The Coming (And The Progress) Of The Kingdom of God - Part 2

 

In Part One of this discourse on Luke, Chapter 17 and the anticipated arrival of the Kingdom of God, we established that Scripture shows us Jesus announced it was "at hand" with His appearance on Earth. Now, several of the dictionary definitions I have researched describe "at hand" as meaning happening or present at this time; currently receiving attention; located at that point; in other words, it is just as Jesus said: "The Kingdom of God is among you (because of My Presence)."

So, if we accept that the Kingdom of God arrived with the presence of Jesus on earth, what were the expectations of those who heard His declaration? What can we expect? And what effect has the existence of the Kingdom of God had on earth and its inhabitants? There is a generalization that I think has existed throughout time since Jesus made His announcement, and it is this: for those who think it is yet to come [as a future event], they continue to inquire when it will materialize; not being aware that it is already among us. Jesus came and preached the Gospel of the Kingdom [that it was already here]. He confirmed it by the miracles He performed that gave them a picture of what God's Kingdom in Heaven looked like, and should be proof to us. The presence of the Kingdom on earth was embraced and welcomed by multitudes who accepted His pronouncement, so that those who embraced this Truth [even to this day] might accept that it had come to their nation, though not everyone has received it in their hearts.  

Today, there are many believers in the present Kingdom on earth who struggle with why we see so much strife, division and evil. They don't understand why, if we are "Kingdom people", we should be subjected to battles in our lives. Even Jesus's disciples thought Jesus had, for the most part, defeated Evil when He defeated Death. They expected constant success as they continued His work for the establishment and expansion of the Kingdom that He inaugurated. Yet, as we know, Jesus told them that opposition and disruption would be their companions on their journey as Kingdom ambassadors. 

Again, I would like to share the wisdom of the 17th Century Nonconformist minister, Matthew Henry. ["Nonconformist" refers to his unwillingness to conform to the governance by the "established" or "state church"]. And, oh, how I wish Matthew Henry was preaching from our pulpits today! He explains Jesus's admonition to His disciples in such non-religious terms: "Christ tells them it [their expectation of constant success] would be otherwise: "The days will come, before you have finished your testimony and done your work, when you shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man" (one such a day as we now have), "of the prosperity and progress of the gospel, and shall not see it. At first, indeed, you will have wonderful success" (so they had, when thousands were added to the church in a day); "but do not think it will be always so; no, you will be persecuted and scattered, silenced and imprisoned, so that you will not have opportunities of preaching the gospel without fear, as you now have; people will grow cool to it, when they have enjoyed it awhile, so that you will not see such harvests of souls gathered in to Christ afterwards as at first, nor such multitudes flocking to him as doves to their windows."

And, so it has been! The preaching of the Good News of the Kingdom has not always been met with loud and enthusiastic approval by the un-churched. Nor has the Church always been in loving agreement over Kingdom doctrine or theology. Outside forces [both material and spiritual] have sought to hinder and impede the progress of the Kingdom upon the earth. And from the days that Jesus walked the earth until now, we have seen evidence of the battle over the advancement of God's Kingdom... all we have to do is look at our culture today to know that Jesus was right when He said, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it."

That was true for the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem, who were warned by Christ to look at "the days of Noah" and what the wickedness of men yielded, yet they took no heed of the warning. They felt too secure in their position, and continued about their business and indulgences, counting on the perpetuity of their profitable ways. They were happy living their lives of self-gratification and pleasure, believing in their self-reliance and self-sufficiency, while ignoring the judgments that Jesus said would be theirs if they didn't repent and enter the Kingdom. It makes me sad to say this, but everything I just wrote could be applied to those who mock the Kingdom of God today. I thank the Lord that there is a remnant among us today that mirror the men of Nineveh, who not only heeded the warnings of judgment, but continued to fast and pray, repent and seek revival. 

 For even though Jesus makes it clear that the judgment of God will be a sure thing, [just as it was in the days of Noah, and in the days of Lot at Sodom and Gomorrah], there will be Christians who escape the destruction. God will take a deliberate course of action to preserve those who are His. Jesus lays out what that will look like in Luke 17:30-37... Whoever seeks to save his life will [eventually] lose it [through death], and whoever loses his life [in this world] will keep it [from the consequences of sin and separation from God]. What did He mean and what would that look like? Jesus gives examples that are plain to understand and cannot be misinterpreted! There will be two [sleeping] in one bed; the one (the non-believer) will be taken [away in judgment] and the other (the believer) will be left. There will be two women grinding [at the mill] together; the one (the non-believer) will be taken [away in judgment] and the other (the believer) will be left. [Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”]

I want to make sure that we all understand that this is not "the rapture" that the Church sees in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 when Christ returns in the air [not to the earth] and gathers believers to be with Him. Jesus is telling us in Luke that the believers will not be subject to God's judgment and taken to hell, but will be left on earth to be with Christ [upon His return to earth] during the Millennium. The final question in Luke 17 comes when the disciples ask Jesus where those who are subject to God's judgment will be taken. He responds, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will be gathered.” This response was most likely a phrase well-known to the disciples in their time ... wherever the wicked are will be well-identified, just as the vultures smell and discover where the dead carcasses lie.

But rather than that gruesome image, I want to end this post and discourse on the First Coming of Christ [and the inauguration of the Kingdom of God on earth] and His final appearance at His Second Coming [and the actualization of the Kingdom in His Millennial reign on earth], by reiterating the essence of Jesus's warning of judgment and His assurance of our deliverance into the Kingdom of God. As Matthew Henry states, "Though the sword devours one as well as another, and all things seem to come alike to all, yet sooner or later it shall be made to appear that the Lord knows them that are his and them that are not, and how to take out the precious from the vile".  

