Chapter 10
Eternity Future
Eschatology-The End-Time Scenario
In chapter 8 we learn the resurrected Jesus Christ is presently seated in heaven readying to bring his end-time plan to fruition. As believing Christians, we are familiar with "God's plan,” simply because God ordained it. We know this because he has given man the intellect and the means to understand their role as key participants in that plan. We know the gist of "God's plan" by searching the Scriptures. Because God made you for a reason, he also decided when you would be born and how long you would live on earth. He planned the days of your life in advance, choosing the exact time of your birth and death. God knows the beginning from the end of everything. The Bible says, "You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!" (Psalm 139:16) This verse takes us right back to the old saw concerning the freewill of man vs. the sovereignty of God. Only an omniscient God knows the implication of such a conundrum. God determined from eternity past that earthly man could not resolve such questions, but He assures us that in eternity future we will fully understand, and He expects us now while we live to take His Word on faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”(Hebrews 11:6).
The end-time of God’s plan will begin when Christ returns from heaven to remove His Church(the Body of Christ) followed by the appearance of the anti-christ. The appearance of the anti-christ initiates the seven years of Tribulation prophesied by Daniel. At the end of the period of Tribulation, Christ returns to earth once again at what we call “the Second Coming.” The personal return of the resurrected Jesus Christ from heaven is the divinely ordained event whereby God's purpose for the earth and mankind will be brought to its ultimate fruition.
The return of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ from heaven (The Second Coming) is an absolute fundamental Biblical principle. The New Testament fully addresses three great Biblical promises. Those three promises basically include the following:
1.) that the Son of God who was crucified, died and was buried, and after three days rose from the dead (as promised) and has gone away into Heaven.
2.) that the Holy Spirit indwells all believers on the earth in the Lord’s absence to assist and or perform certain functions in conjunction with the Lord’s followers until the Lord returns.
3.) that the Son of God will indeed come back to this earth again upon God’s own appointed (Psalms 102:13) time. (as promised).
While observing and participating in the Feast of the Passover, Jesus, realizing that the hour of his departure was nigh at hand, spoke at length with a loving tenderness to his Disciples about the trying hour at hand. It is amazing that even as Jesus faced the cruel prospect of the Cross, that he made it a priority to encourage his Disciples. His words were, and still remain words of great encouragement.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)
After the resurrection, during His forty-day sojourn with His Disciples, one of the very first things they asked the then crucified Lord was, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” It is obvious from their query that the Apostles, being Jews and believing Jesus was the Christ, knew enough of the Old Testament to ascertain and expect that the Messiah would establish a kingdom on the earth for the children of Israel. However, they did not know anything about his ascension into Heaven, and the ensuing 2000-year era of the Church Age. Only the prophets Isaiah and Daniel had alluded to the fact that the Messiah’s kingdom would be preempted. But even as these prophecies allude to the Messiah’s death, the Apostles were nonetheless insightful by asking the Risen Lord if it was time for the restoration of the kingdom to Israel.
It has now been two thousand years since the ascended Lord made the promise to His Disciples that he would return to the world again. The opening lines of the Olivet Discourse(see page 166) reveal that the Disciples became anxiously excited about the returning of the Lord, especially after he prophesied the destruction of the Jewish Temple, for they inquired of him, “what shall be the sign of thy coming?” Acts chapter one reveals that they eagerly anticipated that the Lord would come to re-establish the kingdom unto Israel when he returned. After the Lord’s resurrection, the Disciples therefore naturally envisioned that the kingdom would be established in their lifetime, they knew nothing of the ensuing 2000 year Church age, and were undoubtedly preoccupied with thoughts about their positions in that kingdom. A quick search of the internet for “The Second Coming of Jesus Christ” reveals that even today the great extent of variance and discord amongst scholars and theologians as it relates to that event and the end-time scenario.
The perfect plan of God as delineated in chapter 3 of this thesis has now gone full circle as best we can acertain for approximately 6000 years, fully prophesied in the Word, to its final conclusion as far as mortal man is concerned. Eschatology should not be an ending added on as an afterthought, but it should be seen as significant to our whole meditation and conclusion about the gospel. No one should look at eternity as “a gray and monotonous sea.” Scripture guides us from glory to glorification and from thanksgiving to praise as we go from time to eternity. To this end, God’s glory returns to Himself. Man’s destiny lies in praising the Creator. This is the work for which God purposed him.
The eschatology of Orthodox Christianity and the Bible holds that “because He lives, we too shall live!” We will live in a world where death, sorrow, pain, tears and the morbid prospect of the end of existence does not exist again forever. We will tabernacle with God, and walk with Him and talk with Him and see His face. We will intercourse with Him in ways which the relationship between man and woman, in its, highest, purest and best state, could only dimly foreshadow. We will feed on the fruit of the Tree of Life and drink from the River of Life, that fountain opened in Zion by the resurrection reality and power of the living, risen Christ. For saved believers the dark glass is removed and they will see Christ face to face, and they will know as they are now known by Him, they will live in dwelling places, eternal in their quality as well as their quantity, that He has prepared for them. And so shall we ever be with the Lord
The New Jerusalem
The New Jerusalem "is the finalization of the completed divine revelation of the entire Scripture--the aggregate of the fulfillment of all the prophecies, types, figures, and foreshadows. The New Jerusalem is "the full mingling of the Triune God with His redeemed, regenerated, and transformed people." [53] As a composition of divinity (the Triune God) mingled with humanity (all the believers), the New Jerusalem is the wife of the Lamb (Rev. 21:9) and the tabernacle of God (Rev. 21:3). The New Jerusalem, as the last and greatest sign in the Bible, is both the goal and result of all of God’s work.
Hebrews 11:10 tells us that God is the Architect and Maker of the holy city, the New Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22a, Rev. 21:2). This indicates that God is the Builder of the New Jerusalem. This building work of God began in perfecting the Old Testament saints, beginning with the patriarchs in the old dispensation. It continues more intensively in producing the matured believers in the new dispensation. Actually the entire Bible is a full record of God’s work in building the New Jerusalem as His complete manifestation for His full expression in eternity...
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God's Progressive Word Preserved
An extensive discourse on the Word of God was presented in chapter 2, but some additional review of Scripture is needed to provide the necessary clarification as to how God’s progressive plan comes to fruition as it relates to the end-times and eternity future.
Theologians have divided the Bible into two separate programs, the Old and the New. However, I see the Bible as one continuous record, plan, and purpose of our eternal God. It is so important to recognize this unity, to grasp the Bible's progressive witness on various theological concepts; the unity of the Scriptures, particularly the unity of the Old and New Testaments. Since the entire corpus of Scripture may be recognized as God's Word, there is an ultimate unity to the Book which is dependent upon God Himself. In other words, the canons of the Old and New Testament Scriptures are a divine intention.
The formation of the Old Testament canon was gradual, and was composed of the writings which spread over many centuries.
Moses commanded that the books of the law be placed in the ark. This--with the addition of the book of Joshua--was done, and the sacred books were kept there during the wilderness journey, and also were in the ark during its permanent residence in Jerusalem. (Deuteronomy 31:9,26, cf. 2 Kings 22:8; Joshua 24:26; 1 Samuel 10:25.)
Then were gathered and placed in the temple the historical and prophetical books from Joshua to David's time. On the construction of the temple Solomon deposited in it the earlier books (2 Kings 22:8, Isaiah 34:16), and enriched the collection with inspired writings from his own pen, and also some prophetic writings. So we find Daniel (9:2) referring to "the books," Isaiah to "the book of the Lord" (29:18, 34:16).
After Solomon's day a succession of prophets arose, Jonah, Amos, Isaiah, Hosea, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Obadiah, and Habakkuk. These all flourished before the destruction of the temple, and enlarged the collection of existing sacred books by valuable additions.
After the Babylonian capture, when the temple was rebuilt and worship re-established, then doubtless were added the writings of Haggai and Zechariah.
About fifty years after the temple was rebuilt Ezra made a collection of the sacred writings (Neh. 8:2,3,14). To this collection were added the writings of Nehemiah, Malachi, and Ezra. It is a fact of history that Nehemiah gathered the "Acts of the Kings and the Prophets, and those of David," when founding a library for the second temple, 432 B.C. (See 2 Maccabees 2:13).
The canon of the Old Testament in the form we now have it, was the work of Ezra and the Great Synagogue. This fact is borne witness to in the most ancient Jewish writings. The Great Synagogue was composed of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. There is no doubt but that such a collection of books existed in the time of our Lord and the apostles (Luke 24:27,44).
The New Testament Canon
The New Testament canon was gradually added to that of the Old Testament. But it was some considerable time after our Lord's ascension before any of the books contained in it were actually written.
The first and most important work of the apostles was to deliver a personal testimony to the chief facts of the Gospel history (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:21,22). Their teaching was at first oral, and it was no part of their intention to create a permanent literature. A cycle of selected representative facts sufficed to form the groundwork of their oral Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-10).
But in the course of time many endeavored to commit to writing this oral Gospel (Luke 1:1-4). So long as Jesus’s apostles were still living, the necessity for written records of the words and actions of our Lord was not so pressing. But when the time came for their removal from this world, it became extremely important the authoritative records should be put forth. Thus the written Gospels came into existence, two by apostles themselves, and two by friends and close companions of the apostles.
But already had arisen another kind of composition. Founders of churches, often unable to visit them personally, desired to communicate with their converts for purposes of counsel, reproof, and instruction. Thus arose the written Epistles, which were put forth from time to time to meet special needs and emergencies.
The persecution of Diocletian (302 A.D.) brought to the front the question of the sacred literature of the church. The persecutors demanded that the Scriptures should be given up. This the Christians refused to do. Therefore, the question became urgent--What books are apostolic? The answer lies in our New Testament. There were at that time many false and spurious gospels and epistles. Careful, prayerful, and deliberate examination, however, proved which were genuine and which were false. The genuine were received by the church as the inspired writings of the apostles and others whose names the books bear. Thus arose the New Testament canon.
Jesus frequently quoted from the Old Testament as the Word of God, even to the detail of every "jot or...tittle," every letter or stroke (Matt. 5:18). Jesus never disagreed with any part of the Holy Scripture, although He did take issue with some men's incorrect interpretations of it and additions to it. He always treated the Scripture word for word, never doubting, for example, that there was truly an Adam and an Eve, that Job was three days in the belly of a whale, that a prophet named Daniel existed, or that God had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone.
Within this overall unity, we know the entire Bible is written for us, but not every verse is addressed to us or written about us. By separating the parts into their appropriate context(rightly dividing the word) we are in a better position to understand the whole. By applying these principles and acknowledging Scripture as the inspired Word of God, we can come to a rational conclusion in regard to our study of the end-times.
With the New Testament, Christians had a sure and lasting link to Christ through the Apostles, a definite and solid basis for their beliefs and way of life. They had the written Word of God for order and direction in living and worshiping together. With the New Testament joined to the Old, Christians had the entire Bible, a book written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit in every word they wrote. Through the ages, true Christians have shared the conviction that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is the rule of faith and practice for all believers.
By the end of the second century, and possibly by A.D. 125 or even earlier, most Christians had accepted the books of the New Testament as the Word of God, thus meeting the need for a permanent record of the gospel.
No New Revelations by Man
I believe the canon of Scripture or the list of books considered to be authoritative is complete and closed. The canon being closed means that additional books cannot be added or existing books removed, which represents historic Protestant belief that revelation has ended and the text of Scripture is complete. In contrast, an open ended canon would permit the addition of non-inspired books through continued or on-going revelation. This issue of a completed canon needs to be understood because of what this means for any person confused by the claims of continued revelation from a variety of sources. Since the closing of the Scriptures we have been inundated by the pronouncements of new doctrines and declarations that are patently false. It is interesting to note that most of these non-inspired, non-scriptural pronouncements ignore or avoid end-time prophecy. I would suggest such end-time omissions stem from an absence of the Holy Spirit guiding those authors.
The following proofs based on Scripture are sufficient to show that not only is the canon of Scripture closed, but that God's revelation ceased in the First Century when the canon was completed. Today, God speaks to us in Christ, through the completed Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The Scriptures are complete and divine revelation has ceased. The ceasing of divine revelation is seen right in the texts of Scripture. This is what is meant when theologians talk about the closing of the canon. Consider the biblical evidence for this:“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3)
Also, it should be noted how the New King James Version renders the last part of this verse: “Which was once for all delivered to the saints.” This verse in Jude clearly anticipates the closing of the New Testament Canon. What does Jude mean by the phrase “the faith”? In view of the context, we understand the word faith to mean the body of Christian beliefs. It is the gospel the apostles proclaimed and therefore is equivalent to "the apostles teaching (Acts 2:42). The phrase “once [hapax] delivered” is important. Hapax means once for all. Once for all, of what is perpetual validity, not requiring repetition.
The following verse provides more important information concerning the completion of Scripture: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” (Ephesians 2:20) This verse in Ephesians tells us that the apostles are part of the foundation of the church. There is only one foundation that the church has. The Scripture in John 14:26 teach that the apostles were taught "all things." Paul commanded Timothy to "guard the good deposit" of truth in II Timothy 1:14. Clearly this "deposit" was identifiable or else Paul's command to Timothy would not make sense. And furthermore, this deposit in order to guard it, could not have been a nebulous association of oral traditions. Written documents can be compared to forgeries whereas oral traditions by their very nature are open to endless differing accounts and interpretations.
The concept of unwritten divine revelation was introduced into the Roman Catholic Church under the term “Tradition.” Reference to John 21:25 is cited where it implies many teachings of Jesus were not recorded in Scripture. “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for all the books that would be written.” For Catholics, Scripture and Tradition go hand in hand in transmitting the Word of God! They hold that tradition is whatever the(infallible) Roman church says it is. That amounts to a blank check unsupported by Scripture that Rome can fill out virtually as it desires. The important question is “How can anyone today distinguish the authentic oral teachings of the apostles from beliefs and practices introduced centuries later by others lacking the validity of Holy Inspiration?”
Since the apostles were taught all things, there would be no need for further revelation. What can you add to all things? The “good deposit” or the “all things” was tied to the apostolic period i.e., the foundation of the church. The authoritative apostolic writings became part of the New Testament canon. The biblical conclusion is that after their death apostolic revelation ceased. Why? On account of the fact that after the death of the apostles their special office in the church ceased. The church has only one foundation, not layers of foundations on top of each other, as an ongoing apostolic office view would require.
The next verse from Daniel cannot be disregarded in its importance for the subject of the closing of the canon: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” (Daniel 9:24)
The end or completion of this prophecy is clearly in the first century. Verses 25-27 make it clear that when the seventy-week period begins, it will continue uninterrupted till the seventy week period is over or complete. Christ's death and resurrection made an end of the sins of His people. He accomplished reconciliation for His people. Christ's people have experienced everlasting righteousness because of the fact that we are clothed in Christ's righteousness, which is everlasting. The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. is clearly within the time frame of the seventy weeks, and is proved by verse twenty-six. The phrase "and to seal up the vision and prophecy" clearly sets forth the closing of the canon of Scripture. Vision was a technical name for revelation given to the Old Testament prophets (cf. Isa, 1:1, Amos 1:1, etc.) The prophet was the one through whom this vision was revealed to the people. The two words, vision and prophet, therefore, serve to designate the prophetic revelation of the Old Testament period.... When Christ came, there was no further need of prophetic revelation in the Old Testament sense.
Since there is no fundamental difference between Old and New Testament revelation, and the source of the revelation is identical and there is no reason to doubt that all giving of new revelation ceased in the first century. To put an end to the necessity of any further revelations, by completing the canon of Scriptures, and fulfilling the prophecies which related to his person, sacrifice and the glory that should follow.
A passage in I Corinthians sheds even more light on the completion of Scripture: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”(I Corinthians 13:9,10) The passage says that something that is "in part" will be done away with when "that which is perfect is come." What is the apostle referring to when he says that something perfect is coming?
There is one phase, not so far mentioned: "When the completion comes," or "when that
which is perfect comes." This raises the question: Completion of what? It could be the completion of the canon. Miracles and tongues were for the purpose of guaranteeing the divine origin of apostolic doctrine. They cease when the revelation was completed. Even the word knowledge is better understood this way. Instead of comparing present-day extensive study of the New Testament with Justin's [Martyr] painfully inadequate understanding of the Atonement, it would be better to take knowledge as the apostolic process of revealing new knowledge. This was completed when revelation ceased.
Here we are connecting the coming perfection with the completion of the Scriptures. The tongues and prophecy of the apostolic era confirmed and bore witness to the truthfulness of that message. These tongues, prophecy, and revelatory knowledge were lacking when compared with the written Scripture. The written Scriptures are far superior to spoken words. This is a clear statement that when the knowledge being given through the apostles and prophets is complete, tongues and prophecy shall cease. Tongues, prophecy, and knowledge (gnosis) constitute partial, incomplete stages. Some may stumble over the idea that "knowledge" represents a partial and incomplete (revelational) stage. But is rightly remarked that Paul distinguishes between sophia and gnosis in I Cor. 12:8 All three terms (tongues, prophecy, knowledge) involve divine disclosure of verbal revelation and all three on that basis alone ceased when the foundation (i.e., the perfect) came. Verse 11 speaks of the partial as childlike (cf., 14:20) and the perfect as manly (the apostolic is "manly," too, cf., 14:20). Paul reflecting on those who are limited to these childlike things describes this limitation as seeing in a mirror darkly. When the perfect (the apostolic depositum) is come, full knowledge is present.
The next passage of Scripture cited contains a strong warning not to tamper with God's Word. This verse is particularly relevant for the closing of canon at this point in redemptive history: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18-19).
The book of Revelation for good reasons is believed to be the last book written. It was completed prior to 70 A.D. The passages in chapter 1:3 and 22:6, 12 are time indicators that point to an early date to this book. Why, someone may ask? The wording in these texts such as "for the time is at hand" and "which must shortly be done" provide convincing evidence for an early date prior to 70 A.D. for John’s revelation. This is because, the First Century fulfillment of the prophecies within the book are relevant to dating of Revelation prior to 70 A.D. The time texts previously mentioned become important indicators pointing towards dating the book in the First Century.
