by Jon R Welker & Mikkel Dahl
compiled by Jon R. Welker

“…I will show wonders in heaven above….” – Acts 2:19

“My days are swifter than a weavers’ shuttle, and spent without hope.” – Job 7:6

(A shuttle is a device in weaving to carry the woof of the thread back and forth between the warp threads, hence we have derived our various meanings for “to shuttle” as in the Columbia shuttle which shuttles men and equipment from earth into space and back.)

PROLOGUE

The saying has come down to us from ancient times that “coming events cast their shadow before.” Mikkel Dahl has written:

Let me state, with all the emphasis possible, that the Shuttle Columbia is perhaps the last great and staggering “sign” that the Lord will grant us previous to His calling out of this world the 144,000 Firstfruits. The name “Columbia” means ‘a dove’. John the Baptist saw the Spirit of God in the form of a dove descending upon Jesus of Nazareth as He came up out of the water after having been baptized by the Prophet. Also, the deeper and more profound students of the Word are well aware that it is the Spirit of God, commonly referred to as the Holy Spirit (some use the ‘ghost’ word) which God has appointed to watch over, to select, and in fullness of time take out of this world a people for the Lord’s Name – even the elected 144,000.
As Jacob’s hand was the ‘shadow’ which declared that the replacer (Jacob) was destined by God to follow hard upon the heels of the Law (Esau), so similarly did the Christ Who declared that the Law was only unto John the Baptist. Similarly did the Canadian built ‘arm’ attached to the American built Shuttle Columbia duplicate the symbolism of Jacob’s hand holding the heel of Esau at the time of their birth. Neither should we forget that it was the replacer Jacob who received his father’s blessing, even the birthright blessing, wherefore we must expect in confidence that the birthright blessing which is the lot of the Firstfruits shall soon become manifest. [Consider that the Israeli astronaut on board, Colonel Ilan Ramon, carried a small Torah scroll – the Law! And that during the flight he strictly observed the Law regarding food and the Sabbath….]
Although the Shuttle Columbia is a man-made vehicle used to shuttle between the earth and the regions of space, yet it is under the control of astronauts on board.

Furthermore, Mikkel Dahl has stated:

...Fizzles linked with any of her sister ships cannot disannul the testimony of Columbia (lesser angels cannot countermand the decisions and orders by the Holy Spirit).

HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE AMAZING AMERICAN SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA

Full credit for the thoughts herein expressed is given to Mikkel Dahl of Canada. I have quoted directly as much as possible from his statements in previous writings. I do not in any way seek to take credit for what he has already set forth. I have felt somewhat rushed to get this information before our students and as much of the public as possible, therefore, I did not feel it necessary to “reinvent the wheel,” as it were, but took advantage of our existing literature.

At the end I have added some current thoughts in view of the events which transpired Saturday morning, February 1, 2003.

HISTORY….

The first launching of the American Shuttle Columbia is recorded to have taken place on April 12, 1981, and it returned to land flawlessly on April 14^th on the West Coast. That flight of the Columbia Shuttle was the first of its kind, and was considered as purely a test, for it was not known as to how it would perform and if the expectations would be realized. Hence, it was labeled a “test flight of Wings in Space.”

“…they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Isn’t it interesting that the symbol for America is the eagle?

Two years and more previously, Mikkel Dahl had written about that very date of April 14, 1981. He had even precalculated its anticipated hour! However, the Columbia landed 2 hours previous to the precision time he had predicted. But by the time inspections had been made and the astronauts emerged from the Columbia, he thought there was less than 1 hour of disparity.

He did not claim that he had made any calculations or predictions about the American Space Shuttle Columbia, a matter and experiment engineered and conducted by human beings. That which he had written about was not “an experiment,” but rather a world-rocking event brought about by the power of the Ever-living God, and our returning Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Not His eventual return to earth, but rather His calling out from among men what the Bible refers to as the “…firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb…” – being the 144,000 of Revelation 14:1-5. These are human beings who have made themselves ready to constitute the “Bride of Christ.”

As we now look back, and that from a prognostic perspective, we can see that his calculations were almost phenomenally correct as to what actually took place. But as he wrote: “very much in error. It is human failing to wishfully think that something we are fervently awaiting may be at the door.”

Among the traumatic events to take place is the “rapture” or translation of the Firstfruits, followed almost 3 1/2 years later by the translation of the ‘Harvest group’. Naturally, then, if there is a Firstfruits, there must be a completed Harvest group later on. That fact has been clearly stated by the Revelator elsewhere (Rev. 7:9, 13-14).

