An audio lesson.
How the end of the world is many ways like when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt. They were going to the earthly promised land of Canaan, and we are going a heavenly promised land in the New Heavens and the New Earth, Isa 65:17, and Isa 66:22, and 2Pe 3:13.
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Often Scripture does not use the same rules for imagery or names of things which we use in modern times. For instance, in talking about the kingdom being established. On one hand it talks about the kingdom being established in the days of the Roman Empire in places like Dan 2:44. The passage is clear, but you have to look at the preceding context.
Then in the days of the Roman Empire, John the Baptist and Jesus came teaching that the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, was at hand, Mtt 3:2, Mtt 4:17, etc. This made a great deal of sense in terms of Dan 2:44, and other passages like the seventy sevens of years in Daniel 9.
Following the events in the gospels it speaks of the kingdom as being in existence. For example,
“who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;”
Col 1:13
That is clearly past tense, He has “translated us in the Kingdom.”
For instance in Ephesians 2 it speaks of us Gentiles in the flesh, called “uncircumcised,” by those circumcised in the flesh, Eph 2:11. Before Jesus came it says of us gentiles,
“that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”
Eph 2:12
It talks about us Gentiles (those of the nations, from ethnos or nation) as being separated from “the commonwealth” politeia, which is the word for a citizenship, a community, and city or kingdom; which is of Israel ! The root word is polis which means a city or a town. We get our word “politics” from these words, and our word for city law enforcement, that is the “police.” This is talking about a political unit that Gentiles used to not be a part of. But now,
“… you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, …”
Eph 2:19
It includes all Jews and Gentiles in Christ. And there are many other passages like this.
The coming of the kingdom is talking about the reign of the Messiah, the special one who would bring a reign of peace. It is talking when the rule of the Christ would start. It started after Jesus death, so Jesus says,
… “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.”
Mtt 28:18
So the reign of the Messiah started in the first century AD. Now it is being fulfilled when it says to Him, “… Rule in the midst of your enemies,” Psa 110:2. He NOW rules in the midst of His enemies,
“For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ”
1Cor 15:25
That process is going on now, and will be completed at the Second Coming. Then the Messiah will deliver the Kingdom up to God, 1Cor 15:24
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
It starts here in the hearts of men.
“20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The Kingdom of God doesn’t come with observation; 21 neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.”
Lk 17:20-21
Many kingdoms and powers exercise great authority without the source of the power being visible, or noticed, at least by most. The occult powers are especially aware of many powers exercising their influence and control without being seen. Two great mystery religions of the Christian Age exercise considerable influence and control all through the Christian Age. Some call these the “Deep State.” They are the Mystery of Lawlessness of 2Thessalonians 2, and Mystery Babylon the Great of the book of Revelation.These are important world swaying powers. The Mystery of Lawlessness is basically a Satanic group. I call Mystery Babylon the Great a “a religio-commerical entity” in Revealing the Christian Age.
“He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened.”
Mtt 13:33
So once again we have a verse of this Kingdom in time influencing this entire world to the point that (which is yet in the future for you and me) the leaven of this Kingdom is an influence all over this world “until it was all leavened.” There is to come a world-wide influence of Christianity which has not been seen so far.
The author of Hebrews speaks of these things, and says,
“For he didn’t subject the world to come, whereof we speak, to angels.”
Heb 2:5
You see this present universe will pass away. In Hebrews 1 it picture God as rolling up this present universe like an old coat and putting it away, Heb 1:10-12. Peter tells us of,
“But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which dwells righteousness.”
2Pe 3:13
Isaiah also speaks of this perfect place.
“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”
Isa 65:17
What will it be like?
“23 They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for calamity; for they are the seed of the blessed of Yahweh, and their offspring with them. 24 It shall happen that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, says Yahweh.”
Isa 65:23-25
A real world, without decay or things running down. A world which some call “heaven.”
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
All powers, all individuals, must submit to Him.
It was written about a thousand years before Christ by the prophet David, written in the first person of a Roman style crucifixion which happened centuries later. Only very subtly does it deal with His resurrection. Psalm 22 also says.
“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.”
Psa 22:27 KJV
But in our day of course, we are still sending out missionaries, and have by no means reached the “ends of the world.” Then it says of this one who dies and yet lives, whom all the world will remember,
“All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship.
All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him,
Even he who can’t keep his soul alive.”
Psa 22:29
Who will bow down before this One? Even the rich (the KJV says “All they that be fat upon earth”). And “All those who go down to the dust”? That would be everyone who has to die! And all of us have to die.
“Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,”
Heb 9:27
So that means all of mankind, and that is also emphasized in the final phrase in Psa 22:29: “Even he who can’t keep his soul alive.”
He says in Philippians chapter two that we should also the mind of Christ, who was willing to humble Himself all the way to death on the cross, Phil 2:5-8.
“Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;”
Phil 2:9
How so Paul, how wide is to be Jesus power and dominance?
“10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ”
Phil 2:10-11
It is also everyone who is heaven, and everyone that is under the earth. We are not really fighting against other people.
