When posting on the Trumpet Blast, my main goal is to show you how the special seasons (appointed times of the Lord) have a unique and important connection to our lives as believers in Jesus. Whether it’s Passover, the Feast of Trumpets, Hanukkah, or any of the other holidays, there’s always something amazing to glean and apply to current events, or even the circumstances in our lives.

But for this post, I’m writing between two special seasons (holidays/observances) on the biblical calendar– Tu B Shevat and Purim.

TU B SHEVAT

Tu B Shevat , which is the biblical New Year for Trees, just passed on January 16, 2022. Of course, trees which produce fruit are considered “good” trees, and anyone with a tree wants it to bear fruit. I can speak from experience because my fig tree finally has figs and I was so happy when I saw the first one dangling from its branches!

The concept of bearing fruit carries over to nations and even individuals because it’s important that everyone bears fruit by doing what’s right in God’s eyes. Nations can do this through their laws and customs, and by furthering the gospel within their borders and beyond. Individuals within nations must live their lives according to God’s commands and bear fruit for the Kingdom as well. Their good works must be done to glorify Jesus and not for selfish gain or praise.

Tu B Shevat occurs in winter because it arrives in January or February each year on the Gregorian calendar. But even though it’s winter, the trees are getting ready for spring by soaking up the winter rains. In response to the rain, sap levels increase, allowing for growth to occur.

The almond tree has special significance on Tu B Shevat because it’s the first tree to awaken from its winter sleep. The word for almond in Hebrew is shakeid and this word comes from the root word shakad which means to “watch” or to “wake.” The beautiful white blossoms of the almond tree must be important because Exodus 25:33-34 and 37:19-20 describe how the holy temple menorah was decorated with oil cups that were in the shape of almond blossoms. The menorah represents the light of God (Jesus) and the branches point to the Tree of Life. This is all quite symbolic because we can only receive life through the sacrifice of Jesus, who died on the cross (a “tree”) for our sins. We can only be alive, awake and watchful through the power of the Holy Spirit and by maintaining a fruitful relationship with Jesus.

Now let’s switch over to Purim, which will arrive on March 16, 2022. I am going to tie these two holidays together for a reason so be sure to read on so you can see the connections.

PURIM

On March 16, 2022, Purim will arrive. This holiday highlights deliverance from evil, as well as the emergence of hope in dark times. The book of Esther recounts the amazing story of how Purim came to be. By decree, the Jewish people were sentenced to death. But God raised up Esther to stand in the gap for her people. It was her “such a time as this” moment where she had to stare evil in the face and conquer it by putting full faith in God. The famous words often quoted from Esther 4 are wise and applicable to this current time in history.

“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

And so, one of the main takeaways from the holiday/festival of Purim is that when evil decrees land on our doorstep, we cannot sit in our castle and pretend it’s not happening. We cannot go along with whatever the leaders have decreed just because they’ve decreed it. We cannot follow the masses. No, we must take on these enemies through the strength of the most powerful ally we have–Jesus.

It is between the two themes of Tu B Shevat and Purim that I write this post: Being watchful and awake like the almond tree (Tu B Shevat), and overcoming evil through God’s power. But there’s another key idea connected to all this.

That idea is HOPE.

How do both holidays symbolize hope, you ask? Well, I’m going to tie this together based on what we are seeing right now in our nation, Israel and the world.

THE COVID PLAN-DEMIC

The Covid pandemic has wrecked the economy, as well as the personal and medical liberties of everyone in the world. From mask mandates to vaccine passports, our rights have been stomped on with lock step precision. Like Esther, whose people faced a death decree, we too are facing a death decree of sorts as we see reports of vaccine-induced deaths around the globe. There have also been thousands of needless deaths because people have been denied therapeutic treatments such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.  Instead, Dr. Fauci’s death drug, known as Remdesivir, has been forced on patients in hospitals where it causes organ damage.  Notice I used the word death a lot in this paragraph!

 In spite of the overwhelming evidence that the “vaccines” do not prevent infection or keep you from getting Covid, the decrees (mandates) have continued, even leading to massive protests in places like France, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. But these protests are actually a great ray of hope because they show us something wonderful. Like the almond tree, which is the first to awaken before Spring, we see thousands upon thousands beginning to wake up. Many have jumped off the mandate/mask bandwagon, realizing they have been manipulated by the media and the government. Tu B Shevat symbolizes growing and producing fruit, and these newly awakened people can now become tall, sturdy trees instead of fearful shrubs.  

