"YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING...RIGHT?

FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW (PART II)

In Part one of "From The Old To The New" we left off looking at the seen and the unseen.

2 Cor 4:17-18 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Here the transition is to faith..."look(ing) at the things which are NOT SEEN." How do we look upon that which is "NOT SEEN"? The only way to do that is by faith.

Again this is speaking of the contrast between the Old Covenant, Shadows, types, figures, etc., all which were seen. The temple, the priesthood, the sacrifice. These were constituent elements of the Old Covenant, ALL which could be seen. Paul says, do not look to those things, but look to the truth and reality of the New
[CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR BETTER VIEW]
Covenant that cannot be seen with the human eye, but MUST be seen by FAITH.

Paul gets to the concept of "FAITH" very soon in 2 Cor 5:7, (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

But before he gets there he says some very interesting things...

Starting chapter five of 2nd Corinthians, Paul continues his progression of his logical argument using the term "FOR". Continuing to build on what he has said prior, his use of this transitional term indicates that he is NOT changing topics but rather building on the already stated topic. This already stated topic is the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant.

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked." 2 Corinthians 5:1-3

Many theologians and preachers at this point find reason to change the topic from Covenant transition to the believers death. Funny, Paul does not mention the believers death here and the "FOR" clearly ties his allegory about the body to the topic of covenant transition.

For a more extensive look at the use of the term "Body" see my post from 4 April , 2008

http://prosthero.blogspot.com/2008/04/body-2-corinthians-510.html

Moving from the end of chapter 4 having stated that we look to those things that are NOT seen, and our focus is on the eternal New Covenant, Paul is not changing the topic. He is declaring, that Because of the focus on the unseen..."FOR"..."We will put off the earthly tabernacle, the building of God". The tabernacle here is not the believers physical body, but it is the Old Covenant tabernacle, temple, building of God that was going to pass away in 70 A.D. as a physical manifestation that the Old Covenant had completely passed away.

But we have a building from God. A house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. This is speaking of our New Covenant tabernacle which is Christ himself.

In the heavens:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" Ephesians 1:3

"Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places," Ephesians 3:20

"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" Ephesians 2:6

"To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God," Ephesians 3:10

Where are these heavenly places of which he speaks. It must be a place where we are sharing the presence of Christ right now. This is evident because the Apostle declares that both Christ and the believer are occupying that same place at the same time.

The Heavenly places Paul is speaking of is the place of the New Covenant, for where Christ (the master) is, there will his servant (the believer) be.

"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;" Hebrews 9:11

"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:" Hebrews 9:24

This is the same temple or city not made with hands that Abraham was looking for by faith.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:8-10

For further reading on the typology of "The Body - The Building - The Bride - The Wife - The City - The Temple (or Tabernacle)" and how each of these literary pictures are all used to describe the church read my post from 12 June. 2010. Or just click on the link.

http://prosthero.blogspot.com/2010/06/body-building-bride-wife-city-temple.html

So here in 2 Corinthians 5 1-3 we find that Paul is building on the theme of the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant...and he has not begun a new topic, but through his transitional phrases (FOR), he is continuing the same theme. This theme is highlighted elsewhere with Abraham and Christ in Hebrews.

To be continued...

FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW (PART I)

To break a paradigm you must be willing to look at something from a different, maybe not so obvious, new perspective. In my bible study I try to do this as often as I can. I have found that a great deal of what I have heard from the pulpit in the last 30 years of listening to preachers has been a party line or a denominational position.

In trying to live a berean life and wanting to be able to hear God's spirit for myself, I have had to throw off much of the "Christian Party Line" and the denominational dogma.

Another passage that has confronted me lately in my paradigm shift is 2 Corinthians. After an extended introduction in chapters 1 and 2 Paul begins in Chapter 3 to highlight the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant.

2 Cor 3:3 "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."

Here contrasts the Old Covenant written in stone and the fulfillment of the prophecy of the New Covenant coming to pass by the Spirit of the living God writing the epistles of Christ (the teachings of Christ--the Law of Christ) on our fleshy tables of the heart.

2 Cor 3:4-7 "And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:"

Paul next declares our full sufficiency to be found in God, and then elaborates on the nature of the Old Covenant compared to the New. The "Letter", or "Ministration of Death", or that which is "Written and engraven in stone", brings about "DEATH".

But the "Spirit", or the New Covenant brings "LIFE". He declares the Old Covenant as possessing some form of "Glory", but that Glory was being done away with. The Glory of the New Covenant was however superior to that of the old.

2 Cor 3:8-11 "How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious."

Here we see that the Old Covenant was being done away with in Paul's day and the New Covenant was to remain. The New Covenant is referred to in Hebrews as an "Everlasting Covenant".

Hebrews 13 20 "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,"

2 Cor 4:1 "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;"

Here in 2 Corinthians 4 Paul begins a series of logical arguments based on this covenantal transition in chapter 3. He uses terms like "Therefore", "Wherefore", and "For" All purpose clauses intended to point us back to the previous point of the argument for substantiation, but all of them finding their root and context in the covenantal change that Chapter 3 reveals.

Let's follow this logic trail of Paul's.

"Therefore seeing we have this ministry...: What ministry Paul? It is the ministry of the New Covenant.

Since we are now ministers of a New Covenant we "have received mercy", "we faint not", "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." 2 Cor 4:1-2. In verse 3 we have not "hid the gospel", but others have blinded the minds of those who do not believe (The New Covenant).

2 Cor 4:5 "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." At the center of this New Covenant Gospel is Christ.

2 Cor 4:6 "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

In the New Covenant, it is God who commands the light (the truth of the New Covenant) to shine in our hearts by way of Jesus Christ.

