"The Babushka Doll Principle" by Tricia Tillin (4b)
The Third & the Three
I in this section I will show the Babushka-Principle of prophetic overlays with the dates and years of the endtimes events.
PROPHETIC PARALLELS: The Third & the Three
When the Lord was crucified and laid in the tomb it was in a fulfillment of the Passover. Jesus was the Lamb who was slain and his blood covers us from sin and death. The original Passover lamb was slain at twilight and eaten AT NIGHT after dark. It was then at MIDNIGHT that the Angel of Death passed through Egypt, and it was that NIGHT Israel went out from the land.
Ex 12:5-13
You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. ... You shall let none of it remain until morning... And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.
Ex 12:29-31
And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock.30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, "Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel".
Therefore the ultimate Passover in these last days will take place in the same way. Just as Jesus was laid in the tomb at night and was "hidden in the ground" for three days and three nights, so both the Remnant of Israel and the Believing Church will be taken from the land of slavery at NIGHT and will be "hidden" for three and a half years before returning to Glory.
The importance of the Three Days (footnote 1)
It was in the THIRD month after leaving Egypt that God came down!
Ex 19: 1-6
In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain.
And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' "
Notice how once again the EAGLES are mentioned! Just as in Revelation 12:14, believing Israel is rescued "with the wings of an eagle."
Exod 19:10-20
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ...16 Then it came to pass ON THE THIRD DAY, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
Now doesn't this remind us of the description of the Rapture in Matt 24:29-31? (Also 1 Cor 15:51-52 and 1 Thess 4:15-18)
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet , and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
1 Thess 4:15
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
...and this happened on the THIRD MONTH plus THREE DAYS (3+3) which is a prophetic parallel of the three and a half years. Once again, we see how scripture confirms the timing of the Rapture!
Our Preparation
Those three days of waiting for God were ones of complete dedication, sanctification and readiness, with all other matters set aside. Just as their first Passover, they were commanded to "stand ready" with their clothes and shoes on and their bags packed. This is how WE should prepare to meet the Lord, with our "loins girded" ready for action and our lamps lit, as did the wise bridesmaids who thought to take extra oil for their lamps while they waited.
Luke 12:35-40
"Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
The THIRD DAY Principle in Bible Prophecy - Tested and Hidden
Just as the number 40 means trial, waiting and testing in the bible, so other significant numbers come into play when we look into bible prophecy. Most notably (as we have seen) the Jubilee 49/50 years, the 70 years, the seven years or days and the 3 or 3 1/2 days or years.
However, using the Babushka Principle of overlaid prophecy I can add to these significant number the dates on which events occurred. These make our understanding of what is to come even more certain. A large number of references to the THREE DAYS are about being HIDDEN from public view, just as was Jesus in the tomb, and just as the believers will be from the rest of the world in the endtimes.
Some third day references in scripture and their meaning
Here is a short list noting how scripture refers to the THIRD and THREE (which includes the half of the next day or year). As you can see, the three (which includes the three and a half) is about a hidden time of testing and preparation after which comes release and rescue.
