Of course formerly the gentiles, the nations of the world, were separate from the covenants of promises, and were without God and without hope in the world. Now though, in Christ both Jew and Gentile are truly being made into a single entity. God does not work on the same sort of time schedule as frail and transitory men like you and I. Still He works, and He laughs at attempts to oppose Him, and we should praise Him for all of these things.
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Obviously this unity of Jews and Gentiles in Jesus Christ has not been a reality in history … so far, and this far too big a subject for even a week of podcasts. However, “a destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness,” Isa 10:22, which will bring terrible times to both the church and the Jews, and which will result in a stunning victory for the gospel, and the Jews. The Jews will become what they should have been all along. No, we are not speaking of any millennial reign. This is a broad subject throughout both the Old and New Testaments, and is addressed in my third book, “Jewish Chronicles.” Available from your bookseller. The most powerful and glorious days for both the gospel and the Jews within history, are yet to come.
As the back cover of “Jewish Chronicles” states,
“If one does not understand the history of the Jews, they do not under- stand World History, nor where it is headed.”
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The last part of Psalm 69 not only has to do with the Christ and you and I, but it also seems to have to do with the Jews as a nation. It speaks strangely of things which seem to have FAILED concerning the nation of Israel. But is it a failure of a prophecy which we see here, or is it merely something which has not happened YET!
The subject of the Jews turning to Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth, is discussed in detail in my third book, Jewish Chronicles, How the Jewish Nation will turn in faith to Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth, Well Before the Second Coming. It will bring glorious times to the gospel and the Jewish people, and will bring an era of great prosperity to the entire world. Available from your bookseller.
National prophecies about the Jews as a nation, and what the Messiah of the Jews, Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth will yet do with them. And NO! This is NOT about the millennium, but rather about things yet to happen in history.
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After a time of great stress when two-thirds of the Jews are killed, then the Jews will at last turn to their own Messiah, Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth.
Yes, Micah speaks of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, and of the coming of the gospel, and of heaven and hell. Also Micah clearly speaks of Israel’s former dominion in the Middle East as to be restored.
No! This is not about any so-called “millennium.” Rather of things yet to happen in history.
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Also Micah clearly speaks of two gigantic assemblies of ALL nations against the Jews, neither of which has happened YET!. Both of these are preceded by world-wide persecution of Christians. The first is during that great time of stress in which the Jews turn to their own Messiah, Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth. The second is at the end of time.
Micah talks about good things which are coming, both the coming the gospel, the good news of salvation to all the nations of the earth, AND the ending of all wars.
Then goes on to show how prophecy typically relates the immediate subject under discussion related to ultimate destinies of all things. This is something which throws many people off, but it should not. Also, once understood, it makes the reading of many other prophecies both more readable and more understandable.
Also we begin to address in this lesson the fact that there are prophecies in Scripture of the gospel coming, and of heaven and hell, and also there are still UNFULFILLED prophecies about the Jews as a nation. And no! We are not talking about the so-called “millennium,” but rather of things which are still happen in history before the end of this universe.
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Jewish Chronicles deals with how the Jews came to where they are today in history, and where all these things are leading.
This lesson starts off with the mystery of how the scribes and the Pharisees knew that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, and describes the situation in Judah at the time of Jesus’ birth. Then it goes to laying the foundation for looking at the evidence which they laid out.
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The basics of understanding Bible prophecy are addressed in Prophecy Principles, which is available from your bookseller.
Psalm 22 makes an excellent example of how prophecy works, and it further discussed in “Prophecy Principles” in the section “Time and Image in Prophecy,” and in “Revealing the Christian Age” in the section “Balking at the Symbolism.”
Addressing the twin subjects of prophecy: “Present Jerusalem,” and “Jerusalem Above.” Both are subjects of both Old Testament and New Testament prophecy. This conflict will be resolved in history when the Jews as a nation accept their own Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God.
Listen to this audio lesson here, or click on the Audio Player to download as an MP3 file. The basics of how Bible prophecy works is discussed in detail in Prophecy Principles.Available from you bookseller.