The Firstfruits are symbolized by Enoch who “walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Gen. 5:24). The Harvest group is symbolized in Scripture by Lot and his household, who lived in Sodom. Mikkel Dahl has written:

The messengers sent by God led Lot, his wife and two daughters out of Sodom early in the morning (Gen. 19:15-17). And, as soon as they were out of the City, the sun was rising. Then brimstone and fire rained down upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and those of the plains, completely destroying them (Gen. 19:24-25). Lot’s departure from Sodom followed by the destruction of that city does, as stated, show what follows for human society immediately after the Harvest group has been translated.
That symbolic drama will again fulfill as soon as the Harvest group is called out. Then will the 7 vials of wrath be emptied upon earth destroying multitudes who have rejected God (Rev. 16:1), and the messengers the Lord has sent among them (Rev. 11:3). But that translation itself was prefigured by the translation of Elijah after he had crossed over the waters which had been disbursed by his mantle. Enoch’s translation was previous to the Great Deluge, symbolic of the Great Tribulation which is now near to hand. But Elijah’s translation was on this side of the Great Flood in history, symbolic of the fact that the Harvest group must go through that Great Tribulation.
At the close of almost 2 weeks,

“…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.” Matthew 24:30

JESUS WILL SET FOOT ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

The Authorized Version rendering of “the tribes of the earth mourn” is not correct, for the simple reason that the peoples of Christendom shall REJOICE, they shall not mourn. The Greek word gh/ ge {ghay} can be rendered ‘earth’, but more correctly ‘land’, because that is its stricter meaning – the land, in contrast to the seas and oceans. ’Twas the Jews who rejected their Messiah, and so, naturally when they see Him coming, they shall mourn. Moreover, the Arabs accepted a false prophet, therefore they too shall mourn when they see Jesus coming to Jerusalem instead of to Mecca or some other spot.
As His feet touch down on the Mount of Olives, it shall burst asunder with a deafening roar, half of it reeling to the south, the other half of it reeling to the north, opening up a great valley so that the waters can flow from that place to either of the seas, that is, to the Mediterranean or the other direction (Zech. 14:4). Presumably, that links with the other Scripture which tells us that waters shall come up from under the threshold and go out to the seas, healing the waters which they contact, so that even fish shall multiply very greatly (Ezek. 47:1, 8-9).
We realize that following the great nuclear war which will then have raged almost 2 weeks, the land and waters will be greatly polluted. According to the prophecy mentioned, we know how He’s going to purge the waters of the earth. Precisely how He shall cleanse the land we are not told, except by the Prophet Ezekiel wherein he says that 7 years shall transpire until the land is cleaned (Ezek. 39:9). But as to the how of the Lord doing it, we need not be concerned now, for we can rest assured that He will attend to everything required at that time.
Now for a quick glance at some of the factors involved in that 1^st flight by the Space Shuttle Columbia. It was built to carry 7 persons: It becomes a simple matter to demonstrate that all the numbers except 7, that is, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 are all interrelated; such as, 2 x 2 = 4; 3 x 3 = 9; 2 x 3 = 6; 2 x 4 = 8. The numeral 5 is linked to the stonemason’s square, where we measure from a corner 3 units in one direction even 5 units for the hypotenuse which runs predictively 5. This means that at the corner it’s precisely 90^O. Seven has no mathematical neither geometric relationship with any other digit except the numeral 1. Similarly with the Bridal group whom the Lord will call out: they will have forsaken all interest in worldly matters. Those who are engrossed in the things of this world will not be in that Bridal number!

The Columbia’s first flight blasted off by the power of 3 rockets, called “booster rockets.” Similarly with the Bridal group in their takeoff: they will require the power engendered by “3”. It can only take place by the power of the spoken word by our Lord. However, it also indicates something more than that: they will need to be “boosted” by the 3 steps on the path of the Cross which our Lord labeled as the 30-fold, the 60-fold and the 100-fold! (See Matt. 13:23, Mk. 4:8.) None short of the 100-fold category will go up in the Bridal group.