2 Cor 4:6 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

Having this treasure of the New Covenant in Earthen vessels allows the praise to go to God, but in verse 7 we see that those in the first century who participated in the transition from the Old to the New will be misunderstood and persecuted because of this New Covenant.

"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." 2 Cor 4:8-10

2 Cor 4:11-14 "For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you."

So the New Covenant will bring persecution that will lead to death, but Paul encourages those who will be faced with that death to recognize that their death will result in the bringing of life to others, just as the death of Jesus resulted in resurrection. This is following the pattern of putting away the Old Covenant of DEATH in favor of the New Covenant of LIFE.

2 Cor 4:15 "For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God." This suffering and possible death results in the grace of God toward those ministering the New Covenant, and ultimately gratitude.

2 Cor 4:16 "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." Because Grace is promised the ministers of the New Covenant can move forward without fainting, knowing that the New Man of the New Covenant will be renewed day by day.

2 Cor 4:17-18 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." Here the transition is to faith..."look(ing) at the things which are NOT SEEN." How do we look upon that which is "NOT SEEN"?? The only way to do that is by faith.

Again this is speaking of the contrast between the Old Covenant, Shadows, types, figures, etc., all which were seen. The temple, the priesthood, the sacrifice. These were constituent elements of the Old Covenant, ALL which could be seen. Paul says, do not look to those things, but look to the truth and reality of the New Covenant that cannot be seen with the human eye, but MUST be seen by FAITH.

Paul gets to the concept of "FAITH" very soon in 2 Cor 5:7, (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

But before he gets there he says some very interesting things...

To be continued.

AS THE SEASONS TURN

My friend Steve in Buena Vista, CO took this picture this morning. The snow has begun to accumulate in the Rockies, what a beautiful time of year.







Click on the picture for a larger display.

RIDING ON A "SWIFT CLOUD"

Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt; The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst. (Is 19:1)

The above verse is describing:

A. Every Egyptian seeing God on a literal cloud as He rides in judgment against their nation.

B. God’s judgment of Egypt described in figurative, apocalyptic language.

Few, if any, students of the Word believe that God was actually seen on a cloud by anyone during His judgment against Egypt. In fact, most have no difficulty in acknowledging that while there was a literal judgment against Egypt, this apocalyptic description is not to be taken literally. Why, then, do we insist on a literal interpretation for the following verse?

Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. (Matt 26:64)

When the high priest heard Jesus say this, he tore his clothes and accused Jesus of blasphemy.

Why?

Because he knew what coming on the clouds of heaven meant—that Jesus was claiming to be God, and would come in judgment against them.

The Jewish Council, before whom Jesus spoke these words, knew that cloud-comings were woven throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. Did they deem Him deserving of death because He claimed He could ride on a cloud, or because He had just stated, in language which all Jews understood, that He was God and would return to judge them? Surely the latter is the case.

Why, then, do we insist on interpreting this cloud-coming judgment of Christ in a literal fashion, instead of in the manner of Old Testament cloud-coming judgments?

ALL THE LAND...

The bible predicts and history clearly records that Israel was given all the land that God promised.

--God kept every promise that he ever made to the physical literal nation called Israel.

--That nation Israel rebelled against God in every possible way for years and years.

--God's ultimate purpose for this nation was to bring forth his Son, Messiah. Born under the law. THIS CAME TO PASS.

--Once The nation had fulfilled God's ordained purpose, God was free to keep the rest of his promises...Promises of Judgment and destruction.

--Read Deuteronomy 28-30 you will see the many many promises of God's justice and judgment to come on that nation.

--History records in the Jewish Roman wars of63 AD-70 AD the complete fulfillment of these promises of Judgment. God utterly destroyed this rebellious nation. In his destruction of this nation he showed that he was finished with them. They served their purpose and they received what they deserved for their rejection of God's son and their messiah.

Utter destruction is what was predicted by the prophets...Utter destruction is what happened to the nation of Israel in the first century.

Not all who are of the physical seed of Abraham are Israel...but those who are the sons of Abraham by faith.

SO..."FOR ME, there is an Israel"...but it is not the physical literal nation that was destroyed in AD 70. It is the remnant of that group mixed in the one body with the wall of partition being broken down. It is those who are the seed of Abraham BY FAITH. They are the Israel that I recognize. NOT a physical literal nation attached to a physical literal land. Those physical literal promises were all fulfilled in Joshua's day.

We now live in the greater reality of the Spiritual. The church, the elect, the bride of Christ, the new Jerusalem...we (believers in Christ) are all the spiritual Israel that Paul wrote about.

"For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Romans 2:28-29

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." Galatians 6:15-16

Who did Paul say are the "Israel of God"??? "As Many as walk according to THIS rule". Which Rule are you talking about Paul? The rule that Circumcision no longer counts for anything, but a NEW CREATURE. Paul do you men that the Israel of God are all those who are NEW CREATURES in the NEW COVENANT? That is exactly what Paul means.

There is no longer a physical literal nation attached to a land that God has any obligation to. He has obligated himself through his son and by faith to those whom he has redeemed out of every kindred tribe tongue and nation. The Church!

WHY POLISH THE BRASS ON A SINKING SHIP?

In doing an honest look at history, we can trace our social welfare system to the time when the church gave up its role to care for the poor and the widows and the fatherless.

When did this trend begin?

It began at the same time that "pre-millennial Dispensationalism took a choke-hold in the churches of this country. We had leaders in the church declaring; "Why polish the brass on a sinking ship?"

Once I heard a preacher declare that it would be foolish to make improvements to rental property.

The teaching continues.

Until the Church takes back its God ordained responsibility to care for those among us who cannot, the government will continue to insert themselves where the church belongs. Pre-mil Dispensationalism,being the first of the excess baggage that needs to go by the way-side.

EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM

When people share their belief that all Bible prophecy has been fulfilled, listeners routinely protest with a short phrase from Rev. 1:7: “…every eye will see Him…” (NASB throughout). This response is almost always offered without regard to the context or even the rest of the verse. Here is the complete quotation:

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

Most see this verse as a major problem since there is no evidence Christ’s second coming in the clouds was ever seen by anyone, let alone everyone in the world. However, we will demonstrate that it is actually the popular futurist view of the second coming that cannot be reconciled with Rev. 1:7.

Popular scenario difficult to imagine

Many Christians would consider the following an accurate description of the second coming:

1. Jesus returns bodily on the clouds riding a white horse (Matt. 24:30; Rev. 19:11);
2. He streaks across the sky from east to west like a flash of lightning (Matt. 24:27);
3. Everyone in the whole world sees it take place (Rev. 1:7).

Popular author Max Lucado envisions a somewhat more serene return, evidently, minus the lightning:

Suddenly, the heavens are quiet. All is quiet. The angels turn, you turn, the entire world turns—and there he is. Jesus. Through waves of light you see the silhouetted figure of Christ the King. He is atop a great stallion, and the stallion is atop a billowing cloud. (Max Lucado, When Christ Comes [Nashville: Word Publishing, 1999], xvi)

Although Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18) and is certainly able to perform amazing feats, the descriptions above raise some puzzling questions:

1. If Jesus and his horse are on top of the clouds, how will anyone see them? Won’t they actually be hidden by the clouds? Who hasn’t strained without success to see an airplane flying over that was above the clouds? Perhaps they might be visible on top of a cloud in the distance, but then, they would probably be too far away to be seen without a telescope.
2. When a lightning bolt strikes, we are usually looking somewhere else, and by the time we turn our heads, the flash has disappeared. So if Jesus races around the world like a streak of lightning, won’t most people miss it? Won’t everyone in the world need to be looking up at precisely the right moment and all at the same time? Does that ever happen? What about people in buildings, or millions looking downward to read or do their work? What about miners working underground, or sailors in submerged submarines? What about half of the world’s population on the dark side of the globe who will be sleeping? At any given moment, only a small fraction of humankind is looking toward the sky.
3. If Jesus were to orbit the earth at the equator for example, he would be visible to only a relatively small number of people living within a narrow strip of land. How would people in other parts of the globe manage to see him? Can you see clouds over the equator from your house?

Even with a loud trumpet blast to get everyone’s attention (Rev. 11:15) it seems impossible to imagine how “every eye” in the world could witness the second coming as most seem to understand it. Of course, some will argue that although we don’t have a complete understanding of Christ’s return, it will all work out, and we don’t need to be concerned with the details. Nevertheless, we think our questions indicate something is seriously wrong with the popular scenario. We will further suggest that the commonly held interpretation of Rev. 1:7 completely misses the intended meaning.

Zech. 12:10-11

Rev. 1:7 refers to Zech. 12:10-11:

10“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. 11In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem… (Zech. 12:10-11)

The “house of David” refers to the nation of Jews under the Old Covenant. In the first century, God ceased working through this physical nation because under the New Covenant, we are all spiritually one in Christ (Rom. 10:12). Today, the church is God’s “holy nation” (1 Pet. 2:9). Therefore, this prophecy must refer to something within the bounds of the Old Covenant era which came to its complete end when Herod’s temple was destroyed in a.d. 70. Jerusalem became irrelevant at this time as well. God will never again use a physical temple in a physical city for animal sacrifices because Jesus has been sacrificed once for all (Heb. 10:10). Today, we have come to the “heavenly Jerusalem,” the church (Heb. 12:22-23). Sometimes, the church is described as God’s “temple” (1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21). Therefore, since earthly Jerusalem with its physical temple is now irrelevant, the “great mourning in Jerusalem” can refer only to the city’s destruction in the first century.

Matt. 24:30

Jesus referred to Zech. 12:10-11 in Matt. 24:30:

…all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

We have already seen that the original prophecy referred to the first century. Now, immediately after referencing Zechariah’s prophecy, Jesus confirms the time of fulfillment:

Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (v. 34)

“Tribes” is translated from the Greek word φυλή (phule). It is the same word used in Jas. 1:1:

James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.

This refers to the 12 tribes of Israel, not all nations of the world, in which case the Greek would be ἔθνος (ethnos).

“Earth” is an unfortunate rendering since this English word has several shades of meaning. Most have assumed it refers to the entire globe here. However, a clump of earth can be held in one’s hand. A gardener might plant a seed in the earth and then, cover it with earth. The gardener would not have the globe in mind at all.

The word “earth” in Matt. 24:30 is γῆ (ge) in the Greek. It is translated “land” in other places:

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah… (Matt. 2:6); Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel… (v. 20); The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali… (ch. 4:15); Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. (ch. 27:45)

In every case above, ge refers to the land of Israel or Judah, not the globe.

That the original prophecy refers to God’s Old Covenant people has been firmly established. Now, with additional support from the Greek in Matt. 24:30 we reconfirm that conclusion: “all the tribes of the earth will mourn” should be understood to mean all the tribes of the land of Israel will mourn.

Rev. 1:7

It is abundantly clear that Zech. 12:10-11, restated in Matt. 24:30, refers to the first century. So, when we find it referenced again in Rev. 1:7, the timing of its fulfillment is simply not open to question; the verse must refer to the first century; and once again, this is corroborated by the surrounding text:

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place…3Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. (Rev. 1:1-3)

The “soon” theme is carried right on through to the end of the vision:

And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place. (ch. 22:6); And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” (v. 10)

It is unnatural and unbelievable that “near” could mean almost 2,000 years. However, most futurist expositors either read right over all this or attempt to redefine “soon” and “near” with questionable appeals to the Greek and some rather creative interpretive techniques.