In addition, the temple in chapter eleven shown to be still in existence also supports this early date prior to 70A.D. If an early date for the book of Revelation is accurate (which it is) then it allows the book to fit into the time frame of Daniel's prophecy. Accordingly, the book of Revelation fits into the time frame and purview of Daniel's "seventy weeks." So, those who argue for continued revelation they are simply urging men to violate this Scriptural warning recorded in the last book of the canon. Another passage that sheds important light on the penalty for giving false revelation is in Zechariah thirteen. The context of this section of Zechariah places it in the First Century. See Zechariah 11:13; 12:10; 13:1; 13:7 for proof of this First Century setting. Consider this warning not to add to God's word: “It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the Lord. And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.” (Zechariah 13:3).
This passage supports the view that prophecy has ended in light of the fact that the death penalty is still to be carried out for false prophetic utterances and is in harmony with Daniel 9:24. The phrase "If anyone still prophesies" makes it clear that prophecy has ended. The death penalty is required for those who give new revelation. Why? On account of the fact that it is false revelation since God has ceased giving revelation. This is the consistent theme of Scripture. Again, see Rev. 22:18, 19; Gal. 1:8, 9; Deut. 13:5 for the penalties and curses associated with violating this prohibition.
Consider the important fact that Jesus is the incarnate word of God: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).
Because of the incarnation, the next passage is of most importance regarding the completion of the Scriptures: “God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom he also made the worlds.” (Heb. 1:1,2).
This passage in Hebrews by the Apostle Paul makes it clear that Christ Jesus is the final and complete revelation of God. God in times past spoke through the prophets. He now speaks through The Risen Christ under the pen of Paul. God speaks to us in and through the Scriptures which Jesus said “testify of me” (John 5:39). Jesus also admonished his disciples saying “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Christ is the head corner stone of the church’s foundation. He is the head of the church.
Jesus as the head of the church commissioned the twelve apostles to speak in His name with His authority and power: “And When he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease…. These twelve Jesus sent forth…” (Matthew 10:1-5)
These apostles whom Jesus commissioned, spoke in His name, 2 Peter 3:2, they wrote in His name, 1st Corinthians 14:37. God confirmed the words of the apostles with power: “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds”. (2 Corinthians 12:12) .
The words of the apostles were the words of Christ and as shown earlier the words of the apostles that God intended to preserve for His Church were committed to writing. Beyond the words of Christ and His apostles, new alleged revelations are nothing more than an attempt to rebuild or add to the foundation of the church. Any attempt to add to Scripture is a direct attack upon the person and work of Christ. How is this so? The Scriptures are so connected to Christ e.g., Luke 24:27, and John 5:39 that any attempt to undermine them is an attack upon Christ himself. In the book of Colossians we see Christ's preeminence over all of creation: “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Col. 1:15-17).
The Father declared concerning Jesus in Matthew 17:5 "…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Where do we hear the words of Christ? It has been abundantly demonstrated that we hear Christ speaking in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. In addition, when we read "the Scriptures hath said" and "God hath said" we see how the Scriptures and God speaking are equated in such a way as to be identical. Therefore, the testimony of Christ is so connected with and interwoven into the very fabric of Scripture that to deny the authority of Scripture in any fashion is to deny Christ Himself.
In light of the closing of the canon, new revelations no matter who gives them are false revelations. Therefore, alleged spiritual experiences, new revelations, only the Scriptures where God has spoken. For those whom disagree with this conclusion, the burden of proof is upon them.
As I have already stated throughout this treatise, the Bible is a unique supernatural book given to us by God. What we see in nature and the physical universe we say is God’s natural revelation to man (Romans 1:19-20). The Bible is also God’s special revelation to man (2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20). It tells us of the creation of our universe and of the creation of man. It tells of man’s falling away from God and the sin nature that we all inherit because of that fall (Romans 3:23). It tells of God’s plan for man’s redemption through the person of Jesus Christ, God incarnate (John 3:16). And it tells us where everyone will spend eternity.
However, the Bible is much, much more than that. The Bible teaches us how we should live through various examples of the recorded history of the Jewish people, God’s chosen people. This is exemplified through seven different dispensations of time. In each one of these dispensations, man is given a responsibility, and in each one man fails. This is God’s way of showing us just how hopelessly lost we really are.
The Bible is the manual of life for the Christian, and it is the only sacred writing of any of the world’s religions that proves itself by its predictive prophecy. But it is not a book for everyone. Admittedly, while everyone can profit from the wisdom contained in the Bible, only the Christian, or rather the “born-again” believer (see John 3:3), will truly profit from the Bible (see 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 1:13-14, and John 16:13).
But, by the time we reach the 21st chapter of Revelation, the recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages have come and gone. Christ gathered His church(theBody of Christ) and took them to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). The Tribulation and the Great Tribulation of the book of Revelation have past. The battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:17-21). Satan has been chained for the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth; he was then released and deceived the nations once again, causing them to rise up in rebellion against God once more, but God has defeated Satan again and Satan has received his just punishment, an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1-10.) The Great White Throne Judgment has taken place, and mankind has been judged (Revelation 20:11-15).
Now in Revelation 21 it describes the new heaven and the new earth, God the Father then brings heaven to earth in the New Jerusalem where He dwells with His own for eternity. Only God’s children will be with Him in the New Jerusalem (John 1:12). The New Jerusalem is where all believers in Christ will spend eternity. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is the new heaven where God’s goodness will be made fully manifest.
There are as many end-time scenarios based on Bible prophecy as there are prophetic teachers. And this presents a problem for any Christian searching for the truth. As scholars of theology we must keep our eyes focused on the Bible as the inspired Word of God. The work of the devil is his opposition to the Word of God when that Word is taught. Satan tries to take away the Word of God from people's minds and hearts so that they become confused which eventually leads to unbelief
I can only conclude the reason for all this confusion in regard to the end-time scenario, is the failure to recognize that the Bible is the Word of God. If, by faith, we accept the premise that The Bible is the literal Word of God and is accurate and says what it means, we must accept the epistles of Paul as the very Word of God. It is through Jesus’s earthly ministry and the writings of Paul that end-time prophecy becomes intelligible.
Jesus Prepares His Disciples for the Endtime
Jesus had much to say about the end times. His prophecies in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are well known. Most of what is recorded in these three chapters is very similar, but Matthew included some things that Mark and Luke did not mention. Likewise, Mark included some things that Matthew and Luke did not say. Luke also included some distinctive insights.
The week before leaving for Jerusalem, Jesus takes the time to prepare and direct His followers to be ready for future events. Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" (Matthew 20:19-20).
30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it 31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them , The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed , he shall rise the third day. 32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him (Mark 30-32).
It is important to note that the disciples were blinded by God, and unable to understand what Jesus was telling them about his death and resurrection. So they didn’t have a clue about what was really going to transpire in the few short days ahead.
Jesus knows his time is short. He knows he must invest his time wisely. He knows he must prepare his key followers for what lies ahead. So on the Tuesday of what we recognize as Holy Week, he withdraws to the Mount of Olives to teach the closest followers, his key followers, personally.
The prophecy given on the Mount of Olives(Luke 21) by Jesus to His Jewish disciples was to be a prophetic outline of world events in advance. These events will culminate in the second coming of Jesus Christ as He returns to set up the Government, or Kingdom of God on the earth as outlined in the Abrahamic covenant. Although some of these events have been taking place down through time, they have only been a forerunner of the climatic events that will testify to the end of man's age and the dawn of a new world order as Christ and His chosen people establish a perfect government.
The Olivet Discourse is the name given to this orderly and extended teaching given by Christ on the Mount of Olives. This discourse is recorded in Matthew 24:1 - 25:46. Parallel passages are found in Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:5-36.
Though the discourse itself begins at Matthew 24:3, Mark 13:3 and Luke 21:7, Christ's discourse is in response to questions from the disciples, questions based on what Jesus told them in Matthew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2, and Luke 21:5-6. The record in Matthew is most extensive, so reference here will be to Matthew's Gospel.
It is important to recognize that the interpretation of this discourse deals only with reference to the now, of course, than they were then, but it is going to happen. When God sets a time schedule, is He ever a day late? Is He a minute late? The very conception of Christ in Mary was timed in such a way that on the exact day that God had appointed from eternity past, Jesus was born. That’s how exact God is in everything He does. The removal of the saints(The Body of Christ) prior to the tribulation events is not going to be an accident. It’s exactly on God’s timetable. After the saints are taken to heaven then comes the Tribulation. The tribulation will start when the Antichrist signs the seven-year peace agreement with Israel. Because there have been several major peace treaties signed between Israel and her Arab neighbors, it's important to look for one that will allow Israel to rebuild the Temple, which was destroyed in 70 A.D.
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Dan. 9:27). It’s all been foretold for thousands of years, and now we’re looking it in the face. The whole world is getting ready for it, whether they know it or not.
Our authoritative example for the Christian application of the end-time prophecies will be the way Christ and the apostle Paul used the apocalyptic symbols of Daniel's book. Jesus' prophetic discourse in Matthew 24 (and parallels in Luke 21) and Paul's prophetic outline in 2 Thessalonians 2 constitute the two indispensable links between the books of Daniel and Revelation. Both Jesus and Paul apply the forecast of Daniel 7-12 in some respect to their own times as well as a future fulfillment. As Christian believers, we should derive our principles of prophetic interpretation from their historical applications of Daniel. The Book of Daniel is the only apocalyptic book of the Old Testament. In the Book of Matthew 24:15, Jesus gives attestation to Daniel, "When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place.” Here Jesus is telling us that prophecies of Daniel are valid. It is the Word of God, and we must accept it. These interpretative principles are of decisive importance for our understanding of the end-time prophecies in the Bible.
The Book of Daniel is the starting point for this discourse. So much of this book is based on history. The first point to be noted is that three of the prophets in the Old Testament wrote from outside the borders of Israel. Everybody else wrote from within Israel. This same point applies to the Apostle Paul. Paul is the only one of the New Testament to write from outside the land of Israel. And he was called outside the land of Israel on the road to Damascus. Daniel is the first one; Ezekiel is the second one; and the third one, who wrote Revelation, is John.
Ezekiel was contemporary with Daniel, but Ezekiel held forth from the River Chibar, while Daniel writes from the palace in Babylon. John writes from the Island of Patmos. They’re all three outside the borders of Israel. The other unique thing is—all three write in symbolism. One has to define their symbolism to understand what they’re talking about. For example, Ezekiel uses the symbol of the dry bones. He’s talking about the children of Israel in a symbolic way. They were like dry bones out there. They’d been out there in the dispersion for hundreds of years. Well, that’s all symbolism. Most of Daniel’s writing is based on symbolism of this type. It is complex in its historical and prophetic account of things now past, and things to come, but it becomes clear through the words of Jesus written under the pen of the Apostle Paul.
The Truths of Daniel’s prophecy
About 500 years before it happened, Daniel rightly predicted that God would subject the Jews to Gentile dominion. That the Messiah would not bring in the kingdom at His first coming. The timing of the seventy weeks prophecy was probably too much for Daniel to figure out since it was all yet future. He knew that Gentiles would rule until a time after the Messiah was killed. He knew that the temple would be destroyed, but that it would also be rebuilt again.
The prophecies of Daniel 12 are set within the time frame of the tribulation (Dan.12:1). "Many will be purged, purified and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand" (Dan. 12:10). We see in this passage the continued theme of purging out the non-elect Jews during the tribulation but also see the rescue or salvation of the elect. These events are said to occur during "the end time" (Dan. 12:9).
"And he (the Anti-christ, the prince in verse 26) shall confirm the covenant (or treaty) with many (Israel) for one week (seven years): and in the midst of the week..." (Daniel 9:27). Nation of Israel . Christ was speaking of God's program concerning Israel, and the content of this discourse in large part has direct reference to Daniel 9:24-27, as well as Revelation 6:1 - 19:21, passages that refer to the future 7-year period called the tribulation. The completion of God's program for the Body of Christ (The Church) is when it is taken to heaven, and is not found in the Olivet Discourse, but instead is found in John 14:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
In Matthew 23, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees concerning judgment. This can be seen in the "woe" statements in that chapter. In chapter 24:1-2, Jesus is leaving the temple when the disciples ask Him about the temple buildings, seemingly so that Jesus could explain how the judgment of which He spoke related to the temple. Herod, who built the temple buildings that existed during the time of Christ's earthly ministry, built them to last. In Matthew 24:2, Jesus tells the disciples that not one stone of the temple would be left on top of another. This is what occurred in A.D. 70 when Rome, led by Titus, destroyed Jerusalem. The temple was burned. The things made of gold that resided in the temple melted as the temple burned, and the gold ran down into the cracks between the stones. Every stone was toppled from its place as people searched for the gold. This first destruction of Jerusalem was but a foreshadowing of what is yet to come.
Beginning in Matthew 24:3, we find Jesus and the disciples on the Mount of Olives. The disciples ask Jesus, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" What follows in Matthew 24-25 refers to the future, seven-year tribulation period and the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation. During this time, God will complete His punishment of Israel and will judge the world (Daniel 9:24-27; Revelation 6–19).
Daniel 9:27 indicates that the seven years of tribulation will be divided into two equal parts of 3 ½ years each. The teaching in Matthew 24:4-8 refers to the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation. The “birth pangs” (verse 8) refer to the sufferings that Israel will experience during those first 3 ½ years. The signs with reference to Christ's return and the end of the age are 1) false messiahs (v.5); 2) reports of wars (v.6-7); and 3) natural catastrophes (v.7). A parallel passage to this is Revelation 6 where the apostle John writes of the seal judgments. Revelation 6:2 speaks of a rider on a white horse, which could refer to a false messiah. Revelation 6:4 says that peace is taken from the earth (war). Revelation 6:6-8 speaks of famine and death. These are only the "beginning of birth pangs" (Matthew 24:8). With reference to Revelation, the last half of the tribulation does not seem to begin until Revelation 13 when the Beast, or Antichrist, sets up his rule for 42 months, the last half of the tribulation (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15). There is a reference to 1,260 days (42 months or 3 ½ years) in 11:3 and 12:6, which could also refer to the beginning of the last half of the tribulation. Therefore, at least Revelation 6-10 can be considered the first half of the tribulation.
The second half of the tribulation is found in Matthew 24:9-14. The persecution and death (verse 9) will be the result of the Beast's rise to power and the persecution of those who refuse to follow him (Revelation 13:1-18). Though there will be many false prophets (Matthew 24:11), Revelation 13:11-18 presents the ultimate false prophet, the one who will demand the worship of the Beast. The salvation promised in Matthew 24:13 is salvation or deliverance from the persecution of the Beast. The one who endures until Christ returns will be saved from the Beast. The preaching of the gospel of the kingdom refers to the good news (gospel) that Christ will soon return in judgment, and then set up His earthly kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). This will help people to realize their sinful state and receive the Savior during the tribulation.
The teaching in Matthew 24:15-26 gives further details concerning the tribulation. Jesus refers to the desolation of a future temple in Matthew 24:15-22; this is more clearly spoken of in Luke 21:20-24. The Beast will take authority and set up an image of himself in the future temple (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4; Revelation 13:1-18). In verses 16-20, Christ instructs those in Jerusalem to flee for their lives when they see that Beast has taken his seat of authority. The Antichrist will rule from Jerusalem for 42 months (3 ½ years), which is the last half of the tribulation.
Verses 21-22 tell us that there never has been a time like the great tribulation, nor shall there ever be again a time like it on the earth. If those days were not cut short (ended) by the return of Christ, every person would be destroyed. Verses 23-26 tell us of the prominence of false christs and false prophets in those days and how those on earth at that time can identify and avoid them.
When the Bible says thus saith the LORD, or it shall come to pass, we can depend on it. It’s going to happen! It’s going to happen, even though many prophecies were written back in 400-500 B.C. We’ve now come 2,000 years since the crucifixion of Jesus, and it’s still in the future. We’re closer and this is where we base everything on the teaching concerning the Tribulation. Here Daniel has already, by inspiration, laid out the format. That this seven-year period of time is going to be divided in half. There will be the first 3 ½ years and then the last 3 ½ years. So this seven-year period of time has been shoved out into the future, and in-between we have the calling out of the Body of Christ, the Church Age, the Age of Grace. It appears we are getting close to that period of time of the Church. When this Church Age is complete the Lord will remove it from earth, because God did not deal with the Church back here when He was dealing with Israel. It was Jew only. Here in the Church Age, God is dealing primarily with the Gentile, and the Jew is out in dispersion. So before He can come back and deal with Israel again in this final seven years, this Gentile Body of Christ has to be removed from the scene. Because God doesn't confuse Law and Grace. And as the Church Age winds down, and the final Gentile is brought in, then we find the Church being removed, Israel placed back in the land, and ready to be dealt with as we have been seeing in the Tribulation.
While in Babylon, Daniel writes his tremendous book of prophecy. Daniel Chapter 9 contains the basic Scripture references to our approach to eschatology. That is a big word for "End-Times." The study of end-time events. Here in Daniel we have the prophecy concerning God's timetable with the Nation of Israel. And there will be 490 years. This will cover the time that Nehemiah would be given instructions to go from Babylon, back to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall. From the day of that decree by King Cyrus that Israel can not only have the temple, but they can also have the city wall rebuilt; the time-span from that day would be 490 years until Christ would finally end His dealings with the Nation of Israel as His Covenant people. And we know from history and Scripture that 483 of those years were consummated at the Cross. And so this is where we get the whole idea of a final seven years yet in the future, that have never been completed.
The apostle Paul never spends much time on prophecy, because the Body of Christ(The Church) is not tied to the prophetic program. The Church Age is an interruption, it’s a parenthetical period of time of 1900+ years. But in II Thessalonians, in just a few verses, Paul lets us know that he is in full accord with the prophetic program that comes out of the Old Testament, the four gospels, part of Acts, and the Book of Revelation. Paul is in full agreement with everything that prophecy has said concerning the final seven years of Daniel’s 490 year prophecy. So, as we move on into verse 4, he speaks of the son of perdition in verse 3, known as the anti-Christ. Paul also refers to him as the wicked one. Daniel calls him the prince that shall come. All are references to this man, anti-Christ, who is going to one day appear on the stage of world events and he is going to become the absolute totalitarian dictator of the world. Paul goes on to explain that this man will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God. He is going to be an arrogant individual. He is going to have no compunction about telling the world that he is the God that they are looking for.
"Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God, (see how plain that is? He is going to let the world know that he is claiming to be the God that the world is looking for) sitteth in the temple of God, showing (or declaring) himself that he is God." (II Thessalonians 2:4).
Now the first place that I think we can go back for an Old Testament reference would be back to Daniel chapter 9, where Daniel refers to the anti-Christ as the ‘prince that shall come.’ Daniel chapter 9 is the very bench mark of the prophetic program. If you want an understanding of prophecy, as it will unfold especially in the end times, you have to know Daniel chapter 9. He begins this prophecy in verse 24 where he says that, "70 weeks of years" or where some translations have done the arithmetic for you - 490 years. Remember, God, with the nation of Israel, sets a prophetic program and ties it in with a time frame.
For example, long before it happened, God, through the prophets, told Israel that they would be spending 70 years in captivity down in Babylon. And the time came when it happened. When the 70 years are expired, miraculously a Persian king made a decree that the Israelites could go back to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. A 70-year prophecy, wrapped in a time frame, and it came true.
When Abraham was first called out of Ur of the Chaldees, God told him "430 years would go by before his offspring would come in to the Promised Land." We know now that it was exactly 430 years from the call out of Ur until Joshua took them over the river Jordan. So over and over through the Old Testament, this has been the format. And here is the prophecy that most concerns us:
"Seventy weeks (490 years God tells Daniel) are determined upon thy people (the nation of Israel) and upon thy holy city…" (and so on). (Daniel 9:24a)
In this prophecy we realize that 483 of the 490 years were fulfilled at Christ’s first advent. When He was: "…making an end of sins to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in everlasting righteousness…." (Daniel 9:24b)
The work of the cross was His first advent. But that was only 483 years, not 490. So as we now know there were seven years that were yet unfulfilled, but which, according to the prophetic program, after Christ had been rejected and had been raised from the dead; had ascended back to glory then, would come the 7 years as Daniel is prophesying. And then Christ would return and set up the kingdom, and Israel would be the light of the nations and evangelize the pagan world. But, Israel didn’t accept the king, Israel didn’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah and consequently God sent them into a spiritual blindness and a dispersion in about 70 A.D. Not that He is through with Israel (see: replacement theology, Ch. 7,pp.121) but rather, Israel has only been set aside. Not forever but for a period of time known only to God Himself. The closest we can come to when that being set aside will end is in Romans 11:25 where God through the apostle Paul says: "I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness (spiritually) in part is happened to Israel, until (that’s a time word. They will remain blind spiritually to the fact of Who Jesus was until) the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." (Romans 11:25).
The fullness of the Gentiles means the Body of Christ, the Church. And so when the Body of Christ is complete, God is going to pick up His prophetic program where He left off with Israel. And that of course, will be this final seven years that Daniel spoke of in chapter 9:27. After the 483 years were fulfilled at the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ, then we have in verse 27 the appearance of the prince that shall come, mentioned in verse 26 and now verse 27. "And he…" (this prince that is coming). (Daniel 9:27a)
He is going to come out of the geographical area of the old Roman Empire. He will confirm or will make a covenant with many. Israel is certainly going to be involved but not singularly. It is going to involve all the nations. Daniel says it so clearly, that this is the prince that shall come, who we know as the anti-Christ, the wicked one, the son of perdition.
"And he will confirm the covenant with many for one week; (or seven years) and in the midst of the week (or in the middle of the 7 years, dividing the seven year time line, 3 1/2 and 3 1/2. In the middle of the week) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation (that is the temple worship) to cease,…" (Daniel 9:27a)
It’s only logical. You can’t stop something unless it’s going! So this tells us that temple worship is going to be operating full blast during this 7-year period. Israel will somehow or other get the temple back. This man is going to make an agreement between the Arab world and the Jews, that they can have temple worship. Even as we speak they are ready, we know that. They have all the ramifications of temple worship ready to go. They have the clothing for the priests hanging on mannequins. They have all the shovels and all the various utensils for the sacrifices all ready. And they are going to be jumping right in, once this treaty gives them permission to rebuild a temple.
But Daniel prophesies that as great as it is going to be for Israel, they are going to be just euphoric to think that once again they not only have the homeland and Jerusalem but they are going to have the temple. But see what happens. In the middle of the week, the anti-christ is going to cause all this temple worship to stop. "…and for the overspreading of the abominations (in other words the horrors that shall follow) he ( the anti-Christ) shall make it (the temple) desolate, (in other words he is going to shut it down. He is going to defile it. And it will stay defiled) even until the consummation (that is until those 7 years have finished) and that determined (in other words everything prophesied) shall be poured upon the desolate." (or desolator, this man anti-Christ) . (Daniel 9:27b).
This is to say, all of the horrifying judgments that are prophesied for these final 3 ½ years will happen. Go to Matthew 24:15. These are the words of the Lord Jesus himself. Jesus is speaking to the twelve. Also remember the twelve are the representatives of the nation of Israel: "When ye (the Jews, the Nation of Israel) therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, (in other words, the horrible defiling of the temple and the stopping of the temple worship) spoken of by Daniel, the prophet…." (Matthew 24:15a). So Daniel wrote by inspiration, and his prophesies are as accurate as only God can make it. Jesus put his stamp of approval on Daniel the prophet in Matthew 24:15-16
This is the calling out of the remnant of Israel to be the seed stock of the nation of Israel going into the thousand year kingdom when Christ finally returns.
All of these are references to this verse in II Thessalonians that the man of sin this anti-Christ, will come into the temple in Jerusalem and defile it and not only cause temple worship to stop but also will turn on the Jews with the most horrible persecution that Israel has ever, ever experienced. But, Israel will be at the very core of the wrath of God. And from Revelation, it is also going to be the wrath of Satan. Because when he is cast out of heaven at the mid-point and he comes back to the earth, the book of Revelation says he knows that he has but a short time, and so he too, will be pouring out his wrath. This is a double-barreled wrath. The wrath of God, as well as the wrath of Satan, and it is going to be beyond human description.
So the verse says again that "he’s going to sit in the temple and declare himself as God." What did Paul say? The antichrist sets himself in the temple as God and declares himself as God. Daniel is in full agreement. And so he is going to put himself as God of gods, and shall prosper until the indignation or this final 3 ½ years are accomplished. And then just like Jesus said in Matthew 24, once that abomination starts in the middle of the tribulation, it’s going to continue on until it is consummated. This says the same thing. And yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him.
Consider how John describes him in his great book of prophecy. Go to Revelation chapter 13. These verses are parallel references that agree totally with what Paul is writing in II Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 4. Now in Revelation chapter 13 verse 1 John writes. "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, (which is symbolic of the sea of humanity, the masses of people ) and saw a beast (now, not some animal but it’s an empire and an emperor. It’s a twofold meaning here in Revelation. Sometimes it speaks of the empire of the beast and sometimes it speaks of the man himself. But he sees a beast, an empire, a government) rise up out of the sea, (of humanity) having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his head the name of blasphemy." (this anti-God individual who will proclaim himself as God.) (Revelation 13:1).
Then the picture of the empire is in verse 2 and it is going to be likened to a compilation of all the great gentile empires beginning with Babylon, the Medes and the Persians, the Greek, the Roman and our present day Western European revived Roman Empire. Go to verse 3 and 4, still describing this man who will come into the temple in Jerusalem and set himself up as God.
"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." (Revelation 13:3 )
This is speaking of the empire. The revived Roman Empire that is miraculously coming back in the Western European Union. Here we are talking about the empire, the government. "And they (the people of the world) worshipped the dragon…" (Revelation 13: 4a)
That’s Satan worship. And it is coming in with a flood, it is everywhere you look. Even our rural areas are not immune to it. Alright, so here we have it, that the world is going to worship the dragon. They are going to become Satanists. "And they worship the dragon who gave power to the beast: (or the man anti-Christ or the government, however you want to look at it) and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? (or the man anti-Christ) Who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:4).
In verse 5 we see it is in full agreement with what Paul said in II Thessalonians: "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy…" (Revelation 13:5a)
This man is going to be Satanic from the word go, and will have power. Now you see God is sovereign and God can permit it. And God will permit this to happen and so He permits him to have power "to continue 42 months." Well how long is 42 months? Three and one half years! So from the time that he defiles the temple and turns against the nation of Israel, there will be 3 ½ years to finalize the 7 years of Tribulation.
And as that seven years is ended with the return of Christ now this man will finally meet his doom. He cannot usurp the coming of Christ. Recall in Matthew 4 when he tempted Christ and said, "Jump down off this mountain and I will give you all the kingdoms of this world. Fall down and worship me." Were they his to give? Yes, they were his to give. But the Lord isn’t going to have to fall down and worship Satan to get those kingdoms. He will get them by virtue of this Second Coming, when he comes as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and he is going to be the ruler, not only the world but of the universe.
THE PRE-TRIBULATION REMOVAL
OF THE BODY OF CHRIST
The premise is that the Body of Christ out of this Age of Grace will have to be taken into heaven prior to the Tribulation, so that God can pick up where He left off with His covenant people 1900+ years earlier. Scripture teaches very clearly that the precepts of the Law and Grace do not mix. It is so clear in II Thessalonians 2 that before the Man of Sin can be revealed, before the Anti-Christ can come on the scene, there has to be the departure of the Body of Christ. As believers, we too, will hear the trumpet call to come up. That's that blessed hope the Apostle Paul talks about in Titus Chapter 2.
God has his angelic trumpets, and His own trumpet as well. The Day of Christ is what the body of Christ is anticipating - the removal from earth and meeting our Lord in the air. The Body of Christ will hear a trumpet call, and the Archangel will give a shout, and suddenly all believers will go with Him to Heaven.
The Second Coming occurs after the completion of the Tribulation when Christ returns to earth and stands on the Mount of Olives. If you mix Paul's doctrine concerning the removal of the Church with the Second Coming, then you are mixing Law and Grace. When Christ returns and sets up His Kingdom, ruling from Jerusalem, Israel will finally enjoy all the real estate promised to Abraham in Gen. 15:18. And, it will not be a desert. It will be as the Garden of Eden. Isaiah 51:3 - "For our Lord shall comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.”
The following is Scriptural proof of the above premise. The Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ's return prior to His thousand-year millennial reign is not only scriptural but an ancient belief that was held by an overwhelming majority of notables of Church History. Although their views on this important doctrine varied, they nevertheless believed Jesus Christ would return before the thousand-year reign of Christ.
For three centuries the Christian church held the doctrine of the premillennial coming of Christ. A study of the writings of the church Fathers for three centuries held to this doctrine with the exception of Origen. It was the faith of Barnabas, Polycarp, Clement, Ignatius, Papius, Tertullian, Justin Martyr, Nepos, Irenaeus, Victorinus, Methodius, Lactantius, Hermas and many others… -all were at one. The Early Church fully believed that it (i. e., the Second Coming) would precede, or usher in, the thousand years of His reign with His chosen people. A general change of view came in after the establishment of Christianity under Constantine, and when corruption in doctrine and practice had begun.
A pre-70th week removal of the Body of Christ is taught in the Bible. It has to do with the character of this event as imminent. Paul wrote in the first century, "The Lord is at hand" (Philippians 4:5). The Pauline teaching being that the event is to be regarded always as imminent, and in view of that he writes to the Philippians: "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus." Paul lived in the anticipation of the imminent return of the Lord. For whatever reason, the Risen Lord wants us all to live in imminent expectation of this event, and inspired Paul to hold that view.
To teach that the Church will go through the Tribulation Period or even enter it is to nullify the teaching of the imminent coming of the Lord, and thus prevent the salutary effect of the immanency of the event from becoming operative in the lives of the saints(the Body of Christ). Events on earth as of 2015 are not ready for the Great Tribulation. The Jewish temple in Jerusalem must be built, and the Antichrist crowned as emperor of the revived Roman Empire before Daniel's 70th week begins.
The removal of the Church will occur just shortly before the beginning of that final seven years of Tribulation. As stated earlier, the Old Testament prophesied this final seven years of Tribulation, and always split it in two; 3 ½ and 3 ½ . So as we come to the end of the Church Age and the Body of Christ is taken out of the way by what is today commonly called the Rapture, and God can then finish where He had left off with Israel back here where they crucified their king. The Church(the Body of Christ) is going to be Raptured out and the last 7 years of Tribulation comes to an end with the Second Coming of Christ.
Christ will return to earth at His Second Coming to set up the Kingdom that has been promised to Israel ever since Genesis chapter 12, and the earth will revert back as it was in the Garden of Eden. Then we go into those final 1,000 years when He will rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And so there we have the whole picture of human history from Adam to the cross, to the calling out of the Body of Christ, the Church, whereupon the Tribulation will come in under the rule of the anti-Christ
From the pen of the Apostle Paul--the Risen Lord’s chosen Apostle: "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery (it has never been revealed before), lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness (spiritual blindness) in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." (Romans 11:25)
What is the fullness of the Gentiles? The Body of Christ, which is the church. As Gentiles are being saved, they are being placed into the Body of Christ. And when the last Gentile has been saved and the body of Christ is full, it will be taken out (the Rapture) and God will pick up once again where He left off with Israel.
The Church(the Body of Christ) is strictly a Pauline revelation from the Risen Lord. In other words, you can find nothing concerning the Church in the Old Testament. You can find nothing concerning the Body of Christ in the four Gospels. And it isn't until the Apostle Paul comes on the scene, and has this great revelation from the ascended and glorified Lord, that the Body of Christ has its beginning. Not only was the Gospel of Grace given to the Apostle Paul, but just about every doctrine concerning the Body of Christ (The Church) was given to him only. Many things were kept secret by God until He chose to reveal them. It can’t be repeated enough that you can't find the Body of Christ, the Church in the Old Testament or the four Gospels. And neither can you find any mention of the removal of the Church. That had been kept secret by God, until revealed to the Apostle Paul in I Thessalonians and I Corinthians. So only Paul writes of the calling out of the Church..
The mystery is the revelation that God is now doing something different in these last 1900 + years of time. He is calling out the Body of Christ, which is not under the Law, nor associated with the Nation of Israel, with Judaism, or the Temple. It is totally the operation of the Grace of God, based upon the finished work of the Cross, His death, burial and Resurrection.
And so this is totally removed from the Mosaic Law, which will again come in during the Tribulation, because Israel will again have her temple worship. And to repeat once again, you cannot mix Law and Grace. We couldn't mix it during the Church Age and it won't mix in the Tribulation. The Church would be as out of place as a fish out of water in the Tribulation. It just wouldn't fit. It is not part of the Jewish program. It is completely insulated from all of God's dealing with Israel. Whereas in the Tribulation, God is primarily dealing with Israel. So as the Church Age is completed, it must be taken out of the way so God can once again pick up where He left off with Israel.
One of the keys to understanding the Scriptures, is that the Bible divides the whole human race into two categories. Jews and Gentiles. The view that Israel and the Church are different is clearly taught in the New Testament. Biblically speaking, the Church is completely different and distinct from Israel, and the two are never to be confused or used interchangeably. We are taught from Scripture that the Church is an entirely new creation that came into being on the day of Pentecost and will continue until it is taken to heaven at the Rapture. The Church has no relationship to the curses and blessings for Israel. The covenants, promises, and warnings are valid only for Israel. Israel has been temporarily set aside in God's program during these past 2000 years of dispersion.
All the different views of the relationship between the Church and Israel can be divided into two camps: either the Church is a continuation of Israel (replacement theology, Ch.7,pp. 121), or the church is completely different and distinct from Israel (premillennialism).
The Body of Christ is the goal of eschatology. The goal of eschatology is the eternal inheritance. Therefore, the Body of Christ is the eternal inheritance of the saints. The “purchased possession” redeemed by the blood of Christ said to be the inheritance, is the Body of Christ.
Christ did NOT come to earth to establish a “religion”, a “church system”, or “mystical body”, nor was He going to share His reason with man or a woman. Based on His Word, Jesus Christ came to fulfill a promise to open the gates of heaven – closed by man’s sin (Adam and Eve in the Garden).
The present group of believers, today’s true Body of Christ, are the ones that will be taken out of the world. The Body of Christ on earth is a temporary group, not meant to last. The Body of Christ will be removed just prior to the Tribulation, when the wrath of God will be poured out upon all the earth, and it could happen at any time.
If you are a believer and a member of the Body of Christ, your final heavenly home has been prepared for you when He said that He “will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:3). There will be a new heaven and earth, for this earth will melt away as will also the heavens pass away with a great noise ( 2 Peter 3:10). Remember Jesus made a way for ALL creation, He paid for ALL sins. However, you must appropriate that gift by believing Paul’s gospel that says Christ died for your sins and then rose from the dead (1 Cor.15;1-6) It has to be YOUR decision, and no one can make it for you while on earth or even after you leave this earth.
The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ
The Second Coming of Christ is a major doctrine of both the Old and New Testaments, and all orthodox creeds include the fact of His second coming as a part of essential doctrine.
Begin in Revelation chapter 19 for the Second Coming of Christ. By the end of the Tribulation, all the wrath and vexation of God will have utterly destroyed the earth as we know it. Out of that will come, then, a renewed Garden of Eden-like planet that will be made ready for the millennium, or the thousand-year reign of Christ.
Daniel 7:13-14 states that the Second Coming marks the termination of the times of the Gentiles and the beginning of the reign of God’s kingdom on earth: His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. This passage makes clear that it refers to an event not yet fulfilled that will consummate the plan of God for the ages.
The word “millennium” is not found in Scripture, however in Revelation 20 the term “thousand years” is mentioned six times. The word “millennium” is Latin, “mille meaning “one thousand” and “annum” meaning “year.” The Millennial Kingdom will be a literal thousand-year period in which Jesus Christ will physically rule and reign from Jerusalem over the entire earth, Rev. 20:4. There is absolutely no reason to think of this time period in any other term other than literal. When we read the many references to the Millennial Kingdom in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, it is clear that a literal time period is being spoken of. It is also clear that this time period has never been fulfilled in the past, showing that it is a prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled.
