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PEOPLE GET READY…

Published July 4, 2012 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: dead in Christ, rapture, Second Coming, Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 4:13—5:11

Christ has been returning at any moment for the past 2,000 years. Whenever there is a social or economic upheaval anywhere in the world, but particularly here in America, attention is drawn to the Second Coming. Sometimes the occupant of the White House is the determinative factor in when the Church thinks the Second Coming will occur. As always, time passes, the upheaval passes or becomes the “new normal,” and Christians stop thinking about Christ’s return.

We are living in a time when upheavals are taking place all around us. America’s stature in the world has been on the decline for the past few years, largely because of a lack of moral authority in our politicians. Our fellow citizens are losing confidence in institutions that have always seemed to be trustworthy, institutions including the Church. Our culture has become obsessed with any and all deviances. Generally speaking, many of the West have become self-absorbed and narcissistic. Many preachers have taken note of these conditions and concluded that Christ’s return is “just around the corner.”

But is it? The early Church believed Christ would return in their lifetime. This belief in the imminent return of the Lord caused some problems in some churches of that day. Some of these problems and misunderstandings needed to be addressed and it was up to Paul to set errant believers straight.

1. The nature of Christ’s coming, 1 Thessalonians 4:13—14

The dead in Christ, vs. 13—16

Some members of the Thessalonian church had grown restless as they waited for the Lord to return. Some had stopped working, believing they should withdraw from society and wait in patience for the Second Advent. But when He didn’t return, and when it seemed life as usual was going to continue for the foreseeable future, these believers became restless and disillusioned. They were expecting the Lord to return and take them away from their persecutions and poverty. His delay also caused these confused believers to wonder about the destiny of those who died waiting for the Lord to return. To Paul’s credit, it seems he had, in fact, already taught his friends about these matters, but for some reason the truth hadn’t been understood by many in the church.

Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? (2 Thessalonians 2:5)

So this group of verses represents Paul’s attempt to clarify what he had already taught. To help them grasp what happens to a believer who dies before the Second Coming, Paul uses the metaphor of “those who fall asleep.” Naturally he is referring to those who have died, and Paul understood his readers would make the connection between those who are sleeping and those who have died. The connection is obvious: just as one who is asleep continues to exist, so the dead person continues to exist in spite of the fact that he is temporarily separated from his physical body. Sleep has its awakening, and death will have its resurrection. Because this is something every Christian should understand, any grief or mourning should also be temporary. Unbelievers wail and carry on when a loved one passes as though there was no hope. But believers, though they may mourn and grieve the death of a loved one, ought to understand that hope carries on; that their loved one is still alive, only their body is dead. Paul would teach his Corinthian friends and his friends in Philippi an encouraging theological fact:

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)

I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far… (Philippians 1:23)

So, death is certainly not the end nor is it to be feared by the Christian. And those who have died waiting for Christ’s return have no disadvantage; those who are alive when Christ returns will not be treated with any kind of priority. Those who have died will rise first to meet Jesus in the air. This represents a kind of resurrection of all those who died during this present age, since the day of Pentecost, as Christians—those “in Christ”—as opposed to believers from other times.

Those alive in Christ, vs. 17, 18

Next in order will be those who are alive in Christ. Those who are alive when “the shout” occurs and the “trumpet” sounds will then rise to meet Christ in the air. So we see an orderly event: the dead in Christ rise first, then the living in Christ will rise. This doctrine of the rapture, disputed by some in the Church, was revealed to Paul by the Lord Himself. We’re not sure when or how Paul received this teaching, but he did and it was something the apostle taught his congregations. Even though there are segments of the Church today that don’t believe in the rapture of the Church, almost all Christians believe in the soon coming Christ—His literal, physical, and visible return to earth. This belief, the true hope of all believers, should bring hope, encouragement, and peace to all segments of the Church. We have a hope beyond anything in the world.

In verse 17, Paul uses the phrase “caught up,” to describe how the living in Christ will be snatched away. That phrase comes from a word meaning “to seize” or to “snatch.” We get the word “rapture” from the Latin translation of this verse. It refers to the miraculous transporting of the living to heaven. Paul used the same word to describe his own experience of being “caught up” to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2—4). The word also carries with it the idea of a sudden, hasty swooping away. One moment believers will be here, the next instant they will be gone.

