Preacher Man Says it’s the End of Time. . . -

This blog was inspired by Hank Williams Jr., Whose lyrics begin with, “The preacher man says it’s the end of time.” Those words were written over 40 years ago. If you are a Christian, messianic/ Torah believer, I’m glad you’re here. I desire to simplify the Word without holding back deeper truths.

Around 15 years ago, I entered a Yom Kippur ( Day of Atonement) service at a synagogue where everyone in the room was mostly wearing white. I came dressed in black and received quite a few second looks. I had no knowledge of customs or traditions that I should be dressed in the white robes of the Saints mentioned in Revelations 3, but the prophet is usually found doing something that looks quite different. “Hosea, marry a Harlot. Ezekiel, build a city out of pots and pans. Jonah, declare that Nineveh will be destroyed in 40 days and look like a false prophet after they repent and I spare them.”

The day of Atonement, known as Yom Kippur was when the High Priest had to make atonement for the sins of the people. First, he had to make atonement for himself. Leviticus 16 goes into all the bloody details.

In all the other feasts, we are given instructions such as Removing yeast that represents sin from our dwelling places—eating the Passover lamb, which represents Jesus/ Yeshua. To blow shofars, and build a tabernacle or sukkah. Yes, in all the other feasts about Yeshua/Jesus, instructions are given, but not on Yom Kippur. The only thing the people could do was humble themselves through fasting and do no “work!”

Our salvation is not by works but through faith by grace due to our loving Messiah who paid the price.

Hebrews 8 discusses our high priest, Yeshua, whose name means salvation. The Book of Hebrew, most likely written by a woman named Pricilla, tells us Yeshua went once and offered up his life. He was unlike Aaron, a high priest who had to go behind the veil and offer sacrifices for himself and the people, not knowing if he would live or die:

For such a Kohen Gadol ( High Priest) was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need to offer up sacrifices day by day like those other kohanim g’dolim—first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people. For when He offered up Himself, He did this once for all.”

Hebrew 7:26-27, TLV

On Yom Kippur, some stand and lightly beat or tap upon their breast while repeating prayers—Prayers that cover every sin imaginable.

Some fast, no food or drink for 24 hours. This is in reference to afflicting our souls in humility and repentance for the sins we have willfully and unknowingly committed. At sundown, a joyous meal is shared. Why am I telling you this?

At times, just minutes afterward, we can act as rotten and full of ourselves as we did before beating our breasts.

Where does this beating of the breasts come from? It’s a light tapping of the heart. Open the door of my heart, Lord!

Yeshua/ Jesus makes a comparison in Luke 18 by using a parable of two men praying.

Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘O God, I thank You that I am not like other people—thieving, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 . I fast twice a week and tithe on all that I get.’

But the tax collector, standing some distance away, wouldn’t even lift his eyes toward heaven, but beat his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ [a] 14 I tell you, this man, rather than the other, went down to his home declared righteous.”

Everyone who humbles himself will be exalted—Humble, brought low. Thou worm, Jacob.

In the book of Isaiah, God’s people were keeping Yom Kippur with dull, dead hearts and treating their hired laborers with cruelty. They were neglecting the poor, the widows, and those in their own families. They were proudly walking in their religious arrogance. They ask the Holy One why He does not see them. Why doesn’t the Holy One take notice of their fast? The prophet explains:

1. You seek your own pleasure.

2. You exploit all your laborers.

3. You fast for strife and contention.

4. You make your own voice heard.

“Is this the fast I have chosen? A day for one to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed and spreading out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to Adonai?”

Next, in Isaiah 58, the Holy One explains the fast He has chosen:

1. To release the bonds of wickedness,

2. to untie the cords of the yoke,

3. to let the oppressed go free

4. to share your bread with the hungry,

5. to bring the homeless poor into your houses

6. When you see the naked, to cover him

7. To not hide yourself from your own families.

After these things, we are told that our light will break forth like the dawn,

Can you picture light coming forth after deep darkness? Have you watched the sunrise lately? How it gradually spreads forth until you can’t look upon its brightness.

Fasting is a private matter—no need to worry about whether your neighbor has repented or fed the poor. There is no need to try and lift their skirts and peek into their soul to see if they are doing what needs to be done, for at the judgment seat, we all will be dealt with.

The preacher man says it’s the end of time, and the date setters make predictions. People gather around to witness such knowledge of figuring out the day, but It doesn’t take much intelligence to see where we are today. Just follow the signs.

