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A SURVEY OF THE MAJOR PROPHETS, 2

Published December 12, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Glory of the Kingdom, Isaiah 11:1—16

If we look at the book of Isaiah as a whole, this section, 11:1—11, is the third Messianic picture, the “Stump of Jesse.”.  The first such picture was the prophecy of “Immanuel” in chapter 7, and the second in chapter 9, where the Messiah is referred to the “Wonderful Counselor.”  In these remarkable verses, the Messiah stands as God’s Rod of Righteousness and Peace, in contrast to Assyria as the Lord’s rod of chastisement and anger.  These three Messianic prophecies were all given by Isaiah during the reign of King Ahaz.

1.  The failure of Ahaz

The word “failure” is the kindest word to describe the 16 years of misery this wretched king inflicted upon his people.  His disastrous career is chronicled in 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28.

When Ahaz ascended to the throne, Judah was enjoying unparalleled peace and prosperity, which began during the time King Uzziah and continued through the reign of his son, Jotham.  So good were the times, that Isaiah wrote that the “treasure” would never end, the land was rich and productive, the army was strong and unbeatable and business was booming.  How quickly things changed; how quickly did Judah’s fortunes reverse.  Within 16 years, thanks to the hapless King Ahaz, the land became desolate, the people and economy became depressed, and the King had been reduced to a mere figurehead as the nation of Judah fell to the mighty Assyrians.   All this was due to Ahaz’s mishandling of the nation’s wealth, which had been handed to him by his predecessor.

Ahaz’s life shows how one sin gets heaped up onto another.  Ahaz, evil and vile as he descended into idolatry practiced the kind of worship seen in the pagan nations around them; it was he who introduced Molech to the Judeans.  He introduced a perverted kind of worship into the mainstream of Judaism which corrupted the entire religion.

This man was such a failure, such a perverse loser, that he was a failure even in death.  The people were so relieved to be rid of him, that the refused Ahaz burial in a royal tomb.

This was the national atmosphere in which Isaiah gave the kind of Messianic prophecies he is known for today.

1.  Personality of the Messiah, 11:1—3a

His origin, verse 1

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

At the conclusion of chapter 10, God’s mighty ax had decimated the mighty forest-like Assyrian nation as the nation of Judah had been mowed by the Assyrian army.   At the beginning of chapter 11, the purpose of God’s grace is seen in the growth of a shoot from the stump of Jesse.

The mighty dynasty that David left behind had been reduced to mere stump by this time in Isaiah’s life, but it was in even worse condition by the time of Christ.  The House of David was still in existence, but Israel had been without a king for over 600 years!

Isaiah sees the Messiah as a shoot (small, new growth) coming from the stump (remnant) of Jesse’s family.  He arises as a young sapling, healthy and full of strength and vigor, life from death.  Jesse, of course was never king, but his son David was.  Perhaps not mentioning David’s name was Isaiah’s way of showing how little dignity there would be left in the House of David when the Messiah finally came.  Life, yes, but when Jesus came, there was not an ounce of dignity left in David’s line.

Jesus Christ, Jewish Messiah and Savior of the world, was born not only from the Davidic dynasty, but from a ruined and sinful humanity.  Jesus Christ, from the stump of Jesse, would become as a Tree of Life for untold millions who reach out to Him in faith.  Incidentally, the word “branch” comes from the same Hebrew word as “Nazarene.”

His power, verses 2, 3a

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.

In chapter 10, the Assyrian king bragged about his own power and wisdom (10:8—14), but the coming Messiah would be equipped for His work by the Spirit of the Lord Himself!  The prophet sees the coming Messiah with a supernatural character, anointed by the seven-fold Spirit of the Lord (see Revelation 3:1).   This fullness of the Spirit manifested in Christ, incidentally, is seen in type in the seven-branched lampstand in the Tabernacle.

Of course, the fullness of the Spirit is available to all believers, since the same Holy Spirit indwells us as indwelt Him, however very few believers manifest any of what Jesus manifested.