Though the doctrine of the rapture is not seen in the Old Testament anywhere and nobody but Paul taught it in the New Testament, Jesus seemed to give His disciples a small hint in John 14:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:3)

The rapture of the Church really is an amazing doctrine that deserves more discussion than is offered here. Consider some of the following: When the rapture occurs, for the first time ever the Church of all times and generations and all places will exist in complete unity and harmony—not on earth, but in the air! At that time, there will truly be ONE church, not many, fragmented churches. This will represent the ultimate triumph of the Church over the “prince of the air.” For the first time, the Church that has existed through the ages will truly be overcomers.

2. The suddenness of Christ’s coming, 1 Thessalonians 5:1—3

But when will all this happen? The Thessalonians obviously wanted to know, but Paul couldn’t give them a definitive answer. The time for the Second Coming remains a mystery even today, with wild speculation popping up every so often. Paul used two analogies to describe the suddenness of the Lord’s return:

Unexpected. The Lord will come like a “thief in the night.” A thief sneaks around; he doesn’t knock on the door or let you know he’s coming.
Sudden. The Lord will return in a moment, like the coming of labor pains. As every mother knows, once the labor pains start, there is no stopping the birth process! The ones who will be caught off guard when the Lord comes will be those who aren’t looking for Him.

3. Prepare for Christ’s coming, 1 Thessalonians 5:4—11

Now that the Thessalonians, and we, have the facts, how should believers live in light of those facts?

Be watchful, vs. 4—7

This does not mean quitting your job, withdrawing from society and moving to a mountain top retreat to await the Lord’s return. It does mean that we should live disciplined, godly lives, marked by an attitude of hope, love, and faith. Watching for the return of Jesus should motivate us to live the best lives we can, as suggested by these phrases:

“be alert.” The word means to stay wide awake. Believers can’t afford to be caught watching the paint drying! In other words, we need to know what’s going on in our family, our community, our country. We need to be engaged so we can pray and show concern for the lost.
“be self-controlled.” This word means “to be calm.” A person who is “calm” is not restless; his mind isn’t running a marathon all day. The “self-controlled” believer is one who is fully aware of who he is, to Whom he belongs, and what his role is in the kingdom of God.

Put on God’s armor, vs. 8—10

This is a favorite passage of Scripture that most of us learned in Sunday School, but its context is right living while waiting for the Lord’s return. The believer is to be alert, wide awake, busy and calm, but also he should be wearing special armor. Repeatedly in his letters, Paul compares Christians to soldiers, so the metaphor of “ armor” is a natural one.

Like in Ephesians 6, Christians need to be clothed in spiritual armor. The “breastplate” is “love and faith” and the “helmet” is the hope of salvation.

As we live in eager expectation of the Lord’s return, we are to love one another and the hope of salvation—our helmet—means that we realize the best part of salvation is yet to come! The assurance of this hope is the fact that God has only good things in store for us.

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. (vs. 9, 10)

God’s ultimate, everlasting purpose is two-fold:

That we should not be lost. While we are all sinners and we were all lost, because we called on the name of the Lord for salvation and by faith accepted His terms, we will never again be counted as one of “the lost.” God has no more wrath planned for us.
That we should be saved. God has prepared the Kingdom for us from the foundation of the world.

Knowing this to be true, we should be at peace no matter what our circumstances may be. God’s purpose (above) cannot be frustrated. No Christian should ever doubt their salvation. God’s will for you has been revealed to you, so why question it? God has made it crystal clear in His Word that it is His will that all human beings be saved. If anyone perishes in their sins, it is not because of some secret plan of God, it is because that lost one chose to go their own way, not God’s way.

(c) 2012 WitzEnd

THE PURPOSES OF ADVENT, Part Two

Published December 13, 2011 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Advent, Christmas, man jesus, relationship with god, Second Coming

For the purpose of this miniseries, we determined that Jesus came to Earth for four reasons. The first two included (1) to destroy the Devil’s works, and (2) to take away sins. The third and fourth reasons for the Son of God coming in the flesh are (3) to reveal the Father and (4) to prepare for the Second Advent.

1. To reveal the Father, John 14:9

Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

By the time we get to John 14, Jesus’ end is near. He had been talking to His friends and three times He was interrupted. First by Thomas, who asked:

“Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (vs. 5)

While He was answering Thomas, Philip piped up and asked:

“Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” (vs. 8)

Finally, Judas (the other one), butted in and asked:

“But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” (vs. 22)

We have to admire our Lord’s patience with His “closest friends.” For three years these men walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, were witnesses to multiplied miracles and still they were clueless about who this Man was.

