The Seven Feasts of Moses

The Seven Feasts of Moses
The Torah - the five books of Moses - details seven feasts during the Hebrew calendar:¹ Three feasts are in the spring, in the month of Nisan: Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of First Fruits. Then fifty days later there is the Feast of Weeks, Shavout, also known as Pentecost.
There are three remaining feasts in the fall, in the month of Tishri: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles. (There are two reckonings of the Hebrew year: the civil year starts in the fall on the 1st of Tishri; the religious calendar starts in the spring in the month of Nisan.² )

Their Prophetic Role
While each of these feasts has a historical commemorative role, they also have a prophetic role. Jesus indicated this in Matthew 5:17:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Paul also emphasized that in Romans 15:4:
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning...
The prophetic role of the feasts is also highlighted in Colossians 2:16 and 17:
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come...

The Feast of Trumpets
The Jewish New Year (Rosh Ha' Shana), along with the Feast of Trumpets, begins on the 1st of Tishri.
Immediately following the Feast of Trumpets begins the seven Days of Affliction, in anticipation of the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , the Day of Atonement,³ is observed on the 10th of Tishri. This day was a day of sin offerings and numerous other rituals as it was the most solemn of all the observances.
This was the day - the only day - that the High Priest was able to enter the Holy of Holies,⁴ and then only after elaborate ceremonial washings, offerings, and associated rituals.
This was also the day that two goats were selected, one for an offering and one as the "scapegoat."⁵
(The lottery box, used to select which goat was to serve in which capacity, has been fashioned for service in the forthcoming Temple and may be seen during a visit to the Temple Institute in Jerusalem today.)
As many aspects of the feasts were prophetic, the scapegoat is also Messianic.⁶
Even the seven days preceding, the Days of Affliction, are an affliction of preparation, suggestive of the threshing floor, which is also a prophetic idiom.⁷
Since the loss of the Temple in 70 A.D., the God-centered observances of the Torah have tragically been replaced with a man-centered, good works system of appeasement through prayer, charity, and penitence.
However, it appears that a return to the traditional ways is on the horizon with the plans to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.⁸

Succoth (The Feast of Tabernacles)
Five days later, on the 15th of Tishri, is the final feast of the year: Succoth, the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Booths. This lasts for eight days and is one of the three feasts that were compulsory for all Jewish males.⁹
It is fascinating to visit Israel at this time and observe them build their temporary "booths" in the traditional way, leaving deliberate gaps in the branches to view the stars at night, and for the wind to blow through during the day. This is intended to remind them of the wilderness wanderings.
At the end of the eight days, they leave their temporary dwellings to return to their permanent homes. (This is one of the reasons some suspect that this feast, rather than the Feast of Trumpets, is suggestive of the Rapture of the Church. Also, there appears to be a hint by Peter, desiring to build "succoths" at the transfiguration.¹⁰ ) This day, traditionally, is the day that Solomon dedicated the first Temple.
This feast also involved a daily processional to the Pool of Siloam to fetch water for the Temple. This ceremonial procession is the setting for the events of John 7, where Jesus offers them "living water."¹¹
This procession involved four types of branches: the willow, the myrtle, the palm, and a citrus.¹² The willow has no smell and no fruit. The myrtle has smell, but no fruit. The palm has no smell, but bears fruit. The citrus has both smell and bears fruit. This sounds reminiscent of the four soils of the first "kingdom parable" of Matthew 13, doesn't it?¹³
The prophetic implications of this climactic feast are many. Most scholars associate it with the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom in Israel.¹⁴
 
In Summary
Most observers note that the first three feasts, in the first month of the religious year -Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of First Fruits - are prophetic of the Lord's First Coming. They each were also fulfilled on the day they were observed.
Between these three feasts and the final three feasts is the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, which is predictive of the Church. (It is also the only feast in which leavened bread is ordained!)
It is believed that the last three feasts, in the 7th month, are prophetic of the Lord's Second Coming. That is why many are particularly watchful in the fall of each year. For more background, schedule Tov Rose to speak to your group: 651-686-5600.

