[NOTE: Photograph above is not that used on the front cover of the book.]
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A Study About Events Occurring
When Christ Returns in
Possession of the Kingdom
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[Writing from back of book cover]
When Christ returns to the earth at the end of the Tribulation He accompanied by Moses and Elijah, along
with a great contingent of angels. Christians, having been
removed from the earth at least seven years earlier - contrary to common
belief and teaching - will not be with Christ at this time.
Numerous events will occur between the time
Christ returns and the beginning of the Messianic Kingdom. Christ
will be instrumental in an overall scope of these events, Moses will be
instrumental in some of these events, Elijah in others, and the accompanying
angels in others. Scripture is
quite clear concerning not only the different events which
will occur but the reason for and the order of these events. The manner
of Christ’s return and the events surrounding His return are what this book,
COMING IN HIS KINGDOM, is about.
This book begins in the opening chapter with
events on “an high mountain” in Matt. 17: 1-5, events
which have their basis in Old Testament History, with that which they
foreshadow set forth in both Testaments. Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ on the Mount,
two men later appeared at Christ’s empty Tomb and forty days later two men appeared on the
{Page I}
Coming
in His
Kingdom
{Page II}
“Verily I say unto you, There be some
standing here, which shall not taste of death,
till they see the
Son of man coming in his kingdom.
And after six days…” (Matt. 16: 28 - 17: 1a).
{Page III}
Coming
in
His Kingdom
By
Arlen L. Chitwood
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{Page IV}
By the Same Author -
HAD YE BELIEVED MOSES
MOSES AND JOHN
THE MOST HIGH RULETH
FROM ACTS TO THE EPISTLES
IN THE LORD’S DAY
FROM
LET US GO ON
REDEEMED FOR A PURPOSE
JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
PROPHECY ON
MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM
THE BRIDE IN GENESIS
SEARCH FOR THE BRIDE
SEVEN, TEN GENERATIONS
THE TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE
THE TIME OF THE END
SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
SALVATION OF THE SOUL
SO GREAT SALVATION
THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE
BROUGHT FORTH FROM ABOVE
THE STUDY OF SCRIPTURE
SIGNS IN JOHN'S GOSPEL
RUN TO WIN
GOD’S FIRSTBORN SONS
BY FAITH
JUDE
RUTH
ESTHER
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CONTENTS
FOREWORD Page vii
I. SIGNIFICANCE OF MATTHEW 16:28‑17:5
Page 1
II. CHRIST’S GREATEST REGAL MAGNIFICANCE
Page 7
III. MOSES AND EL1JAH IN THAT DAY (1)
Page 13
IV. MOSES AND EL1JAH IN THAT DAY (2)
Page 21
APPENDIXES Pages 29-54
TWO MEN AT THE EMPTY TOMB Page 29
THE SEVEN JEWISH FESTIVALS Page 37
SAVED FOR A PURPOSE Page 43
WORLD GOVERNMENT page 49
SCRIPTURE INDEX Page 55 {Not included}
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{Page VII}
FOREWORD
To properly understand Scripture, one must not only have an appreciation and
understanding of how Scripture is structured but also an appreciation and
understanding of what Scripture is about.
Scripture opens after a certain fashion in the first thirty-four
verses of Genesis - providing a
skeletal format, set forth in a God-designed structure - which relates the complete story of Scripture. Then, in line with the way
Scripture opens, along with revealing 4,000 years of human history exactly as
God would have man understand events during this time, the Old Testament is
fraught with spiritual meaning, seen within types,
metaphors, symbolic language, and other forms of communication.
The New Testament simply continues, opening the same way as
the Old Testament (though John’s gospel should open the N.T, not Matthews [ref. Chapter 1, “Genesis and John,” in the author’s book, MOSES AND JOHN]). Beyond that, along with relating the next
2,000 years of human history exactly as God would have man to understand events
during this time, the language of the New Testament, in all aspects (spiritual
meaning, seen within parables, signs, metaphors,
symbolic language, etc.), is simply an
outgrowth of that seen in the Old.
And all material in both Testaments moves toward the same
point - the seventh day, the seventh millennium, the seventh 1,000-year period
of a septenary structure of millenniums, the Messianic Era, as set forth in an
unchangeable fashion in the opening thirty-four verses of Genesis.
Man’s creation in the beginning had to do with regality. Man’s
creation had to do with his ruling the earth in the stead of Satan
and his angels (the incumbent
powers and authorities), a rule to occur during that time foreshadowed by the
seventh day (Gen. 1:
26-28; 2: 1-3).
Man’s fall had to do with Satan bringing about his
disqualification to occupy the throne, allowing the incumbent rulers to continue occupying the throne (Gen. 3: 1ff).
And, through any sound method of Biblical
interpretation, God effecting man’s salvation could only have to do with man ultimately {Page VIII} being brought back into a position where he
could one day realize the purpose for his creation in the beginning, which has
to do with ruling the earth during a seventh millennium in the stead of Satan
and his angels (Gen. 3: 21ff).
And through the manner in which God had previously established
matters during 6,000 years of redemptive work (foreshadowed by the six days of
restorative work involving a ruined creation in Gen.
1: 2b-25), this rule for Christians will be as co-heirs
with God’s Son.
(For a more complete
picture of the latter, refer to the author’s book, GOD’S FIRSTBORN SONS.)
Then, beyond the 7,000 years (which had been foreshadowed in Gen. 1: 1 - 2: 3 by the complete picture of Creation, Ruin,
and Restoration
throughout six days, followed by Rest on the seventh day), one finds a new heavens and new earth.* God, His
Son, and redeemed man will dwell on this new earth; and God’s continued
universal rule will emanate, not from heaven as we know it today, but from the
new earth. “The throne of God
and of the Lamb” will rest on the new earth, and God with His Son will
rule from this throne, with redeemed man exercising regality from this throne
as well (Rev. 21,
22).
[* Rev. 21:
1]
During the Millennium, man’s rule will have to do with the [present] earth; but during the succeeding
eternal ages, man’s rule will evidently have to do with the universe itself.
In this respect, one can easily see a major problem with much
of the preaching and teaching so prevalent in Christendom today - that saved
man is destined to spend eternity in heaven with God. Such a teaching, being completely
un-Biblical, can only serve to hide and do away with not only the reason for
man’s very existence but that toward which all Scripture moves.
The truth of the matter is set forth at the beginning of
Scripture, in the five books of Moses; and this is equally what the five
parallel books of John are about (again, refer to the author’s book, MOSES AND JOHN).
And, as well, this is what any other part
of Scripture can only be about, for all subsequent Scripture must be completely
in line with the way matters are set forth at the beginning, in that revealed
through Moses.
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[Page 1]
CHAPTER I
Significance of Matthew 16:
28 -
17:
5
Verily I say
unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the
Son of man coming in his kingdom.
And after six
days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his
brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before
them: and his face did
shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
And, behold, there appeared
unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him.
Then appeared Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here
three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
While he yet
spake, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him
(Matt. 16:
28 - 17: 5).
The
scene on the Mount, in Matt. 17: 1-5, depicts that stated in the last verse of the
preceding chapter - “the Son of man coming in his
kingdom” (v. 28). This is not a foreview of or something like Christ’s
return in possession of the kingdom at this time (cf. Dan. 7: 13, 14). Rather, exactly as the text states, some standing there saw “the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”
[Page 2]
God can deal with time and with events during time in this manner if He so desires.
God can move man back in
time, or forward
in time (e.g., He moved Ezekiel back in time and John
forward in time [Ezek. 8: 1ff; Rev. 1: 10ff]). As
well, God can change time
as we know it if He so desires (Josh. 10: 12-14; Isa.
38: 7, 8; Amos 8: 9; Matt. 24: 22; 2 Peter 3: 8). Then God can deal with events occurring
during the time in which man has been placed.
The Scene in Matthew 17:
1-5
The time when the Son of Man will come in His kingdom is seen to occur “after six days,” which places it in complete accord
with all related Scripture - on the seventh day, the seventh 1,000-year period.
This is the way matters are presented,
at the very beginning of the Old Testament, in the opening two chapters of Genesis, establishing a foundational basis for that about to be revealed.
And, as well, this is the way matters are presented at the
beginning of the New Testament, in the opening two chapters of John’s gospel,
again setting forth the same foundational basis previously seen beginning Genesis
for that about to be revealed.
(Ref.
Chapter
1, “Genesis and John,” in the
author’s book, MOSES AND JOHN,
showing why John must be seen as the gospel
beginning the N.T., not Matthew.)
The location used to depict the Son of Man coming in His kingdom was
“an high mountain.” “A mountain” is used in
Scripture to depict a kingdom. And Christ
didn’t select just any mountain to depict that in view. Rather, Christ took
three of His disciples up into “an high mountain.”
Note how “a mountain” is used in a metaphorical respect in Isa. 2: 1-4 to depict not only Christ’s kingdom but lesser
kingdoms on earth in that coming day - “the mountain of the Lord’s house [Christ’s [millennial] kingdom] shall be established in the
top of the mountains [all
the subordinate world kingdoms, referred to in this respect later in the verse
through the use of ‘hills’].”
[Page 3]
Or, Dan.