“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Eph 6:12
We are actually fighting “the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Some of them are presently under the earth, although they will be released for short time just before the end of the age (Revelation 9, Rev 16:14, Rev 20:7, etc.).
But every king, every ruler, every spiritual power good or bad will have to bow before Jesus the Christ, and admit He is the supreme Lord to the glory of God the Father.
KJV is the King James Version, 1611.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripures are from the WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
It seems Jesus is about half way through His ministry. He has sent his apostles out on the limited commission to just the Jews in Matthew 10. He warns them of dangers yet to come. Many good things have happened, but the Jews as a group have not been turning in repentance. Jesus is now causing conflict here on earth.
“34 Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man’s foes will be those of his own household.”
Mtt 10:34-37
John the Baptist has been seized and is now in prison, and there under confinement even needs some reassurance in Matthew 11.
Of those who turn to Jesus, Paul says,
“who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;”
Col 1:13
That Greek word that is rendered as “translated” means someone whose state or status of being has been changed. They have become citizens of this embryonic kingdom. Even us gentiles now, “are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,” Eph 2:20.
This stone cut out of a mountain without hands (Dan 2:34), this kingdom, will yet, even in this age, become a great mountain which will fill the entire earth (Dan 2:35). Which means there many more things yet to happen, even in this age.
“All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.”
Mtt 11:27
None of us can do anything, except as God allows! And now the Father passes control of all to Jesus.
“he Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.”
Jn 3:35
“… “All things have been delivered to me by my Father.”
Lk 10:22
There is no need to be afraid.
“Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.”
Lk 12:32
“27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
Jn 10:27-29
There are aspects and dimensions to this kingdom in the world to come, but its citizens and rulers are being assembled NOW!
“He who overcomes, … to him I will give authority over the nations.”
Rev 2:26
Things do not just wait for the end of the age. They are working now.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
With Jethro, Moses father in law, we need to understand,
“Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them.”
Ex 18:11
Perhaps the greatest tribute to God in all of Scripture is by David toward the end of his life.
“… You are blessed, Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, Yahweh, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, Yahweh, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come of you, and you rule over all; and in your hand is power and might; and it is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all.”
1Chron 29:10-13
He will indeed be treated in holy ways by all that come near Him. When the sons of Aaron treated lightly the rules for worshipping God, fire cam from before the Lord and killed them.
“Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying,
“‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me, And before all the people I will be glorified.’””
Lev 10:3
As David wrote,
“Stand in awe, and don’t sin.
Search your own heart on your bed, and be still.”
Psa 4:4
At the end of his life David told his son Solomon,
“… if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”
2Chron 28:9
When Jehoshaphat went to fight agains a large force of Moabites and Ammonites, the prophet told him,
“You shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand you still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed: tomorrow go out against them: for Yahweh is with you.”
2Chr 20:17
And God arranged, as He often does, for their enemies to destroy each other. As Paul put it,
“31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?”
Rom 8:31-32
God is a sure refuge in a time of trouble. It has been that way from the beginning, and it will be that way all the way to the very end … no matter how bad it looks from a fleshly point of view. Even when the earth begins to melt.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
That is a subject of many passages in Scripture. You could take the verses of the seven trumpets of Revelation 8. Seven trumpets are given to seven angels. These trumpets seem to be in response to the prayers of the saints for help.
“The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.”
Rev 8:4
Special judgments are ordained for the earth within time, at a special point in time in the future. The trumpets begin to sound.
“The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up,a and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.”
Rev 8:7
Oh what a blow, but that is only the start, six other trumpets follow. In my book Revealing the Christian Age I call them “Trumpets of Warning.” You could take this verse also of the seven last plagues, of which it says,
“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb’s bride.” ”
Rev 21:9
Seven bowls of wrath are in Revelation 16. If you are reading along in Revelation a certain passage and you say to yourself, “Well that sounds like the end of the world,” then you are probably reading the end of a vision of the Christian Age.
At the last huge conflicts rage all over the globe. God’s people have been living at rest, not in fortifications, or bunkers, but in “camps.” Satan is released and deceives the nations, represented by Gog and Magog. Then in a sudden sweep Gog and Magog rise in war against Christians, both Jew and Gentile.
“8 … Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; … 9 They went up over the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. …”
Rev 20:8-9
Our Lord obviously wanted us to compare the two different invasions described in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. The final invasion is described in more detail in Ezekiel chapter 38. Troops from “many peoples” are led by Gog and Magog, Ezek 38:8. This is when,
“… the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.”
Ezek 38:20
That is obviously the end of this earth.
Thus is summarized Jesus Second Coming, and the literal “last battle” of Revelation chapter 19,
“… when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,”
2Thes 1:7
Then will wars cease. Only those willing to live in peace will be in that exalted final kingdom in heaven.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
So Scripture pictures an open revolt against God, and His authority, and ALL rule and authority on earth. This is one of the main subjects of the book of Revelation, but is probably first pictured clearly in Psalm 2.
