Bible Prophecy and Reality.
Herein are contained Scriptures that Confirm that Israel is No Longer in Any Wise in God's Special Graces or Favor. (God's Final Word Is Contained In The Revelation.)
It is acceptable knowledge that wise people in times past have recognized some important elements that make the way toward peace. One says, "This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love" (Peace Pilgrim). Helen Keller said, "I do not want the peace which passeth understanding. I want the understanding which bringeth peace." Matthew Henry states that "Peace is such a precious jewel that I would give anything for it but truth."
From these quotes, it should be apparent that peace is very closely aligned to truth. Without truth, you cannot expect peace. Peace relies on the truth in any situation. Without the truth, chaos follows close behind. In the absence of truth there is lies and every evil thing under the sun!
What follows are some Gospel truths which are indeed sorely neglected in our day. Were we to contemplate anything at all, we ought to set ourselves to contemplating the truth and overcoming the error, or the lie. For truly, the deep contemplation, acceptance, appreciation and application of truth is the most uplifting thing in all the wide universe. Truth is wisdom, and without wisdom we fall. Prov. 3:13-18 says:
"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Her ways are the ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her."
So, with these considerations before us, let us move forward into the paths of truth, wisdom, understanding, goodness, and peace.
The following information is a significant and important clarifier re. to whom Rev. 18 actually refers. According to C. I. Scofield's heading for that chapter, it refers to "The last form of apostate Christendom: the warning to God's people." I have a big point of contention with Mr. Scofield, and have had for some time. Here's why! ( Aug. 17, 2010 -- Further Clarification Note: C.I. Scofield popularized these modern views re. future glorious Israel along with a host of other false doctrines in the Scofield Reference Bible which bears his infamous name and his notes and apostate form of thought alongside sacred Scripture. Please further note: The subject matter being dealt with here is historical and biblical fact. It in no wise promotes or supports anti-Semitism against Jews living today. The Jews have just as much right to live as do the Gentiles. But it is a serious error to carry it all a step further that the Word does not at all support nor sanction. The claim that a glorious future awaits the modern state of Israel is a gross error against God's Word, against his truth, and desperately needs to be corrected. I do not believe that God can bless America and assist her survival as long as she continues to support such blatant falsehoods, which are a great iniquity in God's sight. We need to desire to get things right, instead of just following the path of least resistance and the lowest common denominator with the mindless multitude.)
The Book of Revelation contains the following re. God's people killed by the Jews in history:
(Refs. Rev. 10:7, 11:8, 18, 16: 6-7, 17:6, 18:6, 20, 24, 19:2. Note also 2:9 and 3:9.)
One can easily check out these references, so I will only quote one or two here:
Rev. 18:20 -- "'Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!'"
Rev. 18:24 -- "'And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.'"
We see envisioned here in metaphoric language a woman, arrayed in purple and scarlet, etc. (see 17:4. See chs. 17-18). This woman is "drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus" (17:6). She is described as "the harlot" (NKJV), and "that great city which reigns over the kings of earth" (17:18. See also 19:2). In 18:3 she is identified with her fornication, and in 17:5 she is identified as "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Note also v. 4)
In 18:4-5 we see God's warning to "'Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.'"
We also see in chs. 17-18 God's disposition of her, and her final end. Ch. 18 ends with the following end of her at vv. 2-24. I quote vv. 20-24 herein:
"'Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!'
Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, 'Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.
The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore.
The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of the bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.'"
Her final end was accomplished by Titus' Roman armies, and this is depicted at 17:10-18. It refers to Jerusalem, not Rome or any other earthly city. It is with Jerusalem where all of God's dealings occurred, not Rome.
The whore, harlot, or prostitute is discussed in the Old Testament at Jer. 2:20, 3:1, 6, 9. See all of chs 2 & 3; Eze. chs 16 & 23. Note also 43:7-12; Hos. chs 1, 4, & 5; Mal. 2:11-17. See Concordance for further listings. The terms "abominations","whoredom" and "whoredoms" will likely supply more information. Most of them, again, refer to Israel, or Jerusalem. There is nothing in sacred Scripture that leads us to draw any other conclusions whatsoever.
Other obvious and significant clues about really who the great harlot or prostitute of Revelation actually is are as follows:
Acts 3:13-15: "'The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of Life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.'" (See also Acts 2:36). (Peter speaking to the Israelites in apostolic times at the start of the church. Please keep ever in mind that this is past history, and the honest testimony of the apostles.)
Acts 7:51-53: "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 'who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.'"