2: 35, 44, 45, as Rev. 11: 15, shows the matter after a slightly different
fashion. In these sections of Scripture,
the
In Daniel 2: 35, 44, 45, Christ is seen
smiting the final form of Gentile world power at the time of His return (which
will be a worldwide power under the Beast, Antichrist). And “a great
mountain” is used
to depict the
Then Rev. 11: 15 simply
states the same thing at the same time, apart from the use of metaphors:
“The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ,
and He will reign forever and ever,” (NASB).
Those present on the Mount were Christ, Moses, Elijah, and
three of the twelve disciples (Peter, James, and John).
Christ was “transfigured” before the disciples (enswathed in the Glory of God).
Moses and Elijah “appeared in glory” with Christ (evidently enswathed in
Glory as well [Luke 9: 31]), and “a bright cloud” overshadowed all present on the Mount
(which could only be the Glory seen in an overall respect in the kingdom).
Then Peter, James, and John - though not enswathed in Glory,
as the Others - were present within the overall scope
of the Glory overshadowing everyone.
And Peter recognized this scene to be
exactly what was being depicted. He
suggested building three “tabernacles,” one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. This would be an allusion to the feast of
Tabernacles, the seventh and last of the Jewish festivals, depicting offerings
and a time of rest at the termination of that set forth by the previous six
festivals (foreshadowing offerings during the earth’s coming Sabbath, the
Messianic Era).
(These seven festivals form the prophetic calendar of
[Page 4]
Jesus, Moses, and Elijah
When Jesus returns to the earth - that is, when the Son of Man
comes “in his kingdom” - He will be accompanied by “the armies ... in heaven,” seen and identified elsewhere as “angels” (cf. Matt.
24: 31; 2 Thess. 1: 7; Rev. 19: 14). As well, according to the scene on the
Mount in Matt. 17:
13, Christ will be accompanied at this time by Moses and Elijah.
The matter can’t possibly be viewed
after any other fashion. That which has
already occurred in the respect depicted in Matt.
17: 1-5 cannot be changed. Attempting to see Christ returning at the
end of the Tribulation - “the Son of man coming in his kingdom” - apart from seeing Moses and Elijah
accompanying Him would be the same as attempting to change something in past history.
The scene in Matt. 17: 13 is simply future history which has
already been depicted (has already occurred in one respect), though it will
occur at a yet future date. And it must occur in the future exactly as it
occurred in the past.
This will explain why two men were present on the
(Why will these two particular men be with Christ at the time
of His return? Aside from the simple fact that this is the
way Biblical revelation presents the matter, there are evident,
inseparably related reasons why they will be present [ref. Chapters III, IV
in this book].)
Peter, James, and John
One thing should be kept in mind
about the scene set forth in Matt. 17: 1-5. The scene, first and
foremost, is Jewish. It is like and akin to the scene at the
time of His ascension. Christ ascended
with His hands raised, blessing the disciples (Luke
24: 50, 51). And, returning in the some manner that He went away, He will
have His hands raised to bless, not just the disciples, but the entire Jewish
nation.
This would be seen in Matt.
17: 13 by
the three disciples not only on the Mount in Christ’s presence but also
overshadowed by God’s Glory. As at the
ascension, blessings would move beyond them to the [Page 5] entire Jewish nation.
Then something not seen in Matt.
17: 13,
though dealt with in related Scripture, would be those down at the foot of and
removed from the mount in all directions - the nations. Blessings will flow out from the Mount
through a restored and blessed Jewish nation to those comprising all of the
Gentile nations (Gen. 12: 3).
The Church and Matthew 17: 1-5
Within the scope of the events as they are depicted in Matt. 17: 13, the Church can be seen only in a secondary
respect. The scene presented in these
verses has to do with Christ’s return to the earth at the end of the
Tribulation. The scene is Jewish, with
the nations in view; and Christians will not be with Christ when he
returns to the earth at this time to deal with
At least two of the types deal with this aspect of the matter.
In Gen. 45: 1ff, when
Joseph dealt with His brethren in
In Ex. 4: 19ff, when
Moses returned to
When Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation, Christians,
exactly as in the two referenced types, will not return to the earth with
Him. Christians, seen as Christ’s bride
in that day, about to become His wife, may, as Zipporah, come part way
(possibly remaining in the new Jerusalem in the heavens above the earth [the
place from which Christ and His wife will reign during the Millennium]). Or, as Asenath, the
bride could be in another part [Page 6] of the palace when Christ deals with His brethren (again, possibly in the
New Jerusalem above the earth).
Many individuals look upon the presence of Moses and Elijah in
Matt. 17:
1-5 as
representing two types of Christians following the rapture - those who had died
during the previous 2,000-year dispensation and had been
raised from the dead, and those removed from the earth without dying.
Moses had died (Deut. 34: 5-8), and it is evident from his appearance with
Elijah on the Mount that God had later raised him from the dead (cf.
Jude 9).*
And Elijah had been removed from the earth without dying (2 Kings 2:
11).
[*NOTE: Moses was indeed ‘raised from the dead’ - (as Samuel and
Lazarus was, [1 Sam. 28: 11; John 11: 44]) - but not as those who will be resurrected
at “the first resurrection” into immorality
at the end of the tribulation when Jesus returns: (1 Thess. 4: 14-17)! See
also Heb. 11:
39, 40ff,
- “And these all … received NOT
the promise, God having provided some
better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be
made perfect,” R.V.]
In a secondary respect, one could draw a teaching from Matt. 17: 13 concerning two types of Christians at the time
of the rapture - the dead raised, the living removed without dying - but teachings of this nature drawn from this
passage would have nothing to do with the primary interpretation of these five
verses. These verses have to do with “the Son of man coming in his
kingdom,” accompanied by Moses, Elijah, and
angelic armies (seen in corresponding Scripture). Christians simply will not be there.
Matthew 17: 1-5 is Jewish, with the nations in view. And this must be recognized in order to properly
understand that which is in view.
* *
*
[Page 7]
CHAPTER II
Christ’s Greatest Regal Magnificence
Wherefore I
will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in
the present truth.
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by
putting you in remembrance:
Knowing that
shortly I must put off this tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
Moreover I will endeavour that ye
may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty [Gk.,
superlative; lit., ‘His greatest (regal) magnificence’].
For he
received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am
well pleased.
And this voice which came from
heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount (2 Peter 1: 12-18).
Peter
wrote his second epistle about 60 A. D., which would have been almost three
decades beyond the events on the Mount, seen in Matt.
17: 1-5. And these events had been of such a nature that after all
these years they were still uppermost in his mind.
[Page 8]
At the end of instructions and exhortation pertaining to
present Christian living with a view to that which lies out ahead (vv. 1-9), Peter called attention to the Christians’ “calling and
election” (v. 10). And, within context, a
Christian’s “calling and
election” have to do with “exceeding great and precious promises,” to be
realized in the coming [Millennial
and Messianic]
“kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”
(vv. 4, 12), which Peter goes on to deal with through that
which he, James, and John had seen when they were with Christ “in the holy mount”
(vv. 16-18).
“Calling and Election”
Individuals are to give diligence to make their “calling and election sure.” The word “election” could be better
translated called out. The words translated “calling” and “election” in this verse are from the same root
forms as the cognate words in the Greek text translated “called” and “chosen” in Matt.
22: 14,
which should literally be translated, “For many are called, but few are called
out.”
(Both an individual’s calling and out-calling have to do with the same thing. His calling can’t
have to do with the Christian’s presently possessed [eternal] salvation, for he can’t make that
anymore “sure” than it already exists. Salvation by grace through faith has already been made “sure,”
based on Christ's finished work at
An individual has been saved for a
purpose; and that “purpose” would equate to his
calling, as “realizing
that purpose” would equate to his out-calling. Both have to do with a future salvation, the salvation of the soul*; and both have to do with Christians one day being called out of the called and
realizing positions as co-heirs with Christ in His kingdom.)
[* See 1 Pet. 1: 5, 9, cf. Heb.
10: 39ff,
R.V.]
The word “diligence” in verse ten is from the same word
also translated “diligence” in verse five.
With the same intensity that a person is to abundantly supply in his faith
virtue..., he is to make his calling and out-calling “sure.”
The word “sure” is the translation of a word which means “certain,”
“firm,”
“secure.” And to make his calling and out-calling “sure,” a Christian would have to be knowledgeable
concerning that which is in view (note [Page 9] epignosis [Gk.], “mature knowledge,” in v.
8).
There can be no such thing as following Biblical guidelines surrounding
the purpose for one’s salvation and, at the same time, ignoring one’s calling and out-calling. The entire concept widely promulgated in
Christian circles today which states or teaches that
the one really important thing [for Christians] is just to be saved has no
basis in Scripture whatsoever. Scripture
places the emphasis on the purpose for one’s [eternal] salvation [i.e., of being
judged as “accounted worthy” to
rule with Christ in His messianic and millennial kingdom (Luke 20: 35; Rev. 3: 21; 20: 4, R.V.)]. It is man who has turned this
around and placed the emphasis back on [the regenerate believers’ initial and
eternal] salvation itself.
The entire purpose for the present dispensation is to procure a bride for God’s Son, with a view to the coming ‘age’ when the
Son will reign over the [restored] earth with His consort queen (procured during the present
dispensation).*
[* See Rev. 19: 7-9 and Rom. 8: 19-22; and compare Psa. 8: 4-6; 48: 10; 106: 4, 5; 145: 10, 11, R.V.
with Heb. 6:
11, 12: “And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence for the fulness of the hope even till the end; so that ye be nor sluggish, but
imitators of them who through faith and
long endurance are
inheriting the promises.” (Greek.)]
