Believe in Jesus and you will inherit eternal life. This is what Jesus told Nicodemus. But look at the context of John 3:16 for a true understanding of the Gospel. The two verses right before, in John 3:14-15, we read: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." The people of Old Testament Israel were told to look upon the serpent to be healed of sickness and disease. But Christ was lifted up so that we can be healed from sin. We must be saved from sin. All sins are habitual. If we still sin, we must continue to look to the cross in order to stop sinning, in order to be healed from all our sinful habits, so that we no longer sin. Only then can we inherit eternal life.
As we live and work for Christ the Holy Spirit changes us and we overcome all our sinful habits. Those who live and work for Christ will overcome all their sinful habits and only then, will inherit eternal life. They will reign with Christ at the time of the resurrection, when Christ sets up his earthly kingdom.
Jesus said, "This [end time] generation will not pass away until all these things are accomplished" (Matthew 24:34). This statement requires a sign that marks the beginning of the generation in order for it to make sense. I believe the sign was the formation of Israel in 1948. That would mean the end-time generation is the baby boom generation. "All these things are all the signs given in the context, which is Matthew 24. This baby-boom generation won't pass away before the great tribulation and Christ returns here on the earth to set up his Kingdom.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 ESV Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, (2) not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. (3) Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first , and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.
Paul is saying that a "rebellion" comes before Christ comes. In the Greek, it's an "apostasy." The rebellion is a "falling away." It's not just sin. It's a rebellion against God's Word (Logos) in our culture and government. A rebellion against God's Word (Logos) is the very definition of evil. As we will see, this end-time evil generation has now embraced three evils which mark a rebellion against God.
The evil in our culture and government causes a separation of those who love God from those who rebel against God. This means there will be a time of great awakening when God will "pour out my Spirit on all flesh" (Joel 2:28). As this division continues, everything will become more and more out in the open. The great tribulation (against God's people) is coming which will purify (sanctify) God's people.
A friend of mine argued that a major sign of the end-times is all things "woke." I believe this is one of three major evils of this end-times generation which are Satan's mind-virus that operates to prevent people from having "ears to hear" the Gospel of the Kingdom.
I distinguish sins from evil. Sins are foolish things individuals do, which can be forgiven. Evil is the overall teachings of a culture and its government which are against the Word (Logos) of God. Thus, evil stands against God. It's also the principalities and powers which promote these evil teachings.
I believe Satan has planted three primary evils in this world.
1) This end-time evil generation's culture and government teaches that marriage is not between a man and a woman. I interpret Genesis 2-3 to say that marriage is the union of a man and a woman, over time, into one flesh (body), which leads to eternal life in Paradise (the Garden of Eden). (The word Paradise means enclosed garden. In the Septuagint, it's the "Paradise of Eden.")
2) "Woke" teachings blur the distinction between a man and a woman.
3) This union of a man and a woman, that we call marriage, includes the creation of children. This creation from God requires both a man and a woman. The abortion of this creation is evil. Abortion of a baby is evil, even in the mother's womb, because he or she is created in the image of God.
These three evils form a mind-virus that tends to prevent people from having the "ears to hear" the Gospel of the Kingdom. The Democratic Party has become evil through support of these three evil teachings. Therefore, any support whatsoever of the Democratic Party is rebellion against God and is fundamentally evil.
Some people say they don't agree with the Democrats on these three issues, but they like the Democratic Party on other issues, and therefore they continue to be Democrats. Most likely they have friends or family who are Democrats and they don't want to upset them. You can love sinners without loving their sin. You can be kind and friendly with those who stand against God without joining them in their stand. If you compromise with Satan on any issue, you wind up standing with the world against God. You wind up compromising with sin in your life. You will think you are hearing from God, but you are actually hearing from Satan. You can't compromise with evil or you will fall into sin. You can't compromise with the world. You can't follow both Christ and Satan. We need to take up our crosses and follow Christ alone. Otherwise, Jesus will say, "I never knew you."
Matthew 7:21-23 ESV Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' (23) And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus (John 3). Most of the Pharisees were very jealous of Jesus because of the miracles. The miracles drew big crowds to listen to Jesus. So, Nicodemus came to Jesus secretly at night to listen. Later, when they were trying to arrest Jesus, Nicodemus spoke up in his defense (John 7:45-52). After the crucifixion, Nicodemus helped Joseph of Arimathea bury the body (John 19:38-42). Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple. Most likely, Nicodemus was also a secret disciple of Jesus.
When Nicodemus visited Jesus at night, Jesus told him the Gospel of the Kingdom. Unfortunately, Nicodemus was a bit confused. When Jesus talked about being born-again, Nicodemus was forgetting a very important Old Testament context to which Jesus was referring. Jesus said, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and don't understand these things?" Unfortunately, most pastors today miss this context and do not know where in the Old Testament it talks about being born-again. Thus, they miss some very important points about the Gospel of the Kingdom.
Today, Catholics believe that to be born-again is infant baptism. Then, there is a journey towards sainthood. Evangelical Protestants believe that to be born-again is the point in time when one becomes (past-tense) saved. They consider the journey to be much less important
In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah (ch. 26) told us about the resurrection. In the future, the "earth will give birth to the dead." Literally translated, the spirits of the dead come forth from the earth. But the context includes a metaphor of a pregnant woman about to give birth. Thus, many translations say the earth gives birth to the dead. This is what Nicodemus forgot. We get born-again bodies at the resurrection.
Isaiah also told us, in the same chapter, that not everyone will be resurrected. Most people will be resurrected. But the enemies of God will not be resurrected. Daniel (in verse 12:2) was told that "many" will be resurrected, some of which will have everlasting life.
To be born-again is to be resurrected. Jesus taught about two types of bodies at the resurrection. There are bodies of flesh and there are eternal-life spiritual bodies at the resurrection. Paul also talked about the two types of bodies at the resurrection. He asked, "How are the dead raised?" and, "With what kind of body do they come?" (1 Corinthians 15:35). It depends on the type of seed that is planted.
Nicodemus was a Jew. He was taught that salvation is a journey of holiness back to Paradise, which in their (Septuagint) Bible was the Garden (Paradise) of Eden. Salvation is not about going to heaven. It's about going back to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. The Messianic reign will be here on the earth. Jesus told Nicodemus that no one has ascended into heaven except for himself (John 3:13). This means that he alone knows how to get back to eternal life in Paradise.
Jesus reminded Nicodemus about the serpent that was lifted up by Moses in the desert. The people were told to look to the serpent in faith to be healed from sickness. Likewise, Jesus was lifted up so that we can be healed from sin as well as disease. Isaiah prophesied, "By his stripes we were healed." We must have faith in Jesus to be healed from sin, before we can get back to the tree of life in Paradise.
Salvation is a journey of faith in Jesus Christ to be completely healed of the disease of sin. By faith, the Holy Spirit helps us to completely overcome all sinful habits before we can be born-again (resurrected) with eternal life. God so loved the entire world that he gave his Son Jesus Christ to be crucified on the cross so that everyone of all generations can be resurrected. In Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22). Christ's death was a ransom for sin, given to Adam and all his children. We can all be resurrected. But we must completely overcome all our sinful habits before we can inherit the Kingdom and be given Eternal Life.
Surrender your life to Jesus Christ as your Savior. Believe in the LORD Jesus Christ as God and your King. He is the Only-Unique Son of God. Belief in Christ is more than just an intellectual belief. "The demons also believe, and shudder" (James 2:19). It's also continual faith and faithfulness. Continually obey Christ as a slave obeys his LORD and Master. Obey Christ's commands as given in Scripture and as you hear Christ's voice through the Holy Spirit, who comes from God the Father, who loves you. Love Jesus Christ with all your heart, soul, and mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. Continually look to the cross to overcome all the sinful habits in your life. Take up your cross and follow Jesus Christ. This means you become willing to die for Christ.
Do all this and you will Inherit the Kingdom and Eternal Life. But Jesus told Nicodemus that those who reject this faith are "condemned already" (John 3:18). Those who truly understand about Christ's salvation, but deliberately remain enemies of God, will become condemned even before the millennial reign begins.
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Scripture quotations marked HCSB®, are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. HCSB® is a federally registered trademark of Holman Bible Publishers.
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Matthew 25:1-13 Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom . (2) Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. (3) Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, (4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (5) Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. (6) But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!' (7) Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. (8) The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' (9) But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' (10) While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. (11) Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' (12) But he answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you.' (13) Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
The foolish virgins said, "Lord, Lord, let us in." Jesus replies, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you. Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25:1-13). How can the fact that these foolish virgins don't know the day or the hour possibly relate to the fact that they don't get into the wedding banquet? Is the problem really that they don't know the day or hour? The foolish virgins do not have as much oil in their lamps as the wise. Shouldn't they get caught up in the rapture no matter how much oil they have? Or is it because they don't watch the signs well enough? Does the fact that they don't study Daniel and Revelation cause them to be excluded from the wedding banquet?
Apparently, something is here that the average Christian does not understand, which will cause them to be foolish virgins. But surely one's understanding of obscure points of doctrine shouldn't cause these virgins to be excluded. Most Christians believe they couldn't possibly be one of the foolish virgins because they claim to know Christ as their personal Savior. ' But does Christ really know them? The only difference between the wise and the foolish virgins, according to the parable, is that the foolish virgins do not have enough oil in their lamps.
The foolish virgins believe they know Christ, but they continue to sin . They will insist that continued sin in one's life will not prevent them from getting into the wedding banquet. Is this the foolishness that Christ is warning about? What does John say about those whom Christ does not know? Can we interpret John's words in the context of Jesus?
1 John 3:5-6 ESV You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. (6) No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Matthew 7:21-23 ESV Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' (23) And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'
Matthew 25:11-13 ESV Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' (12) But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' (13) Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). But what does that mean? Is it the Greek-like concept of intellectual knowledge? Or is belief a continual action? Is salvation a one-time event? Do we say we are saved and that's it? Do we repent of our sins one time? Or do we continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13)? Do we need to "endure to the end" to be saved (Matthew 10:22, 24:13 Mark 12:13)? Could it be that we must continue to look upon the cross for salvation?
Again, the foolish virgins said, "Lord, Lord, let us in." Jesus replies, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you. Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." (Matthew 25) How can the fact that these foolish virgins don't know the day or the hour possibly relate to the fact that they don't get into the wedding banquet? And how does watching the signs relate to knowing Christ as your personal Savior? Ask these questions to most pastors today and they won't have a good answer. And yet this very parable directly relates to whether individual Christians will get into the wedding banquet! The only difference between the wise and the foolish virgins is the amount of oil in their lamps. How can we know that we are wise virgins and not foolish virgins if our pastors don't really understand the parables?
Matthew 13:10-13 The disciples came, and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" (11) He answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. (12) For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. (13) Therefore, I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don't see, and hearing, they don't hear, neither do they understand.
I'm not saying that our pastors today don't love Jesus. But Satan has deceived them into thinking that everyone, even believers, must continue to sin. But the Gospel of the Kingdom is that by the power of the Holy Spirit we really can overcome all our sinful habits. Our pastors deny this.
1 John 3:5-6 ESV You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. (6) No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
When John tells us, that Jesus appeared to take away our sins, he doesn't just mean that our sins are forgiven. John means that we no longer have sinful habits. He means that we no longer sin.
One dispensational-thinking pastor, whom I personally know, wrote two books on radical-grace or hyper-grace. He believes that Jesus was teaching during the "dispensation" of law and that things changed to a "dispensation" of grace at Pentecost. After the cross, Jesus gave us the great commission. In it, Jesus told us to teach people to obey everything that Jesus commanded. Because of that, this pastor believes the great commission was nullified at Pentecost!
John, however, wrote long after Pentecost. John tells us how to know that we know him. We know Jesus if we keep his commandments. And we keep his commandments if we no longer sin.
1 John 2:1-5 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. (2) And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (3) This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. (4) One who says, "I know him," and doesn't keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn't in him. (5) But whoever keeps his word, God's love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him.
Jesus told us that "on that day" there would be many "false prophets" who prophesy in his name, and even cast out demons in his name. Pastors are prophets because they teach the word of God from their interpretations of Scripture. I'm not saying that pastors must interpret every aspect of Scripture correctly. But this issue of continuing to sin goes to the very core of the gospel because both Jesus and John tell us that those who continue to sin don't know Christ! Most pastors today are unknowingly the wolves in sheep clothing that Jesus said would come.
Matthew 7:15-23 Beware of false prophets , who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves . (16) By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? (17) Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. (18) A good tree can't produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. (19)Every tree that doesn't grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. (20) Therefore, by their fruits you will know them . (21) Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' (23) And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'
Studies have shown that in evangelical churches today, there is no significant difference in moral habits between those who regularly attend church and the world around them. The fruit of the pastors is their flock. By their fruit, we will know them. The pastors today are not teaching how we can overcome all our sinful habits through the power of the Holy Spirit. Instead, they believe that nobody can overcome all their sinful habits.
These false-prophet pastors will be truly surprised, saying "Lord, Lord." They are surprised because they really believe they know the Lord. They really love Jesus because Jesus died on the cross for them. But they don't love Jesus enough to really take his words literally and seriously. They don't love Jesus enough to question all that's been taught by the false prophets that came before them. So, they unknowingly pass the false doctrines about the gospel of salvation along to the next generation of pastors.
If you don't have faith that God can change you to be "perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect," then you have a form of godliness, but you deny it's power to overcome sin.
2 Timothy 3:1-7 But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come. (2) For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, (4) traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; (5) holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also. (6) For of these are those who creep into houses, and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, (7) always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
We can know the false prophets by their bad fruit. The foolish virgins are the bad fruit of the false prophets. The foolish virgins say, "Lord, Lord, let us in." They are also very surprised when Jesus replies, "Truly, I say to you, "I do not know you. Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." (Matthew 25) How can the fact that these foolish virgins don't know the day or the hour possibly relate to the fact that they don't get into the wedding banquet? You won't find the answer from the wolves in sheep clothing who also say, "Lord, Lord", and to whom Jesus replies, "I never knew you." But the disciples of Christ would have understood this parable. In their culture, God's people were expected to overcome sin before the coming of the Messiah.
At the time of Christ, the Jews of Israel hated Roman rule over their lives and believed the Messiah would come to overthrow the Roman kingdom. The term "kingdom of heaven" or "kingdom of God" is a reference to the eternal kingdom that will begin here on earth when the Messiah comes. This can be seen in the context of Daniel 2, 7, 8, 9, and 12. We must interpret the words of Jesus in the context of their end-time centric culture. With these words of Jesus taken out of the context of Old Testament Jewish culture, the gospel of the kingdom can be misunderstood. In this context, the Church is not ready for Christ to return.
Daniel 9:24 ESV Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression , to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy.
Many say sin was "put to an end" at the cross. But this is a requirement for "your people" and "your holy city." It's not something that Christ fulfilled at the cross. Vision and prophecy were not sealed up at the cross. Daniel had been praying for the forgiveness of Israel's sins and for the desolation of Jerusalem to come to an end. Seventy weeks of years (490 years) were decreed for God's people to completely stop sinning before the Messiah comes. But the Jewish pastors, at the time, continued to sin. They were broken off the olive tree of Israel. In turn, we as Gentile believers are grafted into that same olive tree, which is Israel (Romans 11:11-24). Thus, we must also completely stop sinning to be ready for Christ to return.
Israel was told when the Messiah would come. However, they failed to even recognize the Messiah and continued to sin. Therefore, seven of the seventy weeks were moved into the future for a second coming. The timing of the Messiah's return became unknown. They no longer knew the "day or the hour." But stating such would still mean we must stop sinning before Christ returns. We are told to watch the signs and be ready for Christ to return. That's the purpose of the seventy weeks.
That's why Jesus tells the foolish virgins that he doesn't know them and to watch the signs (Matthew 25:12-13). "The Bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast." The foolish virgins were not as yet ready. They were told "you don't know the day or the hour" because in that culture, they knew that all of Israel must stop sinning before the Messiah comes. The false prophets and foolish virgins will miss the rapture. They will not get into the wedding banquet. But that does not mean they go to hell. They will simply live in the nations during Christ's reign.
This is like the watchman in the night. To watch for the enemy to come is to be ready. The enemy is sin. As we watch for the signs, we get ready by overcoming all our sinful habits. It's the wicked servant who will not know the day or the hour (Matthew 24:42-51). The wise servant will know when Christ will return. We watch for the sign of the great tribulation. Salvation is a journey of faith and belief in Christ. It's an active journey of salvation from sin during which we become like Christ , who did not sin.
Matthew 24:40-44 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left. (41) Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one will be left. (42) Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes. (43) But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. (44) Therefore also be ready, [because] in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.
The disciples asked, "When will all this happen?" Jesus is saying "no man knows." So we are to watch the signs so that we will know. The biggest sign given by Jesus is the abomination, spoken of by Daniel. Daniel says that from the abomination there are 1290 days. So when we see that sign, we will know the "day and hour."
Verse 44 should be interpreted in the context of the thief-in-the-night parable, which is verses 43-51. If that master is wicked and does not stay awake, he will not know the hour (time) of the the coming.
This can be confirmed by going back to Daniel 12, which is the context of the 1290 days. The angel asks the question (Daniel 12:6), "How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?". This is basically the same question as asked by the disciples. Daniel was told but he didn't understand the answer. "I heard, but I did not understand." (verse 8). Then Daniel was told, "None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand." (verse 10). At the time of the end, the wise will understand and thus know the time of the resurrection / rapture.
But the wicked will not understand and know. Perhaps a better translation of Matthew 24:44 would be: "Therefore you should be ready, [BECAUSE] the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect." As we have seen from Daniel 9:24, in that culture, all Israel must stop sinning before the Messiah comes. The vision of Daniel 9 gave Israel 70 weeks before the Messiah would come. When they didn't recognize the Messiah, the timing of his return became an unknown day and hour. But it still meant that believers must be ready before the Messiah comes.
We must be saved from sin. We become enslaved to sinful habits. All sins are habitual. Honest mistakes are not sins, because they are not habitual. If we still sin, we must continue to look to the cross to stop sinning, to be healed from our sinful habits, so that we no longer sin. We must daily take up our cross and follow Christ. Only then can we inherit eternal life. This journey, or process, is called sanctification.
Romans 6:22-23 HCSB But now, since you have been liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit , which results in sanctification--and the end is eternal life! (23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are "enslaved to God." This means we do the Father's works. The fruit of this labor "results in sanctification," which means we become holy. It means we overcome all our sinful habits. The result of this journey is eternal life, according to this verse. The Holy Spirit fills us and changes us on the inside so that we no longer sin. God can, and will, complete this work that he has begun (Philippians 1:6).
Galatians 6:7-9 HCSB Don't be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, (8) because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. (9) So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up.
We must realize that continued sin is like a disease. Jesus can heal us from that disease. If you want to inherit the kingdom and eternal life, you must be completely healed from all sinful habits. We must believe that Jesus can heal us. If we say that Jesus can't or won't do this, then we do not fully believe in Jesus for salvation from sin. Just as the people of Israel looked upon the serpent for healing, we must continually look to the cross for healing. We must have faith and not doubt. We must turn our lives completely over to Christ to inherit the kingdom. If any sinful habits remain, then we have not yet finished our journey back to the Father. When no sinful habits remain, then we are completely sanctified. This is necessary before we can receive the gift of eternal life.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (24) He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it .
True believers are saved (sanctified) by God's presence and work in our lives. As we do the Father's works, the "God of peace himself sanctifies us completely."After overcoming all our sinful habits, we are then ready for Christ to return.
Notice that we don't sanctify ourselves. We don't make ourselves holy. It is the "God of peace" who sanctifies us. "Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6 HCSB). I believe Jesus was saying those who really want to overcome sin will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
The true meaning of grace is God's presence or God's work. It's being filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul often started and ended his letters with something like "grace be unto you." It was like saying, "God be with you." Paul was not saying, "unmerited favor be unto you." Paul was asking for God's presence and/or works to be with us. Also, Christ was given grace as a young boy (Luke 2:40, John 1:14). He was not given "unmerited favor." The Holy Spirit was with Jesus.
Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works, so that no one may boast . (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them .
This, and many other verses that speak of grace, can be vastly misunderstood if the definition of grace is misunderstood. It's by "God's work" that we are saved, through continual faith. It's not our own works, that no one may boast. We are "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." As we do the good works, the Holy Spirit works inside us to make us holy. This grace/presence/work is the "gift of God."
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Those who will inherit the kingdom are those who will have overcome all their sinful habits before Christ sets up his kingdom. They will reign with Christ, during the millennium, over those who don't overcome sin (Rev. 2:26). The point being, we need to go back to the basics of salvation and faith in Christ to completely overcome sin. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Overcome Sin, for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is Coming Soon.
Nicodemus came to Jesus, secretly in the night. Most of the Pharisees would not admit that Jesus was a teacher who had come from God. But Nicodemus was open to Christ's teachings because of the miracles that Jesus was doing.
John 3:1-7 ESV Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (2) This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him ." (3) Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (4) Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born" (5)Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (6)That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7)Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"
Those who believe salvation is a journey tend to believe that baptism is the start of that journey. If salvation is not a journey, or if the journey is unimportant regarding salvation, then one tends to assume that to be born-again is a one-time event that transforms one's life into a person who is (past tense) saved. Later, a person may rededicate one's life to Christ. But they are not considered to be born-again for a second time. The very term, "born-again," strongly suggests a one-time event and not something that repeatedly occurs during a journey.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 ESV). The Greek word for "way" literally means "road." Thus, the verse can be translated as, "I am the [road], the truth, and the life. No one [journeys] to the Father except through me." The early church called themselves "The Way" (Acts 9:2, 19:9, 19:23). Literally speaking, the early church called themselves "The Road." They understood the Christian life to be a journey.
So, how does being "born-again" relate to this journey? Augustine believed "born of water" is infant baptism. Baptism is symbolic of dying and then coming up out of the water in a new life. Catholics today continue to believe that being born-again is infant baptism, and that this begins one's journey back to the Father.
Catholics believe salvation is a journey to perfection, or sainthood. (The word saint, in the Greek, literally means "holy ones.") What happens if one doesn't complete their journey? Catholics believe those who complete their journey become saints. Those who don't must spend some time in Purgatory before entering heaven. This belief also goes back to Augustine.
On the other end of the spectrum we have Evangelical Protestants, also known as born-again Protestants. Salvation is viewed as occurring in three steps: (1) justification, (2) sanctification, and (3) glorification.
(1) Evangelical Protestants believe the justification step is when you become a believer and are born-again. Thus, to be born again is to become a believer. Justification is only possible by the blood of Jesus Christ.
(2) The Greek word for sanctification means "holiness." To sanctify means "to make holy." It means you are no longer sinning. How much sanctification is needed for salvation? "Free Grace" Evangelical Protestants believe that less than a noticeable amount of sanctification is necessary for salvation. It happens as soon as you become born again. "Lordship Salvation" Evangelical Protestants believe you must have a small but noticeable amount of sanctification to be (past tense) saved. If not, then you were not really born again.
(3) Glorification refers to the return of Christ, at the resurrection, when you get a new body that has eternal life. It only occurs for those who are born again.
After preaching a sermon on once-saved-always-saved, a pastor asked me, after the service, if I believe in once-saved-always-saved. I told him the question doesn't make sense because salvation is a journey. To make my point, I pointed out that salvation involves three steps: (1) justification, (2) sanctification, and (3) glorification. Since sanctification is a journey, then salvation must also be a journey. He then asked me if I believe in once-justified-always-justified. You see, Protestant Evangelical pastors just focus on getting people (past-tense) saved. From their perspective, this is the same as (past-tense) born again. They think that if you are justified, you go to heaven. This make sanctification become unimportant with regard to salvation.
I should have asked this pastor for the definition of justification. Justification is a declaration. It's like a court-room decision where God is the Judge. Because of the blood of Christ, God is able to justify us when we repent of our sins. A judge is much more likely to forgive you of the trespass of the law if you admit and truly regret the crime you've committed. But the judge isn't giving you a license to commit the crime again. You are not being forgiven of future sins. If we sin again, we have a mediator in Christ whereby we can ask to be forgiven again.
1 John 2:1 ESV My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin , we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Scripture does not teach "once justified always justified." If we sin again, we can be forgiven and justified again. But we are not forgiven of future sins. We must repent again. Salvation is a journey of justifications and sanctification, both of which are by grace and through faith. Pastors tell us nobody is perfect, meaning that nobody is completely sanctified before they get to heaven. The problem is they think we just can't do it. They miss the fact that it's the Holy Spirit who does it. We don't sanctify ourselves. Protestant pastors believe in salvation by grace and through faith. But when they are asked to think about salvation in terms of a journey, they forget that sanctification is also by grace and through faith alone.