I would leave you with this Truth ... We rest assured that the Judge of all the earth will do right by us, His followers. Although His judgment will be sure and "His terrible swift sword" will enact His justice upon the wicked, He will take particular care that NONE of those who glorified Him, and stood in awesome reverence at the foot of His Cross, will be "taken away" in judgment. We will be marked as His own, preserved to enjoy being in the midst of the presence of the Messiah on earth. His Kingdom will be manifested in all the earth as the saints gather to Him in glory. What a magnificent day that will be! 

Psalm 2:10-12        Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

  

 

The Coming (And The Progress) of The Kingdom of God - Part 1

As a student of the Bible, I am sometimes amazed at the curiosity that arises in me as I study the Word. It is not a casual curiosity, but oftentimes consumes me as I find myself spending hours following a trail of bread crumbs that begins with one simple question. This time, it began as I contemplated Jesus's discourse with His Disciples in Luke, Chapter 17. His discourse was prompted when the Pharisees asked when the Kingdom of God would come. Now, before I dove into the complexities and implications of His answer to their question, I had my own question ... When was the idea of the Kingdom of God first considered?

As is my custom, I began my research in Strong's Concordance, looking for all the references in Scripture to "Kingdom of God". There were mentions in 1 and 2 Chronicles of "the kingdom of the Lord over Israel", but these alluded to an earthly kingdom dedicated to the Lord by a specific nation. When was the first time that the spiritual realm of God [in Heaven], of which He is King, is seen as existing on Earth? In other words, when was the first time that a spiritual Kingdom of God was considered as reality of God's will on Earth? 

There is no easy reference book to go to with that kind of question. So among my many research options I employed for this question [and my study of Luke 17:20-37] you will find what may appear as two diametrically opposed opinions ... Google and Matthew Henry, a 17th-Century minister whose commentary I find insightful and true to the Spirit and Truth of the Bible. First, Google helped in identifying what may be the first reference to a spiritual Kingdom of God on earth [possessing His righteous principles] as found in Daniel 2:44 ... In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left for another people; but it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.   

This reference to the spiritual Kingdom of God is revealed by Daniel as he interprets King Nebuchadnezzar's dream of what will happen to the earthly kingdoms of men in the latter days (Daniel 2:28). So for approximately 635 years [through Judah's captivity in Babylon, and the subsequent empires of Medo-Persia, Greece, and now Rome, the Jewish people and religious leaders have been waiting for this prophesied Kingdom of God to appear. And what is Jesus's answer to their query as to when the Kingdom would come? He replied, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed or with a visible display; nor will people say, ‘Look! Here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For the kingdom of God is among you [because of My presence].” 

Now, we understand from the Bible that Jesus's answer was rejected and the religious leaders did not understand nor see what He was saying. The idea was simply not received nor welcomed; it was the idea that the Kingdom of God was present on earth because Jesus brought it with Him [at His First Coming] to share and establish among men. And many Christians still reject that idea today. It is not an exaggeration to say that many 21st Century Christians are waiting for a future event [His Second Coming] to place their faith in the Kingdom of God on Earth. But neither the Pharisees nor modern-day skeptics have embraced the simple explanation that Jesus gave.

The Pharisees might be excused, to an extent, because they didn't have the advantage of the Bible and Jesus's words, written down for all to ponder and study. And they interpreted Daniel's words to mean an earthly, material kingdom. But they were witness to His testimony and His signs and wonders proving that His presence attested to the Kingdom of God on earth: "But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you."  We may not have His physical presence as proof, but we do have the witness of His Word that attests to His declaration, "For the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you!" 

Jesus wants it clearly understood that the Kingdom of God [in this age] is a spiritual influence. You cannot point to a place or a nation where it exists, and say "There it is"! And this is where the teaching of Matthew Henry exemplifies what I discern to be the heart of what Jesus wanted the Pharisees [and us] to understand. He writes: "The kingdom of God is within you. It is not of this world, John 18:36. Its glory does not strike men's fancies, but affects their spirits, and its power is over their souls and consciences; from them it receives homage [respect, honor], and not from their bodies only. The kingdom of God will not change men's outward condition, but their hearts and lives. Then it comes when it makes those humble, and serious, and heavenly, that were proud, and vain, and carnal,—when it weans those from the world that were wedded to the world; and therefore look for the kingdom of God in the revolutions [radical transformation] of the heart, not of the civil government." 

So, in this first part of my examination of the Kingdom of God, I hope I have set forth the foundation of the path that my study of Luke 17 is going to take me. Sometimes we Christians debate and disagree about the timing or substance of a Biblical Truth that is already at work in our midst. Sometimes we just have to submit our theology to the threshing floor of Scripture, which is a place of separation and revelation ... much like the grain was separated from the worthless straw so the most valuable part of the harvest could be collected. For me, that grain of Truth is that the Kingdom of God exists on Earth -- both now and in the future. Jesus planted it at His First Coming and we will see it culminated at His Second Coming. 

In Part 2 of The Coming (And The Progress) of The Kingdom of God I will examine how the Kingdom has proceeded and endured since Jesus's advent on Earth, and what we can expect until it is firmly established in the Millennium. We do not all have to agree with what I have presented, but we can come together in unity as we declare that the Kingdom of God will reign in power and glory forever!

Colossians 1:13-14    For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know: How Far Should the Analogy Go?

 

I am so blessed with readers who have followed this blog long enough to feel comfortable challenging me on my theology and/or asking questions about specific Scripture. We don't always agree, and that's okay. And I don't always have the answers, and I'm not afraid to say so. But I love the discussions, and the knowledge that there are people seeking more of our God instead of being comfortable in their traditions and rituals. I love hearing from them and the connection it gives me to them.

