Ariel Sharon and the scroll of Revelation 5
“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has triumphed! He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
It made headlines on the first day of the New Year, the worsening condition of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who has been in a vegetative coma since January4, 2006. With all major organs reportedly in failure the Prime Minister (according to an article in The Times of Israel on Jan 1) may have as little as four days to live. Interesting time frame considering four days would be January 4, 2014 – an even 8years from the day he suffered his massive stroke.
Most of us are familiar with prophecy of Rabbi Kaduri who linked the death of Prime Minister Sharon with the soon coming of the Messiah, who he revealed posthumously to be none other than Jesus of Nazareth. He also said, that the Messiah (Jesus) would return shortly after the death of Ariel Sharon which, if his words are true could be very, very soon.
I’ve been thinking about this the past couple of days and have found myself wondering why, (if the above is true) would God move to reveal his soon coming in this particular way. After all, we have all the information we need in the scripture, don’t we? What more do we need?
PARABLES
Jesus, as we know often spoke in parables and sometimes God has even used people as living illustrations of his word to make a point. In the book of Hosea, we see God make the strange request for Hosea to take to himself an adulterous wife as a symbol of the unfaithfulness of Israel and in Ezekiel chapter 4, the prophet Ezekiel (for whom the book is named) is instructed to lie for 390 days on his left side and then again 40 days on his right as a sign unto Israel of their iniquity. I think therefore that it is just possible that Mr. Sharon is himself a living illustration of what God has already revealed through his word. Let’s take a look.
First of all, the name Ariel. Besides being the first name of Mr. Sharon, it is also an alternate name for Jerusalem and means “lion of God.” In Isaiah 29:1, we see the city of Jerusalem referred to as Ariel.
” Woe to you Ariel, Ariel, the city where David settled!”
Interesting how the name Ariel is repeated twice – note the similarity, if you will to Matthew 23:37 where Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem uses the name twice as well.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you …..”
The double use of the word is undoubtedly significant – perhaps lending impact not only to the words being spoken but, to the severity of the judgment being leveled against them as well.
But, what has that to do with Mr. Sharon? Well, let’s take a look.
On Jan 4, 2006 after suffering a massive stroke Mr. Sharon slipped into a deep vegetative coma. Just five months earlier he had been instrumental in moving Jewish settlers out of Gaza, an action I believe that led to his current condition. In Isaiah 29:10 it is prophesied that a deep sleep will fall over Israel for their rejection of God, a condition in which they will remain until God reverses it.
“The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep. He has sealed your eyes (the prophets); he has covered your heads (the seers)”.
And, though they are in deep slumber Jesus made it plain in Matthew 23 that because of their rejection they would not see him again until they say:
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”.
A strange request for someone deaf, blind and deeply asleep. And, yet this is what Jesus has said.
THE OPENING OF THE SCROLL
Incredibly, their ability to hear and see has to do with the opening of a scroll that has been sealed; a scroll which no one can either open or read.
“For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read and say to him, ‘Read this please’, he will answer ‘I can’t, it is sealed.” Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read and say ‘Read this please’, he will answer, I don’t know how to read …. Isaiah 29:11-12
Do you see the similarity here to the Revelation 5 passage? A sealed scroll in which no one is found who can open or read it? Take a look.
“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice ‘Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?’ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.” Revelation 5:1-4
But amazingly just as John was about to give up hope someone is found who can.
Then one of the elders said to me , ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:1-5
Yes, the Lion of the tribe of Judah is able to open the sealed scroll and on that day according to Isaiah 29 – Israel will both see and hear!
“… in that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 29:11-19.
A PROPHETIC TIMETABLE
Because of the similarity of these passages I feel there is a strong connection between the verses of Isaiah 29, Revelation chapter 5 and current events as they relate to Mr. Sharon. It is entirely possible that God may be using Mr. Sharon as an indication of where we (and, particularly Israel) are at on the prophetic timetable. If these verses indicate what I think they do – the scroll in heaven may be opening very, very soon!
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6
Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus! Cindy
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