20150325 Wednesday, March 25 2015
Psalm 123: Liftoff, We Have Liftoff

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens"

Audio from the 1969 launch of Apollo 11, the first manned moon landing:

Mission Control: Thirty seconds and counting. Astronauts report it feels good. T 25 seconds. Twenty seconds and counting. T 15 seconds, guidance is internal. 12, 11, 10, 9 ... Ignition sequence start ... 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 ... All engines running ... Liftoff! We have a liftoff ... 32 minutes past the hour, liftoff on Apollo 11 ... Tower clear.

Neil Armstrong: OK, we've got a roll program.

Since the beginning of human flight into space by the Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (the first human in space) aboard Vostok 1 on April 12 1961 and then Alan Shepard (the first U.S. astronaut in space) aboard Freedom 7 on May 5, 1961 (Shepard also became the fifth man to walk on the moon from Apollo 14 in 1971), many humans have experienced "Liftoff! We have a liftoff" from Earth into the heavens. Most launches have been successful. A few have ended tragically with loss of life.

The people of ancient times were familiar with the heavens. They didn't have rockets or telescopes, but they didn't have bright artificial lighting that blocked their view either (astronomers today call it "light pollution"). When the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God) told Abraham to look up to the heavens, he was able to see more than most people (particularly those who live in cities) can today.

"15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be." (Genesis 15:5 KJV)

While Abraham was obviously given to see a vast number of unaided-eye stars that represented his many descendants, the lesson was also a prophecy about the time when the fulfillment would begin - the day that the heavens would be filled with the spiritual "children of Abraham" on their "launch day."

"21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21:27-28 KJV)

On that day, the day of Christ's return, will occur the first resurrection - when all of the righteous people, from throughout all of the ages, including Abraham, as well as those alive that day, will experience "Liftoff, we have liftoff" - without any need of a launch vehicle (see also Those Who Will Awake Early). Their flawless launches will also have no danger for those then made immortal spirit - everything that could hurt them will be left behind on the ground as they meet the LORD in the air.

"4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 KJV)

The formation flight will perform at least one complete orbit of the Earth, by which not only will all nations then remaining physical see it happening, but in order to gather all of the first resurrection from all around the Earth (see also The Messiah's Prophecies About All Nations).

"24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (Matthew 24:30-31 KJV)

Re-entry will also be a complete success. The landing will occur on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (see also The Ascent From Bethany).

"19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." (Revelation 19:11-16 KJV)

"14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south." (Zechariah 14:4 KJV)

King David never had a rocket, but he knew that his launch day is coming (see David's Resurrection Prophecy). It's why he joyously sang, "Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens."

"123:1 A Song of degrees.

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

123:3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. 123:4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud." (Psalm 123:1-4 KJV)

Fact Finder: How have many people mistaken the first resurrection for a non-Biblical fantasy "rapture" (a false doctrine invented by a small cult in the 1800s - which has since become a millions of dollars business for those who peddle it with their books and videos)?
See Why Two Resurrections? and The Raptures