One such reader was diving into her own thoughts on the Parable of the Ten Virgins, and here is the substance of her question ... How far should the analogy go? Her understanding is that all ten were virgins; all ten were invited to the wedding; all ten came at the right time to wait; all ten had lamps; all ten had at least some oil; but only five had ENOUGH oil and made it into the wedding feast. She was struggling to figure out who were the five virgins that weren't allowed into the wedding feast? Do they represent Christians who are in danger of being left behind at the Rapture? And, if I am understanding her confusion correctly, she was struggling with equating Christians (regardless of their measure of faith) with being called "foolish".

I will tell you that "the Church" has struggled with this parable for centuries, and I do not claim to have all the answers, by any means. I do know that for years, I have missed an important factor of this parable (and others) by not considering Jesus's qualifying statement "the kingdom of heaven will be like...". This reader rightly understands so many things about the state of Christians and the Church in these days. She perceives that modern-day Christianity has resulted in a Laodiciean Church; a lukewarm, accommodating, and compromising Church -- one that is willing to sacrifice righteousness in order to get along with the culture and society. She has a real concern that these Christians are being identified with the "foolish" virgins and they may be left behind when Jesus returns and the Church is raptured.

Let me explain my fundamental understanding of this Parable. I do not think its meaning is connected to the Rapture. And I base that on my understanding of who the principle characters are; the significance of the lack of oil; and the reference Jesus makes to the Kingdom of heaven. So, let me see if I can explain this in a manner that rightly represents where I stand today.

First, central to our understanding of this parable is knowing why Jesus says it "will be like the kingdom of heaven". I have read some commentaries that try to equate the kingdom of heaven to the Church. I patently reject that theory! The kingdom of heaven is the realm where the king lives. It is where God, the Father, rules from heaven. It is the seat of His government, and where His Love, Mercy, Grace, and Judgment abound. It is His domain, and from where He instituted man's dominion over the earth when He created us. The kingdom of heaven was the model for how man was to govern the earth on behalf of God. But that plan was re-directed when Adam and Eve gave their dominion [rulership] of the earth over to Satan in the Garden of Eden.

Also, notice that Jesus says the kingdom of heaven will be like the ten virgins. That indicates a future event; in this case not the Rapture, but it definitely has to do with His Second Coming. And it is important that we see the progression of the kingdom of heaven on earth. It was established in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Even walked in the presence of God... remember, wherever the king is, there is his kingdom. So the earth might have been established as a "colony" of the kingdom of heaven, but it didn't regain its original identity [or purpose] until Jesus came the first time, re-inaugurating that designation when He announced, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". 

There is a dual significance in that declaration. First, repent means more than forgiveness of sins [which is what it meant to John the Baptist]; it also meant to change the way the people of the earth were to think of themselves. They were to begin thinking from God's perspective in heaven. Jesus came to re-establish earth as an extension of heaven and to re-establish our purpose on the earth. So, again, how does the story of the ten virgins point to the kingdom of heaven and what it will be like?  

Jesus is obviously the Bridegroom. I have heard the virgins mentioned as merely church members, but I think that is too broad a representation. I believe they are more correctly, Saved Christians. I base that on the fact that they all possess oil to some degree, and oil is one of the metaphors for the Holy Spirit. We all know that when we come to faith in Jesus (or Saved), we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. He is an indicator of our salvation. Oil as a metaphor of the Holy Spirit’s presence [and action in our lives] is clear in the ritual of anointing prophets, priests, and kings.

So all ten virgins possess the oil of anointing of the Holy Spirit. For me, the big question is what is the significance of five of the virgins having extra flasks of oil with them, and five not making that preparation? They all have full lamps, right? And why do the foolish virgins' lamps run out of oil? I want you to see that this parable has both a physical and spiritual application; both to the Jew and the Gentile. Let's begin with the Jews ... To gain a fuller understanding of what is going on here, we need to comprehend this passage's correspondence to a typical orthodox Jewish wedding. We need to look at it from this physical perspective because Jesus is a Jew, speaking to Jews and this message is for them. See it in both a practical application and how it points to the Father's plan of redemption.

The parable is of a typical Jewish wedding. After the betrothal the groom goes back to his family estate and prepares rooms for his bride and himself to live in after their wedding, if necessary building on to or up from existing dwellings, if not constructing a new one. No one can predict how long that will take. When all is ready, he and his attendants travel to the bride's place, often a great distance, and usually a shofar is blown to announce their arrival and a shout will go up to alert the bride's household and party. The bride and her attendants [the virgins] are expected to be ready for this, having purchased beforehand all that is necessary. ("In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”) Do you see the connection?

In the parable, the wise virgins refuse to share their oil because then none of them will have enough and the celebrations will be adversely affected. The wise virgins, these ladies in waiting who attend the bride, are simply fulfulling their duty to wait on the bride. They took the pains to make sure they had extra oil in case the bridegroom was delayed. So they will tell the foolish virgins to go buy more olive oil from whomever has some to sell. Any Jew with an olive tree and an olive press would most likely have some on hand, and some might actually be in the business of supplying olive oil. 

But because the foolish virgins didn't go the extra mile to make sure they wouldn't be caught without enough oil, they miss out on the festivities of the wedding between the bridegroom and the bride, and the groom doesn't know who they are when they show up banging on the door to be let in.

So, let's transition to the spiritual side of this parable; what the kingdom of heaven will look like when the bridegroom returns. Time and time again, Jesus warns His disciples [and those who flock to his teachings] to be ready.... "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:44); "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25:13). Stay awake; be watchful are warnings throughout the New Testament. To me, it is obvious that the wise virgins made sure they would be ready and prepared, and had plenty of oil to last, no matter how long it took the bridegroom to return. The foolish virgins were content to rely on only what was required, and did not store up for the future.