But it was Philip’s question that really showed what these men wanted. They understood that somehow this Man Jesus had a unique relationship with God, and what these men really wanted to was see Yahweh—to have the same special relationship with Him that Jesus had. Jesus’ answer to Philip was so simple, it must have left the apostle speechless:

Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (vs. 9)

We get the impression that Jesus was mildly surprised that Philip hadn’t recognized Him for who He was. But then it’s not all that uncommon to miss God because we all approach the subject of “God the Father” with different preconceived notions that may or may not bear any resemblance to the reality of who He really is.

A lot of people today—Christians included—are like the Hebrews of the Old Testament, who had a highly intellectual concept of God because God had taught them all about Himself through His prophets and His Word. You can’t read the Old Testament without seeing the effort God went to to reveal Himself to His covenant people. From Genesis to Malachi we can see a kind of progressive revelation of God to the Hebrews. And yet, in spite of a growing head-knowledge of God, there was at the same time a corresponding moral decay in the people. Knowing facts about God is not what changes a life. It may change behavior for a while, but unless God is experienced at the heart level, a person will remain dedicated to serving themselves, not Him.

The profusion of religions and cults around Israel showed that man was always looking for something or someone to worship. Sin had so separated him from the true God that instead of seeking Him, man created gods in his image or in images that sprang from his imagination.

But all that changed with Advent, 2,000 years ago. Before He visited man in the flesh of man, in the person of His Son, God’s presence among His people was highly symbolic and sporadic. The fact is, before the coming of Christ, there was really no abiding presence of God on Earth or in His people. At various times throughout the Old Testament dispensation, the Spirit of God would come upon a person for a time to accomplish a special purpose. With the exception of King David, we have no record of God’s Spirit dwelling in anybody. God would manifest His presence in the form of clouds or smoke or in other supernatural manifestations. At the Advent, though, Jesus appeared to manifest God.

In answer to Philip’s question to to “see the Father,” Jesus’ response suggested that after three years, Philip had seen enough of Jesus to see the Father in Him. But, what exactly did Philip see in Jesus?

Philip was the very first man Jesus called to follow Him, though not the first one to actually follow our Lord. After Jesus asked Philip to follow Him, note what Philip did:

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45)

That was the first thing Philip saw in Jesus: here was the One who embodied all the ideals of Moses and the prophets.

Next, we see Jesus asking Philip a question about where to get some bread to feed a large group of hungry followers. We are told that our Lord asked him this question to “test Philip.” Philip’s answer showed that he considered it impossible to feel all the people:

“Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:7)

And yet right after that, we see Philip, along with the other apostles, sitting down with all those hungry people, waiting to be fed. Philip saw in Jesus One who was, in some unfathomable way, able to satisfy human hunger. He didn’t understand how it was possible, but that didn’t stop him from enjoying what Jesus was offering.

In John 12, we see Philip again. This time, a group of Greeks approached Philip wanting to see Jesus. Jesus’ response to Philip showed a perfect harmony between the Son and the Father:

“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” (John 12:27, 28)

This is what Philip saw and heard!

Finally, in John 14, Philip wanted to see the Father. How could Philip not see the Father in Jesus after all he had seen Jesus do and say? But he didn’t. He may have seen and heard, but what he saw and heard didn’t meant anything at the time. It wasn’t until after Pentecost that the light finally dawned upon Philip. It was then that Philip saw it all, and he knew that Jesus came to reveal the Father.

2. To prepare for a Second Advent, Hebrews 9:28

So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Here is the final reason Jesus came: He came to prepare for another coming. The first three reasons for Advent were all necessary in order that there could be a second Advent.

At Christmas time, the First Coming was greeting with joy and gladness.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13, 14)

Certainly the angels were thrilled that the Son of God appeared in the flesh, and a handful of thoughtful men were excited, but then what? All that happiness and goodwill sort of faded away. Something was missing in the first Advent. Certainly the Messiah came, but what really changed in the world. Jesus came to end the Devil’s works, to take away sin, and to reveal the Father, but as we look at the world around us even today, we’d be hard-pressed to see any of that taking place. No, the First Advent really demands something more.

The writer to the Hebrews makes a startling assertion: Christ will appear a second time. This is not referring to some kind of mystical, spiritual coming into people’s hearts! We’re talking a literal, physical, visible appearing of Christ. This Second Coming is all over the Old Testament and the New Testament; it is an essential doctrine; it is the consummation of all things.