When we confess our sins in faith and belief in Jesus Christ, at that point, we are justified. If we sin again, you must be justified again. As we do the works of the Father, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies us. Pastors tend to think the amount of sanctification that occurs, after one's initial justification, does not determine one's final destiny. This view came about when Luther rejected Purgatory. If there is no consequence for not completing one's sanctification, then sanctification becomes unimportant with regard to salvation. The completion of sanctification becomes something that is not possible, even though Scripture clearly says otherwise. That's why born-again Protestants don't believe that we can overcome all our sinful habits.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (24) He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it .
Why then, do most Christians have trouble becoming "blameless" and say it can't be done? John answers that objection in his first epistle (letter - 1st John). As we will see, living without sin involves living with love. First John is a book of the Bible of which Evangelicals tend to avoid. John tells us that if we continue to sin, that we don't even know Jesus. We saw this verse back in the section on the foolish pastors.
1 John 3:5-6 You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and no sin is in him. (6) Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him and doesn’t know him.
1 John 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.
Evangelicals tend to push back against these verses in first John. They usually point to 1 John 1:8. Most translations say, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves." The problem is that in English, the word "no" seems to modify "sin". But in the Greek, the word for "no" is an adverb. And the word for "sin" is a noun. The word for "sin" is a verb throughout the rest of John. But in this verse, it's a noun. It's like the "sins" in Revelation 18:5 (HCSB), "For her sins are piled up to heaven."
Some translations of 1 John 1:8 say, "If we claim not to have sin, we are deceiving ourselves." This makes it clear that "not" modifies the verb "to have". But it's still not clear that "sin" in this verse is a noun. Strong's definition for the verb is to "have, hold, [or] possess." To make it clear than sin is a noun, the verse can be translated as, "If we claim to not hold sin, we are deceiving ourselves." The NET translation says, "If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin." With "sin" being a noun, it's clear that we are talking about past sins. John is not contradicting himself. John is not saying those who are born of God continue to sin.
1 John 3:8-10 He who sins is of the devil , for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil. (9) Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him, and he can’t sin, because he is born of God. (10) In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.
John equates those who sin as being children of the devil and those who don't sin as being born of God. In the section on foolish pastors, we saw how John connects to things that Jesus said. Jesus told the foolish pastors and the foolish virgins, "I don't know you." Sinful Jews said they are children of Abraham. Jesus instead called them children of the devil (John 8:34-44). In this passage Jesus also said those who sin are slaves to sin. Here in John's letter, he also says those who don't love their brother are not of God. That's the key to overcoming sin. The stated purpose of John's letter is for us to not sin. For this purpose, John gives us a "new command," to love one another.
1 John 2:3-11 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. (4) One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him. (5) But God’s love has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know that we are in him: (6) he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked. (7) Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. (8) Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines. (9) He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness even until now. (10) He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. (11) But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
John again connects back to what Jesus taught. Jesus was asked which of the commandments is the greatest in the law. His response was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. The second greatest is to love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40) Jesus was summarizing the ten commandments, which John says was "an old commandment you heard from the beginning." John connects these commandments of love with being godly. Without love we are sinners and thus children of the devil. The way John describes it, it's like being in either the light or in darkness, which also reflects back to the teachings of Jesus. You are either in the light or you are in darkness. You are either a slave to sin or you don't sin. If you are a slave of sin you are a son of the devil. If you don't sin, you are a child of God. If you continue to sin, you should focus on loving the Father and loving your neighbor. Love brings the Holy Spirit and overwhelms all the sinful habits in our lives. But this is a journey. It's a journey to holiness through justification and sanctification.
We are saved by God's grace through faith. This journey of salvation includes both times when you repent and are justified, and well as a journey of sanctification. We are sanctified through love. Our faith in Christ is indistinguishable from our love for Jesus Christ, our heavenly Father, and our neighbors. When we sin, we lose our free will and become slaves to that sin. God breaks the chains of sin and gives us the free will to love Jesus Christ, our heavenly Father, and our neighbors. If we still have sinful habits, we must repent again and we must examine our love. There is more about free-will later in a section titled, "Election and Free Will." But love and free will are the keys to living a life without sinful habits so that God can complete our sanctification by the time Christ returns.
This is why we must be completely sanctified before we can be glorified. We must mature in our love through our free-will to love. Our love comes from the Holy Spirit inside us. It's God's grace. Our love overwhelms any sinful habits that might remain. It's like a spring of living water that gushes up inside us to the point of eternal life.
John 4:9-11 The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) (10) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (11) The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. So where do you get that living water?
John 7:37-39 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! (38) He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” (39) But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified .
Catholics and Eastern Orthodox see salvation as a journey, but more through rituals (sacraments) and prayers to the saints. Protestants, especially Evangelicals, see salvation as a one-time decision without the need for entire sanctification. The truth is somewhat in the middle. I do not believe that Scripture teaches Purgatory. But I do believe that Scripture teaches a free-grace alternative to Purgatory.
John 3:5-7 ESV Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
As we will see, Jesus is talking about two different types of bodies. There are bodies of flesh, and there are bodies which Paul calls spiritual bodies. "That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit." Jesus really is talking about literally being born again into a new body. Jesus is talking about the resurrection. We should interpret verse 5 along the same parallelism as is seen in verse 6. In other words, Jesus is simply clarifying himself. Being born of water is being born of flesh. When the mother's water breaks, the baby comes from the womb. Then later, at the resurrection, we can get a new spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15 is on the resurrection. Paul also talks about two types of bodies.
1 Corinthians 15:35-44 ESV But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" (36) You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. (37) And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. (38) But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. (39) For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. (40) There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. (41) There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. (42) So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. (43) It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. (44) It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
These words of Paul to the church at Corinth should be interpreted in the context of Paul's own words in Acts 24:15.
Acts 24:14-15 ESV But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets , (15) having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust .
Paul speaks of the resurrection of both the just and the unjust. Notice that Paul is speaking to his Jewish accusers. He was on trial. The fact that the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of both the just and the unjust is assumed in this passage.
To say that Paul is talking about a resurrection of the unjust to be judged and then dammed isn't a natural reading of the passage. Paul speaks of the "hope" of these two resurrections. The belief that Paul is speaking of the "hope" of a resurrection for the unjust to be dammed stems from a strong presupposition in Christians to believe that death determines one's final destiny. But based on the Old Testament, that presupposition would not have existed at the time of Paul and Jesus. This Old Testament context is covered in the next section titled, "Born Again in the Old Testament."
What does Paul mean in his letter to Corinth? Paul asks, "With what kind of body do they come?" Do all those resurrected get heavenly bodies? Or do some get bodies of flesh? Does it depend on what type of seed is planted? Perhaps the just who die are one type of seed while the unjust are another type of seed. What does Paul mean when he speaks of the "hope" of the resurrection of both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15). The answer comes from Old Testament context.
We have seen that Paul was talking in the context of Jesus. But Paul clarifies that being born of the Spirit is talking about the resurrection. We can get a spiritual body at the resurrection. Thus, to be born again is to get a new body at the resurrection. We will get confirmation of this, in the next section, when we look at the resurrection in the Old Testament.
John 3:8 ESV The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
With this understanding, consider what Jesus said in John 3:8. Those who are born of the Spirit can come and go like the wind. After the resurrection, Jesus appeared in the middle of a locked room (John 20:19). He could literally disappear from their sight (Luke 24:31, 24:36-42). When we are born-again into spiritual bodies, we will do the same.
Also, Jesus characterizes these things as "earthly things (verse 12)." In other words, to be born again is not a spiritual conversion of the heart. It's a real-world literal event. After verse 12, Jesus begins with the "heavenly things." The "heavenly things" includes what it takes to receive eternal life. This includes John 3:16. Read it in the context of John 3:14-21.
John 3:13-16 ESV No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. (14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, (15) that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Believe in Jesus and you will not perish but will have eternal life. But look at the context of verse 14 for a true understanding of the gospel. The people of Old Testament Israel were told to look upon the serpent to be healed of sickness and disease. But Christ was "lifted up" so that we can be healed from sin as well as sickness and disease.
Don't just believe in Jesus. Become a disciple of Jesus, like Nicodemus. Go back to the top and read it again and again until you really understand.
Ask Jesus to be your guide in life. Ask the Spirit of Christ to speak to you personally. Do the works that the Father wants you to do. As we live and work for Christ the Holy Spirit changes us and we overcome all our sinful habits. Continue to look to the cross to overcome all your sinful habits, and become the person Jesus wants you to become. Then, at the resurrection, you can be born again with a body of eternal life, a body that never dies.
Send a link to this gospel to all your friends. ( www.newwine.org/gospel/ )
To learn more, continue reading. It gets into doctrine. But don't let that scare you. The Scripture that supports this gospel of the kingdom is not hard to understand.
Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and don't understand these things?" (John 3:10). How many pastors are there today, who can tell you, where in the Old Testament it talks about being born again? The problem is that they do not think of "born again" in terms of the resurrection. But once you realize that we are born again into new bodies at the resurrection, it's not hard to find the Scripture.
As we have seen, the unknown day and hour is better understood when Old Testament context is considered. Generally speaking, all the words of Jesus are better understood when interpreted in Old Testament context. Let's go back to Isaiah 26 for a better understanding about the resurrection and what Jesus meant about being born again.
Isaiah 26:17-19 ESV Like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs when she is near to giving birth, so were we because of you, O LORD; (18) we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind. We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen. (19) Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
This passage establishes the metaphor of the pregnant woman that is found throughout Scripture. Isaiah 66:8-9 refers to the pregnant woman in reference to the nation of Israel being born in a day. Isaiah is talking about the resurrection. "The earth will give birth to the dead."
We will be born again. That's what Jesus spoke of in John 3:1-13. Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6 ESV). The wise will be born again with new spiritual bodies. This doesn't mean we won't have bodies. The wise will have heavenly bodies like Jesus after the resurrection. To be born again is to be resurrected.
This prophecy of Isaiah concludes with the following two verses. Right after the resurrection is the wrath of God. Also, note that the earth will no longer cover its slain.
Isaiah 26:20-21 ESV Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by. (21) For behold, the LORD is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.
Hosea 13:12-14 refers to the pregnant woman in saying that many in Ephraim (the northern kingdom) will not be resurrected. They turned to other gods and did not repent. This passage is where Paul gets the saying, in reference to the resurrection, that "death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor. 15:54-55). In the original chapter of Isaiah 26, verses 11-14 tells us that the enemies of God will not be resurrected.
Isaiah 26:10-11,14 ESV If favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly and does not see the majesty of the LORD. (11) O LORD, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed. Let the fire for your adversaries consume them. (14) They are dead, they will not live; they are shades, they will not arise; to that end you have visited them with destruction and wiped out all remembrance of them.
This chapter of Isaiah 26 tells us, "the earth will give birth to the dead." Literally, the souls come from the earth. Some translations render it this way. Others use the context of the pregnant woman and say that the earth gives birth to the dead. But the wicked will not arise.
Isaiah 26:19 HCSB Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For you will be covered with the morning dew, and the earth will bring out the departed spirits .
Thus, we see this very early teaching about two regions in Sheol (Hades). Almost everyone is resurrected. But the enemies of God are not resurrected. This is seen in the parable of Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). The parable describes a "great chasm" between the enemies of God and those like Lazarus. Does this mean the wicked in Hades are already in torment? No, when they awake from their sleep, they will be in torment in the lake of fire. Time is not perceived while asleep. The point of the parable, as given in the last verse, is that even if Lazarus were to come back and preach about the torment, the enemies of God would not repent. This was demonstrated when the real Lazarus was resurrected .
No other passage associates Hades with torment. Instead, Jesus uses Gahanna for hell-fire torment. Gehenna was developed during the intertestamental period . It refers to the time of the end, and thus torment would have been understood to take place after the resurrection. After the millennial reign of Christ, the enemies of God will awake, be judged, and then thrown into the lake of fire, where there is no sleep day or night (Rev. 14:11). From their perspective, the dead wake up right after they die. Hades (Sheol) is death, not torment. Gehenna is torment.
Let's continue with our study of the pregnant woman. Matthew 24:8 speaks about the beginnings of the birth pains. The pregnant woman is about the time of the resurrection. The gathering of the elect (verse 31) is "immediately after the tribulation" (verse 29). Paul describes the time of the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:10. This is in the context of grief over those who have already fallen asleep. Thus, Paul is talking about the resurrection. The dead in Christ will rise first, before the rapture. In this same context of the resurrection, Paul refers to the pregnant woman in verse 5:3. We are "born again" when the "earth gives birth to the dead."
Revelation 20:4-6 tells us that the first resurrection is after the tribulation . And as we have seen, Paul tells us that the rapture is after the resurrection. So, the rapture must also be after the tribulation.
Revelation 12 is all about the metaphor of the pregnant woman. The head of the woman has a crown of twelve stars. Twelve is symbolic of the twelve tribes of Israel. The woman is clothed with the sun, and the moon is under her feet. This comes from Joseph's dream in Genesis 37:9-10. In the dream, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bow down to him. The dream was about his father, mother, and his eleven brothers bowing down to him, which was fulfilled years later after Joseph became a ruler in Egypt. So, the woman is Israel.
The firstborn of the pregnant woman (Israel) is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is taken up to heaven. Satan makes war on the rest of her offspring. These are the people of Israel, including Gentile believers, who are grafted into Israel. The "earth will give birth to the dead." The people of Israel are the elect . They will be resurrected with heavenly bodies, like the angels. They are the wise virgins who overcome all their sinful habits before Christ comes. They are the Bride of Christ. They get into the wedding banquet. They are resurrected at the first resurrection.
But after that, those in the nations who have not yet overcome sin can be resurrected. They are still under judgment. The foolish virgins and foolish pastors, saying "Lord, Lord," who believe in Christ, and the false prophets, saying "Lord, Lord," who believe in Christ, will be resurrected in the second resurrection. They will have natural, mortal, earthly bodies like they have now. They will live with the nations. The foolish, who do not overcome their sinful habits, can still be resurrected with mortal bodies. It's a resurrection of judgment because they are still under judgment. This second resurrection is in the "same hour" as the first resurrection. Then at the end of the millennium, the wicked who have rejected Christ will come to life and will be judged. They will be thrown into the lake of fire where there is "no rest day or night."
Daniel 12:2 ESV And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Notice that not everyone is resurrected. Many are resurrected, but not all. The wicked are not resurrected. Notice that they "sleep in the dust of the earth" and awake. This matches what's said in Isaiah 26:19, quoted earlier. Of those resurrected there are two groups. The first resurrection is for the wise unto everlasting life. The second resurrection is for the nations and is unto "shame and everlasting contempt." The Hebrew word used here for "shame" was often used for Israel. It's forgivable. In other words, they are still under judgment. The Hebrew word for "contempt" is not forgivable. Some will learn righteousness during the millennial reign and be forgiven. Others will not.
John 5:28-29 ESV Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice (29) and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
Both resurrections take place at the same "hour". This can be interpreted as the same time. (The Greek word can mean time.) These two resurrections cannot be separated by a thousand years. The wicked will not be resurrected. Christ's sheep hear his voice. Even his lost sheep can still hear his voice. The wicked do not "come to life" until after the thousand years. They no longer hear Christ's voice.
Acts 24:14-15 ESV But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, (15) having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept , that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.
Paul speaks of the resurrection of both the just and the unjust. Notice that Paul is speaking to his Jewish accusers. He was on trial. The fact that the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of both the just and the unjust is assumed in this passage. That's because the natural reading of Isaiah 26 is that almost all the dead will be resurrected. Isaiah is part of their Bible. We need to start interpreting New Testament Jewish authors in the context of their own Jewish Bible.
This is not two resurrections separated by a thousand years. In Revelation 20, after the thousand-year reign of Christ, the word "resurrection" is not used for the souls who are awakened for judgment. It's not a resurrection because they are not being brought back from the grave to live again. A "resurrection of damnation" (KJV of John 5:28-29) is an oxymoron.
Around 1830, John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) developed a system of interpretation called Dispensationalism. Dispensationalism draws a strong distinction between Israel and the Church. They would not believe that the Gentile believers are grafted into Israel. (They would say the olive tree is not Israel.) The word dispensation comes from a Greek word that means "economy." God's "economy," plan, or arrangement for governing men changes from dispensation to dispensation. It says that Old Testament Israel has a different "economy" from that of the Church. However, because of God's promises to the Old Testament patriarchs, God must switch back to the older "economy" before the Millennial reign can begin. The Church becomes a "parenthesis" between two dispensations of Israel.
Dispensationalism relies heavily on their interpretation of the 70 weeks of Daniel 9. The first 69 weeks are believed to have been fulfilled by the time of the crucifixion. The week of the covenant, as given in Daniel 9:27, is considered to be the 70th week and is considered to be at an unknown time in the future. Dispensationalists believe that during this week, God unhardens the Jews and they turn to Christ. But it's on the basis of the "economy" of Old Testament Israel. In order for this to happen, God must first remove the Church. Thus, the Church must be caught up in a pre-tribulational rapture. The word "rapture" comes from the Latin "raptus", meaning "to be caught-up," as given in the Latin Vulgate Bible in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
Dispensationalists know that in Matthew 24:29-31 and Mark 13:24-27, Jesus tells us about a gathering of the elect that occurs after the great tribulation. This gathering includes angels in the clouds and the trumpet-call of God, just as the rapture verse in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. But it's considered to be a different gathering and is thus called the "glorious appearing." Many dispensationalists also know that "the dead in Christ will rise first" (verse 16). So the resurrection must be before the rapture.
They also know that Revelation 20:1-5 teaches about the resurrection of those who are martyred for their testimony of Jesus Christ and for refusing to take the mark of the beast. They come to life and reign with Christ for a thousand years. This reign is considered to be the earthly Kingdom of Israel, while the Church remains in heaven. Thus, there would be two resurrections and two raptures. The first resurrection-and-rapture is for the Church and the second is for Israel.. Of course they won't call the second event a rapture. It's simply called a gathering of the elect. And they rarely talk about their belief in two resurrections because the second of these two resurrections is called "the first resurrection" in Scripture (Rev. 20:5). At this point they start talking about both resurrections being the first "type" of resurrection. All this is done to hold onto their belief in a pre-tribulational rapture. It's much simpler to just acknowledge that there is one resurrection for all of God's people, and one gathering of the elect (rapture), both of which occur after the tribulation.
After Jesus told us about the gathering of the elect, which is after the great tribulation, he gives us a parable that illustrates the fact that we don't know the day or the hour of his coming. Of course the only "coming" that's mentioned in the text is the one that's after the great tribulation. The world will be eating, drinking, and giving in marriage when this "coming" occurs. They won't know the day or the hour. Dispensationalists argue that there must be a "coming," that's not mentioned in the text, before the great tribulation, because we will know the day and hour of the "coming" that's after the great tribulation. They believe it's 1260 days after the abomination of desolation. Dispensationalists used to call the "coming," that's not mentioned in the text, a "secret" coming. They refer to this "coming," at an unknown day and hour, as the doctrine of imminence.
We don't "know" the day or hour. Dispensationalists assume we won't know when the coming will occur right up to the second that it occurs. That's not what this Greek word for "know" means. It means we currently don't "know." It doesn't mean we won't know in the future. We are given signs, such at the abomination of desolation, so that we will know the day and time of Christ's "coming".
Matthew 24:36-44 But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (37) As the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. (38) For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, (39) and they didn’t know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. (40) Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left. (41) Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one will be left. (42) Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes. (43) But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. (44) Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.
We must make ourselves ready for Christ to return. But that doesn't mean we won't have the signs to tell us the day and hour. If we are not ready by the time of the great tribulation, we probably won't get ready because the temptations to deny Christ will be very great.
Jesus says the day of Christ's coming will be like the days of Noah. God told Noah 7 days before the floods came. God specifically told Noah the number of days before the flood would come. (Genesis 7:4) But the world continued to eat, drink, marry, and give in marriage until the flood came. The world did not know the day or hour right up to the time when the flood came. The world was eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage when the flood came. But Noah knew the day the flood would come. It's the wicked who won't know the day or the hour when the time comes. The righteous, like Noah, will know the day and hour (time).
These verses in Matthew give us the origin of the thief-in-the-night parable.
Matthew 24:43-51 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. (44) Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come. (45) “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season? (46) Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes. (47) Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has. (48) But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’ (49) and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards, (50) the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it and in an hour when he doesn’t know it, (51) and will cut him in pieces and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
Notice that it's the wicked servant that doesn't know the day and the hour. The wise servant watches and makes himself ready by doing the works of the Father, because those works, as a servant, makes him ready for Christ's coming.
Right after telling us about the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul uses the thief-in-the-night metaphor in chapter 5, verses 1-4. This is in the same context as the rapture verses of chapter 4. Remember that the original text did not include chapter and verse numbers. In verse 1 Paul states that we, as the Church, don't currently know the "times and the seasons" because the day of the Lord will come like a "thief in the night." But will we know later, before Christ's actual coming?
Paul says that while people are saying "peace and security," sudden destruction comes. He says it's like the labor pains of a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. The labor pains is a reference back to the resurrection and to the words of Jesus referencing the days of Noah. Thus, Paul is not talking about a gathering that Jesus didn't mention. It's the same thief-in-the-night coming after the great tribulation. Then Paul concludes by saying, "But you, brothers, aren’t in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief" (verse 4). We will know the day of Christ's post-tribulational coming and won't be surprised and suddenly destroyed with the world, who are "eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage," saying "peace and security."
In Revelation, the thief-in-the-night symbol is used twice. The first is in the letter to the church at Sardis. Jesus warns them, "Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you" (Rev. 3:3). Jesus associates the lack of watching with sinfulness. The sinful will not know the day or the hour and will be destroyed when Christ comes. Is this coming a pre-tribulational rapture? Remember, this is a letter to a church! Dispensationalists associate the unknown day an hour with believers and unbelievers alike. Since it's an unknown day and hour, Dispensationalists would have to say this coming is pre-tribulational. By saying that they won't know they day or the hour, they are actually putting themselves in the camp of the wicked.
The second thief-in-the-night symbol is in Revelation 16:15. "Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame." This verse is after the six bowls of wrath, which is undeniably post-tribulational. Dispensationalists are forced to say the thief-in-the-night happens twice, once pre-tribulational and once post-tribulational. Thus, they must believe that the resurrection, angels in the clouds, the trumpet-call of God, the gathering of God's people, and the thief-in-the-night coming, all happen twice.
Dispensationalism and it's pre-tribulational rapture centers around a distinct separation of Israel and the Church, and the doctrinal need for God to switch back to the "economy" that was used for Old Testament Israel. Is this consistent with Paul's teaching about Israel?
Romans 9 through 11 addresses the doctrinal problem of Israel rejecting Jesus as the Messiah. Old Testament Israel is a nation that God chose for the purpose of ruling over all the other nations, in an earthly Kingdom, teaching the nations righteousness. Thus, Israel will be a blessing to all the other nations. But this earthly reign cannot begin before the Messiah comes. If this is the case, then how could Israel have rejected the Messiah?
Paul answers his dilemma by saying that not all of natural Israel are a part of the Israel that will reign with the Messiah. He says, "For they are not all Israel that are of Israel. Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children" (Romans 9:6b-7). He clarifies this in Galatians by saying:
Galatians 3:26-29 For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise.
In Romans 9 through 11, Paul goes on to clarify that the individuals of Israel are chosen by election. He gives examples from the Old Testament. Jacob is part of Israel, but Jacob's brother Esau is not part of Israel even though both are children of Abraham. Likewise, not all of Jacob's children are part of the election of Israel. Each individual might or might not be part of the chosen nation of Israel. Continuing in Romans 9:24, Paul clarifies that it's not just Jews who can be elected to be a part of this chosen nation of Israel. Gentiles can also be elected to be a part of Israel. He then quotes a couple of verses in Hosea to make his point.
An important point needs to be made here. The election of Israel is not an election of salvation. It's an election to be part of the nation that brings salvation to all the other nations during Christ's earthly millennial reign. Israel is to be a blessing to all the nations, through the earthly reign of the Messiah, through Israel, over all the nations. This is true for all generations. We will get into the details of this in a later section titled, "Election and Free Will." Also, the section titled, "The Blood of Christ is a Ransom for Everyone" is very important in the understanding of the election of Israel and what that means for the nations.
Before Dispensationalism came along, most all of Christendom believed that God permanently rejected the Jewish people. Jews could convert to become Christian. But there would be no millennial reign of Christ here on the earth. This means that the Church replaces Israel. They believed the Kingdom of God is strictly a heavenly Kingdom. This is known as supersessionism. It's called Covenant Theology, which is a part of the Reformed Theology of Luther and Calvin. The Old Testament prophecies that were given to Israel become allegorically interpreted as fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
With Covenant Theology and supersessionism, any understanding that Israel will reign over all the other nations is removed by using allegories. But with Millennialism, Gentile Christians should be understood as being grafted into Israel. The purpose, definition, or "economy" of Israel does not change. Thus, the Church really is a continuation of Israel. The Kingdom is here and now but not yet. It's a kingdom that's in our hearts now. But in the future it's a Kingdom that will be an earthly reign of Israel over the nations. Israel includes both Jewish and Gentile individuals. There is neither Jew nor Greek. Those who are in Christ are considered to be Abraham's offspring and will inherit all the promises of Abraham in a literal sense.