God has set aside an entire dispensation lasting 2,000 years
for this purpose. He sent His Spirit
into the world at the beginning of the dispensation with specific instructions
(seen in the type in Gen. 24: 3-9). And the work of the Spirit throughout the dispensation, though
it includes breathing life into the one who has no life (salvation of the
unsaved), is primarily concerned with procuring a bride for
God’s Son. And
the bride is to be taken from the saved, not from the unsaved (seen
in the type in Gen. 24
through the specific instructions which Abraham gave his servant and that which
the servant did once he was in Mesopotamia - went to the city where Abraham’s
kindred resided, and went to Abraham’s kindred in that city [vv. 3-27]).
The whole of the matter surrounding the reason for the Spirit being sent into the world at the beginning of this
dispensation has to do with one’s
calling and out-calling. And [regenerate,
Spirit-filled and obedient (Acts 5: 32)] Christians are to be knowledgeable concerning God’s plans and purposes for the
present dispensation, making their
calling and out-calling “sure.”
In the Holy Mount
Peter, following his exhortation to Christians pertaining to
making their calling and out-calling sure (v.
10), with a view to an abundant entrance into the
kingdom (v. 11),
then states that he would “not be negligent” to
keep those to whom he is writing [Page 10] “always in
remembrance of these things.” And
Peter was going to do this even though these Christians were already “established in the present truth” (vv.
12ff).
Peter knew that these Christians already possessed a firm
foundation (literal
understanding of the Greek text) in the things that he was proclaiming (v. 12b). But that was of no
moment to Peter. In time past he had seen something which they hadn’t seen; he had
witnessed something which they hadn’t witnessed. He knew something from firsthand experience -
the
importance of keeping the whole overall teaching
surrounding that awaiting [the faithful and obedient] Christians at the time of Christ’s return before them at all times.
Peter went on to state that he, along with others (James and
John), had seen, with their own eyes, that of which he spoke. He had been on the Mount with James and John
years earlier and had seen “the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” He had seen, with his own eyes, the Son of Man
in “His greatest [regal] magnificence” (v. 16).
And God announced at this time, “This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (v.
17).
“Sonship” implies rulership. Only
“Sons” can rule in God’s kingdom. That’s the way it
has always been, and that’s the way it will always remain.
This announcement by God at this time - at the time when Peter
saw
the
Son of Man coming in His kingdom
- is simply an announcement
stating which Son God recognized as the One possessing the right to hold the
earth’s sceptre.
In this respect, “Satan,” the incumbent ruler, was / is a
rejected son of God (“a son of God” because of creation, as are all
angels). Christ though, at the time
Satan tested Him for forty days and nights (Matt.
4: 1-11), showed that He was the One possessing the
right to hold the sceptre, in Satan’s stead.
Christ showed that He, as God’s Son, was fully qualified to take the
sceptre as the second Man, the last Adam (note Satan’s repeated statement, “If thou be the
Son of God...” [vv. 3, 6]).
Where Adam had failed, Christ could not fail. And that which Adam
had lost in the fall Christ would redeem [which included both man and the forfeited domain].
[Page 11]
(The redemptive terms for man are set forth early in Genesis -
death and shed blood - pointing to Christ’s finished
work at
The redemptive terms for the forfeited domain [the earth]
though are set forth in Rev. 5: lff,
a passage drawing principally from two O.T. types dealing with the subject [Ruth 4: 1ff; Jer.
32: 1ff].
For information on the preceding, refer to the author’s books,
SALVATION BY
GRACE THROUGH FAITH and THE TIME OF THE END, Chapters
VIII, IX).
Again, relative to sonship and rulership, note God’s statement concerning Christ
following His baptism, immediately before being tested
by Satan. It is exactly
the same as His statement in Matt. 17: 5: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Then note Peter’s statement in Matt.
16: 16,
responding to Christ’s question, concerning Christ’s identity: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God.”
It would not have been possible for Peter to have responded in
a more accurate and complete manner.
This is why Jesus, in response, said, “Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father
which is in heaven” (v. 17).
Peter had identified Christ through saying, in effect, “You are the One Who will rule and reign, the Son Whom God recognizes to
possess this right.”
It was shortly after the preceding though that Peter was
chastised by the Lord because of something which he stated in a completely
opposite respect, which came from below, not from above.
The Lord, following the announcement concerning building His
Church (Matt. 16:
18, 19)
began revealing to the disciples approaching events pertaining to His death, burial, and
resurrection. Peter, only a short
time before, having made the statement concerning Christ’s
Sonship and reign, couldn’t
understand this at all. And, as a result, Peter took the Lord aside and “began to
rebuke Him” (vv. 20, 21).
Jesus, in response, associating Peter directly with Satan,
said to him: “Get thee behind me [i.e., ‘get out of my sight’], Satan...” (cf. Luke 22: 31, 54-62). Peter’s actions shortly before this had [Page 12] emanated from above, from
God; now his actions emanated from
below, from Satan.
(In reality, these are the only two spheres from which a person’s actions can
emanate. A person, in his
actions, can either be brought forth “from above” or “from below.” There
is no middle ground [Luke 11: 23])
Six days later though the Lord allowed Peter, along with James
and John, to have an experience pertaining to his confession concerning
Christ’s identity which he would never be able to get
away from or forget. And
that is the experience recorded in Matt.
17: 13.
The Lord allowed Peter to see something
which would change his outlook on life completely. The Lord allowed Peter to see that
toward which all of Scripture moves
- “the Son of man
coming in his kingdom.”
And almost three decades later, having seen
Christ in “His greatest [regal] magnificence” had so impacted
Peter that he could never get away from it. This is the one event in
his life that he referenced to reveal why he was going to keep on hammering away at
teachings surrounding Christ’s coming [millennial] reign, even
though the people whom he addressed were already well-grounded
in these truths.
Because of the importance of that which Peter knew -
Christians keeping their eyes fixed on that which he had personally witnessed - he was
going to keep on proclaiming things pertaining to Christ’s coming [messianic] kingdom to the point that they could
never forget it. He was going to
proclaim this message to the point that even after he was dead and gone they
still couldn’t get away from it.
* * *
[Page 13]
CHAPTER III
Moses and Elijah in That Day (1)
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all
Behold I will
send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of
the Lord:
And he shall turn the heart of
the fathers to the children, and the
heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse (Mal. 4: 4-6).
Different,
though similar, expressions are used in Scripture to depict the
whole of Scripture - e.g., “To the law, and to the testimony” (Isa.
8: 20); “Moses and all
the prophets,” “the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the
psalms” (Luke 24: 27, 44); or “Moses and the prophets” (Luke 16:
29, 31).
By placing Moses and Elijah together in the last three verses
in the Old Testament, the whole of Scripture is
once again in view. The
Law was given through Moses, and Elijah was
one of the prophets.
The some thing is seen through Moses and Elijah’s appearance
together in Matt. 17:
13 and Acts 1:
9-11;
also, because of that which is involved, evidently the two unidentified men at
the empty tomb in Luke 24: 4-7 were also
Moses and Elijah.
(For information on the two men
appearing at Christ’s empty tomb, refer to Appendix I in this book.)
Then there are a series of events of equal significance
concerning these two men which will occur yet future, at two different periods of time.
One has to do with a manifestation of signs by two prophets [Page 14] (the two witnesses) during the Tribulation, along with an evident counter
manifestation of signs by the false
prophet (Rev. 11,
13). And, comparing Scripture with Scripture, these two prophets
could only be identified as Moses and Elijah.
(These two prophets are “the two
anointed ones” in Zechariah’s fifth vision [Zech.
4: 1-14].
Because of the importance of Elijah’s future ministry to
Israel, as seen in Mal. 4: 5, 6, it would appear strange indeed if he were not
mentioned someplace in Rev. 6-19a [that
section of the book covering the Tribulation].
And, in the light of other Scripture, it would
appear equally strange if Elijah appeared unaccompanied by Moses.
And Rev.
11: 3-12 is the only place throughout these fourteen
chapters of the book where we have two men of this nature appearing to
Then, following the Tribulation when
these two men return with Christ - i.e., when
these two men, depicting the complete written Word [which is living], return with this
Word manifested in the form of flesh
[again, the living Word] - according to Biblical typology, there will be a
continuation and conclusion to their preceding ministry during the Tribulation
(Ex. 5: lff; 1 Kings 17: 25ff. That stated concerning Elijah’s ministry in relation to
the
Jewish people and the theocracy, seen
in Isa. 40: 1-5 and Mal. 3: 1-4; 4: 5, 6,
must be brought to pass.
Also, inseparably connected with the preceding and inseparably
connecting these two men for all time in relation to
The first occurred in connection with the Jewish people and the
theocracy - the Jewish people leaving
Remove either (the Jewish people or the theocracy), and signs of the nature seen in Scripture cannot exist. Both
This is why exactly the same thing is seen through a
manifestation of signs during Elijah’s and Elisha’s
ministries. This was one of the darkest
days in Israeli history. Ahab and his
wife Jezebel had led the people completely away from God, into Baal
worship. The theocracy was in existence,
though in a divided kingdom. And the manifested signs
had to do with
The same thing was seen in the gospel
accounts and the Book of Acts during the
offer and re-offer of the kingdom to
And the same thing will again be seen
during the first half of the Tribulation, through the ministry of the two
witnesses, through the ministry of Moses and Elijah to
(For additional information on “signs”
in the preceding respect, refer to the author’s three pamphlets, “Signs, Wonders, Miracles.”)