The seven-fold anointing has to do with the quality of the Messiah’s life and character, and is as follows:

The Spirit of Wisdom.  This refers to the quality that enables a person to use right means to achieve a desired end, leading to success.  Paul wrote this—

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  (1 Corinthians 1:30)

The Spirit of Understanding.  This indicates not only knowledge and wisdom in general, but discrimination in particular.  Upon the Messiah rests the ability to distinguish that which is right and true from things that are false and dangerous.  It is unfortunate that so many believers lack discernment at a time when they need it most!

The Spirit of Counsel is the ability to impart knowledge to others and to offer sound guidance.

The Spirit of Might.  This would indicate not only resolute strength of purpose, but the ability to achieve that purpose.  The Greek indicates physical strength, but also mental and spiritual power.  Surely Jesus manifested this in His dealings with demons, disease, nature and even death.

The Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord.  This is one quality with two aspects, for one leads to the other.  By means of the supernatural spirit of knowledge, one has an understanding of spiritual things and his knowledge of God becomes intensely real.  It is through the Holy Spirit that we can have fellowship with both God the Father and the Son and it is this same Spirit who redeems us who gives us intimate knowledge of both.  The fear of the Lord that comes from the Lord really has more to do with a holy reverence for God’s Word, His Will and His Person.  The fear of the Lord involves lives marked by true piety, devoutness, and esteem for God’s authority and will.

The Spirit of delight in the fear of the Lord.  This is the final quality of the Messiah’s supernatural power.  In the Hebrew, it is a curious phrase; it indicates a “keen ability to smell.”  Some scholars have translated this awkward phrase like this—

He shall draw His breath in the fear of the Lord.

And the fear of Jehovah is a fragrance to Him.

To the Messiah, Yahweh is everything.

2.  Purpose of the Messiah’s reign, verses 3b—5

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.  Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

Unlike human leaders, the Messiah will not judge by mere appearance, or render judgments on the basis of mere hearsay!  The coming Messiah will be the Perfect Judge, perfectly suited to the job.  His complete and incorruptible authority will be based on God’s sense of justice, rooted and grounded in His holiness.   His decisions will with made with a keen sense of justice and quality, even for the poor and the meek.

The Messiah’s word will be as powerful as rod.  The Word of God is active and powerful and the Messiah’s Word of judgment will be completely effective and right.  He will judge AS the Word of God—

He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.  Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.  (Revelation 19:13—15)

This testifies to the Messiah’s awesome power:  He alone can render a just verdict and He alone is able to execute the judgments He pronounces.  In Him alone word and action become virtually one.

3.  Peace in His Kingdom, verses 6—9

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.  The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. Infants will play near the hole of the cobra; young children will put their hands into the viper’s nest.  They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

When the Messiah comes, everything will be different; everything will be made right once again, as it was in beginning.  The predatoriness of nature will be miraculously transformed into blessed peacefulness.  In the Kingdom to come, though, it will not be Adam who will be king, but rather the Second Adam, the Messianic King; in His reign nature will be at complete peace with itself and with human beings.   Whether resting, feeding, or playing, all animal life will live in harmony.

So perfect will conditions be in the Messianic kingdom, that even a little child would be able to gather all kinds of animals into one group without being harmed!  Not only that, knowledge of God will cover the earth.  This is a theologically packed statement.  It links man’s complete redemption and restoration to “knowledge of God.”  Man was alienated from God when he fell in the Garden of Eden.  Over the intervening centuries, mankind’s knowledge of God has been dwindling, but when the Messiah comes, we will know God as the Son knows the Father!

4.  Rally and restoration, verses 10—15

He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.  (verse 12)

In the Messiah’s kingdom, nations from around the globe will stream to Jerusalem to be instructed by the Messiah Himself.   This shows the amazing drawing power of the Word of God; this same Word draws sinners to God today, but today the Word is hindered by the influence and presence of Satan in the world.  When the Messiah comes, Satan will be bound for 1,000 and the Word will go forth completely unhindered and for the first time, men will see how truly perfect His Word is.  No wonder nations will pour into Jerusalem in the Millennial Kingdom!