The basics of how Bible prophecy works is discussed in detail in Prophecy Principles.Available from you bookseller.
The story of how the Jews became sidetracked, and how they will finally turn as a nation to Jesus of Nazareth, is told in Jewish Chronicles, available from your bookseller.
Jesus will not leave everything the way it is. He will come back to judge the world in righteousness.
This is a short intermission in the relatively short history of our present heavens and earth, and a short time of amnesty from all of our wrongs, before Jesus brings this disintegrating universe to a close. Jesus now has all authority in both heaven and earth, Mtt 28:18. He is now working to put down all opposition.
“25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” 1Cor 15:25-26
Jesus has given us a ministry of reconciliation, 2Cor 5:19.
This short time just before Jesus comes again, is time for us to repent, and come to our senses.
“The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with US, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2Pe 3:9
Jesus promises us that terrible things will happen, just before the end of our age.
Paul speaks of these things in a general sense in his letter to Timothy.
“But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons” 1Tim 4:1
“But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come.” 2Tim 3:1
The details are given in both the Old and the New Testaments. A war will come by “the little horn,” “the abomination of desolation,” the living corpse, “the man of lawlessness,” “the beast,” against all righteousness and goodness and holiness in the entire world.
Jesus will bring all of mankind’s, and the spirit world’s, foolishness, to a dramatic close.
Moses tells us both when the Jews will turn to Jesus of Nazareth, and when Jesus will come again.
“For Yahweh will judge his people, Repent himself for his servants; When he sees that their power is gone, There is none remaining, shut up or left at large.” Deut 32:36
When all is lost and there is no hope, and strength to oppose evil, THEN Jesus will come
“25 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; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.” Lk 21:25-28
Prophecy is pertinent to our lives throughout all history. We are truly on the edge of forever.
If you believe this, you will try to be ready for this. It will change how you live, it will change your ethics. Prophecy is NOT an optional extra. Believing what God says in prophecy does matter! It is an ethical matter.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.”
On the other hand, there are many passages which speak of the kingdom as having already been in existence.
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.
So what is the answer?
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
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament testify everywhere to the sins of the Jews
Moses laid it out.
“32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, Of the fields of Gomorrah: Their grapes are grapes of gall, Their clusters are bitter: 33 Their wine is the poison of serpents, The cruel venom of asps.” Deut 32:32-33
A later Jewish prophet also noted,
“14 … the Jews; 15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:” 1Thes 2:14-15 KJV
All of this will turn around during a time of great stress
One day the Jews will wake up! It all be in a time of severe stress on the Jews worldwide. Also it seems this will be preceded by severe persecution of Christians worldwide. This is discussed at length in Jewish Chronicles, available from your bookseller.
“When you are in oppression, and all these things are come on you, in the latter days you shall return to Yahweh your God, and listen to his voice:” Deut 4:30
The KJV incorrectly translates this as a conditional promise, but it is an UNFULFILLED statement of what WILL BE! The next one is unambiguous even in the KJV.
“Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.” Deut 30:6
There will be a dramatic spiritual turnaround for the Jews, which will result in a dramatic flourishing of Christianity both in Israel and all around the world.
The great time of stress will evidently begin with severe worldwide persecution of Christians!
This is too big a topic to condense into a short article, but it does seem to indicate the persecution of Christians precedes the assault on Israel, but is dealt with in “Jewish Chronicles.”
The Jewish survivors of this great time of stress, will build Israel into a mighty worldwide power
“In that day, Yahweh’s branch will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the beauty and glory of the survivors of Israel.” Isa 4:2
They will preach the gospel of Jesus Christ among the nations.
“… I will send such as escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, who have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.” Isa 66:19
There are many other passages to quote.
Here is the promise, written about 1400 BC
“40 If they confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, in their trespass which they trespassed against me, and also that, because they walked contrary to me, 41 … if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled, and they then accept the punishment of their iniquity; 42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob; and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham; and I will remember the land.” Lev 26:40-42
Only the truth will make the Jews … or you and me … free!
New and better days are coming for the Jews, all in their Messiah, Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth.
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