The Millennial Kingdom is what the Jews had expected the Messiah to set up at His first coming. They had totally missed the prophecies that showed the Messiah would first come as the sacrifice that was needed for the remission of the sins of mankind, Isa. 53; Isa. 50:6 & Acts 3:18 , and that He would return a second time as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Rev. 19:11-16, to set up His Kingdom. Because the Jews of Jesus’ day didn’t understand the two comings, they rejected Jesus as their Messiah when He didn’t set up His Kingdom at that time.
The Millennial Kingdom will be the fifth kingdom mentioned by Daniel the prophet in Dan. 2:44-45 and in Dan. 7:13-14, 22, and 27. The first four kingdoms of Dan. 2 & Dan. 7 are Gentile world powers that will rule over the earth. This time period is referred to as “the times of the Gentiles,” Luke 21:24. The first four kingdoms have been literally fulfilled in history; they were the Babylonian Empire, the Medio-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire and the Roman Empire. A careful reading of Dan. 2 and Dan. 7 shows that the Roman Empire, the forth kingdom, will be revived in the last days and will become the kingdom of the anti-christ, the little horn of Dan. 2:8 and Dan. 7:24-25. Today, the revived form of the forth kingdom is being fulfilled through the European Union; the kingdom of the anti-christ is being united and is waiting for its leader. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, who is the stone of Dan.2:34, will bring to an end the Gentile world powers and He will at that time set up the fifth kingdom, the Millennial Kingdom, which is symbolized by the mountain of Dan. 2:35. The word mountain was often used in the Old Testament to represent a kingdom.
The Millennial Kingdom is not the final heaven on earth, it will be a “Theocracy” which means “governed by God”. Jesus Christ will be recognized as the supreme civil ruler and His laws will be taken as the laws of the land. His government will be one of perfection and His rule will be so absolute and authoritative that it is likened to an “iron rule,” Rev. 19:15. The capital city of His kingdom will be Jerusalem, Zech 2:12; Zech 8:22 & Zech 14:16. During the millennium Satan will be imprisoned for the thousand years so that he will not be able to deceive and tempt the people of the world. At the close of the thousand years, Satan will be released for a short period of time in order for those who will be born during the thousand years to make their choice between God and Satan, just as all of mankind has already had to do, Rev. 20:1-3 & Rev. 20:7-10.
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” (Revelation 19:11). In other words, God never does anything out of anger or getting even. No vengeance, as such, it’s simply the result of man’s rejection of His offer of love and mercy and grace. Revelation 19—the Second Coming is going to be the final event of those seven years of wrath and vexation and will usher in the thousand years of Christ’s reign.
“His eyes (speaking of Jesus the Christ at His Second Coming, now) were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew, but he himself. 13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped (or sprinkled or splattered) in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:12-13). Which, of course, is a perfect fit with John’s Gospel chapter 1.
“And the armies who were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations:…” (Revelation 19:14-15a)
There are many different viewpoints amongst theologians regarding the question —“Is the Body of Christ going to return with Christ at His Second Coming, or will we be eternally set in the heavenlies?” “When Jesus Christ returns to earth at the completion of the Tribulation, I do not think the body of Christ will accompany Him at that time. Matthew 25:31(31 (When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory) makes it clear that only Angels will attend his second coming
And here’s the reason: “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” (Revelation 19:14).
Who are these armies in Heaven? I think (this is why I’m on the fence), could this be a reference to the Body of Christ. Not angels?
It can’t be the Old Testament Saints, because they’re not going to be resurrected until 75 days later. Here’s the dilemma. On the one hand, it appears the Body of Christ is going to be with Christ at His Second Coming, but this is unclear. Go to Romans. A lot of these things are not clear. No doubt about it. We probably won’t know until we get there, then we’re going to find out.
In Romans 8 verse 18, Paul is writing to the members of the Body of Christ.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in (or to) us. 19. For the earnest expectation of the creation (That is all the animal kingdom, the birds, and everything on creation.) is waiting for the manifestation of the children of God.” (Romans 8:18-19). Well, now go back up to verses 14, 15, and 16. And let’s establish—who are the Children of God that Paul is talking about? It’s the Body of Christ.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Because we’re His child.) 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:14-17).
“For the earnest expectation (of all) of the creation (At the end of the Tribulation and the horrors of it, what are they waiting for?) waiteth for the manifestation of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19). That’s us. Well, how else could we be manifested except to be with Him at His coming. That’s one way to look at it.
“For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope. 21. Because the creation itself shall also be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of (Whom?) the children of God.” (Romans 8:20-21). Who were the children of God? The Body of Christ. Now, I can’t separate that. But simply leave it. If you find information that refutes this interpretation, just say, “Well, that’s one way of looking at it.”
Here is another one. Back in Revelation 19—it’s not only here that I have a question, where the armies which are in Heaven are clothed in fine linen. That appears to be the Body of Christ.
And out of his (that is out of Christ’s) mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: (And remember that Hebrews tells us the Word of the Lord is a what? A two-edged sword. So we’re not talking about a metal sword here. We’re talking about the spoken Word that will come from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Coming.) and he shall rule them (future—in the coming 1,000 years) with a rod of iron:…” (Revelation 19:15a). And referring back to the final days of the Tribulation, He will use the 100 pound hailstones to crush those millions and millions of people gathered in the valleys of Israel.
“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16). There’s His full title. And He’s going to set up His Kingdom
These things that Daniel had written prophetically were not understood until the late 1800’s. For eighteen hundred years Christendom had absolutely no concept of end time prophecy. And God didn’t intend it to be. But as we approach the end times, more and more becomes evident.
For the believers there will be two resurrections. The resurrection of the Body of Christ at the Rapture, and the resurrection of all the rest of the believers before we come into the Kingdom event when the Old Testament saints will come back 75 days after Christ returns. But now at the end of everything, at the end of the 6,000 years or whatever else goes on after that. At the end of everything, the Great White Throne is set up and here come all the lost of the ages. They’ll be in bodies, because they are resurrected.
Resurrection simply means a person who has died and has been supernaturally brought back to life. Not like Lazarus. Lazarus wasn’t resurrected. He was simply brought back to life. The widow’s son was brought back to life. But resurrection is when, by God’s supernatural power, a person who has lived and died and gone back to the dust of the earth is called out with a resurrection body. And that’s what we have here. They’re going to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ bodily. With a body not fit for eternal bliss, but a body fit for the Lake of Fire. And if they weren’t in the Book of Life, God would show it to them, proof positive. You’ve never entered into eternal life. You’ve never exercised faith. And then He judges their punishment in the Lake of Fire, where there will be degrees. Absolutely there will be. He gives out the punishment according to the works that were registered in the books. Every human being that has ever lived is going to have his moment of time, although it’s in eternity, before the Lord Jesus Christ.
They’re resurrected out of wherever the lost have been in the interval of time, and then bodily they are cast into the Lake of Fire—the second death. The first death, of course, is physical death. The second death is spiritual death.
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15). And Jesus Himself over and over used what kind of terminology? Forever and ever and ever and ever. It is without end.
In Revelation 21 all of a sudden, we’re into eternity. And it’s a whole new ballgame, once again. Verse 1:
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2. And I, John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:1-2).
Not right away but after two thousand years of human history, the Nation of Israel appears. And from the onset of Israel, they are God’s what kind of people? Earthly! And all that God dealt with was the Nation of Israel, until He sent the Apostle Paul to the Gentile world with another whole new program and called them the Body of Christ. But what kind of people were they? Heavenly!
Is God addressing His earthly people Israel? Or is He dealing with the heavenly people, the body of Christ? Now Revelation 21 just told us that everything is going to be made new just like it was in Genesis, a new heaven and a new earth.
Peter here is referring to what we’re seeing in Revelation 21. II Peter chapter 3 and go all the way to verse 4, so we get the flow of Scripture. And remember, Peter is writing to Jews. This is not an ecumenical book at all. This is Peter addressing fellow Jews.
“And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” Sound familiar?(II Peter 3:4).
Well, we’re hearing the same thing today. You try to talk to people about the signs of the times and hear, “No, it’s always been this way.” No, it hasn’t! We are in a time that’s different than anything else. Granted, it’s all connected, but we are in the signs of the times. All right, now verse 5:
“For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6. Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7. But the heavens and the earth, which are now,…” (II Peter 3:5-7a). Now remember, when Peter is writing in the first century, A.D. 60-65, the world is as it is now. The oceans and everything haven’t changed.
“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, (In other words, God has not permitted anything to happen to it, but He has reserved it for His own purposes, remember, which is--) reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years,…”(II Peter 3:7-8a).
God is eternal. He is not constrained by time. A thousand years is no different to God than a day. A second is no different than a hundred years. He’s eternal. He’s timeless. All right, verse 9:
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9). Now remember, Peter is dealing with his fellow Jews.
Why will God destroy everything?
Revelation chapters 21-22 gives us a detailed picture of the new heavens and the new earth. After the events of the end times, the current heavens and earth will be done away with and replaced by the new heavens and new earth. The eternal dwelling place of believers will be the new earth. The new earth is the “heaven” on which all believers will spend eternity. It is the new earth where the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city, will be located. It is on the new earth that the pearly gates and streets of gold will be.
Heaven—the new earth—is a physical place where we will dwell with glorified physical bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-58). The heaven that believers will experience will be a new and perfect planet on which we will dwell. The new earth will be free from sin, evil, sickness, suffering, and death. It will likely be similar to our current earth, or perhaps even a re-creation of our current earth, but without the curse of sin.
When Revelation 21:1 refers to the new heavens, it is likely indicating that the entire universe will be created—a new earth, new skies, a new outer space. It seems as if God's heaven will be recreated as well, to give everything in the universe a “fresh start,” whether physical or spiritual. Will we have access to the new heavens in eternity? Possibly, but we will have to wait to find out. May we all allow God’s Word to shape our understanding of heaven.
God has to destroy everything if you consider that it was Satan who has defiled everything. Did Satan defile Heaven? Yes. Satan’s had access to Heaven. His filthy presence has polluted everything that he’s ever touched. God is just going to have to show that, yes, Satan diluted and polluted everything in His creation. And He’s going to make it all brand new. Everything is going to be brand new for eternity.
“Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Peter 3:12a).
In Revelation 21, John is saying the same thing. And along with this new heaven and new earth, is the Holy City. The New Jerusalem, which has also been called the City of God, the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the Celestial City, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth. It is referred to in the Bible in several places (Isaiah 52:1, Galatians 4:26, Hebrews 11:10, 12:22-24, and 13:14), but it is most fully described in the 21st chapter of the book of Revelation.
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”(Revelation 21:2).
It’s a three dimensional city 1500 miles by 1500 miles by 1500 miles. A city 1500 miles wide and long, would never sit on this present earth. Half of it would be out over the Atlantic Ocean. So in order to have a planet big enough to hold a city 1500 miles square, it would have to be larger than the planet Jupiter. It’s going to be humongous, but whatever. It’s going to be a city 1500 by 1500 by 1500.
John is writing to the Nation of Israel. There’s not one Gentile word in here. “And I head a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 21:3). Who did God say that to way back in Jeremiah? Israel. Go back to Jeremiah 31. This is the new covenant, and it’s going to carry Israel right into the eternal state.
“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33). You see how Scripture identifies itself with Scripture? John is saying the same thing in chapter 21. That God, dealing with His people Israel, will be their God and they shall be His people.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, (I’m the A and the Z.) the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” (Revelation 21:4-7)
Now there’s that word “overcometh.”’ Where else do we see it? In the seven letters to those seven assemblies in the first three chapters of Revelation. Those weren’t Gentile churches. Those were Jewish Synagogues. Same language. Look how Jewish this all is.
“And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names were written thereon, which are the names of the (Body of Christ? No. Who?) the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:” (Revelation 21:12).
“On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:13-14). They were the apostles only to Israel . So, this is all Jewish. You can’t put Gentile language in there!
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month:…” (Revelation 22:1). This is primarily the promises made to Israel. All of these things are first and foremost God’s promises to His covenant people Israel.
“Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, (that’s Old Testament) and of them who keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 10. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” (Revelation 22:9). Then the Lord Jesus Himself says, in verse 12:
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12). When the lost will come before the Great White Throne. The saved of the ages, of course, will be in a different judgment.
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,…” (Revelation 22:13-14a). Now the Tree of Life disappeared back there in Genesis and has been off the scene until we get to the last chapter of the Book. Then it’s back in view. The tree of life is still alive and well, thank you.
To summarize as best I can. After the rapture, and the Body of Christ(the church) is in Heaven, God will restore Israel as the primary focus of His plan. The first event (on earth)at this time is the tribulation (Revelation chapters 6-19). The world will be judged for rejecting Christ, while Israel is prepared through the trials of the great tribulation waiting for the second coming of the Messiah. Then, when Christ does return to the earth, at the end of the tribulation, Israel will be ready to receive Him. The remnant of Israel which survives the tribulation will be saved, and the Lord will establish His kingdom on this earth with Jerusalem as its capital. With Christ reigning as King, Israel will be the leading nation, and representatives from all nations will come to Jerusalem to honor and worship the King—Jesus Christ. Then will come the judgment of unbelievers at the White Throne, and Satan and his minions will receive God’s perfect justice. At a time known only to God, the church(the Body of Christ) will return to the new heaven on earth and will reign with Christ as His joint-heirs forever and ever.
THE HOLY CITY OF NEW JERUSALEM
(HEAVEN ON THE NEW EARTH)
One of God’s most wonderful promises to those who love Him is the creation of the New Jerusalem, a place of unimaginable beauty and perfection. In fact, Jesus promised to go ahead of His followers and prepare a place for them in the New Jerusalem, and the Old Testament heroes who exhibited unwavering faith in the Word of God had their eyes trained on this future city, a place where justice would reign and righteousness would endure for all of eternity.
In the New Jerusalem all will be holy. Holiness is the nature of God. Love reveals God’s heart, righteousness is God’s way, and holiness is God’s nature. Only God Himself is holy, for only God is separated and uniquely different from everything else. The New Jerusalem is a city that is absolutely saturated and mingled with God; therefore, it is absolutely holy. It is entirely different from all other things. Whenever we experience the mingling of God as with the indwelling Holy Spirit today, there is a real holiness. In everything we do, if we have that Holy Spirit being mingled with us, we experience holiness in that thing. Holiness signifies a separation from common things. The more we are mingled with God in Christ, the more we will be holy. We will be different and separated from all things common. To be holy means to have something of God mingled with us. Holiness is not a matter of action but a matter of nature. ;As believers it is not a matter of what we do but of how much we have been mingled with God, and we will have a new nature. When we are resurrected we will be like God, and this means that we may partake of His nature by being mingled with Him. The New Jerusalem is absolutely and thoroughly mingled with God; therefore, it is the holy city, and we will be a part of it both physically and spiritually.
The New Jerusalem, which has also been called the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the City of God, the Celestial City, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth. It is referred to in the Bible in several places (Isaiah 52:1, Galatians 4:26, Hebrews 11:10, 12:22-24, and 13:14), but it is most fully described in the 21st chapter of the book of Revelation.
By the time we reach the 21st chapter of Revelation, the recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages have come and gone. Christ has taken His church home (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). The Tribulation and the Great Tribulation of the book of Revelation have passed. The battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:17-21). Satan has been chained for the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth; he was released and deceived the nations once again, causing them to rise up in rebellion against God once more, but God has defeated Satan again and Satan has received his just punishment, an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1-10.) The Great White Throne Judgment has taken place, and mankind has been judged (Revelation 20:11-15).
Now in Revelation 21 the new heaven and the new earth are created, God the Father then brings heaven to earth in the New Jerusalem where He dwells with His own for eternity. Only God’s children will be with Him in the New Jerusalem (John 1:12). In Ecclesiastes Solomon tells us of the futility of our pursuits in this life. Verse 3:11 tells us that since we were made for eternity nothing in time will fully and permanently satisfy us. Augustine wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and we are restless until we find our rest in you.”
The New Jerusalem is where believers in Christ will spend eternity. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is heaven, paradise, God’s goodness made fully manifest.
God will create the city called New Jerusalem; as it is written, "whose builder and maker is God."
It is called the bride, the Lamb’s wife, the holy city, the holy Jerusalem, the heavenly Jerusalem, My Father’s house, the city of the living God, and a rejoicing.
This great city is presented as a bride adorned for her husband. It is spotless and magnificent.
At some point after the Millennium, this city will come down from God out of heaven. Apparently, it will be shortly after the heavens and the earth have passed away.
It appears to be positioned somehow above the new earth; it is a heavenly city.
The glory of God is there. The glory and honor of the kings and nations of the new earth is there.
Abraham looked for this city. The saints also desire this better country, which is a heavenly one. It is a place prepared "for you."
God the Father will be there. Jesus will be there. Abraham will be there. It is a city prepared for those that died in faith. There are an innumerable company of angels. The twelve apostles will be there and the twelve tribes of Israel. God’s servants will be there. Within the city are many mansions, including places for the saints. Her people are a joy.
The kings of the earth may enter and those in the Lamb’s book of life. They also that do God’s commandments may have the right to enter in.
God’s servants shall serve Him, they shall see His face. His name shall be in their foreheads. They shall reign for ever and ever.
There will be no more curse or night; there will be no more tears, or death, or sorrow, or crying, and no more pain.
There is no temple. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. There is a throne for God and the Lamb.
New Jerusalem has no need of the sun, moon, or candle to shine in it. Its light is like a jasper stone, clear as crystal and most precious. The glory of God lightens it—the Lamb is its light.
It is an enormous city and appears to be shaped like a cube. It is approximately 1500 miles long, 1500 miles wide, and 1500 miles high. Such a city, if it has levels, could house billions of people.
It is of pure gold, but the gold is clear like glass. It has a great and high wall that appears to be built of jasper or diamond. It has foundations; in them are the names of the apostles of the Lamb. The foundations are garnished with precious stones.
The city of New Jerusalem has twelve gates that shall never be shut (three gates for each of the four directions: east, north, south, and west). Each gate has an angel and a name written, the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
It has a street of pure gold, but the gold is like transparent glass.
It has a river of pure water, which is the water of life. It is clear like crystal and proceeds out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
There is a tree of life, located in the midst of the street and on either side of the river. The tree bears twelve kinds of fruit. The fruit comes forth every month. The tree also has leaves that are for healing. All that do God’s commandments may have the right to the tree of life.
