JACOB PRASCH MORIEL MINISTRIES: COUNTING THE OMER

Moriel Scottish Conference 2018 - Jacob Prasch - Gartmore - 3 Nov 2018:
Session 4 - Saturday 3rd November 2018

Working while we still have the light {1}

Prasch's recent session on Counting the Omer is yet another one of his novel teachings. He refers to the Emmaus Road events in Luke 24 as taking place on the second day of the Omer a number of times, specifically at 13:20-16:30 and 34:50 minutes into the video, even writing it on his white board. If we simply read the scriptures for ourselves we can very easily ascertain that Prasch is inaccurate.

The Counting of the Omer (Hebrew: ספירת העומר, Sefirat HaOmer) begins on the second day, each evening after sundown, between sundown and midnight. The scriptures confirm that the Emmaus Road events happened on the first day of the week i.e. the day of the resurrection (Luke 24:1), not the second day: "Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem." (Luke 24:13). As they approached their destination they strongly urged Jesus: “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” (Luke 24:28-29). Gill surmised that it was around four or five o'clock in the afternoon. {2}

It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.… (John 20:18).

Again, the first day is emphasised in the scriptures! A Jewish day goes from nightfall to nightfall. Specific mention of the first day from the Jewish writer of John confirms that it was not yet nightfall:

According to Matthew Poole's Commentary: "Luke expounds this verse, Luke 24:29, where the two disciples told Christ it was towards evening, and the day was far spent; for the Jews called the afternoon evening, as well as the time after sunset; and John tells us expressly, it was yet the first day of the week. This appearance is unquestionably the same mentioned in Luke, Luke 24:36." {3}

Prasch proceeds to place Jesus' revelation to doubting Thomas on the seventh day. (18:00 minutes). However, the scriptures tell us that it was eight days later i.e. eight days after the first day. (John 20:26).

Prasch's white board

Prasch shifts the Emmaus Road events to the second day of the Omer because it is crucial to his argument, or rather, his false eschatological concoction, linking the Counting of the Omer to the tribulation. As a supposed expert on Judaism, I do not believe it is possible that Prasch has made a simple error!

Prasch: "The presence of the Lord in the churches is going to become more scarce as we proceed into the Omer." (33:00 minutes)  WHAT!!! (2 Corinthians 11:4; John 10:10).

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20).

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).

Precisely what "darkness" is Prasch referring to in the following statement?

"During the Omer they were in a transitional state.. He had not left them yet, the darkness had not come, but he was not around as much day to day as he had been. He shows up ten times on special events on certain days of the Omer.." (33:05 minutes).

There was no darkness after Jesus' resurrection:

14Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]] (Mark 16: 14-20).

Prasch's proposal that Jesus' disciples did not recognise him because they did not know prophecy is grossly inadequate. Prasch: "They were not into the scripture comprehensively as a whole divine revelation and literary unit and they were ignoring prophecy. As a result they couldn't recognise him. .. this will be the state of the church during the coming Omer…" (27:00 minutes)

Prasch puts all the emphasis on the disciples ignorance of prophecy, but the scriptures also say: But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. (Luke 24:16).

The Greek: but their eyes were prevented (ἐκρατοῦντο) from recognising him.
εκρατουντο verb - imperfect passive indicative - third person
Strong's 2902: to be strong, rule {4}

"Mary of Magdala did not recognise Him (John 20:14), nor the disciples on the Lake (John 21:4). The same thing is evidently implied in Luke 24:37 and in Matthew 28:17; and it exactly accords with the clear indications that the Resurrection Body of our Lord was a Glorified Body of which the conditions transcended those of ordinary mortality. It is emphasized in Mark 16:12, where we are told that He was manifested in a different form from that which He had worn before." {5}
"The antithesis is in Luke 24:31, διηνοίχθησαν, their eyes were opened." {5}

Prasch: "The state of the way things were in Emmaus is the way it is going to be towards the end of the age... they will need a real quick crash course. This will take place during the Omer...."

Are there any valid comparisons between the Omer and the tribulation?

The tribulation lasts for 3.5 years/1260 days (cut short) and so we cannot compare the two in numerical terms.

Prasch refers to "despondency and disappointment" during the "future Omer" (supposedly the tribulation). There was no despondency or disappointment during the Counting of the Omer either in the Old Testament or in the New Testament. The Feast of Firstfruits: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. (Leviticus 23:14).

The Omer has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ - the firstfruits. (1 Corinthians 15:23). Gill: "It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations; until the Messiah came, who is the substance of these shadows.." {6}

The Omer counts the forty-nine days between the Passover and Shavuot (Leviticus 23:15–16).The Counting of the Omer begins on the second day, not on the first day. In the Old Testament, an omer i.e. a measure of grain, was offered in the Temple on the second day of Passover (Pesach).

Pentecost is literally 50 days from the resurrection, coinciding with the day after Pesach, the day of the wave offering. The disciples disappointment and despondency was dispelled on the first day, the day of Jesus' resurrection. (Mark 16:10).

During the tribulation there will not be despondency and disappointment. For many who are unprepared there will be anger and outright rebellion... many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. (Matthew 24:10). The mark of the beast will be implemented at some point, after which people will not be able to buy or sell. (Revelation 13:17). I think it will be too late for a "crash course" in bible prophecy. Believers will suffer terrible persecution and be put to death. (Matthew 24:9). After the Antichrist is revealed at the mid point of the 70th week of Daniel, things will change for the worse very quickly! (Matthew 24:9; Revelation 12:12). The bible talks about it being too late for the foolish virgins with no oil. (Matthew 25:1-13). None of these events prophesied by Jesus Himself fits into an Omer scenario!

WORK or WALK?

Moriel Scottish Conference title: Work while you have the light... "for night is coming when no one can work." The verse: "WALK while you have the light.." (John 12:35).

So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk (περιπατέω) while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. (John 12:35).

περιπατέω = I walk, hence Hebraistically (in an ethical sense): I conduct my life, live.

Half of verse John 9:4 - "for night is coming when no one can work." . John 9:4. The "works" Jesus refers to are his miracles? i.e. the miracle of healing the man born blind:

1As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. (John 9:1-6 cf. John 4:34).

This is what we are up against with Prasch... he cleverly replaces just one word scripture and tags on half a verse - he then integrates it into his demonic end time teaching! 

I do appeal once again to Prasch's followers to be Bereans for their own sakes. (Acts 17:11).

For basic information about Counting the Omer, Wikipedia is a good site:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counting_of_the_Omer

{1} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVQHLiFznxk&t=1485s
{2} https://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/luke/24.htm
{3} https://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/20-19.htm
{4} https://biblehub.com/greek/2902.htm
{5} https://biblehub.com/esv/luke/24.htm
{6} https://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/leviticus/23.htm