I Th. 2:14-16: "For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost." (Note Lu. 11:52).
Matt. 23:27-38: "'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
And say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'
Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt.
Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the damnation of hell?
Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
See! Your house is left to you desolate;'" (Note also Lu. 13:34-35 & Ma. 21:9).
Note also Mt. 24 and Mk. 13:14-37.
From this you should be able to see the close proximity to Rev. 17:3-6, 18, 18:16-24, and 19:2-4, which is striking indeed! For C. I. Scofield to have taken these sacred Scriptures and made them out to be referring to some apostate church far into the future is beyond ridiculous. But this is what he did, and has successfully misled countless numbers of people down through many years, and reeked havoc in the church and in our society! Her final judgment (17:1) and doom is expressed in the symbolic language of chs. 17 and 18. There is simply no honest way to make this material refer to something other than Jerusalem, whose sins reached to heaven (18:5). Sin is sin, but there are degrees, and this degree that is described here is that degree that Jerusalem reached in killing the prophets, apostles, God's holy people, and the very Prince of Life Himself, the Son of God. No matter how much those in the modern church seek to sugar coat it and water down the truth, it surfaces in the pages of Scripture to make liars of all those who do. God's warnings go unheeded today in a thoroughly duped church! And what are some of those warnings? Here they are:
Rev. 18:4-5: "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, 'Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities."
II Cor. 6:14-18: "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
'I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.'
Therefore
'Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the LORD Almighty.
Note also I Cor. 3:16-17, 6:19-20.
Israel's desolation was sure, and ordained by the Lord at the Scriptures quoted above. From the Revelation, chs. 17-18, we are not led to believe in any reversal of that whatsoever. It is God's final word on the matter to all men, and they share in her plagues if they refuse to take God at his Word, but instead follow men like C. I. Scofield. The modern state of Israel may exist today as a Jewish homeland, but it has no merit whatsoever as having a future under God's special favor and blessing, outside of Christ and faith in Him. That hasn't happened, for the Jews rejected their Messiah, as these still do today, and God rejected them. God gave the nation 40 years to repent and come to Christ. They did not, and so God had Jerusalem destroyed at the hands of the Roman armies in 70 AD, just as Christ foretold at Matt. 23:38, 24:2, Mk. 13:2. Just as the sacred Scripture says, …the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it" (Matt. 21:43). Yet it is abundantly clear that many in the modern church who seem to love being allied with and yoked together with these unbelievers today are not that new, holy nation, but an imposter. Oh, vain mankind of this apostate day, can you not grasp that it is wrong to leave Jesus to go wandering over to the unbelievers to curry their favor in furtherance of folly and lies? Whatever will it take to warn you of God's wrath to come?
In conclusion, one can easily see that the actual Scripture content does not in any way support Mr. Scofield's conclusion. It is very apparent that he had absolutely no idea about what had happened in Israel, and how it affected their future kingdom aspirations.
"Worship God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus" (Rev. 19:10 NLT).
This is where the church needs to apply herself, not to unbelievers who have no interest in Christ whatsoever! The church needs to be busy about Christ's work on earth. To make up a fable about the modern state of "Israel" is far removed from any legitimate work of Christ on the earth, and to disseminate and support such a strange and unproven thing is an unholy work. You have an obligation to adhere to Scripture truth, not to unproven theories and fabrications!
To those who believe on Jesus, Peter says: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy" (I Pet. 2:9-10). If we walk as the children of light, we walk circumspectly, honoring Christ. This is the church's real calling. Have we really become Christian soldiers of Jesus' cross?
This is God's final word on the issue of any glorious kingdom in Israel. This fleshly dream is but an empty phantom, a mirage, that has no sound basis in fact, and no legitimate grounds for existing. Those who insist on giving their support and comfort to the enemies of Christ and his Gospel of his Good News need to learn the difference between right and wrong. They need to apply themselves to God's truth and stop blindly following such men of questionable credentials and reputation. It is in no wise a good thing to set one's heart so totally upon such adverse material that creates calamity (Prov. 17:5) in the world that Christ died for. Christ never set this world up for calamity, but men have. It has everlasting consequences that reach far beyond this world. (See Isa. 5:20; I Pet. 2:16; III Jo. 11). For Christians are not constrained to "put on the whole armor of God" for nothing (Ro. 13:12, Eph. 6:11-13). Yet how many Christians today understand what this means, nor even how it might be accomplished. And so big chinks in the Christian's suit of armor are missing today, and we see it riddled with rust and corruption. Besides, they have turned from Jesus' light back toward the darkness. (See Mt. 6:23; Lu. 11:34-35; Jo. 3:19, 8:12, 12:35, 46; Acts 26:18; Rom. 13:12; II Cor. 6:14; Eph 5:11; I Pet. 2:9; II Pet. 2:4; I Jo. 1:6, 2:11). For instead of the pure claim of Christ and Christianity, they now prefer to title themselves Judeo-Christians. They pride themselves on assuming that Christianity cannot stand alone and apart on its own merits in Christ, it seems, but must now lean on Judaism to prop it up in all of its weak places. This is just what can be expected to happen when the church leaves its rightful Lord and Master, and instead seeks out seducing spirits (I Tim. 4:1).