We can now begin to illuminate Rev. 1:7. The verse appears to contain three statements:

1. behold, He is coming with the clouds,
2. and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him;
3. and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.

However, there are really only two declarations here; everything before the semi-colon, i.e., items one and two, belong together.

1. “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him;”

This combines an allusion to Zech. 12:10 (“pierced”) with a reference to Christ’s trial. The High Priest demanded Jesus answer this charge: “…tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God” (Matt. 26:63). Jesus gave him the answer he wanted: “…hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” (v. 64). To some, this may not seem like a very direct response. However, it was, in fact, quite clear to those attending the trial; they knew exactly what Jesus meant. They mocked him saying, “Prophesy to us, You Christ” (v. 68). They knew he was claiming to be the Christ because he was identifying himself as “the Son of Man” mentioned in Dan. 7:13:

I kept looking in the night visions,

And behold, with the clouds of heaven

One like a Son of Man was coming,

And He came up to the Ancient of Days

And was presented before Him.

Christ’s answer was “blasphemy” to the Jews (Matt. 26:65) because they knew that only God or the Son of God could be coming on clouds. But Jesus was not suggesting they would actually see him coming in the clouds; rather, he was simply identifying himself as the Christ: the “Son of God” (Matt. 26:63). This was the purpose of his slightly oblique reply.

God is sometimes figuratively pictured as coming on clouds. For instance, when David was delivered from his enemies, he praised God for things that never occurred literally:

9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With thick darkness under His feet.
10 He rode upon a cherub and flew;
And He sped upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and coals of fire. (Ps. 18:9-12)

God didn’t literally “come down” in “thick clouds,” and no one saw him. This is imagery portraying God as all-powerful. Christ used this same device to answer the High Priest who understood it immediately. Today, we know that looking up into the sky actually peers into outer space. However, in the past, the sky was simply viewed as heaven. Anyone coming down through the clouds was coming from God’s throne.

We often use the word see to mean understand or perceive. Such usage is not new. Jesus did the same thing. So did Isaiah:

13“Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14“In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand;
You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
15 For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’
16“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
17“For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matt. 13:13-17).

Jesus used “eyes” as a metaphor for the mind, and by “see” he meant “understand”: “…blessed are your eyes, because they see.” When he told those present at his trial they would “see” him coming with clouds, he meant they would finally understand he was the Christ. He meant the same thing in Rev. 1:7 and even mentioned “those who pierced Him,” a clear reference to his accusers. They and the mob who demanded his crucifixion were the ones ultimately guilty of his murder (Matt. 27:1-2; Acts 2:23; 3:14-15), not the Roman soldier who pierced his side (John 19:34). So “see” in Rev. 1:7 means many people, including those guilty of his murder, would finally comprehend who he was.

The word “every” is common hyperbole. It was just as prevalent in ancient times as it is today. We use it all the time, but don’t expect people to take us literally. (Incidentally, the phrase all the time is hyperbole too.) One might say, “Oh, everybody knows that.” This just means a fact is well known, not that every living soul on earth knows it. It is not necessary to include every eye on the entire planet when interpreting Rev. 1:7. The point is Christ’s return would be dramatic, and his true identity as the Christ would be perceived by many.

Therefore, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him” in Rev. 1:7 does not require a literal interpretation. It simply predicts that the Jews who handed Jesus over to the Romans for crucifixion would finally understand who he was. This pronouncement should be understood to mean many will perceive that Jesus is the Christ, even those guilty of his murder.

2. “and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.”

This has already been covered. In Zech. 12:10-11, it was “the house of David” and “the inhabitants of Jerusalem” who would mourn over the one they had pierced. In Matt. 24:30, it was the tribes of the land of Israel. The Greek is the same in Rev. 1:7: “tribes” is phule; “earth” is ge. Therefore, “all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him” should be understood as all the tribes of the land of Israel will mourn over Him.

The full meaning of Rev. 1:7 is now evident:

Many will perceive that Jesus is the Christ, even those guilty of his murder; and all the tribes of the land of Israel will mourn over Him.

Enormous implications

Since Rev. 1:7 clearly refers to the destruction of the Jews in a.d. 70, the book of Revelation must have been written no later than the late sixties. Furthermore, since this one verse from Revelation was fulfilled in a.d. 70, then all of Revelation must have been fulfilled by that time. And since all of Revelation has been fulfilled, then all eschatological events including the second coming, resurrection of the dead, rapture and judgment must have come to complete fulfillment as well.

We marvel at the tremendous power packed into Rev. 1:7. The proper understanding of this solitary verse is enough to prove that all Bible prophecy has been fulfilled. The verse most often quoted to refute the first century fulfillment when it actually supports it.

Conclusion

1. When Jesus returned in a.d. 70, many perceived that he was the Christ, even those guilty of his murder; and all the tribes of the land of Israel mourned over him;
2. The book of Revelation was written before a.d. 70;
3. All Bible prophecy came to complete fulfillment in a.d. 70.

Objection

Objection: In Acts 1:9-11, we see Jesus ascending into a literal cloud. The “men in white clothing” said he would return “in just the same way.” Doesn’t that demand a literal cloud?

Answer: Yes. However, we must be careful to distinguish between two groups of people: the loyal followers of Jesus and the unrepentant Jews. It was Christ’s disciples who witnessed the ascension. The promise that Jesus would return “in just the same way,” i.e., in a cloud, was made to them only. They eventually rose to meet Jesus in the clouds at which time their bodies were transformed in the “twinkling of an eye” to be conformed to his glorious body (1 Thess. 4:16-17; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Cor. 15:50-54).

The unrepentant Jews experienced nothing like this. They received only vengeance, fire and death (Luke 21:22; Matt. 13:41-50; 22:7). Granted, they were predicted to “see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky” (Matt. 24:30), but this should no more be taken literally than other similar Old Testament descriptions of God taking vengeance on his enemies at which times he was not literally seen on clouds (Ps. 18:9-12; 97:2-3; 104:3; Isa. 19:1).