From this perspective, any distinction between Israel and the Church completely disappears. Covenant Theologians are correct in that God's people are a continuation of Israel, which is the Church. God's purpose or plan for Israel has not changed. God's covenants have progressed over the ages. But with no distinction between Israel and the Church, there is no need for God to switch back to an older covenant or dispensation. The Dispensational need for a pre-tribulational rapture completely disappears.
The Church is Israel. But it doesn't replace Old Testament Israel. God's promises to the patriarchs are still literally fulfilled in the literal Jewish children of Abraham who are chosen by election to be a part of Israel. Gentile believers, who are elect, also become children of Abraham. There is no difference between Israel and the Church. Thus, the doctrinal argument for the pre-tribulational rapture completely disappears.
In Romans 11, Paul continues his reasons for why God's word didn't fail when the Jews rejected the Messiah. He illustrates with the symbol of the olive tree. Most of the natural branches were removed so that wild branches could be grafted in. Some Dispensationalists will argue that the olive tree is not this elected Israel. But most of the natural branches were broken off of something. They weren't broken off of the Messiah. What were they broken off of if not Israel? Once God revealed Jesus as the Messiah, those who refused to believe were no longer a part of the elected nation of Israel. And even before that, those who continued in their sin, without the help of the Holy Spirit, were not a part of the elected Israel. Gentile believers were grafted into Israel and became Abraham's offspring, thus we are a part of the elected Israel.
If there is a pre-tribulational rapture, does that mean part of the olive tree will be split off an go to heaven while the rest of the olive tree remains here on the earth to fulfill the promises to Abraham? Does part of the olive tree become split off so that we will no longer reign with Christ over the nations? The pre-tribulational rapture simply doesn't fit Paul's explanation of the olive tree.
Revelation 2:26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations .
The election of Israel is not a matter of being a Jew or a Gentile. When the Messiah reigns, those reigning with him must have already overcome all their sinful habits. Otherwise, this global one-world Kingdom of God will be ruled by sinners, just like the nations today. That's why a one-world government before the time of the Messiah is not in God's will. The bigger the government, the more it can be corrupted by sinful men. The only way to have true world-wide peace is for the King of the world to be Jesus Christ, who never sinned, and for those who reign with him to have already overcome all their sinful habits before they are given this power to rule. Any government, especially a one-world government, that is against Christ becoming the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords is a government of anti-Christ, which means against Christ.
Covenant Theology predates Dispensationalism. Covenant Theology rightly states that all salvation is through a "covenant of grace," centered around Jesus Christ, and that there is no difference between Israel and the Church. The problem with Covenant Theology is in their strong use of allegorical interpretation which effectively changes Old Testament prophecies of a restoration of national Israel, making the Kingdom be only heavenly and denying a future earthly reign of Christ. Their motivation for this seems to be that they could not believe the Jews were really still part of God's plan. Millennialism was called a "Jewish Fable." Most of Christendom hated the Jews and considered them to be "Christ killers."
Dispensationalism came along later. It corrects this doctrine and returns to seeing Old Testament prophecies as a future earthly Kingdom. But what was their motivation in going against Covenant Theology in separating Israel from the Church? Why didn't Darby simply say that Gentile believers are grafted into Israel and therefore we, as Israel, will be a part of the literal fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the restoration of national Israel? Why didn't Darby understand that we would reign with Christ over the nations? Could it be that the motivation for separating Israel from the Church was to provide a doctrinal reason for the pre-tribulational rapture? The pre-tribulational rapture needs Dispensationalism. As Dispensationalism fails, so does the pre-tribulational rapture.
God will not pour out his wrath on us. But God never promises we won't see great tribulation (persecution). The Church will go through the great tribulation, by God's will, because for those who endure to the end, persecution brings holiness.
We must interpret the words of Jesus in the context of their end-time centric culture. Matthew 24-25 is Matthew's account of what's called the Olivetti Discourse. It's what Jesus said about the signs that will be seen prior to his second coming. This is what we call the end times. Most pastors say that the various doctrines of the end times is unrelated to doctrines of salvation. That's why they tend to skip over verse 13, where Jesus says, "He who endures to the end will be saved."
Matthew 24:9-14 Then they will deliver you up to oppression and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake. (10) Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another. (11) Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray. (12) Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. (13) But he who endures to the end will be saved. (14) This Good News [Gospel] of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
This is clearly talking about a future time of world-wide persecution against Christians. The text seems to indicate that in the midst of this world-wide persecution against Christians, the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached to all the nations. Then the "end" of the age will come. After that, we will see the "abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel." When we see this sign, Jesus tells us that the greatest tribulation (or distress) of all times will come. In this context, is it great tribulation in the world, or is it great tribulation (or distress) for the Christians who are being persecuted?
Matthew 24:15-21 (ESV) So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), (16) then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (17) Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, (18) and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. (19) And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! (20) Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. (21) For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
Preterist pastors think this tribulation occurred around 70 AD. But the pastors who believe this is a future tribulation tend to think it's tribulation for the world instead of tribulation against Christians. That's because they have been taught that the Church will be removed from the earth, in the rapture, before this great tribulation begins. Since they already believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, they naturally assume it's tribulation for the world. But if you don't believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, you can clearly see that Jesus is warning his disciples about tribulation (distress) for Christians. It's a time when Christians will be persecuted and killed in all the nations of the world.
Jesus is telling his own followers to "flee to the mountains." For the world it's a time of "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" (verse 38). Sudden destruction comes against the world at the end of the great tribulation when Christ comes to set up his Kingdom. During the great tribulation, the world is living normal lives and does not fear being destroyed, like the flood in the days of Noah (verses 37-39). It's great tribulation for the Church, not the world.
Matthew 24:29-31 (ESV) Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (30) Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
There is no "coming" of Christ mentioned before the great tribulation. The only "coming" is that of verse 30. And the "coming" of verse 30 is "immediately after the tribulation of those days," according to verse 29. Again, there is no "coming" mentioned in the text before the "coming" of verse 30. So the unknown day and hour must be in reference to the "coming" that is after the great tribulation.
And yet the unknown day and hour is one of the primary arguments for the pre-tribulation rapture. It's considered to be the doctrine of imminence, which says that the rapture could happen at any moment and that there are no signs that must occur before it happens. Jesus tells us to look for signs of his coming. The most important sign he gives is the abomination of desolation. In contrast, these foolish pastors say there are no signs for which we need to to watch because his coming will happen before the signs, including the abomination of desolation.
The Church will know the day and the hour because we will see the signs. It's the world that is in unbelief. It's the world that will not know the day or the hour before sudden destruction comes. The Greek word for "knows" is not talking about knowing or not knowing in the future. The verb tense means that no man currently knows the day or the hour.
So we must watch the signs, especially that of the abomination of desolation, in order that we will know the day of Christ's "coming." Jesus makes reference back to Daniel. Daniel 12:11 tells us that from the abomination there are 1290 days until, by context, the resurrection, as given in verse 2. The Church will go through this time of great persecution. But we will know the day of the resurrection, and thus the day of Christ's "coming" in the post-tribulation rapture. For the world, Christ will return like a thief in the night. But the wise Bride will know ahead of time when the Bridegroom is to come.
Matthew 24:13-14 ESV But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
The foolish pastors of today believe they have preached the Gospel of the Kingdom to most, and in some respects to all, the nations. But they don't believe this gospel involves enduring to the end. In past generations, the gospel was more about living "godly" lives with faith in Christ. During this generation, generally speaking, the gospel that's been preached involves simply making a decision for Christ. Jesus, however, puts both of these sentences right next to each other. Is there any possibility that the gospel that's been preached in the nations, during this end-times generation, is lacking something that's very important with regard to salvation?
In the previous section titled, "You Must be Born Again," I brought up the Scripture's teaching about salvation involving: (1) justification, (2) sanctification, and (3) glorification. I showed that both justification and sanctification are aspects of the journey of salvation. We are justified each time we need to repent of our sins. We must be entirely sanctified before we can be glorified. Foolish pastors just focus on getting people (past-tense) saved. They think that if you are justified one time, and yet continue to sin, you will go to heaven. This is simply not taught by Scripture.
Pastors who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture often associate the rapture with salvation. They will sometimes preach that you need to get saved right now because the rapture could occur at any moment. You could supposedly get saved right before the rapture without a time of sanctification. The requirement of sanctification for salvation is ignored. These foolish pastors say that you can't completely stop sinning. That means you can't be completely sanctified. This verse, below, was quoted in the previous section titled, "Israel Must Stop Sinning Before Christ Returns," and again in the previous section titled, "You Must be Born Again."
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (24) He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it .
Philippians 2:12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
1 Timothy 2:15 But she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety.
As we have seen, the false doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture, as well as the disconnection of sanctification from salvation, makes "enduring to the end" become completely disconnected from salvation. Jesus said, "He who endures to the end will be saved." But these foolish pastors just skip over the verse, and instead focus on Christ's next sentence about of the gospel being preached to all the nations.
The importance of enduring the tribulation for salvation is also found in the parable of the sower. Those who hear the word with joy but do not understand the need to endure great tribulation wind up falling away. They don't inherit eternal life.
Matthew 13:18-23 ESV Hear then the parable of the sower: (19) When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. (20) As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, (21) yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. (22) As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (23) As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.
Believers who hear the word, but the word doesn't take root, will endure as long as there is not tribulation. Without root, even if there is no persecution or tribulation, believers get caught up in the cares of the world and they don't really work for the Lord. They don't overcome their sinful habits, and they won't inherit eternal life. But those who endure to the end of great tribulation will be saved.
Satan has taught foolish pastors we don't need to worry about the tribulation. They believe the rapture comes first, so we don't need to endure to the end to be saved. Other foolish pastors simply deny that there will be a coming great tribulation before Christ returns. This is called Preterism. Both lies have the same effect. There are very few preachers who actively teach the need to endure to the end of the coming tribulation. And those who do understand that God's people will go through the tribulation don't emphasize it because they say it's not a salvation issue.
Believers who truly expect great tribulation develop deep roots for their faith. By enduring to the end, the wise become holy as the Holy Spirit works inside them to Help them preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the nations. By enduring to the end, they overcome all their sinful habits and become ready for Christ to return. They will reign with Christ during his millennial reign over the nations.
Matthew 10:16-23 ESV Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (17) Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, (18) and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. (19) When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. (20) For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (21) Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, (22) and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (23) When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
The Bible speaks of seven different covenants between God and Man, which are explicitly called covenants by Scripture. This does not include the preexistent covenant with Adam because we are focused on covenants involving the restoration of God's relationship with Man. The seven covenants are: (1) the Covenant of Creation, (2) the Covenant of Blessing, (3) the Covenant of Law, (4) the Covenant of Priests, (5) the Covenant of Kings, (6) the Covenant of Grace, and (7) the Covenant of Peace.
1) God’s covenant with Noah (Gen 6:18, 9:8‑17) is the Covenant of Creation. God promises to never destroy the Creation with water again. The covenant is explicitly established with Noah and all his descendants (verse 9:9). It’s also explicitly established with every living creature on the earth (verse 9:10). Everyone on earth today is a descendant of Noah. Hence, God has established a covenant with everyone from every nation, tribe, people, and language.
In the next section titled, "Church Unity in the Doctrine of Salvation," we see that Jesus, after the crucifixion, extended the covenants back to those who lived before the flood.
The sign of this covenant is the rainbow (verses 9:12‑17). God promises to remember the covenant whenever a rainbow appears in the clouds (verse 9:14). God has a covenant (relationship) with everyone. It’s not just with those who follow the Law of Moses or who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. This is a relationship between God and Man that speaks through the Creation itself. Just as the rainbow appears in the clouds, the author of this covenant will appear in the clouds. Christ will reign as King of Kings over not only the Creation, but over every man, woman, and child on the earth.
The book of Job may date from before even Abraham, and shows God’s relationship with Job. Job understood God to be the Creator. Job said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes -- I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25‑27). Job had faith in God, and even knew that someday he would be resurrected and would see Christ stand upon the earth.
Just as parents unilaterally establish a covenant with their children, God unilaterally established this covenant with Noah and all of Noah’s children. Everyone is a child of Noah. We can, however, break the covenant. We can harden our hearts against Christ’s voice. We can deny the Creator.
2) God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 13:14‑17, 15:9‑10, 15:17‑21, 17) is the Covenant of Blessings. Abraham is blessed because of his faith. This includes the promise of all the land in Palestine. God promises Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand of the seashore. Land and descendants were the ultimate blessings of the ancient world.
This promise to Abraham came down through Isaac and Jacob. Specifically, the promise did not come down through Esau, the older twin, but through Jacob. This was so that God’s election would stand (Romans 9:11). The older will serve the younger (Romans 9:12). This means the older will rule over the younger. Jacob was given the name Israel. His twelve sons are the twelve tribes of Israel.
But not all Israel is Israel (Romans 9:6). Not all of Abraham’s descendants are Israel (Romans 9:7). Those who are in Christ are the ones considered to be Abraham’s seed, and heirs to the promise (Galatians 3:29). The promise was not to all of Abraham’s seed, but to a specific seed, meaning one person, which is Christ (Galatians 3:16). Therefore, only those who are in Christ are Abraham’s seed, and heirs to this promise of land. This covenant is not with everyone. This covenant is only with Israel. The Gentiles who are in Christ are grafted into the vine of Israel. So we are also the elect of Israel, and the covenant is with us through election.
This Covenant of Blessing is specifically for the land of Palestine (Genesis 12:7, 15:7, 15:18-21, 17:8). This covenant is unilateral. God instigated it, yet it’s not with everybody. Only those who are chosen by God will receive this blessing. Only those who have an [agape] love for Christ, and who walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:9) during this lifetime, are chosen as priests and kings, and will receive this blessing. Everyone else, including Esau and his sons, are still under the Covenant of Creation. Esau will serve Jacob. Jacob will rule over Esau. Jacob (Israel) and the true seed of Abraham are the heirs to the promise and will reign in the millennium.
In Old Testament times, this covenant involved the revelation of the promise of the Messiah. But some broke the covenant. They turned to idol worship. When the people of Israel turned to idol worship, they broke the covenant. Their names were blotted from the Book of Life. Their relationship with God came to an end. But for ignorant pagans, idol worship does not break the covenant, because they are not under the covenant with Israel. Those under the covenant with Israel have the choice to break the covenant, just as adults can break the covenant with their parents. However, it must be a knowledgeable decision as an adult would make. Breaking the covenant with God brings eternal condemnation. But the people whom Christ does not know are not under this covenant.
3) God’s covenant with Moses (Deuteronomy 5:1-3) is the Covenant of Law. The Law of Moses formed a theocracy. The government laws were also the laws of God. Any set of governmental laws needs to be changed or revised as times change. The Law of Moses also included moral laws, such as the Ten Commandments. These laws are eternal. They tell us what is good and what is evil. These laws never become obsolete.
Many of the government laws of Moses were shadows of Christ (Colossians 2:17), who was to come. Now that Christ has come, they are no longer needed. In a broader sense, the entire Theocracy of Moses itself was a shadow of Christ. When Christ returns, he will set up an earthly government (Isaiah 9:6-7). The government will be on his shoulders. The words of the King are the Law of the land. Thus, the laws of that government will be God’s laws. So it will again be a Theocracy. The Theocracy of Moses would seem to be a shadow of the future Theocracy of Christ.
4) God’s covenant with Phinehas (Numbers 25:10‑13) is the Covenant of Priests. When Christ returns, those who will have matured in Christ will be priests and kings over the nations.
5) God’s covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:11b‑16, 2 Chronicles 21:7, Psalm 8:3‑4) is the Covenant of Kings. This covenant says that a descendant of David will always be on David’s throne. Of course, Christ is the fulfillment of this covenant. Today, the kingdom of Christ is in the hearts of those who believe. The kingdom is in the hearts of the kings and priests to come, but the kingdom is not yet in the nations. It’s only partially fulfilled. Likewise, the Covenant of Priests is only partially fulfilled. When Christ returns, King David’s throne will extend throughout the world as a literal one-world government.
God’s covenants are progressive in nature. One covenant does not replace the next. They are partially fulfilled. When Christ returns, they will all be completely fulfilled. When Christ comes again, there will again be a Theocracy.
Jeremiah 33:14‑26 shows how the covenants are progressive, and are to be completely fulfilled in the Messianic age. Verse 17 puts emphasis on the Covenant of Kings, which is the covenant with David. Verse 18 emphasizes the Covenant of Priests, which is the covenant with Phinehas. Verse 20 speaks of God’s covenant with the day and his covenant with the night. This is an obvious allusion to the Covenant of Creation, which is the covenant with Noah. Finally, verses 22‑26 make strong allusion to the Covenant of Blessing, which is the covenant with Abraham.
6) The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31‑36, Hebrews 8:8‑13), is the Covenant of Grace. At the Last Supper, Christ instigated this covenant the evening before the crucifixion. The Covenant of Grace, thus, had to await the crucifixion. With this covenant came the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit. As we mature in Christ, the very presence of God dwells within us, making us (corporately) the temple of God (John 2:19‑21, 1 Corinthians 3:16‑17, 6:19 2 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 2:20‑22, Revelation 3:12).
The Holy Spirit causes us to mature in Christ. In so doing, the Holy Spirit is writing God’s law in our minds and in our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10). Thus, we no longer need to be under a Theocracy, which was the Law of Moses. In the future, when we are mature with God’s law completely written in our minds and in our hearts, we will be eligible to be priests and kings to rule with Christ in Christ’s Theocracy. Those who inherit eternal life and reign with Christ will no longer be under judgment (John 5:24). We will not be under this theocracy. But the law is written on our hearts. So we will always obey the will of the Father.
The New Covenant is the Covenant of Grace. Grace means favor. (The Greek word for grace is the same as the Greek word for favor.) Those who are now maturing in Christ are those whom God has chosen. We are the elect. We are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). It’s also a Covenant of Grace because it’s free from the Law of Moses. Under Christ, we are no longer under the theocracy of Moses .
Grace means favor. This grace and mercy extends to everyone who will have faith in God, not just to the elect. God has grace for everyone, because God does not show favoritism (Romans 2:11).
Like the covenant of Blessing with Abraham, the New Covenant is a covenant of election. The New Covenant is stated to be specifically with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah (Jeremiah 31:31, Hebrews 8:8). Gentile believers are grafted into Israel, which comes down through Abraham's children (Jacob). Since the covenant is not with everyone, the very fact that God instigates the covenants reveals God’s election. The seed of Abraham are those who are in Christ. Those who are in Christ are the true Israel. We are the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). We are the elect, whom God has chosen to write his law on our hearts.
This covenant is with Israel, and also with the house of Judah. Judah is the Jews. Israel includes Judah and includes people from all over the world. God is forming us, the true Israel, into a holy nation that will reign when Christ returns. Then Israel will lead the rest of the nations to follow Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to build an everlasting relationship with Christ.
Israel was given 490 years to stop sinning before the Messiah would come. But they did so under the Law of Moses. The Law was given on Mount Sinai at the time of Pentecost. The Law defined sin. They were told to stop sinning by means of self-control and self-effort. Israel was scattered to Babylon for 70 years because Israel continued to sin. At the end of those 70 years, Israel was given 490 years to stop sinning before the Messiah would come. But Israel continued to sin.
Under the Law, only a few "favored" were given the Holy Spirit. Everyone else was expected to stop sinning by their own power. "Grace" means favor. In the Greek, it's the same word. But after the crucifixion of Christ, all believers were given the Holy Spirit. Again, this happened at Pentecost. Thus, Pentecost is all about the Law.
The presence of the Holy Spirit makes all believers "favored" by God . Thus, we are saved by grace instead of being under the Law of Moses. But the requirement remains to overcome all our sinful habits before the Messiah comes. The Holy Spirit is our Helper (John 13:26) so that we have the Power to stop sinning. Gentile believers are grafted into Israel. We stop sinning by faith in that Power.
Titus 2:11-14 ESV For the ["favor" (grace)] of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, (12) training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions , and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, (13) waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, (14) who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Under the Law of Moses, God gave us his written words as to what we should and should not do. We obeyed by our own efforts. To disobey is sin. Under the New Covenant, we are under Christ instead of Moses. But we must still overcome all our sinful habits. We hear Christ's voice, telling us what to do and what not to do. We obey Christ as we love God and each other. We are under Christ instead of Moses. God gives us the Holy Spirit as a Helper to hear Christ's voice and to change us on the inside so that we are no longer disobedient to Christ's voice. We lose our desire to sin. The New Covenant was prophesied to come by Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 ESV "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, (32) not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. (33) But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts . And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (34) And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
These verses are quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12. This is the longest quote of the Old Testament in the New Testament. Right after these words we find this verse:
Hebrews 8:13 ESV In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Notice that the New Covenant is with the "house of Israel and the house of Judah." Israel did not become obsolete. The Church did not replace Israel. Gentile believers are grafted into Israel. The need to stop sinning before the Messiah comes was not made obsolete.
But now there's a new way to fulfill the Law. Instead of living under the Law of Moses, whereby we try to obey with our own efforts, we have the Holy Spirit as a Helper. This is living under grace. But we must still overcome all our sinful habits before Christ returns. Right after this New Covenant in Jeremiah, we have an affirmation that Israel is eternal.
Jeremiah 31:35-37 ESV Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- the LORD of hosts is his name: (36) "If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the LORD, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever." (37) Thus says the LORD: "If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD."
Under the New Covenant, the law is "written on our hearts." This means our very nature is changed. Our habits of sin are overcome. The desires of our heart changes from serving self and sin to serving the Father and our neighbors. This doesn't happen overnight. Salvation under the New Covenant is a journey that tends to take time. But it remains a journey that must be completed before the Messiah comes. Those who won't know the day or hour are those who won't be ready.
Notice that the New Covenant states, "They shall all know me." This is opposed to the Old Covenant where, "each one teaches his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD.'" In other words, the old is learned from a written Law. The new is a change of heart whereby we really know God. But the foolish virgins and the foolish false prophets don't really know Christ. They continue to sin.
7) The Covenant of Peace (Isaiah 54:4‑10, 59:20‑21, Ezekiel 34:23‑25, 37:24‑28, Hosea 2:16‑19) is the covenant with the nations after Christ returns. It’s not just a covenant with true Israel. It’s also a covenant with the beasts of the field. This brings us back to the Covenant of Creation, given to Noah. Both the first and the last of these seven are covenants with everyone in all the nations.
The covenants are progressive in nature. Each builds upon the previous. They all form a progressive system of covenants that describe God’s redemptive plan for everyone in all the ages.
Any doctrine of Scripture that is different can be difficult to accept, even when it lines up with Scripture. Why would God have allowed the Church to be mistaken about the doctrines of salvation for all these centuries? But is not the Catholic doctrine of salvation very different from Protestant doctrines? Will Christ return and say one is right and the other is wrong? Has not God allowed at least one or the other to be wrong? The New Wine System is somewhere in the middle between the Catholics, the Protestants and the Eastern Orthodox. Could it be that the truth hides in the middle? The word "Catholic" means "one", or "unity".
John 17:9-11 ESV I am praying for them . I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me , for they are yours. (10) All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. (11) And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
Also: Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 1:10, Ephesians 4:3, Colossians 3:14, Philippians 2:2
Has this prayer of Jesus been answered? Is it true today? Can we expect this prayer to be answered? Is it possible that there will be true unity before Christ sets up his kingdom? I'm not saying we will agree on everything. But we must agree on doctrines of salvation before we can be considered one, even as Jesus and the Father are one.
Doctrinal error began to creep into the Church when it disobeyed Paul with regard to the Jews. The Church became more and more anti-Semitic throughout the centuries.
Romans 11:17-18 ESV But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, (18) do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.
The early Church became very arrogant towards the unbelieving Jews. They distanced themselves from the Jews, even to the point of excluding the Old Testament Scripture. They began to interpret the New Testament without considering the context of the Jewish Bible when the New Testament authors were themselves Jews. In the second century, there was even a movement to exclude the Old Testament from the Christian Bible. As we have seen, this causes the New Testament reader to misinterpret the Scripture. The Greek mindset Christians began to read concepts like Hades under Greek presuppositions instead of in the context of Old Testament Jewish understanding.