It is unfortunate that so many Christian fail to see the surety of the Second Coming, and among those who know it’s going to happen remain unmoved! When Christ ascended to Heaven, angels appeared to those who saw Him leave:

This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11b)

There’s no doubt about it, men of Jerusalem! Jesus is going to come back, but not as He came the first time, but as He left. The angels cannot be wrong! Jesus Christ is going to come back.

Paul cannot be wrong!

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17)

This is the blessed hope of the Church! This great doctrine of the Second Advent is what gave the early Church its hope, motivation, and encouragement. It should still do that for us today. Imagine what the Church would look like if ever day she lifted her face toward the eastern sky in expectation that this day could be that day of days! Wouldn’t we take our faith much more seriously if we honestly believed that our Lord could appear at any moment?

James, the half-brother of our Lord can’t be wrong:

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. (James 5:8)

Peter wrote these encouraging words; he can’t be wrong:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:13)

John, the apostle who was perhaps closest to Jesus, was he wrong when he wrote:

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)

And Jude couldn’t have been wrong:

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude, vs 20, 21)

Every New Testament writer writes about a Second Advent. But the writer to Hebrews gives us the reason: to bring salvation to those waiting for Him. Before we deal with what that means, note that when Jesus comes the second time, it will NOT be to bear sin. The whole of the First Advent revolved around sin. Jesus came to deal with sin. His first Advent actually revealed sin. From the Slaughter of the Innocents to the His death on the Cross, the presence of Christ on earth brought sin into the light for all to see.

He not only shone the light on sin, but he bore sin, and not just on the Cross, but all through His life, Jesus bore sin. He bore its limitations while He was living and working as a Man. In poverty, sorrow, and loneliness, our Lord bore sin. Ultimately, of course, He bore sin all the way to the Cross, where He dealt with it once and for all.

At the First Advent, sin at its very root was dealt with, at His Second Advent all creation will celebrate the victory that sin has been crushed. Jesus Christ will not come in sorrow and sadness, but to bring everlasting joy. He won’t come in loneliness, but the saints of the ages will come with Him. We celebrate the First Advent, where there was no room at the Inn for Him. But at the Second Advent, the whole universe will have to make room for Him. The First Advent was for atonement. The Second Advent for administration, for Jesus Christ will come the second time as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to establish an everlasting kingdom in righteousness and holiness.

At His Second Advent, there will be complete salvation for the believer—complete righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. The Second Advent will be a joyous occasion for those who know Christ. We are waiting, patiently, in the midst of earth’s struggle, which is really our struggle. When Jesus comes, the conflict that persists within every believer will finally be over; we will be made whole in every way. Heaven is waiting for the Second Advent. Hell is waiting for the Second Advent. Indeed, all creation is groaning in anticipation of the Second Advent.

He is coming! This Christmas Season, may the hope of the Second Advent fill your hearts. Today, we stand between the Advents. Our relation to the first determines our relation to the second. May Jesus Christ find room in your hearts today to prepare you for the day when He comes again.

(c) 2011 Witzend

A SURVEY OF THE MINOR PROPHETS, Part 8

Published October 28, 2011 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Day of the Lord, Millennium, Minor Prophets, Second Coming, Zecharian

OUR GOD REIGNS

Zechariah 14:1—21

The title of this book of prophecy comes from the prophet’s name, Zechariah, who preached in Jerusalem during its restoration, as a contemporary of Haggaih. His name, Zekar-Yah, properly means “Yahweh remembers.” What does Yahweh remember? His people of course!

This is a book filled with unending hope for the many Jews who felt they had been forgotten by God during the 70 years of exile.

This is the longest of the Minors and it is most frequently quoted elsewhere in Scripture. In all, there are over 70 quotations (direct and indirect) from Zechariah in the New Testament. Half of these are to be found in the book Revelation.

1. The day of the Lord, 14:1—8

The phrase, “day of the Lord” is a common one among the Minors. It speaks of the ultimate goal of the history of Earth: the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and His personal reign over all nations and people. However, before the coming of Christ’s Kingdom, the Earth must experience certain “birth pangs.” This is what chapter 14 deals with.