Who knows? Perhaps those punished by God actually do see him in the clouds as they meet their doom. However, since they are always being destroyed, they never leave behind a record of their experiences. We cannot prove this occurs; however, neither can anyone prove it doesn’t. So ultimately, we are not stating categorically that Jesus was not seen on the clouds; we are simply saying that references to coming with clouds do not require a literal interpretation. They are best understood as symbolic, indentifying Jesus as the Christ.

CONSIDER THE FIG TREE

What about that tree putting forth leaves...is that the modern nation of Israel becoming a Nation?

Look at the passages that seem to indicate this.

"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves,... ye know that summer is nigh:" Matthew 24:32

Here we see that Jesus is declaring a sign of a tree indicating by its leaves being put forth that summer is near. I do not see anything about a nation. Is he not just saying that sometimes there are undeniable and irrefutable signs of a coming event...(Any coming event...even summer).

We should probably let all the words of Jesus come to bear on this topic before we make conclusions...so...

The parallel passage for the Matthew one is Luke 21. Here

"And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand." Luke 21:29-30

If the tree in Matthew 24 is representative of the Nation of Israel then in the parallel passage that is speaking of exactly the same event in both the Matthew and Luke passage, then we should carry that figurative representation over into the Luke passage...RIGHT?

Here we are told to consider the fig tree, (ostensibly representing Israel), But then he includes "ALL THE TREES" If the Fig tree in this story is representing the nation of Israel, then ALL THE TREES must be representing all the rest of the nations of the world. Note what it says about ALL THE TREES. "When THEY SHOOT FORTH".

SO if the fig tree bearing leaves is Israel in the future becoming a nation...then ALL THE TREES--SHOOTING FORTH, would have to be all the rest of the nations of the world becoming a nation.

What other nations have become nations in conjunction with Israel becoming a nation in 1948? The Chinese became communist about that time...but that is only one nation. Did the United States, Britain, Mexico, Canada, Germany...did any of them BECOME nations in 1948?

The whole thing breaks down. The fig leaves blooming can in NO WAY be representative of Israel becoming a nation in anyway.

Is there another explanation?

WHO ARE WE GOING TO BELIEVE?

Really, Who are we going to believe? The words and teaching of the Apostles...or the words of our favorite theologian.

The esteemed C.S. Lewis said that the return of Christ was an embarrassment to Christianity because it did not happen.

Problem is, C.S. Lewis should be embarrassed, for Christs return happened EXACTLY as He and his apostles taught...In the first century.

To declare and teach anything else is to make Christ and his divinely inspired apostles to be liars. I prefer to conclude that the theologians who do not see the truth of the first century parousia are wrong.

"Say what you like," we shall be told, "the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said in so many words, ‘this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.’ And He was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else. It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible."

Essay "The World's Last Night" (1960), found in The Essential C.S. Lewis, p-385.

SIGNS OF A DYING OR DECAYING CHRISTIAN

Signs of a Dying or Decaying Christian



By George Burder (June 5, 1752—May 29, 1832)






1. When you are so indifferent to public worship, or frequenting the church of God, that you can be satisfied to come, or not come, at your own pleasure.
2. When, in your most solemn worship, you are quickly weary without warrantable cause.
3. When few sermons will please you; either you like not the matter, or manner, or man, or place.
4. When you think you know enough.
5. When a small occasion will keep you from Christ’s table, or communion with the church of God.
6. When you have usually no great desire for prayer.
7. When reading the Holy Scriptures is more burdensome than delightful.
8. When you are very inquisitive after novelties or new things, rather than wholesome doctrine.
9. When you are so little prepared for the solemn assemblies, that they come before you think of them, or long for them.
10. When you come to the assembly more for fear of the brethren's eye, than Christ’s omniscient and all-piercing eye.
11. When you will rather betray the name of Christ Jesus and the credit of his gospel by your silence, than appear for it to your own suffering and disparagement.
12. When, at a small offence, you are usually so impatient that you commit great sin.
13. When you are more careful to get the words of Christ’s people than the spirit of Christ’s people, the form than the power.
14. When you are not much troubled at your own miscarriages, while they are kept from public view.
15. When you love least those Christians that deal most faithfully with you, in showing you your faults and pointing you to the remedy.
16. When you pray more that afflictions may be removed than sanctified.
17. When under God's calamity you find neither the need nor the benefit of humbling yourself by fasting and prayer.
18. When the thought of your bosom-lust, or any other sin, is more prevalent with you than pleasing God.
19. When you are curious about the lesser matters of God's law, and careless about the weightier.
20. When the Holy Spirit’s help to the great work of mortification seems not of absolute necessity to you.
21. When you are so ignorant of your spiritual standing that you know not whether you grow or decay.
22. When great sins seem smaller, and small sins seem none at all.
23. When a watchful care of a godly life and a Christian conversation is more accidental than habitual.
24. When care for your body is usually most pleasant, and care for your soul usually most irksome.
25. When you are much a stranger to the practical part of meditation on the word and works of God.
26. When the thoughts of a dying Jesus for your sins little dissuade you from an unchristian conversation.
27. When you can commit sin without pain, and reflect upon it with indifference.
28. When you find greater satisfaction in the company of the world than with the people of God.

George Burder (June 5, 1752—May 29, 1832) was an English Nonconformist divine. In his youth he was an engraver, but in 1776 he began preaching, and was minister of the Independent church at Lancaster from 1778 to 1783. Subsequently he held charges at Coventry (1784 1803) and at Fetter Lane, London (1803-1832). He was one of the founders of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Religious Tract Society, and the London Missionary Society, and was secretary to the last-named for several years. As editor of the Evangelical Magazine and author of Village Sermons, he commanded a wide influence. A Life (by Henry Forster Burder) appeared in 1833.