Over time, the idea of a millennial reign of Christ became known as "Jewish superstitions." Old Testament prophecies about the Messianic reign became allegorical and interpreted as being about this present age, making the millennial reign less than attractive to say the least. This is called amillennialism and was predominate in both Catholic and Protestant circles. Millennialism regained some popularity when dispensationalism came along, starting in 1830. But even then, the dispensationalists separated Israel from the Church. The Church went to heaven in the pre-tribulation rapture while Israel would have their Messianic reign here on the earth. This allowed centuries-old views of the doctrines of salvation to continue to be applied to Gentile believers without forcing New Testament salvation to be interpreted in the context of the Old Testament.
Amillennialism goes hand-in-hand with supersessionism, also known as replacement theology. The Jews were considered to no longer be a part of God's plan. God's redemptive plan has not and does not change! Even Martin Luther and Calvin were amillennial and thus believed the Jews were a problem for God. Luther became extremely anti-Semitic after the Jews made it clear that they would not join his Reformation. Without a restoration of Jewish (and Gentile) Israel, to reign with the Messiah, the words of Jesus and Paul about salvation become vastly misunderstood. Yes, God has allowed the Church to be wrong!
With amillennialism, eternity must be determined at the time of death because there is no millennial reign in order to begin or continue one's journey of salvation after the resurrection. This prevents us from accepting any notion that we must overcome all our sinful habits before the Messiah comes to set up his kingdom.
John Wesley believed in a form of Christian Perfection. But he considered it to be a "second blessing" instead of a journey of salvation. Luther had big problems with the book of James. He called it an "episcopal of straw." It didn't fit his understanding of grace. Perhaps he didn't understand that we are saved by a journey of grace. Grace can be a lifetime of two steps forward and one step back.
James 1:22 ESV But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 2:17 ESV So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
This made no sense to Luther. Without works, there is no filling of the Spirit, which is grace. Without works, foolish virgins and foolish pastors are deceived and remain foolish. Every Christian needs to have faith in God to make him "perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). It's not just salvation from death. It's faith to be completely healed from sin before the Messiah comes.
The two most important topics of Scripture is (1) God's redemptive plan for restoring the Kingdom of God, here on the earth, and (2) God's redemptive plan for restoring (saving) individual believers. Both restorations are highly related and interconnected. Both restorations are progressive in nature. The misunderstanding of this progressive nature has been one of the major reasons for divisions in the Church over the centuries.
There has been lots of debate on whether the kingdom of God is here and now, or whether it's a future kingdom. Is the kingdom purely spiritual in nature, or will it be a real natural earthly kingdom? Did the kingdom come at the time of Pentecost, with the coming of the Holy Spirit? Or will the kingdom come when Christ returns? On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came, Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32 (Acts 2:17-21). But unless one makes the use of very strong allegorical interpretations, Joel 2 seems to be talking about the Day of the Lord at Christ's return.
A number of theologians have resolved this issue by saying the kingdom is "here and now but not yet." In other words, it's both. If it's both, then the Kingdom of God is progressive in nature. The Gospel of the Kingdom is being progressively preached to all the nations in preparation for Christ to return. When Christ returns, he will destroy the antichrist and his earthly kingdom. Then he will set up his own earthly kingdom which will bring peace to the earth. All the nations will be ruled over from Jerusalem.
What's the purpose of God's kingdom? God's purpose is to bring salvation to all those who obey him and follow him as he reigns. He is our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Just as God's kingdom is progressive, our individual salvation is also progressive. Our salvation is "here and now but not yet." As God is redeeming us individually he is bringing us back to himself. Likewise, God is redeeming his Creation and establishing his kingdom here on the earth as it was intended to be before sin came.
God has promised the completion of these two journeys. These promises are summarized by the seven covenants between God and man. Even the list of covenants is controversial. I only consider the covenants that God explicitly states, in Scripture, as covenants. The first was God's covenant with Noah after the flood.
1 Peter 3:18-22 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, (19) in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, (20) who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (21) This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (22) who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
1 Peter 3:18-22 is controversial. Why does Jesus preach to spirits in prison? Theologians tend to say these are fallen angels or demons. But why is it from the time of Noah and the flood? Peter compares the flood to baptism. This would indicate Jesus is preaching to humans. Peter points that only eight persons were saved from the flood. Again, this would indicate Jesus is preaching to humans. In verse 4:6, which is in the same context, Peter says, "For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead." So the overwhelming evidence is that Jesus preached the gospel to the unrighteous dead. Thus, God has a redemptive plan that includes the unrighteous dead, even those from before the flood .
As I've indicated, God's redemptive plan for the ages is summarized in seven covenants, the first of which is God's covenant with Noah. Peter tells us that Jesus preached to the spirits in prison who died in "baptism" at the time of the flood. God has a redemptive plan, through the blood of Christ, even for these. God's covenant with Noah was the first of a series of covenants that are all about God's redemptive plan. In preaching to these spirits, God seems to be extending that redemptive plan back to even those from before the flood.
Romans 4:17 As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:5) This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not , as though they were.
Many Christians consider themselves to be past-tense saved. But a true understanding of Scripture is that we are saved from sin and death. Our salvation is not completed until we literally inherit eternal life. God "gives life to the dead." But this salvation is progressive. God calls it as if it has already been done, even though we are not yet resurrected. The kingdom is also here and now but not yet. God made Abraham the father of many nations. God told Abraham that it had already been done. That's the progressive nature of God's redemptive plan.
One of the biggest difference between Catholics and Protestants is the nature of salvation. Catholics believe salvation is a journey. It's progressive in nature. Catholics say that both justification and sanctification are progressive. In the Greek, justification is like a court-room decision. Even though you are guilty, you are justified. You are not punished for your crime. When we repent of sin, we are justified by the blood of Christ. But we are not forgiven of future sins. If we sin again, we must repent again and be justified again.
Protestants tend to believe that justification happens just once. They think that when you become a believer, you are justified of all sins, past, present, and future. Sanctification is changing us so that we no longer sin. We lose the desire to sin. Protestants recognize that sanctification is a journey. But they put the emphasis of salvation on justification and not sanctification. Both justification and sanctification are by grace through faith alone. Both are part of the journey. Which one of these two churches, Catholics or Protestants, did God allow to be wrong?
The following verses indicate that salvation is a journey that leads to eternal life. The journey is required in order to receive eternal life.
Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.
Luke 13:23-24 One said to him, "Lord, are they few who are saved?" He said to them, (24) “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able.
Romans 13:11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed..
1 Thessalonians 5:8-10 But since we belong to the day, let’s be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. (9) For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, (14) to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 2:15 But she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety.
1 Timothy 4:16 Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
1 Peter 2:1-3 ESV So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. (2) Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation — (3) if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Jude 1:20-21 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, (21) keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
Philippians 2:12-13 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (13) For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
John 14:4-6 You know where I go, and you know the [road].” (5) Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the [road]?” (6) Jesus said to him, “I am the [road], the truth, and the life. No one [journeys] to the Father, except through me.
I substituted the word “way” with “road”, and “comes” with “journeys.” Strong’s definition for this word, normally translated as “way” in these verses, is as follows.
G3598 - hodos - Apparently a primary word; a road; by implication a progress (the route, act, or distance); figuratively a mode or means; - journey, (high-) way.
Protestants will sometimes say that salvation is a journey. But then they will divide over whether you can lose your salvation. Some argue "once saved always saved." The only way one could lose one's salvation is if salvation is not a journey, but is instead a past-tense decision for Christ when one is past-tense "saved."
Martin Luther was originally a Catholic Monk. He challenged the Catholic Church over the issue of indulgences. The Protestant Reformation focused on sola scriptura (scripture alone), sola fide (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone), sola Christo (Christ alone), and Soli Deo gloria (to the glory of God alone). I agree with these five basic teachings. We are saved by grace through faith alone. However, just as faith is part of an ongoing journey, grace is also a journey. Grace is not a one-time "unmerited favor" of God. It's God's ongoing favor or God's continual work in us, as the Holy Spirit fills us, as we do God's works. Faith without works is dead.
Martin Luther, being Catholic, would have understood salvation to be a journey. But he struggled with sin and didn't understand that it's God who changes us and not we ourselves. The Catholic Church put lots of emphasis on relics, indulgences, and sacred rites or rituals as works which save us. His realization in salvation by grace alone through faith alone is correct. But what happens if you die, or if Christ returns, before all your sinful habits are entirely overcome (1 Thessalonians 5:23)? Under Catholic doctrine, those who continue to sin spend some time in Purgatory being cleansed (sanctified) with fire before they can go to heaven.
For about 15 years, Luther continued to believe in Purgatory. But the only verse that can be used to argue Purgatory is in the Apocrypha, and Luther didn't think the Apocrypha should be considered to be Scripture. So for that 15 years, Luther's belief in Purgatory was somewhat of a violation of sola scriptura (Scripture alone). And Purgatory is also a violation of sola gratia (grace alone).
The vast majority of the Church through most of Church history believed in amillennialism. That means when Christ returns there is an immediate new heavens and new earth. There is no millennial reign of Christ. So Luther had no way to consider the millennium as a free-grace alternative to Purgatory. God can continue his works of grace in those who have faith in Christ as the literal King of Kings, after the resurrection, when Christ rules over the earth.
The early church consisted of two main groups. The believing Jews were led by Peter. The believing Gentiles were led by Paul. The Jews grew up in a culture that had strong hopes of the Messiah coming in their generation. There were several false messiahs during those generations. They all centered around the overthrow of Roman rule over their lives. Just before Christ's ascension into heaven, the disciples ask him about the coming kingdom.
Acts 1:6-7 ESV So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel ?" (7) He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
The Old Testament teaches about a kingdom of Israel which will be a literal reign of the Messiah over all the nations, here on the earth. They believed God would overthrow Rome and the people of Israel would become rulers over the nations. When Jesus taught about the "Kingdom of Heaven," or the "Kingdom of God," the Jews would have understood Jesus to be talking about this Messianic earthly reign that will come. Jesus taught the Jews to pray, "Let [the Father's] Kingdom come, let [the Father's] will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10). In other words, Israel will reign with the Messiah here on the earth, but the people of Israel must first become holy. We, as Gentile believers, are grafted into Israel. We must also become holy, overcome all our sinful habits, before the kingdom comes. That's why Jesus taught parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. The holiness of God's chosen people must come first.
Revelation 2:26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
Jesus does not deny that Israel will rule over the nations. He is just saying they would not know the time or season. But Jesus also taught, "This generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (Matthew 24:34). In the same discourse Jesus taught, "The one who endures to the end will be saved" (Matthew 24:13). He is talking about enduring to the end of the great tribulation. Thus, the believing Jews would have remained focused on being a disciple of Jesus and not becoming spiritually overcome by the great tribulation that they believed was to come. Those who become enemies of Christ during this great tribulation will not be resurrected. They will suffer the fire of Gehenna, as was taught by Jesus (Matthew 5:22, 29, 30, 10:28, 18:9, 23:15, 33).
I'm not saying the disciples saw the abomination of desolation which will precede the great tribulation (Matthew 24:15). But there is no doubt they expected to see these events within their lifetimes. As it turns out, there are two generations that will not pass away before all these things take place . The Jewish generation of Jesus saw the armies surround Jerusalem in 70 AD, followed by the Jews being taken as prisoners to all the nations (Luke 21:20-24). Then, after Israel was restored in 1948, this end-time generation will see the abomination of desolation and the great tribulation before this baby-boom generation passes away (dies).
The point is that the Jewish believers at the time of Christ understood about the "hope" of the resurrection of both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15). They grew up believing in this "hope" of two types of resurrections. The just will be resurrected with eternal life to reign with the Messiah during this earthly Messianic reign. The unjust will also be resurrected, but not with eternal life. They will live in the nations. The just will teach the unjust righteousness, as the just reign over the unjust in the nations (Daniel 12:3).
Thus, the believing Jews would have interpreted the words of Jesus, as given in Matthew 24, in the context of this belief. They would have understood about the resurrection from the writings of Isaiah 26 and Daniel 12:2. They would have understood that non-believers will also be resurrected and will be taught righteousness by Israel during the Messianic reign. Again, this would have been understood because of their Old Testament Jewish cultural background.
The believing Jews would have fully understood that Israel will rule the world when Christ returns. And they believed Christ would return in their lifetimes. But they also understood that great tribulation would come first. Based on the words of Jesus, they believed that their generation would not pass away before this great tribulation would come. They would have endeavored to seek holiness, and to "endures to the end" for salvation. During the great tribulation, those who are spiritually weak and continue in their sins would be tempted to turn against Christ in the face of persecution.
The book of Hebrews was written to the Jewish community of that time. The primary purpose of the book is to warn against forsaking Christ in the face of Christian persecution (tribulation). Those who do so are willingly and knowingly becoming an enemy of Christ. When the Messiah returns, God's wrath will be poured out on all of God's enemies. This would include former believers who willingly and knowingly decide to forsake Christ, even in the face of persecution.
I believe, along with the early church fathers, that Paul wrote Hebrews. Today, seminary students are taught that Paul didn't write Hebrews. In any case, the writer of Hebrews warns true believers against turning against their faith. These are true believers because they have shared in the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 6:4-6 ESV For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, (5) and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come , (6) and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
Hebrews 10:26-31 ESV For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (28) Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. (29) How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? (30) For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." (31)It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
This doesn't mean that Christians who fall into sin because of weakness are doomed to the wrath of God. They can repent of their sins. Paul is talking about a deliberate and prolonged decision to forsake Christ after they really know Christ through the Holy Spirit. Even believers have the free-will to forsake Christ. Believers who undergo the persecution of great tribulation really need to seek God and rely on the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said in the context of the great tribulation, "Those who endure to the end will be saved." In the face of great tribulation, we cannot forsake Christ and have any hope of being resurrected, even in the second resurrection, when Christ returns.
I think that the early Jewish believers understood this gospel, but the assembly of Jewish believers didn't last. After some time, the disciples, including Peter, went on missionary journeys to the Gentiles. It's believed that Peter died in Rome. The Jews "[fell] by the edge of the sword, and [were] led captive into all the nations" (Luke 21:24) in 70 AD. After that first generation of the first century, most believers were Gentiles.
Preterists (not full-preterists) believe that Revelation 20:7 is about Christ's return in the future. But everything before that verse, they believe, was fulfilled in events leading to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Their biggest and very convincing arguments come from comparing verses in Revelation with things recorded by the Jewish historian Josephus regarding the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem. From their perspective, the antichrist was Nero and the great tribulation was the events leading up to 70 AD.
Because of this, Preterists must believe that Revelation was written before 70 AD. But there is really good evidence that Revelation was written around 90 AD, and thus cannot be a prophecy of 70 AD. Could it be that John wrote about a future end-time generation, but that he used some things from Josephus because the end-time generation has prophetic similarities to that first generation? In other words, the two generations are fulfilled "already but not yet," with the first generation being "already" and the second being "not yet." Thus, a Preterist and a Futurist view of Revelation can both be true. However, I don't think the Preterist argument for Revelation being "soon" is a valid argument for it happening by 70 AD. Isaiah 13:6, Joel 1:15, and Joel 2:1 all say that the Day of the Lord is "near" or "at hand." Every generation should be prepared for the Day of the Lord.
With believing Gentiles, we have a different story. Believing Gentiles of that first generation did not have a Jewish Old Testament cultural background. They distanced themselves from the Jews. They were probably aware of the Jewish beliefs about Israel ruling over the nations. But they would have grown up with distaste for those beliefs. They would not have cared for the idea that the Jews would rule the world. Such beliefs were regarded as Jewish superstitions. Also, they would not have grown up with a hope in the resurrection. They would have viewed death as the final destiny that determines one's eternal afterlife fate.
The two types of resurrections can be seen in John 5:28-29. But the gospel of John was not written until much later, during latter part of the first century. The first-century Gentile believers did not have the gospel of John or the book of Revelation. And they did not have a good Old Testament background. Paul speaks of the resurrection of the just and the unjust in Acts 24:15. But Paul didn't clearly teach about two types of resurrections in his letters to his Gentile churches.
Over the course of the centuries, amillennialism became the predominant view of the Orthodox, the Catholics and the Protestants, especially since Augustine. Amillennialism rejects a literal earthly reign of Christ. Even the Reformation leaders such as Luther and Calvin were amillennial. They had no way to understand that Daniel 12:2, John 5:28-29, and Acts 24:15 describe two premillennial resurrections. The dispensationalists, beginning in 1830, brought back millennialism. But they forced all three of these three verses into saying that these two types of resurrections are separated by the millennial reign. They denied that the second resurrection is also premillennial.
This end-time generation is evidenced by the fact that Israel became a nation again right after World War II. I believe the baby-boom generation is the end-time generation that will not pass away before we see the great tribulation and the start of the earthly reign of Christ. We must make ourselves ready for the coming great tribulation, which is great persecution of Christians. We must make ourselves ready for Christ to return. In preparation, we must overcome all our sinful habits through faith in Christ and by God's grace. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom, which will be preached to all the nations before the end comes (Matthew 24:14).
The early Jews at the time of Christ would have understood the "Kingdom of Heaven" or the "Kingdom of God" as the coming Messianic reign of Israel over all the nations. The word "gospel" means good news. So, the "Gospel of the Kingdom" is not simply good news about salvation. It's good news about Christ's coming Kingdom here on the earth. And, of course, Jesus places emphasis on holiness in his teachings, sermons, and parables about the coming Kingdom. Those who reign with Christ over the nations must first become holy. They must first overcome all their sinful habits. Otherwise, the world would continue to be ruled by people who are not entirely motivated by love. This good news (gospel) about that reign of holiness must be preached to all the nations before the end will come. The end will include the great tribulation.
Matthew 24:13-15,21 ESV But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (15) So, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), . .. (21) For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
Most commentators simply state that the gospel of salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ must be preached to all the nations before Christ will return. They relate this to the goal of completing the Great Commission before Christ returns. They would say this has been on-going throughout church history. But in this baby-boom generation, the salvation gospel that's been preached has typically not included the need to overcome all of one's sinful habits. They even say you can't completely stop sinning.
In all of church history, the gospel being preached has rarely included the promise of reigning with Christ during the coming earthly Kingdom. It became the gospel of a spiritual kingdom instead of the literal earthly Kingdom, which would have been understood by the Jews who heard these words of Jesus. The gospel of the Kingdom is last in a series of signs that are related to the birth pains of a woman.
Matthew 24:6-8 ESV And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. (7) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (8) All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
These beginning signs have been seen, but the end is not yet. When did the birth pains begin? Most commentators simply say the signs occur more and more frequently, like the birth pains of a woman. But we must let Scripture interpret Scripture. This is not the main point of what the birth pains would have meant to the early Jew at the time of Christ. We learned about the metaphor of the pregnant woman that's used throughout Scripture back in the section titled, "Born Again in the Old Testament."
The metaphor goes back to Isaiah 26. The pregnant woman is Israel. In 70 AD, the people of Israel were taken as prisoners to all the nations. Israel no longer existed as a nation in the land. This continued until 1948, when ethnic Israel became a nation again. The pregnant woman would have been interpreted by Isaiah and his audience as ethnic Israel. How can we see signs that are the birth pains of a woman without having the woman? The signs that are given must be interpreted as signs that began after Israel again became a nation. How can there be a literal earthly Kingdom that literally reigns over all the nations without a literal earthly Israel? The beginning of the birth pains can only be signs that occurred since Israel became a nation again in 1948.
There are two generations that will not pass away before all these signs take place (Matthew 24:34, Luke 21:32). This was introduced in the last section titled, "Great Tribulation for Two Generations." Most commentators assume that what's called the "Olivetti Discourse" in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are three separate accounts of the same discourse. But is the major sign the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14), or is it Jerusalem being surrounded by armies (Luke 21:20)? Commentators will even equate these two signs as being the same event. But which sign did Jesus verbally state when giving the discourse?
This discrepancy is a bit more than simply the same event as told by two or more observers. In Luke, the Jews are taken as prisoners to all the nations. In Matthew, Christ returns immediately after the great tribulation. In Luke it's a prophecy of defeat. In Matthew it's a prophecy of victory after great tribulation. The discourse in Matthew has the disciples asking Jesus about the signs privately on the Mount of Olives. The discourse in Luke seems to be more public and ends with:
Luke 21:37-38 ESV And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. (38) And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.
If the discourse in Luke were interpreted on its own, without being merged into Matthew's and Mark's account, we would interpret the discourse in Luke as being given publicly in the temple. With all these differences, it's easy to interpret these as two separate discourses. Publicly, in the temple, Jesus warns the Jews of armies that would surround Jerusalem and that they would be taken as prisoners to all the nations.
Luke 21:20, 24-25a But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. ... (24) They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled . (25a) [then,] there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations...
Most commentators, including futurists, try and reconcile the differences between Matthew / Mark's account with Luke's account. But verse 24 of Luke's account provides a very natural time-jump to the future, between the two generations. After the "times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (verse 24), then "there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations..." (verse 25).
The disciples are in shock. The Jews understood about Jerusalem becoming desolate. It had happened when they were scattered to Babylon. But they also knew God would bring them back. So, they ask him privately, up on the Mount of Olives, what would be the signs of Christ's return after the Jews are taken as prisoners to all the nations.
We have two generations that don't pass away until all the signs for each are fulfilled. The time between is a second desolation of Jerusalem. The birth pains of the woman symbolize the rebirth of Israel when the prisoners begin to return to Jerusalem.
The disciples likely interpreted what Jesus said at the temple and on the Mount of Olives as both pertaining to their own generation. Jesus had hopes of returning in that generation. The "scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat" (Matthew 23:2). They must acknowledge Jesus as Messiah before he returns (verses 37-39). While Israel was scattered nobody sat on that seat. But today, the Sanhedrin have been re-established.
I believe that during this final preaching to all the nations, there will be a third Great Awakening world-wide. I believe that those who today sit on the seat of Moses will turn to Jesus as the Messiah during or before the great tribulation. Once it was clear that the Jews would continue to reject Christ over the course of that first generation, it became obvious that there are really two generations that don't pass away (die) before all the signs of their generation are fulfilled.
Interpreted this way, we can see that the birth-pain signs given in Matthew 24 are only signs that began to take place after Israel again became a nation. The woman is Israel. The woman was taken prisoner to all the nations.
Jerusalem became desolate. The woman (Israel) must return to Jerusalem before she can give birth. Now that the woman is at least in part back in Jerusalem, the signs of the birth pains have begun.
These birth-pain signs include the last climatic sign; the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to all the nations. This third Great Awakening is not going to be just a gospel of salvation. It's going to be the gospel (good news) of the coming Kingdom. It's going to be focused on the return of Christ to set up his earthly Kingdom. But the great tribulation comes first.
Some people say we are in the end times because things are getting worse and worse. But there have been times in the past when things were must worse than today. One pastor I know does not believe we are in the end times because in many ways things are getting better. Does Bible prophecy really say things will get worse and worse during the end-time generation? That has been the conclusion of many Christians who read about these signs in Matthew 24 as being, "like the birth pains of a woman." We know that the great tribulation is coming. Therefore, many assume that things will get worse and worse during this generation as it climaxes to the great tribulation.
But the great tribulation is not about things getting worse and worse for the world. It's about persecution of Christians getting worse and worse. The great tribulation is persecution and tribulation for God's people. The persecution of Christians is bad in some areas of the world, such as in Muslim countries and in China. But Christians are not really persecuted in most of the world.
The signs given in Matthew 24 seem to indicate that the real persecution comes closer to the end. At first there are "wars and rumors of wars. . .. But the end is not yet." After the beginnings of the birth pains, we start to be "hated by all nations for my name's sake." That's not really happened yet. The real persecution will come when the real Gospel of the Kingdom begins to be preached in all the nations.
When it's preached that Christ and his followers will rule the world, the world will react by hating all of Christ's followers. This true Gospel of the Kingdom will cause a great divide between Christ's followers and the world, who will really begin to follow the antichrist. Most of the false-prophet church leaders of today will react against this gospel. They are antichrist. The antichrist will be "against Christ." The word "antichrist" means "against Christ."
The Trinity can be found in the Old Testament. In Genesis 18, three men come to visit Abraham. One of them is Yahweh. They eat and talk with Abraham like any other men. In Genesis 32:22-32, Jacob wrestled with God. In verse 30 he says, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered." The "Angel of the Lord" appears numerous times in the Old Testament. Many theologians believe the "Angel of the Lord" is the preincarnate Son of God. Thus, in the Old Testament, God can appear as a man. Also, the Holy Spirit is spoken of numerous times in the Old Testament. Therefore, the Old Testament has God as Spirit, God as a man, and God as the Holy Spirit. This is the Trinity.
Old Testament prophecy is all about the time when God, as a man, will reign as King over Israel. Christ is referred to as the "Son of David" because of God's covenant with David. When Christ (God) reigns as the King of Kings, Israel will reign with Christ over all the nations. But you can't reign with Christ if you still have sinful habits. Otherwise, Christ's millennial reign would wind up being as corrupt as any government today. As Paul said, "Not all Israel is Israel".