1. Leviticus 23; Numbers 28, 29; Deuteronomy 16.
2. Exodus 12:2.
3. Leviticus 16:1-19; 23:26-32.
4. Hebrews 9:1-16.
5. Leviticus 16:20-34.
6. 2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:6; 52:15.
7. Luke 3:16,17. Note the location of Ruth (a Gentile bride-to-be) during the threshing floor scene (Ruth 3:8,9): at Boaz's (the kinsman-redeemer) feet.
8. See The Coming Temple Update, Chuck Missler
9. Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) and the Feast of Tabernacles were mandatory: Deuteronomy 16:16.
10. Matthew 17:4.
11. John 7:2, 10, 37-39.
12. Thanks to Doug Wetmore for his insights.
13. Matthew 13:3-9; 18-23.
14. Hosea 5:15-6:3; Zechariah 14:4, 9, 16.

Want to Support the Ministry of Tov Rose? You can do so through my ministry partner, Chosen People Ministries International, by filling in the Special Designation field: TOV ROSE right here.

From Tov Rose; RE: The Seven Feasts of Moses and Why Should Christians Care?

The Seven Feasts of Moses
The Torah - the five books of Moses - details seven feasts during the Hebrew calendar:¹ Three feasts are in the spring, in the month of Nisan: Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of First Fruits. Then fifty days later there is the Feast of Weeks, Shavout, also known as Pentecost.
There are three remaining feasts in the fall, in the month of Tishri: the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles. (There are two reckonings of the Hebrew year: the civil year starts in the fall on the 1st of Tishri; the religious calendar starts in the spring in the month of Nisan.² )
Their Prophetic Role
While each of these feasts has a historical commemorative role, they also have a prophetic role. Jesus indicated this in Matthew 5:17:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Paul also emphasized that in Romans 15:4:
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning...
The prophetic role of the feasts is also highlighted in Colossians 2:16 and 17:
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come...
The Feast of Trumpets
The Jewish New Year (Rosh Ha' Shana), along with the Feast of Trumpets, begins on the 1st of Tishri.
Immediately following the Feast of Trumpets begins the seven Days of Affliction, in anticipation of the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , the Day of Atonement,³ is observed on the 10th of Tishri. This day was a day of sin offerings and numerous other rituals as it was the most solemn of all the observances.
This was the day - the only day - that the High Priest was able to enter the Holy of Holies,⁴ and then only after elaborate ceremonial washings, offerings, and associated rituals.
This was also the day that two goats were selected, one for an offering and one as the "scapegoat."⁵
(The lottery box, used to select which goat was to serve in which capacity, has been fashioned for service in the forthcoming Temple and may be seen during a visit to the Temple Institute in Jerusalem today.)
As many aspects of the feasts were prophetic, the scapegoat is also Messianic.⁶
Even the seven days preceding, the Days of Affliction, are an affliction of preparation, suggestive of the threshing floor, which is also a prophetic idiom.⁷
Since the loss of the Temple in 70 A.D., the God-centered observances of the Torah have tragically been replaced with a man-centered, good works system of appeasement through prayer, charity, and penitence.
However, it appears that a return to the traditional ways is on the horizon with the plans to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.⁸
Succoth (The Feast of Tabernacles)
Five days later, on the 15th of Tishri, is the final feast of the year: Succoth, the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Booths. This lasts for eight days and is one of the three feasts that were compulsory for all Jewish males.⁹
It is fascinating to visit Israel at this time and observe them build their temporary "booths" in the traditional way, leaving deliberate gaps in the branches to view the stars at night, and for the wind to blow through during the day. This is intended to remind them of the wilderness wanderings.
At the end of the eight days, they leave their temporary dwellings to return to their permanent homes. (This is one of the reasons some suspect that this feast, rather than the Feast of Trumpets, is suggestive of the Rapture of the Church. Also, there appears to be a hint by Peter, desiring to build "succoths" at the transfiguration.¹⁰ ) This day, traditionally, is the day that Solomon dedicated the first Temple.
This feast also involved a daily processional to the Pool of Siloam to fetch water for the Temple. This ceremonial procession is the setting for the events of John 7, where Jesus offers them "living water."¹¹
This procession involved four types of branches: the willow, the myrtle, the palm, and a citrus.¹² The willow has no smell and no fruit. The myrtle has smell, but no fruit. The palm has no smell, but bears fruit. The citrus has both smell and bears fruit. This sounds reminiscent of the four soils of the first "kingdom parable" of Matthew 13, doesn't it?¹³
The prophetic implications of this climactic feast are many. Most scholars associate it with the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom in Israel.¹⁴
In Summary
Most observers note that the first three feasts, in the first month of the religious year -Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of First Fruits - are prophetic of the Lord's First Coming. They each were also fulfilled on the day they were observed.
Between these three feasts and the final three feasts is the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, which is predictive of the Church. (It is also the only feast in which leavened bread is ordained!)
It is believed that the last three feasts, in the 7th month, are prophetic of the Lord's Second Coming. That is why many are particularly watchful in the fall of each year. For more background, schedule Tov Rose to speak to your group: 651-686-5600.