When Christ returns as Messiah, Isaiah’s glorious Christmas prophecy “God with us” will be finally realized; His dwelling place shall be renowned the world over for its glory and it will be known as the place where God lives with His people.  Hymn writer John Newton captured this though so well:

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

The phrase “in that day” always refers to the eschatological future—our future—and refers most certainly to the Second Coming of Christ and the founding of His Millennial Kingdom.   When Christ comes back, He will restore the glories of Israel by establishing His throne there, but also by gathering His people from the four corners of the earth—

In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean.  (verse 11)

And so the Messiah will be truly King of the Jews.  The fallen genealogical tree of Jesse through David shall grow again, realized by His virgin-born descendant, Jesus Christ.  Not only will nations rally around King Jesus, but all the envy and strife so common among the Israelites will vanish in an instant in the presence of their long-awaited King.  Even though most often read at Christmas time, we see that this prophecy of Isaiah’s really contains two fulfillments; David’s descendant was born in obscurity as the Christmas story goes, but He will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords at His glorious Second Advent.

(c)  2009 WitzEnd

Some more wistful thoughts about the future

Published November 4, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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TIChild1

Some more wistful thoughts about the future

Can you believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ is mentioned over 300 times in the New Testament?  The apostle Paul alone refers to some 50 times in his epistles.  Since it is mentioned so often—fully 8 times as often as His first coming—it must be an important doctrine to understand.

It’s too bad that liberalism in the Church of Jesus Christ has turned this important and precious doctrine into little more than the stuff comic books are made of.  Those of us who believe in the literal, visible, and physical return of Christ to the earth are often ridiculed and mocked by the left wing of the Church.  Yet, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that Jesus Christ’s second coming will be:

  • Personal—John 14:3; Acts 1:10—11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 1:7; 22:7.
  • Literal—Acts 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16—17; Revelation 1:7; Zechariah 14:4.
  • Visible—Hebrews 9:28; Philippians 3:20; Zechariah 12:10.
  • Glorious—Matthew 16:27; 25:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7—9; Colossians 3:4.

In an effort to avoid the literal nature of Christ’s return, some teach death is really the second coming of Christ; that He comes to get you when you die.  However, Scripture indicates that the Second Coming is the exact opposite of physical death!  The dead in Christ will be raised to new life when Christ comes to get them.  At death, we go to Him, but at His glorious appearing He comes for us.

Others, desperate to explain away this great doctrine, teach that at Pentecost Jesus came again, in the Person of the Holy Spirit.  Others claim Christ came in 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed.  However, even if we could wrap our minds around their premise that Jesus’ return was spiritual in nature, so many other things have not occurred:  nobody was resurrected from the dead, for example.

It is natural for Christians to long for Christ to return.  Those of us to believe that He will return visibly, literally, and physically live with a sense of hope and confidence in the future.  We know that no matter what happens in this world, a better world is coming!  No wonder liberal Christians are always “angry” about something and demonstrating against this and that!  They have no hope in the future!  If they did, they wouldn’t be such a miserable lot and instead of tilting at windmills, they’d be out spreading the Good News!  Read what Paul wrote—

The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.  For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies.  (Romans 8:19—23)

It will be a glorious day it will be when Christ returns to Earth.  Of course, we believers will with Him when He returns to set up His earthly kingdom.  But what of the House of Israel?

To Christians, Jesus Christ is the Head and Savior of the Church, the heavenly people.  To Jews, the earthly people, Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah.  When He returns, He will return as their Messiah and their deliverer; He will deliver them from the Tribulation, gather them together from around the Earth, restore them to their Promised Land and finally rule over them as their long awaited King of the House of David.  We who are not Jews cannot imagine what His return will mean to them.  The nation of Israel has been looking for their Messiah since the days of Abraham!  Multiplied millennia have come and gone; but the faithful followers of Jehovah have never given up on the great messianic promises and prophecies of the Old Testament.

