Category: prophecy

An Holy Nation and a Kingdom of Priests

Sunday, August 14, 2011

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;” (1 Peter 2:9 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is often misunderstood to apply to us Christians. Is the Church the Body of Christ a “holy nation?” Of course not! The “nation” of Scripture is always Israel. Furthermore, if Peter is an apostle of Israel, and Galatians 2:9 says he is, then he is speaking of Israel.

In fact 1 Peter 2:9 is identical to what the LORD said through Moses (Exodus 19:5,6): “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Regardless of what preachers say, Exodus 19:5,6 claim 1 Peter 2:9 describes Israel.

The book of the Revelation, also written by an apostle of Israel (John; Galatians 2:9), says: “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1:6). In Revelation 5:10 we read: “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” All of these verses belong to Israel. You either believe God’s Word or you do not (a “Christian” I recently spoke with about this refused to believe the Bible).

Isaiah 61:6 confirms that “priests” applies to Jews, not to us: “But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.” Israel will become a kingdom of priests when Christ returns to set up His earthly kingdom at His Second Coming.

Paul never calls us members of the Church the Body of Christ “priests.” We are “ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

What is the Lord’s Day?

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,” (Revelation 1:10 KJV).

In Christendom “Lord’s day” is a commonly used term. It only appears once in the King James Bible (today’s Scripture). What is the “Lord’s day?”

Church tradition (Roman Catholicism) polluted the term “Lord’s day” back during the first few centuries A.D. and distorted it to mean “Sunday.” Ha! Why would the Apostle John (or the Holy Ghost) think it necessary to be sure we know that John received his revelation on Sunday? That is downright absurd! The term “Lord’s day” in the Bible has nothing to do with Sunday.

The Bible uses the term “the day of the LORD” 29 times. The first instance is Isaiah 2:11,12: “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:” Verse 17: “…and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.”

According to these verses, during this period of the “day of the LORD” (not a literal 24-hour period), God will judge arrogant, unbelieving mankind. If you study the “day of the LORD” in other verses, you will see that the term actually refers to a period of God’s vengeance (Isaiah 61:2; Joel 1:15; et al.). Does God pour out His wrath every Sunday? Ridiculous.

The “Lord’s day” is another way of saying the “day of the LORD.” What is the Apostle John writing about in the book of the Revelation? The Tribulation period and subsequent kingdom. The “day of the LORD” is not Sunday but actually a long period of time: the future seven-year Tribulation and the following 1000-year reign of Christ in a literal, physical, visible earthly kingdom, when Christ is exalted as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Wow, without the religious gobbledygook, it is so clear!

Saints, Ye Shall Be Caught Up!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven 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 which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 KJV).

The words of today’s Scripture are of great hope and comfort for us as members of the Church the Body of Christ. At any moment, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself shall come and take us, His Body, home to be with Him forever in heaven’s glory. “In a moment, in the twinkling [blink] of an eye,” we will be “caught up” (raptured) into the air (1 Corinthians 15:52).

One day, at the rapture, those who have died in Christ will be resurrected bodily, and given glorified physical bodies fashioned like unto Jesus Christ’s resurrected body (Philippians 3:20,21). Immediately after, we Christians who are living will be instantly transformed bodily. Together, with the now resurrected saints, we will take the grandest of all excursions. In that brief instant, we are yanked from this wicked, filthy world and ushered into heaven’s everlasting bliss and joy!

The rapture is not to be confused with the Second Coming, which will occur seven years after the rapture. At the Second Coming, God sends angels to gather His elect (Matthew 24:31). But, at the rapture, God Himself comes for the believers, us. Wow! The rapture ensures that we will avoid the wrath of the seven-year Tribulation, which is God’s program for Israel (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9)

Paul makes some 10 references to the rapture. This one is noteworthy (Titus 2:13): “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” We should be continually vigilant, waiting for the rapture to happen at any moment. Would you be raptured out? Have you trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? If you have, ye shall be caught up!

The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5,6 KJV).

God’s intention in forming the nation Israel was to establish them as a vessel to preach His salvation to the whole world. He promised to form them into “a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:5,6; Isaiah 60:1-3; et al.). When Israel’s King-Messiah Jesus finally arrived, Israel was spiritually impotent, unable to reach lost Gentiles because she too was lost! Sadly, Israel had forgotten why God formed her in the first place.

During Christ’s earthly ministry, God’s covenant people are “scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Israel, for the most part, was rebellious toward God in Christ’s day. Her Temple was corrupt, and her priesthood was apostate. There was only a remnant of believing Jews.

Christ called them “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (today’s Scripture). He explained that He came “to save that which was lost” (Matthew 18:11; Luke 19:10) and “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).

In Matthew 18:12-14 and Luke 15:3-7, Christ tells the parable of a man who owned 100 sheep, one of which is lost. The man leaves the 99 sheep, and seeks out the one sheep. This parable is symbolic of God seeking the nation Israel. Unfortunately, the vast number of Israelites could not care less about God seeking them and rescuing them from their corrupt and poor spiritual state. The one sheep represents the believing remnant in Israel.

Today, in this the Dispensation of Grace, Israel is still lost, spiritually blinded (Romans 11:11,15,25). The day is coming, however, when God will reconcile national Israel unto Himself. At Christ’s Second Coming, Israel will be saved, God will forgive Israel, and God will blot out her national sins (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 11:26-29).