THE 6-DAY WORKWEEK PATTERN

Br. Dahl has stated:

The heat engendered by the thrust of the 3 booster rockets reached 6,000^o Fahrenheit. Similarly has it required 6,000 years for the present civilization to engender the required spiritual heat to take the Bride of Christ into space and orbit! The tremendous heat and vibration engendered almost ruined the launching pad for the Columbia! It was reported that it would require extensive repairs or probably rebuilding. The Columbia’s launching pad symbolizes the basic foundation teaching of the Christian church which eventually leads to their successful takeoff. Similarly shall it be found that when they have been taken into space and returned to earth 6 to 7 days later, a great amount of church dogma will have to be revamped and reconstructed to fit the facts as they will then become known.
The Columbia’s cruising speed was reported to have been 7 times the speed of sound. Why all these “7s”? To hammer it into our heads that this was the earthly forerunner of the spiritual church of Jesus Christ which is also to take off into space and orbit!
The Columbia’s descent to earth was also reported to have been 7 times steeper than that of a 102-ton glider! Here again we are shown the supremacy of the Spirit-born Church of Jesus Christ.
Internally there were 44 rockets (power tubes). Their relationship to the Church of Christ I cannot conclusively demonstrate, but I assume that there will eventually be found 44 different countries or peoples which will have something to contribute, that is, in regenerated human beings which will go to make up the 144,000 of the Firstfruits.

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST RETURNS TO EARTH

The Shuttle was constructed to carry an extra heavy “payload.” That is “truth” to be set before the peoples of earth by the Church of Christ as and when the 144,000 return to earth to manifest to human beings. Manifestly, they will not deviate one iota from “truth.” But we may well wonder if the amount of truth they will be permitted to manifest will amount to very much. The Church of Christ was and is symbolized by a woman (Rev. 12:4-6). The amount of “truth” which Mary Magdalene and the other women were permitted to convey to others was confined to the fact of the Lord’s Resurrection (Lk. 24:10, Jn. 20:16-18). Can the 144,000, which shall constitute the Bride of Christ, be something foreign to “truth”? We cannot imagine it! In the early days of the Lord’s ministry He said unto Nathanael,

“Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels [messengers] of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” John 1:51

The Bride of Christ will be a part and parcel of those messengers ascending unto the Lord, as well as from the Lord descending to earth.

Again, Mikkel Dahl has written:

While our Lord was on earth, He demonstrated absolute power over various forms of matter, such as multiplying food, turning water into wine, healing all manner of disease, restoring dead bodies to life – even where decomposition had already set in, and also the power to control the air, the water and life in the water. But, we have no record of His exercising power over the element of fire. We should also bear in mind that during the early days of His ministry, He said unto the scribes and Pharisees that the Father would show Him greater things, to the end that they might all marvel! (See Jn. 5:20.) Clearly did He say that whatsoever He beheld the Father doing, so similarly did the Son (Jn. 5: 19). In other words, it was not through some mysterious power of faith that these miracles were accomplished, but rather by the Lord Himself actually doing these things which we term miracles, or feats of power.
We could liken it to an engine or some machine that an electrical and mechanical engineer had built, which, when the switch was put into contact, the machine performed according to intended function. It was vastly different with Peter and the other disciples: they had the faith that the Lord would perform according to their request. For, He had clearly told them that “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you” (Jn. 16:23). Wherefore, it is my conviction that as the Lord demonstrated power over the air, water and earth, so similarly will the Bride of Christ demonstrate the same powers plus the power to control the element of fire (see Jn. 14:12). As a mother shows and explains to her very young, so similarly will the Bride of Christ show and explain to the spiritually young. As the Lord Himself was “truth” manifest in human form, so similarly will the Bride of Christ manifest that selfsame truth: absolute power over all the elements and immortality in human flesh here and now!
Presumably there is an immensity concerning the Bride of Christ which I have not been given to understand, neither have I been shown. But I believe we can envision a considerable amount thereof by considering a wife and a mother here on earth. Here on earth she can draw on her husband’s bank account, and also in cooperation with her husband she brings forth new life. Our Lord told His disciples that it was expedient for them that He should go away, for unless He departed from them, the Holy Spirit would not come unto them. The Lord departed into the heavenlies, but on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit did manifest and continued with the disciples as well as with the Christian believers down through the centuries. But we must also bear in mind that He was an unseen presence and His voice never too loud. Therefore, I anticipate that as the Holy Spirit did, in a sense, supplant the Lord, so similarly will the Bride of Christ supplant, in the same sense, the Holy Spirit.