It is impossible to see this prophecy as being fulfilled at some time in the past. Though Jerusalem has been destroyed, captured, occupied, and destroyed again numerous times in the past, none of its history comes close to Zechariah’s prophecy. The “day of the Lord” is an eschatological phrase which refers a time in our future. And yet, over the centuries, the “day of the Lord” has had many inner-history fulfillments or partial fulfillments that foreshadowed the ultimate fulfillment. This supra-historical fulfillment of history will finally come to pass when Christ returns literally, physically, and visibly to the Earth to consummate the Kingdom He inaugurated at His first coming.

a. The end of judgment, vs. 1, 2

A day of the LORD is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

Chapter 14 picks up a thought begun back in chapter 13:

“In the whole land,” declares the LORD, “two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’” (Zechariah 13:8, 9)

A refining process looms on the horizon for God’s people, the Jews. The final “day of the Lord” will involve a final siege on Jerusalem; it will happen immediately before the Second Coming; it will involve Jerusalem and other nations gathering against it. In the early stages, the siege will be successful. What we are reading in verse 2 is history written backwards.

The fact that many nations will come against Jerusalem is stated repeatedly throughout the Minors:

I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land. They cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine to drink. (Joel 3:2, 3)

What triggered Zechariah’s harsh words of prophecy? Even though Zechariah is seeing the far future, it was the selfish behavior of his people during his time that prompted the prophecy. The people should have been working tirelessly to rebuild the Temple and fix up Jerusalem after their 70 year exile. Instead, for some 16 years after they returned to Jerusalem, the Temple had virtually no work done on it. The people were more concerned about building homes for themselves than they were with restoring God’s House.

b. God’s breakthrough, vs. 3—8

In spite of how hopeless it will seem for Jerusalem, suddenly the King of Kings will return in full glory for all to see, in the face of the Antichrist’s forces:

Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. (vs, 3, 4)

In his book of Revelation, John describes the same event like this:

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)

The Lord will return personally, literally, physically, and visibly to the Earth, just as He said He would, at the exact location He departed from after His earthly ministry was over. Remember what the the early believers were told:

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

While Zechariah indicates that Jesus will return in power to fight for His people, ultimately He is coming back with “healing in His wings,” according to Malachi 4:2. But before the healing must come great Earth upheavals and catastrophic events that will change the landscape of the Middle East and beyond. See Revelation 16:18, 19, for example.

2. King of the Earth, 14:9—15

a. Return to Shema, vs. 9—11

The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. (vs 9)

While on the island of Patmos, John was given a look into this same event:

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

On that day, Jesus Christ will finally be seen by all and acknowledged by all people as the one and only “King of kings and Lord of lords.” And in a final nod to the Jews, their great confession, the Shema, will be regarded by all as true: there is one Lord.

b. Judgment on Babylon, vs. 12—15

This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. (vs 12)

As we read about the literal Second Coming of Christ, it is sometimes difficult to separate the figurative language from the literal. We read about the splitting of the Mount of Olives, the spring of living waters, the interruption of God’s own day, and other strange events. But at verse 12, we see a literal horror which John writes about in Revelation 19:11—18. Here we seen a coming together of the Jewish and Christian Apocalypses.

3. Worship of the King, 14:16—21

Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. (vs. 16)

In spite of the awful decimation that will take place on Earth as described in the previous verses, there will be those who survive. Theologians are split as to whether these “survivors” will be a converted remnant among all the nations, or just people in general who are not touched by God’s various judgments. It seems to us that there will, in fact, be many, many survivors, some not converted at all, since there will be those who refuse to go and worship.

Three features of this worship become clear in this group of verses:

a. Jerusalem will be the center of faith in the world, 14:16

The Messiah will take His rightful place on the throne of David, and nations will stream to Jerusalem to worship Him and pay Him homage. We are told that all people will celebrate the “Festival of Tabernacles.” Why this festival in particular? This feast, out of all Jewish religious feasts, has been traditionally open to both the people of Israel and to strangers.

The Passover Feast pictured the death of the Messiah as our Redeemer; the Feast of Unleavened Bread pictured the walk of believers in fellowship with the Savior; the Feast of Firstfruits foreshadowed the resurrection of Jesus; and the Feast of Pentecost predicted the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. So the Feast of Tabernacles will remain unfulfilled until the Kingdom age and Israel is gathered to her own land.

b. All nations will come to Jerusalem annually, 14:17—19

Those who refuse to come will be dealt with harshly by God. This group of verses reminds us that, even in the great day when the glory of the Lord covers the earth, during the Millennial Kingdom, there be some who will simply rebel. Egypt is singled out here perhaps because as so often in the past it symbolized a defiant and rebellion nation.

