GOD’S NEW WITNESS
Israel has been God’s witness, called into existence to carry the message of the one true and living God to the ends of the earth (Isa, 43:1-10); and the people comprising this nation are suppose to have been the ones to carry the message concerning the King and His kingdom from Jerusalem to Rome during the first century. They had been the ones originally in view in the commissions which Christ gave to His disciples at different times during the forty days of His post-resurrection ministry – beginning in Jerusalem, progressing into Judaea, then into Samaria, and then into the uttermost parts of the earth (Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:47-49; Acts 1:8).
But Israel, as Jonah when called to go to Nineveh, wanted nothing to do with the matter; and, also as Jonah, Israel eventually ended up in the sea (scattered among the Gentile nations); and, also as Jonah, Israel is going to remain there for two days (2000 yrs.); and also as Jonah, on the third day (the third 1000 yr. period), Israel is going to be raised up to live in God’s sight (cf. Hosea 5:15-62); and, also as Jonah, Israel will then carry the message of the one true and living God to the Gentiles (cf. Gen. 45:26; Isa. 53:1ff).
But between Israel’s disobedience and Israel’s obedience is the two day (2000 yr.) period, seen in Jonah, in which Israel remains spiritually alienated from God, scattered among the Gentile nations. This is the period in which God, through Israel, has no witness, and the Church is the “witness” of God during this period, (the one in which we now live); with the two days (2000 yrs) just about at its end.
There was no witness through Jonah during the two days in the type, and there can be no witness through Israel during the two days in the antitype. The nation throughout this period remains, as Jonah, dead, in the sea.
Jesus’ commission/promise to His disciples in Matthew 28:20; “and lo I will be with you alway” Greek NT:3956 pas (pas); including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:
KJV - all (manner of, means), alway (-s), any (one), daily, ever, every (one, way), as many as, no (-thing), thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.
NT:3588
Greek tas; ho (ho); including the feminine he (hay); and the neuter to (to); in all their inflections; the def. article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):
KJV - the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc..
NT:2250 Greek h(me/ra, hemera (hay-mer'-ah); feminine (with NT:5610 implied) of a derivative of hemai (to sit; akin to the base of NT:1476) meaning tame, i.e. gentle; day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context):
KJV - age, alway, (mid-) day (by day, [-ly]), for ever, judgment, (day) time, while, years.
To translate the word as [always] is a mistranslation and is misleading; definitely not what the Scripture is saying. Christ promised to be with His disciples [in every way] – even to the end of the [age]. Many have translated this word incorrectly and as a result convey an incorrect teaching.
It is true that God is with us as believers (by His indwelling Holy Spirit) at all times, but this is definitely not what this verse is teaching. Let us try to keep the teachings of Scripture in its proper context. Christ was talking to His disciples about bringing the word of the kingdom to the “world” (Gentile nations); starting with the Jews first, just as seen in Acts 1:8.
To get a better understanding, Mark’s record of Jesus’ commission (Mark 16:14-18), could not be applied to Christians today (unless you are misinterpreting like those in the Charismatic community); and yet they won’t drink the deadly things.
After one understands the gospel (good news) of the grace of God, and is saved; he needs to come into an understanding of the gospel (good news) of the glories of Christ. This is the only way one can understand that Christ is gone to prepare a kingdom, and we are offered positions in that soon coming kingdom. That is the prize that Paul is pressing towards, it is that from which he knows he can be cast away (disqualified). It is the promise that the writer of the Book of Hebrews (4:1) admonishes us to fear, lest we allow it to slip.
It is so sad that the leaven that the woman has hid in the three measures of meal in Matt. 13:33, has leavened the whole lump; so now the word of the kingdom is almost completely lost from out pulpits. But that’s the message that John the Baptist preached (Matt. 3:1, 2). It is the message that Christ preached, (Matt. 4:17, 23; Luke 4:43; Acts 1:1-3. It is the message that the disciples preached (Matt. 10:5-8). The “seventy” preached it (Luke 10:1-9). Philip preached it (Acts 8:12). Paul preached it (Acts 14:22; 20:25); and we are commissioned to preach the same message as well (2 Tim. 4:2).
I would encourage my readers to take just a moment and look at these passages and ask God to direct our thoughts to see if there is something that we might have been missing, that might be very important to us being prepared as Christians to meet Christ at His judgment seat. Take up the offer of positions in Christ’s kingdom and reign with Him a thousand years. That’s the rest (Sabbath) that remains for the people of God (Heb. 4:9).
Israel has been God’s witness, called into existence to carry the message of the one true and living God to the ends of the earth (Isa, 43:1-10); and the people comprising this nation are suppose to have been the ones to carry the message concerning the King and His kingdom from Jerusalem to Rome during the first century. They had been the ones originally in view in the commissions which Christ gave to His disciples at different times during the forty days of His post-resurrection ministry – beginning in Jerusalem, progressing into Judaea, then into Samaria, and then into the uttermost parts of the earth (Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:47-49; Acts 1:8).