Earth changes

When Christ returns and builds His kingdom, the world as we know it will change.

  • There will be worldwide peace, Isaiah 2:4;
  • All people will live in safety, Micah 4:4;
  • The earth will produce abundantly, Amos 9:13;
  • The nature of wild bests will also be transformed, Isaiah 11:6—8;
  • The world will be ruled by one Man, Jesus Christ, Isaiah 11;
  • Israel will be regathered to it’s ancient land, Isaiah 11:10—12;
  • Jerusalem will be center of the world’s government, Isaiah 2:3; 33:20, 21; Jeremiah 3:17;
  • Jerusalem will be the center of worship, Zechariah 14:16;
  • Nations of the world that may have been against Israel in the past will be allied with her, Isaiah 19:23—25;
  • World leaders will submit to Christ, Psalm 72:11; Zechariah 9:10; Psalm 86:9.

Earth’s greatest King

There have been influential political leaders in the past; there have been great world leaders (and some who thought they were great), but none can compare to the greatness of Jesus Christ when He finally assumes the seat of power.

Though born “king of the Jews,” (Matthew 2:2—6), Christ was not such at His first coming and He still is not, but He will be when He returns in glory.   Notice how the angel announced His birth—

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”  (Luke 1:32, 33)

Mary found all this hard to swallow, and some still do to this very day.  But when we consider the miraculous way in which Christ was born, it’s easy to believe He will return in an equally miraculous manner!

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus was referred to as “king of the Jews” even though nobody around Him could discern His kingship; Jesus wasn’t born like a king, He didn’t live like a king and He didn’t have the trappings of royalty.  And yet, for His entire earthly ministry, those who believed in Christ recognized His authority as king of the Jews.  To those faithful followers, vindication is coming when their faith is made reality.

The Millennium:  The Kingdom of Jesus Christ

Almost every Christian has at least heard of “the Millennium,” whether they can explain what it is or not.  The word itself is not seen in Scripture; it means literally “a thousand,” and we know it refers to the duration of Christ’s reign upon the Earth as its great Sovereign.   Though referred to elsewhere in Scripture, here is a good summary of the Millennium—

He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.  I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.  (Revelation 20:3—6)

Can you imagine a world without evil?  A lot of people have been deluded into thinking that Satan, or the Devil, is a fictional little guy that sits on your shoulder whispering bad thoughts into your ear and tricking you into getting into mischief.  But Satan is real, and evil is real and rampant in the world around us.  How else can we explain they heinous crimes human beings commit against each other?  But one day, the presence of evil will be incarcerated for one thousand years!

Of course, there will still be sin in the hearts of man—not everybody alive during the Millennium will be worshiping and obeying Christ out of love and devotion to Him.  This thousand year span, in addition to fulfilling the myriad of prophecies and promises concerning the restoration of Israel, will also be kind of final proving ground for all mankind.  This will be our last chance to exercise our vaunted free will in the right direction.  Sadly, we know that when Satan is released for a very brief time, he will, as he has done since the beginning of time, lead many astray into everlasting damnation.

But the Millennial kingdom will be a real, brick and mortar kingdom, inhabited by real human beings, saints of God, angels, and all under the benevolent leadership of Christ.

How wondrous this time will be to the Jews!  Ezekiel 37 is a remarkable prophecy concerning the complete restoration of Israel; Jewish graves among the nations will be opened, new life will come to Israel, Judah and Israel will at last be united as one great nation; all of this  points to a glorious restoration of God’s people.

Who believes this?

Well, I do!  And although sometimes I feel like I am the only one who does, I know that I am good company.   The apocryphal Book of Barnabas, while certainly not inspired Scripture, is nonetheless interesting and sometimes edifying and has a lot to say about the Millennium.  In it, the author writes that just as there were six literal days of creation, so God will, in six thousand years bring this present dispensation of the world to an end.  Then follows a seventh millennium, corresponding to the Sabbath of creation, in which Christ renews the world.