John and Elijah
Many Bible students have trouble
understanding that John only came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” and did not fulfil any of the Old
Testament prophecies pertaining to Elijah.
John clearly stated that he wasn’t
Elijah (John 1: 21). Jesus, on the other hand, said that he was
Elijah (Matt. 11:
10-14; 17: 10-13). But there was an “if” in connection with John being
identified as Elijah by Christ in Matt. 11: 14 - “if ye will
receive...”
Elijah is to be Christ’s forerunner at the time
(Scripture sometimes has near and far fulfilments of events in
the preceding respect. Note Hos. 11: 1 and Matt. 2: 15 for example - “Out of
The fulfilment of that seen in Isa. 40:
3; Mal. 3: 1; 4: 5, 6 can
only occur at a time when the Jewish people receive their Messiah. Note
the context of Isa.
40: 3; it is millennial. Also, note that which Elijah will do in Mal. 4: 6, which
John didn’t do in his ministry.
Elijah, exactly as he did with the prophets of Baal on
John, as Christ’s forerunner at His first coming, aside from a
near fulfilment of Isa.
40: 3,
failed to fulfil any of the prophecies pertaining to Elijah. Thus, through any sound system of Biblical
interpretation, John cannot possibly be seen fulfilling the
Old Testament prophecies concerning Elijah.
Elijah will come yet future, fulfilling Isa. 40:
3; Mal. 3: 1; 4: 5, 6. And, once again, he will be instrumental
in turning the people from unbelief to belief in Israel, possibly in a similar manner
to the way he accomplished this on Mount Carmel over 2,800 years ago (1 Kings 18: 25-39).
Moses and Elijah, During the Tribulation
When Elijah returns to minister to the Jewish people before “the coming of
the great and dreadful day of the Lord,” he will be accompanied by Moses,
both during the Tribulation and with [Page
17] Christ following the Tribulation. And his fulfilling
the passages in Isaiah and Malachi may very well occur both during and
following the Tribulation when both he and Moses return with Christ, for events
throughout this period will occur prior to “the great and dreadful day of the
Lord.”
(For information concerning when the Day of the Lord begins,
which will follow the Tribulation and Christ’s return, refer to Chapters IV, V
in the author’s book, THE TIME OF THE END.
“The great and dreadful day of the
Lord” would refer more specifically to that time when Gentile world
power is destroyed following Christ’s return [Joel
2: 1-11,
30-32; 3: 1-16].)
During the Tribulation (first half), Moses and Elijah will
minister to
But the entire nation being brought to
the place which Elijah brought them in history on
(At the end of their ministry during the Tribulation, Moses
and Elijah will be slain. And this may very well be the time when
Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and turns against the Jewish people
in all his fury, as seen in Matt. 24: 15ff [cf.
Rev. 11: 13].
Three and one-half days following their death, Moses and
Elijah will be raised from the dead and be removed into the heavens, awaiting Christ’s return three and one-half years later.)
Biblical prophecy places
Moses and Elijah’s ministry to Israel
during the first half of the Tribulation may very well be of such a nature that
over three years following their ministry, near the end of the Tribulation, in
Israel’s darkest hour, their prior ministry will play a part in the [Page 18] entire nation turning to and calling
upon the God of their fathers (exactly as seen in the type in Ex. 2: 23). And, exactly as seen
in the type, when the Jewish people do this, God will hear, remember His
covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and send the One greater than Moses
back to His people (Ex. 2: 24ff; cf.
Zech. 12:
10ff).
Moses and Elijah, When Christ Returns
When Christ returns, accompanied by Moses, Elijah, and the
armies in heaven (angels), He will return to the
The antitype of the confrontation with the Assyrian Pharaoh in
Elijah, on the other hand, can only be seen turning his attention
to
Christ and Moses (as Moses and Aaron in the type) will
evidently appear to the Assyrian of that day with the same message which God
instructed Moses to take to the Assyrian of his day - “Israel is my
son, even my firstborn ... Let my son go that he may serve me...” (Ex.
4: 22, 23). And judgments will follow when the Assyrian refuses, exactly
as in the type.
Elijah, on the other hand, can only be ministering to a
scattered Jewish people at this time. He
will be ministering to the nation in line with Mal.
4: 5, 6, readying the nation for Christ’s appearance to
them, when they look upon the pierced One, resulting in a nation being born in
a day (cf. Isa.
66: 8; Zech. 12: 10-14).
(For additional information on Moses and Elijah, When Christ Returns, refer to Chapter IV in this book.
The tenth and last plague in the type was the death of the
firstborn, the Passover. This is where
In the preceding respect, the Passover, the first of the
festivals, remains unfulfilled in two realms: unfulfilled by
The nations though - Satan’s firstborn, as it were - have no
substitute; and they will have to pay the penalty which God has decreed must
befall the firstborn [death] themselves.
Refer to Appendix II in this book for a brief outline
of these events, which, as all other events between Christ’s return and the
beginning of the Messianic Kingdom will evidently occur during the
seventy-five-day period mentioned at the end of the Book of Daniel.)
* *
*
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CHAPTER IV
Moses and Elijah in That Day (2)
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant,
which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all
Behold I will
send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of
the Lord:
And he shall turn the heart of
the fathers to the children, and the
heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse
(Mal. 4:
4-6).
As seen
in Chapter
III of this book, Moses and Elijah will be very instrumental in
events surrounding Christ’s return, both immediately preceding His return
(during the Tribulation) and at the time of and immediately following His
return. Christ will return, not only
accompanied by angels (for particular, revealed reasons), but also accompanied
by Moses and Elijah (for particular, revealed reasons as well).
Angels accompanying Christ will be sent out to regather the
Jewish people from a worldwide dispersion (Matt.
24: 29-31). And they will evidently be instrumental in His numerous dealings
with the Jewish people at this time, as angels were instrumental in God’s
numerous dealings with His people in the past (cf. Gen. 18: 1ff; Ex. 23: 20-23; Deut. 33: 2; 2 Kings 19: 35;
Ps. 68: 17; 78: 25; Dan. 6: 22; Acts 7: 53; Gal. 3: 19; Heb. 2: 2).
Moses and Elijah accompanying Christ will be instrumental in
events occurring in two realms:
[Page 22]
1) The nations, under the Assyrian (the Beast, the
Antichrist) ruling the world in that day.
2)
Moses, as in the type in Exodus,
will evidently be instrumental in God’s dealings with the nations at this time. And
Elijah, as in the type in 1 Kings, in line
with that prophesied concerning Elijah in Mal.
3: 1-3; 4: 5, 6, can only
be seen as instrumental in God’s dealings with the Jewish people at this time.
A Seventy-Five Day Period
Something often overlooked in Biblical prophecy is a seventy-five-day
period seen in the closing three verses of Daniel’s prophecy.
“And from the time that the daily
sacrifice shall be taken away, and the
abomination that maketh desolate set up, there
shall be a thousand two hundred and
ninety days.
Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty
days.
But go thy way till
the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot [or
inheritance]* at the end of the days” (Dan.
12: 11-13).
[*
See Eph. 5:
5; Gal. 5: 21, R.V., and
compare with Psalms 2:
8 and 110:
1-3, etc.]
Numerous events relative to
Scripture though, as previously stated, provides a wealth of
information pertaining to the numerous events surrounding Christ’s return. And, within this
information, there is a sequence to the order in which these events will occur.
The setting up of “the abomination that maketh desolate,” referred to in Dan. 12: 11, is a
reference to the actions of the [Page 23] Assyrian breaking his covenant with
Daniel 12: 11 takes one thirty days beyond the end of the Tribulation, and
the next verse takes one an additional forty-five days beyond
the initial thirty, totalling seventy-five days. Then the
next verse, the last verse in Daniel, concludes the matter by revealing the
time in relation to these
seventy-five days when Daniel would be allowed to stand
in his “lot” (i.e., not only be raised from the dead but realize his
inheritance in the land [cf. Num. 26:
55; 34: 13; 36: 2, 3; Josh.
14: 2; Dan.
12: 1-3]).
Thus, the [‘first’] resurrection
[of the ‘blessed
and holy’ (Rev. 20: 6) saints] and complete regathering and restoration of
Elijah and
The type which one can draw from pertaining
to Elijah has to do with his experiences with Ahab (the king in
This was one of the darkest periods in Israeli history. Ahab had led Israel into Baal worship, along
with other forms of idolatry; and during his reign the city of Jericho was
rebuilt (a curse rested upon anyone rebuilding this city [cf. Josh. 6: 26; 1 Kings 16:
34]).
Scripture states that “Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God to anger than all the
kings of
This was the situation when Elijah appeared on the scene, [Page 24] beginning a sequence of events -
lasting three and one-half years, during which no rain fell throughout the land
- which was climaxed by belief in Israel, the
prophets of Baal being slain, and rain falling in torrents (1 Kings 17: 1 -
18: 45; James 5: 17, 18).
And when Elijah appears to Israel following the Tribulation,
it will be after three and one-half years of a rule of the most corrupt and
wicked Gentile king that the world will have ever known, one who will seek to
destroy Israel from off the face of the earth.