SIGNS OF A LIVING OR GROWING CHRISTIAN

Signs of a Living or Growing Christian

By George Burder (June 5, 1752—May 29, 1832)


THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL FLOURISH LIKE THE PALMTREE;
HE SHALL GROW LIKE A CEDAR IN LEBANON." PSA. 92:12




1. WHEN your chief delight is with the saints, especially them that excel in virtue. Psa. 16:3.
2. When the smitings of the righteous are not a burden to you, and you can hear of your faults with affectionate attention. Psa. 141:5.
3. When reproach for Christ makes you not ashamed of Christ. Mark 8:38; Heb. 11:26.
4. When wandering thoughts, in time of duty, find less entertainment than formerly. Psa. 139:23; 1Cor. 13:11.
5. When length of standing in the profession of Christianity, works increase of hatred to all sin. Psa. 119:104-113.
6. When you carry about with you a constant jealousy over your own heart, that it turn not aside from God and goodness. Prov. 18:14.
7. When every known mercy begets new thankfulness, and that with delight. Psa. 145:2.
8. When known calamity in God's house begets deep sorrow in your heart. Neh. 1:4.
9. When, under deep distress or languishing, the word of God is precious to you. Psa. 119:92.
10. When any condition in the world, though in itself mean, as it comes from God is most welcome. Job 1:21; Hab. 3:17,18.
11. When your chief care, to avoid all sin, is as truly occasioned through fear of dishonoring God and incurring his present displeasure, as of the wrath to come. Neh. 5:15; Gen. 39:9.
12. When every company is burdensome to you, that is not designing your Father's glory, but derogating there from.
Psa. 120:5; 2 Peter 2:7,8.
13. When the sins of others come so near your heart that you walk sadly to see such persons transgress God's commandments. Psa. 119:136.
14. When the company of the pious poor is preferred to that of the ungodly rich.
15. When it is truly painful to you to see sinners going heedlessly on in the broad road to ruin.
16. When you are willing to part with all for Christ.
17. When the yoke of self-denial, as imposed by Christ Jesus, is not grievous, but pleasant to you.
Matt. 11:29,30 ; Mark 10:28.
18. When increase of time in Christ's acquaintance, works increase of delight in communion with Christ. Psalm 92:12-14.
19. When the majesty of the great God, considering how visible you are in his sight, has an awful prevalence upon your heart. Job 31:4.
20. When you are at open war and constant hostility with bosom sin, as displeasing to God, and forbidden by his law.
Psa. 18:23.
21. When you have a thirsting desire to get the power of godliness in your heart, rather than the form of godliness in the head, or outward profession. 2 Cor. 1:12.
22. When the worship of God, agreeable to his word, is highly prized and faithfully practised in the worst of times.
Mal. 3:14-16.
23. When the soul is more hungry for the word of God, than the body is for temporal food.
Job 23:12; Psa. 119:72,162.

George Burder (June 5, 1752—May 29, 1832) was an English Nonconformist divine. In his youth he was an engraver, but in 1776 he began preaching, and was minister of the Independent church at Lancaster from 1778 to 1783. Subsequently he held charges at Coventry (1784 1803) and at Fetter Lane, London (1803-1832). He was one of the founders of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Religious Tract Society, and the London Missionary Society, and was secretary to the last-named for several years. As editor of the Evangelical Magazine and author of Village Sermons, he commanded a wide influence. A Life (by Henry Forster Burder) appeared in 1833.

WHO ARE THE 144,000 OF REVELATION

Who are the 144,000 of Revelation? It is interesting to note that they are mentioned twice in the book of Revelation, seven chapters apart. The two references are in Chapters 7 and 14, they are as follows.

Revelation 7:4 "And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel."

Revelation 14:1 "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

Revelation 14:3-4 "And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb."

One thing we learn from the passage in chapter 14 is that these are the "Firstfruits" unto God and to the Lamb.

What does that mean?

Does the New Testament define in further detail who the "Firstfruits" are, or is Revelation 14 the only passage.

Romans 8:23 "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

Here Paul is saying that they in the first century had the firstfruits of the Spirit. This is something that they possessed in the first century not something they were going to have to wait thousands of years for.

Romans 16:5 "Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ."

Here again, Paul using the term "Firstfruits" is describing Epaenetus, a first century Roman believer in Jesus Christ. One of the FIRST in
Rome to come to faith in Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 16:15 "I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)"

Now in the church of Corinth, Paul calls Stephanas, a person who lived in the first century as the "Firstfruits of Achaia".

It is interesting that Epaenetus was a Gentile and Stephanas was a Jew. So we have representative firstfruits from both Jew and gentile.

James 1:18 "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."

James also uses the term Firstfruits to describe..."We who were begat of his own will, by the word of truth". Is he talking about "WE" in the 21st century? No, he is writing to a group of Jews in the first century who had been dispersed by first century persecution. James was chronologically the first epistle of the New Testament to be penned. It is instructive that so early in the church history, James says that there were those who were considered by inspiration of the Holy Spirit to be the "Firstfruits.

So let's apply this expanded definition of Firstfruits to the passages in Revelation. Using this definition, we would be hard pressed to produce textual evidence that the 144,000 could be a group of people that John is describing that exist 2000+ years after his writing.

On the contrary, based on the use of the word "Firstfruits" by the apostles Paul and James, John is describing a group of believers, (probably mostly Jewish) that existed in the first century.

In dispensational futurism, the teaching is that these 144,000 Jews do not come to exist until during the end of the tribulation period and they go through the last of the tribulation and then are ushered into the kingdom where they populate the Millennial kingdom.

