingdom. A blond-haired blue-eyed Esther could not have remained hidden in her identity. Her complexion was similar to the people of Persia in which she was living. Mordecai, Esther's uncle, knew of Haman's scheme to kill all of the Jews in Persia, which the king, Ahasuerus, had approved for money. He and all of the Jews went into repentance, prayer, crying aloud, and the wearing of sackcloth. Esther tried to stop Mordecai from this public mourning which would have displeased the king. Mordecai sent a message to Esther that he wanted her to go before her husband, the king, and seek relief for the Jews from this planned extermination. Esther was married to the king but had not been called in to him for thirty days, which she explained to Mordecai. If she tried to enter the king's court without being sent for, it would mean that she would be put to death, unless the king extended his scepter to her indicating his favor (Est. 4:1-12; see Esther 4). There are terrorists today that want the same thing regarding the Jews -that they should be destroyed. As Zechariah also prophesied, all of the nations will come against Israel, as we are beginning to see come to pass.

     Mordecai said this when he heard Esther's hesitance to go before the king uninvited: "Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (v. 13-14). We also are here "for such a time as this." Sometimes the church looks at the Rapture thinking, "I don't need to worry about these things - I'll be out of here", which leads to luke-warmness like the Laodicean church in Revelation. However, it is very possible that the church will experience at least some of the tribulation. We need to go back to the place of holiness, repenting, and seeking the Lord's face.

     Esther sent the message to Mordecai that he tell the Jews to fast for three days, as she would also: "...and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish." (v. 15-17). There is a significance to the third day, as mentioned here. Jesus was in the grave for three days. On the third day, Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king's palace: "And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee to the half of the kingdom.":" (Est. 5:1-3). We also are called to inherit the kingdom, but with that inheritance come responsibility. We are called to stand in the gap, fast and pray. Our Messiah, Jesus is also associated with the ruling scepter of a king as prophesied by Jacob about his son, Judah, in Gen. 49:10-11. This prophecy also referred to the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey on what is called Palm Sunday, and His robes being dipped in blood as Christ's return is described in the Book of Revelation.

     In the Book of Esther, the enemy was destroyed because Esther prepared herself, entered into the presence of the king, and interceded against the enemy's plans. As believers in Christ, we also have an enemy, Satan, who tirelessly comes against us with all that he has. The spring feasts may have already been fulfilled but they still have much to reveal to us. These feasts are also signs that we must not ignore.          

     *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 3/24/24 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook.