HEIRS OF A KINGDOM

James 2:5 "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world
rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them
that love him?"

James says that we are "heirs of a kingdom" that was "promised to them that love Him"... Why did he not say that this kingdom was promised to Israel??

Isn't this what the modern myth of dispensationalism teaches.

AUDIENCE RELEVANCE

If the words of Jesus and His Apostles made No Sense to the original first century audience...Then Jesus and His Apostles are guilty of speaking Nonsense.

If what was written in the New Testament was for an audience 2000+ years in the future...How then was the first century audience, to whom the writings were addressed, to understand what was written?

If what was written in the New Testament was for an audience 2000+ years in the future...Then why did none of the authors of the New Testament writings say so?

Please explain if you can...these are some thoughts that come to my mind when I try to evaluate the New Testament hermeneutic that we use.

ACENSION/RETURN IN THE CLOUDS

A case is often made that Acts 1:9-11 was a clear reference to the physical nature of Christ’s ascension and therefore as it was said he would “come in the same manner” that his coming, it was insisted, would have to be physical.

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a CLOUD received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11

I on the other hand take the position that the text itself emphasized the fact that he was “taken up IN A CLOUD”. And it is this “Cloud” idea that the angel was referring to in saying that his return would be like his departure. So I looked all through the New Testament (NT) and Old Testament (OT) for references to Christ’s coming and God coming down. I have posted my findings below.

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the CLOUDS of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30

“Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the CLOUDS of heaven.” Matthew 26:64

“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the CLOUDS with great power and glory.” Mark 13:26

“And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the CLOUDS of heaven.” Mark 14:62

“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a CLOUD with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the CLOUDS, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17

“Behold, he cometh with CLOUDS; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” Revelation 1:7

“And I looked, and behold a white CLOUD, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the CLOUD, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the CLOUD thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” Revelation 14:14-16

To be fair, I wanted to see what the NT said about the physical nature of his return. The best most descriptive passage I could find was Revelation 19:11-16.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:11-16

Here in this passage we have the following physical manifestations…forgive me if I miss one or two.

1. Eyes as a flame of fire
2. On his head, many crowns
3. Clothed with a vesture dipped in blood
4. In his mouth a sharp sword
5. Name written on his vesture and on his thigh.

O.K. now all who are convinced that Acts 1:9-11 is emphasizing the physical nature of his return, show me in the text of Acts 1:9-11 any of the 5 physical manifestations that I listed above from Revelation 19. Take your time…look over both passages carefully. If the angel intended to emphasize the physical nature of his return by his supposed allusion to it at his ascension, then the words MUST be in the text. Keep looking.

Also to be fair, I looked up the word “physical” in the Strong’s concordance. I was very shocked to find that there are ZERO uses of the word “physical” in either the OT or NT. If someone could, please give me the texts in the NT that highlight and emphasize the physical nature of Christ’s return. As I read the NT it is the cloud aspect of Christ’s coming that is emphasized over and over again. Someone please help me understand the physical emphasis, and what texts I can use to support it.

In the OT we have “Clouds” used over and over to describe God coming in judgment on nations and peoples. This is a common Hebrew literary technique, it is called apocalyptic language. And when Jesus in the NT used this apocalyptic language in the NT the audience of Jewish people he was speaking to knew exactly what he meant. That is why the high priest tore his garment and accused Jesus of blasphemy when he said that THEY would see HIM coming on the CLOUDS. Jesus was making himself out to be God by use of the same apocalyptic language that was used in the Old Testament.

“And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, CLOUDS, and thick darkness.” Deuteronomy 4:11

“CLOUDS and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.” Psalm 97:2

“Behold, he shall come up as CLOUDS, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.” Jeremiah 4:13

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the CLOUDS of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.” Daniel 7:13

“The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift CLOUD, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.” Isaiah 19:1

“A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of CLOUDS and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.” Joel 2:2

“That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of CLOUDS and thick darkness,” Zephaniah 1:15

“And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a CLOUD, and the moon shall not give her light.” Ezekiel 32:7

“And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a CLOUD to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.” Ezekiel 38:16

In Jewish literature Clouds were used to conceal God not reveal him. So coming in the clouds would be so that it would conceal the physical body, not reveal it. The following is a quote from the Jewish Encyclopedia web site. Please read more for yourself.

“Clouds are frequently pictured as hiding God from man and as intercepting man's petitions (Lam. iii. 44; Job xxii. 13, 14). In Job xxvi. 8 there is the strong figure of the cloud used to bind up and contain the waters. As direct manifestations of God, the clouds are His chariots (Ps. civ. 3; Isa. xix. 1). When God appeared over Mount Sinai it was in clouds and thunder and lightning. A cloud covered the mercy-seat (Lev. xvi. 2) in the Tabernacle, and later on it rested over the Temple (I Kings viii. 10, 11; II Chron. v. 13, 14). A pillar of cloud accompanied the Ark, showing the way by day through the wilderness (Ex. xiii., passim).”

Read more: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=547&letter=C&search=cloud#ixzz0gIIBpwiV

This is intended to be a discussion and a launching pad for further independent study and discussion. Please do not hesitate to send me the results of your study.