New Jerusalem is called the mother of us all. She represents the new covenant and freedom.
The tabernacle of God will be with men. They shall be His people, and He will be their God.
HEAVEN
Does Heaven differ from The New Jerusalem?
In Revelation 21:2 it says that the holy city, New Jerusalem is coming down out of heaven. This verse seems to imply Heaven and the New Jerusalem are not necessarily synonymous. However, as stated earlier God had to destroy everything if you consider that it was Satan who has defiled everything. Did Satan defile Heaven? Yes. Satan’s had access to Heaven. His filthy presence has polluted everything that he’s ever touched. God is just going to have to show that, yes, Satan diluted and polluted everything in His creation. And He’s going to make it all brand new. Everything is going to be brand new for eternity.
“Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire
shall be dissolved, Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Peter 3:12a). It seems as if God's heaven will be recreated as well, to give everything in the universe a “fresh start,” whether physical or spiritual. We may have to wait to find out. May we all allow God’s Word to shape our understanding of heaven.
Heaven is a real place described in the Bible. The word “heaven” is found 276 times in the New Testament alone. Scripture refers to three heavens. The apostle Paul was “caught up to the third heaven,” but he was prohibited from revealing what he experienced there (2 Corinthians 12:1-9).
If a third heaven exists, there must also be two other heavens. The first is most frequently referred to in the Old Testament as the “sky” or the “firmament.” This is the heaven that contains clouds, the area that birds fly through. The second heaven is the abode of the stars, planets, and other celestial objects (Genesis 1:14-18).
The third heaven, to be recreated anew, the location of which we believe to be on the newly created earth, will be the dwelling place of God. Jesus promised to prepare a place for true Christians in heaven (John 14:2). Heaven is also the destination of Old Testament saints who died trusting God's promise of the Redeemer (Ephesians 4:8).
The apostle John was privileged to see and report on the heavenly city (Revelation 21:10-27). John witnessed that heaven (the new earth) possesses the “glory of God” (Revelation 21:11), the very presence of God. Because heaven has no night and the Lord Himself is the light, the sun and moon are no longer needed (Revelation 22:5).
The heavenly city of God on the new earth is filled with the brilliance of costly stones and crystal clear jasper. The new heavenly city has twelve gates (Revelation 21:12) and twelve foundations (Revelation 21:14). The paradise of the Garden of Eden is restored: the river of the water of life flows freely and the tree of life is available once again, yielding fruit monthly with leaves that “heal the nations” (Revelation 22:1-2). However eloquent John was in his description of the new heaven, the reality of heaven is beyond the ability of finite man to describe (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Heaven is a place of “no mores.” There will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more sorrow (Revelation 21:4). There will be no more separation, because death will be conquered (Revelation 20:6). The best thing about heaven is the presence of our Lord and Savior (1 John 3:2). We will be face to face with the Lamb of God who loved us and sacrificed Himself so that we can enjoy His presence in heaven for eternity.
The Apostle Paul’s Encounter With Heaven
The following account of Paul’s vision of heaven provides us with the major revelation in Scripture of what believers can expect after they are called into heaven.
While in the early years of his ministry, Paul was in the city of Lystra...unbelieving Jews from Pisidian Antioch arrived and turned the crowds against the apostles. The people of Lystra stoned Paul until they believed he was dead and dragged his body out of the city where they left him for dead. As the disciples (those who had come to faith through Paul's preaching) stood around Paul's body, miraculously he got up and returned to the city, the very city where he had been stoned!
During this period of unconsciousness before his resuscitation, the Apostle Paul had a very vivid and life-changing experience, which he kept secret for most of his life until he was prompted to write to a group of his followers in Corinth.
“It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory . I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell ; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell : God knoweth ;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell : God knoweth ;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter . 5 Of such an one will I glory : yet of myself I will not glory , but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory , I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear , lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure . 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak , then am I strong.” (II Corinthians 12:1-10) (KJV)
Go back to the time that he is referring to in Acts 14. This was on Paul's first missionary journey. But he's gone up into central Turkey on that first missionary journey, and at the little city of Lystra he had performed a miracle. You would have thought that would have settled everything but rather it got everyone in an uproar because they thought he was a god. But it turned on him and when they suddenly realized that he wasn't a god, they came violently against him. And the Jews were leading the mob.
"And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, (these were cities close together) who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, (according the Jewish system of execution) drew (probably use a rope to drag) him out of the city, (of Lystra) supposing he had been dead." (Acts 14:19).
Remember the ancients weren't that stupid. They had a good idea when life was still in the body, so for all practical purposes Paul died as a result of this stoning.
"Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, (people who were stoned. Their corpse was so crushed and mutilated and yet this is miraculous. We don't know how many hours he laid there with his fellow believers in a dither of what to do.) he rose up, and came into the city: (I think if I'd been him I would have headed in the other direction,) and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe." (Acts 14:20).
Now go back to II Corinthians. I tie this with the stoning in Lystra because, chronologically, it fits. It was probably about 45 or 46 AD when Paul was on that first missionary journey, and we know that he wrote II Corinthians in about 60 AD So chronologically it fits. It was at this time that he experienced this tremendous opportunity to see the glories of Heaven, Paradise.
"...(whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell; God knoweth,) ( It's obvious he was out of the body. The body was the one laying outside of Lystra having been stoned. So the soul and spirit took flight.) God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven." (II Corinthians 12:2b)
The first heaven is what we would call the air or atmosphere - the area where the birds fly, so we know what the Scripture is talking about. The second area is what we now call space or the area of the stars and so forth. The third one is Heaven as we know it. It the very abode of God.
"And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven;..." (Genesis 7:23a).
So it was already referred to in Genesis that the atmosphere is part of what the Bible calls the first heaven.
I know a man in Christ (A true born again believer) above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven." (II Corinthians 12:2).
The second heaven is the area of the stars..
"And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars even all the host of heaven,..." (Deuteronomy 4:19a).
That's not the Heaven that we normally think of as the abode of God, but rather the second heaven. It's not the area where the birds fly, and it's certainly not the abode of God. In II Corinthians Paul will delineate the third Heaven as being Paradise.
"And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful (or permitted) for a man to utter..."(or repeat) (II Corinthians 12:3,4a).
In the Old Testament a believer could not go up into the presence of God when he died, but rather he went down into Paradise.
Here Jesus is speaking.
"But he answered and said unto them, `An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas; 40. For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.'" (Matthew 12:39,40).
So the moment Jesus died He went down, not up. So everything concerning Paradise in the Old Testament economy until after Christ's resurrection was down to this area in the center of the earth.
All of this helps us understand what Paul now teaches with regard to Paradise compared to what it was in the Old Testament and during Christ's earthly ministry.
"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores. 21. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23. And in hell..." (Luke 16:19-23a).
Hell in the Old Testament in the Hebrew word was 'Sheol,' in the Greek it was Hades, in English it's hell. They all mean the same thing. All three of these words ware simply the abode of those who had departed this life. Jesus did go down into the Paradise side of hell.
"And in hell he (the rich man) lift up his eyes, being in torment, (he was an unbeliever) and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (two believers) 24. And he cried and said, `Father Abraham, (the rich man must have been a Jew to say that) have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame.' 25. But Abraham (he, too, is in hell, but not in the torment side but rather the Paradise side.) said, `Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.' 27. Then he said, `I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28. For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29. Abraham saith unto him, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30. And he said, `Nay father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.' 31. And he said unto him, `If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.'" (Luke 16:23-31).
So remember in hell at that time one side was torment and the other side was Paradise. Now go to Ephesians 4 to see what happened. Also, recall this statement by Jesus on the cross:
"And he said unto Jesus, `Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.' 43. And Jesus said unto him, `Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:42,43).
In Paradise that day they went down and joined the saints that were waiting for this great work of atonement. Now since the atoning Blood had been shed and Christ has spent these three days and nights in Paradise, now look what Paul says happened.
"Wherefore he saith, `When he ascended up on high, [that is after His resurrection] he led captivity captive, [Who’s been in captivity? Those believing Old Testament saints. They were held in the Paradise side of hell waiting for the atoning Blood. which had now been shed.] and gave gifts unto men. 9. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?) 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things." (Ephesians 4:8-10).
This all fits with Jesus' account in Matthew Chapter 12. And here Paul puts the capstone on it that before Jesus ascended to glory, He descended into Paradise and took those who were captive with Him.
Now go to II Corinthians 12. So when Paul says that when he went up to Paradise, you see this is confirmation of the fact that Paradise is no longer down in the center of the earth, but now it's in glory.
"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." (II Corinthians 5:8).
Now if he's going to be present with the Lord, where is he hoping to go? Paradise! Because Paradise is now in Heaven as we understand Heaven. Now go to Chapter 12. Paul has now gotten a glimpse of Heaven as we normally think of Heaven. With all of its beauty, and no doubt with music. Evidently, Paul had full exposure to all this. He saw the glories, he heard the magnificent things as we see in verse 4.
"How that he was caught up into paradise, (into the third Heaven) and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." (II Corinthians 12:4).
In other words God said, "All right Paul I'm letting you see and hear, but you can't repeat it, you have to keep it to yourself."
"Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; (Paul is remembering what God had instructed) for I say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be or that he heareth of me." (II Corinthians 12:5,6)
Here Paul is saying if God had permitted him to repeat what he had seen and heard, what would the human race have done with the apostle Paul? They would have worshipped him. The apostle Paul was just as human as you and I. Never does Paul expect worship from any of his converts. He's not God. Well if Paul could have rehearsed with any of his people, or even to the Roman world in general, of what he had seen and heard they would have fallen down and worshipped him, so God wouldn't permit that. So He put the stigma on Paul that he couldn't repeat what he had seen and heard.
So we see that throughout the remainder of Paul’s life when this man was going through intense suffering, from whippings he was constantly sustained by what he had seen and heard in glory. In addition to that there were many times the Lord Jesus appeared unto him like he did at Corinth, when the Lord said unto him, "Don't give up Paul, I have a great number of people in this place." And the time they were about to be shipwrecked on that trip to Rome and a lot of the prisoners were about to be put to death for fear they would escape. That's when Paul just brought everything under control and said, "Look, God has appeared to me and not a life is going to be lost." So the Lord Jesus communicated with him often. Paul had these things of the supernatural to compensate for all his trials and all of his sufferings. So when he would come through these beatings he could just remind himself, "But just look what I've got coming."
The book of Romans was probably written about 10 years after Paul got a glimpse of glory. So it is easy to see how he could write with full understanding after being inspired by the Holy Spirit.
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time (see how plain that is now?) are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18).
This should be a lesson to all of us. Even though we may not share many of the world's pleasures, and we may not enjoy some of the things that the world thinks are enjoyable, is it worth it? Well you better believe it. Because no matter what we suffer even if we suffered to the extent that the apostle Paul suffered, we would still be able to say, "Oh but it's worth it because of the glory that is waiting for us." And it's not just going to be seventy years to compensate for seventy years down here, but rather it's forever.
There is another verse of scripture that we can use for this in I Corinthians 2. And again, remember this was written long after this tremendous experience.
"But as it is written, `Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.'" (I Corinthians 2:9).
What a promise, and God can't lie. So we can rest on it that the day is coming when we are going to experience things like what Paul had the privilege to see.
Our Citizenship is in Heaven
Forty days after the resurrection our Savior was taken, in His glorified body, up into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of God. He will remain in heaven until such time the Tribulation event is complete, after which He will return to earth to establish His Kingdom. The benefits of our Lord's ascending up into heaven forty days after His resurrection are many. He is in heaven now, says the Bible (I John 2), as our advocate with the Father. He intercedes for us as a merciful and compassionate High Priest. Still more, in heaven He rules over all things for the church. He subjects everything to Himself. He rules to serve the purpose of God and to bring about the eternal kingdom of our God. And still more, Jesus Christ is in heaven as the pledge that we, too, must go to be with Him. Because He is in heaven, all those who belong to Him shall also be with Him.
But there is also this profound benefit of the ascension of Jesus, namely, that it shows that our citizenship has changed. If you are a believer and in the Body of Christ, your citizenship is already in heaven. The apostle Paul, in Philippians 3:20.21, puts it this way: "For our conversation (or citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." By the ascension of Jesus Christ we are now translated from this world of darkness into the kingdom of His Son. We are given a heavenly citizenship. Belonging to Jesus Christ who is ascended into heaven, we are now given the title for glory. The life of heaven is now in our heart. Not only shall I become a citizen of heaven at death - no, I am one right now. I am made a pilgrim and a stranger here on earth. I hold a spiritual citizenship not in this world but in that which is to come. Why? Because Christ, the Head of the church, the Head of the body, ascended into heaven. And being united to Jesus Christ by grace through faith means that we too have entered into heaven. Therefore we have, in Him, secured a heavenly citizenship. That is why the present world cannot be our permanent home.
The wonder is that our citizenship now is in heaven. Heaven is eternal. Heaven is the dwelling place of God. Heaven is wrapped in light and peace and joy and perfection. It is a land that is glorious and fair. And each part of that land is glorious because it reflects the glory of God. It consists in perfect fellowship with God. It is rich beyond compare in love and mercy and grace. Its language is golden, its laws proceed from God's throne and are true and righteous altogether. There is no evil, no lying, no death, no weariness, no toil or pain, no tears. There is Jesus Christ and all of the saints. And it will never pass away. But it goes on from glory to glory. It is fixed and eternal. Our citizenship is in heaven. Its life is now ours. We hold the title to it. We have been given an inheritance, a mansion in glory. We belong to the state of heaven, where all our sorrows and sighings and all our sins will be forever gone. And we will enjoy fellowship with God.
How is it possible to be a citizen of heaven? The answer is: the ascension of Jesus Christ. You see, the Bible would have us understand that believers are always in union with Jesus Christ in the most intimate sense. By the wonderful love of God we are placed in Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ we are nothing. We have nothing. We can do nothing. We are naked and helpless and exposed. But God has placed us in Jesus Christ as a joint-heir so that all that is Christ's is also ours. He is in heaven. He ascended into heaven. He has the perfect right to be there. We also have the right of heaven.
The Glory of Heaven
Every believer in Jesus, who has been made righteous through Him, is given the greatest possible reward ... that of eternal life and the bliss of forever being in the presence of the Lord. Jesus said to His disciples,
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3).
Jesus claimed: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25-26).
The gracious gift of eternal life is a present reality, as well as a future promise (John 3:36; 1 Timothy 4:8). What a joyous existence that will be! It will be a life of joyous and active service and worship to God.
When Jesus taught His Jewish listeners, He did not have to tell them that there was an after-life... they already believed in that, but He did correct them when they were mistaken about the nature of the heavenly existence, thinking that a man would have a wife there which implies a sexual relationship. Jesus corrected them by saying that there would be no marrying in heaven, for the resurrected body would not be as our body is now, which is a body suited to earth and having natural desires; no, the resurrected body will be a body suited to heaven. There will be no sexuality in heaven, but rather, as Jesus said, we will be like the angels (Matthew 22:29-32). Heaven will not be a place of sensual or physical rewards. Our heavenly desire will be for God alone and to serve and worship Him, not to serve our own appetites or pleasures, for that would be unthinkable in heaven!
Scripture teaches that the believer in Jesus, after he or she dies, will be resurrected to life - a new life in the spiritual realm. It will not only be endless life, but it will be life in all its fullness (Matthew 25:46). We will have new interests and activities. Our joy will be complete, since the reason for our creation and existence will be fully realized and we will be restored to the closeness with God that Adam enjoyed in the garden before the Fall, when sin entered the world.
Heaven is described in Scripture by various names:
Paradise, or literally, "a garden" which conveys the idea of a place of great beauty (Revelation 2:7; 2 Corinthians 12:2-4).Jesus told the repentant and believing thief who was on the cross beside Him that he would be with Him in Paradise (Luke 23:43).
Jesus described heaven as His "Father’s House" with many mansions which conveys the thoughts of rest, safety, and a home. (John 14:2)
A Heavenly country conveys the thoughts of a homeland, a place of citizenship for those in the Kingdom of God (Hebrews 11:13-16; Philippians 3:20-21).
A "City" means that heaven is an organized society with much activity (Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 21:2).
What are the blessings of heaven?
The greatest blessings is continual Fellowship with Jesus Christ (John 14:3; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 8; Philippians 1:23; Revelation 21:3; 22:4), and we shall see His face, for as Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). The Redeemed will see God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In heaven there will be Fullness of knowledge - the most important knowledge being the knowledge of God (1 Corinthians 13:12). Another blessing of heaven will be Rest and ultimate peace. There will be no sin, curse, pain, nor sorrow (Revelation 14:13; 21:4) A fourth blessings of heaven is Service to God (Revelation 7:15; 22:3). Another blessings is Joy. There will be no tears (Revelation 21:4). Also, Permanence and stability, for the happiness of heaven will last forever.
We will be blessed in heaven with Social interaction since we will be in the company of angels and gathered together with others who have been redeemed (Hebrews 12:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:17). Yet another blessing of heaven is Light and beauty - the light, which is unceasing, is like none other we have seen before. The beauty of heaven is hard for our limited minds to comprehend for nothing on earth can compare to it (Revelation 21:23; 22:5).
Just as the idea of an after-life is a part of man’s conscience, so too is the notion of a divine judgment. God is the Judge of all, and He performs this work through Jesus Christ to whom He has given all judgment (John 5:22-23; Hebrews 12:23). Scripture teaches that there will be several judgments, and one is the judgment of the righteous that will take place when Jesus Christ returns (Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12) . Here the Lord will judge the works of the believers and bestow rewards (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 4:5). It will not be a judgment for sin, since the Lord atoned for our sins upon the Cross and removed them (Romans 8:1). We know from Scripture that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but death cannot keep us, for although our bodies will die, yet will we live forever. Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).
In several of Jesus’ parables, He taught about this judgment, such as in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), and the ten minas or pounds (Luke 19:11-27), and the parable of the Laborers (Matthew 20:1-16). Every believer will be called to give an account of the use he or she has made of their talents, money, responsibilities, and the opportunities that God has entrusted to them. The works that are tried by fire and remain will be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:13-14).