WAY TO GO CANADA

The Canadian trucker protests are a huge sign that fruit is being produced. Amazingly, both the vaccinated and unvaccinated are standing together. They’ve realized enough is enough. They have put the pedal to the metal and acted in solidarity. Even though their own Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, continues in his tirade against them, they are not swayed in their stance. Interestingly enough, the Canadian mandates on the truckers were implemented on January 15, 2022. Tu B Shevat arrived just a day later on January 16. The U.S. mandates against unvaccinated truckers were put in place on January 22, 2022, just six days after Tu B Shevat. These mandates against the unvaccinated are certainly bad fruit on the part of both governments, but the people are stating loud and clear that they are not going to eat of this fruit.

 In the story of Esther/Purim, the rotten Haman planned evil against the Jewish people by tricking the King into issuing a “mandate.” But Haman ended up being impaled on his own pole! As Trudeau viciously criticizes and issues emergency orders against these faithful truckers, he is sealing his fate. His true colors as a Young Global leader, trained by the World Economic Forum, are on full display for everyone to see. At some point, the court of public opinion will “impale” him on the very pole he set up for the truckers. Even Trudeau’s finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, is one of the trustees of the World Economic Forum. Because of her globalist training, she is fully supportive when it comes to shutting down the bank accounts of anyone who supports the trucker protests. If it were biblical times, I’m sure Justin and Chrystia would have a special seat next to Haman at the King’s banquet.

THE AMERICAN TRUCKER CONVOY

There is another trucker protest planned in the United States and it will begin on February 23, 2022. For all the details and routes, click on THIS LINK.  It will begin in Southern California and travel all the way across the United States, ending in Washington, D.C., arriving in the evening on March 5. Hey, that just happens to be my Dad’s birthday. If he were alive today, I’m sure he would be supporting these truckers!  

What’s interesting is that this will all unfold close to Purim, which arrives on March 16. To me, this is very symbolic because these truckers are protesting against what some have called an extermination shot. Maybe that sounds harsh, but when you consider that there have been more injuries and deaths with the Covid shots than all vaccines combined, you realize this is not a safe “vaccine.” Currently the VAERS system (Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System) shows almost two million adverse events and upwards of 24,000 deaths in the United States. Keep in mind that this system only captures between 1 and 10 percent of the actual numbers! From myocarditis, to neurological abnormalities, these shots have killed hundreds of thousands around the world. We will never know the true amount because most injuries/deaths are not reported. Like Esther, who sought to protect her people from a death decree, we too must fight against these decrees from our own government that force us to take a “vaccine” that could maim or kill us.

The truckers are fighting against the Hamans within the government who want to override our natural immunity with genetic therapies. Haman wanted the Jews to bow down to him and when they would not, his rage led him to create a murderous plot. The global governments of this world are becoming more aggressive when the people don’t bow down to their agenda! Sadly, the Department of Homeland Security considers anyone who doesn’t parrot the official Covid narrative as a domestic terror threat. If you don’t believe me just read this bulletin released February 7, 2022.  Hmm, I wonder if Esther would make her way to the King’s quarters in a giant 18-wheeler if she had one? Then she could run over the evil Haman and his cronies! Well, I guess that’s too violent, but you get my point.

PRAY FOR ISRAEL

Purim reminds me that the Jewish people in Israel are still in danger–not only from the nations surrounding them, but from their own government. They are on their fourth booster in Israel! Sadly, their leaders sold the entire nation out to Pfizer. They allowed this greedy company to use all their citizens as test subjects. They instituted the green pass, which separated the vaccinated from the unvaccinated. It was like placing yellow stars on the Jews all over again. At this point they have suspended the green pass, but that’s because they’ve realized their vaccine has failed. More people are hospitalized who are vaccinated than unvaccinated. Sadly, even though the truth is obvious, they are still giving Covid shots that could kill their people, or weaken their fragile immune systems.

As people start to wake up and see what’s really going on in this world, they are going to be faced with a reality that may seem hopeless. The realization that this whole pandemic has been planned and used to gain tyrannical control over the world is a lot to swallow. A global ID, as well as a social credit system is the larger goal. If you want to see just a glimpse of what they’re planning, look at this link. Control over the global supply chain is another looming issue that will likely get worse. Globalist organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation are working hard to get control of the world’s supply of food as seen in this document.  Farmers and economists are warning of coming food shortages as well.