The Jews have a hope! They will not always be “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

One (God)Man Fulfilled What?!?!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the first reference to the coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Here, Scripture says He will be a man, a descendant of Adam and Eve. The Old Testament goes on to make hundreds of prophecies regarding Israel’s Messiah. In fact, Jesus Christ fulfilled 332 of those prophecies during His First Advent.

Here are some rather incredible prophecies fulfilled in Christ’s life (notice how specific they are):

  • Son of Abraham (Genesis 12:3 cf. Matthew 1:1).
  • Son of Isaac (Genesis 17:19 cf. Luke 3:34).
  • Son of Jacob (Numbers 24:17 cf. Matthew 1:2).
  • Son of Judah (Genesis 49:10 cf. Luke 3:33).
  • Son of King David (2 Samuel 7:12-16 cf. Luke 1:32).
  • Born in Bethlehem-Judaea (there were two Bethlehem’s) (Micah 5:2 cf. Matthew 2:1).
  • Mother was a virgin (Isaiah 7:14 cf. Luke 1:26-35).
  • Betrayed by a friend who ate bread with Him (Psalm 41:9 cf. John 13:18-27).
  • Rejected by His own people (Psalm 118:22 cf. Acts 4:10,11)
  • Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12 cf. Matthew 26:15).
  • Smote on the head/face with a reed (Micah 5:1 cf. Matthew 27:30).
  • Given vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21 cf. Mark 15:36).
  • None of His bones were broken (Exodus 12:46 and Numbers 9:12 cf. John 19:36).
  • He would die by crucifixion, predicted centuries before crucifixion was invented! (Psalm 22:16,17 cf. John 19:37).
  • Buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9 cf. Matthew 27:57-60).

One author calculated the mathematical probability of all 332 prophecies being fulfilled in one man’s life. His answer was astronomically high:

___________________________1___________________________

840,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,

000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,

000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

In other words, 1 in 8.4 x 10^(98)! Wow! Can you imagine a number with 97 zeroes?! When Jesus Christ came to Israel, they should have recognized Him. Him fulfilling all those Old Testament prophecies should have caught their attention. Unfortunately, they could not care less.

One Man fulfilled all those prophecies… one (God)-Man!

Sit Thou at My Right Hand

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1 KJV).

Where is Jesus Christ today?

Recall that His physical body ascended into heaven to return to His heavenly Father (Acts 1:9-11). Currently, Jesus Christ is sitting at His Father’s right hand in glory. Today’s Scripture, written by King David 1000 years beforehand, is a prophecy of the ascension of Jesus Christ. In today’s Scripture, God the Father tells His Son Jesus Christ to sit at His right hand. Nevertheless, this is not permanent because God the Father says, “until….”

When Jesus Christ came to earth and presented Himself to His people, the nation Israel, they “received him not” (John 1:11). The climax of Israel’s rejection of their Messiah-King Jesus occurred when they demanded that Pilate crucify Him (John 19:14,15).

In the early Acts period, Israel was given a renewed opportunity of repentance. Yes, they killed their Messiah Jesus, but God raised Him from the dead. Israel could have repented and been water baptized, and ultimately received Him as their King. This was the Apostle Peter’s message to Israel in Acts 2:22-40 and Acts 3:12-26.

In Acts 7, a year after Acts 2, we learn that the nation Israel is still unrepentant and rebellious. Israel’s prophet Stephen warns them, saying: “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). Israel knew judgment was coming: they remembered Psalm 110:1. Christ would sit at His Father’s right hand only until God’s wrath would be poured out on His enemies… them! In anger the Jews stoned Stephen. Even at this point, God was gracious.

God, in His loving-kindness, poured out His grace, not His wrath, in Acts 9, by saving Saul of Tarsus. The Lord made him Paul the Apostle and interrupted Israel’s program with our Dispensation of Grace. God’s wrath—the seven-year Tribulation—is currently postponed. Jesus Christ is still sitting at His Father’s right hand… for now, anyway….

The City of the Great King

Friday, June 10, 2011

“[Swear] …neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King” (Matthew 5:35bc KJV).

Although the name “Jerusalem” means “abode of peace,” this city has been anything but peaceful. Throughout its history, it has been destroyed twice, captured over three dozen times, and attacked over four dozen times. Currently, Jews and Palestinians are contending for it.

Jerusalem first appears in the Bible in Genesis 14:18. At that time it was simply known as “Salem,” meaning “peace” (Hebrews 7:2). In the Bible, Jerusalem is also called: “a city of truth” (Zechariah 8:3), “the holy city” (Matthew 4:5), “the city of David” (2 Samuel 5:6-9), and “the city of God” (Psalm 46:4). Ironically, just outside of the city walls of Jerusalem, “the city of the great King” (today’s Scripture), Israel crucified her King Jesus on Calvary’s cross (John 19:20; Hebrews 13:12).

Why is Jerusalem so important in Scripture? In the future, when Jesus Christ sets up His kingdom in the earth, Jerusalem will become the world’s capital! The prophet Isaiah (2:3) wrote concerning the establishment of Jesus Christ’s kingdom in the earth: “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain [kingdom] of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”

One day, after His Second Coming, Jesus Christ will assume King David’s throne in Jerusalem (Mount Zion; see 1 Chronicles 29:26,27). From Jerusalem, Jesus Christ will rule the world forever and ever (Daniel 2:44; Luke 1:31-33). The prophet Jeremiah (33:16) describes the day when Jesus Christ establishes His earthly kingdom: “In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.”

When Christ, the Prince of Peace, comes back, Jerusalem will be “the [peaceful] city of the great King!”