Here is an accurate glimpse into the nature of the Millennial Kingdom. Just because Jesus Christ will rule and reign as the plant’s Sovereign, not every human soul alive at that time will be saved. It simply means that the Godly influence of a divinely ordered kingdom will be a positive influence over all the affairs of human beings. Justice, purity and righteousness will all be favored.

c. Holiness to the Lord will dominate all worship, 14:20, 21

On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty.

This is a description of the true nature of the Messiah’s kingdom. It will be a holy kingdom, dominated by holiness in all things. Perowne observes:

The ornaments of worldly pomp and warlike power shall be as truly consecrated as the mitre of the High Priest, and every vessel used in the meanest sense of the Temple as holy as the vessels of the altar itself. Nay, every common vessel throughout the city and the whole land shall be so holy as to be meet for the service of the sanctuary, and every profane person all be for ever banished from the house of the Lord…All distinction between sacred and secular shall be at an end, because all shall now be alike holy.

We may sum up the teaching of these verses like this:

There will be holiness in public life (“the bells of the horses);
There will be holiness in religious life (“cooking pots in the Lord’s house);
There will be holiness in private life (“every pot in Jerusalem and Judah”).

And so Zechariah ends his book of prophecy in a most stunning way. This man, whose name means “Yahweh remembers” has proven that God has never forgotten His people. God Himself will end human history as He promised He would in His Covenant: His people will never be forgotten or foresaken.

But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:14, 15)

PSALM 110: The Most Royal Psalm

Published February 22, 2011 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Psalm 110, Psalms, Second Coming

THE MOST ROYAL PSALM

This may just well be the “royalist” psalm in the entire Book of Psalms. It has been referred to as “the jewel among the psalms” and it is quoted an astonishing 21 times in the New Testament, each time in relation to Jesus Christ and His kingdom. In fact, even Jesus said this psalm referred to Himself and His kingdom. There are some who think Psalm 110, written by David, was written also written about David and his rule over Israel. This is probably at least partially true; this psalm probably refers entirely to Jesus and partly to David. Given how the writers of the New Testament viewed this psalm, we can be certain that David, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote some of the most significant things about the Messiah and His kingdom.

1. The King, verses 1—3

The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

This verse is quoted verbatim no less than 15 times in the New Testament and “echoed” in many other passages. When you hear this verse quoted, it sounds awkward. When you read it, it becomes slightly clearer, with the first occurrence of the word “lord” capitalized, the second in lower case. But if we take out the English “lord” and replace it with it with its original, the verse takes on a whole new meaning:

Yahweh says to Adonai, “Sit at my (Yahweh’s) right hand until I make your (Adonai’s) enemies a footstool for your (Adonai’s) feet.”

It’s clear, then, that two different “lords” are being talked about: God, Yahweh, and someone else, Adonai. It is possible that this particular verse has two meanings: an immediate one and a future one. In its immediate setting, the psalmist could have written about God’s promise to Kind David and his family. When read with that context in mind, we think about the Davidic Covenant—the fact that his authority over God’s people was given him by God Himself. In other words, David was writing about his divine appointment as king over Israel. To make the enemies a “footstool” an eastern metaphor for complete control. So, the immediate context, at least as far as this verse is concerned, makes sense. David was God’s chosen man to lead the Hebrews, and God gave His warrior-king victory of his enemies.

As we read on, it becomes evident that “Adonai” must refer to someone in addition to David. Even in verse one, the use of the word “Adonai” is the tip off; it means “one who has rule or authority,” “one of high rank.” In the Bible, it is frequently used of kings or princes, but here in Psalm 110, because it occurs after the word “my,” it must refer to someone of “higher rank” than the author of the psalm, David. Who can be higher than God’s divinely appointed king? Whom did David think he was writing about?

Thankfully, we have the New Testament. As to what was in David’s mind, we cannot know. But we know what was in God’s mind thanks to the things Jesus said and Paul wrote. We know that “Adonai” refers to Jesus Christ. The meaning of this verse, then, becomes exciting; it’s a picture of the Son of God, at His Father’s right hand (which itself is a place of authority and power), already in the position of sovereignty, already lord over all, though creation be in temporary revolt against His rule.

