THE RAPTURE AND ISRAEL
Summary: The Millennium was not known about by God, Daniel or any others of the Old Testament prophets
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For the most part the Premillennialists beliefs are a revival of the beliefs of the Jews in the time of Christ. Israel was looking for an earthly king who would drive Rome out, conquer other nations, and restore the Kingdom as it was in the time of David. Premillennialists say this is what Christ came to do but that God did not foresee the Jews rejecting and killing Christ, but because they did, the restoring of the kingdom was put off and the church age is an unforeseen substitute, which begins at the death of Christ and will last only unto He comes back, then the unforeseen church age (the "gap") will end, Israel and the Law of the Old Testament will be restored. Christ, who most Millennialists believe to be a created being and did not exist before His birth, will literally sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem and rule the world. Premillennialists make God and Christ to have failed in their plan to setup the kingdom of Heaven because of the rejection of Christ by the Jews; and His death, resurrection, or the "church age" which they call the gap was not foreseen by God. To this basis teaching, different Millennialists add a seven-year rapture, some before the Millennium and some after it, and many other contradictory variations of beliefs. In the Millennium Satan will be bound for a thousand years, but will be loosed for a "little season." He and his angels will make war on Christ in Jerusalem and all but overcome Him (the battle of Armageddon), but God will save Him. Satan, his angels, and the lost will come to their end in Gehenna just south of Jerusalem, which will have been restored. Most believe Christ and the saved will live forever on this earth and no person will ever go to Heaven. IN BRIEF, THE PREMILLENNIALISTS BELIEF IS A COMPLETE REWRITE OF THE BIBLE.
As David Brown puts it, "Premillennialism is no barren speculation--useless though true, or innocuous though false. It is a school of Scripture interpretation; it impinges upon and affects some of the most commanding points of the Christian faith; and when suffered to work its unimpeded way, it stops not till it has pervaded with its own genius the entire system of one's theology, and the whole tone of spiritual character, constructing, I had almost said, a world of its own; so that, holding the same faith, and cherishing the same fundamental hopes as other Christen, he yet sees things through a medium of his own, and finds everything instinct with the life which this doctrine has generated within him" Page 8, and "That the fleshly and sublunary state is not to terminated with the second coming of Christ, but to be then set up in a new form; when with His glorified saints, the Redeemer will reign in person on the throne of David at Jerusalem for a thousand years, over a world of men yet in the flesh, eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage, under this mysterious way." Christ's Second Coming: Will It Be Premillennial, Page 6, T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1858.
The Messiah Israel looked for was a person who would restore Israel as a nation and make them supreme to all other nations as it was in the time of David. In the restored nation they looked for, there would have been birth, life and death for all just as there was in the time of David. No one thought they would have eternal life. It was not something they looked for. Eternal life was something new to the teaching of Christ.
Israel looked for a messiah that was just as David was, a man that would live and die just as David did, a person that was just a human as all other persons were. Not a Messiah that would be God. The belief of Millennialists is that Christ was going to set up the earthly kingdom of Israel and that the death and resurrection of Christ were not in the plan of God. This view is basic to all the versions of the Millennium. Without it the Millennium would be totally destroyed. With it, salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ is totally destroyed. There is no way both can be true. Many versions of Premillennial doctrines destroys life after death for all and replaces it with only a lifetime on this earth with no evil, but one that still has death at the end of this lifetime. At the end of the life of the Messiah the Jews looked for no one would have been saved from the wages of sin, death, for the Jews would not have crucified Christ and He would hot have shed His blood to give us life in place of death. No one, Jew or Gentile, would ever have eternal life without the death of Christ. There would be no life after death [1 Corinthians 15:13-19].
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After the Judgment where will we spend eternity?
When I begin to research for this book, I was surprised and shocked to learn how many there are who say they believe the Bible but do not believe in the deity and the preexistence of Christ, but believe that He did not existence before His birth. Even more surprised to learn that many believe that the sacrifice of Christ will be put aside and go back to the Old Testament sacrifices of animal; back from the substance to the shadow [Hebrews 8:5ff; 10:1-24]; and that the New Covenant is just an afterthought. Satan is doing his work well.
But, I have been just as surprised at how many there are that say they are Christians, members of the church Christ give His life for that does not know that this kind of teaching is going on in the religious world, often even in the congregation they attend, and they do not seem to care. When I first became a Christian in the fifty, most Christians know the Bible and would do all they could to teach any person that was in err; now it often does not seem to be so.
PREMILLENNIAL DOCTRINE IS A SYSTEM(S) OF INTERPRETATION, WHICH INVOLVES MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WHOLE BIBLE, AND DETERMINES THE PRESENT PURPOSE OF GOD. Premillennial beliefs make God and Christ to have failed in their plan to setup the kingdom because of the rejection of Christ by the Jews. It makes the church to be something God set up as a substitution. It makes two resurrections, one of the just, which is most often said to be at the second coming of Christ; and a second resurrection of the lost a thousand years after the coming of Christ and the first resurrection. Some versions of Premillennial doctrines make Christ be nothing more than a glorified man. Some versions make Christ and all the saved to live on earth for all eternity with a body much as we now have. In short, it is a system of faith that has little in common with the New Testament. THE PREMILLENNIAL DOCTRINE IS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT GOD CAN AND DID FAIL TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL. If both God and Christ did not fail, the Premillennial belief is completely destroyed.
THERE ARE MANY DIVISIONS IN PREMILLENNIAL BELIEFS, AN ASTOUNDING LACK OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THEMSELVES. In fact, there are so many different variations of the Millennium theories that it would be impossible to accurately define what is meant by Premillennial. That which one person believes and calls Premillennial will be completely alien to that which another person believes and calls Premillennial. One book on Premillennial beliefs will have only a few similarity and many disagreements with another book on Premillennial beliefs.
Most Premillennialists believe it was prophesied that Christ was to set up an earthly kingdom on the throne of David and reign from Jerusalem, but because the Jews rejected Him the establishment of the kingdom was put off unto after His second coming and the church was established instead, but only as a temporary substitution. The Jews will be restored, and the temple rebuilt.
Some Premillennialists tell us that God planned for Christ to set up the kingdom of Heaven when He came, but His rejection by the Jews was a surprise to God, therefore, He set up the church as a substitution and at that time made plains to set up the kingdom of Heaven at the second coming of Christ. But, other Premillennialists give us many passages to show that God foretold of the kingdom to be set up at the second coming of Christ. HOW COULD GOD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT THE KINGDOM WOULD NOT BE SET UP UNTO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND AT THE SAME TIME FORETOLD IT? This Premillennial belief makes Christ a failure. He failed to set up the kingdom He came to set up. DO NOT BELIEVE THIS FOR CHRIST DID WHAT HE CAME TO DO. HE CAME TO FULFILL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS, WHICH INCLUDED SETTING UP THE KINGDOM, AND HE DID.
MOST PREMILLENNIALISTS BELIEVE CHRIST DID NOT EXIST UNTO HIS BIRTH.
APOCALYPTIC OR EARLY MILLENNIUM BELIEFS: There were much Apocalyptic writing in the time between the Testaments and in the first century, which was believed by many Jews and the early Christians were influenced by it. The early Millennium beliefs were that there was a dualistic world of both good and evil but the good would in time overcome the evil. The Apocalyptic Premillennial belief again became somewhat popular in the nineteenth century.
MEDIEVAL ALLEGORICAL OR HISTORIC PREMILLENNIALISTS BELIEF: Satan was lord over the world and Christ over the Church. There was an ongoing battle between the two, but the battle has already been won through the cross and eventually what domain was left to Satan would be taken from him. The church will stay on earth and go through the tribulation period. Augustine's allegorical view was the view of many in middle ages and the reformation, and it is still believed by some today. It was the official belief of the medieval church. However, there were groups of Apocalyptic Millennialists after the Medieval Age, mostly under charismatic leaders and were often associated with radicalism and counterculture groups.
CLASSICAL OR UNMODIFIED DISPENSATIONAL belief is a radical division of the Apocalyptic Premillennialists, which teach there are seven distinct periods and God deals with man according to different principles in each of the periods. This view was first taught by John Nelson Darby about 1800 to 1880 and became well know when Scofield put most of Darby's views in the Scofield Reference Bible. Belief of Premillennialists goes back to about the third century. The belief of Dispensationalists begin with John Darby. WHEN A DOCTRINE IS KNOWN TO HAVE AN ORIGIN EIGHTEEN CENTURIES AFTER THE NEW TESTAMENT, SHOULD NOT ALL KNOW IT COULD NOT BE FROM THE BIBLE? In the past, The Dispensational doctrine was taught mostly by Pentecostal and Holiness churches but has now become wider spread. It seems to have become the most accepted version of Premillennial doctrines and has now spread to many churches.
Some of the basic views of Dispensationalists.
PROGRESS OR MODIFIED DISPENSATIONAL PREMILLENNIALISTS have called in question and abandoned some of the teaching of classical dispensational beliefs.
POSTMILLENNIALISTS believe the thousand years, like many things in Revelation, is not to be taken literally, but symbolical of a long period of time. Unlike many Premillennialists, most post Millennialists do not believe there will be a literally thousand years. Christ is now ruling as King and Priest [Hebrews 7] in the church, and eventually, the whole world will become Christians, and there will be a long period of peace. Christ will return after this time of peace. This Postmillennial belief was the dominant view among Protestants from the Reformation unto after the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible in 1909.
Premillennialists or Postmillennialists
THE RAPTURE: But which rapture?
"COVENANT THEOLOGY" is that God covenant of grace remains the same in all the seven dispensations throughout the Old and New Testaments as opposed to the different purposes for each of the seven dispensations of Dispensational beliefs. Covenant Theology especially believe Israel and the church are under the same covenant of grace as opposed to both being under different covenants of grace as Dispensational Premillennialists believe them to be.
PRETERISTS (full) view is that the second coming of Christ has already taken place along with the great tribulation, the rapture and the final judgment occurred in A. D. 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed and no second coming of Christ, no resurrection, no tribulation is yet to come, and the old heavens and earth completely passed away and now we are living in the new heavens and earth; the Great Commission has been completely fulfilled. The A. D. 70 theory called "Realized Eschatology" seems to be a renewal of the Preterits belief under a new name. Realized Eschatology teaches that Christ came in A. D. 70, all prophecies were fulfilled at that time, the Old Testament saints were resurrected, and all that are in Christ go to be with Christ (supposedly in Heaven) at the moment of their death.
PRETERISTS (partial) view is that Christ did come in judgment on Israel in A. D. 70 and came in judgment on others nations, but the judgment of all at the second coming of Christ is yet to come.
AMILLENNIALIAL VIEW believes the thousand years (ten time ten times ten, a full or complete period of time; ten in the Bible denotes a fullness, a thousand denotes a large indefinite number, God owns the cattle on a thousand hills Psalms 50:10) are symbolic of a long period of time, which begin with the establishment of the kingdom of God or Heaven (the church) in A. D. 30 and will last unto the return of Christ when the kingdom will be delivered up to God [1 Corinthians 15:24]. Amillennialists believe the "signs of the times" (tribulation, apostasy, the spirit of the Antichrist, etc.) to be marks of this present time, and there will not be a "golden age" of unprecedented gospel victory over all the earth before His return. The symbolism of the binding of Satan in Revelation 20 refers to Satan being limited by the victory of Christ over death.
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES view of the Millennium is that 144,000 will be chosen to go to Heaven and with Christ rule over all others who will be on earth. Also, all will be given a second chance in the Millennium.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST view of the Millennium is that the Millennium will be in Heaven. During the thousand years the saints will be in Heaven, and at the end of the Millennium a Holy City will descend from Heaven and the saved will live a wonderful life in it forever. Their Heaven will be on this earth. The resurrection and destruction of the wicked will be at the end of the Millennium. They believe that at the second coming of Christ the unrighteous will be kill, the righteous will be taken back to Heaven for a thousand years. During the thousand years only Satan and his angels will inhabit the earth. At the end of the thousand years Christ will return to earth with the saved and the unrighteous will be raised for judgment. Satan gathers his angels and with the help of the resurrected unrighteous will attempt to interfere with the judgment. They will be destroyed. No seven-year rapture.
LATTER-DAY SAINTS (Mormons) view of the Millennium is that Christ will destroy the wicked at His coming and the earth will be transformed to a terrestrial glory, as they believe it was before Adam's sin. During the thousand years, life on earth will be about as it is now but without sin, poverty, or crime. They will have children, build houses, and in all ways go about life as now. With their "new revelations" they add many more details, to many to list in the space I have. After the Millennium, they have three degrees of glory. The highest will be the celestial glory that will be on this earth, which will have the things the earth now has, cities, rivers, animals, etc. The Terrestrial and Celestial glories will not be on earth, but I have not found where they tell where these two glories will be. All that are not Mormons will be in one of the two. Only the few who were Mormons and fell away will be cast in outer darkness where there is no glory, but what happens to them seems not to have been made known at this time; or just not made known to those who are not Mormons; they keep much of their beliefs from those who are not Mormons.
THE TEN LOST TRIBES ARE ENGLAND, WHICH IS THE REAL ISRAEL TODAY! I found it difficult to believe, and I think many will find this just as difficult to believe as I did; yet there is a rather large group within the Millennium beliefs that believe that the Anglo-Saxons Race is the true Israel. Richard Brothers was the originator, and it was later spread by Piazzi Smyth. There are books both pro and con on this theory. Perhaps the best book in defense of this theory is by Professor E. Odlum, "God's Covenant Man: British Israel." This was taught by Herbert W. Armstrong of the Church of God. For those who would like to know more of this theory, Foy E. Wallace, Jr. in "God's Prophetic Word" Pages 386-450 is good. That the Anglo-Saxon race is the ten tribes of Israel is completely contrary to the history of the origin of that race. The Mormons make a similar claim, that the Americans Indians are the lost ten tribes.
SOME PREMILLENNIALISTS BELIEVE CHRIST WILL GO BACK TO HEAVEN WITH THE SAVED AFTER THE THOUSAND YEARS, SOME AFTER A THOUSAND AND SEVEN YEARS. They believe the judgment will be after the Millennium, after the thousand years of the kingdom on earth, and the believers will go to Heaven and the lost will go to Hell.
THERE ARE SOME PREMILLENNIALISTS THAT BELIEVE CHRIST WILL RULE FROM HEAVEN, BUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE ON THIS EARTH.
"THAT THE FLESHLY AND SUBLUNARY STATE IS NOT TO TERMINATE WITH THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, BUT TO BE THEN SET UP IN A NEW FORM; WHEN, WITH HIS GLORIFIED SAINTS, THE REDEEMER WILL REIGN IN PERSON ON THE THRONE OF DAVID AT JERUSALEM FOR A THOUSAND YEARS, OVER A WORLD OF MEN YET IN THE FLESH, EATING AND DRINKING, PLANTING AND BUILDING, MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE, UNDER THIS MYSTERIOUS SWAY. This is Premillennialism, or - as the early fathers, and after them the reformers and our elder divines, termed it - Chiliasm...I have said, for example, that they expect the saints, in glorified bodies, to be associated with Christ in his Millennial reign; but what saints, is not agreed. The early chiliasts - so far as I have been able to gather their views - thought that those whom Christ will find alive at his coming would be left below during the thousand years, and only such as had died before his coming would appear with him in glory. A few in modern times are of the same opinion, postponing the change of the living saints till the end of the Millennium. But, the great majority of modern Premillennialists hold that the saints of both classes - the dead by resurrection, and the living in instantaneous transformation - will appear with Christ in glory at the beginning of the Millennium. Again, I have said they look for a reign over a world of men in flesh and blood; but what men, is not agreed. The moderns, for the most part, expect the restoration of the Jews to Palestine, and their supremacy over the nations of the earth: while the early chilants appear to have agreed with their opponents, that Christianity had forever abolished Jewish peculiarities; and though they were termed Judaizers, this was not, so far as I can observe, because they contended for any Millennial supremacy of Jew over Gentiles, but because their system Judaized Christianity itself. In a word, I have said they expect a reign upon earth of Christ and his glorified saints; but whether actually upon the earth, or only over and hovering above it, in the air, and whether visibly or invisibly - whether the ruled will see their rulers, and, if so, to what extent, whether fully or but partially, whether always or only at time - is by no means agreed." David Brown, "Christ's Second Coming: Will It Be Premillennial?" Pages 6-7, 1858.
But, other Premillennialists believe Christ will rule from Heaven but the kingdom of God will be on this earth. Some Premillennialists believe Christ will go back to Heaven with the saved after the thousand years. They believe the judgment will be after the Millennium, after the thousand years of the kingdom on earth, and the believers will go to Heaven and the lost will either go to Hell or be totally destroyed.
Many believe there will be a rapture in which the dead saints will be resurrected and both the living saints and the resurrected saints will be taken from the earth to be with Christ for seven years before the beginning of the thousand years.
MANY BELIEVES THERE WILL BE A SEVEN-YEAR RAPTURE in which the dead saints will be resurrected and both, the living saints, and those who would have been resurrected will be taken from the earth to be with Christ for seven years. After reading many pages by those who believe in the "rapture," I am thoroughly convinced that on this they are the in the company of the most divided and confused people on earth. I think it would be difficult to find any two that believe the same thing. Below is a list of some of the major versions of the rapture, but within each of these versions most have their own view that is different in one or more ways then any of the others who say they believe the same view. The incompatibility of the many versions of the Millennium doctrines is, to say the least, amazing.
SOME OF THE SEVEN-YEAR RAPTURE VERSIONS
THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. Most think it is the 70th week of Daniel's 70 weeks in Daniel 9. There is little or no unity of teaching on what will happen in this "week." About all that most do agree on is that it will be a bad time to be on earth. Many see the nations that exist today, the U. S., Russia and others being in the tribulation. For years in the recent past Russia was seen to have a large part it in the tribulation, but now few see Russia in it. Every uprising or war and every natural disaster is seen as a sure sign that the Millennium is near only to be replaced by new ones when they become past history.
AFTER THE MILLENNIUM. Most, but not all, Millennialists believe Christ will forever be on earth and will rule in the "new Jerusalem." The earth will be restored to be as it was before Adam sinned. It seems few Millennialists believe anyone will be in Heaven, but at their funerals most have gone to Heaven to be with the others that have gone before them. Others believe mankind will forever be on the earth and no person will ever be in Heaven, but Christ will rule the earth from Heaven.
The basic views (in general) of Premillennialists.
Premillennialism, the God who failed to be God, the God that was defected by man.
THROUGH OUT THIS ARTICLE, WHEN I SAY, "Millennialists believe" IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT MANY OF THEM DO BELIEVE, BUT ALSO SOMETHING THAT SOME OF THEM MAY NOT BELIEVE. THERE IS A SUCH DISAGREEMENT AMONG THEM THAT NOTHING IS BELIEVED BY ALL.
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"We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see His just as He is" [1 John 3:2]. Christ now, while He is at the right hand of God in Heaven has a spiritual body and this is how we will see Him when He returns. Not the nature He had when He had for about 33 years when He was in the image of Adam (an earthly body as Adam), but the nature He has now while He is at the right hand of God in Heaven. What Christ is like now is what He will be like "when He appears." The body He now has and will have at that time is basis to understand what we shall be after the resurrection.
THE NATURE OF CHRIST BEFORE HE BECAME FLESH, the God who made us and all things.
"Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image" [Genesis 1:26].
"IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD [CHRIST], AND THE WORD [CHRIST] WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD [CHRIST] WAS GOD. HE [CHRIST] WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD. ALL THINGS CAME INTO BEING BY HIM [CHRIST], AND APART FROM HIM [CHRIST] NOTHING CAME INTO BEING THAT HAS COME INTO BEING. IN HIM [CHRIST] WAS LIFE, AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN...HE [CHRIST] WAS IN THE WORLD AND THE WORLD WAS MADE THROUGH HIM [CHRIST]...AND THE WORD [CHRIST] BECAME FLESH, AND DWELLED AMONG US" [JOHN 1:1-14].
John states three facts in such a simple way that a child could understand them.
Then he restates it so that no one could misunderstand what he had said.
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich" [2 Corinthians 8:9]
His claim to being equal with God was even acknowledged by His enemies, but they called it blasphemy [John 5:17; 5:18; 8:58-59; 10:33-36]. If, as some Premillennialists tell us that Christ did not exist unto His birth, it would have been blasphemy and a sin to make Himself equal with God. Therefore, if He did not exist before His birth, He did blaspheme and He was a sinner just as we are and His death did not save us from our sins. But, some Premillennialists tell us that Christ did not exist unto His birth!!! Is there anyway God's word could say "the word" preexisted that they would believe? "The word" existed before time began.
ONLY GOD IS TO BE WORSHIPED. NO MAN OR ANGEL IS TO BE WORSHIPED, BUT CHRIST IS WORSHIPED [Isaiah 45:21-23; Matthew 2:1; 14:33; 28:9; 28:17; Luke 24:51-52; John 9:37-38; Acts 7:59; 1 Corinthians 16:22; Philippians 2:11-11; 1 Timothy 1:12; Revelation 1:17; 5:8-14; many more]. IF CHRIST WERE NOT GOD, BUT ACCEPTED OR ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE WORSHIPED, HE WOULD BE PUTTING HIMSELF IN THE PLACE OF GOD WHEN HE WAS ONLY A MAN. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BLASPHEMING AS THE JEWS FREQUENTLY ACCUSED HIM OF DOING [Mark 2:6-8; John 5:18].
JESUS IS THE "I AM"
"Before Abraham was born, I AM" [John 8:58].
"But he said unto them, I AM, be not afraid" [John 6:20; Matthew 14:27; Mark 6:50]. "It is I" in many English translations, but "I AM" in the Greek. See Alfred Marshall "Parallel New Testament In Greek And English," Page 46.
Barnes Notes on the New Testament, Colossians 1:16. "He does not declare that he created all things in the spiritual kingdom of God, or that he arranged the events of the gospel dispensation...but that everything was created by him...There could not possibly be a more explicit declaration, the universe was created by Christ, than this. As if the simple declaration in the most comprehensive terms were not enough, the apostle goes into a specification of things existing in heaven and earth, and so varies the statement as if to prevent the possibility of mistake...There could not be a more positive declaration than this, that the universe was created by Christ; and if so, he is Divine. The work of creation is the exertion of the highest power to which we can form a conception, and is often appealed to in the Scriptures by God to prove that he is Divine, in contradistinction from idols...The assertion is, the 'creative' power of Christ was exerted on 'all things.' It is not in reference to angels only, or to man, or to Jews, or to Gentiles; it is in relation to 'everything in heaven and on earth.'"
Adam Clarke Commentary on Colossians 1:15-16. "Verse 15. Who is the image of the invisible God. The counterpart of God Almighty, and if the image of the invisible God, consequently, nothing that appeared in him could be that image; for if it could be visible in the Son, it could also be visible in the Father; but if the Father be invisible, consequently, his image in the Son must be invisible also. This is that form of God of which he divested himself; the ineffable glory in which he not only did not appear, as to its splendor and accompaniments, but concealed also its essential nature; that inaccessible light which no man, no created being, can possibly see. This was that Divine nature, the fullness of the Godhead bodily, which dwelled in him. The first-born of every creature. I suppose this phrase to mean the same as that, Philippians 2:9: God has given him a name which is above every name; he is as man at the head of all the creation of God; nor can he with any propriety be considered as a creature, having himself created all things, and existed before anything was made. If it be said that God created him first, and that he, by a delegated power from God, created all things, this is most flatly contradicted by the apostle's reasoning in the 16th and 17th verses. Colossians 1:16,17 As the Jews term Jehovah becoro shel olam, the first-born of all the world, or of all the creation, to signify his having created or produced all things; (see Wolfius in loc.) so Christ is here termed, and the words which follow in the 16th and 17th Colossians 1:16,17 verses are the proof of this. The phraseology is Jewish; and as they apply it to the supreme Being merely to denote his eternal preexistence, and to point him out as the cause of all things; it is most evident that St. Paul uses it in the same way, and illustrates his meaning in the following words, which would be absolutely absurd if we could suppose that by the former he intended to convey any idea of the inferiority of Jesus Christ. Verse 16. For by him were all things created, two verses contain parts of the same subject. I shall endeavor to distinguish the statements of the apostle, and reason from them in such a way as the premises shall appear to justify, without appealing to any other scripture in proof of the doctrine, which I suppose these verses to vindicate. Four things are here asserted: 1. That Jesus Christ is the Creator of the universe; of all things visible and invisible; of all things that had a beginning, whether they exist in time or in eternity. 2. That whatsoever was created was created FOR himself; that he was the sole end of his own work. 3. That he was prior to all creation, to all beings, whether in the visible or invisible world. 4. That he is the preserver and governor of all things; for by him all things consist. Now, allowing St. Paul to have understood the terms which he used, he must have considered Jesus Christ as being truly and properly God. I. Creation is the proper work of an infinite, unlimited, and unoriginated Being; possessed of all perfection's in their highest degrees; capable of knowing, willing, and working infinitely, unlimitedly, and without control: and as creation signifies the production of being where all was absolute nonentity, so it necessarily implies that the Creator acted of and from himself; for as, previously to this creation, there was no being, consequently, he could not be actuated by any motive, reason, or impulse, without himself; which would argue there was some being to produce the motive or impulse, or to give the reason. Creation, therefore, is the work of him who is unoriginated, infinite, unlimited, and eternal. But, Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things, therefore, Jesus Christ must be, according to the plain construction of the apostle's words, truly and properly GOD. II. As, previously to creation, there was no being but God, consequently, the great First Cause must, in the exertion of his creative energy, have respect to himself alone; for he could no more have respect to that which had no existence, than he could be moved by nonexistence, to produce existence or creation. The Creator, therefore, must make everything FOR himself. Should it be objected that Christ created officially or by delegation, I answer: This is impossible; for, as creation requires absolute and unlimited power, or omnipotence, there can be but one Creator; because it is impossible that there can be two or more Omnipotents, Infinities, or Eternals. It is therefore, evident that creation cannot be effected officially, or by delegation, for this would imply a Being conferring the office, and delegating such power; and that the Being to whom it was delegated was a dependent Being; consequently, not unoriginated and eternal; but this the nature of creation proves to be absurd. 1. The thing being impossible in itself, because no limited being could produce a work that necessarily requires omnipotence. 2. It is impossible, because, if omnipotence be delegated, he to whom it is delegated had it not before, and he who delegates it ceases to have it, and consequently ceases to be GOD; and the other to whom it was delegated becomes God, because such attributes as those with which he is supposed to be invested are essential to the nature of God. On this supposition God ceases to exist, though infinite and eternal, and another not naturally infinite and eternal becomes such; and thus, an infinite and eternal Being ceases to exist, and another infinite and eternal Being is produced in time, and has a beginning, which is absurd. Therefore, as Christ is the Creator, he did not create by delegation, or in any official way. Again, if he had created by delegation or officially, it would have been for that Being who gave him that office, and delegated to him the requisite power; but the text says that all things were made BY him and FOR him, which is a demonstration that the apostle understood Jesus Christ to be truly and essentially God. III. As all creation necessarily exists in time, and had a commencement, and there was an infinite duration in which it did not exist, whatever was before or prior to that must be no part of creation; and the Being who existed prior to creation, and before all things-all existence of every kind, must be the unoriginated and eternal God: but St. Paul says, Jesus Christ was before all things; ergo, the apostle conceived Jesus Christ to be truly and essentially God. IV. As every effect depends upon its cause, and cannot exist without it; so creation, which is an effect of the power and skill of the Creator, can only exist and be preserved by a continuance of that energy that first gave it being. Hence, God, as the Preserver, is as necessary to the continuance of all things, as God the Creator was to their original production. But, this preserving or continuing power is here ascribed to Christ, for the apostle says, And by him do all things consist; for as all being was derived from him as its cause, so all being must subsist by him, as the effect subsists by and through its cause. This is another proof that the apostle considered Jesus Christ to be truly and properly God, as he attributes to him the preservation of all created things, which property of preservation belongs to God alone; ergo, Jesus Christ is, according to the plain obvious meaning of every expression in this text, truly, properly, independently, and essentially God. Such are the reasonings to which the simple letter of these two verses necessarily leads me. I own it is possible that I may have misapprehended this awful subject, for humanum est errare et nescire; but I am not conscious of the slightest intentional flaw in the argument. Taking, therefore, the apostle as an uninspired man, giving his own view of the Author of the Christian religion, it appears, beyond all controversy, that himself believed Christ Jesus to be God; but considering him as writing under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, then we have, from the plain grammatical meaning of the words which he has used, the fullest demonstration (for the Spirit of God cannot lie) that he who died for our sins and rose again for our justification, and in whose blood we have redemption, was GOD over all. And as God alone can give salvation to men, and God only can remit sin; hence with the strictest propriety we are commanded to believe on the Lord Jesus, with the assurance that we shall be saved. Glory be to God for this unspeakable gift!"