THE “LATTER RAIN” IS COMING

I anticipate that the Bride of Christ will manifest according to the pattern set by the Lord Himself. As the Lord manifested throughout 40 days, so presumably will the Bride of Christ. That was followed by a 10 day lull during which the disciples were told to abide in Jerusalem awaiting the promise of the Father (Lk. 24:49). That which I have labeled “The Second Day of Pentecost” will surely come (Joel 2:23, 28-29). It will take place about 8 weeks following the ‘rapture’ [translation] of the Firstfruits.
As to the specific activities of the Holy Spirit later on, that should not concern us now. Neither do I know. But I surmise that He will be in charge of the activities of the Harvest group later on.
Since commenting on the 44 power tubes, I have received additional understanding, but presumably far from complete. Our students in Number Symbolism [our book, Number Symbolism, is available from our Bookstore] will instantly recognize that it speaks of fruitfulness for both body and soul (that is nothing new or additional). Presumably, those power tubes were not operational while Columbia was still on earth, but as soon as in space, we must add 2 zeros to conform to the power of the Lord’s manifestation to man. Thus, they became 4,400, the square root of which is 66.33! Thereby are we shown that they have achieved the flowering stage of humanity, even as was manifest by the Son of God on earth. Yet that 2/3 number corresponds to the lesser part of the 100 number. You will observe that following the decimal point, it is not a repetition of the 6s, but rather the 3s – pointing to the sacred part as symbolized by the Inner Court and the Holiest in the Mosaic Tabernacle.
Now observe carefully: some-what later on the Lord presents that Bridal group unto the Father and the Father’s Name gets “written in their foreheads” (Rev. 14:1) (there will be no name as we know ‘John Doe’ of today actually written in their foreheads, but rather a vibration set up within them by the power of the Father). Then we get 2 more zeros added to the 66.33, bringing the decimal point up to the right side of the last 3 which in substance adds the sacred 1/3 to the 2/3 previously observed on the left side of the decimal point, which brings the total number up to 100. Whereby we perceive that they shall function in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!!
As above we could have continued adding zeros to indicate incalculable power and glory which they shall manifest in eons still distant, yet that is none of our concern at the present time. Yet let us never forget that the power and the glory of the Son of the All Highest is so far beyond us, that man’s wildest imagination can no more touch than the fringe of His garment!

COUNT THE COST

Reportedly, the initial cost of the Columbia was to have been $8 billion, but it was said to have run into an over-cost of $3 billion. Bear in mind that the Columbia is representative of the Church of Jesus Christ which He is to take out of the world (out from among human beings). Therefore, when we consider the $8 billion in relationship to humanity, that causes us to consider the numeral 8, which is that of ‘regeneration’. In order for human beings to be in the heavenlies with the Lord Himself, it requires more than just coming to repentance and accepting Him as one’s Redeemer and Savior. That is not sufficient to take people into the heavenlies to be in the Lord’s Presence! The believer must come to recognize the importance of the requirement of the “seven covenants,” or promises, unto the overcomer as set forth in Chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Revelation. [Order our book on The 7 Letters to the 7 Churches and Names of Tribes on Gates of Pearl from our Bookstore.] It is that which the number 8 points to as the cost.

Again, when we consider the overrun cost to have been an extra $3 billion in relationship to the original $8 billion, we find a percentage of .375. Mikkel Dahl has written that:

When we raise that to its first spirit power we get 3.75, which was the square area of the so-called ‘Mercy Seat’ on the Mosaic Ark of the Testament, or Covenant. That was inlaid and overlaid with pure gold. That selfsame Ark of the Covenant bespoke Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. The symbolism is clear and beautiful! For, it not only shows the cost of $8 billion, which speaks to us of regeneration, but also one step further, that human beings might become ONE with Jesus Christ, the Son of the All Highest!!

DELAY SHOUTS A MESSAGE

Since we have been considering ‘overruns’, we are brought to the factor of time. Originally, the Space Shuttle Columbia was expected to take off in the year 1978, but NASA ran up against ‘operational snags’ which resulted in a 3 year delay. We might attach whatever significance we wish to that. The first launching had then been planned for Friday, April 10^th, but again a ‘snag’ arose: that meant a 2 day delay, so the launching took place on Sunday, April 12^th, with the Space Shuttle Columbia returning beautifully and successfully on Tuesday, April 14^th.

Had it not been postponed another 2 days, then the Columbia would not have returned on the 10^th day of Nisan, which it did. Its return to earth on the 10^th day of Nisan connected beautifully to the pattern given us in the book of Joshua. There we see that on that particular day the Chosen People crossed over the Jordan on dry ground (Josh. 3:1-17; 4:1-19). Jordan means ‘descender’ and flows down into the “Dead Sea,” hence linking with death. Crossing over to the Promised Land on dry ground means not going through the waters of death, but rather being translated (or ‘raptured’, if you will). (If you count 1260 days after Nisan 10, you come to the Day of Trumpets [3½ years later], when the Harvest will be called.)