How is that a legitimate use of the word Firstfruits when in actuality that teaching is identifying them as the LAST fruits. In that way of thinking, they are the last fruits to come unto God and to the Lamb. It really does not make sense. The only thing that makes sense is that these 144,000 are the first believers to come to faith in Jesus Christ in the first century.

BUT I SAY UNTO YOU

Moses declared in Deuteronomy chapter 18

The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Then God reiterates the same thing, stating it himself:
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.


Here it is prophesied that God would send another prophet, like Moses, who coming out of the midst of the nation of Israel (Of thy brethren) will speak the words of God himself. This prophet is to be OBEYED. And those who will not obey this prophets words, will be judged, (I will require it of him).

This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and one of the first sermons he preached, the Sermon on the Mount, had in it the declaration from Jesus that He was indeed that prophet who would speak God's words. And he proceeded to declare himself as a superior prophet to Moses.

His use of the phrases; "Ye have heard that it was said",...(Speaking of Moses)
and then following with; "But I say unto you", was his way of showing that He was THAT prophet that Moses spoke of. And He (Jesus Christ) is the New Covenant law giver. He would also become the fulfillment of the old covenant priest, king, sacrifice. Jesus is declaring that he was superior to all of the types shadows and prophecies of the old covenant. Behold a greater than Moses is here...Hallelujah.

The following text in Matthew 5 is all about magnifying Christ's role as the New Covenant law giver.

***Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

--But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

***Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

--But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

***It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

--But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

***Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

--But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

***Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

--But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

***Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.

--But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;


What has Jesus said unto you?

SERMON RATINGS

Thanks to David Curtis

A preacher by the name of Wilbur Reese once preached a message in which he presented a listener's guide to sermons. Reese stated that sermons ought to be rated in much the same way that movies were rated.

"G" sermons are messages that are generally acceptable to everyone, they contain phrases such as "Go ye into all the world and smile" or "What the world needs is peace, motherhood, and fewer taxes." Sermons such as these are often greeted with the response "Oh wasn't that marvelous?", or "That was simply wonderful." Every one loves a good "G" message, and they will never offend anyone. There are some people who would refuse to listen to a message that wasn't rated "G"

"PG" sermons are for more mature congregations, and they have mild suggestions for change, but they're subtle enough to allow the preacher to back peddle and change his meaning if he finds that he has inadvertently offended someone. An example of a brilliant "PG" statement would be, "The either/or of the existential situation provides a plethora of alternatives, both specific and non-specific. When one grasps the eschatological aspect of incarnationial Christology." You know that someone has preached a message like this when people walk away in wonderment shaking their heads and saying things like, "That was deep, most thought provoking." Of course if you've done a "PG" sermon really well, nobody actually knows what you said, but nobody is willing to admit it.

Then there are the "R" rated sermons; this is when the Preacher tells it like it is. These usually indicate that the pastor has an outside source of income and a fairly healthy self image. Sermons like these are usually followed by comments such as, "Disturbing or controversial." These sermons definitely aren't intended for everyone, only for those who wish to be challenged in their spiritual walk.

And then there are the "X-rated" sermons. These are the explosive ideas of the kind that got the prophet Amos run out of town, and Jeremiah thrown into the well; that is Jeremiah the prophet not Jeremiah the Bullfrog. When you preach an "X-rated" sermon", you preach them with your suitcase packed and the moving van ready. Comments range from, "Shocking and disgraceful" to "Being in poor taste".

YOU MIGHT BE A DISPENSATIONALIST IF...

1. You think other Christians are anti-Semitic
2. You’ve never read Hebrews
3. You can justify being 2000 years late for an appointment
4. You’re really bad at math
5. You think Kirk Cameron is a fine actor
6. When the going gets rough, you’re nowhere to be found
7. You sleep nude so your post-rapture bed is tidy
8. You were born after 1830
9. You love Christian television
10. You use your newspaper for morning devotions
11. You’d rather have been outside Noah’s ark
12. You don't think satan really noticed the cross
13. You prefer the shadows
14. Always always means always except sometimes
15. You went to Dallas Theological Seminary
16. Bad news excites you
17. You feel Scofields notes were inspired
18. You can’t speak b/c you are in parenthesis
19. You’ll only be a 2nd class citizen of paradise
20. You think THIS means THAT
21. You think NEAR means FAR
22. You thought about naming your kid Darby
23. You decided it’s too late to have kids
24. You’re offended by this list

THE DOCTRINE OF ANTICHRIST

From where do people get their doctrine about "antichrist"?

It certainly is not from John the Apostle...the only Apostle who wrote about the antichrist. And oh by the way, he never mentioned the antichrist in the book of Revelation or in his Gospel. As a matter of Fact, we might note that the book of Revelation is self titled in the first verse of the book; “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”. Note it does not call itself “The Revelation of Antichrist”, so don’t bother going to the book of revelation to look for antichrist. The word or phrase antichrist is ONLY mentioned in the epistles of 1st John, and 2nd John. In those mentions he says they (plural) were in the world in his day and that there were many who had this antichrist "spirit". NOWHERE Does John EVER say that antichrist was a singular person, and NOWHERE in any text of scripture is there a justifiable reason to equate the "Beast" and antichrist.

Let's look at the passages in 1st John to get some perspective.

"Children it is the LAST HOUR, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so NOW MANY antichrists HAVE COME. Therefore we KNOW that it IS the LAST HOUR." 1 John 2:18

In this text we learn many great truths. In Johns day in the first century it was already the LAST HOUR...we are not now in 2010 living in the "Last Days" the Apostles were and they claimed to be so. We also learn that MANY antichrists were ALREADY come in to the world in the first century. Who were these people of the first century to whom John refers?

He gives us a clue in the next verse that he uses about antichrist. In 1 John 2:22 he says;

"Who is a LIAR but he who DENIES that Jesus IS the Christ? This is the antichrist. He who denies the Father and the Son.”