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Luke 24:46: "And He said unto them, THUS, IT IS WRITTEN, THAT THE CHRIST SHOULD SUFFER AND RISE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD THE THIRD DAY." HOW COULD THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST ON THE THIRD DAY BE WRITTEN WHEN PREMILLENNIALISTS TELL US THAT NOT EVEN GOD KNEW ABOUT THE REJECTION AND DEATH OF CHRIST? YET, CHRIST SPEAKS OF IT REPEATEDLY AND REPEATEDLY SAYS IT WAS WRITTEN. GOD, CHRIST AND THE PROPHETS DID KNOW, WHICH MAKES NOT POSSIBLE THE CLAIM OF PREMILLENNIALISTS THAT GOD DID INTEND TO RESTORE THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL AT THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST BUT AGAINST HIS WILL GOD HAD TO PUT IT OFF BECAUSE THE JEWS REJECTED HIM AND PUT HIM TO DEATH. There are many prophecies about Christ in the Old Testament. Prophecies about:
It is repeatedly said the prophesies knew beforehand and wrote of the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ, yet Millennialists say not so, not God or the prophets knew. "For I delivered unto your first of all that which also I received: THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES; AND THAT HE WAS BURIED; AND THAT HE HAS BEEN RAISED ON THE THIRD DAY ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES" [1 Corinthians 15:3-4]. The scriptures Paul was speaking of was the Old Testament scriptures. How was the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus "according to the scriptures" if not even God foreknow about it?
Psalms 22:1; 16-18: "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?...They pierced My hands and My feet...They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots." Psalms 69:21: "They also give Me gall for My food, and for My thirst they give Me vinegar to drink."
Psalms 2: "Why do the nations rage, and the peoples meditate a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Jehovah, and against his anointed, saying, let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sits in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision. Then will he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure: yet I have set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion. I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, You are my son; This day have I begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the nations (footnote: Gentiles) for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession."
Isaiah 7:14: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name IMMANUEL (God with us)." "Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name IMMANUEL (God with us)" [Matthew 2:22-23: Luke 1:26-35].
Isaiah 9:6-7: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with righteousness from henceforth, even forever."
Isaiah 53: "Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed? For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and Jehovah has lain on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who among them considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet, it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." THIS CHAPTER OF ISAIAH IS A DEATH BLOW TO THE MILLENNIUM TEACHING THAT CHRIST WAS TO RESTORE THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL, BUT BECAUSE THE JEWS REJECTED CHRIST AND PUT HIM TO DEATH, RESTORING ISRAEL AND THE KINGDOM WAS PUT OFF UNTO THE SECOND COMING. It is quoted and applied to Jesus as being fulfilled in Christ by six people in the New Testament.
Millennialists tell us that Christ came to establish a temporal kingdom of Israel but did not establish it because He was rejected by the Jews, but He will establish it when He comes a second time. YET, THEY TELL US CHRIST WAS REJECTED BECAUSE HE DID NOT ESTABLISH THE TEMPORAL KINGDOM OF ISRAEL HE CAME TO ESTABLISH, WHICH WAS THE VERY KIND OF KINGDOM THE JEWS WERE LOOKING FOR. Which way was it? It could not be both ways. According to Millennialists, He came to establish the kind of kingdom they were looking for and wanted, but they rejected Him because of it. If He came to establish the kingdom of Israel the Jews were looking for, why did they reject Him? Premillennialists now teach the same error the Jews believed, that the Christ was to set up an earthly kingdom of Jews. If Christ were just a man, as many Millennialists tell us he was, would the kingdom He set up of Jews has lasted any longer then the kingdom David set up? What would have happened to the kingdom after His death? The Jews would have had an earthly kingdom, but what would have happened to each Jew after his or her death? IF THE JEWS HAD NOT REJECTED CHRIST, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT TO DEATH. IF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN RESURRECTED, THERE WOULD BE NO RESURRECTION FOR ANYONE, NO RESURRECTION FOR JEW OR GENTILE. DID SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE COME BECAUSE OF SOMETHING GOD DID NOT FORESEE?
1 Corinthians 10:3-4: "And did all eat the same spiritual food; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drink of a spiritual rock that followed them: AND THE ROCK WAS CHRIST." "The Christ" footnote in American Standard Version. "The Anointed One" in the Christian Bible. Or as most Premillennialists would say, "The Messiah." The point Paul was making is that the Corinthians thought that the relationship they had with God was guaranteed because they believed Christ and He would look out for them, but he points out to them that the Jews had the very same privileges, that Christ was looking out for them, but many of them fell in the wilderness for God was not pleased with them. This clearly shows the preexistence of "the Messiah," and that the Messiah (Christ) accompanied the Jews all through the forty years in the wilderness. "WE MUST NOT PUT CHRIST TO THE TEST, AS SOME OF THEM DID, and were destroyed by serpents" [1 Corinthians 10:9 New Revised Standard Version]. "NOR LET US TEMPT CHRIST, AS SOME OF THEM ALSO TEMPTED" [New King James Version]. Verse 9, "Neither let us tempt Christ."
Adam Clarke: "Christ: this was the Rock that followed them, and ministered to them; and this view of the subject is rendered more probably by what is said 1 Corinthians 10:9, that they tempted Christ, and were destroyed by serpents...that Christ is intended by the spiritual rock that followed them: and that it was he, not the rock, that did follow or accompany the Israelites in the wilderness. This was the angel of God's presence who was with the Church in the wilderness, to whom our fathers would not obey, as St. Stephen says, Acts 7:38,39...And this affords no mean proof that the person who is called Yehovah in the Old Testament, is called Christ in the New. By tempting Christ is meant disbelieving the providence and goodness of God; and presuming to prescribe to him how he should send them the necessary supplies, and of what kind they should be." Notes on 1 Corinthians 10:1-9.
Isaiah 6:1-10; John 12:41: "Jesus" in John 12:41 is the "Jehovah" of Isaiah 6:1-10. Albert Barnes says, "In the prophecy, Isaiah is said expressly to have seen JEHOVAH, Ver. 1, and in ver. 5: 'Mine eyes have seen the king, JEHOVAH of hosts.' By his glory is meant the manifestation of him, the shechinah, or visible cloud that was a representation to God, and that rested over the mercy-seat. This was regarded as equivalent to seeing God; and John here expressly applies this to the Lord Jesus Christ. For he is not affirming that the people did not believe in God, but is assigning the reason why they believe not on Jesus Christ as the Messiah. The whole discourse and illustration has respect to the Lord Jesus, and the natural construction of the passage requires us to refer it to him. John affirms that it was the glory of Messiah that Isaiah saw, and yet Isaiah affirms that it was JEHOVAH. And from this, the inference if irresistible that John regarded Jesus as the Jehovah, whom Isaiah saw. The name Jehovah is never in the Scriptures applied to a man, or an angel, or to any creature. It is the peculiar, incommunicable name of God. So great was the reverence of the Jews for that name that they would not even pronounce it. This passage is, therefore, conclusive proof that Christ is equal with the Father." Barnes' Notes on John 12:41. Adam Clarke says, "It appears evident from this passage, that the glory which the prophet saw was the glory of Jehovah; John, therefore, saying here that it was the glory of Jesus, shows that he considered Jesus to be Jehovah."
Isaiah 11:10: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse that stands for an ensign of the people, UNTO HIM SHALL THE GENTILES SEEK; and his resting place shall be glorious." Romans 15:12: "And again, Isaiah says, 'There shall be the root of Jesse, and he that arises to rule over the Gentiles; on him shall the Gentiles hope.'" It is now that Isaiah said the Gentiles shall seek Him, therefore, God knew long before about both the rejection of Christ and about the church.
Isaiah 40:3: "The voice of one that cries, 'Prepare you in the wilderness the way of JEHOVAH; make level in the desert a highway for our GOD.'" In both Matthew 3:3 and Mark 1:3, John the Baptist says this was spoken of Jesus; therefore, JESUS is the JEHOVAH and GOD of Isaiah 40:3.
Psalms 45:6; Psalms 102 - Hebrews 1:6-12: "And let all the angels of God worship HIM...but of the Son he says 'Your throne, O GOD, is forever and ever.'" Would God commanded the angels to worship someone who was just a man, just a created being, when throughout the Bible we are taught not to worship a man or any created being or thing? THE FACT THAT GOD SAID WORSHIP HIM AND HE IS CALLED "GOD" IN BOTH THE GREEK AND THE HEBREW (PSALMS 45:6) PROVE THAT HE IS NOT A CREATED BEING. But, the writer of Hebrews does not stop. Speaking of Jesus he says, "You Lord, in the beginning did lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hand: they shall perish; but you continue: and they all shall wax old a does a garment: and as a mantle shall you roll them up, as a garment, and they shall be changed; but you are the same, and your years shall not fail" (A quotation from Psalms 102:25-27). A clear statement that Christ made everything that has been made, and that He is eternal. PSALMS 102 IS A PRAYER TO GOD. IN IT GOD IS PRAISED (see verse one). It is addressed to Jehovah. "BUT YOU, O JEHOVAH, WILL ABIDE FOREVER; And Your memorial name to all generations" [102:12 American Standard Version]. "For He has looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did JEHOVAH behold the earth" [102:19]. "I said, O MY GOD, take me not away in the midst of my days: your years are throughout all generations. Of old you did lay the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of your hands. They shall perish, but you shall endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a garment shall you change them, and they shall be changed: but you are the same, and your years shall have no end" [Psalms 102:24-27]. The earth came from nothing and will go back to nothing, but God remains the same. We learn from the writer of Hebrews that this is speaking of the Lord Jesus. He is speaking of Jesus the Son of the Father [Hebrews 1:1-14]. In Hebrews 1:10-12 he quotes Psalms 102:25-27 and applied it to Christ. "And You, LORD, in the beginning did lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands: they shall perish; but you continues: and they all shall wax old as does a garment: and as a mantle shall you roll them up, as a garment, and they shall be changed: but you are the same, and your years shall not fail" [Hebrews 1:10-12]. The Hebrew writer takes this prayer, which is a prayer to God and applied it to Christ. If Christ were just a created being, this would be blasphemy.
Psalms 110 - Matthew 22:43-44: "What think you of the Christ? Whose son is he? They say unto him, the son of David. He said unto them, How then does David in the spirit call him Lord, saying, 'The Lord said unto my Lord, set you on my right hand, till I put your enemies underneath your feet?" The question is how can the Christ be both David's Lord and David's son. They believed the Christ would be born of the seed of David and reign over them. How then could He be David's Lord when He would be born long after the death of David? They could not answer Him. Those that believe Christ did not preexist before His birth must answer the question the Pharisees could not answer; the question that made them not dare ask Him any more questions [Matthew 22:46]. Neither can anyone that believes Christ did not preexist before His birth answer it.
Isaiah 40:3: "A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our GOD.'" Both Matthew and Mark says this was spoken about John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for Jesus ("a highway for our God") [Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3].
Micah 5:2: "From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, FROM THE DAYS OF ETERNITY" New American Standard Bible. ["Have been from of old, FROM EVERLASTING" King James Version]. Christ existed from eternity, not as Millennialists say, "Only from His birth."
"THE ANGEL OF JEHOVAH" appeared frequently in the Old Testament, and is called, "angel of Jehovah," "Jehovah," and "God." He possesses characteristics that can only belong to deity, and he accepted worship, which created angels did not [Revelation 22:8-9]. He is called "God" or "Jehovah" a number of times. See Genesis 16:7-13, 22:11-18; 31:13; 48:14; Exodus 3:2-22; [Joshua 5:13-15 and Judges 6:13-24] Judges 2:1-3; Zechariah 3:11; [Genesis 32:30 and Hosea 12:4-5].
The Angel of Jehovah appeared to Hagar:
The Angel of Jehovah appeared to Abraham:
The Angel of Jehovah appeared to Jacob:
The Angel of Jehovah appeared to Moses:
The Angel of Jehovah appeared to Joshua:
The Angel of Jehovah appeared to Judah when under the leadership of Joshua:
The Angel of Jehovah appeared to Gideon:
The Angel of Jehovah appeared to Muons wife:
Jesus said, "Before Abraham was born, I AM" [John 8:58]. "The origin and meaning of the name Jehovah are especially brought out in relation to Israel. When Moses at the burning bush says to God: 'Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The Elohim of your fathers has sent me unto you; and they shall say unto me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them?' And the Lord said to Moses, 'I am that I am.' The words could be rendered, 'I will be that I will be,' and often the word is used in that sense, 'I will be with thee.' Its origin is exactly the same as that of Jehovah--being, existence--and certainly denotes the One who will always be: personal, continuous, absolute existence." Nathan J. Stone "Names of God" Page 20. In Exodus 3:13-15 "The angel of Jehovah" says he is "I am that I am." MOST CONSERVATIVE BIBLE SCHOLARS AGREE THAT THE ANGEL OF JEHOVAH THAT IS USED OFTEN IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IS CHRIST.
There are other passage where the Angel of Jehovah is found, but these are more than enough to show Christ was working throughout the Old Testament. See Judges 13:1-22; Genesis 48:15-16; 32:28; 32;24; Exodus 23:20-21; 32:34; Isaiah 63:8-9. The angel of Jehovah is God, but He is distinguished from God the father, yet they are one God.
THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES THAT IDOLATRY IS A SIN. IT MAY BE THE MOST CONDEMNED SIN IN THE BIBLE. The word of God is clear that only God is to be worshiped. Not other gods, idols, nothing in His creation, images, saints, angels, or Satan [Matthew 4:10]. Yet the Angel of Jehovah accepted worship, which created angels did not [Revelation 22:8-9]. Christ is WORSHIPPED through out the New Testament by many with no rebuked.
"Worthy is the Lamb that has been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things are in them, heard I saying, Unto him that sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb, be the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and WORSHIPPED" [Revelation 5:12-14].
The Bible is clear in it's teaching that only God is to be worshipped [Exodus 34:14; Psalms 81:9; 97:7; Isaiah 42:8; 48:11; Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8; Revelation 19:10]. Jesus is worshipped. If He is not deity, to worship Him would be a sin and His accepting worship would make Him a sinner. If Millennialists were right when they teach He is not deity, the New Testament must be thrown out for it is a fraud, and Christ must be completely rejected. "Thus says JEHOVAH, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, JEHOVAH of hosts; I am the first, and the last; and besides me there is no God." Isaiah 44:6 is quoted and applied to Christ in Revelation 1:17.
THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS
"Behold, the days come, SAYS JEHOVAH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt...But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these days, SAYS JEHOVAH: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, says Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more"[Jeremiah 31:31-34]. It was Jehovah that said He would take away the first. The writer of Hebrews applied this to Christ. "Then said I. Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do your will, O God. Saying above, Sacrifices and offering and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you would not, neither had pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law), then has HE [Christ] said, Lo, I am come to do your will. HE [Christ] takes away the first, that HE [Christ] may establish the second. By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all"[Hebrews 9:7-18]. It was Christ that took away the first covenant. A man could not take away a covenant made by God. "We have such a high priest,[Christ]...But now has he [Christ] obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as HE [Christ] is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted upon better promises. For if the first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second. For finding fault with them, HE [Christ] says, behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I [Christ] will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I [Christ] made with their fathers in the day that I [Christ] took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt; for they continued not in my covenant, and I [Christ] regarded them not, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I [Christ] will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I [Christ] will put my laws into their mind, and on their heart also will I [Christ] write them: and I [Christ] WILL BE TO THEM A GOD, and they shall be to me a people" [Hebrews 8:1-13]. "For where a testament (covenant) is, there must of necessity be the death of him that made it" [Hebrews 9:16]. It was by His death that the Lord made the covenant we are now under. "Lo, I [Christ] am come to do your will. HE [Christ] takes away the first, that he [Christ] may establish the second. By which will [covenant] we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest indeed stands day by day ministering and offering often times the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins; but HE [Christ], when HE [Christ] had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God"[Hebrews 10:9-13]. It was Christ (called "Jehovah" in Jeremiah 31:31-34) that took away the first covenant and made a new covenant. No man or angel could have taken the first covenant away, and no man of angel could make a new covenant for us. Jesus and God are one God. "I and the Father are one" [John 10:30]. "That they may be one, even as we are...that they may all be one; even as you, father, are in me, and I in you...that they may be one, even as we are one" [John 17:11-22]. We may not be able to understand the mystery of how one God is made up of three persons, but the Bible clearly teaches that the three are one. Nor can we understand the great mystery of how a husband and wife are one flesh [Ephesians 5:31-32].
"Thus says (first) JEHOVAH, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, (second) JEHOVAH of Hosts; I am the first, and the last; AND BESIDES ME THERE IS NO GOD (first and second Jehovah together)" [Isaiah 44:6]. "And besides me there is no God" is applied to both Jehovah's.
In the New Testament, God the Father calls the Son "God." "But of the Son [Christ] He [God the Farther] says, YOUR THRONE, O GOD [Christ], is forever and ever" [Hebrews 1:8; Psalms 45:6]. In this passage, God the Father calls Christ "God."
A FEW PREMILLENNIALISTS MAY BELIEVE IN THE PREEXISTENCE AND DEITY OF CHRIST, BUT THE PREDOMINATE BELIEF AMONG THEM IS THAT HE DID NOT EXIST BEFORE HIS BIRTH. THEY HAVE DENIED THAT CHRIST IS NOW OR EVER HAVE BEEN EQUAL WITH GOD AND DENIED THAT CHRIST HAD ANY PART IN MAKING THE EARTH AND MAN. With them, Satan has won. They have denied Christ.
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"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, 'God with us'" [Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6].
"And Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, your sins are forgiven. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why does this man thus speak? He blasphemes: who can forgive sins but one, even God?" [Mark 2:5-7].
"For this cause; therefore, the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only brake the Sabbath, but also called God his own father, making Himself equal with God" [John 5:18].
"But the man from whom the demons were gone out prayed him that he might be with him: but he sent him away, saying, Return to your house, and declare how great things GOD has done for you. And he went his way, publishing throughout the whole city how great things JESUS had done for him" [Luke 8:28-39].
"Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of man; and being found in fashion as a man. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" [Philippians 2:5-8].
"Looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" [Titus 2:13].
"But of the Son he says Your throne, O God, is forever and ever" [Hebrews 1:8].
"By the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ" [2 Peter 1:1].
Jesus said unto John, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of water of life freely. He that over comes shall inherit these things: and I will be his God, and he shall be my son" [Revelation 21:6-7].
"And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" [Colossians 1:15-17]. This passage tells up four things about Jesus.
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The theme of John's Gospel is Jesus who is God, was with God before the world was, came from God, made eternal life available to man, and went back to God. One cannot believe this Gospel and believe the view of many Millennialists that Jesus was just a man and did not exist before His birth.
JESUS THE WORD WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD - JESUS, THE WORD, WAS GOD- HE MADE ALL THING
EXISTED BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN
EQUAL WITH GOD - ONE WITH GOD
JESUS IS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN GOD
JESUS MADE HIMSELF OUT TO BE GOD
JESUS HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF
JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE-THE POWER TO GIVE AND SUSTAIN LIFE AND RAISE THE DEAD
JESUS WAS SENT BY GOD FROM HEAVEN - HAS SEEN GOD
JESUS CAME DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN - DESCENDED FROM HEAVEN
JESUS ASCENDING BACK TO HEAVEN WHERE HE WAS BEFORE
JESUS GOING TO HEAVEN TO PREPARE A PLACE OF US IN HEAVEN
"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" [John 14:2-3].
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"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through [through Christ] whom also He made the world. And He [Christ] is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power...You, Lord, (Jesus) in the beginning did lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain; and they all will become old as a garment, and as a mantle, You will roll them up; as a garment they will also be changed. But, You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end" [Hebrews 1:1-12].
It is clear that the writer of Hebrews thought Christ was more than just a man. In Hebrews Christ is:
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(1) Jesus Christ, the God who became man
(2) Jesus Christ, the God who died my death for my sin
THE NATURE OF CHRIST NOW AND FOR ALL ETERNITY
(1) Jesus Christ, the God who lives
THE CHRIST JOHN SAW. In Revelation 1:12-18 John sees a vision of Christ. John, who had been with Christ for three and a half years, saw "The Lord of Glory." The glory, the awesomeness of the grandeur was so overpowering that John was so awe struck by His glory that John "fell at His feet as a dead man." John saw Christ in His glory as He is now, not as John had seen Him when He was "like His brethren in all things" [Hebrews 2:17].
WHAT KIND OF BODY DOES CHRIST NOW HAVE? "The first man was of earth, formed from dust, the second is from heaven" [1 Corinthians 15:47 The New American Bible].
Ephesians 1:20-23 "Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named."
A RED WARNING FLAG: In the thousands of web pages and the many books I have read, I have found that most who use "God's Messiah," "God's anointed one," "Yahweh," or some of the other names they use in the place of Christ Jesus most always give Him a lower place than "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in he beginning with God. All things were made through Him; and without Him was not anything made that has been made" [John 1:1-3]. Some make Christ be not much more than a glorified man. Many make Him be a created being, not the creator. A few teach that Satan was at one time God's number one created being, but when he sinned and was cast out of Heaven, Christ took his place. Most make Him be something more than a man as he is now but less than God. THERE ARE SOME WHO USE NAMES LIKE "GOD'S MESSIAH" TO MAKE CHRIST BE LESS THAN HE "WHO, EXISTING IN THE FORM OF GOD, COUNTED NOT THE BEING ON AN EQUALITY WITH GOD A THING TO BE GRASPED" [Philippians 2:6-11]. Much of the writing by Premillennialists writers are unclear and hard to understand, most likely because there are many versions of the Premillennialists doctrines, but if I understand them, many of them do not believe Christ has always existed or that He is equal with God. They seem to be saying that He came into being at His birth and is now only temporary in Heaven, and that when He returns to earth, He will always be on earth with a body of this earth.
NOTE: "Messiah" is a Biblical name. Christ is the Greek translation of Messiah [John 1:41], but look out when something like "God's anointed one," "Yahweh," or "God's Messiah" is used. This writer believes the Premillennialists belief to be one of, if not the most Antichrist teaching in the world, but their Antichrist teaching is being done in the name of God and in a way that will make many believe they are hearing the truth about Christ; that He is not God, but just a man. Satan does not care if you believe Christ is the greatest man that ever lived and that He is the most chosen man by God, JUST AS LONG AS YOU BELIEVE HE IS JUST A MAN FOR THEN YOU HAVE DENIED THE CHRIST, THEREFORE, YOU BELONG TO SATAN, NOT TO GOD. Those who believe this Antichrist teaching cannot obey the gospel, they have rejected Jesus and made Him into a man. No man could save us from the wages of our sin, death. To deny Christ is to take away all hope of eternal life. If you believe the view of Christ which many Premillennialists have, Satan has won the victory. It does not matter that you believe any other part of the Bible for Satan has won. You will have denied Christ. "But there arose false prophets also among the people, AS AMONG YOU ALSO THERE SHALL BE FALSE TEACHERS, WHO SHALL PRIVILY BRING IN DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES, DENYING EVEN THE MASTER THAT BOUGHT THEM, BRINGING UPON THEMSELVES SWIFT DESTRUCTION" [2 Peter 2:1]. Premillennialists make the Christ that bought them with His blood that they may have life to be only a man.