It now prides itself on its tolerance for evil, and boasts also that it is no widow, just as ancient Israel did (Rev. 18). It considers not that it has forsaken its one love, who is Christ, and gone chasing after the unbelievers who care nothing about Christ, but who only desire their own earthly kingdom and glory. It prides itself on being better than others, while never caring to seek out true knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. It busies itself running all around in its endless chase after rituals in meetings and conferences where a few mere crumbs of truth are scattered hither and yon around the banquet hall which should be lavishly spread with platters of strong, vitalizing meat (Heb. 5:12).
It strives to sustain itself with mere droppings of crumbs on the floor, and ignores the beneficent and sumptuous feast spread on the table. It eats with the dogs on the floor, ever crawling further and further away from the Lord and Savior who set them up instead with the plenty that remains untouched on the table. It languishes in a state of semi-starvation, poverty, and nakedness.
This is the perfect picture of today's ignorant church, as it lies in wait for the final death blow from secular humanism and militant Islam. It does not see its own imperiled condition, and so does not anticipate the calamity and demise that are about to descend on it. Instead, through its high sounding words and fables it woos the unwary into the same house of doom. It desires no release from its dungeon halls and unbearable yoke of bondage (Acts 15:9-21; Col. 2:14-23), for it idolizes it. To it there can never be any higher calling than this. It feeds upon misery and death, while at the same time denying it. It sees afar a sumptuous plenty in a land far away, but it cannot discern the direction of it. It denies the instructions in the straight and narrow way (Mt. 7:14; Prov. 4:26-27) of the Master and landowner. It hobbles all about in its tattered armor, while a well suited coat hangs in yonder straight gateway. It loves to cling to its bedraggled outfit. It does not trust the Master of the land to supply much better provision, and so it ever remains a pauper.
Thus it is in modern Christendom. Modern Christians need to stop indulging in such gross idolatry (See II Cor. 6:16), which profits nothing. Only the truth will make them free (Jo. 8:32), if that really matters to them. It mattered to me, and I found my answer in Christ.
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The following subject refers to Romans 11:26:"And so all Israel will be saved…"
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The Subject at hand is Romans 11, but the great Apostle is discussing Israel in this matter of her not complying with God and the mystery that has ensued as a result of it in three chapters (9-11), so we must address these if we would progress in the real truth with Paul. Here is my brief outline of the points that Paul raises in this matter.
Romans Chapter Nine.
1-5. Paul's expression of his deep regrets over his "brethren", his "countrymen according to the flesh" (v. 3).
6-8. Paul's answer, or the reason why this untoward situation. Here, he gives the reason for their lack of a positive response to Christ. They are not all Israel who are of (national) Israel (v. 6). There are unbelievers mixed into national Israel. The seed of faith is in Isaac (v.7), who are "of the promise".
(v.8). Those who are of "the children of the flesh, ..are not the children of God". It is only the believers who are truly of Israel, the children of the promise, in Isaac, in belief, are of God. The rest, in unbelief, are not of God. The rest, in unbelief, are not a part of the promise.
9-16. The unfolding of the story of Jacob and Esau, and how that fits into God's tool of "election" (vv. 11-16).
17-23. The further revealing of God's election, and how it works. God "has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens" (v. 18).
24-33. The bringing in of the Gentiles. And these Gentiles He will call his people, "who were not my people" (v. 25-26). He also mentions here that "'Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved" (v. 27). In other words, not the whole nation shall be saved, but only a "remnant", the elect, established previously. This is not national Israel, but the "elect" out of the nation. For Israel "pursued righteousness by the works of the law"(v. 32), and not by the righteousness of faith" (v. 30). Israel after the flesh pursues the works of the law, but the remnant pursues Christ, the righteousness of faith. The "remnant" become part of the Israel of God.
Romans Chapter Ten.