Church father Papias ,who departed this earth around 60 A.D. writes about the idyllic condition of the the world during the millennial reign of Christ.  Justin, born around 100 A.D., the ante-Nicene theologian, also taught about this restoration of the material universe during the literal reign of Christ during the Millennium.

And what about you?  Do you live the kind of hope the apostles and the early church lived with and that many of us today live with?   I hope that you do.  These are difficult times for many Americans; the things and people we used to trust in have failed us and some folk wonder if life will ever get any better.  There has been a lot of talk about “hope and change” in recent months; I believe in “hope and change,” but not the kind any human being can bring about.  Jesus Christ, a carpenter from the plains of Galilee, is the one Man who not only offers “hope and change,” He will deliver it!

When the two Mary’s went to the tomb of Jesus, they made a startling discovery:  He was not dead; He had risen from the dead!  An angel told them—

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”  So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.  (Matthew 28:6—8)

Jesus said He would rise from the dead and He did.  He said He will come again, and He will!  If you truly believe this, as I do, then go quickly and tell somebody who needs hope.

(c)  2009 WitzEnd

heavenly idea

Some wistful thoughts about the future

Published November 3, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Kingofkings

One of the great benefits of being a Christian is having a deep sense of abiding hope; with economic turmoil all around us, immorality becoming the norm in American society, and the rise in secular humanism, it would be very easy  to get discouraged and long for “the good old days.”  Yet for the Christian, “the good old days” can never compare to the “better new days” coming.  Our hope for the future is never tied to the current occupant of the White House or science or education or any of the things unbelievers put their hope and trust in.  In fact, on the subject of hope, the Apostle Paul made these comments about those fearful of death versus the hope we as Christians have—

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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. 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.  Therefore encourage one another with these words.  (1 Thessalonians 4:13—18, tNIV)

As verse 18 says, that is certainly an encouraging passage of Scripture.  We know that Paul is referring here to the wonderful doctrine known as the “rapture,” the great “catching away” of believers prior to the Tribulation and the revelation of the Antichrist.  My personal hope for the future is really grounded, not necessarily in the rapture, although I expect that if I live long enough I will experience it!; but rather in the revelation of my Lord Jesus Christ.

A revelation of Jesus Christ

At the rapture of the Church, Christ will be revealed in all His glory to all who believe.  But there will be a greater revelation of Jesus Christ further in the future—

“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, tNIV)

The Bible teaches that some day, maybe sooner than we think, Jesus Christ will “catch away” His people—saints long dead and those alive.  But it also teaches that some day Jesus Christ will return literally, visibly, and physically to the earth, descending from the clouds for all the world to see—

“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory”  (Matthew 24:30, tNIV)

Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and will receive for Himself a kingdom, only to return after receiving that kingdom—

A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.  (Luke 19:12, tNIV)

This will happen in heaven when Jesus receives the saints from all the ages; we make up His spiritual kingdom.  However, Daniel 7:13—14 describes how Jesus will receive His earthly kingdom—

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”  (tNIV)

The Bible is replete with references to the beginning of the reign of Jesus Christ on the earth.  Here is just a handful—

  • Zechariah 14:1—3;
  • Matthew 25:31—46;
  • Joel 3:9—17;
  • Revelation 16:13—16; 19:11—21.

Those accompanying Christ when He returns

When Christ returns to the earth, a large contingent of beings will be coming with Him.  What an amazing sight that will be!

  • Angels will be coming with Him.

According to Mathew 13:41—42, the accompanying angels will have a very specific, if unpleasant, task to perform—

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  (tNIV)

Furthermore, the angels will be present when living unbelievers are judged when the Lord returns according to Matthew 25:31—41; Revelation 19:17—19; 2 Thessalonians 1:7—10).