Paul often used "Lord" ["Kurios" in the Greek is translated from "Yahweh - Jehovah" in the Hebrew]. In the Old Testament Yahweh - Jehovah was one who had no beginning, one who has always existed.
"Premillennialism is no barren speculation - useless though true, and innocuous though false. It is a school of Scripture interpretation; in impinges upon and affects some of the most commanding points of the Christian faith; and, when suffered to work its unimpeded way, it stops not till it has pervaded with it own genius the entire system of one's theology, and the whole tone of his spiritual character, constructing, I had almost said, a world of its own...he yet sees things through a medium of his own, and finds every thing instinct with the life which this doctrine has generated with him" David Brown, "Christ's Second Coming" Page 8, 1858.
PREMILLENNIAL DOCTRINES: FROM GOD OR SATAN? THE PREMILLENNIAL TEACHING ABOUT CHRIST.
There are divisions in the Millennium beliefs. Most Premillennialists believe it was prophesied that Christ was to set up an earthly kingdom on the throne of David and reign from Jerusalem, but because the Jews rejected Him the establishment of the kingdom was put off unto after His second coming and the church was established instead. They believe the Jews will be restored, and the temple rebuilt and temple worship restored.
Some Premillennialists believe Christ did not exist unto His birth. Other Premillennialists believe Christ existed equal with God before His birth, but He was raised a man and He is now a man at the right hand of God and will be a man when He returns to rule the earth and will forever be a man.
Some Premillennialists believe Christ, who they do not call Christ, but "God's Messiah" will rule the earth from Jerusalem on the throne of David, and that the body we now have will live forever on this earth, and some that we will have the same the body that we now have but that it will be changed in such a way that it is not really the body we now have and the earth will not really be the earth that we now live on but a new earth.
To many, to put this body off and put on a new "spiritual body," and move from the earth that they know, to a place they know nothing about what it is like is a scaring and frightening thing. This version of Premillennialists beliefs say no, you can keep the body you now have but it will be greatly improved. It will not have any of the bad things that many bodies now have, and it will live forever on this earth that you know, but it will be a greatly improved earth. Satan says you can have all this, all you have to do is to believe Christ is just a man, greater than any other man, but still just a man who had no preexistence before His birth.
YOU CANNOT BELIEVE THE VIEW OF MANY MILLENNIALISTS ON THE PREEXISTENCE AND DEITY OF CHRIST. THEY DENY THAT CHRIST IS NOW OR EVER HAVE BEEN EQUAL WITH GOD. MANY DENY THAT CHRIST HAD ANY PART IN MAKING THE EARTH AND MAN. Not only must the preexistence and deity of Christ be denied, but many versions of Premillennial doctrines are also dependence of the earthly body being raised and existing forever. "Flesh and blood" must inherit the kingdom of God. Though some Premillennialists changes the body and also changes the earth; they say the earthly body that will be resurrected will be changed to such an extent that no one now would know their own body and the earth changed to such an extent that no one would know it to be the same earth, yet they say this body we now have must be raised and live forever in the kingdom of God on this earth. With some, the change of the body or the change of the earth does not seem to be as great as it is with others, BUT IT MUST BE THIS EARTHLY BODY OF FLESH AND BLOOD. WITHOUT IT, THE WHOLE OF PREMILLENNIAL ORDER FALLS. What body we will have in the resurrection is discussed in "Unconditional Immortality Or Resurrection Of The Dead" by William Robert West, ISBN: 0-7414-4620-0.
What a person thinks about Jesus affects: (1) Whether or not they should worship Him as God, whether they should trust and obey Him. (2) Whether or not a person who does not believe in the divinity of Jesus is a Christian or not a Christian. "What we think about Jesus Christ affects not only questions surrounding the subsistence of the Godhead, but it also delves into entirely relevant issues, such as whether or not one should trust, obey and worship Christ as God, the nature and efficacy of His atoning offices, as well as what constitutes a Church and what are its rites. He who believes in the divinity Jesus Christ is Christian; he who does not, (whatever his profession), is a mere Desist. Without the Divinity, the Bible is, 'the drama of Hamlet, with the part of Hamlet omitted.'"
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(1) THE NATURE OF MAN FROM CREATION TO THE RESURRECTION
(2) THE NATURE OF MAN [THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN CHRIST] AFTER THE JUDGMENT. This is discussed in another chapter of this book on "The Second Death."
(3) THE NATURE OF MAN [THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST] FOR ALL ETERNITY AFTER THE RESURRECTION "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which (from Heaven) also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state (This earthly body of flesh and blood, which "cannot inherit the kingdom of God" will not be an earthly body) into conformity with the body of His glory" (It will be transformed into conformity with the body Jesus now has in Heaven) [Philippians 3:20-21]. Just as we now have the right bodies for this earth, we will have the right bodies for Heaven. The bodies we now have will be transformed to be like His glorious body now is. The resurrected body Christ had for the forty days He was on earth after His resurrection is sometime read into this passage, but it says nothing about Christ in the forty days before His ascension, but Christ now in Heaven where our citizenship is, that we will be transformed from this earthly body, "the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory," the glory Christ now has in Heaven, the glory He had before He became a man, the glory Christ was speaking of in John 17:5 "And now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was."
One of the favorite questions of those who do not believe the saved will be in Heaven is, "An eternity in heaven doing what?" Turn this question around and it is, "An eternity on earth doing what?" We are not told what we will be doing in Heaven, therefore, cannot know. The God that could make both Heaven and earth will have something for us to do. We may ask, "What are the angles doing and what will they be doing for all eternity?" Heaven is much greater then the earth, therefore, there will be much more to do in Heaven than on earth. Though it is asked often, there is no point to the question. What do they think they are proving by it? This ("An eternity in heaven doing what?") is an argument that is made when the person making it has no scriptural argument. It is an argument made entirely from human wisdom, not from the Bible.
A NEW BODY, NOT THE SAME BODY THAT WAS PUT INTO THE EARTH AT DEATH, NOT A RENEWED OR RESTORED EARTHLY BODY LIKE ADAM. "But someone will say, 'How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?' You fool! That you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But, God gives it a body just as He wished...So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory, it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body" [1 Corinthians 15:35-44]. The body of Adam was a natural body from the day God made him. He had a body made from the earth and for life on earth, not a spiritual body. Now in this lifetime we are like Adam, a natural body made from this earth. We are now in the image of Adam, an earthly being, "a living soul." "If there is a natural body (A body of this earth in the image of Adam), there is also a spiritual body (A body not of this earth, not in the image of Adam before or after he sinned)" [1 Corinthians 15:44]. "So also it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living soul.'" (Adam became "a living soul" with his first breath, not after his sin. He was "a living soul" from his first breath unto his last breath. His sin did not change his being "a living soul." "So also it is written" in Genesis 2:7 where "soul" is from "nehphesh" and is used four times in chapter one where it is speaking of animals being living souls before the same word is applied to Adam.) "The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, (Adam) we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (Christ)." JUST AS WE NOW BEAR THE IMAGE OF ADAM, NOW HAVE A NATURAL BODY (A BODY OF FLESH AND BLOOD), WE SHALL BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY (CHRIST - A SPIRITUAL BODY). MOST THAT BELIEVE IN ANY OF THE MANY VARIATIONS OF PREMILLENNIAL BELIEFS IS THAT CHRIST WILL HAVE A FLESH AND BLOOD BODY AND THAT HE WILL ESTABLISH THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ON THIS EARTH AND RULE THE WORLD FROM JERUSALEM. THEY BELIEVE BOTH CHRIST AND ALL THE SAVED WILL BE ON THIS EARTH FOR ALL ETERNITY AND WILL HAVE A FLESH AND BLOOD BODY IN THE IMAGE OF ADAM, WHICH WILL BE RESTORED TO BE LIKE ADAM BEFORE HE SINNED. HOW COULD GOD HAVE SAID ANY CLEARER THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE A NATURAL (EARTHLY, FLESH AND BLOOD) BODY IN THE IMAGE OF ADAM, BUT THAT WE WILL HAVE A SPIRITUAL BODY IN THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY. IF, AS MANY PREMILLENNIALISTS TEACH, CHRIST WILL HAVE THE SAME BODY ADAM HAD BEFORE HE SINNED, WHY WILL THE IMAGE OF ONE (ADAM) THAT WE NOW HAVE, BE CHANGED TO THE IMAGE OF THE OTHER (CHRIST)? HOW CAN THOSE WHO BELIEVE THE PREMILLENNIAL DOCTRINE BELIEVE THIS PASSAGE. Do they "wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction"? [2 Peter 3:16]. Will Christ say to them, "But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men"? [Matthew 15:9]. "Now I say this, brethren, THAT FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD: (Adam was flesh and blood "a living soul" both before and after he sinned. If we were restored to be "a living soul" like Adam before he sinned, we would be flesh and blood and not be able to inherit the kingdom of God if it were on this earth or if it were in Heaven) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (This earthly body is the perishable that shall not inherit the imperishable). Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (The perishable image of Adam "a living soul" will be changed to the imperishable image of Christ, a "spiritual body") in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed (not restored). For this perishable ("a living soul") must put on the imperishable, and this mortal (another way of saying the same thing that this mortal "a living soul" which is the image of Adam from his first breath to his last, from the day he was created a flesh and blood being, from before he sinned unto his death) must put on immortality" [1 Corinthians 15:45-54]. THIS MORTAL FLESH AND BLOOD PERISHABLE "LIVING BEING" THAT IS THE IMAGE OF ADAM MUST BE CHANGED TO AN IMMORTAL IMPERISHABLE SPIRITUAL BODY IN THE IMAGE OF CHRIST. How could this one passage not be a death blow to the Premillennialists beliefs?
"HOW ARE THE DEAD RAISED? AND WITH WHAT MANNER OF BODY DO THEY COME?" Six comparisons that shows clearly and beyond any doubt that the resurrection body, the body that will come out of the grave, will be "changed" to a spiritual body and will not be this earthly body which we now have.
The body (in the image of Adam) is but a bare grain of the body that shall be (the image of the heavenly) [1 Corinthians 15:36-37].
MANY MANSIONS IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE "IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ("Who is in Heaven" Matthew 5:16; 5:45; 5:48; 6:1; 6:9; 7:21; 10:32,3: and many more) ARE MANY MANSIONS...I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. (Where did Christ go to prepare a place for us? In the mansions in my Father's house in Heaven) For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but himself says: THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, 'SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET'" [Acts 2:34-35]. "AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU (A PLACE IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE IN HEAVEN), I COME AGAIN, AND WILL RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM THERE YOU MAY ALSO BE" (WITH ME IN THE PLACE I GO TO PREPARE FOR YOU IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE IN HEAVEN) [John 14:1-3]. "But now I go unto him (unto my Father who is in Heaven that sent me") "The word (Christ who was with the Father in the beginning and has always been like God, a heavenly being) became flesh, and dwelled among us" (John 1:14) [John 16:5]. He is no longer flesh, but has now gone back to Heaven to prepare a place for the saved and will come back for them. "He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."[Revelation 3:21]. Christ is now on His Father's throne in Heaven where He went to prepare a place of us in His Father's house. I was told by a Premillennialists friend, "Jesus is now in heaven 'drawing up the plans,' to coin a phrase, of the 'new heavens and the new earth' in what has and will be called the 'kingdom of God,' with Messiah as its King. Jesus is right now, along with God his Father, preparing (John 14) the kingdom government complexities and jurisdictions and so on." A person who has a friend that wants to go to school in Tampa says to his friend, "My father has a house with many rooms; I will go and prepare a place for you." Did he mean he as going to his father's house in Tampa and draw up plains for a house and come back and build it for him in New York? Of course not. Everyone would understand that he was going to prepare a place in his father's house, not to draw up plans and come back to earth to build it. My friend is not willing to accept a clear and plain statement for it would make his belief not possible. IT IS CLEAR THAT CHRIST SAID HE WAS GOING TO PREPARE US A PLACE IN HIS FATHER'S HOUSE, NOT THAT HE WAS GOING AWAY TO DRAW UP PLAINS FOR A PLACE ON EARTH FOR US. THIS IS A VERY WEAK TRY TO EVADE THIS PASSAGE.
THREE CHANGES ARE MADE BY PREMILLENNIALISTS. "In my Father's house ARE many mansions" [John 14:2]. This is present tense. THE MANSIONS WERE IN HIS FATHER'S HOUSE WHEN CHRIST WAS SPEAKING. Christ said IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE there ARE many mansions, not there WILL BE many mansions ON EARTH after Christ comes back and makes them when He makes a kingdom of this earth.
AN INHERITANCE...RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR US. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, UNTO AN INHERITANCE INCORRUPTIBLE, AND UNDEFILED, AND THAT FADES NOT AWAY, RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR YOU" [1 Peter 1:3-4]. Where is it reserved? In the place where Christ went to prepare it for us, "in my Father's house," in Heaven. If it is reserved in Heaven, it would do us no good if the saved will live forever on the earth and never get to Heaven. I think Peter knew more about where it is at than anyone does today.
OUR TREASURES ARE IN HEAVEN. "But lay up for yourselves TREASURES IN HEAVEN, where neither moth nor rust does consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" [Matthew 6:20-21]. Where are our treasures and heart to be? In the same place Christ went to prepare us a place and the same place where our inheritance is, in Heaven, not on earth. My Premillennialists friend above also said to me, "'Our citizenship is in heaven' right NOW, but just because it is up in heaven right now doesn't mean that is where we finally go to get it! It is like our retirement is IN THE BANK, but we are not going to retire AT THE BANK, but the money will COME OUT OF THE BANK for us to retire (enjoy) somewhere else." Who would have thought Heaven is a bank? Will our heart also "COME OUT OF THE BANK"?
OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN "For OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN; whence also we wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory" [Philippians 3:20-21]. If our citizenship is in Heaven, as long as we are on this earth we are aliens and if we remained on earth we would always be aliens.
OUR HOPE IS IN HEAVEN "Of the hope laid up for you IN HEAVEN" [Colossians 1:5 New American Standard Version].
SEEK THE THINGS ABOVE WHERE CHRIST IS "If then you have been raised up with Christ, KEEP SEEKING THE THINGS ABOVE, WHERE CHRIST IS, SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and you life is hidden with Christ in God. WHEN CHRIST, WHO IS OUR LIFE, IS REVEALED, THEN YOU ALSO WILL BE REVEALED WITH HIM IN GLORY" [Colossians 2:1-4]. Seek the things that are where Christ has gone to prepare a place for us. A restored earth is not the things above where Christ is, not the things Paul said to seek.
AN ETERNAL BUILDING IN THE HEAVENS. "For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; (Is not this earth seen?) but the things, which are not seen, are eternal. For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle (Our body) be dissolved (Not our bodies restored), we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens" [2 Corinthians 4:17-5:2].
Yet, I am told there is not one passage in the Bible that says we will be in Heaven!!! That we live on this earth in a body with flesh and bones. Did not Paul say, "Now this I say, brethren, that FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD" [1 Corinthians 15:50-54]. "Now this I say, brethren, that FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD; (Our bodies in the image of Adam made for this earth is not suitable) neither do corruption inherit incorruption (Our bodies in the image of Adam is corruptible and cannot inherit in the heavenly realm). Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep (Shall not die), but we shall all be changed (All that are asleep when Christ comes and all that are alive), in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible (In the heavenly image of Christ, not in the corruptible image of Adam which they had when they died). For this corruptible must put on incorruption, (This earthly body in the image of Adam must put on incorruption, a spiritual body in the image of Christ. Adam never had a spiritual body before or after he ate.), and this mortal must put on immortality (This mortal body which is the body we now have must be changed to an immortal spiritual body which will not be the body of this earth which we now have). But, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" [1 Corinthians 15:50-54]. "We that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven (From the place where God is), with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds (To meet Him in the air and will have a body not of this earth) to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall ever be with the Lord" [1 Thessalonians 4:16-17]. "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him because we shall see His just as He is" [1 John 3:2]. We know what the image of Adam is for we now have it. His image was flush and blood both before and after he sins, and we know that we now have his image, a body of flesh and blood, but we do not now know what the spiritual body in the image of Christ will be like.
"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" [1 Corinthians 15:50]. If, as they teach, the kingdom of God will be the earth restored to be as it were before Adam sinned, Adam was flesh and blood before he sinned, therefore, if he were restored to his sinless state, he would still be flesh and blood and could not "inherit the kingdom of God" If Israel were restored to be like it was in the time of David, the Jews would still be "flesh and blood" and could not inherit the "kingdom of God." They would also still die of old age, not have eternal life, and their Messiah would have been just as human as was David and he would have also lied of old age even if the Jews had not put him to death.
Some have reversed the Bible.
THE EARTH WILL PERISH "You, Lord, in the beginning did lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands; THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU WILL REMAIN" [Hebrews 1:10]. "Will perish" does not mean they will be remade to be like before Adam's sin. "Will perish" and "Will remain" are opposite to each other, not the same. The earth will perish, come to an end, but Christ will remain. THE QUESTION IS, HOW COULD CHRIST FOREVER RULE THE CHURCH ON THIS EARTH IF THIS EARTH IS GOING TO PERISH, AND HOW COULD CHRIST AND THE CHURCH REMAIN AFTER THE EARTH HAS PERISHED?
WILL BE LIKE ANGELS "The sons of this age marry nor are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age(The age to come. Not all will be worthy to attain to it) and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, not are given in marriage; for neither can they die any more, FOR THEY ARE LIKE ANGELS, (Like the angels, they will have a body suitable for that age. Not earthly being and will no longer have a flesh and body in the image of Adam made for this earth, but a spiritual body in the image of Christ. ANGELS HAVE NEVER HAD AN EARTHLY BODY IN THE IMAGE OF ADAM. WHEN WE ARE LIKE THEM, HOW COULD WE HAVE EARTHLY BODIES WITH FLESH AND BONES?) and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection" [Luke 20:34-36]. That it is spiritual bodies that will be like angels is shown by the fact that they neither marry nor are given in marriage. Adam was made of the earth and had a flesh and blood body and Eve were made from his body before their sin, they never had a spiritual body or bodies like the angels had long before this earth was made. To have a body like Adam before he sinned would be to have a flesh and blood body and be male and female. It would be nothing like the Angels. Both God and angels are spirits [John 4:24, Hebrews 1:14]. God created angels as spiritual being jest as He is, but not equal to Himself.
A MAN IS "FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS." "What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them? You have made them FOR A LITTLE WHILE lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor, subjection all things under their feet. Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who, FOR A LITTLE WHILE was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone" [Hebrews 2:5-8 New Revised Standard Version]. Mankind is now mortal, and we do not now see our self as we will be, immortal, but we do see Christ who was in the beginning with God [John 1:1] and was immortal, who far a little while was made to be a man, mortal and lower than the angels, but we now see Him immortal with the Father who is in Heaven.
The author of Hebrews says of Christ, who was immortal from all eternity, "Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He ...Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things" [Hebrews 2:14-17]. He was lower than the angels "for a short while," but will never be again. He will never again have the earthly image of Adam before or after Adam's sin. We will never have Adam's image after the resurrection.
WHERE IS GOD? AT HIS SECOND COMING CHRIST WILL DELIVER THE KINGDOM UP TO GOD. The kingdom, the church to which God adds the saved [Acts 2:47], The church is the body of Christ [Ephesians 1:22]. "For even as we have many members in one body...so we, who are many, are one body in Christ" [Romans 12:4-5]. "Now you are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof" [1 Corinthians 12:27]. The family of God in which all the saved are a member. God the father, Christ the son, those in Christ are the children and heirs of God "But you received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abbe, Father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." "For in Adam all die, so also in Christ SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE. But, each in his own order: Christ the first fruits; then they are Christ's AT HIS COMING. THEN COMES THE END (After His second coming) WHEN HE SHALL DELIVER UP THE KINGDOM TO GOD (To God who is in Heaven, not on earth)...FOR HE (Christ) MUST REIGN (In the Kingdom where He is now reigning), TILL HE HAS PUT ALL HIS ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET. The last enemy that shall be abolished is death" (At His second coming) [1 Corinthians 15:23-26]. Note: In an attempt to prove that the kingdom will not be delivered up to God after the Judgment, but that it will be established on the earth after the coming of Christ some point out that the "UP" is not in some translations and not in some Greek manuscripts. Even without the "UP," there is no way to get around the fact that this passage says the kingdom will be delivered by the Son to God the Father, and I know of no one who does not believe the Father is in Heaven, not on earth. Not delivered by the Son to earth from God, but delivered (up) by the Son from earth to the Father who is in Heaven. It does not say the kingdom will be established on the earth after the Judgment. Which way is up? Which way is Heaven from the Earth? Up is used in this passage in the same way as, "I give up," or "Deliver up the goods." Not as a direction. Christ will at a time yet to come deliver the kingdom to God who is in Heaven.
WE NOW BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE EARTHLY - WE SHALL BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY. "And just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (Not the flesh and blood image of Adam before or after he sinned, not an earthly body, not a body of dust) [1 Corinthians 15:48].
2 Corinthians 4:16-18; 5:1
"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who WILL transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory" [Philippians 3:20-21].
"For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle BE DISSOLVED, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens" [2 Corinthians 5:1 American Standard Version]. "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in IS DESTROYED" [New Revised Standard Version]. Could it be said any clearer that our earthly bodies will be dissolved just as "the elements shall BE DISSOLVED with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are there in shall be burned up" [2 Peter 3:10].
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MILLENNIALISTS TELL US THAT THE REJECTION OF CHRIST BY THE JEWS WAS NOT FOREKNOWN ABOUT BY GOD, THEREFORE WAS NOT KNOWN ABOUT BY THE PROPHETS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT; THAT IT WAS A SURPRISE TO GOD. THAT GOD PLANNED TO RESTORE ISRAEL AND CHRIST WAS TO RULE THE WORLD ON THE THRONE OF DAVID IN JERUSALEM, BUT BECAUSE OF THE UNEXPECTED REJECTION OF CHRIST THE CHURCH WAS SET UP AS A SUBSTITUTION UNTO THE MILLENNIUM. IN THE PREMILLENNIAL THEORY THERE IS NOWHERE FOR THE DEATH AND CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST FOR IF THE KINGDOM HAS BEEN RESTORED TO ISRAEL AS THEY SAY GOD PLANNED IT TO BE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO DEATH AND NO RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. ACCORDING TO THEM WE ARE NOW IN THE CHURCH AGE OR "GAP" THAT WAS UNKNOWN ABOUT BY GOD BEFORE THE DEATH OF CHRIST. IF IT CAN BE CLEARLY SHOWN THAT [1] THE DEATH. THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST WERE REPEATEDLY TOLD ABOUT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT [2] THE NEW COVENANT AND CHURCH WAS KNOWN ABOUT BY GOD [3] THAT CHRIST IS NOW KING ON THE THRONE OF DAVID, THEN THE PREMILLENNIAL DOCTRINE IS FALSE.
Isaiah 53 gives such a detailed description of the trail and death of Christ that it could be an eye witnesses account and yet many Premillennialists tell us God was surprised by the rejection of Christ and that it was not known about by the Old Testament prophets.
ISAIAH FORETOLD THE DEATH OF CHRIST, WHICH MAKES THE MILLENNIUM THEORY AN IMPOSSIBILITY. THEIR THEORY IS THAT CHRIST CAME TO SET UP AN EARTHLY KINGDOM OVER ISRAEL, BUT THAT GOD DID NOT KNOW ISRAEL WOULD REJECT CHRIST, IT CAME AS A SURPRISE TO GOD BUT BECAUSE CHRIST WAS REJECTED BY THE JEWS THE CHURCH WAS SET UP ONLY AS A SUBSTITUTE UNTO CHRIST COMES BACK AND SETS UP THE KINGDOM. THE JEWS MADE GOD PLAN NOT WORK BY REJECTING CHRIST AND PUTTING HIM TO DEATH AND GOD DID NOT EVEN KNOW THEY WERE GOING TO. THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO MANY PREMILLENNIALISTS, THE DEATH OF CHRIST COULD NOT HAVE BEEN KNOWN ABOUT OR TOLD ABOUT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT FOR GOD WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN ISRAEL WOULD REJECT CHRIST AS THEIR KING AND WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN HE WAS GOING TO SET UP THE CHURCH IN THE PLACE OF THE KINGDOM. The church could not have been told about in the Old Testament because at that time God did not know He would have to set up the church as a substitute.
JOHN THE BAPTIST Malachi 3:1-Matthew 11:10 "This is he, of whom it is written, behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way before you." Also Malachi 4:5, Matthew 11:14; 17:10-13.
According to most Millennialists, God was going to restore the throne of David and Christ was to rule on it, but because the Jews rejected Christ, the church, which was not foreseen or planned by God, was set up to fill in the "gap" in the 70th week. The rejection of Christ was known about by God. It was not a surprise to Him. The "gap" theory is pure fictions. HOW CAN ANYONE READ ACTS 2:23 AND SAY GOD DID NOT KNOW THE JEWS WERE GOING TO REJECT CHRIST, AND GOD DID NOT KNOW THAT CHRIST WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH BY THEM?
If God had not known about the rejection and death of Christ, God or no one could not have known about the resurrection of Christ. David did know that Christ would be in the grave and be resurrected out of it TO SET ON HIS THRONE AFTER THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST. Acts 2:31:
Summary: THE PREMILLENNIALISTS GOSPEL.
"But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed" [Galatians 1:8].