1-11. Israel's misplaced zeal, "not according to knowledge" (v. 2). They have missed the righteousness of Christ by faith, and have sought to please God by the works of the law.
12. No longer any distinction between Jew and Gentile. The wall separating the two groups is now removed by Christ.
13-20. The answer is in Christ.
21. "But to Israel he (Isaiah, v. 20) says: 'All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.'" This is God's conclusion re. Israel, now based on its conduct toward Christ.
Romans Chapter Eleven.
1-5. What about his people being "cast away" (v. 1)? Paul answers, clarifying that His people, whom He foreknew (v. 2), the "remnant according to the election of grace" (v. 5) have not been cast away. Again, not all of national Israel is called of God in the "election of grace", but a "remnant" (10:27) is called.
6. No longer of works, but of grace. God's elect are saved by grace, not by works.
7-11. The elect and the lost of Israel.
12-16. The nation is cast away, but the believing branches (v. 16) will be "accepted" (v. 15). The acceptance of some of the Israelites is "but life from the dead" (v. 15) or from the nation that was cut off in its unbelief. It still has time to come into belief. On their being cast away, and the term of their acceptance.
17-18. The Gentiles must not boast against the Jews, because they too can still be of God's elect, and can be grafted back into the wild olive tree (v. 17).
19-24. If the Jews believe and continue not in unbelief, they will be grafted back in (v. 23). "Because of unbelief they were broken off" (v. 20), "And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again" (v. 23). Any Jews who come to Christ are grafted back in. The unbelievers remain cut off.
25-36. The Deliverer came out of Zion, as per Is. 27:9,59:20, 21, (v. 26).
Thus "all Israel", that is the believing remnant already discussed, which is the elect Israel of God (Gal. 6:14-16) are saved by their belief in Christ. All true believers have now become the Israel of God, not the unbelievers. The unbelievers are not saved, neither Jew nor Gentile, but believers only. The Gentiles need to be humble, not proud that they are accepted and the Jews are not. They all rest on God, and his mercy. God is able to bring the elect Jews back into his fold. They then become part of God's new nation, the new Israel of God, not of unbelievers, but of believers (See Ro. 8:14-18; Gal. 6:14-16, Eph. 1:4-5, 13-15; I Pet. 2:9-10).
Passage to the Gentiles was allowed through Israel's blindness, until their fullness came in. God gave the nation 40 years of grace to repent and come to belief, and thereby all Israel would be saved (v. 26). This never happened, and so the nation was judged and destroyed in 70 AD by Titus' Roman armies. God gave the nation the option of returning to Him in faith, but it refused, and thus it was abolished. This is an important fact of history. The siege and carnage of Jerusalem was a horrific blood bath indeed, but the believers fled to the mountains, as the Scriptures warned them to do (Mt. 24:16), and they were all saved. Josephus, the Jewish historian, documented all of it. Thus ended national Israel as a part of God's favored nation in the world. All that remained and still remains to this day are the elect ones who are called to faith by God. Jew and Gentile status ended, and all must come to Christ for salvation. There is no other way. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (II Cor.6:2). There is no other time but today!
Paul's "brethren" and "countrymen according to the flesh" (9:3), are no more. They are long gone from the picture. Also, many Jews today are imports from Russia, known as Khazar Jews that have now gone in to populate the new nation that calls itself "Israel". These comprise not the Israel of God, however, by any means. Men established it, and absolutely no word came down from God to ordain it on anything from Himself whatsoever. Nobody can rightfully claim today's Israel, which is in name only, as God's genuine article. These Jews can call themselves by whatever name they choose, and have chosen, but it is a very far stretch from the Israel that Paul spoke about over 1900 years ago. It takes far more than just choosing a name and calling oneself by it to actually make something genuine. God has had nothing to do with its ways and its doings. It entirely lacks what God gave to the old Israel of thousands of years ago to declare it his own special possession out of all nations of the earth. All of that is gone, because the nation continued in its disobedience, and all of these modern fantasy dreams are an insult to God.
Similarly, "the sacrifice and the oblation" of Daniel 9:27 ended finally with Jerusalem's 70 AD destruction. Again, there is no such thing in existence today, nor ever shall be. Christ put an end to it with his sacrifice of Himself. And that end is final. To move it all forward 2000 years and beyond is ludicrous indeed! It is also wicked! It shows a total disconnect from reality! It demonstrates great disobedience. It is entirely a make-believe world, a hoax and a sham, but some folks love the lie over the truth. The Scriptures warn against those who love and make lies (Rev. 22:15). These folks really need to start paying attention to what the Scriptures are actually saying, instead of holding near and dear the contortions and the outright lies that have arisen over the last 200 years. They need to gladly do a far deeper study of God's Word than they have. But first, they need to become willing to do so, and to honor Christ instead of the lies and fictions of men.