So, is there anything else I see in this parable? Because Jesus makes it clear that this parable is what it will be like in the kingdom of heaven, I surmise He is referring to when He returns at His Second Coming, when the kingdom of heaven will be fully established on earth at His presence in the Millennial Kingdom. We are not to just inhabit the earth until His return; we are to take back territory from the kingdom of darkness, thereby expanding the kingdom on earth. And what effect does that have for us in eternity, when we will be where He is?

When He returns, we will be called before Him at the Bema Seat judgment to report what we did for His kingdom during His sojourn to His Father's House. The extra oil that the wise virgins have with them represents what they accomplished for the Kingdom, and they will receive crowns and rewards. The foolish virgins, while Saved, will inherit their salvation, but no rewards or crowns. The wedding feast is for those who diligently attended the bride and walked in their kingdom power and authority, working with Jesus to accomplish the Father's will; often at great sacrifice and risk. Jesus will know them! Those who carried the title of bridal attendants, but rested on that privilege, without a personal experience in working with Jesus will go unrecognized. 

The rewards we earn cannot be borrowed from another, and cannot be sold to another. When Jesus returns, all those who are Saved will enter Heaven, and that includes all ten virgins. But there will be a wedding between Jesus, the Messiah/Bridegroom and His Bride (a union between a restored Israel and Jesus's Ekklesia). There will also be a wedding feast to celebrate this union and covenant ordained by God. Not everyone is invited to the feast. Only those whom Jesus intimately knows. And I think it goes without saying, that the foolish virgins will lament the time wasted and the inheritance/rewards lost.

I want to finish this post by saying that this parable has a depth that is almost unfathomable. By no means, do I have it all figured out, or all the puzzle pieces in the right places. My understanding is a work in progress. But I hope with the questions my reader asked, and my attempt to explain my current understanding, it will encourage and excite you to dive in with us. There is no more satisfaction than that which comes from getting closer to your Savior and the Father, when you study and receive the guidance and counsel of the Holy Spirit in the process. And be prepared for your opinions to change and your knowledge to grow. This journey with God is never stagnant! We are to grow from glory to glory, and it's all His Glory! Join us!

Matthew 16:27  For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory (majesty, splendor) of His Father with His angels, and then He will render account and reward every man in accordance with what he has done.

The Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth

     Today, I want to revisit a post that I wrote over six years ago, in which I quoted Matthew 25:29:30 ...  For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is part of the Parable of the Talents, in which a wealthy man goes on a journey, entrusting his property to his servants; assigning various degrees of authority to them. When he returns, he settles up with these servants according to how they have prospered him. 
     Discerning minds understand that this is a parable representing Jesus, who on His Second Coming will reward those who have been good custodians of His Kingdom. [NOTE: Different translations use different designations for those left to steward the Kingdom; they are called "worthless slaves" (New American Standard translation); "good-for-nothing servants" (Passion Translation); "useless servant (New Living Translation); and "unprofitable servant" (King James Version).] Elsewhere, I have found them referred to as "bond-servants", which closely resembles the use of the word "slave". In fact, the Apostle Paul refers to himself as a bond-servant and slave to Christ in more than one translation of Romans 1:1. So, I think we can agree that this term is appropriate in the sense that we have been bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus, and are dependent upon Him for every facet of our existence.

      But I want to get past these differences in terminology and focus on the phrase "weeping and gnashing of teeth". This continues to be a controversial and confusing topic to modern Christians. We can understand from the entirety of the Parable that Jesus will be pleased with the profit of those servants who have increased what He left them. And what exactly was it that He put them in charge of? The advancement of His Kingdom and dominion on the earth! I will admit that six years ago when I first wrote about this topic, I limited His "estate" to the Gospel of Salvation and the Good News of His redeeming death, burial, and resurrection. But by the Grace of God, it has been revealed to me that this was just the entry point -- the gate, if you will -- to His Kingdom territory. He intends for each of us to go beyond sharing the Salvation message and actually add to His territory. And for those who don't ... well, this is where it gets uncomfortable.
     The Church has long implied that "weeping and gnashing of teeth" point to Hell.  In fact, if you Google outer darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth, and click on "Images", you will see countless depictions of people writhing and burning in the fiery pits of hell.  I DO NOT believe that this is what Jesus is conveying in this particular passage. 
     To help prove my point, I would like to offer you an expanded Greek translation of these verses.  Unlike the standard Authorized Greek translation of 1611, or the American Revised Greek version of 1901, this expanded translation by Kenneth Wuest follows the Greek order of words in the sentences, which I think gives us a more accurate and clearer interpretation of what Jesus actually said. This expanded translation reads as follows:  

     ... for to the one who has shall be given, and he shall be furnished with a superfluity, 

and he who does not have, even that which he has shall be taken from him. 

And the good-for-nothing slave, throw [him] out into the darkness; that which is outside.

There, in that place, there shall be lamentation and the gnashing of teeth.

 

      We must remember that Jesus is speaking to the Disciples, the first members of His Church -- and the servants that He is talking about in the Parable are His own servants; those that belong to Him (Believers).  The talents (or the money) represented the stewardship of the Kingdom that we, as Believers and Kingdom Citizens, are given in His absence. Just like the servants, we can decide what we will do with that special privilege. The reward of each servant did not depend on the fact that they possessed the talents, but what they did with them.  Hence, our reward, when our Master returns, does not rest upon His gift of salvation, which all Believers possess, but with what we have done for His Kingdom in His absence! 

     At this point, we must recognize that Jesus is ultimately talking about how He will reward Believers when He returns and sets up His Millennial Kingdom.  In Revelation 20:6, we are told that there is an inheritance to be gained in this Millennial Kingdom, when we "will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years."  IT IS IMPORTANT that you understand that ALL Believers will gain entry into the Millennial Kingdom, but I do not believe that all will be given roles of authority and "rule or reign" with Him.  That mandate will be given only to those who have shown they can produce fruit for Him and His Kingdom.