And Elijah, possibly after a similar
fashion, will once again bring about that which he brought to pass on
Then, in conjunction with the preceding, Elijah is going to
bring about a people ready to receive their Messiah when He subsequently
reveals Himself to them.
Two complete chapters in the Book of Revelation,
extending into part of a third chapter (chs. 17-19a), are given over to depicting Israel in the
kingdom of Antichrist and that which will happen as a result of Elijah’s
ministry immediately following the Tribulation.
Moses and the Nations
The things having to do with that which will evidently be
Moses’ ministry as it pertains to the nations during this same time also
occupies several chapters in the Book of Revelation
(chs. 8, 9, 16).
When the sixth seal of the seven-sealed scroll (ch. 5) is opened in Rev. 6: 12, events being depicted will occur near and at
the end of the Tribulation. The kingdom
of the Assyrian is seen in utter [Page 25] chaos, a decimated kingdom. Then the heavens are opened (exactly as in Rev. 19: 11ff, for they are two depictions of the same
scene), with God’s Christ coming forth as “King of kings, and Lord of lords,” though described in a different manner in Rev. 6: 16 (as One seated “on a throne”).
And those on the earth - from
governmental rulers on thrones to individuals in prisons - will seek to
distance themselves from the One coming forth.
The kingdom of this world will be in shambles at this time, and those on
the earth will evidently have some understanding of what the presence of the One coming forth means, for they will seek to hide
themselves and say to the “mountains and rocks”:
“Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne,
and from the
wrath of the Lamb.
For the great
day of His wrath is come; and who
shall be able to stand?” (Rev. 6: 16, 17).
(“Dens” and “rocks of the mountains,” as in that which precedes, are used in metaphorical senses. Hiding themselves in the places described and
looking to these places as possibly some type sanctuary or shield from that
occurring could only have to do with seeking some type help or aid from a
government in complete disarray [“dens” and “rocks” (safe places) “of the
mountains” (of the world kingdoms)].
And, of course, no help or aid will be
forthcoming, for the Assyrian’s kingdom of that day will be unable to help; it
will be in complete shambles.)
The seventh seal has yet to be broken at
this point in time, containing the climactic judgments, the seven
trumpet and seven vial judgments (which are the same judgments described two
different ways, in the some manner that the two depictions of the heavens being
opened and Christ coming forth are seen and described in the book two different
ways).
(Note that Scripture is quite often
structured in the preceding manner, beginning in Genesis
and ending in Revelation [e.g., the
first thirty-four verses of Genesis cover the whole of Scripture in a skeletal [Page 26] framework;
then commentary is provided, adding the sinews, flesh, and skin; or, in the
Book of Revelation, note that 1: 10, 11 and 4: 1, 2 describe exactly the same scene; or that 10: 1-7 and 16: 17-21 describe
exactly the same end].
Refer to the author’s book, THE TIME OF THE END, where this
structure of Scripture, as seen particularly in the Book of Revelation, is
discussed different places.)
The judgments under the seventh seal (the seven trumpet and
seven vial judgments) have to do with judgments upon the kingdom of the
Assyrian [i.e., the
Antichrist] of that day, which will already be a decimated kingdom when
the seventh seal is broken and these judgments commence. And these judgments
parallel the ten plaques which befell the kingdom of the Assyrian in history (Ex. 7-12).
Both seven and ten are complete
numbers, showing complete judgment befalling the kingdom of the Assyrian in both history
and prophecy.
And the reason why judgment of this nature
will befall the kingdom of the Assyrian in prophecy can only be the same as the
reason why it befell the kingdom of the Assyrian in history.
The Assyrian in history was not only seeking to destroy the
Jewish people but he would not allow them to leave
(God’s power, of course, could easily have overridden the
Assyrian’s power in history, as will be the case with the Assyrian’s power in
prophecy as well [that is, God could have simply removed His people / can one
day simply remove His people through Divine power, regardless of the Assyrian’s
attitude, with that being the end of the matter].
But that is all beside the point. God has chosen to exhibit His power after
another fashion entirely. God has chosen
to bring matters to pass His way, [in His time and] through His means,
resulting in an even greater manifestation of Divine power [cf. Ex. 9:
15, 16; Rev. 17: 16, 17].)
In history, Moses and Aaaron
confronted the Assyrian, with one [Page 27] message from God. And, in prophecy, evidently Christ
Himself and Moses will confront the Assyrian, with the same singular message:
“Thus saith the Lord,
And I say unto thee, Let my son go that he may
serve me
[realizing the rights of the firstborn, in another land]: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn” (Ex.
4: 22, 23).
In history, the Assyrian’s kingdom was
decimated following Moses and Aaron’s appearances before him, with the
Assyrian and his armed forces destroyed in the Red Sea following
And in [end-time] prophecy, matters will occur exactly
the same way. The Assyrian’s kingdom
will be even further decimated (following Christ’s return, with His and
evidently Moses’ appearance[s] before him), with his kingdom completely
destroyed after Israel has been removed from that which Egypt typifies, from a
worldwide dispersion (Isa.
63: 1-4; Ezek. 38, 39; Joel 2: 1ff; 3: 1ff; Rev. 19: 17-21).
(Ref.
the author’s book, THE TIME OF THE END, Chs. XVI-XlX for information on the completion of God’s
judgment upon the kingdom of the future Assyrian after the preceding fashion.)
* *
*
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Appendix I
Two Men at the Empty Tomb
Now upon the
first day of the week, very early
in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre bringing spices
which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
And they found the stone rolled
away from the sepulchre.
And they entered and found not the body of Jesus.
And it came to
pass, as they were much
perplexed thereabout, behold two men stood by them in shining garments
(Luke 24: 1-4).
Comparing
the four different gospel accounts having to do with events at and surrounding
an empty tomb, it is evident that there were at least two men present, and
possibly at least two or three angels as well.
To render announcements and provide explanations pertaining to Christ’s
resurrection, two men are seen in Luke 24: 4, and either
men or angels are seen in the other three gospel accounts.
That seen in the account in Luke
pertaining to two men at the empty tomb is the key to understanding the
whole panorama of that stated in the gospel accounts surrounding Christ’s
resurrection. And
that stated in the account not only shows that these two individuals were men
(not angels) but reveals their identity as well.
Then, since men are being dealt with
in Luke 24: 4 (as
will be shown), the issue needs to be raised about the possible identity of [Page 30] those referred to as “angels” in Matthew’s
account (28: 2-7), farther
down in Luke’s account (24: 23), and in John’s account (20: 12), or
the “young man” referred to in Mark’s account (16: 5). Conceivably,
only the two men in Luke 24: 4 could
be in view throughout these accounts - one referred to as an “angel” in Matthew’s account, as a “young man” in Mark’s account, and both referred to as
“angels” in the other two gospel accounts.
Aggelos
Aggelos is the word translated “angel”
in the New Testament, though “angel” is more of
a transliterated form of the word than a translation (there is a Greek word for
“angel” [angelos],
though it is not used in the N.T.). Aggelos means “messenger” or “announcer.” And the word, within
its basic, primary meaning, would have no more reference to angels than to man,
or vice versa. The word would simply
refer to a messenger.
Aside from at least six references (Matt. 11: 10; Mark. 1: 2; Luke 7:
24, 27; 9: 52; James 2: 25 [aggelos translated “messenger” each time, referring to men]), possibly the
cited references surrounding Christ’s resurrection in the gospel accounts, and
seemingly three references in the account of Cornelius in Acts chapter ten (vv.
3, 7, 22; cf. v.
30), the remaining usages of aggelos
would appear to refer to “angels” as God’s
messengers.
Anthropos,
Aner
Anthropos and Aner are the two main words used for and meaning
“man” in the Greek New Testament. Anthropos
appears over five hundred times and aner over two hundred times. And there is little
distinguishable difference between the two, other than aner being the word used
in a non-generic respect when distinctions between men and women are in view
(e.g., 1 Tim. 2:
1-12 [anthropos is used in vv. 1-5; aner is used in vv. 8-12]).
A plural form of aner is the word translated “men” in both Luke 24:
4 and
Acts 1: 10
(two men seen at both the tomb following Christ’s resurrection and on
[Page 31]
Aner is never used in the New Testament
to refer to other than “men,” unless Luke 24: 4 and Acts 1: 10
(also Acts 10: 30)
form exceptions, as some Bible students and commentators attempt to teach
(though aner is used in this manner in the Septuagint [ref. Gen. 18, 19; Dan. 9: 21]). However, as will be shown, the thought that aner
references angels in Luke 24: 4 and Acts 1:10 (and evidently Acts
10: 30 as well) is incorrect. Those seen in both passages are not only
clearly revealed to be men, but they ore clearly
identified as well.
Clearly Revealed to Be Men
To properly understand the full thrust of the way in which
the men in Luke 24: 4
were arrayed (which is the previously mentioned key to the
whole of the matter), it will be necessary to draw some background material
from Genesis. And this would have
to do with the purpose for man’s creation, fall, and restoration.
Man was created to take the earth’s
sceptre from a disqualified provincial ruler (Satan), his fall resulted from
this ruler’s attempt to continue on the throne, and his restoration
(redemption, beginning with Adam and Eve, continuing today) has to do with man
ultimately realizing the purpose for his creation in the beginning. All of this is laid out
in the opening thirty-four verses of Genesis,
with the remainder of Scripture simply forming commentary on these opening
verses.
In the preceding respect note man’s fall, that which he lost
at the time of the fall, and that which must be regained
before man can occupy the position for which he was created in the beginning.