Mikkel Dahl further wrote that:

The number of ceramic tiles which covered the skin of Columbia was reported to have been 30,922. But, insofar as I can discern the matter, the precise number was not important. At first it was reported that in take-off, 16 tiles were lost. But in a considerably later report it was claimed that only 12 had been lost. To my way of thinking, the 12 lost becomes far more logical, for it speaks to us of the 12 Tribes of Israel. And very especially so when we consider the facts of history. Check it out for yourself: the 30,910 remaining tiles divided by Israel’s number nets 2,596, which, when subtracted from the year 1981, takes us back to about 595 B.C. This falls into close agreement with the crisis which had developed in Palestine at that time. And it approximated that very year when king Jehoiakim was carried captive to Babylon, and was followed about 10 years later by the entire house of Judah/Israel (Dan. 1:1-2). Finally, the 12 tiles lost from the Space Shuttle Columbia speak to us of the 12 Tribes of Israel which shall have no prominent part in the Bridal group of Jesus Christ, which the Word of God tells us should be taken out of the Gentiles (Acts 15:14).

PREPARE FOR SHOCKWAVES….

We were told that when the Space Shuttle Columbia blasted off into space in mid-April, 1981, spectators for even several miles away felt a series of shock waves of considerable intensity which obviously accompanied an explosive sound; and so was it reported that at the break-up of Columbia on February 1, 2003 a tremendous sound was heard by spectators in the area. It will be similarly so when our Lord calls out the Firstfruits: our entire human society shall experience the greatest psychological shock that has ever impinged upon man. Those closest (Christian believers symbolized by the spectators) shall experience the greatest shock waves – even to the extent of hysteria in some places.

Mikkel Dahl wrote:

It was interesting to observe at the time of blast-off that the Columbia, when in space, headed into the sun, that is, headed east. Consequently, after having circled the earth, almost 36 times, it came in from the west. We know from the Scripture that our returning Lord will come in from the east (“… as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” – Matt. 24:27), by which factors in symbolism we are shown how the Bride ascends to meet her approaching Lord.

The quotes and data used herein as up to this point were taken from Time Magazine. But a report in the Daily Press stated that 70,000 gallons of water were used in an effort to minimize the heat and vibrations engendered at blast-off.

As Mikkel Dahl stated:

Even at the risk of wearisome repetition, I ask: “Why all these 7s and 70s? Surely no Bible believer can fail to overlook the fact that God has had a hand in this.”

To which I would add: and continues to have had His hand in the progressing events – even unto the present events of the Shuttle Columbia.

Mikkel Dahl wrote:

I recognize that the ‘doubting Thomas’ might say: “Might not all the various factors mentioned have been logical happenstance? Might not the writer of this article have overworked his imagination in order to cast a mystic light upon the factors involved?”

Concerning the “factors involved” leading up unto the break-up of the Shuttle Columbia, I will refer to in a following section.