Luke 24:46: "IT IS WRITTEN, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day." If God or none of the prophets knew about the death of Christ, who wrote of it and where? Also, Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Mark 9:31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 18:33; 24:7. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE GOD WAS SURPRISED BY THE REJECTION OF CHRIST? HOW COULD HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION HAVE BEEN PROPHESIED IN SUCH DETAIL IF HIS REJECTION WERE A SURPRISE TO GOD? If Christ had become king and sit on David's throne, as the Premillennialists teach, the Jews would not have put Him to death, He would not have shed His blood, PREMILLENNIALISTS TEACHING WOULD MAKE SALVATION NOT POSSIBLE FOR ANYONE. IF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN REJECTED AND CRUCIFIED BY THE JEWS, BUT HE HAD SET UP A JEWISH KINGDOM AT THAT TIME, AS MILLENNIALISTS TELL US IT WAS THE PLAN OF GOD TO RESTORE ISRAEL AT THAT TIME, BUT THE JEWS OVERRULED GOD IN HIS ATTEMPT TO SET UP AN EARTHLY KINGDOM OF JEWS. THE REJECTION AND DEATH OF CHRIST WERE NOT A SURPRISE TO GOD, IT WAS SOMETHING HE PLANNED BEFORE HE MADE THE EARTH. IT WAS NEVER PLANNED FOR CHRIST TO SET UP AN EARTHLY KINGDOM OF JEWS WITHOUT DYING.
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Dispensationalists teach the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven are entirely different kingdoms. They believe the Kingdom of Heaven was to be the Old Testament kingdom of David restored, but was postponed to the Millennium after the Jews rejected Christ as their king. That the two are synonymous is proved by the interchangeable use in parallel passages in the Gospels.
Matthew used "kingdom of Heaven," "kingdom of God," and "My Father's kingdom," but Mark, Luke, John and the rest of the New Testament used "kingdom of God." Millennialists make a distinction in the kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of God.
The Lord's Supper is in "My Father's kingdom" [Matthew 26:29]. In "the kingdom of God" [Mark 14:25]. In the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom the Father granted to Christ [Luke 29-30]. It is in the church which is His kingdom [1 Corinthians 11:21-22]. It is eaten on the first day of the week in the assembly of the church [Acts 20:7].
The new birth puts one in the kingdom [John 3:5]. If there is no kingdom now, there is no new birth. If there is a new birth now, there is a kingdom now. "But when they believed Philip preaching the THING CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF GOD, and the name of Jesus Christ, THEY WERE BAPTIZED" [Acts 8:12]. The new birth, being born of the water and the spirit, now puts a person in the kingdom/church.
Many Millennialists teach that Christ first planned to set up the kingdom of God but later when He saw He was being rejected by the Jews set up the kingdom of God as a substitute unto He came a second time to set up the kingdom of Heaven; they overlook the fact that Mark used "kingdom of God" in the very beginning of his Gospel [Mark 1:14] as did Luke and John [Luke 4:43; John 3:3]. They did not use "kingdom of God" and later change to "kingdom of Heaven" after Christ saw that He would not be able to set up the kingdom of God.
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"To the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE WHICH HE PURPOSED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD" [Ephesians 3:10-11]. The church, which was purchased with the blood of Jesus [Acts 20:28], was in the plan of God from the beginning. If the church were only an afterthought and not known about in the Old Testament, how is it "according to the eternal purpose which He (God) purposed in Christ Jesus"? Was Paul wrong? Millennialists say yes, Paul was wrong, the church is only an afterthought and was not in the eternal purpose of God.
The Scofield Bible says "The Church, corporately, is not in the vision of the O. T. prophet." Premillennialists teach that the Old Testament prophecies of the kingdom say a literal Kingdom will someday be set up in Jerusalem, but the New Testament applied the kingdom prophecies to the Church [Acts 15: 12-17 - Amos 9:11-12; Ephesians 2:10-22; John 20:10-21; Mark 14:58; 2 Corinthians 6:16- Ezekiel 37:27; Matthew 16:18 - Zechariah 6:12-13; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 3:16-16; Ephesians 2:20]. In the New Testament the terms temple, Mount Zion, the Israel of God and the New Jerusalem are applied to the church.
When preaching the first sermon after the resurrection of Christ, Peter says, "This is that which has been spoken through the prophet Joel" [Acts 2:16]. "Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days" [Acts 3:24].
Premillennialists tell us that God planed to set up the kingdom when Christ was on earth, but because of His rejection by the Jews, the kingdom was put off and the church, which was unseen by the prophecy of the Old Testament, was a substitution unto Christ comes a second time and sets up the kingdom. If they were right, the church was not "in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord." WHY DID PAUL SAY IT WAS? "To bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord" [Ephesians 3:9-11]. Is there anyway God could have said any plainer that the church was not just an afterthought; that the church was not just an accident that came about because God was unable to foresee that the Jews were going to reject Christ?
"The Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood" [Acts 20:28]. If it had been as the Millennialists say God planed it to be, Christ would not have been put to death, He would not have purchased the church with His blood, He would not have died our death, and we would still have our sins. How do they think we could be saved if the Jews had not put Christ to death? ACCORDING TO MILLENNIALISTS, GOD PLANNED TO RESTORE THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL AND SALVATION COMING TO US GENTILES WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. IF THE CHURCH WERE ESTABLISHED AS A SUBSTITUTION UNTO THE KINGDOM IS RESTORED TO ISRAEL, IT COULD NOT BE ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD.
John Darby, the founder of the modern Premillennial doctrine says, "Supposing for a moment that Christ has not been rejected, the kingdom would have been set upon earth."
According to him:
IF GOD SET UP THE CHURCH ONLY AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT, THE MILLENNIUM AS IS TAUGHT BY PREMILLENNIALISTS WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST AS MUCH AN AFTERTHOUGHT, JUST AS UNFORESEEN, JUST AS UNKNOWN ABOUT BY GOD AS THEY SAY THE CHURCH WAS, BUT THEY REPEATEDLY USE THE OLD TESTAMENT TO PROVE THE MILLENNIAL THEORY. THE MILLENNIALISTS ARGUMENT THAT THE CHURCH WAS ONLY AN AFTERTHOUGHT, THAT IT WAS UNFORESEEN MAKES THE MILLENNIAL BE THE SAME AS THE CHURCH, JUST AS UNFORESEEN, JUST AS MUCH ONLY AN AFTERTHOUGHT. IF THERE IS NOTHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ABOUT THE UNFORESEEN CHURCH, THERE COULD BE NOTHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ABOUT THE UNFORESEEN MILLENNIAL. IF GOD HAD NOT FORESEEN THE REJECTION OF CHRIST AS THE KING OF THE JEWS, HE WOULD NOT HAVE FORESEEN THE NEED TO POSTPONE SETTING UP THE KINGDOM UNTO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST WHICH HE WOULD NOT HAVE FORESEEN. HE WOULD HAVE FORESEEN NOTHING ABOUT A MILLENNIAL KINGDOM.
KINGDOM NOT OF THIS WOULD. "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence" [John 18:36]. His throne, a part of the kingdom is not of this world, therefore, not in Jerusalem. CHRIST NEVER INTENDED TO SET UP AN EARTHLY KINGDOM. When the Jews came to take Him by force and make Him king, He withdrew into the mountain alone [John 6:15]. "And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God comes, he answered them and said, the kingdom of God comes not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, there! For the kingdom of God is within you" [Luke 17:20]. An earthly kingdom of Jews was not the kingdom Christ came into the world to set up. "For our citizenship is in heaven" [Philippians 2:23].
HAL LINSEY AND THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE KINGDOM AND GOD'S ALTERED PLAIN, THE "CHURCH AGE." "There was no lack of evidence to show that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah. Had the people received Him, He would have fulfilled the Kingly prophecies in their day in additions to the one regarding the suffering Messiah. But, when the Jewish nation as a whole rejected Christ, the fulfillment of His kingship was postponed until the final culmination of world history." Hal Lindsey, "There's A New World Coming" Page 30. If Christ had set up a world kingdom and was king of the Jews, how could He have fulfilled "one regarding the suffering Messiah"? Why would the Jews crucify Him if He had saved them from the Romans and restored the kingdom of David? How could Isaiah have foretold of His rejection and death if His rejection by the Jews was unknown about even by God? "He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is let to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who among them considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due: And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth" [Isaiah 53:7-9]. How could anything that Isaiah said have come to pass if the Jews had made Him their king and not have rejected Him? The only answer is that nothing Isaiah foretold would have come to pass if the Jews had not rejected Christ.
Who do you believe?
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH WAS "ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE" OF GOD. "And to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages has been hid in God who created all things; to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE WHICH HE PURPOSED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD" [Ephesians 3:9-11].
BEFORE THE DAY OF PENTECOST [Acts 2] THE KINGDOM IS SPOKEN OF AS BEING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. FROM THE DAY OF PENTECOST ON THE KINGDOM WAS SPOKEN OF AS EXISTING.
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The Premillennial view is a return to Judaism, a re-establishment of national Israel and the types and shadows of the Old Covenant, which the writer of Hebrews is warning against throughout the whole book.
FROM THE BLOOD OF CHRIST BACK TO THE BLOOD OF ANIMALS
Hebrews 10:16-17: "This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws on their heart, and upon their mind also will I write them; then he says, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water."
Hebrews 12:24-25: "And to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel. See that you refuse not him that speaks. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him that warns from heaven."
Hebrews 13:20: "Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus."
Hebrews 10:29: "Of how much sorer punishment, think you, shall he be judged worthy, who has trodden underfoot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing."
Also:
FROM CHRIST OUR HIGH PRIEST BACK TO THE OLD TESTAMENT PRIESTHOOD
Hebrews 8:1-4: "Now in the things which we are saying the chief point is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that this high priest also have somewhat to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things." IF THE TEMPLE WERE REBUILT IN THE MILLENNIUM, THEN THE OLD TESTAMENT PRIESTHOOD WOULD HAVE TO BE RESTORED WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THAT THE LAW BE RESTORED; IT WOULD REQUIRE GOING BACK TO THE BLOOD OF GOATS AND CALVES. "But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ." See Hebrews chapter nine.
Hebrews 9:6-25: "Now these things having been prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services; but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself, and for the errors of the people: the Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place had not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle is yet standing; WHICH IS A FIGURE FOR THE TIME PRESENT; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshiper perfect, being only (with meats and drinks and divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation. But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him that made it. For a testament is of force where there has been death: for it never does avail while he that made it lives. Wherefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses unto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded to you-ward. Moreover, the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry he sprinkled in like manner with the blood. And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission. It was necessary; therefore, that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us: nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own; else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages has he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this comes judgment so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation."
THE PREMILLENNIAL BELIEF REJESTS THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST FOR THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.
Hebrews 8:4-5: "Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned of God when he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, he says, that you make all things according to the pattern that was showed you in the mount." THE BOOK OF HEBREWS IS ONE LONG ARGUMENT AGAINST GOING BACK FROM THE SUBSTANCE TO THE SHADOW, FROM THE NEW COVENANT BACK TO THE OLD COVENANT, WHICH BOTH JUDAISM (a restoration of national Israel) AND PREMILLENNIAL TEACHING (a modern day restoration of national Israel) DOES, THEREFORE, THE BOOK OF HEBREWS IS ONE LONG ARGUMENT AGAINST THE PREMILLENNIAL VIEW. Premillennialists teach Christianity will be done away and replaced by Judaism at the coming of Christ. The Premillennial doctrine is a return to Judaism, a re-establishment of national Israel and the types and shadows of the Old Covenant, which the writer of Hebrews is warning against throughout the whole book.
Hebrews 10:1-6: "For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. Else would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshipers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he comes into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering you would not, but a body you did prepare for me; in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure: Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God. saying above, sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you would not, neither had pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law), then has he said, Lo, I am come to do your will. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second. By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest indeed stands day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet. For by one offering he has perfected forever them that are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after he had said, This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws on their heart, and upon their mind also will I write them; then said he, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin."
Hebrews 10:7-11: "Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do your will, O God. Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you would not, neither had pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law), then he has said, Lo, I am come to do your will. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second. By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." See Hebrews 9 and 10.
Hebrews 12:22-23 is a list of seven ways the New Covenant is now better than the Old Covenant.
Jeremiah 31:31-36: "Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, says Jehovah. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, says Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more. Thus says Jehovah, who gives the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirs up the sea, so that the waves thereof roar; Jehovah of hosts is his name: If these ordinances depart from before me, says Jehovah, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever." This is quoted in Hebrews 8:8-11 and 10:16 and applied to the New Covenant. Jeremiah did tell of the coming of the New Covenant. It was not something unknown in the Old Testament.
2 Corinthians 3:6-11: "Who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. But if the ministration of death, written, and engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away: how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory? For if the ministration of condemnation has glory, much rather does the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For verily that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses. For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remained is in glory."
Millennialists believe the New Covenant is a parenthesis, something added to be temporary, unto the Millennium. Actual they have it backward. The Law was a parenthesis added for fifteen hundred years between the promise made to Abraham and the death and resurrection of Christ; "added because of transgressions...UNTIL THE SEED SHOULD COME" [Galatians 3:19]. A parenthesis is something added to a sentence which is not a real part of the sentence. Christ is that seed and the parenthesis, which was the temporary Law, the "wall of partition" between Israel and all other nations has been "abolished." "For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, WHICH IS THE LAW OF COMMANDMENTS contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace" [Ephesians 2:14-15]. The temporary parenthesis was "passing away" [2 Corinthians 3:4-9], was "nailed to the cross" [Colossians 2:4-16], has "been abolished" [Ephesians 2:14-16], and was "done away in Christ" [2 Corinthians 3:11]. The Law, which was only a temporary parenthesis could not "make the worshiper perfect in conscience" and was "imposed until a time of reformation" [Hebrews 9:9-10].
The Millennialists who want to go back to the Law, back to the temporary parenthesis "have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace" [Galatians 5:4]. At the death of Christ the veil of the temple was "rent in two from the top to the bottom" [Matthew 27:51] bringing to an end the office of the priest and the sacrifices for sin, Christ having made the one sacrifice and bring to an end the sacrifices made under the Law. "And every priest indeed stands day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right had of God" [Hebrews 10:11-12].
Galatians 4:1-31: "But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a bond servant though he is lord of all; but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father. So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world: but when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abbe, Father. So that you are no longer a bond servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. How be it at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods: but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn you back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto you desire to be in bondage over again? You observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain. I beseech you, brethren, become as I am, for I also am become as you are. You did me no wrong: but you know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time: and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh you despised not, nor rejected; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where then is that gratification of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth? They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that you may seek them. But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you-but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you. Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the free woman. How be it the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the free woman is born through promise. Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar. Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answers to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children. But, the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. For it is written, Rejoice, you barren that bears not; Break forth and cry, you that travails not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that has the husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But, as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it is now [Paul is saying Israel, born after the flesh, was them, at the time he was writing, persecuting the church, born after the Spirit. Premillennialists say we will go back to "the flesh" in the Millennial]. How be it what say the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the free woman. Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the free woman."
Yet, we are told that the New Covenant is only an afterthought and is to last only unto the coming of Christ when the Old Covenant will be restored. WITHOUT GOING BACK TO ANIMAL SACRIFICES THERE COULD NOT BE A RESTORING OF THE LAW OF MOSES. WITHOUT RESTORING THE LAW OF MOSES THERE COULD NOT BE A RESTORING OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL. WITHOUT RESTORING THE NATION OF ISRAEL THERE COULD NOT A MILLENNIUM.
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MILLENNIALISTS TELL US THAT GOD PLANNED FOR CHRIST TO BE KING ON THE THRONE OF DAVID WHEN HE CAME THE FIRST TIME AND RULE THE WORLD FROM JERUSALEM; THAT GOD DID NOT KNOW THE JEWS WERE GOING TO REJECT CHRIST AND PUT HIM TO DEATH, BUT BECAUSE THEY DID, THE CHURCH, AN AFTERTHOUGHT WAS SET UP AND NEW PLAINS WERE MADE FOR CHRIST TO COME A SECOND TIME AND DO WHAT HE COULD NOT DO THE FIRST TIME. IF THEY WERE RIGHT; GOD WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN CHRIST WOULD NOT NOW BE ON THE THRONE OF DAVID. GOD WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE SECOND COMING. GOD OR NONE OF THE PROPHETS WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN ANYTHING ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM. THERE COULD NOT BE ANYTHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ABOUT THE DEATH OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH, THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST OR THE MILLENNIUM. If they were right, the Millennium would have been just as unknown by God as the church; therefore, the second coming and the Millennium would be just as much an afterthought as the church. THE CHURCH, THE SECOND COMING AND THE MILLENNIUM WOULD ALL BE BECAUSE OF THE JEWS REJECTING CHRIST AS THEIR KING, NOT THE FOREKNOWN PLAN OF GOD.
EZEKIEL 34-48 Premillennialists believe all scriptures must be taken literal. If Ezekiel 38-48 were taken literal, then there will once again be sin-offerings in the future. Chapters 38-48 were fulfilled after the Babylonian captivity when Israel was restored to the promised land. Israel being restored for a thousand years is not taught in Ezekiel. "For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needs not daily like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself" [Hebrews 7:27]. For the sin-offerings to be restored would be rejecting the offerings of Christ. I have never known of any Millennialists who believe David will literally be king of Israel in the thousand years [Ezekiel 34:23]; they believe Christ will be the king of Israel in the Millennium, that David will not literally be the king but is symbolic of Christ. Christ is now both priest and king. If this passage were speaking about when Christ comes, the Jews would have to be literally mixed among the nations and worshiping idols as they were when Ezekiel wrote this, not in their own nation.
DANIEL 2 "In the days of these kings" Brian Schwertley, a Dispensationalists says, "In this prophetic explanation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream Daniel revealed that the kingdom of Christ would be established in the days of the Roman Empire; 'And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever' (Dan. 2:44). The vast majority of interpreters (including Dispensationalists) identify the four kingdoms as (1) the head of gold--the neo-Babylonian Empire; (2) the breast and arms--the Medo-Persian Empire; (3) the belly and thighs--the Grecian Empire; (4) the legs and feet--the Roman Empire. Daniel says that the statue which represents these successive pagan empires is still standing when the kingdom of Christ is set up." http:www.reformedonling.com/view/reformedonling/milenium.htm
"And in the days of these kings [Rome] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed [Not a kingdom that will last for only a thousand years], nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. For as much as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain [Certain even if Millennialists tell us it was postponed and did not happen], and the interpretation thereof sure" [Daniel 2:44-45]. The image was smitten on its feet, which was the Roman empire. The kingdom God was to set up was to be "in the days of these kings." Therefore, the kingdom had to be set up while the Caesars were ruling Roman. It smote the image on its feet and destroyed it. There has never been another world empire; this line of world kingdoms ceased. The kingdom of God destroyed the image. If the Millennium is coming soon, in our lifetime, as many Premillennialists say it is, there is no image for it to smote on its feet and destroy.
This passage says:
This kingdom will be set up "in the days of these kings," during the fourth world power - Rome. Millennialists admit that God intended to sat up a kingdom then but says this did not happen for God was defeated by the Jews.
A prophecy that is of something that is to happen at a given time, "in the days of these kings," sometimes called a "time prophecy" cannot be changed or deferred to a later time. A prophecy that was of the first coming of Christ and the kingdom He was to set up at the first coming of Christ cannot be changed or "postponed" to be at the second coming of Christ. If it was "postponed" and did not come to pass at the first coming the prophecy was a failure. PREMILLENNIALISTS MAKE ALL THE PROPHESIES OF THE KINGDOM AND OF THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST A FAILURE, THEREFORE, PREMILLENNIALISTS MAKE THE PROPHETS, GOD AND CHRIST TO HAVE FAILED. Then how can we know God will not fail to set up the kingdom at a later time? If God failed one time He can fail often, therefore, is He God? Not if the Premillennial belief were true.
DANIEL 4 Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 4 is applied by some to the Millennium even though Daniel tells us that the dream is about Nebuchadnezzar, not the Millennium. "This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king: that you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass as oxen, and shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you; till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will" [Daniel 4:24-25].
ISAIAH 11:1-12 Millennialists often use Isaiah 11:1-12 and teach that it is to be fulfilled in the Millennium. Paul quotes Isaiah and says he is speaking of the first coming of Christ. "I have found David the Son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who shall do all my will. Of this man's seed has God according to promise brought unto Israel a Savior, Jesus" [Acts 13:22-24].
I SAIAH 28:14-16 "Wherefore hear the word of Jehovah, you scoffers that rule this people that is in Jerusalem: because you have said, we have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: therefore, thus says the Lord Jehovah, behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone of sure foundation: he that believes shall not be in haste." The Millennialists use this passage even despite the fact that it is quoted by both Paul [Romans 9:31-33], and two times by Peter [1 Peter 2:6-7; Acts 4:11] and both Paul and Peter apply it to Christ being the corner stone of the Church which Millennialists tell us was unknown about by the prophets. I believe that if I were a Millennialists that I would never get near this passage. The rulers of Jerusalem thought that by putting Christ to death would be the end of Him, but, by the resurrection, God made Him the corner-stone of the church. Their "covenant with death" [Isaiah 28:18] was annulled by the resurrection of Christ. Peter says the same thing that Isaiah said, "You rulers of the people, and elders...be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified, [Their "covenant with death" which was annulled] who God raised from the dead, even in him does that man stand here before you whole. He is the stone which was set at naught of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner" [Acts 4:8-11].
ISAIAH 49:8 is quoted by Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:2 and he says, "Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, not is the day of salvation."
ISAIAH 61:1-2 is quoted by Christ in Luke 4 and in 4:21 Christ says, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."
EZEKIEL 37:27 A passage which Premillennialists use to teach that the kingdom will literally be rebuilt in Jerusalem after the second coming of Christ. Their problem is that Paul applied this prophecy to the church, which was set up "in the days of these kings" - the Roman Empire, not to rebuilding Israel after the second coming of Christ. "For we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I WILL DWELL IN THEM, AND WALK IN THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE" [2 Corinthians 6:16].
ISAIAH 65:17-20 is used by Premillennialists but it is speaking of new heavens and a new earth which they say will be after the Millennium, some the eternal state on earth after the Millennium, some the eternal state in Heaven; therefore, even according to them it is not speaking of the Millennium. The passage is speaking a completely new order which was to come, the church now, not the eternal state after the judgment.
PSALMS 2:1-9 "Why do the nations rage, and the peoples meditate a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Jehovah, and against his anointed, saying, let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sits in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision. Then will he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure: yet I have set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion. I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, You are my son: this day have I begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the nations (footnote: Gentiles) for your inheritance." Paul tells us this has been fulfilled in Christ. "And we bring you good news of the promise made unto the fathers, that God has fulfilled the same unto our children, in that he raised up Jesus; as also it is written the second Psalms, You are my Son, this day have I begotten you" [Acts 13:32-34]. Also in Hebrews 1:5 and 5:5 it is quoted and applied to Christ. Both times applied to His first coming. Yet, Millennialists tell us that Psalms 2:6 is to be fulfilled in the Millennium age. But at the same time they tell us that God was going to set up the kingdom when Christ came the first time, but the rejection of Christ by the Jews, WHICH THEY SAY GOD DID NOT FORESEE, caused the kingdom to be postponed. HOW COULD ANY OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGE HAVE ANY REFERENCE TO EITHER THE CHURCH OR THE MILLENNIUM IF GOD DID NOT FORESEE THAT CHRIST WOULD BE REJECTED AND HE WOULD NOT SET UP THE KINGDOM AS GOD HAD PLANNED FOR CHRIST TO DO WHEN HE CAME THE FIRST TIME?
AMOS 9:11-15 - Acts 15 Scofield Reference Bible says this is the most important passage in the New Testament for Dispensationalists. JAMES APPLIED AMOS 9:11-12 TO THE CHURCH, NOT TO A RESTORED JEWISH KINGDOM IN WHICH THE JEWS WOULD RULE THE WORLD. "Brethren, hearken unto me: Symeon has rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After these things I will return, and I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up; that the residue of men may seek after the Lord. And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old" [Acts 15:14-18]. Premillennialists and Dispensationalists argument are that this and all scripture must be taken literally. If Amos 9:11-12 were taken literally then:
ZECHARIAH 9:9-10
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your king comes unto you; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the house from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace unto the nations; and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth" [Zechariah 9:9-10].
"Now this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, tell you the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes unto you, meek, and riding upon a colt the foal of an ass" [Matthew 21:4-5].
ZECHARIAH 14:4 Some Millennialists uses this passage and say "in that day" means Christ will stand on the earth on the Mount of Olives. "In that day" and "that day" are used about 23 times in Zechariah and often in Isaiah, Jeremiah and through out the Old Testament, and not one time is it speaking of the Millennium. In no place does "that day" mean a literal thousand years. "IN THAT DAY there will be great mourning in Jerusalem" [Zechariah 12:11] does not mean there will be mourning "for a thousand years" in the Millennium.
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DANIEL 9: THE SEVENTY WEEKS
THE ONLY SURE THING ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM TIME LINE (sixty-nine weeks, the gap, the seventh week which is the seven years of the Rapture, then the thousand years) IS THAT IT IS NOT FROM DANIEL 9 OR THE BIBLE. Larry Hariman says, "I want to make it clear, that I do not believe my interpretations and applications of various scriptural passages are inerrant. While I have held to the general Historic Premillennial position now for several years, I am constantly fine tuning it (and even slightly altering it) as God shows me things from his Word. That is to say that this is not the final word on the subject." Is he not saying that God is going to show him things from His word that will be different from what God has now shown him from His word? OR IS HE SAYING THE MILLENNIAL VIEW HE IS NOW TEACHING IS NOT FROM THE BIBLE, BUT SOME DAY GOD WILL SHOW HIM THE VIEW THAT IS IN THE BIBLE? OR THAT GOD HAS SHOWN HIM SOME TRUTHS NOW BUT LATTER GOD WILL SAY THE TRUTHS THAT HAVE NOW BEEN SHOWN HIM WILL NO LONGER BE TRUTHS AND MUST BE ALTERED? Then he says he is sure some Historic Premillennialists will have differing points of view. IS HE NOT SAYING GOD HAS SHOWN THEM CONFLICTING TRUTHS AND THAT GOD HAS THEM ALL TEACHING CONFLICTING TRUTHS SIMULTANEOUSLY? IN ALL THE TIME LINES I HAVE READ, THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW. I HAVE FOUND NO TWO THAT ARE THE SAME. "I would be difficult or impossible to find anyone whose view of the Seventy Weeks prophecy does not rest, as to some one or more essential features thereof, upon mere human authority" Philip Mauro, "The Seventy Week and the Great Tribulation" 1921.