 It’s obvious that things are not going back to normal. The world is spiraling downward and headed for an economic collapse. I know that sounds dismal and not very hopeful.  But we must understand that the Bible foretold all of this thousands of years ago. God warned us ahead of time so we would NOT lose hope. He gave us the truth as a lifeboat. Like the Titanic, which split in two and sank to the bottom of the ocean, this world is splitting in two. But with Jesus we have a lifeboat and he will never let us sink.

No matter how bad things get, we must remember that Jesus is coming back. He is returning for his Bride. One day in the blink of an eye we will be whisked away to heaven. We may face some hard times, but we have to look at the bigger picture. As Corrie ten Boom has said, “Jesus is victor.” He wins!  Until he returns for his Church, we have to remain awake like Esther, and always be ready to stand our ground, or stand in the gap.

Recently at church, one of the worship leaders showed a picture that really ignited hope within me. He told the story of how his father gave him a banana plant. He took great care of it and became quite attached as he saw it develop from a seedling to a fruitful plant. Then one day a frost came. The poor banana plant could not take the cold and it turned black and the leaves fell off. He was devastated. All that tender loving care and the plant was now dead. Or at least it looked that way.  His wife saw how crushed he was and sent him a picture from Florida Backyard Gardening that you’ll see below.

It had a caption that said, “This is what hope looks like.” The picture shows a scrawny, brown, half-dead plant. But then you see one fresh green leaf sticking out. It was a reminder that just because it looks dead, it doesn’t mean it’s really dead. Apparently, banana plants are pretty tough and can just appear dead. The message here is that hope isn’t lost just because you can’t see it. Hope is believing what we can’t see yet.

Remember, no matter how bad things may seem, we always have the hope that Jesus is with us. We can take refuge under his wings anytime we want. Just look at this picture of my son’s white cockatiel Casper. His wings are shaped like a heart.  Jesus actually wore a prayer shawl called a tallit. The corners of this wonderful garment are called WINGS! Isn’t that amazing?

Another extraordinary vision of hope I want to share with you comes from my friend, who captured something amazing with her camera. In October 2020 she walked out to her front porch and found an interesting sight. For a Halloween decoration she had placed a skeleton hand into a pot of dirt that held a plant. She noticed a tiny butterfly chrysalis had formed on the finger joint of the skeleton hand that was sticking up from the dirt. 

About ten days later, a butterfly emerged from this chrysalis.

She sent both pictures to me and when I looked at them, the first thing that came to mind was this: Hope can even come from dead things. After all, the chrysalis was hanging from a “dead” skeleton’s finger joint. I thought of the verses from Ezekiel 37 which say:

^“Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

In those verses God is saying he will resurrect the nation of Israel. Even though they had no hope and were like “dead men walking,” God promised to bring new life to them. My friend’s picture of the skeleton reminded me of a person whose hope is dead. But what can God do? He can deliver a new, transformed life through Jesus. A butterfly is a new creation and it signifies the hope we have as Christians. We leave our old selves behind in the chrysalis and move into our new lives as butterflies. No matter what hardships we face, Jesus is always with us and will guide us through every heartbreaking obstacle.

Esther and the Jewish people faced a decree that could have wiped them out. During the Holocaust the Jewish people faced death as well. It probably looked like all hope was gone. Then God stepped in and saved the day. He brought new life to the nation and brought them back to their homeland in Israel. He’s going to do even more in the future when they finally recognize Jesus as their Savior.

Right now, things are very difficult. In some countries, people are still locked down for being unvaccinated. Pastors like Artur Pawlowski are being arrested for speaking their minds and defying mandates. I can’t say everything will be a piece of cake. Even if mandates continue to be lifted, you can be sure something else will come along. The Bible tells us that one day there will be a One World Government.  But Jesus will take us under his wings and fly us to heaven. It reminds me of Psalm 91. We don’t know the day or the hour, but we can be sure he will come back for us. I believe this will occur before the 7-year Tribulation.