NUMBERS: GOD’S LANGUAGE

Lest there be many readers who might think similarly and consequently cast it aside, I wish to append a few numbers from the Bible linked with one taken from the report in Time to show an inseparable link-up.
144,000 -:- 1800 = 80
In the foregoing you will observe the 144,000 divided by 1800 equals 80. The 144,000 is a well known Bible number, being the number of the Firstfruits which are sealed unto God and the Lamb. You will observe the divisor used being 1800, which is a number given in the previously mentioned Time article. It was stated when the Columbia was returning and descending to earth that at 1800 feet elevation there were 35 seconds to go to touch-down. As previously mentioned, we cannot escape the conclusion that when the Eternal God is setting a “similitude” before us, the salient factors recorded at the time were those which the Lord wanted to set before us.
Altitude speaks to us of spiritual matters. The way we write 1800 is that we have first 1,000, which is the Father’s lowest manifestation number to man (that fact has been set forth in our published teachings). Similarly with the number 8: it is the number of regeneration. But multiplied by 100 becomes the regeneration number as manifested to man by the Christ. The quotient becomes 80, which bespeaks the regenerated soul of man.
12,265 -:- 80 = 153.3+
Above you will observe 12,265, which was the precise number of days our Lord lived on earth until crucified on Calvary’s Cross. That selfsame number is set forth in our Pyramid books published in 1950, and later. When, then, we see the previous quotient of 80 as the divisor for this number, it nets 153.3+. Undoubtedly every reader is aware that the one and only post resurrection miracle that our Lord performed was when the disciples had struggled all night trying to catch some fish. The Lord was seen standing on the seashore calling out to them: “cast the net on the right side of the ship” (Jn. 21:6). They did, and pulled to shore 153 great fish. That post-resurrection miracle by our Lord has generally been understood by a number of our Christian churches as pointing to the organized church fishing for the souls of men down through the centuries. So, it becomes very fitting that here we again find it linked with the Space Shuttle Columbia. As the decimal 3 (.3) alludes to the 2/3, so does that in turn link up with the sacred 2/3 in the Mosaic Tabernacle, which was the Holiest. Indisputably, the Holiest therein pointed to Israel’s Messiah and the Savior of the Gentiles.
Why have I used the 144,000 and also the number of days that our Lord lived on earth? The Revelator tells us very clearly that the 144,000 were sealed unto God and to the Lamb. “Sealed unto the Lamb” means ‘set aside for the Christ’, if so, then the Bride of Christ. Since they were sealed unto God and to the Lamb (set aside for the Christ), that justifies, yea even commands us, to use the number of His life-span in ‘part two’ of our equation.
How come important Bible numbers linked with the Christ and His Bride fit so beautifully into the equation involving a vital number connected with the Shuttle’s first descent to earth? As the magicians in Egypt said to their Pharaoh: “This is the finger of God!” (Ex. 8:19). ‘Dumb’ indeed and ‘spiritually blind’ is the person who fails to see that herein is the finger of God made fully manifest….
The 144,000 will return to earth on the 16^th of Nisan, that is, assuming that they were called out on the 10^th of Nisan. The reason the Firstfruits return is the same as when Martha met the Lord outside the city before He was going to call Lazarus back to life. Then He sent Martha back to her younger sister Mary, who “sat still in the house” (Jn. 11:20, 27-28), symbolic of that part of the Christian church which will ‘miss the bus’, as they say, on the 10^th of Nisan. The 144,000, which are the Firstfruits, will then be informing the remaining multitudes of Christian believers who will be disappointed, disillusioned and greatly discouraged, that our Lord is waiting for them, that the goal is to prepare, that is, that they must give all of their minds and hearts and be ready to be called out on the day of Trumpets almost 3½ years later.
Again ponder the fact of the length of the Columbia, which is 122 feet. What is that number? It is 3 of our solar year. Multiply 122 by 3 and we have 366, which is the closest we can come, in round figures, to our year. Supposing it was 121 multiplied by 3, we would only get 363, which would be far enough short of a year to make us wonder, while 366 is the precise length of our every fourth year. The quotient being .334 also reminds us of the 3 of the Sanctuary in the Mosaic Tabernacle. That is, its sacred 2/3, the Holy of Holies. So, the Columbia’s length points to it being symbolic of the sacred 2/3, in other words, the Bride of Jesus Christ! Think not for one split moment that the Son of God picks any kind of a ‘ninny’ for His Bride. In fact, we read in the 14^th chapter of the Book of Revelation where it speaks of the 144,000. They are stated to be “without fault before the throne of God” (Rev. 14:5). And also that they “follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth” (Rev. 14:4). Here on earth who is it that always follows the man wherever he goes? His wife!
The Space Shuttle was christened the ‘Columbia’. That is a feminine name. Naturally, the Bride of Christ must be symbolized as feminine. In the heavenlies, the sun is considered masculine, while the moon is feminine.
I should have brought out, but it slipped my mind until somewhat later, that the first planned launching of the Columbia [1978] had been set for the 30^th of September, then changed to October the 9^th and scheduled for a 5 day flight which would take it into the 14^th. In other words, the 3 high festival dates of Tishri: Trumpets for the 30^th of September, Yom Kippur for the 9^th of October and Tabernacles for the 14^th.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
THE SECOND FLIGHT OF THE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA

Mikkel Dahl again wrote that:

The Shuttle’s 2^nd flight constituted a sign unto us and our Gracious Lord has seen to it that the sacred days of the Hebrew calendar (the calendar He delivered unto His people through Moses) had been marked by the selfsame ‘shuttle’. Those sacred days were the day of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the day of Tabernacles. But since the NASA crew had obstacles or problems to overcome, it was postponed.
Friends, and everyone who stops sufficiently to think seriously for a little while, can you consider these facts as being just “happenstance”? I am telling you in all seriousness these matters are far beyond that of happenstance. They speak of the very hand of the Almighty Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who will be returning to earth in the power and the glory of the Father not many years hence!
We can now begin to understand why the 2^nd flight of the Columbia Shuttle was cut short in contrast to what had been planned. The reason is that although man may plan and contrive to fulfill his plans, it is God Who is in control – and very, very especially so of this Shuttle, Columbia. It was that great sign unto those of us who believe that these are the last days and the Wondrous Lord is going to fulfill His every word.
The 1^st flight was registered at 54 hours and 22 minutes. The 2^nd one was scheduled for a whole lot more, but cut short, and the landing time on the airstrip in California was supposed to have been at 1:22 p.m., although my Edmonton friend (who was clocking it at the time) found it to be a minute or a little more than a minute later than that. In other words, he found it to be 1:23 or even half a minute more than that. So, there were 2 flights each in 54 hours.
Why was the 2^nd flight cut short? Insofar as the flight crew and the control center are concerned, it was because of 1 out of 3 fuel or energy generating cells having gone dead. I had told you before that the Shuttle Columbia can also symbolize the Bride of Christ who is going to take off on the 10^th of Nisan in the near future.
What is going to be the function here on earth of the Bride of Christ? To inform the other believers that failed to ‘catch the bus’, as it were, that the Lord is waiting for them – waiting for them to get prepared, just as Martha, after she met the Lord outside the city was sent to call her younger sister (who “sat still in the house” – Jn. 11:20, 27-28). The Bride of Christ will be used to inform and to encourage and help to prepare the remaining believers who are going to constitute what we might term the Tribulation Saints. They will be called out on the day of Trumpets, almost 3½ years later. And they, together with the Bride, will constitute the body or the vehicle that is going to take control over this entire human society. But in order to accomplish that, the enemies of Christ must be liquidated, at least put out of commission.