The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies.” (verse 2)

Verse two can also refer to David, and knowing Hebrew history we know that David did rule in the midst of his enemies. David’s military victories laid the groundwork for a generation of peace under his son’s rule. As He did David, so God will give strength to His Son, Jesus, as indicated by the phrase “mighty scepter.” God will extend Christ’s authority and sovereignty so that even heaven’s enemies will recognize Him as Lord and King over all.

The kingdom of God will become a kingdom of glory. Verse 3 is a difficult verse to put into English. The NASB is considerably different from the tNIV, though both are valid ways to look at what David was trying to convey:

Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew. (NASB)

Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb. (tNIV)

Either “people” or “troops” could be correct, or perhaps the meaning of the verse is all-inclusive; when Christ rules, there will be a “national consecration.” Today in the kingdom of God we have a lot of “reluctant service,” and while that kind of service is better than no service at all, there will come a day when Christ returns to earth as King of kings when all His people will consecrate themselves willingly to the service of the Lord. What a great day that will be! At last we will see things clearly and not through “a glass darkly.”

2. The priest, verse 4

If you think of Jesus Christ a King, you are only half right. He is also the great Priest; the greatest priest ever!

The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

Generally speaking, according to the religious laws of Israel there was a clear separation between the offices of king, priest, and prophet. It is true that David assumed the role of priest on several occasions, the intention of God’s law was that the two offices of king and priest should remain separate. No such separation is indicated for Heaven’s King; He alone is uniquely qualified to be our Prophet, Priest, and King. In Jesus, all these royal functions are combined.

This one verse alone is quoted six times in the New Testament book Hebrews! It was used to show that the priesthood of Jesus Christ would be different and far superior to that of Aaron. That’s what’s meant by the “in the order of Melchizedek.” All the priests of Israel descended from Aaron—they were from the same family line. Melchizedec, though, was a high priest long, long before Aaron, therefore his priesthood descended, not from his lineage, but from God. In that sense, Jesus is similar to Melchizedek; Jesus is not a priest because He descended from Aaron, but because it is His Father’s will. This makes Jesus THE superior High Priest, being “handpicked” by God Himself. It means that Jesus is the High Priest because God decreed it so. And Jesus will be our High Priest forever; through all eternity. For a full discussion of this, read Hebrews 7.

Even the name “Melchizedek” is significant. Not only was he king over Jerusalem long before the Law was given, by several hundred years (see Genesis 14), but his name means “king of righteousness.” This “king of righteousness” was “king of Salem” (or Jerusalem), which itself “peace.” If we put all that together, the king of righteousness was also the king of peace. No wonder God equated Jesus Christ with the earthly king Melchizedek. Our great King: the Righteous King of Kings and Prince of Peace.

3. The triumph, verses 5—7

These three verses all speak of the future, when the King will return in glory. What’s interesting is that back in verse one, it appears as though God the Father will give the enemy into His King’s hands. But in verse five, it is the King who fights victoriously:

The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.

Notice the lower case “lord.” It is not Yahweh who is the right hand of Adonai, it is Adonai who is at Yahweh’s right hand. It is God who is being addressed here. Adonai, the King of Kings and Prince of Peace will “crush” kings in His “wrath.” Yes, sometimes peace can only be achieved through violence! The word translated “crush” can also mean “shatter,” “shake,” or “agitate.” The “kings” referred to here are the enemies of Christ. To His enemies; to those who don’t know Him, Jesus does not and He will not being peace, but a sword.

Our King-Priest will also be the Judge of all the living and the dead:

He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. (verse 6)

No wonder the “Day of the Lord” is called “dreadful!” When Christ returns as King, it will be awful for those who rejected Him. There will be no hope.

Verse seven is a curious verse in no matter what version it is read:

He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift up his head.

Moffatt, in his translation, translates verse seven like this:

He drinks from any stream he has to cross, then charges forward triumphing.

It’s a very poetic way of picturing our King in battle; nothing slows Him down; not a stream or thirst! Our King, victorious in battle, surrounded by corpses, wearied and thirsty, pauses in the fray to drink, then He looks up, finds strength to continue the fight. Nothing can stop the King.

The once-crucified One, now exalted to God’s right hand, will one day return in great glory and power to set things right. Evil will be no more. Righteousness, justice and peace will prevail on the earth. The spiritual triumphs of the Cross saved our souls and restored our relationship with our Creator and Heavenly Father. When Jesus comes again, He will triumph again, this time He will vanquish evil, restore the earth to perfection and establish His kingdom forever.

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