Clarification and new covenant.
Attention: Update alert.
These are solely theological postings. They are intended to support Scripture truth and reveal error. They are not intended to attack any group of people, but reveal error in current theological practice. If men get caught in the crossfire of theological discussion, then let them come into the light of Christ's truth and be saved. They are perfectly free and welcome to come to Christ and follow his new covenant if they so choose to do so.
We are admonished in the new covenant to "Believe in the light, that you may become the sons of light" (Jo. 12:36). Jesus is that light, and He commands us to abide in Him (Jo. 15:4-10). These are the commands that we are supposed to follow, and they are not grievous (I Jo. 5:3). We are not ordered to follow any other commands of men which run counter to Christ and his new covenant.
The new covenant, and its significance and importance, shouldn't elude us. We cannot have the practices of the old and the new all thrown in together, for the old covenant Christ cancelled long ago (II Cor. 3:11; Heb. 10:4-10), and the new is everlasting (Heb. 13:20-21). The old is obsolete (Heb. 8:13), and Paul calls it "rubbish" (Phil. 3:8-9), and its observances are worthless (Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16-17). The old law system leads to death (II Cor. 3:7-15) and those who follow after it are cursed (Gal. 3:10, 13. Note also II Cor. 16:22) and fallen away from God's grace in Christ (Gal. 5:4). Things that are stated in the old covenant gain clarification, or validation, if any, in the information contained in the new covenant. It is the new covenant that establishes all of the protective boundaries or perimeters, and, again, it is everlasting (Heb. 13:20-21). These boundaries are being grossly violated today in the church. The new covenant supersedes all that came before and is in every way superior to all that the old contained, and which we are never told to return to and support in any way. The new covenant goes quite beyond the natural man and the fleshly realm of this earth, and directs us instead into that spiritual realm of splendor in Christ. Indeed, to find Christ's new covenant and be honored to enter into it at long last is to enter into new life on the most sublime scale. Christ and his new covenant are the supreme golden thread that ties all of sacred Scripture to the wondrous works of God Himself, and have little, if anything, to do with the inferior desires of men's hearts for earthly kingdoms, etc., apart from Him and his plan of the ages in Jesus Christ. In other words, it is Christ and his new covenant which has established where his kingdom is and who it includes.
Some claim a third temple stated in Ezekiel, instead of the second temple that followed the Babylonian captivity, which the book of Ezekiel deals with. But the new covenant informs us that "God does not dwell in temples made with hands" (Acts 17:24. Note also Heb. 9:1-17). God is far too great and glorious for such a miniscule abode as that, and it seems like pretty petty thinking to place Christ in such a bind as that for a future thousand years to have to "reign and rule" on the earth, literally, from a manmade temple in the earthly city of Jerusalem. Even to keep Him in one earthly city for very long is not facing the full reality of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and not acknowledging Him for who He really is. But this is only one example of the small thinking of many mere men today, and their ways of breaking free of any tethers to Christ and his commands, in spite of their claims. Whether it be God the Father or God the Son, He is co-equal, as is the Holy Spirit, and He is glorious far beyond all human measure and understanding.
How much more rational, realistic, and edifying, it is to accept his reign and rule in the present time through the Holy Spirit's power (See II Cor. 3:3, 17, 18, 10:2-5; Heb. 10:14-18) instead of waiting for a "postponed kingdom" fantasy that has no proof nor substance whatsoever to sustain it, and was lifted from Dan. 9:24-27 and which clearly refers to Christ's coming over 2000 years ago. Since it is biblical fact that Christ made "all things new" (See II Cor. 5:17), it is certainly not inconceivable that Christ reigns and rules by "a new and living way" (Heb. 10:20). Is our faith so small that we cannot see beyond this earthly dimension into the higher sphere of "things unseen" (Ro. 1:20 & Col. 1:16-17), or must we continue to be so fleshly oriented as to literally imagine Christ sitting in a manmade temple in earthly Jerusalem on a manmade throne in order to rule and reign in the affairs of men, or in order to accomplish whatever it is that you in your spiritual incapacity feel He left unaccomplished when He came to earth 2000 years ago? Certainly such a picture seriously limits one's concept of the Savior, and how vast his accomplishments throughout the world and the universe! His new covenant does not so speak of limiting Him, his abilities and his sphere of influence and power, but instead speaks endless volumes of praise for his great power, majesty, love, and sacrifice. You cannot carefully read the New Testament without being struck by the magnitude of his glory and his power expressed therein. He indeed already rules and reigns in the hearts of those who truly love Him and are "the called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28). He reigns in the affairs of men and nations, whether they care to admit it or not, and is sovereign ruler over his entire creation. It is the blind condition of the natural man that is unable to see his reign and rule in the present time (blinded by Satan, II Cor. 4:3-4; spiritual blindness, Jo. 9:35-41 & 15:23).