1. Leviticus 23; Numbers 28, 29; Deuteronomy 16.
2. Exodus 12:2.
3. Leviticus 16:1-19; 23:26-32.
4. Hebrews 9:1-16.
5. Leviticus 16:20-34.
6. 2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:6; 52:15.
7. Luke 3:16,17. Note the location of Ruth (a Gentile bride-to-be) during the threshing floor scene (Ruth 3:8,9): at Boaz's (the kinsman-redeemer) feet.
8. See The Coming Temple Update, Chuck Missler
9. Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) and the Feast of Tabernacles were mandatory: Deuteronomy 16:16.
10. Matthew 17:4.
11. John 7:2, 10, 37-39.
12. Thanks to Doug Wetmore for his insights.
13. Matthew 13:3-9; 18-23.
14. Hosea 5:15-6:3; Zechariah 14:4, 9, 16.

Want to Support the Ministry of Tov Rose? You can do so through my ministry partner, Chosen People Ministries International, by filling in the Special Designation field: TOV ROSE right here.

Perplexing Mysteries: Proof that Jews were in America in ancient times?

Perplexing Mysteries

More and more, scholars are coming to admit that peoples from the Middle East reached the New World long before Columbus or the Vikings. One stone, found at Fort Benning, Georgia, has unusual markings all over it. I saw the stone myself, and took photographs of it. Professor Stanislav Segert, professor of Semitic languages at the University of Prague, has identified the markings on the stone as a script of the second millennium before the Messiah, from the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete!

In Quest of the White God, Pierre Honore points out similarities between the ancient Minoan writing and the script of the ancient Mayas. Independently of him, other scholars have noted striking similarities between Aztec glyphs from Mexico, and Cretan glyphs on the Phaistos Disc from the island of Crete in the Mediterranean.

In addition to these remarkable discoveries, Dr. Cyrus Gordon told me that Jews were in America in ancient times. The inscription on the stone, he asserts, is in the writing style of Canaan, the promised land of the Hebrews. Concludes Gordon, whom I interviewed at his old, New England style home in the suburbs of Boston: "There is no doubt that these findings, and others, reflect Bronze Age transatlantic communication between the Mediterranean and the New World around the middle of the second millennium B.C."