DANIEL'S 70 WEEKS. Daniel 9 may be the third most used passage by Millennialists after Matthew 24 and Revelation 20. Christ quoted Daniel 9:27 and applied it to the destruction of Israel [Matthew 24:15]. Jesephus also applied Daniel 9 to the destruction of Israel [Antiq. 10. 11. 7].
The Millennium time line for the 70 weeks
"A day equals a year" theory: The hundreds of times "day" is used in the Old Testament, only two times it is used where some say that a "day" equals a year [Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:4-6], and there is nothing in Daniel 9 that would indicate that is does.
If a "day" equals a "year" then they make there own claim that all prophecies are to be taken literally not be true by making "day" be used figuratively.
Shahvooag is used in the Old Testament 19 times. Ezekiel 45:21 says, "The Passover, a feast of seven (shahvooag) days." It is obvious that week could not be a translation of shahvooag, "A feast of week days."
Word # 7651, "A prim cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adv.) seven times; by impl, a week; by extens, an indefinite number: -- (+by) seven."
Young's Analytical Concordance To The Bible, page 1041, (spells "shahvooag" as "shabua") says, "shabua - seven, a week."
"...but time periods of different lengths symbolized by seven sevens, sixty-two seven, and one seven (or heptad)." Homer Hailey, A Commentary On Daniel, Page 193, Nevada Publications, 2001. (A heptad means "a group of seven").
The 70 years of captivity [Jeremiah 29:10; Daniel 9:2] was about over. In chapter 9:3-19 Daniel points out how God had done more for Israel than any other people in the whole earth, yet they had over and over sinned and "been wicked." The angel Gabriel gave Daniel a revelation, the 70 years of captivity was to be followed by a period of seventy sevens (shahvooags), a period of time 7 times as long as the captivity which would bring "a complete destruction" [Daniel 9:27]. Seven times the 70 year captivity equals 490 years; one seven for each of the 70 years of captivity. Seven is used through out the Bible for completeness, fullness, perfection. See Matthew 18:22 where the same number is used.
This Seventy sevens is made up of 3 periods.
A number of dates have been given for the beginning of the 49 years.
These dates are mostly based on the canon of Ptolemy, a heathen writer of the second century and obscure historical records. There is no reliable historical chronology of the period from Cyrus to Christ. Ptolemy's estimate of 205 years has caused problems with many writers in finding something 483 years from the Baptism of Christ. For those who use Ussher's chronology, a starting year after Cyrus must be found. The estimated dates given by men can be wrong, but a date given by God cannot. If, as many believe, the Baptism of Christ was about B. C. 4, the starting date of this revelation to Daniel was 483 years before B. C. 4; or about 487 B. C. using God's chronology.
THE DECREE OF CYRUS
In Isaiah 44:26 to 45:25 God gives the promise that Jerusalem would be rebuilt and named Cyrus as the one who would rebuild it. By the chronology of man this was about 200 years before Cyrus was king. "It is I who say of Cyrus, 'he is My shepherd! and he will perform all My desire,' And he declares of Jerusalem, 'She will be built,' and of the temple, Your foundation will be laid.' Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him, and to loose the loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates will not shut: I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze, and cut through their iron bars. And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, in order that you may know that I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. For the sake of Jacob My servant, and Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor thought you have not known Me" [Isaiah 44:28 to 45:4]. "I have aroused him in righteousness, and I will make all his ways smooth; he will build My city, and will let go My captives" [Isaiah 45:13].
THE FULFILLMENT OF THIS 200 YEAR OLD DECREE
2 Chronicles 36:22-23: "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah 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, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth has Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me; and he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever there is among you of all his people, Jehovah his God be with him, and let him go up."
Ezra 1:1-4: "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah 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, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth has Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me; and he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever there is among you of all his people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Jehovah, the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever is left, in any place where he sojourns, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the freewill-offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem."
Cyrus returned to the house of the Lord the articles which Nebuchadnezzar has carried away [Ezra 1:7-11]. Ezra 2 gives the number that returned. Through out the rest of the book Ezra speaks of Jerusalem as an existing city. "And to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem" [Ezra 9:9]. The captivity was over and the temple had been rebuilt. "And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxas king of Persia. And the temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of king Darius"[Ezra 6:15]. The decree to rebuild the temple was completed by Darius. Damage done by the enemies of the Jews to the walls was repaired in Nehemiah chapter 1 - 3, but this repairing of the walls that had already been rebuild was not the restoring after the 70 year captivity.
So far as the prophecy of the angel Gabriel in chapter 9 is concerned, this period of time was uneventful. The 434 years was to bring Israel up the last seven. Daniel 11 foretells some of the events of this period.
"The anointed one, the prince" Wigram gives four passages where "prince" is used, all four have reference to the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. Prince (arkeegos), "Wigram Englishmen's Greek Concordance" page 84.
"The woman said unto Him, I know that Messiah comes (He that is called Christ): when He is come, He will declare unto us all things. Jesus said unto her, I that speak unto your am He" [John 4:25].
THE BEGINNING OF THE SEVENTIETH SEVEN
The coming of John the Baptist was told about in Isaiah 40:3-11; Malachi 3:1; 4:5-6. Christ begins His work at His baptism [Acts 1:21-22;10:36-37; 13:24]. It was at His baptism that "the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" [Matthew 3:16-17]. "With us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John unto the day that he was received up form us" [Acts 1:22]. It was "after the baptism which John preached; even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him" [Acts 10:37-38]. Also Mark 1:15; Luke 12:56; 19:41-44. At the baptism of Christ the 69 sevens were over and the 70th seven begin.
"Seventy sevens have been decreed for your people and your holy city." All six things listed in Daniel 9:11-24 took place in the first half the the seventieth seven.
"Then after the sixty-two sevens (shahvooag) the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing" [Daniel 9:26; Isaiah 53:8]. If the seventieth seven was put of and we are now in the unmentioned "gap" between the sixty-ninth and the seventh seven, waiting for the seventieth seven to come, none of the six things listed above could have come to pass. As Philip Mauro puts it, "The strongest magnifying glass fails to reveal the slightest sign of such a remarkable 'break'...Where those who assert it obtain their information is a deep mystery to us."
The seventieth seven ended when the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles in Acts 10; when the kingdom was no longer for Jews only, but all who believed, no longer the earthly kingdom of Israel, but a spiritual kingdom. God's "holy nation" [1 Peter 2:9] is now composed of all believes, not the nation of Israel which did not receive Him [John 1:11-13].
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"And on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate" [Daniel 9:27]. Christ applied this to the destruction of Israel [Matthew 24:15]. Jesephus applied this to the destruction of Israel in A. D. 70.
"It is not difficult to gather the meaning of the passage. Indeed, so far as we are aware, all expositors agree that it foretells the exterminating judgment of God, which in due time was executed by the Roman armies under Titus, by whom the city was overwhelmed as 'with a flood' (a figure often used for an invading army), and the city and the land were given over to the age -- long 'desolations,' which had been 'determined' in the counsels of God. Doubtless the Lord had this very passage in mind when, speaking of the then approaching siege and destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, He said: 'For these be the days of vengeance, that all things that are written may be fulfilled' (Lu. 21:22). The 'things that are written' were the things foretold in this verse of the prophecy (Dan. 9:26), which were 'fulfilled' at that time. The Lord's words recorded in Matthew 23:32- 36, and Luke 19:43, 44, also refer to the calamities foretold in Daniel 9:26, it will be clearly seen by turning to those passages. The following then is the meaning we derive from the text of the A. V. and R.V.: That the people of a 'prince' (i. e., a leader or commander), who was to come with arms against Judea and Jerusalem, would utterly destroy both the city and the temple; that the destruction thereof should be as if a flood had swept everything away; that to the end there should be war; and that 'desolations' for the land and city were definitely 'determined.' Thus, the entire prophecy of the Seventy Weeks embraces in its scope the rebuilding of the city and the temple, and the final destruction of both. It covers the stretch of time from the restoration of the people to their land and city in the first year of Cyrus, down to their dispersion by the Romans among all the nations of the world." Philip Mauro, "The Seventy Weeks And The Great Tribulation," 1921.
According to the Millennium theory, a second "one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction," must come thousands of years after the first "one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction."
According to the Millennium theory, God planned on setting up the kingdom when Christ came, He did not know that the Jews were going to reject Christ as their king, therefore, He did not know about the destruction of Jerusalem. Therefore, the death of Christ or the destruction of Jerusalem could not have been in Daniel's 70 weeks unless Daniel knew more than God. NOTHING ABOUT THE DEATH OF CHRIST, "THE CHURCH AGE," OR ANYTHING IN THE CHURCH COULD BE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT FOR, ACCORDING TO SOME MILLENNIALISTS. GOD DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEREFORE, NOTHING FROM THE DEATH OF CHRIST UNTO AFTER HE COMES A SECOND TIME COULD HAVE BEEN FORETOLD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. ACCORDING TO SOME MILLENNIALISTS,
THE "GAP" THEORY IS NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE BUT WAS MADE UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE 70 WEEKS FIT THE TIME LINE. It had to be made up to make their time line work, but they still have problems with their time line. The word "rapture" is not in the Bible and none of the doctrines of the rapture, the rapture before, in the middle of or after the thousand years is not in the Bible and is pure fiction.
IF THE 70TH WEEK HAS NOT COME BECAUSE IT WAS POSTPONED AND WE ARE NOW IN THE "GAP," THE MIDDLE OF THE 70TH WEEK HAS NOT COME, THEREFORE, "BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK HE WILL PUT A STOP TO SACRIFICE AND GRAIN OFFERING" [Daniel 9:27]. If the death of Christ was not known about by God, if Christ has not been put to death as a sacrifice for sin [Hebrews 9:26], how would Christ have put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering in the middle of the 70th week without His death?
If three and a half years ["In the middle of the week" Daniel 9:27] of the 70th week had passed before God stopped the prophetic clock, how is the rapture to be seven years when half of the seven years had passed before the clock was stopped and there had been no rapture?
If the 70th week is the seven-year rapture, what would the 70th week of Daniel's vision have been if the Jews had not rejected Christ and God had not stopped the clock? If Christ had restored Israel as Millennialists tell up it was God's plain to restore Israel right up to the time Christ was rejected, there would have been no church to be raptured away for seven years? They must have God changing the vision of Daniel to something completely different from what it was before Christ was rejected for according to them the church was an unknown afterthought, and the 70th week could not have been the rapture or an unknown afterthought. Daniel could not have told of something that was unknown about by God. THE 70TH WEEK COULD NOT BE THE UNKNOWN ABOUT RAPTURE OF THE UNKNOWN ABOUT CHURCH.
Many Millennialists teach all of the 70th week is still to come, that the Antichrist is the one spoken of, and he will make a covenant with Israel, rebuild the temple and restore sacrifices, but after three and a half years he will break his covenant and cause the sacrifices to cease. NOT ONLY WOULD THIS LEAVE CHRIST OUT OF THE 70 WEEKS BUT IT IS MADE TO BE SPEAKING OF SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNKNOWN TO DANIEL IF THE REJECTION OF CHRIST, AND THE CHURCH WAS UNKNOWN OF IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE CHURCH WAS ONLY AN AFTERTHOUGHT. BOTH THE RAPTURE AND THE ANTICHRIST WOULD HAVE BEEN UNKNOWN OF BY DANIEL AND GOD.
If the death of Christ were in the middle of the 70th week or if the 70th week is a seven-year rapture, there is no way they can get the destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. 70 in the 70th week are anywhere in the 70 weeks. It will not fit into their time line.
THAT GOD STOPPED THE PROPHETIC CLOCK WITH A LONG "GAP" IS A MUST FOR PREMILLENNIALISTS. WITHOUT THIS "GAP" THE PROPHECY OF THE KINGDOM WOULD HAVE BEEN FULFILLED IN THE FIRST CENTURY, NOT IN TODAY'S NEW PAPERS.
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Many of the passages spoken by John the Baptist and by Jesus about Israel's rejection of Christ and its destruction are misapplied to Hell. Matthew 24 is often misused to prove Israel will be restored, and Christ will return to earth and rule the world forever from Jerusalem and that the saved will forever live on this earth, not in Heaven.
JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL Matthew 21-25
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THE JEWS THAT CAME TO JOHN THE BAPTIST. "But when he saw the PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES coming to his baptism, HE SAID UNTO THEM, YOU offspring of vipers, WHO WARNED YOU TO FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME? Bring forth; therefore, fruit worthy of repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, WE HAVE ABRAHAM TO OUR FATHER: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to rise up children unto Abraham. AND EVEN NOW THE AXE LIES AT THE ROOT OF THE TREES: every tree; therefore, that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance; but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, BUT THE CHAFF HE WILL BURN UP WITH UNQUENCHABLE FIRE" [Matthew 3:7-12]. John was the Elijah that was to come [Matthew 17:11; 11:10]. Cutting down a tree or forest is a common symbol of judgment and destruction of cities and nations in the Old Testament [Isaiah 10:34; Jeremiah 46:22-23; 22:7-8; Ezekiel 31:3-14]. If a tree is cut down, there is hope that it will sprout again from the stump [Job 14:7-8; Isaiah 11:1], but when the axe is put to the root there is no hope that the tree will ever sprout again.
Adam Clarke says this is "the desolation which was about to fall on the Jewish nation."
Lightfoot: "By the axe being now laid to the root of the tree, may fitly be understood, first, the certainty of their desolation; and second, the nearness, in that the instrument of their destruction as already prepared, and brought close to them; the Romans that should ruin their city and nation, being already master and rulers over them."
B. W. Johnson: "Think not to say...we have Abraham to our father. They believed that Abraham's race was to be saved, if all else was destroyed...'The axe is laid at the root of the tree.' A sign that the tree is to be cut down. The tree meant is the Jewish nation. Every tree. A fruitless fig tree was afterward made by our Lord to representative of the whole Jewish nation (Luke 13:6)." Also, Matthew 3:10-12 "And with fire. The term fire is used in verse 10, and there means a destroying agency; it is used again in verse 12 in the same sense; it is used in verse 11, also, the intervening verse, and must be used in exactly the same sense as in the other two verses. It cannot mean a curse in verses 10 and 12, and a blessing in verse 11, without a word of explanation. It is strange, therefore, that all commentators should not agree that the baptism of fire is a baptism of trial and suffering. THERE WERE TWO CLASSES BEFORE JOHN. SOME WOULD REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED FINALLY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT; THERE WERE OTHERS WHO WOULD REMAIN IMPENITENT, AND BE BAPTIZED IN THE AWFUL TRIALS THAT WOULD COME UPON ISRAEL" B. W. Johnson, "The People New Testament With Notes," 1889, Gospel Light Publishing Company.
"But the SONS OF THE KINGDOM shall be cast forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth" [Matthew 8:12]. Even according to those who believe in Hell, no one is cast out of Heaven, BUT WHEN THIS "WEEPING AND THE GNASHING OF TEETH" IS MADE TO BE AFTER THE JUDGMENT IN HELL, IT IS THE "SONS OF THE KINGDOM" THAT ARE CAST INTO THE OUTER DARKNESS. IN TRYING TO PROVE THE OUTER DARKNESS IS HELL, SOME ARE MADE TO BE CAST OUT OF HEAVEN INTO HELL AFTER THE JUDGMENT. If "and yourselves cast forth without" is cast into Hell where those who believe in Hell say the "weeping and gnashing of tenth" will be, THEN THIS MAKES THOSE FROM THE EAST AND WEST GO TO HEAVEN AFTER THE JUDGMENT DAY. THEY HAVE SOME GOING INTO HEAVEN, AND SOME BEING CAST OUT OF HEAVEN AFTER THE KINGDOM HAS BEEN DELIVERED UP TO GOD, THEREFORE, AFTER THE JUDGMENT. This is more than those trying to prove Hell want to prove, for they do not think any will be cast out of Heaven after the judgment and no one who is in Heaven after the judgment will go to Hell so why is this passage used in a way that makes it prove there will be some cast out of Heaven after the judgment?
J. W. McGarvey, Matthew 8:11: "AND I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT MANY SHALL COME FROM THE EAST AND THE WEST, AND SHALL SIT DOWN WITH ABRAHAM, AND ISAAC, AND JACOB, IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN [Jesus here predicts the conversion of the Gentiles, since that fact is suggested to him by the faith of this centurion. The east and the west represent the extreme points of the compass in the directions in which the world was most thickly inhabited. But Jesus refers rather to spiritual separation than to geographical distances--Mal. i. 11; Isa. xlix. 19; Jer. xvi. 19; Zech. viii. 22.] 12 But The Sons Of The Kingdom [The child of anything in Hebrew phraseology expressed the idea of special property which one has in the thing specified, as, for instance, children of disobedience (Eph. ii. 2). Jesus here means, then, the Jews, to whom the kingdom belonged by hereditary descent--Rom. ix. 4] SHALL BE CAST FORTH INTO THE OUTER DARKNESS: THERE SHALL BE THE WEEPING AND THE GNASHING OF TEETH. [In this paragraph Christ's kingdom is set forth under the simile of a great feast, a familiar simile with Jesus (Matt. xxvi. 29; Luke xxii. 30). The Jews were accustomed to speak of the delights of the Messianic kingdom as a feast with the patriarchs (Luke xiv. 15), but lost sight of the fact that Gentiles should share in its cheer and fellowship (Isa. xxv. 6). Marriage feasts and other great feasts of the Jews were usually held in the evening. Inside, therefore, there would be joy and light and gladness, but outside there would be darkness and disappointment, tears and bitter self-reproach (Matt. xxv. 10-13). The despised outcasts should be brought in and placed at the festal board, while the long-invited guests-the natural and fleshly heirs of Abraham's invitation-would be excluded (Matt. xxi. 43)." The Fourfold Gospel, Page 272, 1914, Standard Publishing Company.
J. W. McGarvey, Luke 13:28 28: "There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, AND YOURSELVES CAST FORTH without. 29 And they shall come from the east and west, and from the north and south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold [little as you may think it], they are last who shall be first, and they are first who shall be last. A familiar proverb of Christ's (Matt. xix. 30; xx. 10), to be interpreted by such passages as Matt. xxi. 31 and Rom. ix. 30, 31. The Jew who thought the Gentile had no hope at all, and that he himself was sure of salvation, would be surprised to find that his opinion was the very reverse of the real fact as time developed it]." The Fourfold Gospel, 1914, Standard Publishing Company. The Jews were cast forth OUT OF THE KINGDOM, but nothing is said about CASTING INTO "HELL."
B. W. Johnson, Matthew 8:12: "BUT THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM. The Jews, the natural children of Abraham, the 'Father of the faithful,' heirs of the promises made to him. CAST OUT because they rejected the Messiah, in whom all the promises center. INTO OUTER DARKNESS" The People's New Testament With Notes, Gospel Light Publishing Company.
THE THREE TIMES "OUTER DARKNESS" IS USED BY CHRIST [Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30], ARE IN THREE PARABLES, WHICH REFER TO GOD'S DEALING WITH THE JEWS BEING CAST OUT AS GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE. IT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO BE THE LOST IN HELL ARE IN OUTER DARKNESS. THE SEVEN TIMES [Matthew 8:12; 13:42; 13:50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28] "WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH" ARE USED BY CHRIST ARE ALSO ABOUT THE JEWS BEING CAST OUT AS GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE. IT ALSO HAS BEEN CHANGED TO BE THE LOST IN HELL THAT ARE WEEPING AND GNASHING THEIR TEETH. Although many of the wisest preachers and writers whose writings have stood the test of time like B. W. Johnson, J. W. McGarvey, Adam Clarke, Lightfoot, H. Leo Boles, Barnes, R. C. H. Lenski and many others say the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" is speaking of the Jews being rejected as God's chosen people, some still misuse this as did Stephen Wiggins in the Firm Foundation, 2006, Page 6. Gehenna is not even in any of the same passages. If he did any study, it would be difficult to believe he did not know the weeping and gnashing of teeth has no reference to "Hell." Is this not just a desperate attempt to find a passage that teaches eternal torment?
SIX PARABLES CONDEMNING ISRAEL
[1]. ISRAEL, THE FRUITLESS FIG TREE [Luke 13:6-9]. "And he spoke this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. And he said unto the vinedresser, behold, these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and found none: cut it down; why does it also cumber the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well; BUT IF NOT, YOU SHALL CUT IT DOWN." Barren national Israel would be cut down. "And seeing a fig tree by the way side, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only; and he said unto it, Let there be no fruit from you hence forward forever." [Matthew 21:18-19].
[2]. THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS [Luke 16:19-31] See "Part Two" of this chapter.
[3]. THE TWO SONS [Matthew 21:28-32]. "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, Son, go work today in the vineyard. And he answered and said, I will, sir; and he did not go. And he came to the second and said the same thing. But, he answered and said, I will not; yet he afterward regretted it and went. Which of the two did the will of his father? They said, the latter. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to YOU the tax-gatherers and harlots will get into the kingdom of God before YOU. For John came to YOU in the way of righteousness and YOU did not believe him; but the tax-gatherers and harlots did believe him; and YOU, seeing this, did not ever feel remorse afterward so as to believe him."
[4]. ISRAEL, THE HUSBANDMAN [Matthew 21:33-45]. "Hear another parable: there was a man that was a householder, who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and dug a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandman, and went into another country. And when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandman, to receive his fruits. And the husbandman took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them in like manner. But, afterward he sent unto them his son, saying, they will reverence my son. But the husbandman, when they saw the son, said among themselves, this is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance. And they took him, and cast him forth out to the vineyard, and killed him. When; therefore, the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do unto these husbandman? They say unto him, HE WILL MISERABLY DESTROY THOSE MISERABLE MEN, AND WILL LET OUT THE VINEYARD UNTO OTHER HUSBANDMEN, who shall render him the fruits in their seasons, Jesus said unto them, did you never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner: this was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes? THEREFORE SAY I UNTO YOU, THE KINGDOM OF GOD SHALL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU, AND SHALL BE GIVEN TO A NATION BRINGING FORTH THE FRUITS THEREOF. And he that falls on this stone shall be broken to pieces: BUT, ON WHOMSOEVER IT SHALL FALL, IT WILL SCATTER HIM AS DUST. And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, THEY PERCEIVED THAT HE SPOKE OF THEM" Israel was scattered as dust in A. D. 70 when no Jews were left in Jerusalem or the country around it. Most millennialists admit that this refers to the Jewish rejection of Christ. THE KINGDOM WAS TAKEN FROM THE JEWS AND GIVEN TO THE GENTILES AT THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS. Millennialists say it will be taken from the Gentiles and given back to the Jews.
[5]. THE MARRIAGE FEAST Matthew 22:1-14: "And Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again, he sent out other slaves saying, Tell those who have been invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast. But, they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. BUT, THE KING WAS ENRAGED AND SENT HIS ARMIES, AND DESTROYED THOSE MURDERS, AND SET THEIR CITY ON FIRE. Then he said to his slaves, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast. And those slaves went out into the streets, and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But, when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes? And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen." The Jews killed the prophets God send to them, and they and their city were destroyed and the Gentiles were brought into the kingdom.
[6]. THE NARROW DOOR Luke 13:24-30 "Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and has shut the door, and begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not where you are; then shall you begin to say, we did eat and drink in your presence, and you did teach in our streets; and he shall say, I tell you, I know not were you are; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth, WHEN YOU SHALL SEE ABRAHAM, AND ISAAC, AND JACOB, AND ALL THE PROPHETS, IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND YOURSELVES CAST FORTH WITHOUT. AND THERE SHALL COME FROM THE EAST AND THE WEST, AND FROM THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH, AND SHALL SIT DOWN IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. AND BEHOLD, THERE ARE LAST WHO SHALL BE THE FIRST, AND THERE ARE FIRST WHO SHALL BE LAST" This is about the coming rejection of Israel and the Gentiles being accepted into the kingdom of Heaven, which is the church. Not about some being cast out of Heaven, which is what it would be if the weeping and gnashing of teeth were in Hell. ISRAEL WAS THE "SONS OF THE KINGDOM" ["children of the kingdom" King James Version] THAT WAS CAST INTO OUTER DARKNESS, NOT THOSE WHO NEVER BELIEVED. THE JEWS, WHO WERE THEN THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM, WERE CAST OUT OF THE LIGHT AND ARE NO LONGER GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE, INTO THE DARKNESS OF THE WORLD WITHOUT THE LIGHT OF GOD'S REVELATION. "O JERUSALEM...BEHOLD YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE" [Luke 13:34-35]. Those who believe in Hell leave out the rest of what Christ said in the next two versus when He says the Gentiles will come into the kingdom, and verse 30 the Gentles who were last become first. If this were after the judgment, the Gentiles would be coming into the kingdom in Heaven after the judgment.
"Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken away from you [the Jews], and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" [Matthew 21:43].
WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH are both used in the Old and New Testament.
1]. WEEPING for miseries and grief, both for personal miseries and as a nation [too often to list them: use any good concordance]. It is used in the New Testament the same way it was in the Old Testament. See Matthew 2:18; Mark 5:28; Luke 7:38; 8:52: John 11:33; 20:11 Acts 9:39; 21:13; Philippians 3:18 and James 5:1. The weeping is the Jews when they see Israel being cast out as God's chosen people, and Jerusalem and the Temple being destroyed, and the end of their national identity See Matthew 24, Daniel 9 and 10.