      So what does Jesus mean when He says to throw the "good-for-nothing" slave into the outer darkness?  In John 8:12, Jesus says "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  When we are in the presence of Jesus -- when we are closest to Him -- we are in His light.  Here, He is saying, "Whoever follows me -- whoever takes up my Cross and spreads my Kingdom Gospel Message -- will have the light of eternal life."  When we accept our salvation through faith in Jesus, we gain entry into His Kingdom (see John 3:1-5). And when He inaugurates the Millennial Kingdom, there will be degrees of rewards, depending on how we stewarded the Kingdom while He was away, and the fruit we produced from our efforts. Being in the nearness of His light is one of the privileges of having done well for Him. All true Believers will enter the Millennial Kingdom, but Jesus makes it very plain who will be allowed to co-reign with Him.  Matthew 25:23 says it all: "His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord."  

     Then He turns around, and in verse 30, pronounces the reward on the unfruitful servant.  This servant is in the Kingdom; he is in the presence of the returning Master.  But his failure to do anything to increase the Master's Kingdom has resulted in him being unable to rule and reign with Christ and he will not be within that inner circle of light that surrounds the King of Kings. REMEMBER, John 3:18 tells us that "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned."  Condemned equals hell. This servant is not condemned; he is just cast into the outer reaches of the Millennium Kingdom, or the darkness outside of Jesus's presence. He has gained entry, but no inheritance of authority or rulership. 

    As to weeping and gnashing of teeth, this refers to profound regret, or the deep remorse of a man who was an unfaithful servant.  Can you not picture yourself grieving if you arrive in the Millennial Kingdom and realize that you didn't do all you could to advance the Kingdom Message? That you perhaps shared the Salvation message, but didn't go further in your Kingdom mandate to continue the work of Jesus to heal the broken-hearted or set the captives free?  Imagine this: you're in the Kingdom, but assigned to the outer edges (away from Christ's light) because what you were given was taken away and given to others who bore more fruit than you... doesn't that perfectly describe the state of the unprofitable servant in the Parable of the Talents? 

     So I hope that this discussion might have given you a new perspective on this wise Parable. As always, I urge you to do your own study and be like the Bereans of Acts 17:11, receive the Word with readiness, and search the Scriptures to see if these things be so. Jesus desires that all of us be like the two servants who took their stewardship and responsibilities seriously; He wants to reward us when He returns. May the Holy Spirit guide you in walking in your Kingdom identity, accomplishing great things for the Kingdom of God, and receiving your reward and inheritance in the fulfillment of the Kingdom to come.

 

Psalm 16:5-6    Lord, I have chosen You alone as my inheritance. You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion.
I leave my destiny and its timing in Your hands. Your pleasant path leads me to pleasant places. I’m overwhelmed by the privileges that come with following You, for You have given me the best! 

A Look At The Big Picture: Satan's kingdom vs The Kingdom of God

     Before we dive into this conversation, we need to ask some questions. The first obvious question is this ... did you know that Satan rules all the kingdoms of the world? He says so in Luke 4:5-6 ... Then the devil took him [Jesus] up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please."

     But what is Jesus's ultimate response to this? It's in John 12:31. In this verse, the Lord says, From this moment on, everything in this world is about to change, for the ruler of this dark world will be overthrown. What exactly does that look like? When the Son of God came to the earth the first time, He came to re-establish dominion of the earth, bringing all the power and authority of the Kingdom of God with Him. The earth was designed to be governed like God's Kingdom in Heaven and ruled by man's authority [who was made in the image of God and given dominion over the earth]. But Satan usurped that authority in the Garden of Eden, and set up his own kingdom in opposition to the original design. When Jesus was resurrected and ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, He gave all power and authority [to continue the Kingdom of God here on earth] back to man. 
     When He returns at His Second Coming, the Lord will render His final judgment of the world systems which will result in the irrefutable overthrow of Satan's kingdom of darkness. When Jesus announces that everything is about to change, He is foretelling the impact that the Cross will have on this world. Satan's primary weapon to control man -- the reality and fear of death -- was defeated by Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, which delivers mankind into the eternal Kingdom of God.
     The good news is that Satan will not always dominate and rule the earth and its inhabitants. The bad news is that Jesus has yet to return, so the devil still reigns over his kingdom. Yes, if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will one day reside in Heaven with Him. But what about the rest of your life while still on earth; or the lives of an unknown number of generations until He does return? The truth is that we are in the midst of a transition from Satan's domination and supremacy over the earth to the future reality of Jesus Christ's sovereign rule. And this transition will be neither easy nor painless. In fact, the closer we get to Christ's return, the more difficult our existence will become because Satan knows his time is short. 
      The prophet Daniel calls those last days "a time of distress", and Jesus, Himself, says, For this will be a time of great misery beyond the magnitude of anything the world has ever seen or ever will see. Unless God limited those days, no one would escape. But because of His love for those chosen to be His, He will shorten that time of trouble.
     This we know: Satan is not going to go easily or willingly. The Bible gives us many warnings that his fury will be focused on the followers of Christ, God's chosen people of Israel, all of humanity to keep them from turning to Christ, and to the returning Jesus, Himself. He will instigate religious persecution, and as hard as it is to fathom, a lot of it will come from "the Church" itself. Sadly, there is a vast number of the Church who are Christian, in self-proclaimed name only, and will easily fall prey to religious deception and false teachings. 
     That may be hard for you to digest, but it is the truth of the Bible. And it is becoming increasingly clear to me how few "Christians" actually read their Bible, let alone take the time to study and understand it. In this day of technology, it is far too easy to listen to a podcast or read an article that declares it is the purveyor of God's Truth. But how many people take that information and measure it against Scripture? For that matter, how many people sitting in churches, whether small or large, simply accept the teachings of those who hold authority over them? 
     As true believers in Christ, we must love the Truth, and our beliefs must be firmly rooted in the Word of God. It is also incumbent upon us to have the strength of character to defend our beliefs, or we, too, could fall prey to satanic deception and false teachings. 
     I do not write this to give you pause, or to cause you to shrink back in fear and anticipation of anxiety, sorrow, or pain. On the contrary, I write this to activate your spirit to get in the fight! The Lord promises that we can look forward to the end of Satan's rule on earth. There will be a new age in which Satan and his demons will be isolated from humanity for 1,000 years and the earth will be under the sovereign rule of our Lord and Savior. The battle for humanity that has raged for thousands of years will be over and we will stand victorious with our King! 
     Yes, Satan will use a human ruler who will "make war with the saints", and there will be a false religious system that will lead many astray. But if you know the truth of all this in the Word, then you can also know the truth of the promise that Christ's kingdom will never end. In the end, it really is a battle between two kingdoms -- Satan's kingdom on earth, and God's Kingdom in Heaven. It is important that we be prepared for what's coming and know how to recognize God's Truth. Your eternal life depends on it!

