The Sign of Jonah
I have been struggling with this sign because Jonah preached to the Ninevites and they repented and the judgement was stayed for a significant amount of time. But then Jesus told the Jews that the only sign they would get would be the sign of Jonah and sure enough Jesus resurrected from the grave after three days like Jonah coming out of the fish according to the stories the Ninevites had heard. It took him a half day journey to get to Nineveh and then he started preaching just like about halfway through the year after the resurrection you have Pentecost (Christianity's date is wrong IMO, it should be the 8th of Av) and the disciples begin preaching to repent and 40 years later on the 9th of Av the Temple is cast down and the Jews scattered. I think it is clear that this Alpha and Omega sign over the US refers to the sign of Jonah and a very clear warning and I even think the April 8th was a 40 day warning. So then, does that mean judgement is coming after 40 days or does it mean people will repent and the judgement be stayed?
Then it hit me:
Jonah 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?
You have two groups: those that know the Lord's will and those that don't.
Luke 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Both Nineveh and Jerusalem were examples of the sign of Jonah. Some know the Lord's will and don't do it, like those in Jerusalem, they were beaten with many stripes. Others didn't know but did things worthy of stripes, they were beaten with few. There are two sides to the sign of Jonah just as there are two sides to the rapture. There will be those who know the Lord told them to watch but don't do it, and there will be others who were also part of this evil and adulterous age, but they didn't know the Lord's will. When they find out that these Christians didn't tell them and didn't warn them they will turn their wrath on them.
So yes, April 8th was a 40 day warning. If you know the Lord's will you had better be about the Father's business and doing it. Obviously not everyone on earth knows God's will so for them this will be like a shot across the bow to wake them up and cause them to seek out the truth in the Bible.