There are so many good and glorious things revealed in the new covenant, but they are spiritually discerned (Ro. 8:5-9; I Cor. 2:14). With the spirit you must "Believe in the light, that you may become the sons of light" (Jo. 12:36). Else wise, there is no light in you (Jo. 11:10). But if your eye be pure (Lu. 11:34-35), then you see these things that are far removed from the darkness that you left behind. The veil of darkness is removed from the heart (II Cor. 3:12-18), and one beholds the new order of things that Christ already established. The natural man cannot see them, and so he remains in the natural world and supports some other earthly kingdom than Christ's kingdom, which "is not of this world" (Jo. 18:36), as He clearly stated. To behold that new order of things that God established in Christ, unfettered by human lies for the first time, is wondrous and breathtaking. It is a very special moment that changes one for all time.
The Bible speaks of the natural man and the spiritual man, and the two classes are entirely different. The natural man seeks his earthly kingdom and temple, even if he must violate all of straight biblical hermeneutics to achieve it in his own fleshly oriented mind. The spiritual man just follows along with the Holy Spirit and lets it take him into that kingdom of Christ's I mentioned above that "is not of this world" (Jo. 18:36), but heavenly. He is the man who has been taken out of this world by Christ (Jo. 17:14-18). Instead of looking for a "continuing city" here on earth (see He. 13:12-15) the true believer is taken onward to the heavenly kingdom above with his Savior and Lord. The new covenant makes it possible for the true Christian to so go onward with Jesus. This is extremely important, and well worth paying close attention to.
It is in just such things as this that the new covenant is far more expansive and glorious than the old (II Cor. 3:8-9). An earthly temple made with human hands is not at all necessary and is offensive to God, according to the new covenant. It is but worthless, manmade rubbish! For God has provided something far greater. The new covenant far more sufficiently satisfies both the Jew and the Gentile. Christ tore down the middle wall separating the two groups, and made them equal (Eph. 2:19-22. Note also Acts 15:9, Romans 10:12 and Eph. 3;10-15.). It is this kind of seriously flawed theology that has built it back up again, in the futuristic school, or premillenialism, and anti-Semitism right along with it. But the new covenant supersedes all of the old Judaistic law system, Christ having fulfilled all of the law and all of its requirements for his elect people. The natural man cannot understand this and so does not receive these things of God (I Cor. 2:4-16, 15:44-58. See also Jo. 3:6, 31, 6:63, 8:15 & Gal 4:29), and therefore attacks it and any who are in it.
And still the fact remains, that Christ has "the words of eternal life" (Jo. 6:68). There is a broad difference between flesh and blood versus God (Mt. 16:17) and his ways. The natural man would seek to reinstate these obsolete things torn down (Gal.2:18-21. See Acts 21), and return to "Israel after the flesh" (I Cor. 10:18). The children of the flesh are not the children of God (Ro. 9:8). The new man in Christ, reborn from on high, sees instead the new Israel of God (Gal. 6:14-16). There is a world of difference between the two.
For the natural man is of the earth, and seeks to build up his concept of an earthly kingdom, while all the while ignoring Christ who stated that his kingdom is not of this world. The natural man willfully steps outside of the protective perimeters that Christ established in his new covenant and fabricates some earthly kingdom at any and all cost. The spiritual man receives the things of Christ, and discerns the things of the Spirit (Ro. 2:28-29, 8:1-8, 12:2; Phil. 3:3-4; Jo. 4:23-24; I Cor. 2:13-14; Eph. 1:15-17; Col 1:9), which he discovers in the new covenant. Then he needs no such nonsense and lies, for now his experience with Christ is complete.