Daniel 7:27    Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey Him. 

What Do You Make Of Your Christian Influence?

     In the last two posts I proposed an interpretation of Matthew 25:31-46, in which I identified the "sheep nations" as unbelieving people groups (or nations) who helped the saints during the Tribulation [by feeding them, clothing them, visiting them in prison, etc]; in other words, supporting "the agenda of the Brethren". They fed persecuted Christians, sheltered them, cared for them when they were sick, and ministered to them when the forces of the Anti-Christ imprisoned them. Their actions have been credited to them [imputed] as righteousness by God and Jesus, and they are allowed to enter the Millennial Kingdom as citizens who will be under the rule and reign of Christ and Christian saints. 

     As I said previously, this is my understanding at this particular season of my walk with Christ in His Word. You may have a different interpretation, and that's okay. But even if we differ on our rendering of this particular Scripture, I think we can agree that our influence upon the unredeemed will have profound effects when the persecution begins -- and the Bible clearly states, Christians will be persecuted. That is why I ended yesterday's post with the statement, "And that, my dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, is why it is so important for us to be influencing communities, cultures, and countries for Christ. There is a time when the world will be at war with Christ and Christians, and how we impact nations and peoples now will bring the Church into its final destination. It is exciting and a profoundly significant responsibility for the Body of Christ. Are you ready and willing?"
     And that brings me to the question I have asked in the title of today's blog ... What do you make of your Christian influence? First of all, do you even think you have any? Influence, that is. Perhaps you think you have to hold a religious office, or be a well-known Christian author or philosopher. Perhaps you think only Pastors or teachers have any real influence. Do you think you have nothing to offer, and look at others impacting or transforming people for Jesus, and try to pattern your life after theirs?  
     If any of these thoughts ring true for you, I want you to stop and think about this... Bronnie Ware is an Australian author, songwriter and motivational speaker best-known for her writings about the top deathbed regrets she had heard during her time as a palliative care-giver for the terminally ill. In an article she wrote in 2009, Ms. Ware revealed that the top regret for those who were dying was this: "I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me". In other words they weren't their truest self; the person Jesus designed them to be, and they felt they didn't fulfill the purpose for which they had been born. 
     Here's the thing ... we are each individually created and designed for the glory of God. And when our unique design is impacted by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have been equipped to influence the world! Listen to the beautiful poem King David wrote to describe God's design of every person:

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day. 

(Psalm 139:13-16)

    You were created and designed to be exactly as you are! There was a purpose for your life written "before you'd even lived one day". You were born to have influence in the lives of those who do not know your Creator. Yet, you may be chasing after someone else's gifts and talents because you are believing Satan's lies that yours aren't good enough! Here's what you need to understand and believe -- there is a calling and a purpose on your life that is as distinctive and individual as you are, and it can only be fully reached through your uniqueness. You were made by God for God. You were made to influence others for His Kingdom. 

     And whether or not we are destined to be among the persecuted Christians that are ministered to by the "sheep nations" at Jesus's return, it doesn't change our responsibility or privilege to influence those in our communities, cultures or countries now. By doing so, we could be creating an environment that will result in a legacy of future Christians who will touch the hearts of those sheep nations in Matthew 25. 

     You were created with a distinct purpose in mind; to have life-giving influence in whatever situations you have been placed; to impart the life-giving knowledge of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world -- and your influence is connected to who you were designed to be. Embrace and accept yourself as He made you. You have the capacity and the power to shape and influence someone's life for Christ. You truly do! We all do! When you know this Truth, it becomes important how you steward that influence in impacting the lives and faith of others.  Your own faith journey will take on new significance and you will be among the men and women God is raising up in this generation to impact the world for His Kingdom. You will find that your life and faith and purpose and influence are all for Him!

Ephesians 2:10    For we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives, created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God arranged long ago.

      

       

Final Judgment of Sheep and Goats - Part 2

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. ³² Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ³⁸ And when did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe You? ³⁹ And when did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.’
⁴¹ “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” -- Matthew 25:31-46  