2]. GNASHING OF TEETH shows anger and rage, and is used in both the Old and New Testament. "They hiss and gnash the teeth" Lamentations 2:16, See Psalms 35:16; Micah 3:5. Used the same way in the New Testament. "And they gnashed on him with their teeth" [Acts 7:54]. Those who stoned Stephen were angry with him, not in pain; they were not dead and in Hell, they were alive and on this earth. If gnashing of teeth were in Hell, as many teach it is, who are they going to gnash with their teeth? Does anyone believe some in Hell will be angry with others in Hell and gnash them with their teeth? The gnashing of teeth is their anger and rage towards those doing the destroying [the Roman army], and maybe even toward God for letting it happen. GNASHING OF TEETH IS BECAUSE OF ANGER OR RAGE. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE PERSON DOING THE GNASHING OF HIS OR HER TEETH ARE BEING TORMENTED IN HELL. IN THE BIBLE GNASHING OF TEETH IS ALWAYS BECAUSE OF ANGER IN BOTH THE OLD AND THE NEW TESTAMENT. IT IS MISUSED TODAY TO SHOW TORMENT IN "HELL."
Weeping and gnashing of teeth are two different things, which are sometimes both found together, but most often are not together. Neither one ever occurs in the same passages with hades or Gehenna. That either one or both will be in Hell is an assumption that is preached over and over. Could an immaterial, invisible part of a person gnash its teeth?
THE CENTURION GENTILE Matthew 8:5-13: "And when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lying in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And he said unto him, I will come and heal him. And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it. And when Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, NOT IN ISRAEL. And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: BUT THE SONS OF THE KINGDOM SHALL BE CAST FORTH INTO THE OUTER DARKNESS: THERE SHALL BE THE WEEPING AND THE GNASHING OF TEETH. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go your way; as you have believed, [so] be it done unto you. And the servant was healed in that hour." After seeing the faith of this Gentile, Jesus says the Gentiles will sit in the kingdom and the sons [Jews] will be cast forth. The same as at the marriage feast (above), the Jews, because they rejected Christ as their king was cast out of the kingdom. The church, not Israel, is now God's kingdom. Those who teach Hell read the prophecies of Christ about the judgment of Israel in AD 70 and move the weeping and gnashing of teeth to Hell after the Judgment Day is over. They have not found one passage that says anything about the lost after the judgment. Nothing can happen to nothing. After the second death there could be nothing said, for there will be nothing to say anything about. There is a first death, a resurrection from the first death, then the second death, but nothing is said about a third life after the second death. They need something to prove their Hell, and try to make it look as if weeping and gnashing of teeth could only be in Hell; although both weeping and gnashing of teeth are used throughout the Old Testament and those who believe in Hell do not believe weeping and gnashing of teeth in the Old Testament has any reference to a time of punishment after the Judgment Day, but they assume that in the New Testament both are used in reference to punishment in Hell after the judgment day. Weeping and gnashing of teeth has a reference to Hell only when they want or need them to.
WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH: God says the "wages of sin is death," not an eternal life of weeping and gnashing of teeth in Hell and will go on forever, for there is no death for the soul that cannot die. We would never be able to know that this weeping will be in Hell unless:
Some of the words used by Christ to describe the Jews: blind guides, hypocrites, murderers, adulterous, transgressors, faithless, perverse, fools, generation of snakes. "O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM...BEHOLD, YOUR HOUSE (the temple Christ had just left) IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE" [Matthew 23:38].
B. W. Johnson, Matthew 23:33-39. "The People's New Testament With Notes" Gospel Light Publishing Company, 1889.
"That which Israel seeks for, that he obtained not; but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened" [Romans 11:7]. Whatever Israel did not obtain, THE ELECT HAD OBTAINED IT AT THE TIME PAUL WROTE THIS. It is not something that will be obtained after the coming of Christ by Israel or anyone. How is anyone saved today, Jew or Gentile? By the Gospel. I was saved when I heard the Gospel and obeyed it. All that are saved are saved in the same way. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is THE POWER of God for salvation to EVERYONE who believes, TO THE JEW FIRST and also to the Greek" [Romans 1:16]. Neither a Jew nor a Greek can be saved without believing and obeying the gospel. Today a nation cannot be saved as a nation (Israel or any other nation). All the individuals must believe and obey the Gospel. There is no other way. "But if SOME OF THE BRANCHES were broken off, ["some of the branches," plural, are individuals Jews, not "some of the nations"] and you, being a wild olive, was grafted in among them [among some of the branches, the Jews that believed and were not broken off]...Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith...for if God spared not the natural branches [individuals Jews], neither will he spare you [individuals Gentiles, not nations]. Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell (individuals, not nations), severity; but toward you, God's goodness; otherwise, you also shall be cut off. And they [individuals Jews] also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in" [Romans 11:17-24]. Many of the believers in the early church were Jews. Paul was a Jew, and he said, "Even so than at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace [at the time Paul was writing this and today some Jews believed]" [Romans 11:4]. Salvation is always available to Jews or Gentiles if they will accept Christ. The law was only a shadow of that which was to come. Israel cannot be restored as a nation without restoring the shadow, including restoring animal sacrifice, etc.
"There is an individuality about the Christian religion that cannot be dispensed with. Those who accept Christ must do it as individuals, not as a nation. Each one must come to Christ on his own individual faith. He can come in no other way. In this way he can come now; and this is the only way a Gentile, or anyone else can come. The Jews were broken off for unbelief, and they must come in faith. This opportunity they have now, and have always had--they need not expect, or wait for anything more." Dr T. W. Brents, Gospel Sermons, Page 329, 1918, Gospel Advocate Publishing Co.
"Woe unto you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. So you are witnesses and consent unto the works of your fathers: for they kill them, and you build their tombs. Therefore, also said the wisdom of God, I will send unto them prophets and apostles; and some of them they shall kill and persecute; that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, MAY BE REQUIRED OF THIS GENERATION; from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary: yea, I say unto you, IT SHALL BE REQUIRED OF THIS GENERATION" [Luke 11:47-51].
[1] THE LORD'S LAMENT OVER JERUSALEM WHEN HE WAS ON THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM: In Luke 19:41-44 When Jesus drew nigh Jerusalem He wept over the city and tells His disciples of the destruction of it in which His language is similar to Luke 21:5-33. "And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, If you had known in this day, even you, the things which belong unto peace! But, now they are hid from your eyes. FOR THE DAYS SHALL COME UPON YOU, WHEN YOUR ENEMIES WILL THROW UP A BANK ABOUT YOU, AND SURROUND YOU, AND HEM YOU IN ON EVERY SIDE, AND WILL LEVEL YOU TO THE GROUND AND YOUR CHILDREN WITHIN YOU; AND THEY SHALL NOT LEAVE IN YOU ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation" [Luke 19:41-44 New American Standard Version].
[2] IN AN ADDRESS TO THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEE AT JERUSALEM: In Matthew 23 Jesus gives seven woes to the scribes and Pharisees [Matthew 23:13, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27 29] and ends the address with "Verily I say unto you, ALL THESE THINGS SHALL COME UPON THIS GENERATION. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem that kills the prophets, and stones them that are sent unto her! How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not! BEHOLD, YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE" [Matthew 23:36-38]. In Matthew 24:34 He again says, "THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS AWAY, TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE ACCOMPLISHED." All the woes in Matthew 23 and all the signs of Matthew 24 were to come upon that generation, before that generation passed away.
"ALL THESE THINGS SHALL COME UPON THIS GENERATION" Christ used "generation" twenty-five times IN REFERENCE TO THE JEWS OF HIS DAY, nine of the twenty-five are in Matthew [Matthew 11:16; 12:39; 12:41; 12:42; 12:45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36; 24:24]. "But first he (Christ) must suffer many things and be rejected of THIS GENERATION" [Luke 17:25; also Mark 8:12; 8:12; 8:38; 9:19; 13:30; Luke 7:31; 9:41; 11:29; 11:30; 11:31; 11:32; 11:50; 11:51; 16:8; 17:25; 21:32]. "Genea," the Greek word from which "generation" is translated never means "race" as the millennialists contend that it does in Matthew 24:34.
"THIS GENERATION" The generation of Jews in the time of Christ.
If "this generation" means "this race" as some millennialists teach, are there forty-two "races" spoken of in Matthew 1:1-17?
The use of "YOU" clearly identified the "generation" Jesus was speaking to in Matthew 24. When speaking to His disciples Jesus said:
[3] THEN AN ADDRESS TO HIS DISCIPLES ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES OVERLOOKING JERUSALEM: Matthew 24:1-51. There have been thousands of speculations made on Matthew 24 over the centuries, and it is perhaps been abused more than any other passage.
THE CONTEXT OF MATTHEW 24: It is in the midst of passages about Israel.
Matthew 24:1-2 "And Jesus went out from the temple, and his disciples came to him TO SHOW HIM THE BUILDINGS OF THE TEMPLE, but he answered and said unto them, see you not all these things? Verily I say unto you, THERE SHALL NOT BE LEFT HERE ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER, THAT SHALL NOT BE THROWN DOWN." The stones were the "buildings of the temple." THESE WORDS ARE THE REASON FOR THE QUESTIONS BY HIS DISCIPLES AND THE REASON FOR THE DISCOURSE THAT FOLLOWED. The purpose of this discourse was not to give His disciples signs of His coming at the end of the world but signs of the destruction of Jerusalem, to warn believers in that generation of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and to give them a sign for them to flee from the destruction coming in their lifetime. "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is nigh" [Luke 21:20; Matthew 24:15].
Matthew 24:3 "And as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us":
The disciples, thinking of what the Lord had said, asked two questions, which they supposed both would be at the same time. When shall THESE THINGS You speak of be and what shall be the sign that THESE THINGS are about to come to pass? NEITHER IN WHAT CHRIST SAID OR IN THE QUESTIONS THE DISCIPLES ASKED IS THERE ANY REFERENCE TO THE SECOND COMING OR TO A GREAT TRIBULATION THOUSANDS OF YEARS AFTER "THESE THING." AT THE TIME THEY ASKED THESE QUESTIONS THEY DID NOT BELIEVE OR KNOW THAT JESUS WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH OR THAT HE WOULD BE GOING BACK TO HEAVEN AND COMING A SECOND TIME. THE DISCIPLES STILL THOUGHT THE CHRIST WOULD RESTORE THE EARTHY KINGDOM OF ISRAEL JUST AS ALL THE JEWS DID.
A) SIGNS OF THE THINGS THAT WERE TO COME TO PAST THAT CHRISTIANS WERE TO WATCH FOR.
Matthew 24:4-15: "And Jesus answered (His answer was to the questions they had asked about the destruction of the temple, not about His second coming) and said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray. And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not troubled: for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. But, all these things are the beginning of travail. Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of many shall wax cold. But, he that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come. When; therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that reads understand)."
B) NATURAL DISASTERS TO ISRAEL AND ROME.
"When Christ was born, there was a universal peace in the empire...From the time that the Jews rejected Christ, and he left their house desolate, the sword did never depart from their house, the sword of the Lord was never quiet, because he had given it a charge against a hypocritical nation and the people of his wrath, and by it brought ruin upon them." Matthew Henry, Matthew 24:6. Zondervan Publishing House, 1721.
Dr. Philip Schaff says there is scarcely another period in history so full of corruption, vice, and disaster as the six years between Neronian persecution in A. D. 64 and the destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. 70, History Of the Christian Church, New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge.
FOR MANY YEARS EARTHQUAKES, FAMINES, WARS, PESTILENCES HAVE REPEATEDLY BEEN MAKE INTO A SURE SIGN THAT THE END IS AT HAND BY MANY WRITERS OF FICTION.
C) PERSECUTION FIRST FROM JEWS AND THEN ROME. THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL.
D) THEN COMES THE END OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
E) INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNING TO THE DISCIPLES Matthew 24:17-20. "Let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house: (18) and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak. (19) But woe unto them that give suck in those days! (20) And pray you that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a Sabbath; for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world (aion-age) until now, no, not ever shall be. (22) And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (23) Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not. (24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (25) Behold, I have told you beforehand. (26) If; therefore, they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not. (27) For as the lightning comes forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. (28) Wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together."
"For then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world (aion-age) until now, no, not ever shall be." Some believe this is speaking of the Jewish age, not all time. Not of the destruction of the flood before the Jewish age and not speaking of any war after the end of the Jewish age. Daniel 12:1 says, "And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time." They believe Daniel vision was about Israel and Michael was speaking only of Israel and should be understood as "since there was a nation of Israel." It is believed to be speaking only of the wars and captivities of Israel. I am not persuaded this is the right view, but it may be something that needs be looked into for the Greek says "from the beginning of the age" not "the world."
"For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" [Luke 21:22]. Jeremiah ends his prophecy made in Gehenna [valley of Topheth] outside of Jerusalem with, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am about to bring on this city and all its towns the entire calamity that I have declared against it because they have stiffened their necks so as not to heed My words'" [Jeremiah 19:15].
(a). "Let him that is on the housetop not go down." Most first century houses in Jerusalem had flat roofs, and a person could travel from one housetop to the next. Today there are almost none with flat roofs and what few there may be would not be useful as a roadway to the gate of the city.
(b). Not on the Sabbath. The gates would be closed, and no one would be able to leave the city. Today there are no gates. The Law forbids going more than a Sabbath day journey, which is less than a mile, and others Jews might have stopped them for breaking the Law.
(c). Not in the winter. Travel would be hard then but not today with today's ways of travel.
(d). "For the days shall come upon you when your enemies shall cast up a bank about you, and compass you round, and keep you on in on every side" [Luke 19:43-44]. Then the common way that was used by the Romans to take a walled city was to build an embankment next to the wall for the army to walk up to the top of the wall. Today's cities, not even Jerusalem, do not have walls as they would be useless with modern planes and explosives.
(f). "And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." After Jerusalem was completely destroyed, the cities of Israel that had not been destroyed before Jerusalem was also destroyed. If the Roman army had kept going, the fateful Jews beyond the mountains where Christians had fled to would have also been destroyed. This would make no sense when it is applied to the second coming of Christ as it is by many millennialists.
Luke 21:24 "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." In A. D. 70 all the Jews that were in Israel that was not killed were led captive into all the nations. The siege of Jerusalem was at the time of the Passover when millions were within the walls of the city.
"Of the Jews destroyed during the siege, Josephus reckons not less than ONE MILLION AND ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND, to which must be added, above TWO-HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVEN THOUSAND who perished in other places, AND INNUMERABLE MULTITUDES WHO WERE SWEPT AWAY BY FAMINE, AND PESTILENCE, AND OF WHICH NO CALCULATION COULD BE MADE. Not less than two thousand laid violent hands upon themselves. Of the captives the whole was about NINETY-SEVEN THOUSAND." George P. Holford, "The Destruction of Jerusalem." He also says that at this time bands of robbers and murderers plundered the other towns and slew the resistance of many of the towns.
"No history can furnish us with a parallel to the calamities and miseries of the Jews:-rape, murder, famine, and pestilence within: fire and sword, and all the horrors of war, without. Our Lord wept at the foresight of these calamities; and it is almost impossible for any humane person to read the relation of them in Josephus without weeping also." Adam Clarke, Commentary on Matthew.
"The destruction of Jerusalem was more terrible than anything that the world has ever witnessed, either before or since. Even Titus seemed to see in his cruel work the hand of an avenging God." C.H. Spurgeon, Commentary on Matthew, Page 412.
"And indeed the multitude of carcasses that lay in heaps one upon another was a horrible sight, and produced a pestilential stench, which was a hindrance to those that would make sallies out of the city, and fight the enemy: but as those were to go in battle-array, who had been already use to ten thousand murders, and must tread upon those dead bodies as they marched along, so they were not terrified, nor did they pity men as they marched over them." Josephus, The Wars Of The Jews Or The History Of The Destruction Of Jerusalem, Book VI, Page 1. This is only a small sample of the pages in Josephus's history of the destruction of the Jews as a nation, of the wars of the Jews with the Romans before, during, and after the destruction of Jerusalem, of the famines, pestilence and earthquakes through out all Israel unto the entire nation were destroyed. It is not for those with a weak stomach.
"The Roman leaders endeavored to strike terror to the Jews and thus, cause them to surrender. Those prisoners, who resisted when taken, were scourged, tortured, and crucified before the wall of the city. Hundreds were daily put to death in this manner, and the dreadful work continued until, along the Valley Jehoshaphat and at Calvary, crosses were erected in so great numbers that there was scarcely room to move among them. So terrible was the visited that awful imprecation uttered before the judgment seat of Pilate: 'His blood be on us, and on our children Matthew 27:25'" The Great Controversy. The nation of Israel sowed a cross and reaped thousands of crosses.
"Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another" [Matthew 24:2]. Titus wanted to save the temple and give command that it be not destroyed, but Christ had said it would be. It was set on fire against the command of Titus, and the gold melted and ran down into the foundation stones, and the soldiers dug up the foundation stones looking for the gold. Not one stone was left. In Luke's account of this [Luke 19:41-44] he says the temple would be even with the ground. After the destruction of Jerusalem one could not know by looking at the spot that the temple had been on it. A Moslem Mosque, called the Dome of the Rock, is now on the spot where the temple was.
"Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them." Josephus, "Antiquities of the Jews" 10.11.7.
IN THEIR BOOKS OF FICTION THE MILLENNIUM TRIBULATION IS OFTEN BASED ON MATTHEW 24 WHICH DID COME IN A. D. 70 BEFORE THAT GENERATION PASSED AWAY [MATTHEW 24:34]. "For then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world (aion-age)." The purpose of this discourse was not to give his disciples signs of His coming at the end of the world but signs of the destruction of Jerusalem, to warn believers in that generation of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and to give them a sign for them to flee from the destruction coming in their lifetime. [Matthew 24:21]. Millennialists say, "Not so Christ, the great tribulation in the Millennium will be much greater then the tribulation at the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel."
"Wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together" Matthew 24:28.
"I wonder and can any understand these words of pious men flying to Christ, [in the rapture] when the discourse here is of quite a different thing: they are thus connected to the forgoing: Christ shall be revealed with a sudden vengeance; for when God shall cast of the city and people, grown ripe for destruction, like a carcass thrown out, the Roman soldiers, like eagles, shall straight fly to it with their eagles (ensigns) to tear and devout it." John Lightfoot, Matthew 24:28 "A Commentary on Matthew."
NOT JERUSALEM ONLY BUT ALL THE NATION OF ISRAEL WAS DESTROYED, AND ALL THE LAND THAT WAS THE NATION OF ISRAEL WAS TAKEN OVER BY OTHER PEOPLE. THE NATION OF ISRAEL CAME TO AN END. The Jewish religion was centered round and totally dependence on the sacrifices which could only be performed at the Temple and only by the Levitical priesthood. Both came to an end and have not been restored to this day.
Matthew 24:29-31: "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (30) and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
Matthew 24:1-28 is speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem. Then in the next verse Christ says, "But immediately after the tribulation of those days" and gives a list in verses 29-31 of things that are to happen then, immediately after the destruction, not at His second coming. Then in verses 32-44 He gives us the parable of Israel the fig tree in which His coming was "nigh, even at the doors." These verses are highly symbolic of something that took place immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem. In symbolic language the sun is a great ruler on this earth, and the stars are lesser rulers. There were no rulers or teachers in Israel immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem and all the cities of Israel. All was darkness for Israel. "And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn" (see Matthew 10:23 where the coming of Christ is in judgment on Israel). In the next parable, Christ is "nigh, even at the doors" and "this generation shall not pass away till all these things be accomplished." Though not literally, Christ did come in judgment in the destruction of Jerusalem. If this were at the judgment when all will be raised from the dead for judgment by Christ, I find it difficult to see how any could think that He will not give forth His light at the Judgment, and what then are the stars that shall fall from Heaven? If verses 30 and 31 were speaking of the second coming, they would be out of place for the second coming was not "immediately after the tribulation of those days" (verse 29) and not in the "generation that shall not pass away till all these things be accomplished" (verse 34). Many teach that the things in Matthew 24 are events that are happening today, but if so, there would some very old people be living today.
The "great tribulation" of Matthew 24:21 is now past history, not something still to come. "But IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION OF THESE DAYS the sun shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken" [Matthew 24:29]. Jesus used the same symbolic language to describe the fall of Israel that Isaiah used to describe the fall of Babylon [Ezekiel 32:7-9] and is commonly used in the Old Testament. "For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will not shed its light" [Isaiah 13:10]. Luke adds, "And upon the earth distress of nations" [Luke 21:21]. There is no way to get around the sun being darkened was immediately after the tribulation Christ was speaking of, which was in A. D. 70; not a tribulation yet to come after the second coming of Christ. MOST MILLENNIALISTS MAKE THE SUN BEING DARKENED BE THE GREAT TRIBULATION; THEY MOVE THE TIME OF THE DARKEN FROM IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION AND MAKE THE DARKNESS IT SELF BE THE TRIBULATION.
Matthew 24:30: "Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven." "In Heaven" is where the Son of Man is, not where the sign would appear. What did appear was the destruction of Israel. The sign proves that the man Israel rejected is the Lord and is the ruler over all nations, and He has the power to destroy the nations that reject Him.
In speaking of God's coming in judgment on Egypt Isaiah says, "The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud, and is about to come to Egypt" [Isaiah 19:1; also Jeremiah 4:13; Ezekiel 30:3-4]. This is not God literally riding a cloud into Egypt, but is figurative language of His coming in judgment on Egypt. When they saw Jerusalem destroyed, they were seeing Jesus coming in judgment on that city. Jesus told the high priest, "YOU SHALL SEE THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, AND COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN" [Mark 14:62]. The high priest did not literally see Jesus in Heaven, but he and all Israel did see the coming of Jesus in judgment on Israel.
"The signs in the heavens, the darkening sun and falling stars, refer to the falling of Jewish dignitaries, casting down of authorities and powers, long established, and signified the darkness that settled upon the Jewish state, the sun of the Hebrew temple was darkened, the moon of the Jewish commonwealth was as blood, the stars of Sanhendrin fell from their high seats of authority...The sign of the Son of man in the heaven was a signal, the evidence of divine visitation and intervention in the downfall of the Jewish authorities and in all the transpiring events. The mourning of all the tribes of the earth refers to the lamentation of the Jewish families all over the world because of the destruction of their city and their temple and their state. The coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven is not a reference to the second coming of Christ but to the coming foretold by Jesus to Caiaphas in Matthew 26:64: 'Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of Heaven.' Jesus told Caiaphas that he would see it, he would be living witness to these event" Foy E. Wallace Jr., "The Book of Revelation" Page 354.
"And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn." When their country was destroyed, the Jews that were in other parts of the earth would mourn. The word translated "earth" is "gee" and in the King James Version is translated "land" forty-one times, "ground" eighteen times and "country" two times. "Gee" is translated land in Matthew 2:6; 2:20; 2:21; 4:15; 9:26; 11:24; 14:34; 27:45; Mark 4:1; 6:47; 6:53; 15:33; Luke 4:25; 5:3; 5:11; 5:24; 8:27; 14:35; 21:23; John 3:22; 6:21; 21:8; 21:9; 21:11; Acts 7:3; 7:4; 7:4; 7:6; 7:11; 7:29; 7:33; 7:36; 7:4013:17; 13:19; 13:19; Hebrews 8:9; 11:9; Jude 5. "Gee" is translated "ground" in Matthew 9:29; 13:8; 13:23; 15:35; Mark 4:8; 4:20; 4:26; 8:6; 9:20; 24:35; Luke 8:8; 8:15; 22:44; John 8:6; 8:8; 12:24; Acts 7:33. "Gee" is translated "country" in Matthew 9:31 and Acts 7:3. Had it been translated "land" in Matthew 24:30, "And then shall all the tribes of the land [gee] mourn" most of the confusion would not have existed. See Zechariah 12:11-12.
"And he will send forth His angels with a great trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other" [Matthew 24:31]. Still speaking in figurative language Jesus is saying He will send His messengers into all the world with His Gospel and gather them to Him in His kingdom, the church. Just as there was not literally a "great trumpet" that was heard in Egypt and Assyria [Isaiah 27:13], there was not literally a "great trumpet" after the fall of Jerusalem. "And they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other," is figurative language meaning from all over the earth, just as is "from east and west, and from north and south" [Luke 13:29 also see Matthew 24:14]. All the saved "His elect" are now gathered together in His kingdom, the church.
Those in the first century would understand "blood, fire, vapor and smoke" to be used as it was in the Old Testament [Acts 2:19; Joel 2:28-32], but would never have understood it to be referring to a nuclear war as many millennialists apply it. Christ used the symbolic language of the Old Testament as it was used in the Old Testament, as those hearing Him would have understood, not something in today's newspapers.
Literally, that day was an ordinary day. The moon was not literally turned into blood, but spiritually it was an earth shaking day. Even the Millennialists who say all scripture must be interpreted literally do not believe the moon will ever literally be turned to blood.
THE SON OF MAN SEEN COMING IN HIS KINGDOM "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING in His kingdom" [Matthew 16:28]. The parallel passage in Mark says, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power" [Mark 9:1]. His kingdom came in Acts 2; therefore, Christ was seen coming in His kingdom in power and glory in A. D. 30. Christ came both in the coming of His kingdom and in judgment on Israel, but neither one was a visible coming as the second coming will be that all, both the living and the dead will see. The problem many have when they read Matthew 24 is that they see only His second coming and therefore must interpret much of Matthew 24 to be speaking of the end of time. Neither His coming in His kingdom in A. D. 30, nor His coming in judgment on Israel in A. D. 70 was the second coming when the saved will put on immortality and forever be with Him.
COMING OF CHRIST BEFORE HIS DISCIPLES HAD GONE THROUGH THE CITIES OF ISRAEL. Matthew 10:16-23. "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be you; therefore, wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But, beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in theirs synagogues they will scourge you; and before governors and kings shall you be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But, when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what you shall speak. For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you. And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child: and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endures to the end, the same shall be saved. But, when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, You shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come."