The natural man would attack the very foundations of the Christian faith to create a gospel far different from the one that Christ once delivered to the saints (Jude 3), but in the end he will pay the ultimate price for his folly. His very soul is in mortal peril. Even though he claims Christ, He does not continue on with Him in his new covenant, but chooses a different way (See Prov. 4:26-27; Mt. 7:14; Jo. 10:1-6) to seek to satisfy his own heart's fleshly desire. Whatever way he chooses outside of the boundary of the new covenant is of the natural or carnal man, and it leads to death. He professes to know God, but in works he denies Him (Heb. 6:1; 9:14; Titus 1;16). "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Mt. 22:14). But those who are his chosen ones have a higher calling (Ro. 8:28), the mark of the high calling of God in Christ (Phil. 3:14). It is our individual obligation and responsibility to pursue the straight and narrow course in Christ (Mt. 7:14; Prov. 4:26-27), instead of turning back around to the worthless things that He destroyed, and that they should also have destroyed by their coming to Him. By their fruits (works) they are known (Prov. 20:11; Mt. 7:16-20, 12:33; Lu. 6:44-45), and they would do far better in Christ to cast off the works of darkness (Ro. 13:12), which are dead works (Heb. 6:1, 9:14; Titus 1:16), and enter into the richest and most sublime covenant and relationship of all of time and forever in the new covenant of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. There is no need at all today to enter into that "yoke of bondage" (Acts 15:9-21) which the Israelites could not bear, in the old, but there is a glaring and obvious need to enter into the yoke of Christ, whose "yoke is easy, and my burden is light"(Mt. 11:28-30; I Jo. 5:3).
Settling on becoming a slave to unbelievers is a departure from the straight way of God. Yet this is exactly where today's church has placed itself, instead of remaining in service to Christ. Instead it serves the desires of modern Israel to reinstate the temple and its Judaistic animal sacrifices. It sends lobbyists to Washington to lobby it for millions of U. S. taxpayer dollars very day (currently around 7 million $'s per day). And so has America become the slave of unbelieving Israel at the behest of modern apostate Christendom.
Modern day literalness--
"A thousand years" (Rev. 20) -- Careful and serious Bible scholars have always considered this phrase to be a symbolic period of time denoting these last days which began about 2000 years ago. Oft-used figurative language, which this obviously is, the Scriptures use to denote a hidden truth. In this case, it is intended to convey an indefinite period of time of which only God knows the real length. It is not intended to be taken literally, just as the bread and the wine of the communion observance are not to be taken literally as the actual body and blood of Christ. These things are symbolic, along with many other things given symbolic language throughout Scripture.
What this amounts to is tampering and tinkering with God's truth on a massive scale, and it is most unwise. It is indecent and disrespectful of God and what Christ did on Calvary's cross. And it has dire and far reaching consequences. It is a huge rip off by people who may not see themselves as thieves, but who actually are. They rob the church of its God-given birthright and blessings under King Jesus and his new covenant. Indeed they have licentiously stolen from the Christian faith.
When professing Christians support unbelievers under false pretext, then they themselves are no true believers. They become the worst kinds of transgressors, and the most dangerous. Indeed they show no care whatsoever for the overwhelming preponderance of Scripture which does not support their nefarious claims. They are transgressors who only care about making their unfounded and unproven points based on their mindset of literalness wherever it meets their needs only. If they can jam it through and somehow make it fit what they want it to achieve at all cost to the truth, then this is all that actually matters to them. It is upon this kind of a shaky foundation that people today seek to achieve peace in our day. It is not realistic. It is foolishness, not wisdom.
For years many heads have been hid in the sand. We who have been American patriots all of our lives, and who love and appreciate the magnificent work that our Christian founders did in America against tyrants, or what has been known as "the divine right of kings" mentality to often work their depraved will against the victimized people under their "rule" are not at all deceived about what may soon be coming upon the earth. Yet we are not well received in modern apostate Christendom. In the communistic new world order, modern apostate Christians are about to learn first-hand and too late what they have bought into by their ignorance and neglect. A very misguided and duped "Christian" populace will begin to realize that the "divine" kind of rule that they favored and expected with the claimed soon return of King Jesus will instead feel the iron fisted rule of the despot, along with the stinging failure and loss of our great Christian oriented Constitution, with its mandate of limited government power, and rule by law (instead of by kings who make up their own depraved laws) to hold evil men in government in check. Such disengaged "Christians" were led by the enemy to believe that it was not worth defending. To them, neglect has become the hallmark of their lifestyle.