Romans 9:6-8 But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel that are of Israel . (7) Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.”Genesis 21:12 (8) That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as heirs .
Paul goes on to explain, in Romans 11:11-32, that unbelieving Jews were broken off the olive tree of Israel and that believing Gentiles were grafted in. However, when the fullness of Gentiles have come into the olive tree, many of the Jews of natural Israel will be unhardened. This must include the Jewish leaders in modern-day Jerusalem who "sit on the seat of Moses" (Matthew 23:2,39). During the end-times, "all Israel will be saved," as Paul said in Romans 11:25-27. In verse 27, Paul quotes Jeremiah 31:33-34 in saying this happens "when I will take away their sins." In other words, Israel will reign over the world, but they will reign after overcoming all their sinful habits, as believers in Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit. This includes Gentile believers, grafted into Israel, who will have also overcome all their sinful habits.
Many Old Testament prophecies refer to this future time as "The Day of the LORD." In the Hebrew, the word for "LORD" is Yahweh. It's not just a 24-hour day. In the New Testament it's known as the "age to come."
The Day of the Lord is when Christ returns. But it's also a day to be dreaded. The Gospel of the Kingdom is preached to all the nations, and then the end comes (Matthew 24:14). Then, we see the abomination of desolation and the great tribulation. It's great distress for God's people. In Amos, we read about the dreaded Day of the Lord:
Amos 5:18-20 Woe to you who desire the day of Yahweh! Why do you long for the day of Yahweh? It is darkness, and not light. (19) As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; Or he went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a snake bit him. (20) Won't the day of Yahweh be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?
Back in the section titled, "Great Tribulation for Two Generations," we learned that the disciples most likely believed they were in the end-time generation that would see the great tribulation and Christ's return. Every generation should expect Christ to return in their generation. This belief brings holiness because we are taught that we must overcome all our sinful habits before the Messiah comes. To those who aren't ready, Jesus will say, "I never knew you." And, "You don't know the day or the hour" (Matthew 24:48-51, 25:11-13).
The Old Testament focuses on the Day of the Lord. But there are two places in the Old Testament that describe what happens before the "great and terrible day of the LORD." The first is in Joel 2. Peter quotes Joel during his sermon on the day of Pentecost. He mentions the signs that will occur before the Day of the Lord.
Acts 2:17-21 It will be in the last days , says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. (18) Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy. (19) I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood, and fire, and billows of smoke. (20) The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood , before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. (21) It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Here are the verses in Joel that Peter quoted:
Joel 2:28-32a And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. (29) Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. (30) "And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. (31) The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. (32a) And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Paul quotes verse 32a in Romans 10:13 saying, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." It's a statement of evangelism. In Joel, it seems to be the time when the Gospel of the Kingdom is being preached to all the nations just before the end of this age comes. The Day of the Lord, at least the start of it, is dreaded. In other words, Peter and Paul both quoted Joel about a time just before the dreaded great tribulation of the Day of the Lord.
When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, Peter quoted Joel in his sermon. Peter believed that the Day of the Lord would come very soon, and thus he interpreted the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as the fulfillment of this passage in Joel. He understood that God would "pour out his Spirit on all flesh." So he believed the day of Pentecost was just the start of that outpouring.
I'm not saying Peter was wrong in quoting Joel. I believe the Holy Spirit led him to quote these verses. Many aspects of Christ's first coming are partial fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies along the lines of "here and now but not yet." The Kingdom of God itself is "here and now but not yet." It's here in our hearts but not yet in the world.
I believe Jesus had real hopes the Jews would accept him as the Messiah. Paul always preached to the Jews first and then the Gentiles. So Paul also had real hopes that his people would repent during his lifetime. Paul even included himself when talking about the rapture saying, "We who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thess. 4:17). So Peter and Paul were right in quoting Joel's passage about the time just before the Day of the Lord.
Pentecost was, in fact, a precursor to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will occur in the end times, when Joel's prophecy is completely fulfilled. Pentecost is all about the fulfillment of God's Law. But it's under the New Covenant, where God's Law is written on our hearts. Thus, the end-time fulfillment will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will be centered on Christ's message of holiness. People will completely overcome all their sinful habits because of the fact that they are being filled by the Holy Spirit.
The prophecy in Joel, and Peter's quote thereof, includes signs in the heavens. The sun is turned to darkness and the moon to blood. There is no indication this happened on Pentecost. I believe God will pour out his Spirit, like never before, before the Day of the Lord comes. It's when the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached in every nation.
Ezekiel 38 is the next big prophetic war in Jerusalem. After Israel became a nation again in 1948, Israel has had to fight small proxy wars against terrorists. But the Yom Kippur War of 1973 was the last big war against the surrounding nations. Since then, Israel has lived in safety. But Ezekiel 38 says Israel will be attacked again, led by Turkey, Iran, Libya, Sudan, and Russia. God shows up and stops Israel from being destroyed when these Islamic nations attack Jerusalem. Joel's prophecy tells us the signs of war that are given on the earth: "blood, fire, and billows of smoke." It looks like these events of Ezekiel 38 are lining up in the middle-east already. Ezekiel 39, on the other hand, tells us about similar events at the end of the great tribulation.
Ezekiel 38:18-20 But on that day, the day that Gog shall come against the land of Israel, declares the Lord God, my wrath will be roused in my anger. (19) For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. (20) The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground.
Thus, the world will be terrified when God shows up to stop the surrounding nations from destroying Israel. But the believer should rejoice because a Great Awakening is beginning, followed by the great and terrible Day of the Lord.
Joel 2 starts by talking about the dreaded Day of the Lord.
Joel 2:10 The earth quakes before them. The heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
But then Joel starts talking about God's mercy and tells us about a time before the Day of the Lord. The signs in the heavens are given again. That's what Peter and Paul quoted. The difference is that it's before the Day of the Lord. The moon is said to turn to blood instead of simply being darkened. The signs in the heavens are given several other places in Scripture. Usually, it's about the Day of the Lord. Jesus tells us the signs are "immediately after the tribulation" (Matthew 24:29). He's quoting Isaiah 13:10; 34:4. However, this sign of a moon turning to blood, before the Day of the Lord, is just one other place in Scripture. It's the sixth seal.
Revelation 6:12-17 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, (13) and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. (14) The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. (15) Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free , hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, (16) calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, (17) for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"
The seven seals of Revelation all relate to the end-times baby-boom generation that saw Israel become a nation again. In Joel, the blood moon is before the Day of the Lord. The signs, in Joel, without the blood moon is after the Day of the Lord begins. It's immediately after the great tribulation. And we will see, the other thing that happens before the Day of the Lord is the coming of Elijah.
There are two places in the Old Testament that describe what happens before the "great and terrible day of the LORD." The first, as was shown in the previous section, are signs in the heavens followed by God pouring out his Spirit on all flesh. It was prophesied by Joel and quoted by Peter in his sermon at Pentecost. The second prophecy, to occur before the Day of the Lord, is the coming of Elijah. This prophecy is given in the last verse of the Old Testament. As we will see, the expectation of the coming of Elijah was a very important part of the ancient Jewish culture at the time of Jesus.
Malachi 4:4-6 Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. (5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. (6) He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.
We are told to remember the Law of Moses. This is a message of holiness. The prophecy speaks of turning the hearts of the children to their fathers. This is an allusion to the fifth of the ten commandments that God gave Moses. The fifth divides the first four from the last five. The first four are all about loving God. The last five are all about loving your neighbor. These two commandments of love are of key importance in the road to holiness.
When God pours out his Spirit on all flesh, there will be a Great Awakening of holiness. The Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to all the nations. It's a gospel of holiness, saying that we must seek God's holiness before Christ returns. Similar to the message of John the Baptist, it's also a gospel of the soon return of Christ who will set up his earthly Kingdom. It's a time for the Days of Elijah.
It's a gospel that says those who overcome all their sinful habits before Christ sets up his earthly Kingdom will reign over the nations with Christ. But church-going Christians who still have sinful habits will not reign with Christ because Christ will say, "I never knew you." The world will hate this gospel. Those who embrace this gospel for Christ's name's sake will be hated by all the nations (Matthew 24:9). Many of the false-prophet pastors who lead the churches of today will oppose this Gospel of the Kingdom.
Matthew 24:9-11 ESV Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. (10) And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. (11) And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
Back in the section titled, "The Foolish Pastors," we learned about all the false-prophet pastors and teachers who lead the churches today. We know them by their fruit.
Unlike previous generations, the foolish false-prophet pastors of this generation don't lead their congregations to seek Christ's holiness. They don't teach salvation through the grace of the Holy Spirit to help us overcome all our sinful habits. They will oppose the Gospel of the Kingdom. Remember that grace is God's presence and/or God's works; it's not "unmerited favor."
The Gospel of the Kingdom will bring a Third Great Awakening to all the nations. It will be preached that Christ will soon return to set up his Kingdom, but that the antichrist comes first. At the opposite end of the spectrum is what's called full or hyper preterism. (Preterism means past fulfillment.) Full-preterism teaches that Christ has already come and did so when Jerusalem was surrounded by the armies in 70 A.D. Full-preterism teaches that everything in Bible prophecy has already been fulfilled, including the great tribulation and the antichrist.
Full-preterism initially makes use of three verses of Jesus to argue that Jesus returned in 70 AD. Then, they proceed into complex doctrines that twist Bible prophecy such that everything has already been fulfilled. We have already studied one of these three verses. "This generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30, and Luke 21:32). The disciples likely interpreted this to mean Christ would return in their generation. But today we can see there are two generations that don't pass away until all is fulfilled. We saw this back in the section titled, "Great Tribulation for Two Generations."
The second of three primary verses that's used by full-preterists is, "You will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes" (Matthew 10:23). But the context of this verse sounds very much like what Jesus said in Matthew 24:9-14 where the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached to all the nations.
Matthew 10:20-23 ESV For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (21) Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, (22) and you will be hated by all for my name's sake . But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (23) When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
There was hope that Jesus could return in the generation of the disciples. But it would have required those who sat on the seat of Moses to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. But those who sat on the seat of Moses during that generation were scattered to all the nations along with the rest of the Jews. Therefore, the fulfillment of this verse also moves to the end-time generation. The end-time fulfillment is not just the towns of Israel. The Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to all the nations of the world.
The third of the three primary verses that are used by full-preterists is, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom" (Matthew 16:28, Mark 9:1, Luke 9:27). Can this verse also be fulfilled during the end-time generation? Well, no. Everyone standing there would later taste death. But remember that Jesus really hoped to return in that generation. But those who sat on the seat of Moses didn't recognize Jesus as the Messiah during that generation. So, they tasted death before Christ returned.
Full-preterists argue that if Christ didn't return in that generation, it would make Christ be a false prophet. However, there is a fulfillment just a few days later, that connects directly to the coming of Elijah. And it's Elijah who will come to restore all things. In this context, the restoration of all things is the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom, which makes the true Church ready for Christ to return. This coming Great Awakening will also lead the Jews in Israel into recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. Those who sit on the seat of Moses will accept this gospel and recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
As you can see, this verse that's used by full-preterists is in all three of the synoptic gospels (Matthew 16:28, Mark 9:1, Luke 9:27). In all three cases, the very next verse begins an account of the Mount of Transfiguration. (We must remember that chapter and verse numbers were not in the original Greek texts.) Peter, James, and John had been standing with Jesus when he said some would not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. Six days later they saw Jesus transformed, with his face shining like the sun. This is Jesus coming in his kingdom.
Matthew 16:28-17:3 ESV Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. (17:1) And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. (17:2) And he was transfigured before them , and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. (17:3) And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah , talking with him.
While coming down the mountain, the disciples ask about the coming of Elijah.
Matthew 17:9-13 ESV And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead." (10) And the disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" (11) He answered, "Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. (12) But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands." (13) Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
John the Baptist was not the original Elijah. But he came in the spirit of Elijah.
Luke 1:16-17 ESV And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, (17) and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.
John the Baptist did have some impact on the Jews. But those who sit on the seat of Moses did not recognize John as Elijah any more than they recognized the Jesus as the Messiah. From Luke's account we know the transfiguration happened after John the Baptist was dead (Luke 9:7-9, 27-36).
Jesus is saying that what they did to John they would do to him. If the Jews had recognized their Messiah, John the Baptist would have fulfilled the prophecy of Elijah, which was given in Malachi 4. But since they recognized neither John the Baptist nor Jesus, the prophecy of Elijah will be fulfilled in the latter part of the end-time generation.
Mark echoes Matthew's account. Jesus said, "Elijah does come first to restore all things" (Mark 9:12). Elijah will prepare Christ's people for his return. And Christ's people, under the leadership of Elijah, will preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the nations.
Will the coming Elijah be the original Elijah? Or will he be like John the Baptist who came in the spirit of Elijah? In other words, John was not the original Elijah. But he had the mission of Elijah. John the Baptist was beheaded for preaching against king Herod. I believe the Elijah that will come, to restore all things, will be someone like John the Baptist. He will preach holiness. Like John the Baptist, he will preach against left-wing (antichrist / against-Christ) governments.
The Democratic party platform has support for child sacrifice, which is called abortion, five places in that platform. I believe the coming Gospel of the Kingdom will preach against the left, both the Christian theological left and the political left. These are issues that most mainstream churches today will not touch. The Kingdom of Christ that is to come will not embrace the values of the left. And the world needs to know that the left is inherently evil because they are against Christ, which is antichrist. The left embraces globalism, which leads to a one-world government. Globalism ultimately leads to the one-world government of the antichrist.
Overcome Sin, for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is Coming Soon.
Matthew 24:15 When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand).
Who is the reader and what is he to understand? Why is this phrase in parenthesis? Some commentators say Matthew added this phrase, as a comment, in hopes the reader of Matthew would understand. The words are also in Mark's account (Mark 13:14). Most likely, Jesus said these words. Jesus would have meant that the words of Daniel would be understood when the signs, including the abomination of desolation, are seen.
In Luke 21:5, the people were marveling at the temple stones. Jesus said the stones would all be thrown down (Luke 21:5, Matthew 24:2). So, they asked him for the signs of when it would happen. The major sign given was that the armies would surround Jerusalem. Later, up on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and asked for "signs of your coming, and of the end of the age" (Matthew 24:3). The major sign given was the abomination of desolation. This sign only occurs at the return of Christ. As we will see, it didn't happen in 70 A.D.
Daniel has three references to the abomination of desolation: Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. Daniel 11:31 is part of fulfilled prophecy. The abomination of desolation in this verse refers to 168 B.C. when Antiochus IV Epiphanes conquered Israel, sacrificed a pig on the altar, and set up a statue of Zeus on the temple mount. Hanukkah celebrates the retaking of the temple six years later. Hanukkah is mentioned in John 10:22 as the "festival of lights." The disciples would have understood the "abomination of desolation" because they celebrated Hanukkah. Jesus is saying it will happen again. He specifically says it will be "standing in the holy place," which is on the temple mount.
The other two references to the abomination of desolation in Daniel is in 12:11 and 9:27. Both have mysteries that directly relate to the question which was asked by the disciples. In Daniel 12:1-2, we have the great tribulation followed by the resurrection. In verse 3 we have the wise "shining as the brightness of the expanse" and teaching righteousness. In verse 4, Daniel is told to seal these words until the time of the end. In verse 6, an angel asked a question. "How long will it be to the end of these wonders?" An answer was given but Daniel didn't understand. He was again told to seal the words until the time of the end (verse 9). But a sign was given: the abomination of desolation. Thus, understanding when it will happen remains a mystery until the end-times. That's one reason why Jesus said, "Let the reader (of Daniel) understand." Nobody would be able to understand the timing of the end until the words of the scroll are unsealed during the end-times. Another reason is the understanding of the seventy weeks of Daniel 9.
Back in the section titled, "Israel Must Stop Sinning Before Christ Returns," we looked at the seventy weeks of Daniel 9. If the reader of Daniel properly understands this vision, we get a timeline of events. "Let the reader understand."
Daniel had been praying for the forgiveness of Israel's sins and for the desolation of Jerusalem to come to an end. Seventy weeks of years (490 years) were decreed for God's people to completely stop sinning before the Messiah comes. We are grafted into Israel. Likewise, we must also completely stop sinning to be ready for Christ to return. The coming of the Messiah is equated to the "Day of the LORD." Let's take a closer look at this prophecy in Daniel 9.
Daniel 9:24-27 ESV Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. (25) Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one , a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. (26) And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. (27) And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.
I interpret this prophecy a bit differently than most futurists. Instead of splitting the week of the covenant off into the future, I split the seven weeks off into the future. The Messiah is circumcised (cut-off), at his birth , after the sixty-two weeks. Then Christ returns after the seven weeks . I think that split more naturally follows the text. I also believe that the "prince" always refers to the antichrist. There is a parallelism in the text between the Messiah and the prince. Both come at about the same time, during the 70th week. At first, before the Day of the Lord, the Messiah comes only as signs in the heavens and as Elijah comes. The true Church preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the nations. The two pronouns "he" in verse 27 follow this parallelism. After the end, Christ makes a covenant with many for one more week. The prince puts an end to the sacrifice and offering.
The antichrist is not revealed with a treaty. (That teaching comes by interpreting the covenant of Daniel 9:27 as being with the antichrist.) The antichrist is revealed because of his extreme negative response to the signs and the Gospel of the Kingdom. The "prince" (rising ruler) blasphemes Christ ("anointed one") and those who live in heaven (Daniel 11:36, Rev. 13:5-6). In 2 Thess. 2:1-4, Paul seems to be saying that the man of lawlessness will be revealed before the Day of the Lord.
The week of the covenant is not part of the seventy. It's after where the text describes the end in verse 26b. However, 62+7 is 69. This leaves one week prior to the end of the seventy before the Day of the Lord. But only a few find this narrow gate of holiness. Christ's Bride will have listened to the Gospel of the Kingdom, but most will not overcome all their sinful habits. Therefore, when the Day of the Lord comes, Christ makes a covenant for one more week with the many. The end is basically extended for seven more years in addition to the seventy. During that week is the great tribulation, which is a one-world government run by the antichrist. It's great tribulation for those who have listened to the Gospel of the Kingdom but have not yet overcome all their sinful habits. But great persecution brings holiness for those who endure to the end.
There is another reason the week of the covenant is not part of the seventy. It doesn't fit Daniel's prayer. He brings up Jeremiah's prophecy that the desolation of Jerusalem would last 70 years (Daniel 9:2). He confesses that Jerusalem is desolate because of Israel's sins. He prays for the forgiveness of Israel's sins, and for the desolation of Jerusalem to come to an end. This vision was given in answer to Daniel's prayer. Seventy weeks of years are given for Israel to stop sinning during which the Jews could return to Jerusalem and the dispersion would end. During the seventy weeks, Jerusalem is not trampled on by the Gentiles. But during the week of the covenant, Jerusalem is again trampled on by the Gentiles (Rev 11:1-2). So, it's after the seventy weeks.
The Messiah comes after the seven weeks. Then there is this mystery of the 70th week, that's not mentioned in the text, which is before the Day of the Lord. After that, we have the week of the covenant which includes the great tribulation. This sounds very much like Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dream. There were seven years of plentiful harvest followed by seven years of famine. It's a week of harvest in the Great Awakening followed by a week of tribulation where no one can work.
John 9:4-5 I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming when no one can work. (5) While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Here is a summary of the timeline as outlined by this prophecy of seventy weeks. The events related to the signs in the heavens occur twice, each of which corresponds to Christ's coming and two attacks on Jerusalem.
1) Sixty-two weeks from the decree of Cyrus to the circumcision of the Messiah.
2) Jerusalem is trampled on by the Gentiles (Rome) beginning after the death of Herod the Great. The Messiah grows up and preaches. He is crucified and is raised from death on the third day. The Messiah's Church (assembly) begins to grow.
3) Jerusalem is surrounded by armies. The prince (antichrist) destroys the city and the sanctuary in 70 AD. Jerusalem becomes desolate. The Jews are taken as prisoners to all the nations (Luke 21:24). Jerusalem continues to be trampled upon.
4) Seven weeks are split from the seventy. Israel becomes a nation again in 1948. This baby-boom generation will not pass away before the Kingdom comes.
5) There are "wars and rumors of wars" for Israel. Israel was at war on its first day of May 15, 1948. The trampling of Jerusalem (Luke 21:24) came to an end with the Six Day War of 1967. Israel finally gets some peace after the Yom Kippur War in 1973. But "rumors of war," for Israel, continue through the last Jubilee.
Ezekiel 38:8 (ESV) describes Israel as a "land that is restored from war , the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them." (In June of 1867, Mark Twain described the Holy Land as "unpicturesque,” “unsightly”, and “desolate”.) During the seven weeks, Israel was living in peace.
It was a time of "rumors of wars" (Matthew 24:6). The Greek word for "rumors" means "hearing, the sense of hearing." Terrorists gave Israel problems all during the seven weeks and continually made world news. But Israel was not at war. Tourists came from all over the world, in complete safety, to see the Holy Land.
6) 2 Thess. 2:3 tells us that before the Day of the Lord comes, there is an "apostasy" or "falling away." This occurs gradually, but accelerates, throughout the end-times baby-boom generation. The far-left leads the evil in the government with the promotion of abortion, which is the sacrificing of babies while still in the womb. This evil in the government allows the antichrist to gain his power.
After the seven weeks, there are a number of events, during the the final week of the seventy, that occur before the Day of the Lord. They are as follows:
7) There are signs in the heavens (Joel 2:31) before the Day of the Lord. God pours out his Spirit on all flesh. There is a Great Awakening in which the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached to all the nations.
8) Elijah and the true Church begin to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the nations (Matthew 24:14) before the Day of the Lord. During this final week of the seventy, there is a Great Awakening. Elijah restores all things (Matthew 17:11, Mark 9:12) because God's people seek holiness by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
9) The 144,000 of Revelation 7 are sealed. I believe this means they inherit the kingdom, which means they receive heavenly bodies with eternal life. They begin to reign with Christ over the nations (Rev. 2:26).
10) In Ezekiel 38:4 (ESV), God says to Gog, of the land of Magog (Turkey), "I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army." This began after the seven weeks, on Oct 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel causing Israel to declare War. Israel had not been at war since the Yom Kippur War in 1973.
Israel began, in 1948, in a state of war. Then it got seven weeks of peace. It's now at war again. It's not just Hamas. Israel is also fighting Hezbollah, which is far stronger than Hamas. It looks like Israel will continue to be at war against Hezbollah, even into Lebanon. Where will God's "hooks" in Gog's jaw lead?
11) Ezekiel 38 says Israel will be attacked again, led by Turkey, including Iran, Libya, Sudan, and Russia. God shows up and stops Israel from being destroyed when these Islamic nations attack Israel. This is described in Ezekiel 38:17-23. Verse 20 (ESV) says, "all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence." The Hebrew word for "presence" means a face-to-face presence. Daniel's prophecy of seventy weeks tells us that the Messiah and the antichrist comes after the seven weeks. This is the "presence" of the Messiah.
12) Then the end comes (Matthew 24:14, Daniel 9:26). This is the end of the seventy weeks and the start of the Day of the Lord. Some are redeemed from the earth. But the "many" of Christ's Bride are still not ready. Christ makes a "covenant with many" for one more week (Daniel 9:27). The end is extended for one more week. They have another week to make themselves ready (Rev. 19:11).
13) In the middle of that seven years, the antichrist stops the sacrifice and offering. The abomination of desolation is set up on the temple mount (Matthew 24:15). Jerusalem is trampled upon again for 42 months (Revelation 11:2).
14) The resurrection is on the third millennial day (Luke 13:32-33). The "first resurrection" occurs after the great tribulation (Revelation 20:1-5). The rapture occurs after this because the "dead in Christ will rise first" (1 Thess. 4:16-17).
15) A countless number (Revelation 7:9) comes out of the great tribulation (Revelation 7:14) and stand before the throne (Revelation 7:15-17).
16) The signs in the heavens occur a second time. (Joel 2:10-11, Isaiah 13:9-11). The nations of the world, as a one-world government, attack Jerusalem again to try and stop Jesus Christ from taking over the earthly reign of the world (Ezekiel 39).
The rest of this page is left blank so that it can be updated as the signs unfold.
Jerusalem was desolate for 70 years. After praying for the desolation of Jerusalem to end, Daniel was told that seventy weeks of years are decreed. Why was it seventy? Scripture tells us. In Leviticus 26, God warns of the punishment He would bring if Israel, as a nation, if they didn't keep His commandments, especially with regard to the Sabbath (see Leviticus 26:2). In chapter 25, Israel was told to grow crops for six years. Every seventh year, the land was to be given a Sabbath's rest. For 70 weeks of years, Israel disobeyed this commandment. God said He would give the land it's rest by driving the people of Israel out of the land and making Jerusalem desolate.
