If you’re trying to make plans for the Last Days, Religious Right commentators are making it a little hard to pick a date. As Brian noted this morning, WND news editor Leo Hohmann focused on various prophecies suggesting something cataclysmic is in store for September 23, 2015. But he also mentioned another sign in the heavens: “The Shemitah year comes to a climax on the Hebrew calendar date of Elul 29, which is Sept. 13 on the Gregorian calendar.”
If the reference to a Shemitah year has you scratching your head, Dominionist Os Hillman comes to the rescue via Charisma News with a question that has certainly been on our minds: “Are We Entering a Modern-Day Amorite Judgment?”
Hillman, who just last week was suggesting that God is using Donald Trump to wake up America, draws on the teaching of Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, the end-times author who says the 9/11 attacks are part of God’s judgment on America. In his book the Harbinger, Cahn said America’s current perils were foretold in the Old Testament. Hillman reports that Cahn has also written a book about The Mystery of the Shemitah.
The premise of the book is that in Jewish history and custom there was something called the Year of Jubilee. Every 49 years and every seventh year the people of Israel were to forgive their debts and allow their land to rest. The word Shemitah is most often translated as "the release" or "the remission." The English word remission is defined as "the cancellation or reduction of a debt or penalty."…
When people do not voluntarily release debt, God causes a forced debt release through a financial collapse. However, people lose their assets in this involuntary debt purge which leads to recessions, depressions, foreclosures and bankruptcies….
OK, it gets a little dense here, but let’s follow along:
Shemitah became the name of the last day of the seventh year, whereas Elul 29, became known as the Day of Remission. But it also became the name of the Sabbath year in its entirety. The seventh year would become known as the year of the Shemitah….So the word Shemitah covers both the seventh year and the last day of that 7th year. There's a reason for that. That last day of Elul 29 is the year's crescendo, it's peak and combination-the Remission of the Year for Remission.
In a sense, everything about the Shemitah year builds up to that final day, when everything is released, remitted and wiped away in one day—or, more specifically, to the eve of that day, to the final sunset.
Let’s get to next month’s cataclysm:
Rabbi Cahn has documented when the last seven major stock market crashes have taken place. He cites each of these have taken place in a Shemitah year: the seventh year of a seven-year cycle.
The 2007-2008 financial crash took place in a Shemitah year. 2015 is the seventh year of a seven-year Shemitah period.
The final day of the Shemitah year will be Sunday, September 13, 2015 which is also Elul 29, the last day of the Shemitah seventh year. The last open day of the markets will fall on Sept. 11, 2015 two days before Elul 29. The greatest stock market crashes have all been on these Elul 29 days, the last day of a Shemitah year.
Consider the following, arranged by the Shemitah years, the event, and the percentage the stock market crashed:
- 1901-1902, Northern Pacific Crisis, 46 percent
- 1916-1917, 1st World War, 40 percent
- 1930-1932, Great Depression, 86 percent
- 1937-1938, Great Depression, 50 percent
- 1973-1974, Oil Crisis, 45 percent
- 2000-2001, 911 attacks, dot.com crash 37 percent
- 2007-2008, Mortgage Crisis, 50 percent
- Now: 2015 Shemitah year—Sept. 13, Elul 29, last day of Shemitah year
But who are the Amorites? Well, it’s complicated.
In many ways I see the current crisis as a time of coming into a maturity of a judgment from God on mammon and greed in society worldwide. It is similar to the time when God caused the people of Israel to be freed while at the same time they went into the promised land to judge the Amorites. The iniquity of the Amorites had come to maturity and God was now judging the Amorites through the nation of Israel.
For clarification, “judging the Amorites” meant slaughtering them. So if we are in for an “Amorite judgment,” that doesn’t sound so good. But there is an upside: Hillman says that whatever “shaking” God has in store will open the door to needed revival.
Could we now be entering a modern-day version of the Amorite judgment in the world whereby God will accomplish two things again—exercise judgment while bringing a much-needed spiritual awakening? Genesis 15 describes the judgment of the Amorites when God told Abraham that his seed would go into exile in Egypt for 400 years, and then would come out, with God's help, and possess the land.
Have we come to a point in world history where God is saying, "Enough is enough" and He is now judging the financial systems of the world similar to the 400-year time with Amorites? I am not a prophet, but we certainly see a shaking throughout the world. The judgment of the Amorites ushered in the people of God to take the land. Regardless of whether this is true, I do believe this is ushering in a time when the church can make the greatest impact on the culture if we press into God during this season. The church has been in much prayer over the last decade asking God for revival….
Unlike other nations, there is a call of God on America. We had a spiritual birth as a nation. God will not allow His children and His nation to wander without reproofing sin as a good Father should. If there is no shaking then we have no hope for us. It is the only way to revival.
Ever the optimist, or ever the businessman, Hillman says believers can profit if they prepare:
How can believers take advantage of this season? If we are prepared this could be the greatest wealth transfer we have ever seen in our lifetime, or it can be a devastating time if you are not prepared.
Hillman asks for readers’ email address in order to get his preparation tips.
Let’s assume a major financial crash might happen as a result of the Shemitah year. What should you do now? Here are some steps I have taken along with many others I know who have taken them. Keep in mind that you must be directed by the Holy Spirit in your own preparation. God told Jeremiah to buy a piece of land when he knew his nation was going to be invaded by Babylon. Obeying God is not always logical.
- Get out of debt if you can. Now is not the time to purchase a major purchase like a home.
- Get out of the stock market – we expect a correction of at least 50% of its current value.
- Diversify – keep your funds in different places. Major banks may not be safe during this time. Smaller community banks tend to be safer.
- Cash – have some cash on hand in a safe place in your home or other location.
- Risk capital – use your risk capital to invest in things that may actually go up during a downturn in the stock market. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) might be a consideration. Talk to your investment adviser.
- Sell your home – this might seem radical, but if you do not plan to stay in your home for a very long time, it would be a good time to sell and use those proceeds to buy a home much cheaper during the downturn. You could purchase a home for 30-60% less if what we think happens actually happens.
- Cash Investments – Oversees there are banks and bonds that are paying a negative interest rank to depositors. Why would anyone do that? It is because they are looking for a safe haven because they believe what is coming could cause them to lose those funds if not placed in a safe place. US Treasury Bills are a safe investment for sums of cash right now. Go to http://www.treasurydirect.gov to learn more.
If there is a significant downturn and people are thrust into adversity, then this will be an opportunity for those who plan well to minister to those who did not. It is not a strategy to hoard or prepare out of fear, but a strategy to be a blessing to others should such an event occur. It is a strategy to benefit for yourself and others through wise planning.