In 1968 Manfred Metcalf was looking for slabs to build a barbeque pit. Several strange-looking, flat rocks caught his eye; he picked up a large flat piece of sandstone about nine inches long, brushed it off, and noticed odd markings on it. Metcalf gave the stone to Dr. Joseph B. Mahan, Jr., Director of Education and Research at the nearby Columbus Museum of Arts and Crafts at Columbus, Georgia. Mahan sent a copy of the stone to Cyrus Gordon. Gordon reported:

"After studying the inscription, it was apparent to me that the affinities of the script were with the Aegean syllabary, whose two best known forms are Minoan Linear A, and Mycenaean Linear B. The double-axe in the lower left corner is of course reminiscent of Minoan civilization. The single verticle lines remind us of the vertical lines standing each for the numeral '1' in the Aegean syllabary; while the little circles stand for '100.'"

Concluded Gordon: "We therefore have American inscriptional contacts with the Aegean of the Bronze Age, near the south, west and north shores of the Gulf of Mexico. This can hardly be accidental; ancient Aegean writing near three different sectors of the Gulf reflects Bronze Age translatlantic communication between the Mediterranean and the New World around the middle of the second millennium B.C."

Gordon offers the exciting thought, "The Aegean analogues to Mayan writing, to the Aztec glyphs, and to the Metcalf Stone, inspire the hope that the deciphered scripts of the Mediterranean may provide keys for unlocking the forgotten systems of writing in the New World. A generation capable of landing men on the moon, may also be able to place pre-Columbian Americas within the framework of world history" (Manuscripts, summer of 1969).

Further proof that transatlantic travel and communication existed in the Bronze Age, in the middle of the second millennium B.C., during the time of David and Solomon, and before, comes to us from South America.

In 1872 a slave belonging of Joaquim Alves de Costa, found a broken stone tablet in the tropical rain forests of Brazil's Paraiba state. Baffled by the strange markings on the stone, Costa's son, who was a draftsman, made a copy of it and sent it to the Brazilian Emperor's Council of State. The stone came to the attention of Ladislau Netto, director of the national museum. He was convinced of the inscription's autthenticity and made a crude translation of it. Contemporary scholars scoffed. The very thought of Phoenicians reaching Brazil thousands of years before Columbus was viewed with disdain. Few scholars took the stone at all seriously.

In 1966 Dr. Jules Piccus, professor of romance languages at the University of Massachusetts, bought an old scrapbook at a rummage sale containing a letter written by Netto in 1874, which contained his translations of the markings on the stone and a tracing of the original copy he had received from Costa's son. Intrigued, Dr. Piccus brought the material to the attention of Cyrus H. Gordon. Dr. Gordon, the head of the Department of Mediterranean Studies at Brandeis and an expert in ancient Semitic languages, as well as author of some 13 books, was amazed. He compared the Paraiba inscription with the latest work on Phoenician writings. He discovered that it contained nuances and quirks of Phoenician style that could not have been known to a 19th century forger. The writings had to be genuine!

Gordon translated the inscription as follows: "We are Sidonian Canaanites from the city of the Mercantile King. We were cast up on this distant shore, a land of mountains. We sacrificed a youth to the celestial gods and goddesses in the nineteenth year of our mighty King Hiram and embarked from Ezion-geber into the Red Sea. We voyaged with ten ships and were at sea together for two years around Africa. Then we were separated by the hand of Baal and were no longer with our companions. So we have come here, twelve men and three women, into New Shore. Am I, the Admiral, a man who would flee? Nay! May the celestial gods and goddesses favor us well!"

Hebrews in the Americas 1,000 B.C.?

Hebrews in the Americas 1,000 B.C.?

In 1973 I visited with Dr. Joseph Mahan in Atlanta, Georgia, an expert in ancient Indian ethnology of the southeastern Indians of the United States. He showed me samples of pottery uncovered from the waters around the Bahamas, and told me of Indian legends, including that of the Yuchis, stating they had migrated to the area of Florida and Georgia from the region of the Bahamas. According to their legends, the island sank beneath the sea and they fled for their lives.