Leviticus 26:32-35 I will bring the land into desolation, and your enemies who dwell in it will be astonished at it. (33) I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you. Your land will be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. (34) Then the land will enjoy its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate and you are in your enemies’ land. Even then the land will rest and enjoy its Sabbaths. (35) As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, even the rest which it didn’t have in your Sabbaths when you lived on it.
Thus, for every week of years that Israel disobeyed God and planted crops during a Sabbath year, the people of Israel would be driven from Jerusalem to live in captivity. The land would be given it's years of Sabbaths to make up for each week of years during which Israel was disobedient. The land was allowed to rest one year for each week of years during which Israel was disobedient. In 2 Chronicles, we read about the number of Sabbaths the land was given.
2 Chronicles 36:19-21 They burned God’s house, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all of its valuable vessels. (20) He carried those who had escaped from the sword away to Babylon, and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia, (21) to fulfill Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. As long as it lay desolate , it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
The land was given seventy years of Sabbaths. This means Israel had planted crops in the land during the Sabbath years of seventy weeks of years, which is 490 years. Here is the prophecy of Jeremiah saying that Israel would be captive in Babylon for 70 years:
Jeremiah 25:11-12 This whole land will be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. (12) “It will happen, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation ,” says Yahweh, “for their iniquity. I will make the land of the Chaldeans desolate forever.
When the seventy years were complete, Babylon and their king were punished. We can read in Daniel 5 about how Belshazzar saw the writing on the wall and was killed that very night as the Medes and the Persians conquered Babylon. But the land of Babylon did not become desolate that very night. It took many years. In Daniel 2, we learn that when the fourth kingdom is destroyed, then the prior three kingdoms will be destroyed forever (Daniel 2:35,45). It's a divided kingdom of iron and clay, which will be a revived Islamic caliphate.
The fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy of seventy years is recorded in Ezra 1.
Ezra 1:1-3 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, (2) “Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. (3) Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem.
Notice all the Scripture about the seventy years of captivity. The seventy years came to an end when Cyrus, the Persian king, conquered Babylon. In the very first year of Cyrus, he proclaimed a decree to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The seventy weeks of Daniel 9 is given in response to Daniel's prayer. Then, the desolation of the temple (sanctuary) in Jerusalem came to an end. The decree of Cyrus was an obvious answer to Daniel's prayer (Daniel 9:17-18).
God's response to Daniel's prayer states that from the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem there would be another seventy weeks. Daniel makes reference to Jeremiah's prophecy of seventy years in his prayer (Daniel 9:2). From Daniel's perspective, the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem must be the decree of Cyrus. And yet most commentators on Daniel's seventy weeks deny that the seventy weeks start with the decree of Cyrus. They say the dates don't add up. And yet these dates are computed from sources outside of Scripture itself.
Seventy years of captivity were given in response to 490 years of disobedience to God's commandments. After the seventy years of captivity, God gave Israel another seventy weeks, which is another 490 years, during which Jerusalem would be rebuilt and would not be desolate. After the end of these seventy weeks of years, the "prince" (antichrist) will stop the sacrifice and offering. This means Jerusalem will again be trampled upon by the Gentiles.
Israel was scattered to Babylon seventy years because of 490 years of disobedience. The captivity lasted 70 years. Then Israel was given another 490 years to stop sinning. (Refer back to the section titled, "Israel Must Stop Sinning Before Christ Returns.") After the 490 years is the Day of the Lord. Christians, as believers, are grafted into Israel. That means we must also stop sinning before the Messiah comes again.
We look to the cross of Christ to stop sinning. We have all sinned and deserve God's wrath. But Jesus paid the ransom, on the cross, by his blood, so that our sins can be forgiven. We must look to the cross and repent of our sins. This means we must have faith in Jesus to overcome all our sinful habits. We must have faith to stop sinning. And yet many, if not most, of our pastors say you can't completely stop sinning.
Sure, we don't have the ability to overcome all our own sinful habits. But as believers, we receive the Holy Spirit as a Helper. The blood of Jesus Christ gives us the Power to overcome all our sinful habits. We can't save ourselves. We can't stop sinning on our own. But God can save us by working in us to overcome all our sinful habits. As we do the Father's works, the Holy Spirit fills us and changes us on the inside to become like Jesus Christ, who did not sin. Thus, by Christ's blood we are in the process of being saved. Without this faith in the cross, which leads to this holiness, nobody will be able to see the Lord. Without this holiness, nobody will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Shortly before the Day of the Lord is before the 490 years are completed. Before the Day of the Lord, after the seven weeks of Daniel 9, the signs of the sixth seal of Revelation will occur. Also, Israel will be attacked by the surrounding Islamic nations including those listed in Ezekiel 38. The invading armies are literally defeated by the very presence of God, which will terrify the world. This will lead to a Great Awakening during which God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:31). These are the days in which Elijah will restore all things. (See the previous section titled, "Elijah Will Restore All Things.")
Those who hear God's voice will begin to see and understand God's presence in the stopping of Israel's destruction. They will not be terrified by the signs related to the sixth seal. They will understand that these signs truly are the beginning of Christ's return. Those who hear God's voice will not be terrified about Christ's return and his earthly reign over the world. Those who hear Christ's voice are not just believers. Many unbelievers are not hardened to the point where they no longer hear Christ's voice. They will become believers. However, many believers are really foolish virgins and wolves in sheep clothing. They think they know God's will, but actually don't hear Christ's voice. They will fall away from their faith. The wheat and the tares (weeds) grow up together, but will be separated in the end times (Matthew 13:24-30). Over the course of this coming Great Awakening, almost everyone will either become believers, or they will become hardened to the point of no longer hearing Christ's voice.
Today, those who hear God's voice are beginning to understand the difference between the political left and the political right. On the right, truckers form convoys in protest of government mandates. People lose their jobs because they don't want to take a vaccine. Mandates are even affecting our children. Protest by the truckers block traffic, but are peaceful.
On the left, people protest in response to perceived racism that is an extreme exaggeration from the left-oriented media, and left-oriented politicians. Protesters want to defund the police and left-oriented politicians push that agenda. The left oriented media claim the protests are peaceful while business buildings are burning in the background. If you disagree, you are "canceled" and called a racist.
The difference between the left and the right has become more and more clear. The time is right for a Great Awakening that will include a public condemnation of the left. This is in stark contrast with most pastors today, who fear talking about politics. In this evil end-times baby-boom generation, pastors avoid politics out of fear of losing members and their 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
The Democratic party platform of the US has lots of support for abortion. People who hear God's voice know there is no difference between killing a baby inside the womb and killing a baby outside the womb. The birth event doesn't make the baby more human. Babies inside the womb should have the same legal protection as babies outside the womb. Abortion is evil. This means the left is evil. A murderer is still a murderer even if they do some good. If you are registered and/or vote Democratic, you are aiding an abetting the murder of God's children.
Daniel's seventy weeks is a parallelism between the Messiah (Christ) and the prince, who is the antichrist. This makes it a parallelism between the kingdom of good and the kingdom of evil. It gives a timeline to the appearance of both Christ and the antichrist. Around the end of the seven weeks, both appear. The signs in the heavens appear and the final Great Awakening begins, before the Day of the Lord. Christ makes a covenant with many for one more week, during which the antichrist will rule over the entire world for 42 months. But then Christ will defeat the antichrist and will set up the Kingdom of God (Christ), here on the earth.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Paul tells us about the time before the Day of the Lord. First, there is a falling away and the antichrist is revealed. The falling away is occurring during this end-time baby-boom generation since Israel was formed as a nation. The antichrist will be revealed when Christ shows up and stops the Islamic nations from destroying Israel. The antichrist will blaspheme Christ in attempts to get the world to not fear Christ's presence. This will result in the world continuing in abortion and other acts of evil. Paul tells us that God will send a strong delusion, so that those who believe the lie will be condemned and will continue to take pleasure in evil. The strong delusion is the lies of the antichrist, which occur in reaction to the very presence of Christ.
Calvinists argue that God chose, before the foundation of the world, who would be saved and who would not be saved. Arminianists, on the other hand, believe that while God draws us to Himself, that we have the free will to choose whether or not to repent of our sins and come to into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Both sides have their arguments of Scripture. But what if Election is misunderstood because we miss the Old Testament context? Consider a verse of Peter which is often used for election.
1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen race , a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (10) In the past, you were not a people, but now are God's people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Peter was addressing Gentile believers (see 1 Peter 1:1, 2:11-12). Peter was quoting an Old Testament verse from Exodus 19.
Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; (6) and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.
God did not choose all the individuals of Old Testament Israel before the foundation of the world. He chose a whole nation. God even puts a condition upon this election. The individual people of Old Testament Israel had to choose to obey his voice and keep his laws (covenant). Some individuals in Israel would not choose to obey God's voice. But God still intends to fulfill his purposes using the nation of Israel.
Today, when we hear Christ's voice, we can choose to obey Christ's voice and keep his commandments. If we decide to obey Christ's calling in this way, we are grafted into Israel. That means we are grafted into God's purpose for Israel. God chooses to call us as individuals to himself. But it's not an irresistible drawing, as Calvinists would say. We must individually decide whether we are going to hear and obey Christ's voice in that calling. And our choice to obey is a life-long journey. It's not a one-time decision.
But what about the verses in Revelation that say we were chosen before the foundation of the world? I addressed this issue in my book titled, "New Wine for the End Times." I've copied section 7.5 here, as follows.
Two verses in Revelation, 13:8 and 17:8, are generally translated as, "all whose names have not been written in the book of life." The argument is that if their names have not been written in the Book of Life, then they never were written, and were not blotted out.
The Greek word used here for "have been written", parsed in the same way, occurs 67 times in the New Testament. In the majority of these verses, most translations render the word as "is written." These two in Revelation are the only two cases where "not" is included. Therefore, in these two verses the word can be translated as, "is not written." Since we are talking about more than one name, the grammar in the English would be, "are not written." The King James Version seems to be the only version that translates 13:8 in this way. The KJV renders it as "whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb" (13:8). Then, unfortunately, the KJV renders 17:8 as "were not written." But in the Greek, it's the same word parsed in the same way, which is: indicative, perfect, passive, 3rd person, singular.
In his book, Basics of Biblical Greek, (2003) William D. Mounce writes (pg. 225, paragraph 25.2):
The Greek perfect is one of the more interesting tenses and is often used to express great theological truths. The Greek perfect describes an action that was brought to completion and whose effects are felt in the present. Because it describes a completed action, by implication the action described by the perfect verb normally occurred in the past.
He goes on to say:
Another example is the verb "to write." When the Bible says, "It is written," this is usually in the perfect tense. Scripture was written in the past but is applicable in the present. That is why some translations use the present "It is written," instead of "It has been written." This emphasizes its abiding significance. The translation "It stands written" would state this nuance even clearer.
Thus, it's perfectly correct to translate both verses like the KJV of Revelation 13:8. "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (KJV Revelation 13:8).
Revelation 13:8 can be translated more literally as, "All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been continually written from the foundation of the world." Revelation 17:8 should be similarly translated. This says that anyone whose name gets blotted out fails to be able to say, "My name has been continually written since the foundation of the world."
We have the free will to accept or reject Christ's voice when he draws us to himself. Likewise, we have the free will to reject Christ even after experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit. This is addressed in Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-27.
Many Calvinist (election) preachers use Romans 9 as a primary text. We need to look at Romans 9 in its context. Romans 1 to 8 is all about grace. For a verse by verse detailed look at Romans 1 to 8, refer to my book titled, " Romans Under New Light".
The new covenant of grace was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-37. We have the new covenant, but what about the prophesied kingdom of God? What about the earthly reign of the Messiah? Since Israel rejected the Messiah, did God's word fail? This question is asked and answered by Paul in Romans 9 to 11. Given this overall context of Romans, is Romans 9 taken out of context when a Calvinistic election of individuals is preached?
God has given us a new covenant of grace. Given this fact, why did Israel reject the Messiah? Paul answers his own question by explaining election. There is a remnant of Jews who believe in Jesus. But in this context, it's an election of Israel as a nation. It's not about the election of individuals for salvation. In the Old Testament, election is about God's chosen people. Individuals must still obey God's voice to participate in this corporate election. It has never been about an irresistible election of individuals.
After explaining the corporate election of Israel, Paul tells us why God's word has not failed. God has not rejected Israel forever. God is bringing salvation to the Gentiles to make ethnic Israel envious. He uses the metaphor of the olive tree (Romans 11:11-24). Most of the natural ethnic branches were broken off Israel to make room for the wild branches from the Gentiles (nations). But have the Jews ever become envious of Christianity? Ethnic Israel has remained hardened until the fullness of the Gentiles has come into the Olive Tree of Israel (Romans 11:25).
Some Jews have become Messianic Jews. They have accepted Jesus as their Messiah but still consider themselves to be Jews. This was also true of the early Jewish believers. They considered themselves to be a sect of Judaism called the 'way'. Messianic Judaism has been growing during this end-time generation. But the Messianic Jews are still only a remnant. Israel is still hardened. For the most part, they still react very negatively towards the idea that Jesus could be their Messiah. They have not become envious of Christians. The end-time harvest of Gentiles, as the Spirit is poured out on all flesh, will bring about that envy. When Israel accepts Jesus as their Messiah, Elijah will have restored all things.
To accomplish God's purpose of electing a nation, he shows mercy to some individuals, and hardens the hearts of others. But as we will see, that doesn't mean they stay hardened forever. We all start out with hardened hearts because everyone has sinned, and those sins chain us and take away our free will. But God can break those chains of sin and give us the free will to accept or reject Christ.
The elect are the firstborn, or firstfruits of the harvest of salvation. This means God chooses to unharden his elect first, giving them free will. The harvest itself refers to the completion of salvation, which is to have a glorified eternal-life body. Most, but not all of those unhardened, accept Christ as Savior and Lord over their lives. God eventually unhardens everyone because Christ died for everyone. To accept Christ as Savior and Lord, you must choose to reject sin. You can't serve two masters. Many, out of free will, will choose to reject Christ, choosing to remain in their sins. In the kingdom of God, the first will be last and the last will be first. The first are the firstfruits of the harvest and will reign with Christ over the nations.
Romans 9:6-8, 11-18 But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel that are of Israel. (7) Neither, because they are Abraham's offspring , are they all children. But, your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac. (8) That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as heirs. . .. (11) For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election [of a nation] might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, (12) it was said to her, "The elder will serve the younger." (13) Even as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." (14) What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be! (15) For he said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." (16) So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. (17) For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth ." (18) So then, he has mercy on whom he desires , and he hardens whom he desires.
Romans 11:11-16, 23-26 I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. (12) Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? (13) For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry; (14) if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them. (15) For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead? (16) If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. . .. (23) They also, if they don't continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. (24) For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? (25) For I don't desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, (26) and so all Israel will be saved.
Disobedience to the Creator results in death. But Christ died for us, which reversed God's decree of death for our disobedience. This was done for all of Adam's children. But we still have free will. Can we be given eternal life before we mature in Christ? We still have the tendency to sin. We have been slaves to sin. Many of our sinful habits remain with us. If God simply changed us to no longer sin, then we would no longer have free will. But we can't change ourselves. God must change us on the inside.
Under the Law, Israel made sacrifices for sins. But that easily becomes a payment that does not involve true repentance and true unconditional love. Even with personal sacrifices, we cannot change ourselves. Our sinful habits remain. But God can change us if we seek those changes in faith and a true love for God. Without faith and love, such changes would remove free will. It must be through our own will, in true love, that we are changed. It must be through a journey (process) of maturing in Christ.
Our love for Christ must be given time to grow. A bride should not marry until the relationship has matured to the point where it is certain that disobedience will not return. Otherwise, the marriage could wind up in divorce and death.
Salvation from the grave has been given to everyone by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The original penalty of eternal death has been removed by the blood of Christ, which was a ransom for everyone. But justified believers all still have free will. Some people will reject Christ's salvation because of their own pride and a desire to continue to sin. They will eternally lose their salvation.
Hosea 13:14 KJV I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
1 Timothy 2:3-6 KJV For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; (4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (6) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
1 Timothy 4:10 KJV For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
1 John 2:2 KJV And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world .
Romans 5:18-19 So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life. (19) For as through the one man's disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous .
All men have been "justified to life." Many men (which means not all) "will be made righteous." To be made righteous, we must overcome our sinful habits. Some will argue that "many" were made sinners; yet all have sinned. I think Paul put it this way to put emphasis on the parallelism. "All" is being compared to "many," showing a difference between those who were "justified to life" and those who are "made righteous." Our Father does not abandon any of his children, especially now that all of them have been "justified to life" by the blood of Christ. This means that everyone is ransomed from the grave, even if they die as unbelievers.
Hebrews 2:9 KJV But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Titus 2:11 KJV For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.
Titus 2:11 ESV For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; (15) and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Everyone can be resurrected because everyone has been ransomed from the grave . But there is still the problem that all of Adam's children continue to sin. The Father has a plan for that too. He doesn't just sit back and Judge. He is our Father and has an active plan to help us stop sinning. But that requires faith in Christ. We must become believers to overcome our sinful habits. Faith is belief in our Father to help us stop sinning. For unbelievers, this can happen even after they are resurrected.
We become justified into God's kingdom (Israel) when we become believers. Eventually, everyone will be given the opportunity to become believers. Is God's plan only for the select few? Or would a loving Father have a plan that includes all his children? Jesus will eventually draw everyone to himself.
John 12:32 KJV And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
If this doesn't happen before we die, then it can happen after the resurrection, because everyone has been ransomed from the grave. Jesus is the second Adam for everyone ! Does this mean everyone will inherit eternal life? No, because some will lose their salvation and will be tormented in the lake of fire. But what would it take for that to happen? What does it take for a child to lose his relationship with his loving Father?
Can a five-year old tell his Father, "You are not my daddy?" The Father would gently correct him. Can a twelve-year old tell his Father, "I hate you! You are not my Father!" No, the Father would punish the rebellious teenager, but he would still be a son to the Father. Can a thirty-year old man tell his Father, "You are not my Father?" At this stage, probably yes. The Father would reluctantly let his son go. And since that relationship was redeemed by the death of Jesus, the adult son would not be able to return. It would require the crucifixion of Christ all over again (Hebrews 6:4-6).
God's continual work saves us. And it's through our continual faith. It's not our own works that no man can boast. This means God's work changes us on the inside, it's not our own work, so that no man can boast. And the faith by which we are saved is the continual faith that God can, and will, change us to be like Christ. Salvation, grace, and faith are not one-time decisions. Salvation (change) is a journey (process) unto completion.
1 Corinthians 15:21-22 KJV For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Some people continue to be hardened, and continue in their disobedience to the Father, even to the point of death. But they will be resurrected at a time when Christ himself is reigning over the world. This will hopefully show them the truth about the loving Father, and their hearts will be unhardened. Many people, throughout all the generations, never had the opportunity to hear about Christ. They will get their chance.
Others will have heard but did not understand. Or perhaps they lived a life under the deceit of Satan because they were born into a culture where Christianity was not the dominant religion.
This includes all generations of all people living under other religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. But when Christ returns, Satan will be locked up so he can no longer deceive the Father's children. The nations will be resurrected to live in Christ's kingdom. This is the second resurrection , which is in the same "hour" as the resurrection of the saints (John 5:28-29).
Most in the nations will respond and begin to mature in Christ. Those who do will inherit eternal life. Others will reject Christ's reign. They will die a second death and will be tormented in the lake of fire. But those who are resurrected in the first resurrection are no longer under Judgment. They will immediately have eternal life.
Revelation 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won't be harmed by the second death.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power , but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.
Revelation 20:14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving , sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.
When Christ returns to reign, who will reign with him? Who will help Christ in reigning as priests and kings over the nations, so that the Father's children can mature and become like Christ? Doesn't it need to be some of the Father's children who have already matured in a discipleship relationship with Jesus Christ? Would not Christ's kingdom need rulers who will have already become perfect as the Father is perfect, so that they are like Christ? Doesn't it need to be people who have already overcome all their sinful habits?
Revelation 2:26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations .
The Father chooses (elects) some people to whom he reveals His Son. This holy nation is called Israel. By serving Christ in this age, they will be ready to reign with Christ in the age to come. But the nations will be resurrected with natural bodies that can die again.
The harvest is eternal life. Israel is the firstfruits of that harvest (Jeremiah 2:3, Romans 8:23, James 1:18). The rest of the harvest is from the nations over which Israel rules during Christ's millennial reign. God chooses the people of Israel by election. But all the nations, of all generations, will have the opportunity to put their faith in Christ and to mature in righteousness unto eternal life. Christ ransomed the world. Death is not an obstacle for God.
Some will object to salvation for all people. It could be associated with Christian Universalism, which says that everyone will be eternally saved. I'm not a Universalist. A common assumption is that death is the end of everyone's opportunity for salvation. Does that mean that people who have died, having never heard about Christ, will burn in hell? Some will say yes, saying that salvation is just for the chosen elect. So God effectively chooses, before they are even born, those who will burn in hell. Others will come up with imaginative alternatives that have very little Scriptural support.
The problem is that sinners could use this New Wine System as an excuse to remain in their sin. They could reason that they will repent after they have been resurrected in Christ's Kingdom, and just continue to willfully sin until they die. I believe God has purposefully kept this understanding of salvation as a mystery so that people can't use it as an excuse to continue in their sin. But I also believe we are in the latter part of the end-time generation, when God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh.
We are in the generation that will see the great tribulation. We are the generation that will face the mark of the beast. We are the generation that will see and understand the signs that Christ is returning. Everyone will have to make the decision to side with Christ and suffer persecution, or to side with the antichrist and take the mark of the beast. Those who take the mark of the beast will not be persecuted in the great tribulation against God's people. But they will not be resurrected to live in the nations. They will come to life at the end of Christ's millennial reign. They will be Judged and then thrown into the lake of fire, which is hell-fire (Gehenna).
Revelation 13:16-17 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads; (17) and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.
Some have theorized that the mark is some kind of chip in the hand or forehead that replaces currency. But I believe it's a literal mark of allegiance for the antichrist, against Christ. In other words, it's a visible sign that you are taking a stand against Christ in agreement with a world-wide government, which is against Christ (antichrist).
Matthew 10:32-33 Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. (33) But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.
The world government will support a world religion. It's not some new religion that we haven't seen. It's the one religion that today hates Christianity and Judaism. The world religion will be Islam. Muhammad required people of other religions to pay a tax to Muslims that's called the jizya. The "People of the Book" are the Jews and Christians.
Quran (9:29) Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
Moderate Muslims today interpret this verse as referring to the past. But what happens when the whole world becomes Islamic and the world hates and fears Christ and his followers? Would not the world become more like radical Islam?
Living entirely under radical Sharia (Islamic) Law, Jews and Christians will become second-class citizens. They will not be allowed to own a business. I believe that the mark of the beast will be a symbol that means you stand with the Islamic antichrist against Christ. And that without this symbol, you are under Islamic jizya and will not be allowed to own a business. It doesn't mean you won't be able to buy food. But you will be highly persecuted. Many Christians will deny Christ by taking this mark to avoid an ever increasingly severe degree of persecution. But as Jesus said, "He who endures to the end will be saved."
Revelation 14:9-12 Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, (10) he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God , which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. (11) The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. (12) Here is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
In the previous section titled "Let the Reader Understand," the vision of 70 weeks (Daniel 9:24-27) is quoted. I interpret this vision with the 7 weeks, followed by the mystery 70th week, followed by the week of the covenant, as all being fulfilled in this end-times generation. The vision tells us that the Messiah (Anointed One) and the antichrist (prince) both come after the 7 weeks, during the mystery 70th week. I believe this coming will include the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38.
The Yom Kippur War of 1973 was the last big war against the surrounding nations. Since then, Israel has lived in safety. But Ezekiel 38 says Israel will be attacked again, led by Turkey, including Iran, Libya, Sudan, and Russia. God shows up and stops Israel from being destroyed when these Islamic nations attack Jerusalem.
In a speech to the UN, Ronald Reagan said that if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world, that our differences would disappear. ( UN Speech ). This is one of five times that he mentions a possible alien threat, and how it would unite the nations. It's believed that this relates to a time in 1974 when Reagan, as governor of California, and all aboard a Cessna Citation aircraft, witnessed a UFO.
What if Jesus Christ were to return in a UFO and stop Israel from being destroyed at a time when the United States stands by and does nothing? The world would be terrified, especially as events occur that correspond to the signs in the heavens. But then, a popular well-known far-left-leaning messianic-like political figure, who sides with the Muslim nations against Israel, stands up to condemn Israel. As it becomes clear that it's Jesus Christ who shows up to protect Israel, the antichrist will condemn and blaspheme Jesus Christ, along with those who live in heaven. Over the course of the next several years, there would be a huge world-wide Awakening for Jesus Christ. Many people will turn to Jesus Christ for salvation and holiness. The Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to all the nations. This Good News of the Kingdom includes the fact that Jesus Christ will, in fact, literally take authority over the governments of all the nations.