     First, I'd like to say that if you haven't read the previous post, I suggest you do, so that what I'm about to say will be understood in its full context. Here is what has been established so far ... Jesus is sitting upon His throne, in all His glory, and judging the "sheep" and "goats". The sheep have been judged righteous, and it has been pronounced that they will "inherit the kingdom". The goats, on the other hand, have been judged cursed, and have been sentenced to the "eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels". These are very serious pronouncements, and it is important that we grasp their meaning and understand them correctly.
     As I postulated yesterday, it is apparent that ministering to the hungry, thirsty, strangers among us, and the imprisoned is important to Jesus. In fact, He makes a point of calling these unfortunate souls His "Brethren". In the past, I have assumed Jesus was making a statement from His carnal position, regarding the treatment of all mankind. But as I have spent more time contemplating this important passage, I have begun to see just who He is addressing.
     In verse 32, the Bible says Jesus has gathered "all the nations" before Him, and separated them as "a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats". We've also established that sheep represent obedience, while goats represent rebellion. But notice this: Jesus has gathered nations. Now, some translations go on to say that He "will separate people one from another", while other translations say, "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [implying nations] one from another".  I submit that those translations that use the word "people" are referring to ethnic groups [peoples] or speaking of a group of citizens, collectively, of a nation.
     And here is where we get to the decisive and most important points of Matthew 25:31-46. Because Jesus is sitting on His throne on the earth, and all the angels are with Him, I see that the bowls of wrath have been poured out, the battle with the Anti-Christ and his followers at Armageddon has taken place, and this is the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom. This scenario is about more than people ministering to the unfortunate of the world, however important that is to our King. This is a picture of Jesus seated on His Judgment Throne.
     More importantly, it is critical that we understand that [at this point in Matthew 25] there has been a transition from the Church Age to the Millennial Kingdom. Admittedly, I am no Bible scholar. But I know that all of the Bible has been given to us so that we might seek to understand our God and participate in His redemptive plan for His creation. While it is true that Jesus tells us that no man knows the day nor the hour of His return, He also tells us to "Stay awake!" and be on guard for the events to come.  
     I will also admit that the Bible is a mystery as to how these events unfold. And I am still trying to make all the puzzle pieces of Daniel's 70th week, Joel 2, Ezekiel 38, Zechariah 14, the Book of Revelation and Jesus's warnings in the Gospels into a cohesive picture so that I will not be caught unaware and surprised by the "thief in the night". 
     So, if we look at the verses just prior to the separation of the sheep and goat nations at the Judgment seat, we will find that Jesus has delivered His parable of the Talents. This is a picture of the first phase of Jesus's judgment in which the saints (raptured Believers) will be rewarded according to the fruit they bore for the Kingdom. In 25:23, Jesus says to these saints, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord." This is confirmation of Timothy 2:12 and Revelation 20:4, that we will rule and reign with Christ in the Millennial  Kingdom. 
     The Parable of the Talents is immediately followed by verses 31-46, which show us the second phase of Jesus's judgment from the Throne. This judgment is directed, not at the saints (Believers) but at the unregenerate nations that survive the coming of Christ and Armageddon. Remember, these are unredeemed nations that are standing before Jesus, and they will be judged as to whether they are allowed to enter the Millennial Kingdom.
     So, now the obvious question is, why are some of the nations judged as sheep, and some as goats? I believe that Jesus is designating the sheep nations as those nations, ethnic groups, or peoples that cooperated with the brethren of Christ in resisting the Anti-Christ during the Tribulation. These sheep nations may not have been Believers in Christ, but they assisted Christians by housing them, feeding them, and ministering to them in prison during the persecution of Christians by the Anti-Christ. That's why the sheep nations ask Jesus, when did we do all these things? And He answers, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.   
     NOTE: I have an additional question about Jesus's answer, that I have not solved yet. Who is Jesus referring to as His brothers? Are Christians the only people qualified to be called His brothers? Could He also be referring to the 144,000 Jews who are sealed with His Father's name on their foreheads? After all, Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, and these 144,000 are mentioned along with the multitudes that appear before His throne in Revelation 7. I don't know if Scripture identifies these two groups "collectively", as Jesus's brothers. At this point in my journey, I cannot definitively say. But I am willing to say that that He identifies these "brothers" as members of His Father's Kingdom who have been protected by the sheep nations. 
     I will also tell you that I had to take off my rose-colored glasses to dig into these verses. I had read them so many times and just accepted the "easy answer" that Jesus was commending Christians for being, well ... good Christians. But then there was verse 41 and He is cursing people and condemning them to "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels". That just didn't make sense if He was addressing Christians. And I had to remind myself that when the Holy Spirit inspired the original writers of the Bible, the Holy Book wasn't broken into neat little sections with titles. Yet, here, one of my Bible translations (KJV) tells me that verses 31-46 are about the judgment of the Gentile nations. How many times have I just skipped over that because it didn't fit my current understanding of the Bible, and I couldn't see the connection between the Parable of the Talents and the judgment of the sheep and goats?
     But there was still something that I had to work through. How could Jesus call these unbelieving sheep nations "blessed by My Father" (verse 34) and "righteous" (verse 37)? And how could they be allowed into the Millennial Kingdom if they hadn't believed in Him during the Church Age? Here is how I understand it now (until the Holy Spirit reveals more) ... They could be the unsaved people who survived the Tribulation and return of Christ to be facing Him at His Judgment Seat, and because they helped the saints during the Tribulation [by feeding them, clothing them, visiting them in prison, etc]; in other words, supporting "the agenda of the Brethren", their actions have been credited to them [imputed] as righteousness, and they are allowed to enter the Millennial Kingdom as citizens who will be under the rule and reign of Christ and Christian saints. Meanwhile those goat nations continued in their rebelliousness towards God and sided with the Anti-Christ, persecuting the Brethren. Their "reward" will be punishment in the eternal fires of hell.
     So, in conclusion, once again I have discovered that I cannot take verses of the Bible out of context. I must read it with a discerning spirit and see the whole picture. The Return of Jesus is at the center of Matthew 25 -- all of the chapter.  And we are given a view of the Judgment Seat of Christ. We saints will be judged to determine what kind of reward we are to receive, based on the fruit we bore for the Kingdom of God. It is not about salvation! It is about the work we did for the Kingdom. Then Jesus will judge the nations according to their works -- the sheep nations will be rewarded for cooperating with the agenda of the Kingdom and allowed to enter the Millennial Kingdom ... I was thirsty and you gave Me drink. But the goat nations will also be judged for their works with the Anti-Christ. It is clear to me that the destiny of nations at the commencement of the Millennial Kingdom will be determined on the basis of their partnership with the Kingdom of Heaven on earth during the Tribulation. 
     And that, my dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, is why it is so important for us to be influencing communities, cultures, and countries for Christ. There is a time when the world will be at war with Christ and Christians, and how we impact nations and peoples now will bring the Church into its final destination. It is exciting and a profoundly significant responsibility for the Body of Christ. Are you ready and willing?