The Apostle Paul states that salvation is a gift of God given by His grace, "not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:9-10). In other words, God has given us opportunities to do as Jesus said, "lay up for yourself treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:20).
What will lead to a heavenly reward?
Leading others to know the Lord is the most important thing we can do as believers - and this will be rewarded (Daniel 12:3; Proverbs 11:30; 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; James 5:20). Jesus made it clear that labor in His harvest field will reap a reward (John 4:36).
Being a faithful steward of all God has entrusted to us, like Jesus’ parables taught (Matthew 20:1ff; 25:14ff; Luke 19:11ff; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Galatians 6:7-10). A reward is given for doing good to all men, especially to fellow believers who are in need (Galatians 6:10; 2 Peter 1:7). Jesus taught that hospitality is rewarded (Matthew 10:40-41), so is caring for the sick, the poor and the persecuted (Matthew 25:34-40). Even giving a cup of cold water to one who is in need will be rewarded (Matthew 10:42). Doing good includes having Christ-like virtues which include brotherly-kindness and love - all which ensure that "An entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11). God will reward the labor of love (Hebrews 6:10; 1 Corinthians 15:58). Believers will be rewarded for enduring suffering and remaining true to the Lord Jesus in an evil world. (Matthew 5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23; 2 Timothy 2:12; James 1:12). Believers will be rewarded for Self-sacrifice. Jesus said that everyone who has sacrificed "for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life" (Matthew19:29).
The nature of the reward is represented by the figure of the crown; an "incorruptible or imperishable crown" as Paul describes it (1 Corinthians 9:25). Souls won to the Lord are our "crown of rejoicing" (1 Thessalonians 2:19). In other Scripture the reward is called a "crown of righteousness" (2 Timothy 4:8), "the crown of life" (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10), and the "crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:4). In some way this crown is a mark of distinction that shows the Lords pleasure bestowed upon the one to whom it was given.
Let us read of a final reward that Jesus spoke of: "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne" (Revelation 3:21
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In the parable of the unrighteous steward, Christ refers to heaven as "the eternal dwellings" or as one version translates it "the everlasting habitations" (Luke 16:9). This tells us that heaven is a place, not a dream or an illusion. It is a place where glorified saints and angelic beings live together with God. We are told that God "has prepared a city for them" and we are given a preview of the glory of this city in the book of Revelation: "Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, or a stone of crystal-clear jasper...the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone...And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass...the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb" (Revelation 21:11, 18, 19, 21, 23). It is also a place that remains forever. It is called "eternal" or "everlasting" and of its inhabitants it is said, "neither can they die anymore, for they are like the angels, and are sons of God" (Luke 20:36). Those who go to heaven live in that glorious city for all eternity.
When Christ was dying on the cross the penitent thief next to Him made a request of the Lord: "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" Christ responded to him: "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:42, 43). Heaven is called Paradise. Men often refer to an exotic, tropical island as "paradise," yet this paradise will make all earthly paradises look meager and barren.
In Luke 16 heaven is also called Abraham's bosom. "Dives saw Lazarus in Abraham's bosom. And it is so called, because as the bosom is the receipt of love, and the friend of your bosom is your dearest friend, so in glory they are said to be in Abraham's bosom to show that God will love and shelter His elect, as a friend will do to this dearest friend, the friend of his bosom." This is Paradise indeed!
Heaven is called "the joy of your master." The servant who acted wisely with his master's talents is welcomed into the kingdom of God with these words: "Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:23). Psalm 16:11 tells us: "In Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever."
These expressions have given us a view of heaven which is like looking through a colored glass at a far distant kingdom which we cannot see clearly. Those in heaven will be free from sin. In heaven we will know what the eternal blessedness of the soul consists.
The occupants of heaven shall be freed from sin itself, from the causes of sin, and from the consequences of sin. First, those who enter glory to live forever with God in heaven shall be free from sin itself. Sin is the cause of all the misery in the world. Sin is the reason we experience pain, sorrow, sickness, and even death. Paul mourns over sin and expresses in strongest language his desire to be rid of it: "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24). The true child of God longs to be where he will sin no more: a place where he will never commit another sin; a place where he will never even have another sinful thought. Sin is the greatest enemy of the one who loves holiness. Here sin makes war upon you as the flesh lusts against the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). Heaven is the place where sin will be no more. This is pictured beautifully in Revelation 21:3-4: "And God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Why are there tears? Why is there death? Why do men mourn, cry, and feel pain? It is all because of sin. Sin brings all of those evils upon man. In heaven men shall be free from sin.
In heaven men shall be free from the causes of sin. There are three primary causes of sin: your sinful nature, the temptations of the devil, and the lure of the world. Your sinful nature is the source of the sins which you commit. If the devil were chained up and not allowed to touch or tempt you, you would continue to sin because of the principle of sin which indwells you: "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh" (Romans 7:18). In heaven your vile body shall be made like unto His glorious body and you cannot sin.
In heaven you will be free from the temptations of the devil. Here men are assaulted daily by the enemy of their souls. Here "your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (I Peter 5:8). On earth the devil seeks to sift you as wheat as he sought to do to Peter. Soon the devil shall be thrown into the lake of fire and be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10). Soon, if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, "the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet" (Romans 16:20). In heaven there shall be no more devil to tempt saints to sin anymore. In heaven men shall be free from the lusts of the world. These are described by John as "the lusts of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life" (I John 2:16). Here the world system seeks to press you into it's mold. Christians are constantly being bombarded by the ungodly influences of lust, greed, pride, etc. These ungodly influences working hand-in-hand with your corrupt nature bring much grief to your soul. In heaven the godly shall be free of the evil influence of the world for they will have overcome the world for all time through the blood of Jesus Christ.
In heaven men will be free from the consequences of sin. The primary consequence of sin is eternal punishment in hell. Scripture makes it clear that a person at death goes to either heaven or hell. There is no in between state or place, no purgatory, no other option. Those who go to heaven are spared the wrath of God which falls upon those in hell. They are delivered from "the wrath to come" (I Thes-salonians 1:10). Physical death which opens the door into eternity is also one of the consequences of sin. Death came originally, as a direct penal infliction upon man because of his sin for "the sting of death is sin" (I Corinthians 15:56), "but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Death is swallowed up in victory" so that the child of God can boldly say, "Oh, death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (I Corinthians 15:54, 55, 57).
Paul said, "Now we see through a glass darkly" (I Corinthians 13:12). Certainly, the picture we now try to describe is dark indeed compared to the true glory of heaven. Who can imagine the things we now try to describe? "We shall never understand glory fully till we are in heaven.
The blessedness of the soul in glory consists of at least three things: 1) the seeing of God, 2) the perfection of graces in the believer, and 3) fulness of joy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). The saints in heaven shall see God in all His majesty. They shall behold the infinite glory of the Almighty One in as great a capacity as they are capable of. They shall not behold Him only at a distance, but "face to face" (I Corinthians 13:12). This is what the blessedness of the saints in glory chiefly consists of: the beholding of God. Revelation 22:5 describes some of the glory of seeing God: "And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them." The glory of God will swallow up the light of the sun as the brilliance of the sun now dispels the darkness of night.
The Father will not directly manifest Himself to those in heaven for we are told in the Scriptures that God is invisible: "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (I Timothy 1:17). It is said of Christ that "He is the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15). The Father will not need to manifest Himself in any other way than through the glory and majesty of the exalted Christ. The Lord told His disciples on the night before He died: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).
Seeing God in the glorified body of Christ, is the most perfect way of seeing God with the bodily eyes that can be; for in seeing a real body, which one of the Persons of the Trinity has assumed to be His body, and in which He dwells forever as his own, the divine majesty and excellency appear as much as it is possible for them to appear in outward form or shape...They shall see Him, as appearing in His glorified human nature, with their bodily eyes; and this will be a most glorious sight. The loveliness of Christ as thus appearing will be a most ravishing thing to them; for though the bodies of the saints shall appear with an exceeding beauty and glory, yet the body of Christ will without doubt immensely surpass them, as much as the brightness of the sun does that of the stars. The glorified body of Christ will be the masterpiece of all God's workmanship in the whole material universe. There shall be in his glorious countenance the manifestations of His glorious spiritual perfections, His majesty, His holiness, His surpassing grace, and love, and meekness. The eye will never be wearied with beholding this glorious sight.
Not only will they see Christ face to face, but they will walk with Him and talk with Him. Christ shall treat them as brothers and shall speak to them as His intimate friends. Just before His crucifixion, Christ told His disciples: "No longer do I call you slaves, for a slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). If Christ could say this to His disciples while they were still clothed in their sinful natures, do you think He will not admit them nearer to Him in heaven when they have been fully purged of all stain and iniquity and stand before His throne spotless clothed in His blood? Certainly he will. The Scriptures speak of God's living with and among His people in glorious terms: "Behold the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them...and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads" (Revelation 21:3; 22:4).
Those who are admitted to heaven shall enjoy the perfection of all their graces. Consider three graces particularly: 1) the grace of knowledge, 2) the grace of holiness, and 3) the grace of love.
First, the grace of knowledge shall be perfected in glory. "For now we know in part, and prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away...For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known" (I Corinthians 13:9-10, 12). Now our knowledge of divine things is shallow and indistinct. We do not perceive things clearly. We are sluggish in our understandings. Then we shall know, as Christ now knows us. The grace of knowledge shall be perfected in the godly in heaven. The godly shall understand more fully Christ as Mediator between God and men. They shall understand the mystery of the incarnation, of God becoming man. To as great a degree as possible, those in glory shall understand the mystery of the Trinity. They shall understand the plan of salvation and how divine providence worked in all the circumstances of their lives. There all the difficulties, trials, and dark providences of life shall be seen as a glorious entity which will testify to the truth that "all things work together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28). They shall understand the excellencies of Christ to as full a degree as they are capable. The knowledge of God shall be full, yet God shall not be fully known, for man can never completely comprehend the Godhead.
The grace of holiness shall be perfected in all who are received into glory. "We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him" (I John 3:2). Holiness is the transcendent beauty of God and the angels. Holiness is primary among the attributes of God. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:3) is the cry of the seraphim who constantly attend Him in glory. In heaven holiness will be perfected in the believer. Sin shall be no more. Then the words of God shall fully be brought to pass: "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (I Peter 1:16). Holiness is the fervent desire of the saint as he travels through this world of sin. There the saints shall be as the angels of God. There, as much as can be, they shall be like Christ Himself. They shall be holy.
In heaven the grace of love shall be perfected. On earth love to God is expressed in fits and spasms. Sinful flesh and self-interest dampen and hinder love to God. We cannot love God as we ought or even as we would like to. Although the spirit in the child of God desires with all that is within him to do what the Scripture says, to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5), it cannot be done perfectly here. But as he in his heart desires to do so, God accepts the desire in the believer as if the action were done perfectly. In heaven, unhindered love shall flow forth to God as none have ever experienced on earth. God shall be loved completely and fully and the saints shall love one another without carnality or selfishness being present.
Thirdly, those who are in heaven shall experience fulness of joy. "In Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand are pleasures forever" (Psalm 16:11). Fulness of joy could be described as experiencing the bountiful love of God to them as the waters of an ocean. From this glorious manifestation of God's love will flow infinite joy into the souls of the blessed; therefore heaven is called 'entering into the joy of our Lord' (Matthew 25:21). The seeing of God, loving God, and being beloved of God will cause a jubilation of spirit, and create such holy raptures of joy in the saints, that are unspeakable and full of glory. They shall see in Him all that love desires. Love desires the love of the beloved. So the saints in glory shall see God's transcendent love to them; God will make ineffable manifestations of His love to them. They shall see as much love in God towards them as they desire; they neither will nor can crave any more...When they see God so glorious, and at the same time see how greatly God loves them, what delight will it not cause in the soul! Love desires union. They shall therefore see this glorious God united to them, and see themselves united to Him. They shall see that He is their Father, and that they are His children. They shall see God gloriously present with them; God with them; and God in them; and they in God. Love desires the possession of its object. Therefore they shall see God, even their own God; when they behold this transcendent glory of God, they shall see Him as their own. The one in glory shall enjoy God as far as their capacity allows.
The Psalmist wrote of the great blessing attending the worship of God in His temple: "How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house! They are ever praising Thee...For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:4, 11). Those in heaven shall rightly say: "How blessed are those who stand in Thy very presence!" If the Lord withholds nothing on earth from those who walk uprightly, shall He then withhold any of the glory of heaven from His redeemed?
Here we enjoy God primarily through His Word, ordinances of worship, and prayer. There we shall enjoy Him "face to face." "Here you have God in expectation, but there you shall have Him in possession." There the saints in glory shall be filled with joy through the eternal enjoyment of the manifestation of God in all His attributes. It will greatly add to the joy and rejoicing of those in glory when they contemplate God's mercy shown to them in salvation and how they deserved to be among the damned, but were spared the torments of hell solely because of God's sovereign mercy given to them. Paul writes of this joy in I Thessalonians 2:19: "For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?" Other things will undoubtedly contribute to their joy, such as their being with loved ones and the saints of all the ages, the contemplating of God's providences toward them on earth, being in the heavenly city, but the greatest joy of all will come from being in His presence!
FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN
Heaven is a place of unspeakable glory where the elect of God live with one another in the immediate presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorified and heavenly body, and where they behold Him in all His glory face to face. It is a place where the curse of sin and all of its effects have been removed forever from all who dwell there; they, being made joint heirs with Christ, inherit all things and live with unmixed joy in a state of perfect happiness incapable of being described or exaggerated forever and ever.
Heaven is called by Jesus Christ "a kingdom." "Come you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). It is called "the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). This tells us that the exceeding glory of this kingdom far outweighs the glory of all earthly kingdoms combined. This is a heavenly kingdom where Christ is King. Not only that, but those who live there with the Blessed One are declared by Christ to be "priests to His God and Father" (Revelation 1:6) and proclaimed by Peter as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession" (I Peter 2:9). What kingdom is like unto this kingdom? What earthly kingdom can be compared to it? There are none.
Heaven is called "the third heaven" (II Corinthians 12:2) and "the heaven of heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14) to show its great eminency. By this it is distinguished from the sky above, the atmospheric heaven, which is also called heaven, and the starry heaven containing all the celestial orbs: the sun, the stars, the planets, and moons of the universe. Think how vast and great are the starry heavens above. The heaven of heavens is far greater still. Here we see only the objects of creation. There God's children will see, worship, and dwell with the God who created the universe and everything in it.
In the parable of the unrighteous steward, Christ refers to heaven as "the eternal dwellings" or as one version translates it "the everlasting habitations" (Luke 16:9). This tells us that heaven is a place, not a dream or an illusion. It is a place where glorified saints and angelic beings live together with God. We are told that God "has prepared a city for them" and we are given a preview of the glory of this city in the book of Revelation:
"Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, or a stone of crystal-clear jasper...the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone...And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass...the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb" (Revelation 21:11, 18, 19, 21, 23).
It is also a place that remains forever. It is called "eternal" or "everlasting" and of its inhabitants it is said, "neither can they die anymore, for they are like the angels, and are sons of God" (Luke 20:36). Those who go to heaven live in that glorious city for all eternity.
A view of heaven for us mortals is like looking through a colored glass at a far distant kingdom which we cannot see clearly.
The occupants of heaven shall be freed from sin itself, from the causes of sin, and from the consequences of sin. First, those who enter glory to live forever with God in heaven shall be free from sin itself. The true child of God longs to be where he will sin no more: a place where he will never commit another sin; a place where he will never even have another sinful thought. Sin is the greatest enemy of the one who loves holiness. Heaven is the place where sin will be no more. This is pictured beautifully in Revelation 21:3-4: "And God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." In heaven men shall be free from sin.
Second, in heaven men shall be free from the causes of sin. In heaven your vile body shall be made like unto His glorious body and you cannot sin.
In heaven you will be free from the temptations of the devil. In heaven there shall be no more devil to tempt saints to sin anymore.
In heaven men shall be free from the lusts of the world. In heaven the godly shall be free of the evil influence of the world for they will have overcome the world for all time through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Unless while still living, we are included in the rapture of the church we will experience physical death. Death then opens the door into eternity. Death came originally, as a direct penal infliction upon man because of his sin for "the sting of death is sin" (I Corinthians 15:56), "but thanks be to God, who gives us the vic-tory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Death is swallowed up in victory" so that the child of God can boldly say, "Oh, death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (I Corinthians 15:54, 55, 57).
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). The saints in heaven shall see God in all His majesty. They shall behold the infinite glory of the Almighty One in as great a capacity as they are capable of. They shall not behold Him only at a distance, but "face to face" (I Corinthians 13:12). This is what the blessedness of the saints in glory chiefly consists of: the beholding of God. Yet it is impossible that a finite man should comprehend God.
The Father will not directly manifest Himself to those in heaven for we are told in the Scriptures that God is invisible: It is said of Christ that "He is the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15). The Father will not need to manifest Himself in any other way than through the glory and majesty of the exalted Christ. "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Seeing God in the glorified body of Christ, is the most perfect way of seeing God with the bodily eyes that can be; for in seeing a real body, which one of the Persons of the Trinity has assumed to be His body, and in which He dwells forever as his own, the divine majesty and excellency appear as much as it is possible for them to appear in outward form or shape...They shall see Him, as appearing in His glorified human nature, with their bodily eyes; and this will be a most glorious sight. The loveliness of Christ as thus appearing will be a most ravishing thing to them; for though the bodies of the saints shall appear with an exceeding beauty and glory, yet the body of Christ will without doubt immensely surpass them, as much as the brightness of the sun does that of the stars. The glorified body of Christ will be the masterpiece of all God's workmanship in the whole material universe. There shall be in his glorious countenance the manifestations of His glorious spiritual perfections, His majesty, His holiness, His surpassing grace, and love, and meekness. The eye will never be wearied with beholding this glorious sight.
Not only will we see Christ face to face, but we will walk with Him and talk with Him. Christ shall treat us as brothers and shall speak to us as His intimate friends. "No longer do I call you slaves, for a slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). Christ said this to His disciples while they were still clothed in their sinful natures. Do you think He will not admit them nearer to Him in heaven when they have been fully purged of all stain and iniquity and stand before His throne spotless clothed in His blood? Certainly he will. The Scriptures speak of God's living with and among His people in glorious terms: "Behold the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them...and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads" (Revelation 21:3; 22:4).