These same Yuchis later migrated to the Oklahoma territory, where they eventually settled down. Amazingly enough, they show strong evidence that they had contact with the Old World in historic times. They have a custom which is unique among the American Indians. They are racially and linguistically different from their neighbors. Every year on the fifteenth day of the sacred month of harvest, in the fall, they make a pilgrimmage. For eight days they live in "booths" with roofs open to the sky, covered with branches and leaves and foliage. During this festival, they dance around the sacred fire, and called upon the name of God.

The ancient Israelites had the virtually identical custom, in many respects. In the harvest season in the fall, on the 15th day of the sacred month of harvest (the seventh month), they celebrate the "festival of booths" for eight days. During this time they lived in temporary booths, covered with branches, leaves, fronds. This festival goes back to the time of Moses and the Exodus from ancient Egypt (Leviticus 23).

How is it that two totally separated peoples observed the identical custom?

Dr. Cyrus Gordon, of Brandeis University in Boston, was privileged to sit in on one of the fall harvest festivals of the Yuchi Indians, and listened to their chants, songs, and sacred ceremonies. An expert in Hebrew, Minoan, and many Middle Eastern languages, he was incredulous. As he listened, he exclaimed to his companion, "They are speaking the Hebrew names for God!"

Dr. Joe Mahan is a strong believer in cultural contacts between the Indians and the East, long before Columbus. He showed me a small tablet containing ancient cuneiform writing of the Babylonians. "This," he said, "was found not long ago by a woman digging in her flower bed, here in Georgia. The inscription appears to be genuine. There is no reason not to believe it is authentic."

Discoveries in South America, Did King Solomon's Navy Make it this Far?

Discoveries in South America

In the past century, several Brazilians have found inscriptions on rocks along the Amazon river. Over a period of 50 years, four men, including two who were scientists, uncovered inscriptions which they independently concluded were Phoenician in origin.

The first man, Francisco Pinto, in 1872 found over 20 caves deep in the Brazilian jungle and uncovered about 250 strange inscriptions upon the rocks. He thought they were Phoenician, and Brazil's Director of History and Geography corroborated his suspicions. A German philologist who studied the markings in 1911 felt they were genuine.

In the 1880s, Ernest Ronan, a French scientist, combed the jungles and found several more inscribed stones. In the 1920s a scholar by the name of Bernardo da Silva discovered many more inscriptions along the Amazon. It makes good sense. It explains why the Mayans,who considered Quetzalcoatl as the bringer of their arts and laws, depicted him as being unusually blond!

When the Spaniards discovered the New World in the early sixteenth century, perhaps fifty million inhabitants lived in the Western Hemisphere, speaking over 900 languages. Such linguistic diversity has long puzzled scholars, and logically attests to a diversity of origins. Carleton S. Coon reported that the conquistadores "commented on Montezuma's light skin, but did not remark that this ruler rarely exposed himself to the bright sun." Coon adds: "George Catlin, in his portraits of the Mandan Indians, depicted some of them as blond. . . . Another case of allegedly abberrant Indians is that of the Pomo, Hupa, and neighboring tribes in north-central California whose beard growth seems to have been Caucasoid when they were first seen" (Coon, The Living Races of Man, p.154).

Another mystery to ethnologists is the existence of a white skinned, red-bearded tribe discovered by builders of Brazil's Trans-Amazon Highway. Called the Lower Assurinis because they live south of the route of the highway, they have ear lobes (which is uncharacteristic of other tribes), and their language differs from traditional dialects in the region.

Sir Walter Raleigh in his History of the World mentioned that the Indians he encountered used many Welsh words long before the Welsh were known to have come to America. Linguistic studies prove that the Welsh language is very closely akin to ancient Hebrew!

Did ancient Hebrews reach the shores of the North and South American continents thousands of years before Christopher Columbus?

Did ancient Hebrews reach the shores of the North and South American continents thousands of years before Christopher Columbus? What evidence is there for Hebrew and Israelite occupation of the Western Hemisphere even a thousand years before the Messiah? Was trans-Atlantic commerce and travel fairly routine in the days of king Solomon of Israel? Read here the intriguing, fascinating saga of the TRUE DISCOVERERS OF AMERICA!