(1) CONSECRATION AND PURITY
- After the Exodus, the people were purified to meet with God for three days Ex 19:10-12
- The people were commanded to prepare and stand ready for three days before entering the Promised Land. Josh 1:10-11
- The unclean are purified with water the third day and the seventh day. Num 19:11-13 and Num 19:17-19
- The fruit of the newplanting is unclean until the third year, but after the third year (3 1/2) it will be holy. Lev 19:23-25
- The unclean banished for seven days, and are purified the third day and the seventh day Num 31:15-20
- David given holy bread from the temple because of his and his people's purity after three days (compare Rev 14:4-5) 1 Sam 21:2-6
- The people fast and pray for three days for Esther's deliverance. Est 4:13-16
- The Israelites in Babylon had to be prepared and trained for three years before they could be fit for service. Dan 1:3-7
- Paul blind and fasting for three days after seeing Jesus Acts 9:7-9
- Paul prepared himself before God and was hidden for three years before openly meeting his brethren in Jerusalem. Gal 1:15-20
(2) TESTING
- Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place of sacrifice for his son on the third day (his faith tested for three days) Isaac Gen 22:3-5
- Esther found favour with the king on the third day Est 5:1-2
- Joseph tested his brothers in prison three days Gen 42:14-20
- There was thick darkness over Egypt for three days Ex 10:22-23
- After the Exodus the people journey three days without water Ex 15:22-23
- It was three days that the people were commanded to prepare in order to cross the Jordan. Josh 3:1-8
- Israel came to the mountain of God in the third month Ex 19:1-2
- God came down to meet with his people on the third day Exod 19:10-12
- God spoke to Elijah in the third year (of the famine) 1 Kings 18:1
- Elijah's sacrificial altar was watered three times before the fire descended (testing of faith) 1 Kings 18:30-39
- The famine in the days of David was three years because of bloodshed. 2 Sam 21:1
- Elijah commanded a drought for three and a half years. James 5:16-18 and Luke 4:23-27
- The man in the parable of Jesus sought fruit from the tree for three years, after the third year its fate would be decided. Luke 13:6-9
(3) HIDDEN
- David hides from Saul three days 1 Sam 20:5-6
- The king's son hidden for three years, mourned by David. 2 Sam 13:30-39
- The harlot advised the spies to hide three days in the mountains to avoid capture Josh 2:15-16
- They searched for Elijah three days and did not find him 2 Kings 2:15-18
- The young Jesus hidden in the temple three days, unseen by the people Luke 2:43-47
- Jonah in the great fish three days and three nights Jonah 1:17-2:2
- Jesus likens this to his death and resurrection Matt 12:40-41
- Paul blind and fasting for three days after seeing Jesus Acts 9:7-9
(4) RESCUED
- Dinah rescued from her kidnap on the third day. Gen 34:25-29
- God came down to meet with his people on the third day. Exod 19:10-12
- Hezekiah healed on the third day, after prayer of repentance. 2 Kings 20:4-6
- Temple finished on the third day (of Adar). Ezra 6:14-16
- Esther found favour with the king on the third day. Est 5:1-2
- God will revive and raise us up on the third day. Hos 6:1-2
- Jesus prophesied his death and resurrection on the third day. Matt 16:21
- The wedding (the first sign of Jesus) was on the third day = the wedding in heaven. John 2:1-3
- In three days the prisoners of the Pharaoh were raised up and restored; also the chief baker was hanged. Gen 40:12
- Joseph relented and restored his brothers after the third day. Gen 42:18
- Jesus said he would raise up a temple not made with hands in three days; his body and the Body of Christ. Mark 14:57-59 also see John 2:19
- The prophecy to Hezekiah is that the third year is the year of blessing in which the Remnant will take root and become fruitful. 2 Kings 19:20-31
We have already discussed how the attacks on Jerusalem and the Temple lasted either three years or three and a half years in each case. This is one of the most important Babushka Principles of the bible. We have also seen how the Lord was hidden in the earth for three days and three nights before being seen again by the world.
Three also means three and a half
NOTE: In passing, it should be said that the three-day or third-day scriptures often incorporate the three and a HALF also. For example, Jesus rose on the third day, but was not seen by the people until some way through the fourth day. Also, Elijah was commanded to pray for rain "in the third year" but scripture states the drought was for three and a half years (1 Kings 18:1 and James 5:16-18)
One of the most important scriptures that prefigures the time of the end, and the timing of the resurrection, is that of the raising of Lazarus. Remember that Jesus deliberately delayed THREE DAYS (once again there is the three-day time of waiting, preparation and testing for man) and it was afterwards (3 1/2) on the FOURTH day that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. (John 11:17)
Once again, in the book of Acts we see Cornelius praying and fasting for THREE DAYS and afterwards (3 1/2) on the FOURTH day - specifically at the 9th hour which was halfway through the day - God sent an angel to answer his prayer. (Acts 10:24-33)
Further references to the third day attacks, such as the Bar Kochbar rebellion, Masada and Hitler, are mentioned in Part One
We can therefore confidently say that our time of testing and trial, the time of preparation and waiting with faith, will be three years and shortly afterwards we will be delivered, restored and rescued by God. Thereafter, another three years (during the reign of the Antichrist for 42 months) we will be hidden from sight, only to return with the Lord at his coming.