  • Redeemed saints will be coming with Him

There are numerous verses and passages in Scripture that testify to the fact that when Christ returns, angels will be with Him as well as saints.  Consider—

To those who are victorious and do my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— they ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ —just as I have received authority from my Father.  (Revelation 2:26, 27, tNIV)

[I]f we endure, we will also reign with him.  (2 Timothy 2:12a, tNIV)

Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world?  (1 Corinthians 6:2a, tNIV)

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  (Revelation 20:4, tNIV)

The future kingdom

In the spiritual sense, the Kingdom of Heaven/Kingdom of God is here now.  Jesus Himself testified to this fact when He began His earthly ministry—

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  (Matthew 4:17, tNIV)

But as you look around, who can see God’s kingdom on earth?  It cannot be seen right now because it is being built in the realm of the Spirit.  However, when Jesus Christ returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He will build a literal, visible, and physical kingdom on earth.  He gave some hints about this kingdom yet to come—

For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”  (Luke 22:16—18, tNIV)

All the Apostles believed in a future kingdom, especially Paul who said this—

“We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”  (Acts 14:22, tNIV)

All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.  (2 Thessalonians 1:5, tNIV)

In the future literal, visible, and literal kingdom, Jesus Christ will be the great sovereign of the entire world.  He will be King over every nation and every people.

Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’  (Daniel 7:27, tNIV)

This passage, along with Luke 22:30 specifically promises a position of authority to the apostles.  It is certainly fitting that the apostles, who were Jewish, should inherit special positions governing Israel in the future kingdom.

However, promises of positions in the Lord’s kingdom were not only given to the apostles.  Consider what was promised to the faithful Gentiles of the church at Laodicea—

To those who are victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.  (Revelation 3:21, tNIV)

And let’s not forget that that the parables of the bags of gold and the ten minas teach us that certain positions and rewards in the kingdom will be determined by the quality of faithful service rendered now (see Matthew 25:14—30; Luke 19:11—26).

A long awaited deliverance

As I read what I have just written, I am struck by a couple thoughts.  First, this is exciting stuff!  I feel sorry for liberal Christians who don’t have the hope I have because they view the Bible as a book full of symbolism and stories not intended to be taken literally.  That’s sad; my view of the Bible is that it is meant to be taken literally whenever and wherever possible.   Rather than be encouraged and ignited by reading the Bible the way it was meant to be read–literally–some people would rather cling to their liberalism and be miserable.  The other thing that strikes me about this wonderful hope we have is what Paul wrote in Romans 8:19–23.   This is such a powerful passage!  All of creation, Paul wrote, is longing to be set right.  This “restoration of all things” is linked to the Second Coming of Christ.  If all creation longs to be made right, how much more do Christians long to meet their Savior and stand shoulder to shoulder with Him?

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies.  (Romans 8:23, tNIV)

Imagine…the day we see our Lord face-to-face; we won’t need eye glasses to see Him!  We won’t need to be pushed into His presence in our wheelchairs.  Our arthritic aches and pains will a dim memory of the past!  How great will that be!

(c)  2009 WitzEnd

The End of Days, Part One

Published January 11, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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An Exposition of Matthew 24

This chapter contains the most discussed and debated teachings of Jesus in the Gospels.  Although it is paralleled in both Mark and Luke, Matthew’s version of what we call “The Olivette Discourse” contains material found in no other Gospel.   Understanding the teachings of Jesus in this chapter, and the following chapter, is essential if one is to have a complete understanding the nature of the “last days.”  Indeed, grasping the truths of the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation would be impossible without the words of Jesus in Matthew because it is the key that unlocks the mysteries of Revelation chapters 6-19 and Daniel chapter 9.

1.  The occasion, verses 1 and 2

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.  Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

As the chapter opens, we see Jesus leaving the great temple complex for the very last time.  It is late afternoon on the Tuesday before the Passover Lamb is going to offer Himself as an atonement for the sins of man.  It’s a busy day, and Jesus is accompanied by His friends, who remarked on the beauty of the temple buildings in response to something Jesus said in Matthew 23:38,

Look, your house is left to you desolate.