A stone in a dry creek bed in New Mexico, discovered by early settlers in the region, is one of the most amazing archaeological discoveries in the Western Hemisphere. It contains engraved on its flank the entire Ten Commandments written in ancient Hebrew script! Hebrew scholars, such as Cyrus Gordon of Brandeis University near Boston, have vouched for its authenticity. I visited the site of the huge boulder, near Las Lunas, New Mexico, in 1973 and photographed the Hebrew inscriptions. A local newspaper reporter guided me to the mysterious site, located out in the middle of the New Mexico desert. We watched for rattlesnakes, as we hiked in to the spot where the boulder lies, unmoved and in situ for who knows how many mysterious centuries. Who put it there? Who wrote the incredible inscription of the TEN COMMANDMENTS in an ancient Hebrew dialect.

In December, 1989, it was reported that an American explorer in Peru's highland jungles had found evidence that indicated king Solomon's legendary gold mines may have been in that region. The explorer, Gene Savoy, declared that he had found three stone tablets containing the first writing found from the ancient civilizations of the Andes. The inscriptions, he reported, are similar to Phoenician and Hebrew hieroglyphs!

Reports the San Francisco Chronicle: "The hieroglyphs on the tablets are similar to those used in King Solomon's time and include one identical to the symbol that always appeared on the ships he sent to the legendary land of Ophir, which the Bible described as the source of his gold, Savoy said" (December 7, 1989).

Savoy is no newcomer to archaeological discoveries. He was the discoverer of the last Inca city of Vilcabamba in 1964. Savoy declared that the three tablets each weigh several tons and measure about 5 by 10 feet. They were found in a cave near Gran Vilaya, the immense ruins of the Chachapoyas Indian civilization which he discovered in 1985.

Why are Christians Offended When I Teach?

So today I was teaching a little bit at our twice per month Saturday evening Bible study. I guess someone was shocked when I mentioned that the Bible's Enoch and Elijah were actually dead and unable to return as the "Two Witnesses" in the Book of Revelation. Why is that controversial? 

Sure, most of Western Christianity teaches that that Enoch and Elijah will be coming back to preach and die in Revelation chapter 11. But does saying something other than what the majority believes make me controversial? 

Does it matter that there are even some extra-Biblical books that confirm that Enoch and Elijah are dead right now, and even accepted books of the Bible that contain information confirming that these two men died?

I've been in this place a few times, where someone has accused me of reading a Bible passage out of context, then finding an extra-Biblical source to back up a theory. However, for the record, I do not teach nor believe that extra-Biblical Books or even Apocryphal books are the inspired Word of God. However, if one of these additional works confirms something that the Bible clearly says, shouldn't it be okay to at least discuss and consider the issue? Maybe God is trying to teach us something? 

Maybe I'm wrong. I've been wrong before.

FOR THE RECORD:

I am not even going to give my teaching on Enoch and Elijah. I haven't written a book about the issue, but there is a guy who covers that subject in his own book. So I am going to do something I rarely do and encourage you to go read this guy's book. I'm not the only one teaching that Enoch and Elijah were dead in the dirt long before Jesus walked this earth.

Did the Bible's Enoch vanish into thin air?

Mystery ends right now! Find out what really became of Genesis hero ...

---

Posted: March 07, 2009
8:45 pm Eastern
© 2011 WND

This 1728 engraving by Gerard Hoet and Joseph Mulder depicts the common misconception that Enoch cheated death and was miraculously brought to heaven.

When some people hear the name of Enoch from the Bible, they often wonder what really happened to this Old Testament prophet.

They know the Bible says "Enoch walked with God," and that "Enoch was translated that he should not see death."

But what do these puzzling verses really mean?

Did Enoch, a champion of God from the Book of Genesis somehow cheat death and get miraculously transported to heaven? Or is there a much simpler answer, one that's actually revealed in the Bible?