When man sinned in the garden in
[Page 32]
At the time of the fall, Adam and Eve lost something; and it is clearly stated in Scripture that both immediately
recognized this fact. That which they
lost could only have been a covering of pristine glory which
had previously clothed their bodies, for they, following the fall, found
themselves in a twofold condition:
1) Naked.
2) Separated from
God.
God is arrayed in a covering of
“light,” connected with “honour and majesty.”
And man, created in the “image” and “likeness” of
God, could only have been arrayed in a similar manner prior to the fall.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very
great; thou art covered
with [‘you have put on’] honour and majesty.
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who
stretchest out the heavens like a curtain” (Ps.
104: 1, 2).
Recognizing the loss of this covering, realizing that they
were naked, explains why Adam and Eve immediately sought to clothe themselves
following the fall. They tried to
replace the covering which had been lost with a work
of their own hands, with fig leaf “aprons.” And then, apparently realizing the utter
inadequacy of this covering, they, in their fallen state, sought to hide from
God.
God, finding Adam and Eve in this condition, completely
rejected the works of their hands. God
completely rejected their feeble efforts to atone for their own sin through
seeking to replace the covering of pristine glory with fig leaves.
Then, to bring His fallen creature back into a right
relationship (although not in complete keeping with their previously unfallen
state - something still future even today), God provided a covering consisting
of animal skins (Gen. 3: 21). This
necessitated death and the shedding of blood; and herein lie basic, unchangeable truths
concerning the state of fallen man and the means which are necessary to effect
his redemption.
Unredeemed man is a fallen creature, alienated from God; [Page 33] and two things are necessary to effect his redemption:
1) Divine intervention.
2) Death and shed blood.
These truths have forever been set forth in the opening
chapters of Genesis and can never change.
(Two different words are used for “naked” in the Hebrew text of Gen.
2: 25
[before the fall] and Gen. 3: 7 [after the
fall]. In the latter [3: 7], the word has to do with absolute nakedness, but not so in the former [2: 25].
Remaining within the way a person dressed in the East at the time
Moses wrote Genesis, and at later times as well, the word used relative to nakedness pertaining to Adam and Eve preceding
the fall [2: 25]
could be used to describe a person clothed in a tunic [inner garment] but
lacking the mantle or cloak [outer garment].
In the preceding respect, prior to the fall, Adam and Eve were clothed
in the Glory of God but had yet to possess the regal,
outer garments worn by kings [fulfilling the reason for man’s creation - to
rule the earth (Gen. 1: 26-28)].
Then, following the fall, no longer clothed in the Glory of
God, Adam and Eve were no longer in a position to be further clothed in regal
garments, realizing the purpose for their creation. They, apart from the inner garment [the
Glory] could not wear the outer garments [royal apparel].
Adam, prior to the fall, never wore regal garments or held the
sceptre. In this respect, he never moved
beyond the description given in Gen. 2: 25 - a “naked” condition, “naked”
in
relation to the reason for his creation [lacking the outer regal garments].
Thus, if man, now separated from the Glory, is to ever fulfil the purpose for his creation, God must
act. Redemption has to occur; and this,
of necessity, has to include the complete man - spirit, soul, and
body - with a view to not only a restoration of the Glory but to regality
beyond this restoration.)
The preceding furnishes the background material to properly understand that revealed in Luke 24: 4
concerning the manner in which the two men at the tomb following Christ’s resurrection
were arrayed.
[Page 34]
First and foremost, they were arrayed in a
covering of Glory. The word “shining,”
describing their “garments” is the same word in
the Greek text (astrapto) which Luke
had used earlier in his gospel to describe Christ’s garments at the time He was
transfigured in the presence of Peter, James, and John on the Mount - “...his
raiment was white and glistening” (9: 29). As
well, Moses and Elijah, on the Mount with Christ, had the same type raiment (v. 31).
(There is one difference in the word astrapto as seen in both Luke 9: 29 [trans.
“glistening”] and Luke 24: 4 [trans. “shining”]. In chapter nine,
relative to Christ, the preposition ek is prefixed to the word. This preposition means, “out from,” and provides an added emphasis on the
Glory shining out from Christ.)
The raiment seen on Christ, Moses, and Elijah while on the
Mount had to do with a covering of Glory,
the covering which Adam and Eve lost at the time of the fall.
The preceding is evident from that depicted by the scene on
the Mount - the Son of Man coming in His kingdom, with power and great Glory.
And this is how the two men at the tomb
were arrayed as well. They were arrayed in a covering of Glory, something reserved for man, not angels. Only man, among those in God’s creation, has been created
in the “image” and “likeness”
of God; and man was created in
God’s “image” and “likeness,”
arrayed in Glory, for a purpose, which is regal.
Angels simply do not occupy a position of this
nature in relation to God’s “image” or “likeness.” They
are seen associated with God’s Glory but never in a covering of Glory. That
is reserved for man alone, which provides the means to know and understand that the two
individuals at the empty tomb in Luke 24: 4 have
to be looked upon, exactly as Scripture states, as “men.”
Clearly Identified
Then, beyond the preceding, these two men can
be identified. They
can be identified by name as well.
There are only three men in all of human
history that could have been clothed in Glory at the time of Christ’s
resurrection - Enoch, Moses, and Elijah - for all others had died and have yet
(unlike Moses [Jude 9] even today, to be
raised from the dead, providing bodies to be clothed (and those raised during
Christ’s earthly ministry or following His resurrection cannot be considered;
none could have possessed a body enswathed in glory).
(Note that even Christ was not raised
in a body with a covering of Glory. The
Glory did not enswathe His body until forty days later, when a Cloud received
Him out of the disciple’s sight, when He was caught up into Glory [Acts 1: 9; 1 Tim. 3: 16].
Rather He was raised in a spiritual body as opposed to the natural - the same body which had been placed in the
tomb but with the life-giving, animating principle being the Spirit rather than
the blood. His blood is presently on the
mercy seat in heaven.)
Nothing is revealed about Enoch in relation to a covering of
Glory, just Moses and Elijah. Moses and
Elijah were with Christ on the Mount in Matt.
17: 1-5. Thus, they also had to be the ones
present on the
Then, in an inseparable respect, it would only have been
natural for Moses and Elijah to have appeared at the
empty tomb in this same manner, for Christ was raised on the third day, as He
will be raised on the third day yet future (the third 1,000-year period). And Moses and Elijah
will be with Him [after their
resurrection]* in that coming day.
[* That is, after the time of their death by the
Antichrist, (Rev. 11:
11).]
* * *
[Page 36 blank: Page
37]
Appendix II
The Seven Jewish Festivals
THE PROPHETIC CALENDAR OF
“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the
children of
Six days shall
work be done: but the seventh day
is the Sabbath of rest; an holy convocation; ye shall do no work
therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
In the
fourteenth day of the first month...” (Lev. 23: 1-5a).
The seven
festivals in Leviticus chapter twenty-three
constitute what could be called, “The Prophetic Calendar of Israel.”
These seven festivals are JEWISH, not Christian. They were given to
And though there was a beginning fulfilment at
the time of Christ’s first coming, ALL SEVEN FESTIVALS remain unfulfilled,
awaiting a continued and complete fulfilment at the time of Christ’s return.
A secondary application of that seen in these festivals - that
foreshadowed by these events, along with the sequence in which these events
occurred - can be seen in the history of the Church, but that is neither here nor there.
These festivals are JEWISH, they have to do with THE JEWISH PEOPLE, and
this MUST be recognized.
[Page 38]
The complete fulfilment of Israel’s national Passover (the
first of the seven festivals, which began to be fulfilled at Christ’s first
coming), in the antitype of Exodus chapter
twelve, is yet future, as are events in the other six festivals. Concluding events surrounding the Passover
must occur FIRST, and this feast
of the Lord will not be fulfilled until
Thus, the continued progression of events in these seven
festivals reveal a continued progression, to completion, of events which will
occur in the camp of Israel following Christ’s return as the great King-Priest
after the order of Melchizedek to deliver His covenant people.
Following Christ’s return at the end of the Tribulation there
will be a seventy-five-day period between the end of the last seven years of
Daniel’s prophecy and the beginning of the Millennium (Dan.
12: 11-13). And Scripture clearly reveals that the
events set forth in the first six feasts of the Lord, leading up to events in
the terminal festival, the feast of Tabernacles, will, of necessity (Dan. 12: 12), have
to transpire during this time.
Then the feast of Tabernacles itself will be fulfilled during
the ensuing millennial reign.
a) Passover: This festival has to do with the national conversion of
In this respect, the festival was partially
fulfilled almost 2,000 years
ago, but the complete fulfilment awaits a future date.
“...the whole assembly of the
congregation of Israel shall kill it [the paschal lamb, foreshadowing the Paschal Lamb which
Israel slew 1,500 years later] in the evening [lit., ‘between the evenings,’ which is
understood as time part way between noon and 6 PM].
[Page 39]
And they shall take of the blood [that which
Note in the type that the Passover occurred while
In the antitype
As well, bear something in mind about
The passage of generations in this respect is meaningless. Every
generation of Jews both before and since that time has shared exactly
the same guilt in which the
generation committing the act found itself guilty of in 33 A.D. (cf. Matt. 23: 35-39; 27: 25; Luke 13: 33-35).