It should be observed that as the next great war approaches, the American Shuttle has played an extremely important part in various ways, at least it may very well be shown in the future to have played an extremely important part in building a space station (the International Space Station, Alpha).

GREAT BRITAIN, ISRAEL & THE U.S.A

It is vitally important to note that Br. Dahl wrote:

In that war there will be 3 principle nations combating the forces of the enemy, namely, Israel, the United States and Great Britain. You will find that as and when that time approaches and as the war is drawing to its precalculated close, one of those 3 principle nations is going to run out of fuel! It is my calculated guess that the said nation will be Israel. Yes, I certainly recognize that I could be in error, yet whether it be Israel or one of the other 2, I also believe (and am quite certain) it will be that situation which will precipitate nuclear war! For, whatever the nation may be that runs out of fuel for the conventional engines of war, such as tanks, bombers, fighters and whatnot, then the one last resort remaining will be nuclear bombs. And that in turn spells all-out nuclear holocaust!
But of this may everyone rest fully assured: when the month of Tishri draws near, almost 3½ years following the Firstfruits having taken off, then, on the day of Trumpets an innumerable company of Christian believers who have prepared themselves will also be called out. It is at that moment that fire descends from heaven, that is, nuclear warfare.

THE LORD KEEPS HIS WORD; PROPHECIES WILL FULFILL

Although the horror thereof shall mount throughout 10 days, Israel and her allies may rest fully confident that the Lord will keep His word and the prophecies will be fulfilled. As the sun draws near the western horizon on the 14^th day of Tishri, then shall the Lord be seen returning to earth trailing a vast multitude in glory (Matt. 13:26). Yes, He shall come in the power and the glory of the Father to fulfill His promises. And as His feet touch down on the Mount of Olives, then will World War III and its Armageddon have seen its final hour. Concerning that I’ve written sufficiently before, so I shall not deal with that now.
There is only one more thought I here wish to add. As our Lord in the days of His flesh observed the Passover with His disciples on the previous evening to that of the Jews, so do I consider it a possibility (although far from a certainty in my own mind) that the 14^th of Tishri might be predated one day, that is, the previous evening. And, of course, that could apply to a number of the other events also, such as the Festival of Trumpets. I only mention that matter so that those who remain on earth may be prepared for such an eventuality and not be caught unprepared.
May the terrific message of the American shuttle, Columbia, sink deep into the heart of every reader to the end that the person may be encouraged, inspired and energized to commence living for Jesus Christ, instead of for self.

COLUMBIA’S FINAL FLIGHT ENDED FEBRUARY 1, 2003

Now, let me bring us current with reference to recent events.

On February 1, 2003 the American Space Shuttle Columbia “broke up” over Texas slightly before 9 a.m. Central Standard Time. The first reported facts were these: 7 people, including 6 Americans and one Israeli, were killed. One of the Americans was born in India and the Israeli was the first from the nation of Israel to travel into space. It was also reported that the Israeli, in respect and honor of his homeland, had requested to have Kosher foods and observe the Sabbath. February 1^st was Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. He also carried on board a small Torah scroll which had been given to him by a man in Israel who, as a boy, had carried it with him from a concentration camp during the Holocaust. It has also been reported that this was the 28^th flight for the Columbia Space Shuttle. The last name of the flight commander was “Husband”!

The first sighting of debris was over Palestine, Texas. It was also first reported that trouble on the left side and/or wing (and possibly its sensors) was noted. That has led to speculation that a piece of foam from the nose, which apparently had frozen and detached and hit the left wing during the beginning of the flight, could have contributed to the problem. But at this time, that has been labeled pure conjecture. The ‘break-up’ is said to have occurred at about a 200,000-foot altitude while the shuttle was traveling at 18 times the speed of sound.