After all, it is "appointed unto men once to die" (Hebrews 9:27),  "as in Adam all die" (1 Corinthians 15:22), andJesus Himself said no one has gone to heaven except Himself(John 3:13).

"Some think what happened to Enoch is a huge mystery that we won't be able to solve until Jesus returns, but you can find out the truth of Scripture right now if you just crack open your own Bible and see the words on its pages," says WND Executive News EditorJoe Kovacs, author of the best-selling book,"Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told."

"I think I underestimated the public's confusion about what happened to Enoch, so I didn't focus on him in my book. But I'm very happy now to help people see with their own eyes what Scripture actually says, as well as what it doesn't say."

Yes, the Bible is completely true, but you may never have heard the spectacular, ultimate destiny God has in store for you. It's far more glorious than just floating around on clouds in heaven! Find out what you've never been told, direct from your very own Bible!

First of all, the King James Bible does not say Enoch never died, vanished into thin air or was somehow was whisked off into heaven, the unseen dwelling place of God. Those words are simply not on its pages.

If you look closely, though, what the Bible actually does say is that Enoch died.

Yes, it's in your Bible. Enoch died.

"In Hebrews chapter 11, there is a list of famous heroes from the Old Testament," says Kovacs. "There are great names mentioned including Abraham, Noah, Abel and Enoch. And guess what the Bible says about these outstanding characters who followed the true God of the universe. It says theyall died."

• Theseall diedin faith, not having received the promises (Hebrews 11:13, King James Version)

Feel free to open up any translation of your own Bible right now, and you'll see that these Old Testament heroes all died.

• All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them ... (New Living Translation)

• All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised ... (New International Version)

The Bible clearly says Enoch and the others "all died." Now that you're aware of that, what about those puzzling verses?

Some people get confused when they read, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Hebrews 11:5).

Note what this verse does not say. It does not say Enoch went to heaven. Remember, Jesus said no one, and that includes Enoch, has gone to heaven except Jesus himself:

• And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven (John 3:13, KJV)

• No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven – the Son of Man (John 3:13, NIV)

The confusion is caused by the word "translated" in Hebrews 11:5. In its original Greek language, the word is "metatithemi," and means transported, transferred, removed, taken away or carried over.

That Greek word "metatithemi" is used just four other times in the Bible, and never has anything to do with not dying or sauntering off to heaven.

For instance, in Galatians 1:6, it's rendered as "removed":

• I marvel that ye are so soonremovedfrom him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel

OK, now back to Enoch.

Enoch was a preacher of righteousness and we're told that he "walked with God" (Genesis 5:22) and that "God took him" (5:24).

Incidentally, Scripture also says "Noah walked with God," and Noah did not vanish into thin air to dwell with God in heaven. Noah died at the ripe old age of 950 (Genesis 9:29).

As mentioned before, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God."

We already know that Enoch did in fact die, so what does it mean when the Bible says "God took him," "God had translated him" and that he should "not see death"?

"It means exactly what it says," Kovacs explains. "God literally took him. God transported or removed Enoch from his location so that he would not be found. Why? Because apparently there were people who wanted him dead."

More specifics about Enoch are provided in Jude 14, 15 where it mentions Enoch blasting false prophets: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

Enoch was a tough talker of his day, preaching a righteous message the ungodly of the world did not wish to hear. So it's not hard to understand that some of these wicked guys wanted to kill him.

"We're not given the details," says Kovacs, "but we are told that God transferred Enoch so that he would 'not see death,' in other words, not be slain. Remember,God also transported Elijah miraculously, airlifting that prophet to another location.Elijah did not go to the heaven of God's home, but merely to the 'first heaven,' the sky, and came back to live out the rest of his days right here on Earth. He even wrote some less-than-pleasant mail to the evil King Jehoram of Judah after his famous angelic chariot ride in the sky." (see 2 Chronicles 21:12-15)

"God took Enoch away from those looking to murder him, but the Holy Scriptures tell us outright that Enoch eventuallydied, not having received the promises. It's time to put away the fables and get back to the facts. The Bible does agree with itself when people read all of it."