"After the destruction of Jerusalem seventeen hundred Jews who surrendered at Macherus were slain, and of fugitives not less than three thousand in the woods of Jardes. Titus having marched his army to Caesarea, he (Titus) there, with great splendor, celebrated the birthday of his brother Domitian; and according to the barbarous manner of those times, punished many Jews in honor of it. The number who was burnt, and who fell by fighting with wild beasts, and in mutual combats, exceeded two thousand five hundred." G. Holford, The Destruction of Jerusalem.
Adam Clarke lists some that were killed at other places. "By the inhabitants of Caesarea, above 20,000. At Scythopolis, above 13,000. At Ascalon, 2,500. At Ptolemais, 2,000. At Alexandria, 50,000. At Joppa, when taken by Cestius Gallus, 8,400. In a mountain called Asamon, near Sepporis, above 2,000. At Damascus, 10,000. In a battle with the Romans at Ascalon, 10,000. In an ambuscade near the same place, 8,000. At Japha, 15,000. Of the Samaritans, on Mount Gerizim, 11,600. At Jotapa, 40,000. At Joppa, when taken by Vespasian, 4,200. At Tarichea, 6,500. And after the city was taken, 1,200. At Gamala, 4,000, besides 5,000 who threw themselves down a precipice. Of those who fled with John, of Gischala, 6,000. Of the Gadarenes, 15,000 slain, besides countless multitudes drowned. In the village of Idumea, above 10,000 slain. At Gerasa, 1,000. At Machaerus, 1,700. In the wood of Jardes, 3,000. In the castle of Masada, 960. In Cyrene, by Catullus the governor, 3,000. Besides these, many of every age, sex, and condition, were slain in the war, who are not reckoned; but, of those who are reckoned, the number amounts to upwards of 1,357,660, which would have appeared incredible, if their own historian had not so particularly enumerated them." Clarke's Commentary on Matthew. The unknown number that was destroyed throughout the country by pestilence, famine, earthquakes and robbers throughout the reign both before the destruction of Jerusalem, during the destruction, and the years after it must be added to this. Also, Adam Clarke says most of those taken captive "above seventeen years old were distributed through the Roman provinces, to be destroyed in their theaters by the sword, and by the wild beasts."
"'In the reign of Adrian,' say Bishop Newton, 'nine hundred and eighty-five of their best towns were sacked and demolished, five hundred and eighty thousand men fell by the sword, in battle, besides, an infinite multitude who perished by, famine, and sickness, and fire; so that Judea was depopulated, and an almost incredible number of every age and of each sex, were sold like horses and dispersed over the face of the earth' - (Newton, vol. I, Page xviii.) The war which gave rise to these calamities happened about forty-four years after the destruction of Jerusalem" G. Holford, The Destruction of Jerusalem.
"Therefore, behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that it shall no more be called Topheth, not the Valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Topheth, till there be no place to bury. And the dead bodies of this people shall be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall frighten them away. THEN WILL I CAUSE TO CEASE FROM THE CITIES OF JUDAH, AND FROM THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM, THE VOICE OF MIRTH AND THE VOICE OF GLADNESS, THE VOICE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND THE VOICE OF THE BRIDE; FOR THE LAND SHALL BECOME A WASTE" [Jeremiah 7:32-34].
John Calvin, "For within fifty years the city was destroyed and the temple ruined, THE WHOLE COUNTRY WAS REDUCED TO A HIDEOUS DESERT." "Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelist, Matthew, Mark, and Luke." All Israel, the whole nation, not just the temple was totally destroyed, "reduced to a hideous desert."
David Chilton, "'Let Him be Crucified! Let Him be Crucified! His blood be on us, and on our children!' the apostates had cried forty years earlier (Matthew 27:22-25); and when it was all over, more than a million Jews had been killed in the siege of Jerusalem; close to a million more were sold into slavery throughout the empire, and whole of Judea lay smoldering in ruins, virtually depopulate." "The Great Tribulation" 1987, Dominion Press.
Josephus says, "The countryside, life the city, was a pitiful sight, for where once there had been a multitude of trees and parks, there was now an utter wilderness stripped bare of timber; and no stranger who has seen the old Judea and the glorious suburbs of her capital, and now beheld utter desolation, could refrain from tears or suppress a groan at so terrible a change. The war had blotted out every trace of beauty, and no one who had known it in the past and came upon it suddenly would have recognized the place, for though he was already there, he would still have been looking for the city" The Jewish War.
"The Dead Sea too was filled with corpses which the river (the Jordan River) carried down to it by the thousands" Josephus.
"And except these days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" [Matthew 24:22]. If the war had gone on it would have reached beyond Israel unto Pella and other cities in the mountains where many Christians were that had left Israel; but it was stopped before it reached them. "No flesh" will be saved at the second coming. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" [1 Corinthians 15:50]. That the days were shortened and some flesh was saved proves this is not speaking of the second coming of Christ.
[4] HE (CHRIST) IS NIGH, EVEN AT THE DOORS: Matthew 24:32-44. "Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is nigh; (33) even so you also, WHEN YOU SEE ALL THESE THINGS, KNOW YOU THAT HE IS NIGH, EVEN AT THE DOORS. (34) VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS AWAY, TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE ACCOMPLISHED. (35) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (36) But of that day and hour knows no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only. (37) And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. (38) For 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 ark, (39) and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. (40) Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left; (41) two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left. (42) Watch; therefore: for you know not on what day your Lord comes. (43) But know this that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to broken through. (44) Therefore be you also ready; for in an hour that you think not the Son of man comes." This makes it clear that all Jesus had said before this applies to the destruction of Jerusalem and not to His second coming for "this generation" has long ago passed away. "ALL THESE THINGS" are the things He has just told them. When they saw the signs coming to pass, they know that the end of the temple and Israel was at hand. Although we should watch and always be ready, we are not given any signs, as they were, that we can see and know that His coming is soon, not even that it will be in our lifetime or in the next thousand or ten thousand years. Commentaries on verses 35-44 are divided on whether this is speaking of the coming of Christ in judgment on Israel or His second coming. It seems unlikely to me that He would have changed from speaking of judgment on Israel in verse 34, then His second coming in verse 35, and back to judgment on Israel in verse 40 with nothing to show He changed. He was speaking to His disciples at this time [Matthew 24:1], and telling them they were to watch for the signs He gave them of His coming in judgment on Israel. We are given no signs to watch for but are always to be ready for His second coming.
"ALL THESE THINGS" Is things before 70 A. D., not at the second coming of Jesus. Luke says, "But when THESE THINGS begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draws nigh" [Luke 21:38]. This redemption draws nigh to those of that generation. It was a redemption from the persecution of the Jews. "This generation shall not pass away, till ALL THINGS be accomplished" Luke 21:32. Not the redemption of the U. S. from Russia or any other redemption today.
Matthew 24:34 is a key to understanding all that came to pass before it, all that has been said up to this point must come before "this generation" would pass away. Not at the second coming of Jesus at the end of the world. A generation is about 40 years. It is the same "generation" spoken of in Matthew 23:36.
Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." He had assured them that the end of Jerusalem was coming, now He assured them that His word would come to pass, that the heavens would end and the earth would pass away but not His word; the end of Jerusalem was sure. He may be speaking of the end of the Jewish heavens and earth, the end of their nation, not the end of the world. They did not know the season when the end would come but was told to pray that it be not in the winter season nor did they know the day but were told to pray that it not be on a Sabbath Day. "But watch you at every season, making supplication, THAT YOU MAY PREVAIL TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT SHALL COME TO PASS, and to stand before the Son of man" [Luke 21:36; Matthew 24:42-44; Mark 13:35-37]. The Christians did watch and did escape all these things, all the things He has just warned them about that were coming to Israel; but no one will escape the judgment to come.
Just as Noah warned of the destruction of the world but did not give the exact time and all went on with their lives and did not pay attention to the warning, the warning of Christ was not heeded by the Jews and the end came when they were not looking for it. As in the flood only the evil was destroyed and the righteous saved, the unbelieving Jews were destroyed and the believers were saved; "two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left." The righteous would be left.
JOSEPHUS, the Jewish first century historian, recorded concerning the year 70, "Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers, and such as belied God himself; while they did not attend, nor give credit to the signs that were so evident and did so plainly foretell their future desolation; but, like men infatuated, without either eyes to see, or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations that God made to them." Josephus, who was not a Christian, understood these signs to be related to the soon-coming judgment. This coming in judgment was fulfilled in the destruction of the temple, the city of Jerusalem, and all the nation of Israel.
JOHN LIGHTFOOT (1859) "This generation shall not pass. Hence, it appears plain enough that the foregoing verses are not to be understood of the last judgment but, as we said, of the destruction of Jerusalem." (A Commentary of The New Testament, Volume 2, Page 320).
JOHN WESLEY (1754) "This generation of men now living shall not pass till all these things be done - The expression implies that great part of that generation would be passed away, but not the whole. Just so it was; for the city and temple were destroyed thirty-nine or forty years after."
MATTHEW HENRY "As to these things, the wars, seductions, and persecutions, here foretold, and especially of the ruin of the Jewish nation; 'This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled (Mt 24:34); there are those now alive that shall see Jerusalem destroyed, AND THE JEWISH CHURCH BROUGHT TO AN END." One Volume Commentary on the Whole Bible.
JAMES D. BALES "And the destruction of the whole Jewish economy was the fulfillment of the rest of it (Joel's prophecy of the last days Acts 2:16-21). If there was one thing the Jew felt sure of it was that Jerusalem was the favored city of God, that its future supremacy among the nations was as certain to come as the sunrise. Its sacrifices would always be acceptable offered on the altars by the sons of Levi. Now we see the national life of Israel forever ended; the temple forever closed; the sacrifices become useless; the priesthood forgotten; and Israel no more to God than any other nation...If you could think of a pious Jew having gone to sleep three years before Christ was crucified and then wakened in a few years after the destruction of Jerusalem, what an utter bewilderment he would have! All that he supposed to be permanent was gone, and in place of it a company of men preaching God's love to all men, worshiping in all places, and claiming earthly dominion in none. He would well say this in indeed what Joel said to us." The Hub Of The Bible Or Acts Two Analyzed, Page 70, 1960.
[5] ISRAEL THE UNFAITHFUL SERVANT: Matthew 24:45-51. "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 when he comes shall find so doing. (47) Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he has. (48) But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord terries; (49) and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; (50) the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expects not, and in an hour when he knows not, (51) and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Like all parables, all that are in them are not to be taken literally. They teach a lesson which is the main point of the parable. The point of this one is that Israel had been unfaithful and a judgment was coming.
[6] UNPROFITABLE SERVANT - OUTER DARKNESS: Matthew 25:30; 8:12; 22:13. IT WAS THE "UNPROFITABLE SERVANT" AND "SONS OF THE KINGDOM" THAT WERE CAST INTO OUTER DARKNESS, NOT THE ONES WHO NEVER BELIEVED, NOT THE LOST FOR THEY WERE NEVER IN THE KINGDOM. The Jews who rejected Christ were cast out of the light, no longer to be God's chosen people, into the darkness of the world without the light of God's revelation. Christ said many [the Gentiles] shall "came from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." This says nothing about there being outer darkness in Hell. Fire and darkness do not go together. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones them that are sent unto her! How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" [Luke 13:33-34]. Their house without God in it is darkness.
[7] THE WRATH IS COME UPON THEM TO THE UTTERMOST: "And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children!" [Matthew 27:25]. "For you also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews; who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove out us, and please not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always: BUT THE WRATH IS COME UPON THEM TO THE UTTERMOST" [1 Thessalonians 2:14-16]. This was written about A. D. 53, just a few years before the destruction of the nation of Israel in A. D. 70.
[8] MORE TOLERABLE: Christ spoke of the Day of Judgment for lands or cities. More tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for the cities that did not receive those He sent out [Matthew 10:14-15, Mark 6:11, Luke 10:10-12]. More tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum [Matthew 11:21-24, Luke 10:10-12]. WHEN ARE CITIES AND NATIONS JUDGED? WHEN IS THEIR DAY OF JUDGMENT TO BE? "And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You shall descend to Hades" [Matthew 11:23]. It was a great city but would go down to hades-the grave. Today, there are only a few ruins of Capernaum. They went from greatness (exalted to heaven) to non-existence (hades-the grave). Individuals, not nations and cities will be judged at the judgment at the second coming of Christ. Matthew 24 is of the judgment of Jerusalem [Matthew 23:36-38]. ALL THESE CITIES HAVE HAD A DAY OF JUDGMENT AND WERE BROUGHT DOWN TO THE GRAVE. THE DAY OF JUDGMENT FOR THEM IS PAST. The destruction of Sodom was quick and soon over. The destruction of Jerusalem, which saw and rejected Christ was long and drawn out with much more suffering, therefore, much less tolerable. The Day of Judgment for a city or a nation is the time when God will cause it to be destroyed. The Old Testament is full of God's judgment of cities and nations. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES THAT REJECTED CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES WERE WORSE (Matthew 24:21) THAN THE DESTRUCTION OF THOSE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. "These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand...And as you enter the house, give it your greeting. And if the house is worthy, let your greeting of peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your greeting of peace return to you. And whoever does not receive you, not heed your word, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet. Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city. Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. But, beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues; and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But, when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. And brother will deliver up brother to death, and father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, YOU SHALL NOT FINISH GOING THROUGH THE CITES OF ISRAEL, UNTIL THE SON OF MAN COMES" [Matthew 10:5-23]. He did come in a judgment on these cities and though all were destroyed, the destruction of Old Testament cities was much less terrible than was the destruction of Israel and her cities. Christ coming in judgment on a city or nation in the Old Testament or the New Testament is not the second coming of Christ when the saved will put on immortality.
[9] DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM: Luke 23:27-31. When Jesus was being led to be crucified "there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of whom men who bewailed and lamented him. But, Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never give suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" Even at the time of His death the sufferings and the great tribulation soon coming to Israel was on His mind. See Hosea 19:7-8 where they cry to the mountains to cover them in the destruction of Samaria, which is an Old Testament expression of wanting to escape destruction.
[10] "YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE" [Matthew 23:38; Luke 13:35] God left the temple. "And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" [Matthew 27:51]. As it is sometimes said today when an entertainer has finished, "God has left the building." After they put to death their saver, God gives them forty years to repent, but the book of Acts is a history of the "generation of vipers" persecuting and putting to death those who God sent to save them. They brought upon themselves a retribution of such severity that it was as if they had killed all the prophets God had sent to turn Israel from their sin [Matthew 23:34-35].
IS MATTHEW 24:36 A "TRANSITION TEXT?" Many think Matthew 24:36 is the "time text" or "transition text" where Jesus changes from the destruction of Israel to the second coming at the end of the world. Luke gives this view a problem. In his discourse to the disciples a few days before His discourse at Jerusalem, Luke put both the "two women" [Luke 17:35-36] and "as it was in the days of Noah" [Luke 17:26-27] before this "time text" [Luke 17:37]. If this were the "transition text" Matthew put both after the "transition text" and Luke put both before Matthew 24:27, "Where the body is there will the eagles also be gathered together" [Luke 17:37]. "Wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together" [Matthew 24:28].. Luke also used "that day" in reference to the destruction of Israel, not of the second coming [Luke 17:31, Matthew 24:17].
Luke 17:11 "On the way to Jerusalem." - Matthew 24:1 After they were leaving.
"The coming of the Son of man" both before and after the "Transition Text"
"But of that day and hour É÷ÉÏÉø, here, is translated season by many eminent critics, and is used in this sense by both sacred and profane authors. As the day was not known, in which Jerusalem should be invested by the Romans, therefore our Lord advised his disciples to pray that it might not be on a Sabbath; and as the season was not known, therefore they were to pray that it might not be in the winter; Matthew 24:20." Adam Clarke, Commentary on Matthew 25:36.
The A. D. 70 doctrine that all the passages which speak of the second coming were fulfilled in A. D. 70 is not true. It is not my intentions to go into this doctrine; therefore, I will give only two of many passages that could be used. "So Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation" [Hebrews 9:28] and "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also" [John 14:2-3]. No one went to the place Christ went to prepare in A. D. 70 and no one will go to it before the resurrection.
SUMMARY:
WAS A. D. 70 THE SECOND AND FINAL COMING OF CHRIST? OR IS THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND THE JUDGMENT OF ALL YET TO COME?
Preterit Eschatology, also called Realized Eschatology, Fulfilled Eschatology, Covenant Eschatology, and the A. D. 70 doctrine is the doctrine that:
There was revelation given in the Old Testament on the establishment of the kingdom [Micah 4:1] and the resurrection of Christ was given in types and shadows as Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness [John 3:14]; which few if any understood, but the doctrine of the resurrection, life, and immortality, which Christ taught, were new. The words, resurrection, immortal, and immortality are not in the Old Testament in the King James Version or the American Standard Version. The resurrection was new to the heathen world, which believed in an immortal soul that had no need for a resurrection. The first coming of Christ, His suffering and rejection, His death and resurrection were told about in the Old Testament; but there is noting about His second coming in it. The second coming of Christ, the resurrection, the judgment of all at His second coming and the promise of life after death in Heaven was new to the New Testament.
THE NEW TESTAMENT CLEARLY TEACHES THAT THE SECOND COMING, THE RESURRECTION OF ALL, AND THE JUDGMENT OF ALL HAS NOT COME. All the lost will awake from the dead and the saved will awake to eternal life at the same time. IT WILL BE A RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, NOT AS REALIZED ESCHATOLOGY TEACHES, DEATH IS ONLY A CHANGE FROM ONE KIND OF LIFE TO ANOTHER KIND OF LIFE, WHICH WOULD NOT BE A RESURRECTION AND WOULD MAKE A RESURRECTION IMPOSSIBLE.
John 5:28-29: "For an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment." ALL, both the good and the evil will BE RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD IN THE SAME HOUR, NOT SOME OVER TWO THOUSAND YEARS APART FROM A. D. 70 TO NOW AND STILL COUNTING; AND NOT CHANGED FROM ONE FORM OF LIFE TO ANTHER FORM OF LIFE AT DEATH WITHOUT A RESURRECTION.
Philippians 3:20-21: "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." Our body being transformed into conformity with His body is at His coming from Heaven, not at our death. Christ does not come from Heaven ever time a person dies. That there will be a resurrection and judgment of all at the second coming of Christ is discussed throughout this book and in the review below.
Dawson says, "I think West inadvertently gives the Old Testament's teaching of the subject short shrift. You can be a good guy and do that because I've done exactly the same thing." Below is an examination of how he thinks I give the Old Testament teaching of the resurrection short shrift.
Some point to restoring of the nation of Israel as a nation as being a resurrection, but the restoring or resurrection of Israel as a nation is not the resurrection of the New Testament. It is not the resurrecting of a person to eternal life or immortality. Not even the resurrection of a nation to immortality or to eternal life. IT IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING THE RESURRECTION TAUGHT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. "Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life" [Ezekiel 37:5] is speaking of a nation being restored as a nation, the people that were alive but in captivity being restored to their land and coming to life as a nation, this is not of the resurrection of a single person that was dead; there is nothing in it about anyone or any nation being given immortality. THE RESURRECTION TAUGHT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS NOT THE RESURRECTION OF A NATION (RESTORING THAT NATION ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME) BUT IS THE RESURRECTION OF INDIVIDUALS TO ETERNAL LIFE AND THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. There is nothing in 1 Corinthians 15, or any of the New Testament about the resurrection of "fleshly bodies" at the coming of Christ. No one put on immortality in A. D. 70, and no one's corruptible (fleshly) bodies were changed to incorruption, and all that were living in A. D. 70 died, death was not "swallowed up in victory" [1 Corinthians 15:54] as it will be at the coming of Christ. IF PAUL WERE NOT SPEAKING OF A RESURRECTION THAT WILL COME AFTER THIS LIFETIME, THEN WHEN HE SAID, "THEN THEY ALSO THAT ARE FALLEN ASLEEP IN CHRIST HAVE PERISHED" THEY HAD PERISHED (depicting a process that had pass before Paul wrote this, not "an on going process." They had perished - died before he wrote, not were perishing - dying at the time he wrote) [1 Corinthians 15:18]; he was speaking of some that had died past tense that were dead present tense in about A. D. 57, but still would be raised, future tense, with a spiritual body at the coming of Christ. PAUL WAS NOT SPEAKING OF A RESURRECTION THAT HAD PASSED OR THAT WAS TAKING PLACE AT THAT TIME, BUT OF THE RESURRECTION TO LIFE AND IMMORTALITY THAT WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTO THE COMING OF CHRIST. At the coming of Christ, all the saved that have died ("fallen asleep") "the dead in Christ shall rise" and the living saints will be changed and both at the same time shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and shall "ever be with the Lord" [1 Thessalonians 3:14-17]; this did not happen in A. D. 70, and those who are fallen asleep are not yet with Christ. PAUL SAYS THE RESURRECTION OF THOSE WHO ARE ASLEEP IN CHRIST, AND PUTTING ON IMMORTALITY BY THOSE WHO ARE LIVING WILL BOTH BE AT THE SAME MOMENT, BOTH IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE. REALIZED ESCHATOLOGY SAYS, "NOT SO PAUL, THE RESURRECTION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINT WAS IN A. D. 70, BUT THERE WILL BE NO RESURRECTION FOR US AS WE WILL BE CHANGED AT THE MOMENT OF DEATH, BOTH ARE NOT CHANGED IN THE SAME MOMENT." IF ALL WERE TRANSFORMED (RECEIVES A "SPIRITUAL BODY" IN WHICH THEY WILL DWELL IN IMMEDIATELY AND ETERNALLY AT THE MOMENT OF DEATH) NOTHING IS RESURRECTED; THERE WOULD BE NO RESURRECTION FOR ANYONE AFTER A. D. 70. ACCORDING TO THEM, THE ONLY RESURRECTION IN THE BIBLE WAS AT A. D. 70 AND IT IS PASSED. THERE WILL BE NO RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT DAY FOR ANYONE. "Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him...Hymenaeus and Philetus; men who concerning the truth have erred, saying the resurrection is past already" [2 Timothy 10-19]. ISRAEL WAS NOT DELIVERED IN A. D. 70, BUT WAS JUDGED AND DESTROYED. THERE IS NOTHING IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15, MATTHEW 24, OR ANY PASSAGE ABOUT ISRAEL BEING RESURRECTED OR RESTORED IN A. D. 70.
On page 6 he says, "Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life" Ezekiel 37 refers to the death of Israel, then says, "West is absolutely right that the word 'resurrection' isn't there, but what word should we call the process whereby Israel was dead, and God's purpose was to bring them to life." He needs to see that when the Old Testament speaks of restoring or resurrecting a nation to life as a nation that would die again, it is not speaking of the resurrection to eternal life of even one dead person. Not one dead person was restored to life and given immortality. There is no promise that anyone would ever be given immortality in the Old Testament. No nation, not even Israel, will ever be given immortality; but the saved individuals of all nations will at the resurrection. HOW CAN HE NOT SEE THAT THE RESURRECTION OR RESTORING OF ISRAEL AS A NATION FOR ONLY A SHORT TIME IN EZEKIEL 37 IS NOTHING LIKE THE RESURRECTION OF INDIVIDUALS TO IMMORTALITY PAUL WAS SPEAKING OF IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15? When Israel was restored as a nation after the seventy-year captivity in Daniel, it was not even the same individuals in "the resurrection" of the nation that was in Israel before the captivity from which the nation was resurrected. One group of Jews went into the captivity and Israel died as a nation, another group of Jews came out of the captivity and Israel were restored or resurrected as a nation; not one dead Jew was resurrected, not one person was resurrected to eternal life. The many restorations of Israel as a nation from captivity in the Old Testament, which was one hundred percent physical earthly restoring of a nation, is not the resurrection to eternal life for those who are in Christ, not the resurrection OF THE DEAD in 1 Corinthians 15. NOT ONE DEAD PERSON WAS RESURRECTED TO ETERNAL LIFE IN ANY OF THE RESURRECTIONS OR RESTORING OF ISRAEL AS A NATION; THERE IS NOTHING SAID IN ANY OF ISRAEL'S RESURRECTION AS A NATION ABOUT ANY PERSON EVER BEING GIVEN IMMORTALITY.
Page 89: "'We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed' Here's a time statement. When Paul said, 'We shall not all sleep,' he affirmed that not all of those in Corinth were going to die physically before the resurrection happened" Samuel G. Dawson. IF PAUL WERE SAYING NOT ALL WOULD DIE PHYSICALLY BEFORE THE RESURRECTION HAPPENED IN A. D. 70, THEN HE WAS ALSO SAYING ALL THOSE IN CORINTH AND ALL LIVING CHRISTIANS WOULD BE CHANGED FROM PHYSICAL BODIES TO SPIRITUAL BODIES WHEN THE RESURRECTION DID HAPPEN IN A. D. 70. LIVING CHRISTIANS WAS NOT CHANGED AT THAT TIME, AND BOTH CHRISTIANS AND NON CHRISTIANS STILL HAD PHYSICAL BODIES AFTER A. D.70 JUST AS THEY DID BEFORE IT, AND ALL STILL HAVE PHYSICAL BODIES TODAY. THIS TEACHING WOULD HAVE MADE THE CHURCH ON EARTH GO OUT OF EXISTENCE ON EARTH IN A. D. 70. NO ONE WILL HAVE THE SPIRITUAL BODY BEFORE THE RESURRECTION. Read this "time statement" in the context, "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" [1 Corinthians 15:51-53]. The "time" is when "the trumpet shall sound." At the sound of the trumpet, "the dead shall be raised incorruptible" AND "we shall be changed," BOTH THE LIVING AND THE DEAD IN THE SAME MOMENT, BOTH THE LIVING AND THE DEAD IN THE SAME TWINKLING OF AN EYE, BOTH THE LIVING AND THE DEAD AT THE SOUND OF THE SAME TRUMPET. ALL LIVING CHRISTIANS WILL BE CHANGED FROM PHYSICAL BODIES TO SPIRITUAL BODIES IN THE SAME MOMENT THE DEAD ARE RESURRECTED WITH SPIRITUAL BODIES. If this had happened in A. D. 70, there would have been no Christians for the Romans to put to death. He changed, "and we shall all be changed" to "not all of those in Corinth were going to die physically before the resurrection happened" with nothing happing to them in A. D. 70, with nothing happing to them at the time of the resurrection, nothing "in the same moment." If I understand him, he says the living Christians in Corinth were not going to be changed "in the same moment" but each one changed in a different moment, the moment of their death, which for many of them would not be in A. D. 70; and each Christian is changed to a spiritual body at a different moment than all other Christians. On page 57 he again changed "we shall all be changed in a moment" to the Old Covenant faithful being taken from the unseen Hadean state into the presence of Christ in the twinkling of an eye. It seems that Paul's "we" must be changed to "them." "Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we (them?) shall all (only all of "them," not "we") be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" [1 Corinthians 15:51]. Does he think the first "we" is us but the second "we" them? If the first "we" is "them," some of the "them" did not all sleep, then some of the Old Covenant faithful was alive in when Paul was writing this in A. D. 67 or 68, alive before A. D. 70.