To the disciples that was a very curious statement because the temple and its associated buildings were anything but desolate that day; it was just before the Passover, and Jerusalem was teaming with visitors and the temple would have been a beehive of activity.  What was Jesus talking about?  So, they pointed this out to Him, and He restated what He previously said:  the temple would be utterly destroyed.  This must surely have  been a baffling statement to the disciples.  The temple in Jerusalem was magnificent.  It was massive, it was a true testament to man’s engineering abilities and his devotion to his religion.  Of the temple in Jerusalem, the Psalmist wrote:

It is beautiful in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth.
Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
the city of the Great King.

Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers,

consider well her ramparts,
view her citadels,
that you may tell of them to the next generation.  (Psalm 48:2, 12-13)

If the temple in the Old Testament could elicit such emotion, imagine what it must have been like for the disciples of Jesus’ day, when the temple had been greatly enlarged and lavishly adorned under King Herod!  Of that temple, Edersheim wrote:

Nor has there been, either in ancient or modern times, a sacred building equal to the temple, whether for situation or magnificence.

In Baba Batra, a Jewish essay which concerns things like houses and yards and regulations for such buildings, we read this:

He who never saw Herod’s edifice has never in his life seen such a beautiful building.

So, to the minds of the disciples, who had grown up around this temple, what Jesus had just said must have been both baffling and startling.

3.  The three pertinent questions, verse 3

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Some time later, Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, which is a very appropriate location for a teaching on the Parousia, the Second Coming, considering what the prophet Zechariah wrote concerning this singular event:

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.  (Zechariah 14:4)

Mark, in his Gospel, says that Peter, James, John, and Andrew were the ones who asked Jesus this question in private.  It is likely the other disciples were present, but that these four were the ones raised concerns about what Jesus had just said.  The word “privately” simply means that the following teachings were given only to the disciples, no one else was present.

There were three questions raised:

  • Tell us, when will this happen?
  • What will be the sign of your coming?
  • And of the end of the age?

Taken individually, the answers to these three questions paint a panoramic picture of Bible prophecy that encompasses the time of the early church to the end of days, a period of history yet to be written that the Bible calls “the Great Tribulation.”

(a)  Tell us, when will this happen?

This first question refers to the destruction of the temple, which was fulfilled in 70 AD by the Romans.  They sacked and destroyed not only the temple grounds, but the decimated the whole city of Jerusalem.  This horrible event in Jewish history was also prophesied by Daniel:

After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.  (Daniel 9:26)

At the time Jesus spoke of the temple’s utter destruction, some 40 years hence, there was peace all over the world; no word of prophecy seemed more improbable.  The Jewish nation, though subject to Rome, was at peace and the armies of Rome were obligated to protect the Jews, not destroy them!  Yet, within a generation, the words of Jesus came to pass with precision.  After a three year siege by Vespasian, then his son, Titus, Jerusalem was taken, much of it destroyed, and the temple utterly destroyed in August of 70 AD.  All exactly as Jesus had said.

(b)  What will be the sign of your coming?

It’s important that we read that question carefully, noting who is asking it, and the words used.  This question is being asked by Jews concerning the coming of their Messiah.  By now, the disciples seemed to understand who Jesus was and that He was going away but that He would return as their Messiah, the One their ancient prophets wrote about.  Theirs was, in fact, a very Jewish question, for centuries the Jews had been looking for a longing for their Messiah to come.  So this question was perfectly natural.

Notice also that they were not asking about  signs of the coming rapture.  The rapture does not concern Jews, but it concerns the removal of the Church, all born again believers, from the earth to meet Christ in the air, as taught by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17.  The disciples were not asking Jesus about that because Jesus never taught anything about the rapture.  That “mystery” was left for Paul to reveal.  Jesus, however, often spoke about His return to earth physically, and this is what the disciples were asking about.

This is important to keep in mind because all that follows, that is, all the signs Jesus is about to talk about, do not relate to the rapture of the Church but to world conditions just prior to His literal, physical return to Earth.  There are, in fact, no signs leading up to the rapture of the Church.