But Israel, as Jonah when called to go to Nineveh, wanted nothing to do with the matter; and, also as Jonah, Israel eventually ended up in the sea (scattered among the Gentile nations); and, also as Jonah, Israel is going to remain there for two days (2000 yrs.); and also as Jonah, on the third day (the third 1000 yr. period), Israel is going to be raised up to live in God’s sight (cf. Hosea 5:15-62); and, also as Jonah, Israel will then carry the message of the one true and living God to the Gentiles (cf. Gen. 45:26; Isa. 53:1ff).
But between Israel’s disobedience and Israel’s obedience is the two day (2000 yr.) period, seen in Jonah, in which Israel remains spiritually alienated from God, scattered among the Gentile nations. This is the period in which God, through Israel, has no witness, and the Church is the “witness” of God during this period, (the one in which we now live); with the two days (2000 yrs) just about at its end.
There was no witness through Jonah during the two days in the type, and there can be no witness through Israel during the two days in the antitype. The nation throughout this period remains, as Jonah, dead, in the sea.
Jesus’ commission/promise to His disciples in Matthew 28:20; “and lo I will be with you alway” Greek NT:3956 pas (pas); including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:
KJV - all (manner of, means), alway (-s), any (one), daily, ever, every (one, way), as many as, no (-thing), thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.
NT:3588
Greek tas; ho (ho); including the feminine he (hay); and the neuter to (to); in all their inflections; the def. article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):
KJV - the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc..
NT:2250 Greek h(me/ra, hemera (hay-mer'-ah); feminine (with NT:5610 implied) of a derivative of hemai (to sit; akin to the base of NT:1476) meaning tame, i.e. gentle; day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context):
KJV - age, alway, (mid-) day (by day, [-ly]), for ever, judgment, (day) time, while, years.
To translate the word as [always] is a mistranslation and is misleading; definitely not what the Scripture is saying. Christ promised to be with His disciples [in every way] – even to the end of the [age]. Many have translated this word incorrectly and as a result convey an incorrect teaching.
It is true that God is with us as believers (by His indwelling Holy Spirit) at all times, but this is definitely not what this verse is teaching. Let us try to keep the teachings of Scripture in its proper context. Christ was talking to His disciples about bringing the word of the kingdom to the “world” (Gentile nations); starting with the Jews first, just as seen in Acts 1:8.
To get a better understanding, Mark’s record of Jesus’ commission (Mark 16:14-18), could not be applied to Christians today (unless you are misinterpreting like those in the Charismatic community); and yet they won’t drink the deadly things.
After one understands the gospel (good news) of the grace of God, and is saved; he needs to come into an understanding of the gospel (good news) of the glories of Christ. This is the only way one can understand that Christ is gone to prepare a kingdom, and we are offered positions in that soon coming kingdom. That is the prize that Paul is pressing towards, it is that from which he knows he can be cast away (disqualified). It is the promise that the writer of the Book of Hebrews (4:1) admonishes us to fear, lest we allow it to slip.
It is so sad that the leaven that the woman has hid in the three measures of meal in Matt. 13:33, has leavened the whole lump; so now the word of the kingdom is almost completely lost from out pulpits. But that’s the message that John the Baptist preached (Matt. 3:1, 2). It is the message that Christ preached, (Matt. 4:17, 23; Luke 4:43; Acts 1:1-3. It is the message that the disciples preached (Matt. 10:5-8). The “seventy” preached it (Luke 10:1-9). Philip preached it (Acts 8:12). Paul preached it (Acts 14:22; 20:25); and we are commissioned to preach the same message as well (2 Tim. 4:2).
I would encourage my readers to take just a moment and look at these passages and ask God to direct our thoughts to see if there is something that we might have been missing, that might be very important to us being prepared as Christians to meet Christ at His judgment seat. Take up the offer of positions in Christ’s kingdom and reign with Him a thousand years. That’s the rest (Sabbath) that remains for the people of God (Heb. 4:9).
Hello and how exciting it is to have come across your blog! You speak truth about the word of the kingdom and it is refreshing to find others out there on the web sharing it with those who have ears to hear. I believe we have been in contact before; you may remember receiving a letter from us here in California...about 2 years ago? We now have a small group of kingdom believers who meet regularly, what we call Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Los Gatos (we are connected with CCF in Jacksonville, FL). You can read more about us at www.cornerstonelosgatos.com!
ReplyDeletePlease keep up the necessary work of sharing this incredible message, and we look forward to reading more of your past blogs as well as your future ones. May God bless you richly as you serve Him!
In His Awesome Name--
Ralph and Jeanne