If this were not true, the nation would have to be divided in this respect, with part of the nation unclean
through contact with the dead body of their Messiah and part not
unclean.
Scripture though presents THE ENTIRE NATION as unclean (Num.
19). THE
ENTIRE NATION, not just part of the nation, will
one day avail herself of the ransom (translated “satisfaction” KIV) in Num.
35: 31, 32.
In short, every few alive today - or at any
time in history, past or future during Man’s Day - is just
as guilty, in God’s eyes, as those comprising the generation committing this
act in 33 A. D. (note that
those slaying Christ were also guilty of slaying the Prophets, among others,
hundreds and thousands of years earlier [Matt. 23:
35-37]; and, accordingly, as previously stated,
so
are ALL Jews throughout ALL time).
[Page 40]
And the festivals in Lev. 23 MUST
be fulfilled, relative to
b) Unleavened Bread:
This festival
has to do with the removal of sin from the house (house of
Of what sin (or sins) is
And, because of this climactic act, as
previously seen,
After two days, on the third day (on the third 1,000-year
period [after the Tribulation, which will end the two days]), the Jewish people
are going to acknowledge their sin in the presence of the very One Whom the
nation crucified (cf. Gen. 44: 16).
c) First Fruits: This festival has to do with resurrection. Christ
was raised from the dead on this day, and Old Testament
saints will be raised from the dead at this time, fulfilling this
festival. The first fruits of the
resurrection of Old Testament saints occurred after Christ was raised (Matt. 27: 52, 53).* The main harvest will
follow.
[* Note: There is nothing said here to
suggest these ‘Old Testament saints’ entered
into the presence of God in Heaven after “they
entered into the holy city and appeared unto many” (verse 53, R.V.)!
They entered “into the holy city (
When we compare Matt. 27: 52, 53 with the scriptural account of Samuel, (who
came “up out of the earth” 1
Sam. 28: 13,
15, R.V.) to appear before King Saul, he
afterwards returned back to the place from whence he came - into “Sheol” = “Hades,” the
place of the dead (“in the heart of the earth” Matt. 12: 40),
to
await his resurrection; and an immortal body, - “…for neither can they die any more” (Luke 20: 36,
R.V.)!]
d) Pentecost: Note
what began to occur on the day of Pentecost, 33 A.D. (Acts
2: 1ff). Joel’s prophecy began to be
fulfilled, and this prophecy would have been completely fulfilled had
However,
e) Trumpets: This festival has to do with the
regathering of
(Note that this restoration, seen in Ezek.
37, among numerous other places, follows not
only
The dead [raised] return with the living [cf. Ex. 12: 40, 41; 13: 19]; and,
together, they will comprise “the whole house of
f) Atonement: This festival has to do with a
cleansing from sin for a people who will have already availed
themselves of the blood of the Passover Lamb. Activities on this day
have to do with blood on the mercy seat and cleansing from sin (sins previously
acknowledged and put out of the house [the house of
Atonement (the ransom [Num. 35:
31, 32]
is from a cognate form of the word for “atonement”
in the Hebrew text) is to be provided for
g) Tabernacles: This is the lost of the festivals and has to do with offerings
made unto the Lord and a time of rest at the conclusion of the preceding feasts
of the Lord. This festival points forward to the
millennial offerings (Ezek. 45: 15ff; 46: 2ff) and a
time of rest in the coming age after the conclusion of events surrounding the
first six feasts of the Lord.
This festival lasted for seven days - a complete period of time - pointing forward to the complete duration
of the Millennium.
* *
*
[Page 42 blank: Page 43]
Appendix III
Saved for a Purpose
Man has been, is being, and will be saved for a revealed purpose. There is a revealed goal in view; and, relative to salvation (past [Eph.
2: 8, 9], present
[1 Cor. 1: 18], or future*
[Heb. 1: 14]), that goal is always the same in Scripture,
regardless of what aspect of man’s salvation is in view.
[* See also 1 Pet. 1: 5, 9, R.V.]
That goal is the same for the whole of man’s salvation -
spirit, soul, and body. That goal has to do with man being placed back in
the position for which he was created in the beginning, and that position will
be realized during the Messianic Era.
(This is the manner in which Scripture presents salvation throughout,
with the unchangeable foundational pattern set in the opening thirty-four
verses of Genesis [1:
1-2: 3].
The inhabited world to come will not be
placed in subjection to angels, as the present world [Heb. 2: 5]. This is the message seen throughout Scripture. A new order of Sons is
about to be brought on the scene [Rom. 8: 18-23] - Christ and His co-heirs. And,
from a Scriptural standpoint, man’s salvation centers on that coming day when
this new order of Sons holds the sceptre and rules the earth.)
Man invariably deals with salvation in relation to eternity
and going to heaven. Scripture, on the
other hand, doesn’t do this. Scripture presents the matter in a completely inverse fashion.
Scripture deals with salvation centrally in relation to the
Messianic Era and [Page 44] the
kingdom of the heavens. Heaven
(the present dwelling place of God) and the eternal ages beyond the
Messianic Era are mentioned at times, but not relative to salvation in the
same sense that man relates them to salvation.
Man is not going to spend either the Messianic Era or the
eternal ages which follow in the place known today as heaven. And, in relation to the eternal ages which follow the Messianic Era, God is not going to dwell in this
place either. God is going to dwell on
the new earth throughout the ages comprising eternity.
And even when Scripture does deal with
saved man in heaven (e.g., Christians
following death, [judgment (Heb. 9: 27) and resurrection,] or Christians following the rapture)
matters are always completely consistent with the way Scripture elsewhere deals
with saved man. If future time comes
into view, Scripture references things pertaining to the Messianic Era, not
the ages beyond.
In several instances though, the Messianic Era is connected
with and seen as the first of these ages (e.g.,
Luke 1: 33;
Eph. 2: 7); but other Scripture, adding details, shows
that a
sharp distinction exists between the Messianic Era and the ages beyond (e.g.,
cf. Rev.
2: 26, 27; 3: 21; 22: 1, 3).
The Messianic Era, Ages Beyond
During the Messianic Era, man will dwell either on a restored
earth or in the heavens above this restored earth, with there being a Jerusalem
above and a Jerusalem below (capital cities both over and on the earth, with Christians
[along with certain Old Testament and Tribulation saints] inhabiting the city
above, and Israel inhabiting the city below).
During this era, there will be a rule from the heavens over the earth. And this rule, as
today, will originate with God in heaven and progress through rulers placed in
the heavens in relation to this earth.
Today, this rule progresses from God through Satan and his
angels (though rebel rulers), who reside in the heavens above the earth. But during that
coming [millennial] day this rule will progress from God
through His Son and His Son’s co-heirs, who will reside in the new Jerusalem
above the earth.
[Page 45]
A rule of the preceding nature, from the heavens over the
earth, must continue during the Messianic Era, for this is
the manner in which God established the government of the earth in the
beginning. Such a rule must
continue as long as the earth remains, which will be until the end of the
Messianic Era - to the full end of the seven days, the 7, 000 years, set forth in the beginning (Gen. 1: 1 - 2: 3).
A rule from the heavens over the earth (one province in God’s
kingdom) is not only the way in which God originally established the government
of the earth but the way in which He evidently established His government
throughout all other parts of the universe as well (all other provinces in His
kingdom). And
this can never change in relation to any one province, for “the heavens do rule” (cf. Dan. 4: 25, 26).
Thus, God’s Son, with His co-heirs, must rule throughout the
Messianic Era in exact accord
with the way God established the government of the earth in the beginning. Such a governmental rule will have to
continue during this time, for the present earth will not pass out of existence
until the end of the Messianic Era (Rev. 21: 1-5).
God’s Son, with His co-heirs, will rule over the earth for
1,000 years - the earth’s coming Sabbath, foreshadowed by the seventh day in Gen. 2: 1-3 (cf. Ex.
31: 13-17; Heb. 4: 1-9). They will rule for 1,000 years to effect
order where disorder has prevailed for millenniums in one province in God’s
universe. And
once order has been restored, the kingdom will be delivered up to God the
Father, that God might be “all in all [i.e., permeate all, be ‘everything in all things’].”
Then, once order has
been restored and the kingdom has been delivered up to the Father, the
present heavens and earth will be destroyed.
A new heavens and a new earth will be brought into existence, and the new
earth will become the place in the new heavens (as the earth today, suspended
at a point in the heavens) from whence universal rule will emanate.
God will move His throne to the new earth, the Son will sit
with His Father on this throne (called “the throne of
God and of the Lamb”), and saved man will exercise power from this
throne as well (2 Peter 3: 10ff; Rev.
21: 1ff; 22: 1-5).
[Page 46]
Regality, the Earth, the Universe
Therein lies man’s destiny,
not going to heaven per se. Man’s destiny has to
do with regality, the earth, and the universe - first, ruling over this present earth from the new Jerusalem above the
earth (during the Messianic Era); then, ruling out in the universe from the new
Jerusalem on the new earth (during the ages which follow).
Salvation in Scripture is always dealt with in relation to the
scope of Scripture; and Scripture deals centrally with everything moving toward
a seventh day, a seventh 1,000-year period.
Events during this coming day, the Messianic Era, must be brought to pass first. And
therein lies the reason why Scripture deals with man centrally in relation to
this time, with the ages beyond seldom being in view (regardless of which
aspect of salvation is being dealt with - past, present, or future).