Here are the signs leading up to the Second Coming of Christ as enumerated by Christ in Matthew 24:

  • There will be false messiahs, verse 5
  • There will be wars and rumors of wars, verse 6.  Of course, there have always been wars or at least the threat of wars in every generation of man, but they will increase just prior to the return of Christ.
  • The third sign will be nations rising against nations, verse 7.  There will be a grappling for power and world dominance in the days preceding the coming of Christ.
  • Famines will be the fourth sign that the Lord’s return is soon, verse 7.
  • There will also be an increase in earthquakes during this time, verse 7.

All these things, says Jesus, are the beginning of birth pains, verse 8.  The word translated “birth pains” is also used in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 this way:

While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Paul was writing about the same time period as Jesus was talking about.  The troubles listed in Matthew 24 will characterize the time period we call “The Tribulation,” a period of seven years following our age, the Age of Grace, and preceding the Messianic Age of the Millennial kingdom.

  • The sixth sign, in verse 9, will be the dreadful persecution of believers during this time.  This shows us that even after the Church is removed from the scene, people will still come to Christ as Savior.  What will it be like for them?  The Greek word translated “persecuted” in the NIV come from the verb thlibo, which means “press.”  It is used to describe the crushing of grapes to get the wine out.  This is a vivid description of life for those who find the Lord during the Tribulation period.
  • The treatment of believers will lead to the seventh sign in verse 10, with people betraying each other, forsaking their faith just to stay alive.
  • Verse 11 speaks of the eighth sign, the rise of false prophets who will deceive many into following them.
  • The ninth sign in verse 12, which is found only in Matthew,  is ominous.  Lack of love will characterize people during the Tribulation.  During this time, as man grows more and more wicked and self centered, the love of most will grow cold, says Jesus.
  • The tenth sign, only given in Matthew, gives us an inkling of something that will be happening during the seven year Tribulation:  the Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, verse 14.
  • The next sign will be, as Jesus said, ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel.  Jesus is making reference to something Daniel prophesied about.  In fact, Daniel mentions this “thing” three times.  One reference is Daniel 9:27,

He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’  In the middle of the ‘seven’  he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

This is referring to something that the Antichrist will do in the temple in the middle of the seven-year Tribulation.  We also know that in 168 BC Antiochus Epiphanes marched into the Holy Holies and erected a pagan altar to Zeus, thus desecrating the temple God.  We see here a dual fulfillment of what was prophesied.  The Antichrist will do the same kind of thing when he turns on the Jews.

  • After the temple is ruined, conditions for the Jews will be so bad, according to verse 16, many will flee to the mountains to hide out.  This was partly fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, but  according to what Jesus said in verse 21, He is also referring to a time in the future far worse than the world has ever experienced before.

For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

  • Verse 23 indicates that  just before He returns, there will be more false messiahs, more people claiming to the Christ.  Jesus is warning those who follow Him not to be deceived, and He is telling His disciples all this, not to frighten them, but out of love.  Verse 25 is a compassionate statement:  See, I have told you ahead of time.

Conclusion

Invariably, whenever these verses are taught or preached, people wonder what will happen to them.  Some Christians believe the Church will go through this period of great distress.  Others teach the Church will be removed at some point during the Tribulation.  If you are born again, if Jesus Christ is your personal Lord and Savior, you have nothing to worry about.  Consider what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, people who were prone to worry:

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 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.   (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10)

“God did not appoint us to suffer wrath.”  Indeed, for us, for believers, Jesus suffered God’s wrath so that we don’t have to, ever; not now, not during the Tribulation, not in all eternity.  You and I, because of what Jesus did for us at Calvary, are considered worthy to escape the coming wrath.

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.  (Luke 21:36, KJV)

Next time, we will examine the most startling signs of “the end of the age,” the moments just before Christ returns to the Earth.  We will also look briefly at some parables Jesus taught to help His disciples  understand what He was teaching.

(c)  2009 WitzEnd
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