Hank Williams Jr. sang a song 43 years ago that begins with these lyrics:

The preacher man says it’s the end of time, and the Mississippi River is going dry. The interest is up, and the stock markets down

And you only get mugged if you go downtown.

Nothing has changed much. Except you don’t have to be downtown to get mugged, raped, murdered, or snatched into the biggest form of slavery today—sex trafficking.

Today’s news is full of wars and tragedy—unrepeatable murders and corruption. A day of fasting never hurt anyone. In my earlier days, I used to fast three days a week. Big whoopie do. Is not repentance a daily walk? Did not Yeshua say to pick up our cross and follow him?

Where does one go with a cross? Is it not to a hill called Golgotha to die? Is a cross a piece of jewelry made fashionable with diamonds and gold, worn around the neck by celebrities and Christians alike? Does not one carry a cross and get on it to die? Suffer?

The book of Isaiah informs us that Yeshua learned from his sufferings, and it pleased His Father that he suffered.

Yeshua said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”

If we love our life, we lose it.

Give someone a mansion, a pool, a hot tub, and a bank full of money, and watch them feed their flesh until they are obese and full of spirits, and I’ll show you the most miserable soul you’ve ever encountered.

Take a person who gives their life helping the poor, the broken, visiting the sick, the shut-ins, those who cannot repay them, and I’ll show you a person of wealth.

We suffer because men in government are corrupt and evil. II Timothey 3 describes our condition. Lovers of self, lovers of money, self-seeking, boastful, full of pride, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, savage, not lovers of good.

Today, Jesus is likened to little Debbie cakes. Fast, easy, sweet, and cheapened. We mimic and follow people on social media, podcasts, bloggers, pastors, and rabbis, but do we follow Yeshua up a hill with a cross beam on our backs? Do we follow a man sweating blood to a garden and pray, or have we fallen asleep like the disciples and the foolish virgins?

The preacher man says it’s the end of time and the Mississippi River, she’s a goin dry. The Mississippi is going dry today. The river is the second largest in the U.S. and provides drinking water to around 20 million people but as water levels continue to decline, this integral water source could be at risk:

In October, Tower Rock—an island in the middle of the Mississippi River in Missouri—became accessible by foot for the first time in living memory. Water levels were so low people were able to walk to the island rather than take a boat as usual. HERE

How dry have we become? When The Walking Dead came on television, I thought that’s our condition, and you may ask, how can we get worse than walking in death? AI robots. A form of humanity built by men. No part of these robots that talk and walk and look human were ever created in the womb by the divine creator of all! Even The Walking Dead were once human. But have we been given a spirit of slumber?

Will we be dressed and ready when the shofar sounds, and the father tells his son to get his bride? We must die daily to the seductions of the world that keep us in a deadened state. There’s an old song called “Have a Little Talk With Jesus,” but We don’t need to have a “ little” talk with Jesus and tell him about all our troubles. We need to converse with Him daily in everything we do. We need His purifying fire. The world has crept into the church, assembly, gathering places, until it’s become mostly powerless.

How can gold covered in dross remove the filth to shine without fire? Streets of gold come from being purified in his holy fire. Hiding gold bars in our homes is being exposed.

“In a June 2022 raid on Menendez’s home, investigators found $486,461 in cash stuffed in envelopes and in the pockets of jackets with Menendez’ name on them. They also found two one-kilogram gold bars and eleven one-ounce gold bars worth $110,000.”

In the last days, the prophets warn that people will throw their gold into the streets. Storing up treasures that offer no treasure. Storing up wealth in the lasts days that offer no wealth.

Take time today, as long as it’s called today, to turn off all the people you are following and follow Him. Place the phone down for an hour. Turn off the football and the internet, and follow Him in the darkness before the Son rises from His chamber.

Perhaps he will wake us from our slumber and give us eye salve? Maybe he will strip us of our designer clothing and remove our nakedness. Possibly, he will bend his ear to hear us. Perhaps his mercy will be as the Dawn bursting forth with great glory. Hopefully, we will unthaw and realize that every day is Yom Kippur according to Isaiah 58, and those instructions can be done in private, wearing black attire and leather shoes. It doesn’t require much knowledge to care for the broken, those in poverty, and those needing freedom.

I’m praying to come closer to Him this year than last year. I’m praying the valley of dry bones awakes to the knowledge of Messiah and the heart of our suffering Servant who always makes intercession for us.

Blessing,

Tekoa Manning