The saints in heaven shall enjoy the perfection of all their graces. First, the grace of knowledge shall be perfected in glory. "For now we know in part, and prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away...For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known" (I Corinthians 13:9-10, 12). Now our knowledge of divine things is shallow and indistinct. We do not perceive things clearly. We are sluggish in our understandings. Then we shall know, as Christ now knows us. The grace of knowledge shall be perfected in the godly in heaven. The godly shall understand more fully Christ as Mediator between God and men. We shall understand the mystery of the incarnation, of God becoming man. To as great a degree as possible, we shall understand the mystery of the Trinity. We shall understand the plan of salvation and how divine providence worked in all the circumstances of their lives. There all the difficulties, trials, and dark providences of life shall be seen as a glorious entity which will testify to the truth that "all things work together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28). We shall understand the excellencies of Christ to as full a degree as we are capable. The knowledge of God shall be full, yet God shall not be fully known, for man can never completely comprehend the Godhead.
The grace of holiness shall be perfected in all who are received into glory. "We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him" (I John 3:2). Holiness is the transcendent beauty of God and the angels. Holiness is primary among the attributes of God. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:3) is the cry of the seraphim who constantly attend Him in glory. In heaven holiness will be perfected in the believer. Sin shall be no more. Then the words of God shall fully be brought to pass: "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (I Peter 1:16). Holiness is the fervent desire of the saint as he travels through this world of sin. There the saints shall be as the angels of God. There, as much as can be, they shall be like Christ Himself. They shall be holy.
In heaven the grace of love shall be perfected. We cannot love God as we ought or even as we would like to. Although the spirit in the child of God desires with all that is within him to do what the Scripture says, to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5), it cannot be done perfectly here. But as he in his heart desires to do so, God accepts the desire in the believer as if the action were done perfectly. In heaven, unhindered love shall flow forth to God as none have ever experienced on earth. God shall be loved completely and fully and the saints shall love one another without carnality or selfishness being present.
Fullness of joy could be described as experiencing the bountiful love of God to them as the waters of an ocean. Others, who have a far greater understanding of this than I do, have described it in this way: "From this glorious manifestation of God's love will flow infinite joy into the souls of the blessed; therefore heaven is called 'entering into the joy of our Lord' (Matthew 25:21). The seeing of God, loving God, and being beloved of God will cause a jubilation of spirit, and create such holy raptures of joy in the saints, that are unspeakable and full of glory. They shall see in Him all that love desires. Love desires the love of the beloved. So the saints in glory shall see God's transcendent love to them; God will make ineffable manifestations of His love to them. They shall see as much love in God towards them as they desire; they neither will nor can crave any more...When they see God so glorious, and at the same time see how greatly God loves them, what delight will it not cause in the soul! Love desires union. They shall therefore see this glorious God united to them, and see themselves united to Him. They shall see that He is their Father, and that they are His children. They shall see God gloriously present with them; God with them; and God in them; and they in God. Love desires the possession of its object. Therefore they shall see God, even their own God; when they behold this transcendent glory of God, they shall see Him as their own. The one in glory shall enjoy God as far as their capacity allows.
Those in heaven shall rightly say: "How blessed are those who stand in Thy very presence!" If the Lord withholds nothing on earth from those who walk uprightly, shall He then withhold any of the glory of heaven from His redeemed? Those who are in heaven shall experience fullness of joy. "In Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand are pleasures forever" (Psalm 16:11).
The greatest joy of all will come from being in His presence!
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Eternity Future
Eschatology-The End-Time Scenario
In chapter 8 we learn the resurrected Jesus Christ is presently seated in heaven readying to bring his end-time plan to fruition. As believing Christians, we are familiar with "God's plan,” simply because God ordained it. We know this because he has given man the intellect and the means to understand their role as key participants in that plan. We know the gist of "God's plan" by searching the Scriptures. Because God made you for a reason, he also decided when you would be born and how long you would live on earth. He planned the days of your life in advance, choosing the exact time of your birth and death. God knows the beginning from the end of everything. The Bible says, "You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!" (Psalm 139:16) This verse takes us right back to the old saw concerning the freewill of man vs. the sovereignty of God. Only an omniscient God knows the implication of such a conundrum. God determined from eternity past that earthly man could not resolve such questions, but He assures us that in eternity future we will fully understand, and He expects us now while we live to take His Word on faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”(Hebrews 11:6).
The end-time of God’s plan will begin when Christ returns from heaven to remove His Church(the Body of Christ) followed by the appearance of the anti-christ. The appearance of the anti-christ initiates the seven years of Tribulation prophesied by Daniel. At the end of the period of Tribulation, Christ returns to earth once again at what we call “the Second Coming.” The personal return of the resurrected Jesus Christ from heaven is the divinely ordained event whereby God's purpose for the earth and mankind will be brought to its ultimate fruition.
The return of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ from heaven (The Second Coming) is an absolute fundamental Biblical principle. The New Testament fully addresses three great Biblical promises. Those three promises basically include the following:
1.) that the Son of God who was crucified, died and was buried, and after three days rose from the dead (as promised) and has gone away into Heaven.
2.) that the Holy Spirit indwells all believers on the earth in the Lord’s absence to assist and or perform certain functions in conjunction with the Lord’s followers until the Lord returns.
3.) that the Son of God will indeed come back to this earth again upon God’s own appointed (Psalms 102:13) time. (as promised).
While observing and participating in the Feast of the Passover, Jesus, realizing that the hour of his departure was nigh at hand, spoke at length with a loving tenderness to his Disciples about the trying hour at hand. It is amazing that even as Jesus faced the cruel prospect of the Cross, that he made it a priority to encourage his Disciples. His words were, and still remain words of great encouragement.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)
After the resurrection, during His forty-day sojourn with His Disciples, one of the very first things they asked the then crucified Lord was, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” It is obvious from their query that the Apostles, being Jews and believing Jesus was the Christ, knew enough of the Old Testament to ascertain and expect that the Messiah would establish a kingdom on the earth for the children of Israel. However, they did not know anything about his ascension into Heaven, and the ensuing 2000-year era of the Church Age. Only the prophets Isaiah and Daniel had alluded to the fact that the Messiah’s kingdom would be preempted. But even as these prophecies allude to the Messiah’s death, the Apostles were nonetheless insightful by asking the Risen Lord if it was time for the restoration of the kingdom to Israel.
It has now been two thousand years since the ascended Lord made the promise to His Disciples that he would return to the world again. The opening lines of the Olivet Discourse(see page 166) reveal that the Disciples became anxiously excited about the returning of the Lord, especially after he prophesied the destruction of the Jewish Temple, for they inquired of him, “what shall be the sign of thy coming?” Acts chapter one reveals that they eagerly anticipated that the Lord would come to re-establish the kingdom unto Israel when he returned. After the Lord’s resurrection, the Disciples therefore naturally envisioned that the kingdom would be established in their lifetime, they knew nothing of the ensuing 2000 year Church age, and were undoubtedly preoccupied with thoughts about their positions in that kingdom. A quick search of the internet for “The Second Coming of Jesus Christ” reveals that even today the great extent of variance and discord amongst scholars and theologians as it relates to that event and the end-time scenario.
The perfect plan of God as delineated in chapter 3 of this thesis has now gone full circle as best we can acertain for approximately 6000 years, fully prophesied in the Word, to its final conclusion as far as mortal man is concerned. Eschatology should not be an ending added on as an afterthought, but it should be seen as significant to our whole meditation and conclusion about the gospel. No one should look at eternity as “a gray and monotonous sea.” Scripture guides us from glory to glorification and from thanksgiving to praise as we go from time to eternity. To this end, God’s glory returns to Himself. Man’s destiny lies in praising the Creator. This is the work for which God purposed him.
The eschatology of Orthodox Christianity and the Bible holds that “because He lives, we too shall live!” We will live in a world where death, sorrow, pain, tears and the morbid prospect of the end of existence does not exist again forever. We will tabernacle with God, and walk with Him and talk with Him and see His face. We will intercourse with Him in ways which the relationship between man and woman, in its, highest, purest and best state, could only dimly foreshadow. We will feed on the fruit of the Tree of Life and drink from the River of Life, that fountain opened in Zion by the resurrection reality and power of the living, risen Christ. For saved believers the dark glass is removed and they will see Christ face to face, and they will know as they are now known by Him, they will live in dwelling places, eternal in their quality as well as their quantity, that He has prepared for them. And so shall we ever be with the Lord
The New Jerusalem
The New Jerusalem "is the finalization of the completed divine revelation of the entire Scripture--the aggregate of the fulfillment of all the prophecies, types, figures, and foreshadows. The New Jerusalem is "the full mingling of the Triune God with His redeemed, regenerated, and transformed people." [53] As a composition of divinity (the Triune God) mingled with humanity (all the believers), the New Jerusalem is the wife of the Lamb (Rev. 21:9) and the tabernacle of God (Rev. 21:3). The New Jerusalem, as the last and greatest sign in the Bible, is both the goal and result of all of God’s work.
Hebrews 11:10 tells us that God is the Architect and Maker of the holy city, the New Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22a, Rev. 21:2). This indicates that God is the Builder of the New Jerusalem. This building work of God began in perfecting the Old Testament saints, beginning with the patriarchs in the old dispensation. It continues more intensively in producing the matured believers in the new dispensation. Actually the entire Bible is a full record of God’s work in building the New Jerusalem as His complete manifestation for His full expression in eternity...
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God's Progressive Word Preserved
An extensive discourse on the Word of God was presented in chapter 2, but some additional review of Scripture is needed to provide the necessary clarification as to how God’s progressive plan comes to fruition as it relates to the end-times and eternity future.
Theologians have divided the Bible into two separate programs, the Old and the New. However, I see the Bible as one continuous record, plan, and purpose of our eternal God. It is so important to recognize this unity, to grasp the Bible's progressive witness on various theological concepts; the unity of the Scriptures, particularly the unity of the Old and New Testaments. Since the entire corpus of Scripture may be recognized as God's Word, there is an ultimate unity to the Book which is dependent upon God Himself. In other words, the canons of the Old and New Testament Scriptures are a divine intention.
The formation of the Old Testament canon was gradual, and was composed of the writings which spread over many centuries.
Moses commanded that the books of the law be placed in the ark. This--with the addition of the book of Joshua--was done, and the sacred books were kept there during the wilderness journey, and also were in the ark during its permanent residence in Jerusalem. (Deuteronomy 31:9,26, cf. 2 Kings 22:8; Joshua 24:26; 1 Samuel 10:25.)
Then were gathered and placed in the temple the historical and prophetical books from Joshua to David's time. On the construction of the temple Solomon deposited in it the earlier books (2 Kings 22:8, Isaiah 34:16), and enriched the collection with inspired writings from his own pen, and also some prophetic writings. So we find Daniel (9:2) referring to "the books," Isaiah to "the book of the Lord" (29:18, 34:16).
After Solomon's day a succession of prophets arose, Jonah, Amos, Isaiah, Hosea, Joel, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Obadiah, and Habakkuk. These all flourished before the destruction of the temple, and enlarged the collection of existing sacred books by valuable additions.
After the Babylonian capture, when the temple was rebuilt and worship re-established, then doubtless were added the writings of Haggai and Zechariah.
About fifty years after the temple was rebuilt Ezra made a collection of the sacred writings (Neh. 8:2,3,14). To this collection were added the writings of Nehemiah, Malachi, and Ezra. It is a fact of history that Nehemiah gathered the "Acts of the Kings and the Prophets, and those of David," when founding a library for the second temple, 432 B.C. (See 2 Maccabees 2:13).
The canon of the Old Testament in the form we now have it, was the work of Ezra and the Great Synagogue. This fact is borne witness to in the most ancient Jewish writings. The Great Synagogue was composed of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. There is no doubt but that such a collection of books existed in the time of our Lord and the apostles (Luke 24:27,44).
The New Testament Canon
The New Testament canon was gradually added to that of the Old Testament. But it was some considerable time after our Lord's ascension before any of the books contained in it were actually written.
The first and most important work of the apostles was to deliver a personal testimony to the chief facts of the Gospel history (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:21,22). Their teaching was at first oral, and it was no part of their intention to create a permanent literature. A cycle of selected representative facts sufficed to form the groundwork of their oral Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-10).
But in the course of time many endeavored to commit to writing this oral Gospel (Luke 1:1-4). So long as Jesus’s apostles were still living, the necessity for written records of the words and actions of our Lord was not so pressing. But when the time came for their removal from this world, it became extremely important the authoritative records should be put forth. Thus the written Gospels came into existence, two by apostles themselves, and two by friends and close companions of the apostles.
But already had arisen another kind of composition. Founders of churches, often unable to visit them personally, desired to communicate with their converts for purposes of counsel, reproof, and instruction. Thus arose the written Epistles, which were put forth from time to time to meet special needs and emergencies.
The persecution of Diocletian (302 A.D.) brought to the front the question of the sacred literature of the church. The persecutors demanded that the Scriptures should be given up. This the Christians refused to do. Therefore, the question became urgent--What books are apostolic? The answer lies in our New Testament. There were at that time many false and spurious gospels and epistles. Careful, prayerful, and deliberate examination, however, proved which were genuine and which were false. The genuine were received by the church as the inspired writings of the apostles and others whose names the books bear. Thus arose the New Testament canon.
Jesus frequently quoted from the Old Testament as the Word of God, even to the detail of every "jot or...tittle," every letter or stroke (Matt. 5:18). Jesus never disagreed with any part of the Holy Scripture, although He did take issue with some men's incorrect interpretations of it and additions to it. He always treated the Scripture word for word, never doubting, for example, that there was truly an Adam and an Eve, that Job was three days in the belly of a whale, that a prophet named Daniel existed, or that God had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone.
Within this overall unity, we know the entire Bible is written for us, but not every verse is addressed to us or written about us. By separating the parts into their appropriate context(rightly dividing the word) we are in a better position to understand the whole. By applying these principles and acknowledging Scripture as the inspired Word of God, we can come to a rational conclusion in regard to our study of the end-times.
With the New Testament, Christians had a sure and lasting link to Christ through the Apostles, a definite and solid basis for their beliefs and way of life. They had the written Word of God for order and direction in living and worshiping together. With the New Testament joined to the Old, Christians had the entire Bible, a book written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit in every word they wrote. Through the ages, true Christians have shared the conviction that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is the rule of faith and practice for all believers.
By the end of the second century, and possibly by A.D. 125 or even earlier, most Christians had accepted the books of the New Testament as the Word of God, thus meeting the need for a permanent record of the gospel.
No New Revelations by Man
I believe the canon of Scripture or the list of books considered to be authoritative is complete and closed. The canon being closed means that additional books cannot be added or existing books removed, which represents historic Protestant belief that revelation has ended and the text of Scripture is complete. In contrast, an open ended canon would permit the addition of non-inspired books through continued or on-going revelation. This issue of a completed canon needs to be understood because of what this means for any person confused by the claims of continued revelation from a variety of sources. Since the closing of the Scriptures we have been inundated by the pronouncements of new doctrines and declarations that are patently false. It is interesting to note that most of these non-inspired, non-scriptural pronouncements ignore or avoid end-time prophecy. I would suggest such end-time omissions stem from an absence of the Holy Spirit guiding those authors.
The following proofs based on Scripture are sufficient to show that not only is the canon of Scripture closed, but that God's revelation ceased in the First Century when the canon was completed. Today, God speaks to us in Christ, through the completed Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The Scriptures are complete and divine revelation has ceased. The ceasing of divine revelation is seen right in the texts of Scripture. This is what is meant when theologians talk about the closing of the canon. Consider the biblical evidence for this:“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3)
Also, it should be noted how the New King James Version renders the last part of this verse: “Which was once for all delivered to the saints.” This verse in Jude clearly anticipates the closing of the New Testament Canon. What does Jude mean by the phrase “the faith”? In view of the context, we understand the word faith to mean the body of Christian beliefs. It is the gospel the apostles proclaimed and therefore is equivalent to "the apostles teaching (Acts 2:42). The phrase “once [hapax] delivered” is important. Hapax means once for all. Once for all, of what is perpetual validity, not requiring repetition.
The following verse provides more important information concerning the completion of Scripture: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” (Ephesians 2:20) This verse in Ephesians tells us that the apostles are part of the foundation of the church. There is only one foundation that the church has. The Scripture in John 14:26 teach that the apostles were taught "all things." Paul commanded Timothy to "guard the good deposit" of truth in II Timothy 1:14. Clearly this "deposit" was identifiable or else Paul's command to Timothy would not make sense. And furthermore, this deposit in order to guard it, could not have been a nebulous association of oral traditions. Written documents can be compared to forgeries whereas oral traditions by their very nature are open to endless differing accounts and interpretations.
The concept of unwritten divine revelation was introduced into the Roman Catholic Church under the term “Tradition.” Reference to John 21:25 is cited where it implies many teachings of Jesus were not recorded in Scripture. “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for all the books that would be written.” For Catholics, Scripture and Tradition go hand in hand in transmitting the Word of God! They hold that tradition is whatever the(infallible) Roman church says it is. That amounts to a blank check unsupported by Scripture that Rome can fill out virtually as it desires. The important question is “How can anyone today distinguish the authentic oral teachings of the apostles from beliefs and practices introduced centuries later by others lacking the validity of Holy Inspiration?”
Since the apostles were taught all things, there would be no need for further revelation. What can you add to all things? The “good deposit” or the “all things” was tied to the apostolic period i.e., the foundation of the church. The authoritative apostolic writings became part of the New Testament canon. The biblical conclusion is that after their death apostolic revelation ceased. Why? On account of the fact that after the death of the apostles their special office in the church ceased. The church has only one foundation, not layers of foundations on top of each other, as an ongoing apostolic office view would require.
