From Mourning to Joy: The Cross, the Door, and the Overcoming Bride: A prophetic dream

God often speaks to us in ways we least expect — through dreams, signs, numbers, and the quiet moments of rest. On June 25, 2025, Wednesday — the fourth day of the week — while resting and taking a nap for about four hours atop a mountain at 4,000 feet, as my wife took her turn driving during a long road trip back home, the Lord gave me a powerful dream and a prophetic message that I believe applies not only to me but to many in this season.

In my dream, I saw a door blocked by a rusted old bicycle. The bike was clearly a hazard — something old and broken that kept me from moving forward. My dad, whom I discerned represents Father God, asked why this was there. Then, with His right hand raised over His head, He lifted the bike and cleared the way.

I immediately knew that the bike symbolized old cycles, burdens, and outdated ways of moving that no longer serve my purpose. It was a blockage I could not remove on my own — but God Himself intervened.

The door in the dream corresponds to the Hebrew letter dalet — meaning “door” — which interestingly connects with the mountain elevation (4,000 feet) and Interstate 40 where I was traveling. After waking from my nap and the dream, I noticed the next town was Kingman, and the next exit was Cross Mountain Road — powerful symbols in themselves.

Mountains are where God meets His people. The “cross” points to Jesus’ sacrifice, which breaks down old barriers and opens new doors. Even the Great American Eclipse on April 8, 2024, formed a visible cross in the sky — reminding me that the Cross appears on the road I travel (Cross Mountain Road), in the heavens (the eclipse), and in my spirit through this dream. It all declares that Jesus’ finished work removes every obstacle and opens the way forward.

I was traveling on Interstate 40 West when I had this dream — a detail that struck me deeply. The number 40 in Scripture symbolizes testing, preparation, and transition (such as the Israelites wandering 40 years in the wilderness or Jesus fasting 40 days). It’s the waiting season before entering a new promise. Traveling west adds another layer — the west in Scripture is often tied to the setting sun, endings that give birth to new beginnings, and the unfolding of God’s redemption plan. So “40 West” is not just a highway — it’s a living sign that we are leaving the desert and moving into promise, with the Cross ahead.

God’s right hand symbolizes power, authority, and help (Exodus 15:6; Isaiah 41:10). The timing connected deeply with me — 40 days after the dream falls on August 4, 2025, the day right after Tisha B’Av, the traditional fast day mourning the destruction of the Temple. Yet Zechariah 8:19 promises: 

“The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah.” 

This shows how God can flip mourning into joy. The timing is not a coincidence — it is a divine reversal.

The rusted bicycle speaks of self-effort — like pedaling hard in my own strength — but God is showing me that He Himself will lift what I cannot. This echoes Paul’s words:

 “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

It is His help — not my striving — that opens the way.

After the dream, I descended the mountain and crossed from Arizona into California, passing through an agricultural checkpoint. When asked if I had any fruit from Arizona, I responded, “No, I didn’t bring any fruits from Arizona.” The attendant said I was the only one who read the sign correctly and got into the right lane.

That moment spoke deeply to me: I am not carrying old desert-grown fruit into this new season. God inspects our fruit — He calls us to leave behind the dry, unfruitful things and step into fresh fruitfulness. The fact that I read the sign correctly and got in the right lane shows the spiritual discernment He wants from His overcoming Bride — like the wise virgins who trim their lamps, read the signs, and prepare for the Bridegroom’s return.

The Bible says God has appointed “helps” within the church: “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps…” (1 Corinthians 12:28). 

The Greek word translated “helps” is antilēmpsis (Strong’s G484), which refers to God’s active, sovereign aid—His divine empowerment and practical support that lifts burdens beyond our own strength. This highlights that by His Spirit, God intervenes to sustain and carry us through challenges we cannot overcome alone, aligning perfectly with the vision of the Father’s right hand lifting the rusted bicycle in my dream.

The 484-day window from the April 8, 2024, eclipse to August 4, 2025, feels like a prophetic countdown — a season marked by the Cross, help, and transition from mourning to joy. Personally, it reminds me that my help comes from the Lord: 

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2)

I believe this dream is not just for me but for all the first fruits Bride of Christ who find themselves hindered by old blockages and worn-out cycles. May you, too, call upon the Father to lift what you cannot carry on your own. May you have the discernment to read the times rightly, remain steadfast in the “right lane,” and confidently cross into new seasons of fruitfulness. Like the wise virgins, may you be watchful, prepared, and expectant—ready to welcome the coming Bridegroom with joy.

As we watch for August 4, 2025, both personally and globally, may we see it as a signpost of the overcoming Bride stepping through an open door. What once brought sorrow will become joy, what once blocked the way will be removed by His right hand. He is our help — and the Cross is our guarantee.

Father God, thank You for removing what is old and worn out. By Your strong right hand and Your appointed help (G484), You lift what I could never lift on my own. I step through the open door You have prepared for me — into a season of joy, restoration, and fresh fruitfulness. I stand watchful for August 4, 2025 — both personally and globally — trusting that You will turn every place of mourning into dancing for Your overcoming, first fruits Bride. My help comes from You, the Maker of heaven and earth. The door is open — and by faith, I choose joy, in Jesus’ name!

Amen.

The Two Witnesses: Elijah, Enoch, and the Reunification of the 144,000 Jews and Gentile Bride

The profound mystery of the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11 reveals God's masterful plan to reunite the Two Houses of Israel in the last days. These powerful prophets embody the complete witness of God's people—the 144,000 sealed from the tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:4-8) and the fullness of the Gentile Bride represented by a corresponding 144,000. Together, these groups form the complete firstfruits of redemption, with Elijah representing the Jewish remnant and Enoch representing the redeemed of the nations, together proclaiming God's final warning before Christ's return.