Only following the Messianic Era can the ages
which lie beyond this era be brought into view in all their
fullness. During the present time they are briefly dealt with in Scripture so that man
can have some understanding of God’s plan for the ages, where the whole of the
matter - 6,000 years, followed by a 1,000-year Messianic Era - will eventually
lead. But only
following the Messianic Era will matters move beyond that dealt with
extensively in Scripture. Only then will
God begin to open up and fully reveal that which will occur during the period which
man [mistakenly] thinks of today as eternity.
And the manner in which Scripture presents this whole matter -
particularly as it relates to [regenerate] man’s [future] salvation [‘of souls’
(1 Pet. 1:
9)] - has become very difficult,
practically impossible, for most Christians to see and grasp.
These Christians have been taught wrong for years - not
necessarily concerning how to be saved, but concerning the purpose for salvation and that which
lies ahead for redeemed man. And
because this erroneous teaching pertaining to salvation has become so ingrained
within their way of thinking, attempts to present salvation from the correct
Biblical perspective are usually met with askance looks, opposition, or antagonism
on almost every hand.
[Page 47]
When that depicted by the woman
placing the leaven in the three measures of meal in Matt.
13: 33
occurred very early in the dispensation (which concerned an attempt on Satan’s part
to corrupt all Biblical doctrine having to do with the Word of the Kingdom [(Matt.
13: 19,
R.V.)], all things related to the Word of the Kingdom began to be adversely
affected.
And this working of the leaven, of
necessity, would extend even into the Biblical scope of salvation by grace.
This would have to be the case because of the inseparable connection salvation
by grace has with the Word of the Kingdom.
It is man passing “from death unto life”
which places him in a position where he can realize the salvation of his soul.
And matters become even more negative
surrounding the relationship which salvation by grace has with the kingdom
through the message of those advocating
Lordship Salvation.
Those proclaiming this message take
things having to do with the Word of the Kingdom and seek to bring these things
over into and apply them to the message of salvation by grace (i.e., things having to do with present
and future aspects of salvation are removed from their respective contexts and
applied to things having to do with past aspects of salvation).
And, through this means, those proclaiming this
message not only remove the message pertaining to the coming kingdom from view
but they do two other things in the process. They both destroy the Word of the Kingdom and corrupt the message of salvation
by grace.
Interestingly enough, those who proclaim the message of salvation by grace
correctly but ignore the Word of the kingdom and those who proclaim a lordship salvation message (who, through this means,
destroy one message and corrupt the other) form two major groups in Christendom today. Those from these two groups
remain at almost complete odds with one another on the message of salvation by
grace; but when it comes to correctly relating this message to the kingdom, it
can only be said of both groups that they have been similarly, adversely
affected by the same leavening process which is rampant in the Laodicean Church
of today.
* *
*
[Page 48 blank: Page 49]
Appendix IV
World Government
Israel is God’s firstborn son, the one and only nation among all the
nations which God recognizes as possessing the rights of the firstborn - a
firstborn right among nations, which, among other things, includes the
right to hold the sceptre, the right to rule.
Note that which God instructed Moses, 3,500 years ago, to tell
the Assyrian Pharaoh ruling
“...Thus saith the Lord,
And I say unto
thee, Let my son go,
that he may
serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son,
even thy
firstborn” (Ex. 4: 22b, 23).
The Pharaoh of Egypt, through this announcement, was to
understand that
Then, with Israel exercising these
rights (which the nation will one day
[during “the age to come” (Heb.
6: 5,
R.V.)] exercise, though that is far from the
case today) - rights which can never be taken from the nation, for Israel will
never cease to be God’s firstborn son - the Gentile nations are not only to be ruled
by but also to be blessed through Israel (in accordance with Gen. 12: 2, 3, realizing another part of the rights of the
firstborn, the priestly rights).
[Page 50]
The Gentile nations today rule under Satan
and his angels (in accordance with that seen in Dan.
10: 12-20). But
Note the sharp contrast in the government of the earth as it
has existed during the last 2,600 years and as it will exist yet future once
God’s purpose for the Times of the Gentiles has been realized. Conditions in the government of the earth are
quite different when the Gentiles hold the sceptre (present), as opposed to
Israel holding the sceptre (past, but more particularly [during
the millennial “age” yet] future).
Also note in connection with the whole overall matter that the
descendants of Shem through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - comprising the nation
of Israel - form the only nation on the face of the earth with a God (Gen. 9: 26; Ps. 33: 12). And for the Gentile
nations, without a God, to acquire spiritual wealth and blessings, they must
go to the one nation with a God. They
must go to the nation of
The Gentile nations though do possess gods, but not the one true and living God. The gods of the nations are said to be “nothing” compared to the one true and living God (1
Chron. 16: 26;
Ps. 96: 5). The
gods of the nations could be
anything separate from God Himself - materialism, demons in Satan’s kingdom, etc.
All of the Gentile nations find themselves in the some
position, in the natural realm. And they simply
cannot move from that realm into the spiritual realm (except, of course, that
spiritual realm where Satan and his angels operate, which is aligned with the
natural). The man of flesh simply cannot
function in the realm where the man of spirit exists.
Many individuals out of the nations, over centuries of time,
have moved from the natural into the spiritual realm through a Saviour
which came from the one nation with a God. But
it is not possible for the
nations themselves to do this. Again,
nations simply cannot function in this realm.
In this respect,
there is no such thing as a Gentile nation with a God, or a Gentile nation
which can be referred to as a Christian [Page 51] nation (the
Church, taken mainly from the Gentiles, is
referred to as a “nation” and has a God, though
the Church is neither Jew nor Gentile but one new man, a new creation “in Christ,”
with a heavenly citizenship [Matt. 21: 43; 1 Peter 2: 9, 10; cf. 2 Cor. 5: 17; Gal. 3: 26-29; Eph. 2: 11-15; Phil. 3: 20]).
Gentile nations, in their governmental structure today, rule
within a form of a theocracy, though a corrupted form connected with Satan and
his angels. “Satan” is the
god of this present age (2 Cor. 4: 4), and he and his angels rule
through the Gentile nations from their place in a heavenly sphere (Dan.
10: 13-20).
God rules the entire universe, and He rules over all parts of His
kingdom through angels whom He has placed in regal positions throughout the
universe. The earth, one province in the
universe, is ruled in this manner, though presently
through a rebel ruler. God presently rules the earth through Satan, the god of this age.
God has delegated power to Satan, and Satan, in turn, has
delegated power to subordinate angels ruling with him. It is this delegated power and regal position
(his throne) which Satan will give to the Beast during the coming Tribulation (Rev. 13: 2; cf. Ezek.
28: 14; Luke 4: 5, 6). Then the Beast will rule in this same
manner under God, as a rebel ruler in a corrupted form of the theocracy.
It is immaterial whether a nation’s government is like that of
the
There is only one nation on the face of the earth with a government which rules after any
other fashion than the preceding, and that’s the one
nation with a God, the nation which is not to be “reckoned among the nations” (Num.
23: 9), the
nation of
The angelic princes of the Gentile nations (each nation has a
prince, with other princes under him), who rule through the nations from a
heavenly sphere, are demons (Dan. 10:
13-20).
But
This is why God could establish a theocracy and rule in the
midst of
“
And the manner in which God deals with
the nations in this respect can NEVER change (Rom.
11: 29).
Israel’s position relative to the nations is why Israel must
be brought to the place of repentance, Gentile world power destroyed, Satan and
his angels removed from power, and God’s three firstborn Sons [Christ, Israel,
and the Church (following the adoption)] placed in power (cf. Gen. 1: 26-28; Heb. 2: 5).
Satan knows this, and over millenniums of time
he has done everything within his power
to thwart God’s plans and purposes by launching his attack at
the fountainhead, seeking to destroy
And this is why Satan will give his
power, his throne, and great authority to the earth’s last ruler during the
Times of the Gentiles (Rev. 13: 2b). Satan will use this man in a
final, climactic attempt to do away with the nation of
But God, in His sovereign control of all
things, will use this man’s efforts to achieve a completely opposite end - to
bring about His Own predetermined plans and purposes for
“If Mordecai be of the seed of the
Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall,
thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him” (Esther 6:
13b).
(For additional information on the preceding, refer to the
author’s book, THE
MOST HIGH RULETH.)
Satan, of course, knows all of the
preceding, whether
And, throughout this time, Satan has been
doing and will continue doing everything within his power to prevent the one
nation with a God from ever fully exercising her God-ordained position as
firstborn
son. He knows that should this occur, not only
would he have to relinquish the sceptre but conditions
relative to
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts; it shall yet come to pass, that
there shall come a people, and the inhabitants
of many cities:
And the inhabitants of one city
shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to
pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of
hosts: I will go also.
Yea, many
people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those
days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall
take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that
is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”
And in an effort to prevent the preceding
from ever occurring, Satan and his angels, ruling from a heavenly sphere
through the Gentile nations on earth, have been seeking for decades in the
In this Psalm, ten Gentile nations are seen allying themselves
against Israel in the preceding respect, foreshadowing the ten-kingdom
confederacy of Gentile nations which will one day rule under Antichrist and
ally itself against Israel in exactly the manner presented.
“They [the ten nations] have said, Come,
and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of
They have consulted together with
one consent: they are confederate against thee” (vv.
4, 5).
But, as Scripture clearly attests, it will all be for naught. God has already spoken concerning the matter.
God has already had the final word.
THE END
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