Many of us have been gravely concerned about what was happening in the fundamentalist evangelical churches of today, as moderns have essentially gone to church to eat and play, and never even once give a serious thought to the consequences of their irresponsible behavior. Yet God and his truth are still real. To continue forward in our most holy faith is by far most blessed. Let all come who thirst, and drink long and deep "of the water of life freely, without charge" (Luke 22:30; Rev. 22:17). We must never shortchange our faith and our calling in Christ because of a few bad apples in the fold. I am most grateful to my Lord, now, to have found the comfort of his new covenant and his love in his Word. Abounding peace and joy await all who find his truth. For years I lived a frightening nightmare scenario, as the Christians turned away from every truth and just went on with their reckless disregard and dreams. They won't be playing and laughing much longer, for hard truths are now on their very doorstep. As Daniel Webster said back in our country's earlier days: "Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster, and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution, for if the American Constitution should fail, there will be anarchy throughout the world."
Shame on the duped American Christians who love to take their ease in these "churches" of today while hell encroaches on their country! What will they ever say on that great judgment day when Christ does return to set up his great white throne judgment seat? Undoubtedly, except they repent, and rapidly change their ways, they will have very much to regret and be sorry for, then, but it will be too little too late!
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Today just about everything is turned upside down, and wrong is now right, and right is now labeled as wrong. Darkness is now established as new light. It is a most deplorable impasse. Indeed what can the righteous do? Well, they must stand in the gap and support the truth.
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Anita Whalley is the author of a great book on Christ and his new covenant that is available at Amazon.com. The title of it is There Is A Kingdom.
This book and this information desperately needs to get out there today! I worked very hard to make it available, but people just don't seem to care. I live in poverty, as the book has not sold. Nor can I support heavy advertising costs. Yet other authors who support the lie, men like Hal Lindsey and Tim LeHaye, are doing just great.
We will never have God's favor and blessing as long as we continue to just blindly follow the misinterpretations and lies of today, and let them go unchecked. It is time to start facing up to full reality. Everything is at stake here! We need to turn back to God and his truths. He has given us so very much in Christ. Why would anyone want to turn his back on such a wonderful Savior who has given so much that we might enjoy life more abundantly in Him?
Let us cast off the works of darkness (Ro. 13:12. See also Eph 5:11; Heb. 6:1, 9:14; Titus 1:16), and let us walk in newness of life (Ro. 6:4). These things are what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about, not in any wise a reinstatement of earthly or national Israel. Such an idea has no sound scriptural merit whatsoever. The church must address itself to Christ and his new covenant. It is only in these precious matters that God can bless America, for in these truths did Christ die and rise from the dead, for our sakes.
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For those who are searching for more of important Christian truths, they might be interested in checking out the following very helpful books:
The Westminster Confession of Faith for Study Classes, by G. I. Williamson, and The Shorter Catechism for Study Classes, Volumes 1 and 2 (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co.). Even though we have no churches to enjoy fellowshipping in with those of like precious faith, we still can have great fellowship of his truths. These will help us to become strong. God bless you all! --Anita Whalley.
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A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
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No man wins when freedom fails,
The best men rot in filthy jails
And those who cry "Appease! Appease!
Are hanged by those they tried to please. –Anon.
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This is brother Billy Graham on Radio Free Moscow, reminding all Soviets in Christ to obey the authorities….
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The Life That Counts
The life that counts must toil and fight;
Must hate the wrong and love the right,
Must stand for truth, by day, by night—
This is the life that counts.
The life that counts must aim to rise
Above the earth to sunlit skies;
Must fix its gaze on Paradise—
This is the life that counts.
The life that counts must helpful be;
The cares and needs of others see;
Must seek the slaves of sin to free—
This is the life that counts.
The life that counts is linked with God;
And turns not from the cross—the rod;
But walks with joy where Jesus trod—
This is the life that counts. –Anonymous.
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Be Strong
Be strong!
We are not here to play, to dream, to drift;
We have hard work to do and loads to lift;
Shun not the struggle—face it, 'tis God's gift.
Be strong!
Say not, "The days are evil. Who's to blame?"
And fold the hands and acquiesce—oh, shame!
Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God's name.
Be strong!
It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong,
How hard the battle goes, the day how long;
Faint not—fight on! Tomorrow comes the song.
--Maltbie Davenport Babcock.
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Here's a great brochure. Title: "Civilization And The Protestant Reformation" by John W. Robbins. C. 1994. A Trinity Foundation publication. For further information write The Trinity Foundation, Post Office Box 1666, Hobbs, New Mexico 88240. This is all the information I have available at this time. We can all check to see if The Trinity Foundation has a web address.
"If you are not governed by God, you will be ruled by tyrants."
William Penn, 1681.