So john tells us that those who deny that Jesus is the Christ...that person is an antichrist. In the entire New testament do we read about any like this? Indeed we do. In the gospel of John Chapter 9-verse 22 John writes that the parents of the one born blind but who Jesus healed, said this: "He will speak for himself". His parents said these things because they feared the Jews…,

“for the Jews had already agreed that if ANYONE SHOULD CONFESS JESUS TO BE THE CHRIST, he was to be put out of the synagogue."

WOW!!!

Right there in John 9:22 The same writer who told us what antichrist is...gives us a clear example of them existing in the first century.

In Matthew 26:62-68 the high priest scribes and elders are questioning Jesus and asked him if he were the Christ...when he admitted he was, they tore their robes and called Jesus a "Blasphemer". They were clearly denying that Jesus is the Christ. This denial was rampant in the first century and that is why John in his epistles could say that antichrist is already here.

What about 1 John 4:3...
"And EVERY spirit that does not CONFESS JESUS is not from God. THIS IS the spirit of antichrist which you have heard was coming and now is in the world already."

Here John says that antichrist are people with a spirit that denies that Jesus is from God. A simple test, right? Do we find such people in the New testament? Yes, we certainly do, and again it is from John...the seeming first century expert on antichrist. In the gospel of John 5:18, the Jews were seeking to kill Jesus for not only breaking the Sabbath,

"...but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God". Then in John 10:33 "The Jews answered him, :It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."

Here again John gives the test and shows examples of how antichrist was in the first century, not the 21st century.

I will stop here for two reasons...1---I wanted to be brief. 2---If you want to reply, there is a lot here already, and I need to let you get started.

If you could maybe you could start by giving me a text of scripture that clearly ties together the antichrist of Johns day with the beast. I suspect you will not find one, as one does not exist. But the system of dispensationalism demands it so you would expect to find a text to support it. We need to get away from insisting on doctrine because of a theological system and start studying God's word as workmen who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth and stop dividing the people of God. Thanks for your time and your continued Berean spirit.

INTRO TO ISAIAH

1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
for the Lord has spoken:
“Children have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master's crib,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”

4 Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the Lord,
they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
they are utterly estranged.

5 Why will you still be struck down?
Why will you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
but bruises and sores
and raw wounds;
they are not pressed out or bound up
or softened with oil.

7 Your country lies desolate;
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
foreigners devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.

8 And the daughter of Zion is left
like a booth in a vineyard,
like a lodge in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.

9 If the Lord of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we should have been like Sodom,
and become like Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!

11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.

12 “When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?

13 Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.

14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.

15 When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,

17 learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause.

18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.

19 If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;

20 but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

21 How the faithful city
has become a whore, 4
she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers.

22 Your silver has become dross,
your best wine mixed with water.

23 Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.
They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
and the widow's cause does not come to them.

24 Therefore the Lord declares,
the Lord of hosts,
the Mighty One of Israel:
“Ah, I will get relief from my enemies
and avenge myself on my foes.

25 I will turn my hand against you
and will smelt away your dross as with lye
and remove all your alloy.

26 And I will restore your judges as at the first,
and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,
the faithful city.”

27 Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
and those in her who repent, by righteousness.

28 But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,
and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.

29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks
that you desired;
and you shall blush for the gardens
that you have chosen.

30 For you shall be like an oak
whose leaf withers,
and like a garden without water.

31 And the strong shall become tinder,
and his work a spark,
and both of them shall burn together,
with none to quench them.

SUBVERTING THE SOUL

Acts 15:4-31

“But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing,

Disputing about circumcision and keeping the MOSAIC LAW. These are the same issues that we deal with today.

Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

It is this giving of the Holy Ghost that made all the difference

And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

There it is, note that none of them had their hearts purified by LAW…NO NO NO one thousand times NO!!!! The only purification of any hearts was BY FAITH! Living based on law keeping is not found in the Apostles teachings.

Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

(Note: he never told them that they had to keep the Ten Commandments).

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

You mean Telling someone to be circumcised and KEEP THE LAW, is subverting a person’s soul???

Well that is what the Apostle James said. Note: it was NOT I who made that accusation…it was James, the half-brother of our Lord, the eye-witness of Christ’s death burial and resurrection, the Apostle to the circumcision according to Galatians 2, and the Apostle to those brethren in the Diaspora, and the leader of the church in Jerusalem. Interesting that He James says that you subvert a person’s soul by putting them under LAW.

It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

So anyone laying on a “GREATER BURDEN than “THESE NECESSARY THINGS”…would be guilty of Legalism, according to the Apostles from the Council of Jerusalem.

As for me, personally, I have never eaten meats offered to idols [knowingly], I have never eaten blood or things strangled [knowingly], I have abstained from fornication, so I assume I have done all that I am required to do. See how simple law living is? But you know as well as I do that there is another matter beyond just those restrictions…that is the heart, but to be led by law living would clearly keep one from seeing that.

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.”

This teaching brought “consolation” to the church in the first century…if this teaching is embraced by the 21st century church it will bring consolation to us as well.

IDEAS FOR THE FIRE

In the history of the printed word...The only time books have been burned have been out of fear, not hatred.



FEAR OF IDEAS.



When one person could not answer or refute the ideas of his opponent he would seek to destroy the ideas in the fire. I have no problem with the ideas of Islam. I can refute them easily from logic, scripture and history. I can show the ideas of the Koran to be false and passing away. I do not fear the ideas found in the Koran.

So, I do not desire to burn it.

The other problem is that soon after books are burned to squelch an idea....people are burned. And much for the same reason.

Most Christians (if not all) who have been burned at the stake throughout church history were burned for their ideas. Even heretics. But a heretical idea should be easy to refute logically and biblically so really there is no reason to burn heretics either.