"We that are alive." It is believed that Paul was put to death in about A. D. 67 or 68. If Christ did come in A. D. 70, Paul is not in the "we that are alive" at His coming.
"But, some one will ask, How are the dead raised? And with what manner of body do they come?" [1 Corinthians 15:35]. Paul was reassuring the Corinthians that the Corinthians that had "fallen asleep in Christ" had not perished, that their hope of the resurrection did not depend on them being alive at the time of the resurrection [1 Corinthians 15:18-19]. Dawson says, "Who were these 'dead ones?' They were the same Old Covenant dead ones Paul discussed throughout the chapter." HE SAYS, "WHEN WE CHANGE WHO THE 'WE' WAS, WE TOTALLY MISS THE TIME ELEMENT IN PAUL'S TEACHING." THEN HE CHANGED THE "WE" FROM "WE" TO "THEM"; HE CHANGES FROM THE ONES PAUL WAS WRITING TO AT CORINTH ABOUT THOSE IN CORINTH WHO HAD FALLEN ASLEEP "IN CHRIST" TO THOSE WHO HAD BEEN DEAD FOR MANY YEARS; HE CHANGED THE "WE" TO ABRAHAM AND ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS. He "totally miss the time element in Paul's teaching" by changing the "we" from those who were alive at the time Paul was writing to "them," to those who had been dead for many years The "dead ones" are the Corinthians that had fallen asleep in Christ, not Old Testament saints who are not even mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15. On pages 85 -88 he attempts to make the "natural body" be Old Testament Israel and the "spiritual body" be the new Israel; when he makes Israel be the "natural body" and the church be the "spiritual body," he takes the resurrection of the dead out of I Corinthians 15. In about A. D. 57, 13 years before A. D. 70, he has the old Israel "being sown a natural body, it is being raised a spiritual body." Paul said, "And as WE HAVE borne the image of the earthly (Adam, 15:45 a natural or earthly corruptible body), WE SHALL also bear the image of the heavenly (Christ, a spiritual incorruptible body)" [1 Corinthians 15:49]. He changes the "we have borne" to "is being sown" and "we shall also bear the image" to "is being raised." Then changes "we" (us) to "it" (Israel).
On page 77 he says, "Literally, Paul asked, 'How are the dead ones being raised?'" 1 Corinthians 15 was written about 13 years before A. D. 70, - 13 years before he says Christ came, 13 years before he says the Old Covenant saints were raised he has Paul asking, "How are the dead ones being raised?" Did he forget that he had used "then they that are Christ's at His coming" and applied it to the resurrection of the Old Covenant faithful? Did he forget that he had applied, "Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we (them-Old Testament saints-Dawson) shall all (them-Old Testament saints-Dawson) be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" [1 Corinthians 15:51]. Yet, he has them being raised 13 years before the moment, before the twinkling of an eye. On page 85 he says, "Literally, it is 'it is being sown a natural body, it is being raised a spiritual body'" If he is not saying Old Covenant saints were being sown with a natural body and being raised with a spiritual body about 13 years before he says Christ came a second time, about 13 years before he says the resurrection occurred. Does he really believe Old Covenant saints were being sown with a natural body in about A. D. 57 when Paul was writing this? "Presently 'is being raised'" is used on page 91 and throughout the 110 pages. He puts "is being raised" in quotation marks. Paul said, "Shall be raised incorruptible" [1 Corinthians 15:52]. "Presently 'is being raised'" is in no translation but his and then it puts the resurrection as taking place 13 years to soon for the Realized Eschatology view that the resurrection took place in A. D. 70.
On page 99 he quarts Christ saying 6 times of those who believe Him, "I will raise him up at the last day" [John 6:39; 640; 6:44; 6:54; 11:24; 12:48]. Which one does he believe? That the Old Testament faithful was being raised in A. D. 57 when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians or "at the last day" which he says was in A. D. 70? Christ is saying this to ALL THAT BELIEVED HIM, not just to the Jews that believe Him. Dawson says the Old Covenant had a last day but the New Covenant will not have a last day. Christ was not speaking of the last day of the Old or the New Covenant. He was speaking of the last day of the earth, "The day of the Lord" spoken of in 2 Peter 3:10 (see "The Day Of The Lord" below). Both John and Revelation (and other New Testament books) were written after A. D. 70.
1 Corinthians 15:45-49: On page 87 he changes the "natural" and "spiritual" to the Old Testament faithful being changed "from natural to spiritual as the result of the gospel" and this is in about A. D. 57 when Paul said this, before A. D. 70, which he says is when the second coming of Christ was, and before when he says the resurrection of the Old Testament faithful ones did take place. How he could think that "the first man Adam became a living soul" is speaking of the Old Testament faithful is beyond my understanding. There is nothing in this passage about Adam being Israel. "Then the Lord God formed man (Adam) of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his (Adam) nostrils the breath of life; and man (Adam) became a living soul" [Genesis 2:7]. Adam was the first man, not the nation of Israel. Adam was the natural man made "of the earth," not Israel. Both Adam and Christ (when He was on earth) were "a man," Israel was a nation. Christ is (present tense) "the second man is of heaven" [1 Corinthians 15:47]. By pointing out that this is present tense, he is saying that "the second man is of heaven" cannot be Christ, that the "second man" of heaven is the Old Testament faithful ones. If this is not what he is saying, then I cannot understand what he is saying; is he not saying that Christ is not of heaven, present tense in A. D. 57; is he not saying the Old Testament faithful ones was "the second man of heaven" 13 years before their resurrection in A. D. 70? This seems to me to be nothing more than a desperate attempt to make the resurrection be passed even if he has to use something that was, present tense, 13 years to soon for it to be speaking of something that was to be, future tense, in A. D. 70.
On page 92 and others pages, it seems to me that he basis his whole argument on all that believes the resurrection is yet to come must also believe the resurrection is to be "a physical resurrection out of the dust." He is taking what some men teach and making it be the teaching of the Bible for his argument depends on it. THERE IS NOTHING IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15 ABOUT "A PHYSICAL RESURRECTION OUT OF THE DUST." HE IS ATTEMPTING TO PROVE THIS IS SPEAKING OF THE RESURRECTION OF OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS JUST BECAUSE IT IS NOT SPEAKING OF THE RESURRECTION OF BODIES OUT OF THE DUST. TRY AS HARD AS I CAN, I CANNOT SEE HOW HE SEES THE RESURRECTION OF OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS JUST BECAUSE IT IS NOT SPEAKING OF EARTHLY BODIES WHEN THERE IS NOTHING IN THE CHAPTER THAT SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS OR ISRAEL. It could not be said any clearer that it is "sown in corruption (a physical body of dust) it is raised in incorruption (NOT a physical body of dust)" [1 Corinthians 15:42]. HE MAKES A PHYSICAL RESURRECTION A MUST FOR HIS ARGUMENT, BUT THERE IS NOTHING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT TEACHES A PHYSICAL BODY OF DUST IS TO BE RAISED AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. He repeatedly accused others of believing in "a physical resurrection out of the dirt, although we can't read that interpretation back into Isaiah," but then on the same page (page 92) quotes Isaiah, "Your dead shall arise. Your dead will live; Their corpses will rise, You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, For your dew is as the dew of the dawn, And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits" [Isaiah 26:19]. Then says the resurrection of those lying in the dust sounds identical to Daniel 12:2, which says, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake." When he said no serious student of the prophets believes a physical resurrection of a physical body is depicted in Isaiah 25 he was right. Just as Ezekiel's valley of bones coming to life, a physical resurrection, in Ezekiel 37 is figuratively language of the nation being restored to life as a nation, Isaiah 26:19 is figuratively language of a physical resurrection of the dead who had turned to dust, Israel is the dead nation that is being restored to life from the dust and would live again as a nation. Neither one is teaching the resurrection to eternal life that is taught in the New Testament. Nevertheless, he attempts to somehow use Isaiah to prove Paul was not speaking of the resurrection of the dead at the coming of Christ but Paul was only speaking of the resurrection of the Old Testament faithful in A. D. 70.
"But thanks be to God, who gives US the victory through OUR Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be YOU steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as YOU know that YOUR labor is not vain in the Lord" [1 Corinthians 15:57-58, American Standard Version]. Throughout chapter 15 Paul is speaking to the Corinthians about THEIR resurrection, not the resurrection of Israel.
"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord" [1 Thessalonians 4:13-17]. THE CHRISTIANS WHO WERE ALIVE IN A. D. 70 WERE NOT AT THAT TIME CHANGED FROM PHYSICAL TO SPIRITUAL BODIES. I do not believe Dawson believes they were. I believe he was not trying to prove anyone alive was changed to a spiritual body in A. D. 70, but was trying to prove the Old Testament saints were resurrected and changed in A. D. 70, and after that time all saints are changed at the time of their death; not "caught up TOGETHER with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." He is trying to prove there was one resurrection of all the Old Testament faithful in A. D. 70, then many resurrections, a resurrection at the time of death of each faithful. If this is not what he is trying to prove, them I cannot understand what he is saying.
Max King says, "The eternal kingdom was possessed (Heb. 12:28) and the new heaven and earth inherited." "The Spirit of Prophecy" page 239. The "new heavens and new earth" is not life on earth after the destruction of Jerusalem, for after Israel destruction Christians were still persecuted and the world is still full of evil today. It is the same world that existed before Israel was destroyed.
WHEN DID THE OLD COVENANT END? At the death of Christ or in A. D. 70?
"Having been buried with him in baptism, wherein you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses; having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: AND HE HAS TAKEN IT OUT OF THE WAY, NAILING IT TO THE CROSS; having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day" [Colossians 2:12-15]. I know of no way anyone could say any clearer that the Law of Moses was blotted out and nailed to the cross AT THE DEATH OF CHRIST, not in A. D. 70. This was written by Paul when he was in prison at Rome, about A. D 62, was before Realized Eschatology says the Old Covenant Law ended. The message of Hebrews, which was written before A. D. 70, is that the New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant with a new and better sacrifice, a new priesthood, new sacraments, a new tabernacle or temple [John 1:14; John 2:19; Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:21].
Preterits tell us that there was an over lapping of the two, that the Old Covenant was not nailed to the cross; and it did not end unto A. D. 70.
Dawson used "The abomination of desolation" [Matthew 14:15; Daniel 9:27] to prove the resurrection took place in A. D. 70. Christ came in judgment on Israel at that time just as He did in judgment on nations in the Old Testament. I cannot understand how he gets a resurrection out of "The abomination of desolation," or as Luke puts it, "When you see Jerusalem compassed with armies" [Luke 21:20]. Luke then adds, "Then know that her desolation is at hand." The "Abomination of desolation" was the armies that DESTROYED Jerusalem, not restored it. Christ came in judgment on Israel at that time just as He did in judgment on nations in the Old Testament.
Christ came in judgment on Israel at that time just as He did in judgment on nations in the Old Testament.
Israel was destroyed in the Jewish war with Rome which last for years and ended in A. D. 70. JUDGMENT DID COME ON ISRAEL IN THAT GENERATION [Matthew 23:36], AND ISRAEL WAS DESTROYED IN THIS JUDGMENT, BUT THERE IS NOT ONE THING SAID ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF ANYONE OR ANY NATION; NOTHING IS SAID ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS WHEN THE NATION WAS DESTROYED. A resurrection in A. D. 70, the only resurrection there will ever be had to have been at that time for realized Eschatology to be true; it is based entirely on a resurrection that is not in the Bible.
"The Galatian letter is an indignant protest against and refutation of Judaizing teachers" B. W. Johnson, The People's New testament With Notes, Volume 2, Page 163. Speaking to Jews [Galatians 2:14-15] Paul said, "Even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law" and "You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you are fallen away from grace" [Galatians 2:16 and 5:4]. This was written in about A. D. 57 when the law would have been in effect, and keeping the law would have justified if there had been an over lapping of the two unto A. D. 70.
Sam and I have been in communication with each other a few times by e-mail, and I have thought of him as being a friend that I have not seen in person; I think the things he had written in the past are among the best books I have. He says on page 2, "I'm certainly not disparaging Robert, as he's only saying what most of us tacitly believe, that the subject of the resurrection is predominantly (or even exclusively) a New Testament subject. I believed the same thing until 2005 myself." My prayer is that he will see that Realized Eschatology is not the truth before it is too late.
The A. D 70 doctrine says "all things" have been fulfilled: "John speaks of 'all thing' (19:28); Luke speaks of 'all things' (Acts13:29); Mark speaks of 'all things' (13:20); Luke again speaks of 'all thing' (24:44); Peter speaks of 'all thing' (1 Peter 4:7). What you need to notice is, the 'all things' of these passages have different things in mind. Because Max claim the 'all thing' in Matthew 17:11 is the same as the 'all things' in Acts 3:21 he is forced to the absurd view he told us of in a former proposition, viz., The Baptist was Elijah if they accepted him to be, otherwise he wasn't! But look: In John 19:28 Jesus knew all things were fulfilled and so he asked for a drink and died. Now 'all things' were not literally completed but the passage says 'all thing.' Obviously the 'all things' of that passage has a specialized reference. In Acts 13:29 we are more explicitly told that when they had 'fulfilled all things that were written of him' they took him down from the cross. Now clearly the 'all thing' here has a specific standpoint for you know there were other things written of Jesus -- his resurrection for example. See how each writer will have his own standpoint? Jesus said John has already ('Elijah is come already' -- Matthew 17:21) come and had ...'restored all things.' But if John had restored 'all things' it must have a specialized meaning there. Because Max refuses to admit the the same expression may mean different things be believe the Church was 'Elijah.' How dose that grab you? So what we do experience with Max? He gets a concordance and gathers together all the passages having the same phases and lists them and sits back smiling as if he had proved his point! The point I am making is abundantly clear CONTEMPORARIES MAY USE THE SAME EXPRESSIONS AND MEAN DIFFERENT THING!" Jim McGuiggan, "The McGuiggan-King Debate" Pages 171-172, Parkman Road Church of Christ, 1975.
ISRAEL HAD NOT OBTAINED, BUT THE ELECT HAD [Romans 11:7]. Paul was put to death in Rome before A. D. 70, yet he said the elect had obtained what Israel had not. What had the elect obtained? Being grafted in the olive tree - being accepted by God as His chosen. Israel was not grafted in in A. D. 70, it was totally destroyed then.
All this in one day, the day Christ comes. The day of the Lord.
[1] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
[2] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT OF THE RIGHTEOUS IN THE LAST DAY
[3] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT OF THE WICKED IN THE LAST DAY
[4] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE FINAL JUDGMENT.
Millennialists must divide the judgment into two parts. If it is shown that the judgment of both those in Christ and those who are not in Christ is one judgment of both at the same time and on the same day, not separated by a thousand years, it makes their view not be possible. In the passages above the judgment, it is not a broken judgment with the two parts a thousand years apart.
[5] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE LOST [2 Peter 2:12; 3:7].
"BUT WHEN THE SON OF MAN SHALL COME IN HIS GLORY, AND ALL THE ANGELS WITH HIM...HE SHALL SEPARATE THEM ONE FROM ANOTHER, AS THE SHEPHERD SEPARATES THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS...AND THESE [the goats] SHALL GO AWAY INTO ETERNAL PUNISHMENT: BUT THE RIGHTEOUS [the sheep] INTO ETERNAL LIFE" [Matthew 25:46]. NO THOUSAND YEARS BETWEEN THE GOATS AND THE SHEEP. BOTH ARE AT THE SAME TIME. BOTH ARE, "WHEN THE SON OF MAN SHALL COME IN HIS GLORY." PREMILLENNIALISTS CANNOT EXPLAIN AWAY THIS PASSAGE AND MANY OTHERS THAT DO NOT FIT WITH THEIR VIEW.
[6] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE SECOND DEATH - used four times only in Revelation. Another way of saying the total destruction of the lost. [See The Second Death in chapter two].
[7] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - DEATH WILL BE ABOLISHED "Then comes the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power, for he MUST REIGN, till he has put all his enemies under his feet. THE LAST ENEMY THAT SHALL BE ABOLISHED IS DEATH" [1 Corinthians 15:24-16]. For all that overcomes and "shall not be hurt of the second death" [Revelation 2:7] there will be no more death. Many Premillennialists believe Christ is not now reigning and will not reign unto the thousand years when He will reign on the throne of David in Jerusalem, at which time many of them believe all the saved will be in Heaven and will not return to earth unto after the thousand years. Is there anyway that death being abolished in the day of the Lord not be a problem for them?
[8] THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE SAVED FOREVER WITH THE LORD.
[9] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE KINGDOM WILL BE DELIVERED UP TO GOD. "Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's AT HIS COMING, THEN COMES THE END, WHEN HE DELIVERS UP THE KINGDOM TO THE GOD AND FATHER, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For HE MUST REIGN until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death" [1 Corinthians 15:24-26].
[10] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - CHRIST WILL BRING THE LAWLESS ONE TO AN END BY THE APPEARANCE OF HIS COMING. "Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ...as that the day of the Lord is just at hand...for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of lawlessness be revealed, the son of destruction...And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his coming; even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power" [2 Thessalonians 2:1-9]. Who or whatever the lawless one is; he will end on the day of the Lord. Some Premillennialists believe the lawless one to be the "Antichrist." If they were right, CHRIST WILL BRING TO AN END ON THE DAY OF THE LORD, ON THE DAY OF HIS SECOND COMING, NOT A THOUSAND YEARS AFTER THE DAY OF THE LORD. Some believe him to be the pope. If so, Christ will bring him to and end THAT DAY. Whatever "the lawless one" is, Christ will bring him or it to and end ON THE DAY He comes. If "the lawless one" is the "Antichrist" as many Premillennialists believe, the "Antichrist" will come to an end on the day of the second coming of Christ. WHAT EVER OR WHO EVER THE LAWLESS ONE IS, CHRIST WILL BRING IT TO AN END ON THE DAY OF HIS COMING. IT OR HE WILL NOT EXIST FOR A THOUSAND YEARS AFTER THE COMING OF CHRIST. IF THERE WERE A MILLENNIUM, THE LAWLESS ONE COULD NOT BE IN IT.
[11] ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT - WRATH OF GOD. A day of wrath, not seven years or a thousand years of wrath. "And to you that are afflicted rest with us, AT THE REVELATION OF THE LORD JESUS FORM HEAVEN with the angels of His power in flaming fire, RENDERING VENGEANCE TO THEM THAT KNOW NOT GOD, AND TO THEM THAT OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS; WHO SHALL SUFFER PUNISHMENT EVEN ETERNAL DESTRUCTION from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His might, WHEN HE SHALL COME TO BE GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS, and to be marveled at in all them that believe...IN THAT DAY" [2 Thessalonians 1:7-10]. "Eternal destruction" for the lost is "in that day," is the same day "when he shall come to be marveled at by them that believed."
"Wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God...but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worked evil...in the day when God shall judge the secrets of man" [Romans 2:5-16 American Standard Version].
"For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. A man that has set at naught Moses law died without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, think you, shall he be judged worthy, who has trodden underfoot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified and unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that said, vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, and again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" [Hebrews 10:26-31].
"And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this comes judgment" [Hebrews 9:27].
"But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that you sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no will precede them that are fallen asleep, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, and with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that anything be written unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes open them, as travail upon a woman with child: and they shall in no wise escape. But you brethren, are not in darkness, that day should overtake you as a thief" [1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:5].
IN THIS PASSAGE THE DAY OF THE LORD IS CALLED:
"Where is the promise of His coming...But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men...But the day of the Lord will come as a thief: in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up" [2 Peter 3:4-13].
All on the same day. There is no thousand years [365,000 days] or seven years after any of the above. They are all on "that day." "Inasmuch as he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained" [Acts 17:31]. Those who believe and teach Premillennial doctrines must deny the clear teaching on the Bible on the day of the Lord.
[12 ] ON THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE EARTH AND THE HEAVENS WHICH WERE MADE FROM NOTHING AND WILL RETURN TO NOTHING. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" [Matthew 24:35; Psalms 102:25-27]. "By which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished, but the day of the Lord will come as a thief: in which the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men...But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; IN THE WHICH THE HEAVENS SHALL PASS AWAY WITH A GREAT NOISE, AND THE ELEMENTS SHALL BE DISSOLVED WITH FERVENT HEAT (The elements are all the things of which the earth is made, the air, the water, etc. These shall be dissolved, burned up), AND THE EARTH AND WORKS THAT ARE THEREIN SHALL BE BURNED UP. SEEING THAT THESE THINGS ARE THUS ALL TO BE DISSOLVED" [2 Peter 3:7-11].
WORLD - 2 Peter 3:6 is from "kesmos" Wigram page 430. Kesmos is in the Greek about 185 times and in the King James Version it is translated "world" all but one time in 1 Peter 3:6 where it is translated "adorning." It is used to mean this planet earth, never the Jewish age from Moses to A. D. 70. Israel was not the world.
Kesmos is never translated "age." Peter is not speaking of "the end of the age [arion]" as Matthew is in Matthew 24:3.
EARTH - 2 Peter 3:7; 3:10; 3:13 is from "gee" Wigram page 116. Gee is in the Greek about 242 times and is translated "earth" about 284 times, "land" 39 times, "ground" 18 times, "country" 2 times, and "world" 1 time. It is used to mean this planet earth or some particular part of this earth.
ALL THE WORLD
UNLESS SOME PARTICULAR PART OF THE EARTH IS NAMED.
IN 2 PETER 3, NOTHING IS SAID ABOUT ONLY A PARTICULAR PART OF THE EARTH, NOTHING ABOUT ISRAEL. The judgment of the flood was a universal judgment, not a local judgment like the destruction of Jerusalem.
2 PETER 3:7 IN EIGHT TRANSLATIONS
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According to Millennialists, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 is a pivotal passage to support the rapture. When does it say the events spoken of will take place, on the "last day" or thousand years before the "last day"?
The judgment of both the saved and the lost will be in the same day, "The day of the Lord." "Behold, he comes with the clouds; and EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, and they that pierced him" [Revelation 1:7], but in this passage in Thessalonians Paul is speaking only of those who are in Christ, those who are asleep in Christ and those who are alive when He returns. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive that are left, shall together with then be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (not seven years)" [1 Thessalonians 4:16-17]. THERE WILL BE NOTHING "SECRET" ABOUT THE COMING OF CHRIST WITH A SHOUT, THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND THE TRUMP OF GOD. No secret coming for the saved that the world will not know about. The Millennium view that there will be a thousand years between the rapture and the destruction of the wicked is not found in the Bible.
The Lords coming will be:
At His coming:
THE RESURRECTION THAT IS TAUGHT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AND THE RAPTURE AS TAUGHT BY SOME TODAY CANNOT BOTH BE POSSIBLE. IT MUST BE ONE OR THE OTHER.
IS THE WHOLE BIBLE TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY OR PART FIGURATIVELY?
Premillennialists make the claim that they are the only ones who really believe the Bible for they are the only ones who take all the Bible literally, and when anyone believes some parts of the Bible are figuratively they are explaining the Bible away.
DO PREMILLENNIALISTS TAKE ALL THE BIBLE TO BE LITERAL? READ THEIR BOOKS. THEY MAKE:
Apocalyptic literature must be interpreted figuratively. Premillennialists must force all other scriptures to fit with their literal interpretation of Revelation 20.
- If taken literally, the kingdom of Heaven will be limited to 144,000 [Revelation 14:1].
- All will be males [Revelation 14:4].
- All will be virgins [Revelation 14:4].
- Only those who never told a lie [Revelation 14:5].
- All will be Jews, 12 thousand from each of the 12 tribes [Revelation 7:4-8]. They ignore the fact that of the 12 tribes, 10 tribes had completely disappeared long before the New Testament and long before John wrote this.
- Some Millennialists believe only this 144,000 Jews will be in Heaven and they will help Jesus rule the world from Heaven. Would that not make this 144,000 Jews into some kind of gods? Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived and died before the 12 tribes, therefore, they could not be in the 144,000, but Christ says they will be in the kingdom of Heaven [Matthew 8:11]. After saying 144,000 "were sealed" by the four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, John saw "a great multitude, which no man could number...standing before the throne" [Revelation 7:9]. If this were made literal, the 144,000 would be on earth and the great multitude in Heaven, just opposite of Millennial teaching.
A few of the many symbols that not even most Millennialists make literal even thought they say ALL of the Bible is to be taken literally.
Things that are not mentioned in Revelation 20 but are added to it by Millennialists.
Revelation is a vision of "the things, which must shortly come to pass" [Revelation 1:1]. The events of Revelation 20:1-10 are a description of things that were to come to pass soon. John was writing to the Christians about their being persecuted by Rome. If he had told them that Rome was soon to be judged by God in a way that the Romans could understand what he said, it would have brought more persecution from Rome. The Christians knew the Old Testament and would understand that when he was speaking of Babylon being destroyed that he was speaking of Rome being destroyed, that God was in control and knew of their being persecuted. The Romans would not have understood what John was saying. To interpret this book as being about things today, as the Millennialists do, would have had no meaning to the Christians of John's time. "And he sent and signified ("to show by signs") i