So, let’s take a closer initial look at this “disaster.” I said “initial” because at the time of this article being written, there are still but few details that have been reported (the event took place just this morning). First, let us consider that which should be more obvious, at least to those who study the Word more diligently.

COLUMBIA: THE DOVE

The connection of the dove symbol (meaning of ‘Columbia’) to PEACE almost shouts at us! Multitudes in the world are now demonstrating for ‘peace’ and others long for it, especially the Israelis! I have been told that the Ramon last name of the Israeli links with ‘wise or strong protector’ (of peace?). Now consider the first reported sighting of debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia was over Palestine, Texas ( I seem to recall that the ‘locals’ pronounce that more like ‘Palesteen’). Who can miss the irony (?) of the ‘dove of Peace’ (Columbia) first being sighted to ‘break-up’ over Palestine?!! Could this be the Lord’s way of showing us that the present conflict (‘break-up/explosion’) created by the Palestinian intefada is the destruction of peace on the earth in our present time until the Lord returns to put an end to man’s madness?

The Lord is about to give the order to,

“…Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.” Revelation 4:18-19

Even though I am moved to connect the Columbia to the translation of the Firstfruits and the Lord’s Bride, I believe that the more obvious message to present humanity is the complete destruction of man’s efforts to obtain peace. In his booklet regarding the Columbia Space Shuttle, written in 1981, Mikkel Dahl shared that 3 nations would be linked together in the final showdown as the Tribulation approached: the United States, Great Britain and Israel! Just consider the present world situation and the preparations for war in Iraq, etc. Those 3 nations are repeatedly heard in the news. [At the very time of Columbia’s demise, President George W. Bush and Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair were conferring at Camp David. The news prompted President Bush to return to the White House, however winter weather conditions prohibited the use of the helicopter, which necessitated a reported one hour and twenty minute trip by motorcade.] Whatever the United States and Britain do will most assuredly involve Israel…. But the Message has been ‘trumpeted’ – the second of the explosions was “remarkable,” as reported on the news! And that message is: “No more peace – until the Prince of peace is enthroned!!”

Yet, the 7 (the number of the Bride of Jesus Christ) would have had their lives ended before the Shuttle hit the earth. So, too, the Bride of Jesus Christ will be taken previous to the Great Tribulation.

It is intriguing to also consider that problems on the LEFT side of the Shuttle are suspected to have contributed to the disaster. The LEFT side speaks of the earthly or material realm, while the RIGHT speaks of the Spirit and the power of God. Yes, man’s ways and rebellion against the SPIRIT TRUTHS of God have led us to the present point of impending war. And who was in charge or command of this flight?? – the HUSBAND!! The HUSBAND of the Bride is none other than JESUS CHRIST – our soon returning KING! Even if this suspicion regarding a problem on the left side were to later change, that would not alter the initial reports and “the law of first mention” which should always “key” our thoughts.

Six Americans and one Israeli Jew who kept the Sabbath – isn’t it intriguing?

“Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work….” Deuteronomy 5:13-14

And many Christians look forward to the 7^th 1,000-year day of peace and rest, called the Millennium or the Millennial Sabbath! Has the Lord shown us that THAT Sabbath is now upon us?

Oh, there is so much more that we may be able to glean from this important event in the days ahead, but let me end for now by sharing this final thought.

"MOLES" IN NASA?

Mikkel Dahl once wrote me and asked:

Why does not NASA “clean house”? Many years ago when they were without the experience, or with very little experience, they en-countered less than half the troubles they have now experienced [speaking of various problems and the Challenger disaster]. As the years passed by, their troubles have grown. To me that could spell A SABOTEUR, even a traitor like Judas! Failures?? Multitudes within the Christian churches have been brainwashed “by the devil’s lie”! They have and do believe THEY will “blast off into space” any day now! Yet every one of those 7 churches [consider the 7 aboard Columbia] shall wake up to find that their hopes have been blasted to pieces. But after all of them have failed, comes the REGENERATE ones who will successfully take off into distant space.”

Therefore, I would not be surprised to hear that some connection to foul play may eventually be discovered. Col. Ramon, in his capacity as a pilot in the Israeli Air Force, was reported to have flown one of the planes that bombed the Iraqi nuclear plant in 1981 (another bit of irony since 1981 saw the maiden flight of Columbia). Perhaps his involvement in that raid would have been an additional motivation for even terrorists to have plotted to destroy the Space Shuttle. I am not saying that this will be found out, but it is surely a possibility.

But again, for now I repeat:

Keep Watching!

– Jon R. Welker, February 1, 2003