Isaiah 9:6-7 For a child is born to us. A son is given to us; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.
Many pastors today allegorically interpret verses like this, saying it's fulfilled spiritually in the Church, which replaces Israel. But the Gospel of the Kingdom makes it clear that this is literal, and is soon to be fulfilled. How will the governments of the world respond? At first, many of the emerging right-leaning governments will resist the left's push for globalism. For example, Donald Trump pushes nationalism and not globalism in his MAGA movement. This will allow the Great Awakening to proceed for a few years as God's Spirit is poured out on all flesh. But then the end will come and the world will unite in their hate of Jesus Christ and of God's people.
Eventually, the antichrist will unite the world under the United Nations in a one-world government. He will side with the Muslim nations against Israel. The world will be divided into ten unions of nations, each of which is similar to the European Union. Each union of nations will have a ruler, with each being controlled by the antichrist from the United Nations. The middle-east Muslim nations will be one of these unions, with Turkey heading the Islamic Caliphate (Gog / second beast / false prophet). Sharia (Islamic) Law will become the law of the United Nations. Christians and Jews will be persecuted in the great tribulation. Those who endure to the end will be saved. Many will be martyred for not taking the mark of the beast. But they will be resurrected, at the end of the great tribulation, to reign with Christ in his millennial Kingdom.
In the seven letters to seven churches in Revelation, we read about the rewards given to those who overcome all their sinful habits.
Revelation 2:11b He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death.
Revelation 2:26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life , and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Revelation 3:21 He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.
The book of life can be found in Psalm 69:28, where David asks God to blot his enemies from the book of life. In Exodus 32:30-35, those who worshiped the golden calf were blotted from the "book." In Isaiah 26:14, God is said to have "wiped out all remembrance" of those who will not be resurrected. In other words, blotting a name from the book of life, or from under heaven, is the same as God wiping all remembrance of the person. Thus, they are not resurrected.
Christ's blood is a ransom for everyone. Everyone is in the book of life. But if they deliberately and knowingly reject Christ in favor of remaining in sin, they lose their salvation (Hebrews 6:4-6, 10:26-27). Their names are blotted from the book of life. Jesus said blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31, Mark 3:28-30, Luke 12:10) is unforgivable, meaning one's name is blotted. This end-times generation cannot put off Christ's calling and expect to be resurrected. Without the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome all sinful habits, people will not be able to resist the temptation to take the mark of the beast in the coming great tribulation, and thus be blotted from the book of life.
Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been (continually) written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.
If your name has not been blotted, then it's been continually written in the book of life. If you take the mark of the beast, it will be blotted and you will wind up worshiping the antichrist.
Revelation 20:15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
As I've shown, Islam is the antichrist (against Christ) religion. Radical Sharia (Islamic) Law will most likely be adopted by governments in their stance against true followers of Christ. This view was made popular by Joel Richardson. He published the New York Times bestselling book titled, "The Islamic Antichrist." This book compares Islamic eschatology with Christian eschatology and shows that Islamic prophecy of the coming Mahdi has surprising parallels to Christian prophecy of the coming Antichrist. He also published, "Mideast Beast: The Scriptural Case for an Islamic Antichrist." Richardson makes a very compelling case for the legs of iron, in the statue of Daniel 2, as being the historic Islamic Caliphate. The feet of iron and clay is a revived Islamic Caliphate that will be associated with the coming Antichrist. This is opposed to the traditional view of Daniel 2, which is the Roman Empire, followed by a revived Roman Empire in the end times. I highly recommend Richardson's books.
One stark contrast between Richardson's views and more traditional views of a revived Roman Empire is the scope of the Great Tribulation. Richardson sees the 10 horns (10 kingdoms) of Daniel 7 and Revelation 12, 13, and 17 as being 10 middle-east nations that surround Israel. One view of a revived Roman Empire is that the European Union will be 10 nations. (Today it's 27 countries.) But if the 10 horns is the European Union, does the Antichrist rule "over every tribe, people, language, and nation?"
Revelation 13:5-8 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. (6) He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. (7) It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. (8) All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.
Richardson holds that "every tribe, people, language, and nation" should be compared with Daniel 5:18-19. He discusses this in his book, "Mideast Beast," chapter 3, titled "The Dominion of the Antichrist: Absolute or Limited?"
Daniel 5:18-19 To you, king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty. (19) Because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed whom he wanted to, and he kept alive whom he wanted to. He raised up whom he wanted to, and he put down whom he wanted to.
Richardson correctly makes the case that the Bible is very middle-east centric. The world wasn't necessary global in scope. But even this passage doesn't say Nebuchadnezzar ruled over every "people, nation, and language." He was very powerful, and everyone "trembled and feared before him." But he didn't rule over, for example, the people of Egypt. Yet Egypt was part of the known world at the time.
At the time of Daniel, God's people were predominately in Babylon. Revelation is a prophecy of the end times, when God's people can be found all over the globe.
Revelation 7:9, 14 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. ... (14) He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering (tribulation). They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.
These countless number, who come out of the great tribulation, are not just God's people in the middle-east. The reason they go through this great tribulation is to wash their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. Salvation is not just a decision for Christ. It's a journey to complete sanctification, which is holiness.
Three times, in Revelation 13:5-8, quoted earlier, it says that the authority of the Antichrist to rule is "given to him." Why does God give this authority to the Antichrist? Why do the countless number need to go through the great tribulation? Could it be that great tribulation brings holiness? It's a separation of the wheat from the tares. Everyone will need to either take up their cross and follow Christ, even unto death, or they will wind up taking the mark of the beast. The Great Tribulation brings true holiness to God's people. With this in mind, does God give this authority to the Antichrist just in the middle-east? Or does God give this authority to rule over every tribe, people, language, and nation of the globe?
God's people, from "every tribe, language, people, and nation," can also be found in Revelation 5:9. Also, in Revelation 11, the two witnesses are killed after prophesying for 1260 days. "From among the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations, people will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days" (Rev. 11:9). This has to be world-wide global news. It's not limited to the middle-east. Christians won't be able to escape the great tribulation with either a pre-tribulational rapture, or by going to another country .
In Revelation 14:6, an angel flies over the nations proclaiming the eternal Good News. The Gospel is "proclaimed to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people." The angels won't be preaching just in the middle-east. I think UFOs will fly all over the entire globe with the Gospel being proclaimed from loud-speakers to every nation, tribe, language, and people.
Since the authority of the Antichrist, as given by God, is world-wide and global, the ten horns (ten kingdoms) cannot be either the European Union, nor can it be ten middle-east nations that surround Israel. I'm in agreement with another popular interpretation of the ten horns. The world will be divided into 10 regions, with a union of nations in each region. The European Union is a prototype of these 10 regions. I believe the United Nations is the fourth beast of Daniel 7, and the Antichrist will rule over the entire globe through the United Nations.
The Club of Rome is a think-tank of the United Nations. In 1973, the Club of Rome proposed a global order that divided the world into 10 trading regions. These are like the European Union, which began as a trading region. Another region is believed to be the North American Union, which consists of Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Many people believe these trading unions are intended to be the basis of a New World Order that eventually becomes a one-world government, all of which are under the United Nations. This is certainly the globalist vision of the West. Nations like Russia and China are unlikely to join. But as Ronald Reagan pointed out in a speech to the United Nations, "Our differences worldwide would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world." ( UN Speech ). The appearance of the host of heaven in UFOs, ruled by Jesus Christ, would quickly bring about this one-world government.
So, is the Antichrist a one-world government global ruler, or is the Antichrist a middle-east centric Islamic Antichrist, which is simply the Islamic Mahdi? I believe the answer is that both are true. There will be two Antichrists. The word "antichrist" is not found in Revelation. The term "beast" refers to the Antichrist or his kingdom. But Revelation 13, which introduces the "beast," speaks of two different beasts. Later in Revelation, the second beast is referred to as the false prophet. Most commentators have assumed the false prophet is simply a side-kick of the Antichrist. But what if this second beast is also a ruler, just as the term "beast" suggests?
The first beast comes out of the sea. In Revelation 17:1, the great prostitute sits on many waters. Verse 15 says the waters "are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages." Thus, I believe the fact that the first beast comes out of the sea means he rules over every "nation, tribe, people, and language" of the globe.
The second beast comes out of the earth, or the land. This means he rules over the land of the middle-east. Being the "false prophet " means he is also a religious ruler. In Islam, there is no distinction between a governmental ruler and a religious ruler. An Islamic Caliphate would do both. Thus, the false prophet can be both a prophet of a false religion as well as a governmental ruler.
The first beast has seven heads and ten horns. This is explained in Revelation 17.
Revelation 17:9-14 Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. (10) They are seven kings. Five have fallen, the one is, the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must continue a little while. (11) The beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goes to destruction. (12) The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. (13) These have one mind, and they give their power and authority to the beast. (14) These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.”
Joel Richardson explains this very well. The seven heads are seven mountains, which are historical kingdoms. The fallen five are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, the Medes/Persians, and the Greek empire. The one that "is", is Rome. The one that will come is the Islamic Caliphate. The coming revived Islamic Caliphate is an eighth head. Richardson points out that if a head was a revived Roman Empire, then the 6th, 7th, and 8th head would all be Rome. This just doesn't work.
The first beast has seven horns. The second beast "had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon" (Rev. 13:11). The two horns of Islam is the Sunni and the Shia. Islam is a false religion. In many respects, Islam pretends to be like Christianity. But Islam is false because it speaks against the Christ of the cross and thus speaks for Satan (the dragon).
The seven heads are historical kingdoms. The ten horns are end-time kingdoms, "who have received no kingdom as yet." These will be the ten regions of the globe. They all make "war against the Lamb."
Remember that the word "antichrist" is not found in Revelation. The term "beast" is used to symbolize the end-time kingdoms of the Antichrist. The ten horns of the first beast comes from Daniel 7, which is about four beasts. Are the four beasts of Daniel 7 end-time kingdoms, or are they historical kingdoms?
The traditional interpretation of Daniel 7 says that the four beasts are historical (Babylon, Medes/Persians, Greek, and Roman). The statue of Daniel 2 is also four kingdoms. The first three are named. But the kingdoms of Daniel 7 are not named. Traditionally, the four kingdoms of Daniel 7 are interpreted as being the same as the four kingdoms of Daniel 2. Richardson agrees with this. But he views the fourth beast as being the Islamic Caliphate and not the Roman Empire.
Verse 17 of Daniel 7 (ESV) says, "These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth." But at the time of Daniel, the first three traditional historical kingdoms had already risen from the earth. Babylon was soon to fall. The second problem is in verse 12. After the fourth beast is destroyed, the other three remain. "As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time" (verse 12, ESV). If the other three are historical, how can their lives be prolonged for a while? Compare this to what happens to the statue of Daniel 2 when the feet of iron and clay are destroyed.
Daniel 2:34-35 A stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. (35) Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
The four beasts of Daniel 7 must be end-time modern-day kingdoms.
The Lion (Daniel 7:4) is England and the United States. The Lion has wings of an eagle. The wings are torn off. It stands up on two feet like a man. It is given the heart of a man. The symbol of England is the Lion, standing up like a man. The eagle wings represent the United States, torn off from England at the US Revolutionary War.
The Bear (Daniel 7:5) is Russia. The Bear has three ribs in its mouth. The three ribs are the Baltic States which were absorbed into the USSR (Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia). These states were absorbed into the USSR unlike any of the other states of the old Soviet Union. The Bear is told to eat it’s fill of flesh. Joseph Stalin executed 1 million political offenders, 14.5 million needlessly starved to death. 9.5 million were deported, exiled, or imprisoned in work camps. An estimated 5 million were sent to “Gulag Archipelago” never to return alive.
The Leopard (Daniel 7:6) is the European Union. It has four wings like a bird on its back. It has four heads and is given authority to rule. The EU was originally a series of economic treaties that are turning into a federalization of states, similar to the United States. The EU began with the Treaty of Rome, in 1957. These were the four states of France, West Germany, Italy, and Benelux. (Benelux is Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemburg.) The four wings, and possibly the four heads, are these four original states.
The fourth beast (Daniel 7:7) is the United Nations. The fourth beast is like no other beast. It's different from the former three. The fourth beast is terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It has large iron teeth. It will crush and devour its victims and trample underfoot whatever was left. This beast has the ten horns. The fourth beast is the kingdom of the antichrist.
Daniel 7:7 ESV After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
The UN is a government that is different from the other three beasts (Daniel 7:7). This government rules all the nations of the world, but does not have its own geographical boundaries. The UN is a government, but it has not had the military power needed to enforce its "resolutions." In other words, it does not yet have its teeth. However, the fourth beast will have large iron teeth that will crush and devour its victims. The UN has more resolutions against Israel than any other nation. UN resolutions are considered international law, but the UN is not always able to enforce its laws. More and more, however, that is changing. The militaries of the world are shifting to the United Nations. The UN was formed right after World War II. We have been under a one-world government for the entire end-time baby-boom generation. But its power has been slowly increasing, like the slow boiling of water with a frog in the pot.
The first three beasts represent powerful end-time nations which directly try to control Israel. The United Nations also tries to directly control Israel. These four controlling beasts can be seen in the organization of nations called the Middle East Quartet. This organization was established in 2002 by Spanish Prime Minister Aznar. The Middle East Quartet consists of the same four powers: The United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations.
The total purpose of the Quartet is to solve the Middle East problems of Israel and the Palestinians. The Quartet is the author of the Road Map for Peace. It's all about dividing Israel, for peace, into the "two-state solution," which of course will not work because Muslims will not stop as long as Israel continues to exist.
The first beast has seven heads and ten horns, which comes from Daniel 7. It's also compared directly with the first three beasts of Daniel 7.
Revelation 13:2 The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
This means the Antichrist, ruler of the world, will politically speak like the globalist West (lion), but will conquer and control like the old Soviet Union (bear). It will be organized into ten global regions like the European Union (leopard). One of these ten regions will be the Islamic Middle-East. It will be ruled by a revived Islamic Caliphate, a revived Ottoman Empire, based out of Turkey. The coming Islamic Mahdi will be the second beast of Revelation, who is the false prophet.
The first beast has ten horns and seven heads. The ten horns are ten rulers who will rule these ten regions of the globe. The seven heads are a line of ancient kingdoms that can collectively be called Babylon. This means that the United Nations will begin to enforce radical Sharia (Islamic) Law, making the United Nations be the eighth head of this historic series of kingdoms that Scripture refers to as Babylon.
The United Nations was formed right after World War II. Also, Israel became a nation right after World War II. The baby-boom generation is the end-time generation that won't pass away before the Antichrist and the United Nations is destroyed by Jesus Christ as he returns to set up the Kingdom of Heaven here on the earth. But the three beasts of US/England, Russia, and the EU are "prolonged for a season and a time" (Daniel 7:12).
Daniel 7 doesn't make an explicit distinction between the fourth kingdom and a supposed revived fourth kingdom. (The UN is not revived.) But Daniel 2 distinguishes the legs of iron from the feet of iron and clay. The forth kingdom of Daniel 2, as represented by the feet of iron and clay, is a revived Islamic Caliphate. When both beasts (antichrists) and the UN are destroyed, this entire historical system of false religion, as represented by Babylon, will also be destroyed.
Jesus gave us the primary sign for knowing the day and hour (time) of his return. He makes reference to Daniel and says to watch for the abomination of desolation. Daniel has three references to the abomination of desolation: Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. Back in the section titled, "Let the Reader Understand," we discussed these three references. We will look at Daniel 12:11-12, relate it to the seals of Revelation, and then we will review the 70 weeks of Daniel 9.
In Daniel 12, the signs given are also in response to the question of when all this will happen (Daniel 12:6). The primary sign given is also the abomination of desolation. From Daniel 12:11, we know there are 1290 days from the abomination to the resurrection. This seems to be one primary reason why Jesus makes reference to Daniel when giving this sign. Paul also tells us that the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thess. 4:16). So the rapture must be after the resurrection.
Daniel also tells us, "Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days" (Daniel 12:12 ESV). Those in Christ who are alive, and are not martyred during this great tribulation, must wait 1335 days from the abomination of desolation to the resurrection. So the rapture is 45 days after the resurrection. Paul says, "then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds" (1 Thess. 4:17). To whom does the pronoun "them" refer? It's those who are resurrected. Therefore, those who are resurrected must also wait these 45 days until the rapture. Now some will dispute my interpretation of Daniel 12:11-12. If the resurrection and the rapture happen on the same day, those resurrected would not have to wait. But Isaiah 26 also teaches about the resurrection and seems to indicate that those who are resurrected must wait while God's wrath is poured out.
Isaiah 26:19-21 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy ! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead . (20) Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by. (21) For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity , and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.
In Revelation 16:15, the thief in the night is after the six bowls of wrath, and before Armageddon, which is when all the nations march against Jerusalem to try and stop Jesus from taking over the one-world government of the antichrist. This indicates that the rapture is after the six bowls of wrath. It would seem that the six bowls of wrath occur during this 45-day period between the resurrection and the rapture.
1 Cor. 15:50-53 Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s Kingdom; neither does the perishable inherit imperishable. (51) Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible , and we will be changed. (53) For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
This verse is in the context of Paul's chapter on the resurrection. Notice that the rapture is not mentioned. The "last trumpet," I believe, refers to the the "last jubilee." I believe Paul is making reference back to the 70 weeks of Daniel 9. He doesn't reference forward to the 7th trumpet because Revelation had not yet been written at the time. The seven-week period, that occurs during the end-time generation, would be a jubilee. It's the "last jubilee." In Hebrew, jubilee means "trumpet, or blowing of the trumpet." There is no corresponding Greek word for jubilee other than simply the Greek word for "trumpet."
Notice that those in Christ who are still alive, at the time of the resurrection, are changed and given immortal bodies. Paul says, "For God didn’t appoint us to wrath" (1 Thess. 5:9a). I think Paul is thinking back to Isaiah 26:19-21 where God's people hide during God's wrath. So God's people will be safe during God's wrath with their immortal bodies.
But what about the trumpet-plagues in Revelation? Will the Church be here when they occur? The trumpet-plagues are warnings. I believe these seven trumpets occur during the course of the seven-year covenant when the Day of the Lord comes. The 7th trumpet would seem to be at the end of the great tribulation. (The bowls of wrath are after the great tribulation during the 45 days after the resurrection.) The first four trumpet-plagues seem to be directed at the Earth (Creation) and not at people. God is saying that he is the Creator and thus owns the Earth, whereas the people of the world believe they own the Earth. The plagues of the fifth (an presumably sixth) trumpets are directed specifically to "only those people who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads" (Revelation 9:4b).
Most all the symbols in Revelation can be found in the Old Testament. It's critical that we interpret Revelation using symbols whose meanings are found in the Old Testament. We don't just make up meanings for the symbols. The seals relate to the scroll that was sealed in Daniel 12. Knowing the contents of the scroll is to understand and know when the resurrection will occur, and thus when Christ will return. "None of the wicked will understand; but those who are wise will understand" (Daniel 12:10b). During the end-time generation, Christ opens the seals and some signs, as given by the seals in Revelation, begin to occur.
The first four seals reveal horses, each with a different color. Zechariah 1:7-17 depicts horses of different colors, whose riders are sent to patrol the Earth. The vision is stated as being related to the restoration of Jerusalem. Zechariah 6:1-8 is a vision of four chariots of horses, each of which are the colors as given in the first four seals of Revelation 6. The four chariots are said to be "the four winds of the sky, which go out from standing before the Lord of all the earth" (Zech. 6:5). In Zechariah, directions are assigned to each of the four chariots. These can be mapped to the horses of Revelation 6 based on the color of the horses. They represent the state of the world after Israel became a nation and continuing throughout the baby-boom end-time generation.
1) The white horse (first seal) goes west of Jerusalem. It's a "conqueror bent on conquest" and represents the West including the United States. Today, we see this coming to a climax with the expansion of NATO and the resulting war in Ukraine.
2) The red horse (second seal) goes east of Jerusalem. It's "power to take peace from the earth." The People's Republic of China has power to take peace from the earth.
3) The black horse (third seal) goes north of Jerusalem. It's rider is "holding a pair of scales in his hands." This represents bad economy. The old USSR fell because of bad economy, being unable to compete with the West in the cold war.
4) The pale horse (fourth seal) goes south of Jerusalem. It's "death and Hades." It "kills by sword, famine, plague, and wild beasts. This horse represents wars, famine, AIDS, and wild beasts. It's representative of Africa, which is south of Jerusalem. But the "authority" of these plagues is extended from Africa to "one fourth of the earth." As the authority extended around the world, I believe it included COVID-19.
5) The fifth seal is about the martyrs for Christ that have occurred as missionaries during this baby-boom end-time generation. They are told that more martyrs will come.
6) The sixth seal corresponds to the blood-moon signs. There is more discussion about these signs in the next section titled, "Signs in the Heavens."
7) The seventh seal (Rev. 8:1) corresponds to silence in heaven for half an hour. I believe this is the time just before the end, just before the Day of The Lord, when the trumpet-plagues of Revelation begin.
Christians are able to read and understand the scroll better and better as the seven seals are opened. All seven of the seals must be opened by Christ before the Day of the Lord comes. It's the mystery that was written on the scroll in Daniel 12 and Revelation 5-6. It's a true understanding of what Daniel was told but didn't understand.
Between the sixth and the seventh seal is the 144,000 and the countless number (Rev. 7). This is the few and the many. The few are first. The many come out of the great tribulation (Rev. 7:14) and stand before the throne. They are clothed in white which represents purity. Through their suffering in the great tribulation, they have been purified. Unlike the few (144,000), the countless number overcome all their sinful habits by going through the great tribulation.
The 144,000 are sealed before harm to the land, sea, and trees (Rev 7:3). Harm to the land, sea, and trees occur with the first two trumpet-plagues. The trumpet-plagues occur during this seven-year covenant that begins when the Day of the Lord comes. It's my belief that the 144,000 are sealed before the Day of the Lord. They are probably sealed during the mystery seven-year period corresponding to the 70th week of the 70, when God pours out his Spirit on all flesh. So, in comparison to the countless number, only a relative few are ready when the Day of the Lord comes. The 144,000 receive their immortal bodies before the 70 weeks are complete, because they overcome all their sinful habits, as is required for Israel during these 70 weeks. The countless number must go through the great tribulation to be made pure and holy (Rev. 7:24).
The 144,000 are sealed with the seal of God on their foreheads. Revelation 9:4 also refers to this seal of God on their foreheads. In the fifth trumpet, those who don't have the seal of God on their foreheads are tormented by locusts with the power of scorpions for five months. Apparently the countless number, going through the great tribulation, also receive this seal of God on their foreheads as they overcome all their sinful habits.
Daniel 9:24 ESV Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression , to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy.
Daniel 9:26b ESV Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
At this point, after the end of the 70 weeks, only a few (144,000) will have put an end to sin. So Christ makes a covenant with the many who believe in him but have not yet overcome sin, which is the primary theme of Revelation.
Revelation 14:1-5 ESV Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. ... (3b) No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth . ... (4b) These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, ... (5b) for they are blameless.
Daniel 9:27a And he (Christ) shall make a covenant with many for one week.
The Olivetti Discourse of Matthew 24 begins with a question. “Tell us, [the disciples asked,] when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (verse 3, ESV) Jesus replies, "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." Joel Richardson has intelligently argued that this is evidence that the antichrist will rule only the nations surrounding Israel, and not world-wide. He argues: How can there be wars until the end if there is to be a real global one-world government?
Most futurists believe the week of the covenant is the 70th week of Daniel's 70 weeks. So the end of the 70 weeks would be after the great tribulation. But I've argued that the week of the covenant is outside the 70. It doesn't fit Daniel's prayer for Jerusalem. If the Day of the Lord comes at the end of the 70 weeks, then we don't have to have wars during the global government of the great tribulation.
The Olivetti Discourse of Matthew 24 should be interpreted in the context of Daniel 9 and Daniel 10-12. To understand the "end," in Matthew 24, we must interpret Matthew 24 in the context of the seventy weeks of Daniel 9. Most futurist commentators assume that the week of the covenant, in Daniel 9:27, is the seventh week of the seventy. The other sixty-nine, it's believed, were fulfilled with the crucifixion of Christ. But as I've shown, I believe seven weeks of the seventy are moved to the future. This fits the text of Daniel 9 much better. Also the seventh week of the seventy fits the "last Jubilee," which is referenced by Paul in his chapter on the resurrection. (See the section above titled "Two Beasts in Revelation (part 3)".)
My interpretation of Daniel 9 is that the week of the covenant, in Daniel 9:27, is after the end of the seventy weeks. Let's look at the vision again. I've removed the word "then" from verse 25. In the Hebrew, the sixty-two weeks does not have to chronologically follow the seven weeks.