This pattern has been shown previously in the seven-year time period for the Antiochus attack, the Roman attack in AD70 and other occasions. The first half of the "week" are ones of increasing tension, trouble and testing with a call to purity and faith; the second half of the week is restoration and recovery leading up to the final battle/triumph in the 7th year.
| FIRST HALF OF WEEK | MIDDLE | SECOND HALF OF WEEK | END OF WEEK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus | Openly preaching, under increasing pressure, mocked, | Tried, crucified | Hidden in tomb | Resurrection and Ascension |
| Jews | Under Antiochus, pressured, tested | Attacked and defiled | Hidden in deserts, fighting back | Restoration of City and Temple |
| Christians | AD70 pressured, fearful, persecuted | Besieged | Hidden in Pella, east of the Jordan | Relocated to various places |
| Woman of Revelation | Persecution and tribulation, under pressure | Snatched away | Hidden in wilderness, protected | Restored to city with Jesus |
| Two Witnesses | openly preaching, doing signs, mocked, persecuted | Killed, then raised | Hidden in Heaven with God | Eternal Rest |
| Church | openly preaching, mocked, persecuted, under pressure | Snatched Away | Hidden with Christ in God | Restored and Blessed |
Although the time scale is slightly different, we also see exactly the same pattern worked out with God's people in the scriptures:
- Noah - mocked, persecuted, snatched away and then hidden before returning.
- Lot - grieved, persecuted, snatched away and hidden in the mountains.
- Jews in Egypt - the first three plagues they suffered also, afterwards protected (hidden in Goshen), finally miraculously rescued in the Exodus.
Egypt and Revelation compared
"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God." (Rev. 15:1).
Another small diversion here to consider how the plagues of Egypt and those of Revelation compare. Although the sequence of them is different, the plagues themselves are very similar.
Looking at the comparison chart below, we see the same plagues but in a different order in Revelation. (Each Trumpet is followed by an intensification in its following Bowl, for instance the 4th trumpet in which a third of the sun is struck is followed by a further disaster in the 4th bowl where the sun is unnaturally hot.) BUT it is an interesting fact that SEVEN out of the TEN plagues of Egypt are reproduced in Revelation.
May we assume therefore that the first THREE that Israel had to endure are missing in Revelation, because these all take place after the Remnant is hidden away and the believers are raptured?
| Egypt (Exodus) | End time (Revelation) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | bloody river, Ex. 7:14 | First Trumpet: hail and fire, mingled with blood, a third of the trees & grass struck. Second Trumpet/Second Bowl: seas to blood Third Trumpet: a great star fell from heaven, Wormwood. A third of the waters became bitter. Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood |
| 2 | frogs, 8:1 | (a consequence of the plague above) |
| 3 | lice, 8:16 | (as above) |
| 4 | flies, 8:20 | (as above) |
| 5 | livestock struck, 9:1 | (would be incorporated in First Trumpet, pastures burned and waters bitter.) |
| 6 | boils, 9:8 | First Bowl: Loathsome Sores |
| 7 | hail, 9:13 | Seventh Trumpet: Kingdom, it is done, temple seen, lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great HAIL Seventh Bowl: It is done, great earthquake, Babylon fell, great HAIL, everything shaken and removed. |
| 8 | locusts 10:1 | Fifth Trumpet/ First woe: Locusts from the Bottomless Pit .Smoke darkened air, pain for five months. The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. Led by King Abaddon. |
| 9 | painful darkness, 10:21 | Fourth Trumpet: Third of the sun/moon/stars darkened. Fourth Bowl: Men Are scorched by heat of sun. Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain (also 5th Trumpet) |
| 10 | firstborn struck, 11:1 | Sixth Trumpet/ Second Woe: four angels bound at Euphrates to kill a third of mankind. army of two hundred million; fire, smoke, and brimstone. (Then Passover/Exodus/Second Coming) |
But now let's overlay this three-day sequence and its events with the important number sequence from the 14th to the 18th day. See the next page.
Please proceed to the next section or go back to a previous page.
- Page One: Introduction and the different cycles
- Page One: Additional (Three attacks compared)
- Page Two: The first fulfillment of Daniel
- Page Three: Fulfilled in Christ
- Page Four: Future Fulfillment
- Page Four Additional (1): Charts of the sevens
- Page Four Additional (2): The third day and other parallels explored [THIS PAGE]
- Page Four Additional (3): Other Significant Numbers
- Page Five: Jubilees and our own era
- Page Six: Conclusion and summary
FOOTNOTES
(1) Useful study on the three, third and threefold in scripture to be found here