“Why do the nations rage,
And the peoples plot a vain thing?”
Psa 2:1
So it is the “nations,” plural that are in an uproar, are raging against God and His commandments, and it is “peoples” plural that are plotting against God! Further it is also the kings and presidents and dictators of the earth taking a stand against God Almighty.
“2 The kings of the earth take a stand,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against Yahweh, and against his anointed, saying, 3 “Let’s break their bonds apart,
And cast away their cords from us.””
Psa 2:2-3
They want their connections to Almighty God ended, their bonds to Him ended. Historically, such a wide open revolt against God has never happened! It is clearly pictured in the book of Revelation. This is, indeed, insanity in the extreme. Clearly they do not understand about God that,
“14 If he set his heart on himself,
If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath;
15 All flesh would perish together,
And man would turn again to dust.”
Job 34:14-15
As we have seen, this world wide raging against God is also pictured in Psalm 46.
“4 He who sits in the heavens will laugh.
The Lord will have them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his anger,
And terrify them in his wrath:”
Psa 2:4-5
In Psalm 46 this is pictured as,
That is a summary of those chapters 19 and 20 in the book of Revelation.
There were some preliminaries of course. Trumpets of warning included famine, sword and plagues turning the sea to blood, and more, Revelation chapters 6 to 8. Other things are listed in Revelation chapters 14 to 16. Remember always that Revelation is a series of parallel visions, with the final visions placing more emphasis on the end things. David speaks of some of these things in Psalm 65.
“Who stills the roaring of the seas,
The roaring of their waves,
And the turmoil of the nations.”
Psa 65:7
Jesus says,
“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves;”
Lk 21:25
These are signs of the end.
“But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
Lk 21:28
“… and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
2Pe 3:10
But it will be alright for God’s chosen ones.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Yes, God is with her, this city, the city of God, the kingdom of God. At the right time He will help her.
But first must come the night ! Jesus warned of these things.
“I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.”
Jn 9:4
Jesus worked while He was here, and He has sent us also to work in His behalf. Even so, Jesus here points to a time when it will be impossible to work, that the labor to save souls will be over, that all who could be saved, will have been saved. It will be a point in time when all that is lacking is judgment. Jesus Himself told when the end would come.
“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Mtt 24:14
The beast, the man of sin, man of lawlessness (depending on your translation) will be “revealed, the son of destruction,” 2Thes 2:3. In other words this man is characterized by destructive behavior.
“he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.”
2Thes 2:4
All those who do not have the love of God in their hearts will be turned over to this beast, by the Lord our God.
“10 … they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; 12 that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
2Thes 2:10-12
No man up till now has had such power world wide. One man will for 3-1/2 years very near the end of our age. That will be the night, when no man can work. Then comes the dawn.
“The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.”
Rom 13:12
This may also be referred to in verses like,
“For his anger is but for a moment;
His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may stay for the night,
But joy comes in the morning.”
Psa 30:5
Of the wicked, their dominion will have ended. Of the wicked it says,
“ They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.
Death shall be their shepherd.
… The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.
Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,
Far from their mansion. ”
Psa 49:14
“Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.”
Psa 90:14
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
The first point here is that God is with this city of God, “In her midst.” Zechariah speaks of “the daughter of Zion,” Zech 2:10; and says,
“… and I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know that Yahweh of Hosts has sent me to you. ”
Zech 2:11
Moses said a similar thing to Israel of old.
”You shall not be scared of them; for Yahweh your God is in the midst of you, a great and awesome God.”
Deut 7:21
And he counseled Israel,
“for Yahweh your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you; therefore shall your camp be holy, that he may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you.”
Deut 23:14
So for instance in context Moses says they must bury their excrement, lest God walking through the camp see any unclean thing and be offended, and leave.
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”
Heb 12:14 KJV
Oh? What does that mean? It means first of all that you cannot be in filthiness, sexually or figuratively. You cannot be walking in hatred of God or man, or in malice and anger. Further, to really be holy you must be washed in the blood of the lamb, Rev 7:14. You have to be living a committed life to the Lord, trusting Him to make good what is missing.
Of the assault on the city in Zechariah it is so.
“For thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘For honor he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye. “ Zech 2:8
Further,
“ … I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured.”
Zech 12:3 NASB 95 ed.
“I have set Yahweh always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”
Psa 16:8
In the Old Testament Jerusalem was nearly taken in Hezekiah’s time, and was taken, and destroyed in the time of King Zedekiah, 2Kings 25. Similarly in Revelation 11 all “the city” but the inner court of the temple is trampled underfoot foot.
“… They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.,” Rev 11:2d
Naturally, “the city” of Revelation ultimately is “Jerusalem that is above,” Gal 4:26, Revelation 21, but additionally physical Jerusalem may also be in view in Revelation 11. Further it says of the beast,
“It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. …” Rev 13:7a
And to overcome them? I thought God was with the city?
Is this psalm false, or is Revelation true or not?
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
KJV is the King James Version of 1611