Daniel 9:24-27 ESV Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. (25) Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one , a prince, there shall be seven weeks. For sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. (26) And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end [or 'his end'] shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. (27) And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.
Seventy weeks are decreed for Israel, (including grafted-in Gentiles,) to stop sinning. The vision says there will be war to the end of these seventy weeks. (Daniel 9:26 "and to the end there shall be war.") That's what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 24 when he said war would continue to the end. But the week of the covenant, in Daniel 9:27, seems to chronologically be placed after this "end."
Joel Richardson's argument against a one-world government assumes that the end is after the week of the covenant. But the week of the covenant is after the "end." So yes, there will be war until the end of the age. But the week of the covenant, including the global one-world reign of the antichrist, is after this end.
Back in the section titled, "Let the Reader Understand," I made the case for a parallelism between the Messiah and the prince. In Daniel 9:27, the prince (antichrist) stops the sacrifice and offering. But the Messiah makes the covenant with the many. In other words, Jesus is extending the allotment of time for Israel to stop sinning because only a few (144,000) will be ready when the seventy weeks are completed. Thus, the countless number must go through the tribulation to make them pure and holy. That section has a chart that shows the timeline with an extended covenant. This section has a similar chart with more information.
Christ extends the 70 weeks for one additional week. At the end of this time, Christ comes and destroys the antichrist and his reign. Thus, the antichrist reigns "until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator." Thus, the "end" is extended. This also means the "end" of the 70 weeks lasts for seven years.
Christ extends the end of 70 weeks, by one more week, for the sake of the many. The countless number must also stop sinning, through great tribulation, before the Messiah sets up his Kingdom. Jesus interprets Daniel 9 saying that there will be wars and rumors of wars, but the end is not yet (Matthew 24:6). The gospel is preached to all the nations, and then the end (of the 70 weeks) comes (Matthew 24:14). Then he starts describing the "end" by giving it's primary sign, which is the "abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel (Matthew 24:15)." After the abomination is the week of the covenant, which includes the great tribulation.
Daniel 9:26 says "it's end [or 'his end']" comes with a flood. Jesus seems to be interpreting this as being like the flood of Noah. "It's end" would be the end of the 70 weeks. "His end" would be the end of the reign of the prince (antichrist). The timing of this extended week is unknown, especially to the world. The world will be eating, drinking, marrying and giving is marriage until this "end" comes.
When Jesus performed his first public miracle, he told his mother, "My hour (time) has not yet come (John 2:2)." Likewise, the day and the hour can also be translated as the day and time. The timing of the 7-year end is unknown. When it comes, the world will not be expecting it and there will be sudden and unexpected destruction.
The end comes suddenly, like a thief in the night, at a time when the world is not expecting it. From the context of Daniel 12:10, we know that the end comes when the world is not expecting destruction. None of the wicked will understand the answer to the very same question as the disciples were asking. Currently, even the wise do not know the day and the time. But before the time comes, the wise disciples will know and not be surprised by the timing of the end.
In the time and culture of Jesus, the "last day" was a term that related to the "end of the age," or "the age to come." I believe this term was in reference to the Jewish belief in a week of millennial days. The ancient Jews believed there is four thousand years from Adam to the coming of the Messiah. Then the Messianic age would last for two thousand years. During the Sabbath of this week, the entire earth would be desolate. The early Christian fathers had a similar belief. They believed in six millennial days from Adam to the return of Christ. Then Christ will reign for a thousand years. This gives new insight to the fact that Jesus referred to himself as "Lord of the Sabbath."
After the 70 weeks, after the end of the age, we have the week of the covenant, which itself is the "end." Then, the Messianic "age to come" lasts for a thousand years. Thus, there seems to be a seven-year gap between this age and the age to come. The Sabbath of the millennial week seems to be set aside. It's separated from the six millennial days by a period of seven years. You can also say the "end of the age" lasts seven years. This fits the pattern in Revelation of the seals, trumpets, and bowls of wrath. For each, the six are notably separated from the seventh.
Daniel's prayer in Daniel 9 was for the desolation of Jerusalem to come to an end. The vision of 70 weeks is given in direct response to that prayer. As discussed in the section titled, "Let the Reader Understand (part 2)," the week of the covenant cannot be part of the 70 because when you interpret it in the content of that prayer, it must be 70 weeks of non-desolation for Jerusalem. The "abomination of desolation," and the stopping of the sacrifice and offering, simply doesn't fit Daniel's prayer.
Most futurist interpretations of Daniel 9 include the week of the covenant as part of the 70 weeks. This means the "end" of the 70 weeks must be after the great tribulation. With this assumption in place, pre-tribulation rapture advocates have a very strong argument. They argue that with all the trumpets, and bowls of wrath, how can the time of the end be characterized as a time when people are eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage? But when the end is understood as encompassing the entire seven-year period, this pre-tribulational argument disappears.
In the Old Testament, the Day of the Lord is characterized as a time when God will come to judge the nations. It's characterized as a time of destruction. Jesus doesn't mention the "Day of the Lord" in Matthew 24. But Paul equates the "Day of the Lord" with the thief in the night and sudden destruction. Thus, Paul equates the "Day of the Lord" with the sudden destruction that Jesus speaks about.
1 Thess 5:1-4 ESV Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. (2) For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (3) While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (4) But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
These words of Paul are reflective of Jesus in Matthew 24:36-51. The thief in the night comes from the parable, in those verses, about the master of the house not knowing what part of the night the thief was coming. Jesus is coming at a time when the world doesn't expect. These verses also talk about the sudden destruction in the days of Noah. The world saying, "peace and safety," is equivalent to the world, eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage.
As we can see, the Day of the Lord comes with sudden destruction. At the same time, the end comes over a seven-year period. The judgments of God that involve destruction can be seen in Revelation as the seven trumpet-plagues and the seven bowls of wrath. I believe the trumpet-plagues will occur over the course of the seven-years, and then the bowls of wrath occur at the end of the reign of the anti-Christ, when Christ returns to set up his kingdom.
The trumpet-plagues begin with destruction to a third of the world's land, trees, and sea. This sends the world into shock. It can be seen as a partial (1/3) Day-of-the Lord, sudden-destruction, and wrath of God. There are additional trumpet-plagues. But over the course of time, with the world worshiping and believing every word of the anti-Christ, the world settles down and says "peace and safety."
So the world worships the anti-Christ. Things become more routine. They return to eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. They return to saying "peace and safety." Then, at the end of the seven-year covenant, the Lord returns and the bowls of God's wrath are poured out in full measure. This is the full and complete Day-of-the-Lord, sudden destruction, and wrath of God.
The kingdom of heaven is said to be "here and now but not yet." It's here in the hearts of the believer, but not yet fulfilled in the world's government. Likewise, the Day-of-the-Lord will come partially and then completely.
As we have seen, the seals of Revelation are a strong allusion to Daniel 12. As the seven seals are opened by Christ, the Church, as a whole, begins to understand the timing of the end. The first four seals have already been opened and continue to be fulfilled. The fifth seal is about Christian martyrdom, and is being fulfilled during this end-time generation. The sixth seal would seem to be next.
Revelation 6:12-17 I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. (13) The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. (14) The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island was moved out of its place. (15) The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. (16) They told the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, (17) for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?”
The sun darkened and the moon becoming like blood comes from Joel 2:28-32a. There are other Old Testament verses where the sun and moon are darkened. But this is the only verse where the moon becomes like blood. We talked about this in the section titled, "Before, the Day of the Lord." Peter and Paul both quoted these verses in Joel.
Joel 2:28-32a It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. (29) And also on the servants and on the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit. (30) I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke. (31) The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes . (32a) It will happen that whoever will call on Yahweh’s name shall be saved.
Peter quotes this verse in Acts 2:17-21. On the day of Pentecost, Peter attributes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as a fulfillment of this verse in Joel. The verse in Joel associates itself with the Day of the Lord. Paul says the Day of the Lord hasn't come, as yet, in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2. We believe the Day of the Lord is in the future. This means that the fulfillment at the time of Pentecost was a partial fulfillment. It's like the Kingdom of God. It's "fulfilled already but not yet." I'm not sure that Peter himself was aware of this fact. They believed that Christ could return in their generation. Did the signs in the sun and moon, as given in this verse, occur on the day of Pentecost? Probably not. And yet Peter quoted that part of the verse, attributing it to what was happening on that day of Pentecost.
Consider this passage in Isaiah. The moon is "confounded" and the sun is "ashamed." Is this literal? Isaiah is a prophetic book. It's about events that will occur in the future. But it's genre is that of poetry. Joel has a similar genre. There will be terror all over the earth because of signs that they see in the heavens (sky). But that doesn't mean that the earth itself is literally broken or split apart. Does the earth literally "stagger like a drunken man?" It's expressing the terror of men, because of events in the sky, with poetry.
Isaiah 24:17-23 ESV Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! (18) He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. (19) The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. (20) The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. (21) On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. (22) They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. (23) Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.
Notice that the Lord will punish the host of heaven. There will be battles in the sky. This will terrify people all over the globe. Think about how the people of the earth would react to UFO battles in the sky? But I don't believe the sun will literally be ashamed nor will the moon literally be confounded . Yet there will be terror all over the earth because of signs that are seen in the heavens (sky). The sixth seal connects us back to the verses in Joel about these signs that occurs before the Day of the Lord. The sixth seal seems to indicate that signs are in relation to the sun and moon, and tell the world that Christ (the Lamb) is returning. They are terrified of his coming wrath. Joel seems to indicate that these signs happen twice. The first is before the day of the Lord. The second is at or after the Day of the Lord, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days." The "sign of the Sun of Man" will appear in heaven (the sky).
Matthew 24:29-31 ESV Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (30) Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
World wide, what is the most commonly recognized sign of Jesus Christ?
In Daniel and Isaiah, stars are symbolic of heavenly beings. Stars falling from heaven, and the powers of the heavens being shaken, refers to heavenly beings being defeated and thrown down to the earth. Jesus is quoting Isaiah 13:10 and 34:4. Let's take a look at those passages. This verse in Isaiah is referenced by Jesus when he spoke of the signs in the heavens. He says it's after the great tribulation. (Matthew 24:29, quoted above)
Isaiah 13:6-13 Wail, for Yahweh’s day is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. (7) Therefore all hands will be feeble, and everyone’s heart will melt. (8) They will be dismayed. Pangs and sorrows will seize them. They will be in pain like a woman in labor. They will look in amazement one at another. Their faces will be faces of flame. (9) Behold, the day of Yahweh comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy its sinners out of it. (10) For the stars of the sky and its constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened in its going out, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. (11) I will punish the world for their evil , and the wicked for their iniquity. I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will humble the arrogance of the terrible. (12) I will make people more rare than fine gold, even a person than the pure gold of Ophir. (13) Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place in Yahweh of Armies’ wrath, and in the day of his fierce anger.
Again, I don't believe the sun or moon is literally darkened. But the people are terrified as the wrath of God is poured out on them. This terror begins with with the sixth seal. Heavenly beings are defeated and thrown down to the earth. After the great tribulation, these signs in the heavens occur again as the wrath of God is poured out on those of the earth who maintain their stance against Christ and continue their sinfulness. Here is the other passage in Isaiah, that Jesus quotes, in reference to signs in the heavens after the great tribulation.
Isaiah 34:1-5 ESV Draw near, O nations, to hear, and give attention, O peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that fills it; the world, and all that comes from it. (2) For the Lord is enraged against all the nations, and furious against all their host; he has devoted them to destruction , has given them over for slaughter. (3) Their slain shall be cast out, and the stench of their corpses shall rise; the mountains shall flow with their blood. (4) All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree . (5) For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction.
Notice the similarities between this verse and the sixth seal. Both have the sky rolling up like a scroll. Both have the host (stars) of heaven falling, like leaves falling from the fig tree. However, the six seals are all signs that occur during the end-time, baby-boom, generation. They are all signs that occur before the coming of the Day of the Lord and the great tribulation.
The sixth seal includes the moon turning to blood, which connects us to Joel 2:28-32, which is before the Day of the Lord. The sky does not literally roll up like a scroll. And the stars don't literally fall from the sky. This is a poetic way to describe the fight in the skies between God's host of heavenly beings and Satan's host of heavenly beings. I believe these signs begin to take place before the Day of the Lord begins, when God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh.
I don't think Isaiah separates the signs into two events. From Isaiah's perspective, these are signs that will occur during the time of the Day of the Lord. His focus is on the terror that will come when God judges the world and pours out his wrath on the Day of the Lord. But Joel tells us about God's preceding mercy when God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh.
The first of the signs in the heavens, in Joel, are before the Day of the Lord. I believe this corresponds to the sixth seal, because both refer to the moon becoming like blood. It's not just darkened.
Joel 2:28-32a And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. (29) Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. (30) "And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. (31) The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. (32a) And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
The second time the heavenly signs occur, in Joel, is in the Day of the Lord. This verse is earlier in Joel chapter 2. But I believe the earlier verse occurs later because the later verse is stated as being before the Day of the Lord. So the signs happen again, seven years after the Day of the Lord begins, when God's wrath is poured out on everyone who sides with the Antichrist and takes the mark of the beast.
Joel 2:10-11 ESV The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. (11) The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?
World wide, what is the most commonly recognized sign of Jesus Christ?
It's the cross. I believe the New Jerusalem (Paradise), is really huge and is literally described in Revelation 21. I believe it will appear in front of the moon. (I think it will be in what's called the L1 Lagrange point orbit.) This is before the Day of the Lord. I believe it will be displaying a blood-red cross for all the world to see. Poetically speaking, the moon will turn to blood. It will terrify the world. I think it will happen again immediately after the great tribulation.
As we have seen, the blood of Christ is a ransom for everyone. Everyone can be resurrected from death to live in the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ. The exceptions are those who become enemies of Christ and his people, both Christians and Jews. The enemies of Christ will take the mark of the beast and will not be resurrected. But they will come to life at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ, to be judged and thrown into the lake of fire. Still, even non-believers will have the opportunity to become believers, after the resurrection, during Christ's reign here on the earth.
Israel will reign over all the nations of the earth in a one-world government. Gentiles who are in Christ are grafted into Israel and will have the authority to reign with Christ over the nations of the earth.
Revelation 2:26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
This is what Paul means in saying, "inherit the kingdom." Jesus used a similar term, saying, "inherit eternal life." Those who inherit the kingdom will inherit eternal life. They will be born-again with bodies that do not become old and die. I believe Paul called it "inheriting the kingdom" because he was speaking to Gentiles. Jews would have already believed they would inherit the promises of Abraham, which includes authority over the nations. But Jews were unclear about eternal life. So Jesus called it "inheriting eternal life" and Paul called it "inheriting the kingdom."
How can we inherit the kingdom? We must overcome all our sinful habits. But salvation is by grace. Remember that grace is God's presence and/or God's works; it's not "unmerited favor." As the Holy Spirit fills us, the Spirit works in us to change us. It's God's work, not ours. As we live for Christ, the Holy Spirit changes us on the inside so that we no longer have the sinful habits that separate us from God. We really are saved by God's grace. Paul lists some of these sinful habits that can prevent us from inheriting the kingdom and eternal life.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers , nor men who practice homosexuality, (10) nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Right after this, Paul equates sexual immorality to having sex with prostitutes. Casual sex is without question a sin. Paul also lists adultery as sin, even when there is love. Men who practice homosexuality are explicitly stated as being sinful, even when there is love. This prevents one from inheriting the kingdom. In Romans 1:26-27, Paul explicitly states that both female and male homosexuality are sins.
Paul also lists being a thief, being greedy, a drunk, a reviler, or being a swindler as sins that prevent one from inheriting the kingdom. To be a reviler is to criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner. Many of these are sins that might not be considered sinful by those who do these things.
In Galatians, Paul gives a more comprehensive list of sins that prevent one from inheriting the kingdom. This list also begins with sexual immorality. Here, Paul also gives us a list of habits that are fruits of the Spirit. In other words, those in Christ develop a completely different set of habits that are all based on God's love.
Galatians 5:19-24 ESV Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, (20) idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, (21) envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (24) And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If all our habits come from Christ's love, if we live to love and serve in this way, then we are on the path to inheriting the kingdom. If we have sinful habits, we must seek God's help to change our nature, our ways of living.
Habits are difficult, even impossible, to change on our own. It requires a true desire to live for Christ. Every day should begin with prayer that Christ, living in us, will change us. Later in this sermon is the Lord's prayer. This, or something like it, should be prayed with true desire at the start of each and every day.
Matthew 6:9-13 ESV “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. (10) Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread, (12) and forgive us our debts , as we also have forgiven our debtors. (13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
There is one other verse where Paul speaks about the fact that sins prevent us from inheriting the kingdom.
Ephesians 5:3-5 ESV But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. (4) Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. (5) For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
There have been books written about the supposed difference between the gospel of Jesus and the gospel of Paul. Dispensationalists tend to believe that the gospel changed at Pentecost because of grace. That's because Protestants don't understand that grace is the ongoing presence and/or work of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was speaking to an audience of Jews in hopes that they would repent (stop sinning) so that the Kingdom of Heaven would come in that generation. But Paul put more emphasis on grace instead of law. Grace for all believers came after Christ's ministry. Paul was speaking primarily to Gentiles who were hearing about the Kingdom of Heaven for the first time. Paul was speaking after Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit was given to all believers. But the need to overcome had not changed. I've covered the three verses where Paul lists sinful natures that prevent people from inheriting the kingdom. These three verses are somewhat confusing for Protestant Evangelicals.
As we have seen, the blood of Christ is a ransom for everyone. People who die in their sins can still be resurrected. Unless you become an enemy of God, you will be resurrected. But that doesn't mean you will inherit the kingdom . Those who inherit the kingdom will reign with Christ over the nations during his millennial reign.
Revelation 2:26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations .
Therefore, works are involved in inheriting the Kingdom. Many Protestants accuse Catholics of preaching salvation by works instead of Grace. Protestants remove works from the process of salvation, in part because Protestants consider salvation to be a one-time decision and not a journey.
If works are involved in salvation,then how can salvation be a one-time decision? And Protestants misunderstand Grace itself, saying it's a one-time act of "unmerited favor". (The Greek word for "grace" is the same word that is translated as "favor".)
The problem stems from the fact that Paul's letters are hard to understand, especially with regard to the Law and to Grace. It took me a long time to begin to understand Paul on Law and Grace. Peter said this about Paul's letters:
2 Peter 3:15-16 ESV And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, (16) as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction , as they do the other Scriptures.
Once you understand that salvation is a journey that involves works, then it becomes difficult to understand that salvation really is done by God alone, which is Grace alone. Until it's understood, it seems like a contradiction. It's no wonder that Peter didn't try to teach the difference between Law and Grace. I'm not even sure that Peter understood Paul, since Peter was a fisherman and Paul was a trained Pharisee.
Peter just says to "count the patience of our Lord as salvation." Salvation by Grace has the danger of thinking that overcoming sin is not part of salvation. But understanding that salvation is a journey of overcoming sin has the danger of it becoming something that we do, which is by works, which is salvation by the Law. Neither of these misunderstandings leads to holiness.
We all have free-will. But our willful desire to sin separates us from God. The temptations to sin becomes irresistible. Paul describes it as being under the Law and being in chains to the Law. Paul would often write while he was in jail. When you are in chains, you don't have the free-will to walk out of the jail. Paul used chains as a metaphor to the fact that sin causes us to lose our free-will to not-sin.
The Law is simply God's written words as to what we should and should not do. The Law defines sin. Paul also used the metaphor of the slave for one who doesn't have free-will. Because of free-will, we choose to sin. We become addicted to sin. We become slaves to sin, which in effect removes our free-will to not-sin.
We overcome sin by love and good works. With faith in Christ and good works, the Holy Spirit comes as a Helper to help us do God's will or good works. With Grace (God's favor and presence), we can ask for God to take over our lives.
All this can be difficult to understand. The teachings of Jesus, as witnessed by Peter, might be simpler to understand. That's why I think that our need to beg God becomes helpful in the understanding of salvation. We beg God to make us holy. We beg God to "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Begging God for holiness comes from the Beatitudes, especially the first one. They are progressive in nature.
Being "poor in spirit" literally translated, means being a "spiritual beggar". The sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) begins with the beatitudes.
Matthew 5:3-10 ESV
(3)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit [spiritual beggars], for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.
(4) “Blessed are those who mourn, for
they shall be comforted.
(5) “Blessed are the meek, for
they shall inherit the earth.
(6) “Blessed are
those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied
.
(7) “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive
mercy.
(8) “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall
see God.
(9) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they shall be called sons of God.
(10) “Blessed
are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.
God only makes us holy when we desperately desire that holiness. Otherwise, it violates our free-will. God, as the Holy Spirit, changes us so that we lose our desire for sin. Under Grace, he writes his Law on our hearts. Over time, we stop sinning. When we sin, we lose the free-will to stop sinning. But we have the free-will to beg God for holiness. Over time, we regain our free-will to do God's will and good works. Over time, we no longer sin. This is the journey of salvation..
Paul consistently speaks of salvation as being by grace and through faith. But as we have seen, this is a journey that must be completed before the Messiah comes, or before one dies. If not, you can still be resurrected but you won't inherit the kingdom.
There is one other verse of Paul that speaks of inheriting the kingdom.
1 Cor. 15:50-53 Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s Kingdom; neither does the perishable inherit imperishable. (51) Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. (53) For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
As we have seen, in the section titled, "the Few and the Covenant with Many," the "last trumpet" refers to the "last jubilee." Paul is making reference back to the 70 weeks of Daniel 9. The last end-times seven-week period is a jubilee. It's the "last jubilee." In Hebrew, jubilee means "trumpet, or blowing of the trumpet."
Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom, which is to inherit eternal life. These people will be "born again" into heavenly bodies that are eternal and can live forever. The others, who don't overcome their sinful habits, are resurrected with bodies of flesh. They can die a "second death."
As we saw in the section, "Elijah Will Restore All Things," there will be a time before the Day of the Lord when Elijah will restore all things. As we saw in the section, "Before, the Day of the Lord," God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh before the Day of the Lord. As we saw in the section, "The Few and the Covenant with the Many," 144,000 men are sealed before harm to the land, sea, and trees (Rev 7:3). These are the few who will have overcome all their sinful habits before the Day of the Lord comes. I believe that during the final week just after the "last jubilee," 144,000 will overcome all their sinful habits and will inherit the kingdom. This means they will be "born again" and given new heavenly bodies that are eternal and don't die, before the Day of the Lord comes. These are the chosen few.
During this "last jubilee," the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to all the nations. These 144,000 men will be doing the preaching. Then, the end of the seventy weeks of Daniel 9 will come. The week of the covenant is an extension of the new covenant for one more week because only the few (144,000) are ready before the end of the seventy weeks comes. The end encompasses the week of the covenant during which the antichrist will rule the world for 42 months. As a result of this persecution, a "countless number" will come out of the great tribulation and will stand before the throne of Christ. They will also inherit the kingdom and receive heavenly bodies that don't die. After the tribulation, those in Christ who overcome all their sinful habits will be resurrected and will inherit the kingdom. Then comes the post-tribulational rapture. They will also inherit the kingdom.
Revelation 14:1-5 I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads . (2) I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps. (3) They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders . No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth. (4) These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are [male] virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. (5) In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.
The 144,000 have the name of Christ and his Father on their foreheads. This means they are sealed forever with God and Jesus Christ. They've inherited the kingdom. They stand before the throne along with the four living creatures and the 24 elders. Therefore, this is before the countless number will stand before the throne. They are redeemed out of the earth. They were not defiled with woman. They are male virgins. (The Greek word for virgins here is masculine.) I believe this means they have not yet been united with eternal-life women. They are firstfruits to God and the Lamb. This means they are first to inherit the kingdom. They are blameless. This means they have overcome all their sinful habits.
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
The difference between simple salvation and inheriting the kingdom can be seen in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). The word "prodigal" means extravagantly wasteful. The younger son received his inheritance in full, and wasted it. The older son spent his life working for his father. The younger son’s return filled his father with joy, and he celebrates the return of his son. The younger son would have been happy to simply work as one of the father's servants, but instead he is forgiven, restored, and given a celebration.
One thing is often overlooked in this parable. The father tells his older son, "Everything I have is yours." The older son still has his inheritance. However, the younger son receives his life back. The father tells the older son, "your brother was dead, and is alive." In other words, the younger son will be resurrected. He has received salvation as a free gift, but he has still lost his inheritance.
Those who seek the kingdom of the Father and His righteousness will inherit the kingdom to reign with Christ in the age to come. The older son represents those who will rule over the nations with Christ. But the Father still loves the younger son. Those who repent in the age to come will be welcomed back as sons. They will be given life again, but will not inherit the kingdom. They will not be the priests and kings who reign with Christ during his millennial Kingdom.