In April of 2020 I was sitting at the table in my mother’s house when I saw a beautiful ceramic white horse displayed in her china cabinet.  I remember seeing the horse as a child, but I never asked where it came from.  The horse always reminded me of Jesus’ white horse that he rides in Revelation 19 when he returns at the Second Coming. His Bride is with him of course. Anyway, when I saw the ceramic horse in 2020 I really wanted to take it home. I went to the china cabinet and picked it up. To my surprise, wrapped around its neck, was a necklace.

The pendant featured a maple leaf with the word Montreal engraved. I figured the necklace must be from Canada, but I wondered why it was wrapped around the horse. I called my mom (who was out of town at the time) and asked her if I could have the horse and the necklace. She answered, “Of course you can have them.” Then she explained the necklace was a gift from our Canadian neighbor Mrs. Babeneau. As a child I remember Mrs. Babeneau bringing my mom treats, like cookies or candy from Canada. But I’d never seen this necklace before.

After getting off the phone with my Mom I heard the still small voice of the Holy Spirit telling me to keep an eye on Canada. I got the sense that there would be a significant event in the future. And then, the Holy Spirit reminded me that Jesus is coming back on his white horse. At the time, I didn’t have any idea what kind of event to watch for, but I kept the information on my heart.

When the Canadian trucker protests began in January 2022, I immediately thought of the white horse and the Canadian necklace.  It’s been an amazing event where fellow truckers have stood up for the rights of all Canadians. But it’s also shown just how totalitarian the government has become. The global elites are setting the stage for the One World Government. Nonetheless, Jesus is on the throne and his horse is getting ready for a great ride in the future .

Tonight, I called my mom and reminded her about the horse and the Canadian necklace she gave me back in 2020. She said, “Didn’t I tell you the horse is from Canada also?”  I answered, “I never knew that! I just thought the necklace was from there. That’s amazing!”  Anyway, it all just reminds me that even as we see these globalists taking control, we must keep looking up!  Jesus is making plans to come get us! None of us know exactly when, but we can be sure it will happen. After we are raptured we will be in heaven for 7 years and then we will return with Jesus–WHO WILL BE ON HIS WHITE HORSE.

My son painted this picture of a dry, dead-looking tree. But coming down from the tree are little white feathers. He said it was an abstract painting of Psalm 91. As I looked at the naked, dead branches, I was reminded again that just when we think everything is hopeless and dead, that is when Jesus steps in. He covers us with his feathers, and under his wings we find refuge– Psalm 91:4

I want to end this blogpost by showing you Psalm 22, which describes the suffering Jesus would endure in great detail. This psalm, along with Isaiah 52 and 53, are considered some of the most prophetic messianic passages in the Bible. They were written hundreds of years before Jesus was crucified.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
    by night, but I find no rest.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
    you are the one Israel praises.

 In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
    they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
    since he delights in him.”

Yet you brought me out of the womb;
    you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
From birth I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

 Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help.

Many bulls surround me;
    strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
Roaring lions that tear their prey
    open their mouths wide against me.
I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
    it has melted within me.
My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death

Dogs surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce my hands and my feet.
All my bones are on display;
    people stare and gloat over me.
They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.

 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
    You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
Deliver me from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dogs.
Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly I will praise you.
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
    Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.

As one reads the psalm, it’s evident that Jesus suffered both physically and emotionally as he awaited death on the cross.  Those who witnessed his crucifixion must have thought all hope was lost. But, of course, we know the end of this story. Jesus suffered and died, but he rose from the dead!  His death and resurrection brought new life to all who would receive him. Psalm 22 says all his bones were out of joint. Can you imagine? I’m suddenly thinking of the picture of the skeleton hand that was coming up out of the dirt with the butterfly hatching on the joint!

Why? Because Jesus rose from out of the earth–he rose from the dead! The butterfly on the skeleton hand symbolizes the new creation we become when we receive Jesus. And not only that–one day we will “fly away” with him and our bodies will be transformed! Like the transformation from a caterpillar to a butterfly, we will receive new, glorified bodies in place of our old, squishy, squirmy human ones.   

And so, you see, out of suffering there is hope.

No matter what comes, remember that as long as we are awake like the almond tree of Tu B Shevat, and we are willing to step into our “such a time as this” moments” like Esther in the story of Purim, we will have hope as big as an 18-wheeler!

Honk the horn and blow the shofar because anytime we stand up for what’s right, we carry hope with us. The world is spinning out of control, but HE is in control. Each day is bringing us that much closer to his return.