Don't wait another second to find out the truth about heaven and what really happened to the likes of the prophet Elijah. Get "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told" personally autographed by the author. If you prefer ordering by phone, call WND's customer service line toll-free at 1-800-4WND-COM (1-800-496-3266) between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday.

Yet another "whisking away" happened in the New Testament to Philip, who was miraculously transported by God at the moment he baptized an Ethiopian eunuch.

• And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus ... (Acts 8:39-40)

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In"Shocked by the Bible,"Kovacs also explains that if people just read for themselves without any preconceived notions, they'd quickly discover:

• "Three Wise Men" are never mentioned in the story of Jesus' birth, andno wise men at all are shown present at the manger scene the night Jesus was born.(They showed up later at a house when Jesus was a young child)

• The Bible doesn't outright declare the day, month, year or even season Jesus was born

• There's no mention of a Christmas tree or any tree in the gospels recording Jesus' birth. However, there is a custom mentioned in the Old Testament that shows people decorating trees with silver and gold. You might be astounded to find out what God says about such a practice

• The Bible never says Jesus died on a Friday orfrom the grave Sunday morning

• Scripture does not say Noah's Ark rested on "Mount Ararat"

• Noah brought a lot more than just two of certain animals aboard the Ark

• The word "Easter" has vanished from modern Bible translations

• God sought to kill Moses, shortly after telling him to lead the Israelites to freedom

• Jesus did not come to make everyone understand His message, and personally said so

• Jesus made personal appearances in the Old Testament

• The worst case of hemorrhoids in history is recorded

And these are merely the beginning of hundreds of facts that will stun even those who thought they had a strong knowledge of the Bible.

"If you've never been into the Bible, or even if you have, there's no need to fear," says Kovacs. "I make it quick, easy and fun for you to find out the juiciest, most interesting stuff that never seems to get mentioned in church. And I'm not talking about trivial facts and difficult names no one can pronounce."

"Shocked by the Bible"has become an instant smash since its release, hitting No. 1 in three Bible-related categories several times on Amazon.com withreaders giving it high praise, and theauthor being interviewed on dozens of radio shows. Denver's No. 1 host, Peter Boyles of KHOW Radio, raves,"I'm drawn to this book. It is so well written."

"Shocked by the Bible" skyrocketed to the No.1 spot in three Amazon.com categories several times since its release

It reached the No. 1 spot on the WND Best-Seller list several times. International demand has even led to a deal to have "Shocked"translated into the Korean language.

"If you think you really know the Bible, better think again," warns Fox News' Bill O'Reilly. "Your parents never told youthis stuffwas in the Bible," adds radio talker and author Melanie Morgan. WND founder Joseph Farah simply says, "'Shocked by the Bible' is nothing short of genius."

Kovacs, the executive news editor of WND, has written countless reports in his 25-year news career. Many have focused on biblical issues such aschariot wheels said to be found in the Red Sea, searches forNoah's Arkand theArk of the Covenant, and controversies overChristmasand Easter holidays as well as theSaturday-vs.-Sunday Sabbath.

He has received many awards for news excellence from the Associated Press and United Press International. He's run television, radio and print newsrooms in the U.S., as well as Budapest, Hungary. Kovacs is also regarded as one of the premier creative headline writers in the news business today.

Be a champion of God and stand up for the absolute truth of Scripture! Get "Shocked by the Bible: The Most Astonishing Facts You've Never Been Told" personally autographed by the author. It makes a brilliant gift that will be remembered for a lifetime.

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To interview Joe Kovacs, author of "Shocked by the Bible," pleasecontact him.

Read more:Did the Bible's Enoch vanish into thin air?http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=88310#ixzz1WIVPde1z