The Jewish 144,000 stand as a specially sealed remnant, the "firstfruits to God and to the Lamb" (Revelation 14:4). These are not merely believers, but a chosen company who follow Christ completely, undefiled by the world's corruption. Their selection from all twelve tribes demonstrates God's faithfulness to His covenant with physical Israel, now coming to spiritual fulfillment as they recognize Yeshua as Messiah. This remnant fulfills the promise of Zechariah 12:10, when Israel will mourn for Him whom they pierced, and Romans 11:26, when all Israel will be saved.

The Gentile 144,000, while not explicitly numbered as such in Scripture, are revealed through biblical patterns and the principle of the double portion (Isaiah 61:7). This symbolic number represents the completion of the Gentile harvest, the fullness of those grafted into Israel's olive tree (Romans 11:17-24). Together with their Jewish brethren, they form the complete picture of God's redeemed people—the 288,000 (144,000 x 2) symbolizing perfected witness (24) multiplied by divine government (12). This union fulfills Ezekiel's prophecy of two sticks becoming one (Ezekiel 37:15-23) and Paul's revelation of the "one new man" (Ephesians 2:15).

Elijah, as the first Witness, ministers specifically to the Jewish 144,000. His miraculous signs—shutting the heavens, turning water to blood, and striking the earth with plagues (Revelation 11:6)—directly recall his historical ministry (1 Kings 17-18) and fulfill Malachi's prophecy (4:5-6) of Elijah's return to turn Israel's heart before the great day of the Lord. His presence signals the final call to national repentance, preparing Jewish hearts to receive their Messiah at His return.

Enoch, as the second Witness, embodies the Gentile Bride's testimony. His unique translation to heaven without dying (Genesis 5:24) foreshadows the rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:17), while his prophecy of coming judgment (Jude 1:14-15) aligns with the Church's commission to warn the nations. Enoch's universal witness complements Elijah's focus on Israel, together creating the complete testimony required by law (Deuteronomy 19:15). Where Elijah represents the Law and Prophets, Enoch represents the pre-Law covenant of grace that now includes all nations.

The pairing of these "deathless" prophets is profoundly significant. Both Elijah (2 Kings 2:11) and Enoch were taken to heaven without dying, yet Scripture declares "it is appointed for men to die once" (Hebrews 9:27). Their martyrdom in Jerusalem (Revelation 11:7-8) and subsequent resurrection (Revelation 11:11) completes this prophetic pattern. Their deaths symbolize the suffering of God's united people—both Jewish and Gentile believers—under Antichrist's persecution. Their resurrection after three and a half days mirrors Christ's victory and foreshadows the imminent return of the Messiah.

Recent revelation has unlocked the precise divine timing of these events through the chronometric key of the Second Passover. The Two Witnesses' ministry spans exactly 1,260 days, beginning at the start of Daniel's 70th Week. Their martyrdom occurs on Iyar 12 (May 1, 2030)—exactly 42 days from the Spring Equinox, the prophetic number representing 3.5 years of testimony. Their bodies lie in Jerusalem for three inclusive days (Iyar 12, 13, and 14), fulfilling the sign of Jonah. On Iyar 14 (May 3, 2030)—the Second Passover, calculated as 44 days from the Equinox according to the original 360-day prophetic calendar—a divine cascade unfolds: First, the Two Witnesses resurrect and ascend to heaven in a cloud (Revelation 11:11-12). In immediate response, the Antichrist commits the Abomination of Desolation in the temple. Then, as God's ultimate answer to this blasphemy, the Man-Child company—the 288,000 firstfruits comprising both the Jewish and Gentile 144,000—is caught up to God's throne in the rapture (Revelation 12:5). Thus, the visible ascension of Elijah and Enoch heralds the corporate translation of those they represent, all occurring on the feast that signifies grace for the defiled and distant.

The Two Witnesses' ministry during the first half of Daniel's 70th week (1,260 days) accomplishes several divine purposes: They complete the testimony to Israel through Elijah's signs and preaching; they warn all nations through Enoch's message of coming judgment; they demonstrate the power of God through miraculous signs; they embody the reunification of Jew and Gentile in Christ; and their martyrdom and resurrection become the final sign before Christ's return. Their death at the 42-day marker and glorification at the 44-day center perfectly synchronizes with the rapture of the firstfruits they represent.

This unified witness breaks down the last barriers between Jew and Gentile, fulfilling Christ's prayer "that they may all be one" (John 17:21). As the two olive trees and two lampstands (Revelation 11:4), they shine God's light in the world's darkest hour. Their ministry marks the culmination of God's redemptive plan—the restoration of Israel and the completion of the Church—before the King returns to establish His united kingdom.

The implications for our generation are profound. As we witness the regathering of Israel and the globalization of the Gospel, we see the stage being set for these final events. The increasing persecution of both Jewish and Christian believers worldwide may well be preparing the way for the ultimate testimony of the Two Witnesses. Their coming ministry signals that God's patience is nearing its end and the day of His justice and salvation is at hand.

As we await these events, our calling is clear: to proclaim the unity we have in Christ, to pray for the salvation of Israel, and to live as faithful witnesses in our generation. For just as Elijah and Enoch will stand together in Jerusalem, so now Jew and Gentile must stand together in Christ, proclaiming the soon return of our Messiah. The two houses are becoming one, the two witnesses are preparing to appear, and the two comings of Christ are about to meet in their glorious fulfillment.

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!" (Revelation 22:17).

Maranatha!