Matthew 24:14    Yet through it all, this joyful assurance of the realm of heaven’s kingdom will be proclaimed all over the world, providing every nation with a demonstration of the reality of God. And after this the end of this age will arrive.
      
      

God's Unfinished Business

     As I commented in yesterday's post, God desires that His plans reach their fullness and potential; His plans for humans and nations. But there is more to this idea of fullness and fulfillment. And I believe we must read the entire Bible -- both Old and New Testament -- to see the big picture of what God plans to bring to fullness.
     As we read through the Torah, or Old Testament, it becomes apparent that there are several institutions and systems that seem to never achieve their fullness as God designed them. Let's take a look at just a few of them. The first would be the Judicial System. God set forth a system of government and justice. He appointed wise judges to apply His laws. Their job included not only legal matters, but often included military and administrative authority over the nation of Israel, as well. But as we read the history of the Israelites, we see that God's plan for a Judicial System that followed His commandments and laws was not fully realized. The Ten Commandments, given at Mt. Sinai were broken time and again, and we see that they failed to complete the military conquest of the Canaanite tribes as God commanded them. The Bible says in Judges 2:16-19, Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so.  Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them.  But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.

     Another of God's institutions that has not seen its fulfillment yet are His Holy Feasts. God commanded the Israelites (to whom we are grafted in) that each of the Feasts were to be "a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast". It is important that we recognize that each of these Feasts is part of an interacting and interdependent system of events that form a whole picture of the salvation of man. God instituted them as a reminder to us of His plan to reconcile mankind back to Him. The Spring Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread and Pentecost are a dress rehearsal and reminder of Jesus's First Coming and his sacrificial death for the remission and forgiveness of our sins through His shed blood; Christ's resurrection as the first fruits of salvation and our promise of eternal life; and the gift of the Holy Spirit that gives us power and enables us to continue in obedience to a life in Christ.
     But we call this system of Feasts unfulfilled because there are Fall Feasts which point to the Second Coming of Christ, which, as we know, hasn't happened. Yet, observing these Feasts, we can look forward with eager anticipation to The Feast of Trumpets. the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles, which are a picture of Christ's return to rule the earth and judge the wicked; to become "at one" with Jesus through remorse and repentance for our sins; and the time that Jesus will dwell with us on the earth during the Millennial Kingdom, before He ushers in a New Heaven and New Earth.
     We can also take a look at the Priesthood that God instituted with Aaron and the Levites and see that it was not fulfilled as God planned. From Aaron and his descendants, God has planned for priests to minister to Him in the Temple and to act as mediator between Himself and man. In the Old Testament, the Levitical priests bore the responsibility of overseeing the sacrifices to God required by the Mosaic Law.  But the Levitical priesthood was never meant to be permanent. We Believers of the New Covenant know that Jesus came to end that sacrificial system and became our High Priest. But we also know, according to 1 Peter 2 and Revelation 1 that we are joined to Christ, who has "made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father". Furthermore, the fulfillment of this truth will see us reigning as kings over the earth with Him when the fulfillment of God's plan takes place.
     So, when we take the whole of Scripture into account, I find it is a mistake to declare that the Old Testament shows that these institutions and systems (which also include the Agricultural System and the Settlement of the Land) have fallen short, never to reach their full potential. But if we look closer at the Old Testament, we will see that it actually prophecies future fulfillments yet to come. 
     The Book of Isaiah prophecies of these future fulfillments: Isaiah 2 describes the Millennial Kingdom in which “the Torah will go forth from Zion”; Isaiah chapters 60 to 66 speak of a renewal of Zion and resettlement of the land; Isaiah 66 makes reference to food laws, Levites, new moons and Sabbaths. The last 9 chapters of Ezekiel have a lot to say about future fulfillments of God's plan. A new Temple is built, described in utmost detail (chapters 40 to 41), that is then filled with the glory of God (chapter 43), with a new priesthood and sacrificial system (chapter 44), including all the feast celebrations (chapter 45), led by the Messianic King (chapter 46), in a renewal of nature and agriculture (chapter 47), and resettlement of the land according to the tribes of Israel (chapter 48).
     But that's not all. The end of the Book of Joel describes a restoration of Zion both spiritually and economically after the events of the end times. Micah speaks of the former kingdom being reestablished. Zechariah 14 also describes a restoration of feasts and Temple worship after the Second Coming of Messiah.
     Can you see how the Old and New Testaments are a complete picture of God's redemptive plan for mankind? What might look like unfulfilled promises in the Old must be taken in conjunction with the prophecies that find their fulfillment in the New Testament. When read through this lens, it's not hard to see that there will be a renewal and observance of the Torah during the Millennial Kingdom with the priorities and significance of all that Jesus taught. The bottom line is that the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus came to declare will be fulfilled in the Millennium; and it will establish God's original plan for order on the earth for Israel and all the nations. God has unfinished business on the earth, but as Scripture shows us, the fullness is yet to come and it will happen! Praise God!

Thank you to Asher Intrater, founder and apostolic leader of Revive Israel Ministries, and a Messianic leader in Israel, for his insight on the fulfillment of God's promises and plans for the redemption of all mankind.

Ezekiel 12:28     Therefore say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Not one word of mine shall be prolonged any more: the word that I shall speak shall be accomplished, saith the Lord God.