The next verse from Daniel cannot be disregarded in its importance for the subject of the closing of the canon: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” (Daniel 9:24)
The end or completion of this prophecy is clearly in the first century. Verses 25-27 make it clear that when the seventy-week period begins, it will continue uninterrupted till the seventy week period is over or complete. Christ's death and resurrection made an end of the sins of His people. He accomplished reconciliation for His people. Christ's people have experienced everlasting righteousness because of the fact that we are clothed in Christ's righteousness, which is everlasting. The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. is clearly within the time frame of the seventy weeks, and is proved by verse twenty-six. The phrase "and to seal up the vision and prophecy" clearly sets forth the closing of the canon of Scripture. Vision was a technical name for revelation given to the Old Testament prophets (cf. Isa, 1:1, Amos 1:1, etc.) The prophet was the one through whom this vision was revealed to the people. The two words, vision and prophet, therefore, serve to designate the prophetic revelation of the Old Testament period.... When Christ came, there was no further need of prophetic revelation in the Old Testament sense.
Since there is no fundamental difference between Old and New Testament revelation, and the source of the revelation is identical and there is no reason to doubt that all giving of new revelation ceased in the first century. To put an end to the necessity of any further revelations, by completing the canon of Scriptures, and fulfilling the prophecies which related to his person, sacrifice and the glory that should follow.
A passage in I Corinthians sheds even more light on the completion of Scripture: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”(I Corinthians 13:9,10) The passage says that something that is "in part" will be done away with when "that which is perfect is come." What is the apostle referring to when he says that something perfect is coming?
There is one phase, not so far mentioned: "When the completion comes," or "when that
which is perfect comes." This raises the question: Completion of what? It could be the completion of the canon. Miracles and tongues were for the purpose of guaranteeing the divine origin of apostolic doctrine. They cease when the revelation was completed. Even the word knowledge is better understood this way. Instead of comparing present-day extensive study of the New Testament with Justin's [Martyr] painfully inadequate understanding of the Atonement, it would be better to take knowledge as the apostolic process of revealing new knowledge. This was completed when revelation ceased.
Here we are connecting the coming perfection with the completion of the Scriptures. The tongues and prophecy of the apostolic era confirmed and bore witness to the truthfulness of that message. These tongues, prophecy, and revelatory knowledge were lacking when compared with the written Scripture. The written Scriptures are far superior to spoken words. This is a clear statement that when the knowledge being given through the apostles and prophets is complete, tongues and prophecy shall cease. Tongues, prophecy, and knowledge (gnosis) constitute partial, incomplete stages. Some may stumble over the idea that "knowledge" represents a partial and incomplete (revelational) stage. But is rightly remarked that Paul distinguishes between sophia and gnosis in I Cor. 12:8 All three terms (tongues, prophecy, knowledge) involve divine disclosure of verbal revelation and all three on that basis alone ceased when the foundation (i.e., the perfect) came. Verse 11 speaks of the partial as childlike (cf., 14:20) and the perfect as manly (the apostolic is "manly," too, cf., 14:20). Paul reflecting on those who are limited to these childlike things describes this limitation as seeing in a mirror darkly. When the perfect (the apostolic depositum) is come, full knowledge is present.
The next passage of Scripture cited contains a strong warning not to tamper with God's Word. This verse is particularly relevant for the closing of canon at this point in redemptive history: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18-19).
The book of Revelation for good reasons is believed to be the last book written. It was completed prior to 70 A.D. The passages in chapter 1:3 and 22:6, 12 are time indicators that point to an early date to this book. Why, someone may ask? The wording in these texts such as "for the time is at hand" and "which must shortly be done" provide convincing evidence for an early date prior to 70 A.D. for John’s revelation. This is because, the First Century fulfillment of the prophecies within the book are relevant to dating of Revelation prior to 70 A.D. The time texts previously mentioned become important indicators pointing towards dating the book in the First Century.
In addition, the temple in chapter eleven shown to be still in existence also supports this early date prior to 70A.D. If an early date for the book of Revelation is accurate (which it is) then it allows the book to fit into the time frame of Daniel's prophecy. Accordingly, the book of Revelation fits into the time frame and purview of Daniel's "seventy weeks." So, those who argue for continued revelation they are simply urging men to violate this Scriptural warning recorded in the last book of the canon. Another passage that sheds important light on the penalty for giving false revelation is in Zechariah thirteen. The context of this section of Zechariah places it in the First Century. See Zechariah 11:13; 12:10; 13:1; 13:7 for proof of this First Century setting. Consider this warning not to add to God's word: “It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the Lord. And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.” (Zechariah 13:3).
This passage supports the view that prophecy has ended in light of the fact that the death penalty is still to be carried out for false prophetic utterances and is in harmony with Daniel 9:24. The phrase "If anyone still prophesies" makes it clear that prophecy has ended. The death penalty is required for those who give new revelation. Why? On account of the fact that it is false revelation since God has ceased giving revelation. This is the consistent theme of Scripture. Again, see Rev. 22:18, 19; Gal. 1:8, 9; Deut. 13:5 for the penalties and curses associated with violating this prohibition.
Consider the important fact that Jesus is the incarnate word of God: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).
Because of the incarnation, the next passage is of most importance regarding the completion of the Scriptures: “God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom he also made the worlds.” (Heb. 1:1,2).
This passage in Hebrews by the Apostle Paul makes it clear that Christ Jesus is the final and complete revelation of God. God in times past spoke through the prophets. He now speaks through The Risen Christ under the pen of Paul. God speaks to us in and through the Scriptures which Jesus said “testify of me” (John 5:39). Jesus also admonished his disciples saying “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Christ is the head corner stone of the church’s foundation. He is the head of the church.
Jesus as the head of the church commissioned the twelve apostles to speak in His name with His authority and power: “And When he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease…. These twelve Jesus sent forth…” (Matthew 10:1-5)
These apostles whom Jesus commissioned, spoke in His name, 2 Peter 3:2, they wrote in His name, 1st Corinthians 14:37. God confirmed the words of the apostles with power: “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds”. (2 Corinthians 12:12) .
The words of the apostles were the words of Christ and as shown earlier the words of the apostles that God intended to preserve for His Church were committed to writing. Beyond the words of Christ and His apostles, new alleged revelations are nothing more than an attempt to rebuild or add to the foundation of the church. Any attempt to add to Scripture is a direct attack upon the person and work of Christ. How is this so? The Scriptures are so connected to Christ e.g., Luke 24:27, and John 5:39 that any attempt to undermine them is an attack upon Christ himself. In the book of Colossians we see Christ's preeminence over all of creation: “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Col. 1:15-17).
The Father declared concerning Jesus in Matthew 17:5 "…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Where do we hear the words of Christ? It has been abundantly demonstrated that we hear Christ speaking in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. In addition, when we read "the Scriptures hath said" and "God hath said" we see how the Scriptures and God speaking are equated in such a way as to be identical. Therefore, the testimony of Christ is so connected with and interwoven into the very fabric of Scripture that to deny the authority of Scripture in any fashion is to deny Christ Himself.
In light of the closing of the canon, new revelations no matter who gives them are false revelations. Therefore, alleged spiritual experiences, new revelations, only the Scriptures where God has spoken. For those whom disagree with this conclusion, the burden of proof is upon them.
As I have already stated throughout this treatise, the Bible is a unique supernatural book given to us by God. What we see in nature and the physical universe we say is God’s natural revelation to man (Romans 1:19-20). The Bible is also God’s special revelation to man (2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20). It tells us of the creation of our universe and of the creation of man. It tells of man’s falling away from God and the sin nature that we all inherit because of that fall (Romans 3:23). It tells of God’s plan for man’s redemption through the person of Jesus Christ, God incarnate (John 3:16). And it tells us where everyone will spend eternity.
However, the Bible is much, much more than that. The Bible teaches us how we should live through various examples of the recorded history of the Jewish people, God’s chosen people. This is exemplified through seven different dispensations of time. In each one of these dispensations, man is given a responsibility, and in each one man fails. This is God’s way of showing us just how hopelessly lost we really are.
The Bible is the manual of life for the Christian, and it is the only sacred writing of any of the world’s religions that proves itself by its predictive prophecy. But it is not a book for everyone. Admittedly, while everyone can profit from the wisdom contained in the Bible, only the Christian, or rather the “born-again” believer (see John 3:3), will truly profit from the Bible (see 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 1:13-14, and John 16:13).
But, by the time we reach the 21st chapter of Revelation, the recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages have come and gone. Christ gathered His church(theBody of Christ) and took them to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). The Tribulation and the Great Tribulation of the book of Revelation have past. The battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:17-21). Satan has been chained for the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth; he was then released and deceived the nations once again, causing them to rise up in rebellion against God once more, but God has defeated Satan again and Satan has received his just punishment, an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1-10.) The Great White Throne Judgment has taken place, and mankind has been judged (Revelation 20:11-15).
Now in Revelation 21 it describes the new heaven and the new earth, God the Father then brings heaven to earth in the New Jerusalem where He dwells with His own for eternity. Only God’s children will be with Him in the New Jerusalem (John 1:12). The New Jerusalem is where all believers in Christ will spend eternity. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is the new heaven where God’s goodness will be made fully manifest.
There are as many end-time scenarios based on Bible prophecy as there are prophetic teachers. And this presents a problem for any Christian searching for the truth. As scholars of theology we must keep our eyes focused on the Bible as the inspired Word of God. The work of the devil is his opposition to the Word of God when that Word is taught. Satan tries to take away the Word of God from people's minds and hearts so that they become confused which eventually leads to unbelief
I can only conclude the reason for all this confusion in regard to the end-time scenario, is the failure to recognize that the Bible is the Word of God. If, by faith, we accept the premise that The Bible is the literal Word of God and is accurate and says what it means, we must accept the epistles of Paul as the very Word of God. It is through Jesus’s earthly ministry and the writings of Paul that end-time prophecy becomes intelligible.
Jesus Prepares His Disciples for the Endtime
Jesus had much to say about the end times. His prophecies in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are well known. Most of what is recorded in these three chapters is very similar, but Matthew included some things that Mark and Luke did not mention. Likewise, Mark included some things that Matthew and Luke did not say. Luke also included some distinctive insights.
The week before leaving for Jerusalem, Jesus takes the time to prepare and direct His followers to be ready for future events. Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" (Matthew 20:19-20).
30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it 31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them , The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed , he shall rise the third day. 32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him (Mark 30-32).
It is important to note that the disciples were blinded by God, and unable to understand what Jesus was telling them about his death and resurrection. So they didn’t have a clue about what was really going to transpire in the few short days ahead.
Jesus knows his time is short. He knows he must invest his time wisely. He knows he must prepare his key followers for what lies ahead. So on the Tuesday of what we recognize as Holy Week, he withdraws to the Mount of Olives to teach the closest followers, his key followers, personally.
The prophecy given on the Mount of Olives(Luke 21) by Jesus to His Jewish disciples was to be a prophetic outline of world events in advance. These events will culminate in the second coming of Jesus Christ as He returns to set up the Government, or Kingdom of God on the earth as outlined in the Abrahamic covenant. Although some of these events have been taking place down through time, they have only been a forerunner of the climatic events that will testify to the end of man's age and the dawn of a new world order as Christ and His chosen people establish a perfect government.
The Olivet Discourse is the name given to this orderly and extended teaching given by Christ on the Mount of Olives. This discourse is recorded in Matthew 24:1 - 25:46. Parallel passages are found in Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:5-36.
Though the discourse itself begins at Matthew 24:3, Mark 13:3 and Luke 21:7, Christ's discourse is in response to questions from the disciples, questions based on what Jesus told them in Matthew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2, and Luke 21:5-6. The record in Matthew is most extensive, so reference here will be to Matthew's Gospel.
It is important to recognize that the interpretation of this discourse deals only with reference to the now, of course, than they were then, but it is going to happen. When God sets a time schedule, is He ever a day late? Is He a minute late? The very conception of Christ in Mary was timed in such a way that on the exact day that God had appointed from eternity past, Jesus was born. That’s how exact God is in everything He does. The removal of the saints(The Body of Christ) prior to the tribulation events is not going to be an accident. It’s exactly on God’s timetable. After the saints are taken to heaven then comes the Tribulation. The tribulation will start when the Antichrist signs the seven-year peace agreement with Israel. Because there have been several major peace treaties signed between Israel and her Arab neighbors, it's important to look for one that will allow Israel to rebuild the Temple, which was destroyed in 70 A.D.
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Dan. 9:27). It’s all been foretold for thousands of years, and now we’re looking it in the face. The whole world is getting ready for it, whether they know it or not.
Our authoritative example for the Christian application of the end-time prophecies will be the way Christ and the apostle Paul used the apocalyptic symbols of Daniel's book. Jesus' prophetic discourse in Matthew 24 (and parallels in Luke 21) and Paul's prophetic outline in 2 Thessalonians 2 constitute the two indispensable links between the books of Daniel and Revelation. Both Jesus and Paul apply the forecast of Daniel 7-12 in some respect to their own times as well as a future fulfillment. As Christian believers, we should derive our principles of prophetic interpretation from their historical applications of Daniel. The Book of Daniel is the only apocalyptic book of the Old Testament. In the Book of Matthew 24:15, Jesus gives attestation to Daniel, "When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place.” Here Jesus is telling us that prophecies of Daniel are valid. It is the Word of God, and we must accept it. These interpretative principles are of decisive importance for our understanding of the end-time prophecies in the Bible.
The Book of Daniel is the starting point for this discourse. So much of this book is based on history. The first point to be noted is that three of the prophets in the Old Testament wrote from outside the borders of Israel. Everybody else wrote from within Israel. This same point applies to the Apostle Paul. Paul is the only one of the New Testament to write from outside the land of Israel. And he was called outside the land of Israel on the road to Damascus. Daniel is the first one; Ezekiel is the second one; and the third one, who wrote Revelation, is John.
Ezekiel was contemporary with Daniel, but Ezekiel held forth from the River Chibar, while Daniel writes from the palace in Babylon. John writes from the Island of Patmos. They’re all three outside the borders of Israel. The other unique thing is—all three write in symbolism. One has to define their symbolism to understand what they’re talking about. For example, Ezekiel uses the symbol of the dry bones. He’s talking about the children of Israel in a symbolic way. They were like dry bones out there. They’d been out there in the dispersion for hundreds of years. Well, that’s all symbolism. Most of Daniel’s writing is based on symbolism of this type. It is complex in its historical and prophetic account of things now past, and things to come, but it becomes clear through the words of Jesus written under the pen of the Apostle Paul.
The Truths of Daniel’s prophecy
About 500 years before it happened, Daniel rightly predicted that God would subject the Jews to Gentile dominion. That the Messiah would not bring in the kingdom at His first coming. The timing of the seventy weeks prophecy was probably too much for Daniel to figure out since it was all yet future. He knew that Gentiles would rule until a time after the Messiah was killed. He knew that the temple would be destroyed, but that it would also be rebuilt again.
The prophecies of Daniel 12 are set within the time frame of the tribulation (Dan.12:1). "Many will be purged, purified and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand" (Dan. 12:10). We see in this passage the continued theme of purging out the non-elect Jews during the tribulation but also see the rescue or salvation of the elect. These events are said to occur during "the end time" (Dan. 12:9).
"And he (the Anti-christ, the prince in verse 26) shall confirm the covenant (or treaty) with many (Israel) for one week (seven years): and in the midst of the week..." (Daniel 9:27). Nation of Israel . Christ was speaking of God's program concerning Israel, and the content of this discourse in large part has direct reference to Daniel 9:24-27, as well as Revelation 6:1 - 19:21, passages that refer to the future 7-year period called the tribulation. The completion of God's program for the Body of Christ (The Church) is when it is taken to heaven, and is not found in the Olivet Discourse, but instead is found in John 14:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
In Matthew 23, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees concerning judgment. This can be seen in the "woe" statements in that chapter. In chapter 24:1-2, Jesus is leaving the temple when the disciples ask Him about the temple buildings, seemingly so that Jesus could explain how the judgment of which He spoke related to the temple. Herod, who built the temple buildings that existed during the time of Christ's earthly ministry, built them to last. In Matthew 24:2, Jesus tells the disciples that not one stone of the temple would be left on top of another. This is what occurred in A.D. 70 when Rome, led by Titus, destroyed Jerusalem. The temple was burned. The things made of gold that resided in the temple melted as the temple burned, and the gold ran down into the cracks between the stones. Every stone was toppled from its place as people searched for the gold. This first destruction of Jerusalem was but a foreshadowing of what is yet to come.
Beginning in Matthew 24:3, we find Jesus and the disciples on the Mount of Olives. The disciples ask Jesus, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" What follows in Matthew 24-25 refers to the future, seven-year tribulation period and the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation. During this time, God will complete His punishment of Israel and will judge the world (Daniel 9:24-27; Revelation 6–19).
Daniel 9:27 indicates that the seven years of tribulation will be divided into two equal parts of 3 ½ years each. The teaching in Matthew 24:4-8 refers to the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation. The “birth pangs” (verse 8) refer to the sufferings that Israel will experience during those first 3 ½ years. The signs with reference to Christ's return and the end of the age are 1) false messiahs (v.5); 2) reports of wars (v.6-7); and 3) natural catastrophes (v.7). A parallel passage to this is Revelation 6 where the apostle John writes of the seal judgments. Revelation 6:2 speaks of a rider on a white horse, which could refer to a false messiah. Revelation 6:4 says that peace is taken from the earth (war). Revelation 6:6-8 speaks of famine and death. These are only the "beginning of birth pangs" (Matthew 24:8). With reference to Revelation, the last half of the tribulation does not seem to begin until Revelation 13 when the Beast, or Antichrist, sets up his rule for 42 months, the last half of the tribulation (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15). There is a reference to 1,260 days (42 months or 3 ½ years) in 11:3 and 12:6, which could also refer to the beginning of the last half of the tribulation. Therefore, at least Revelation 6-10 can be considered the first half of the tribulation.
The second half of the tribulation is found in Matthew 24:9-14. The persecution and death (verse 9) will be the result of the Beast's rise to power and the persecution of those who refuse to follow him (Revelation 13:1-18). Though there will be many false prophets (Matthew 24:11), Revelation 13:11-18 presents the ultimate false prophet, the one who will demand the worship of the Beast. The salvation promised in Matthew 24:13 is salvation or deliverance from the persecution of the Beast. The one who endures until Christ returns will be saved from the Beast. The preaching of the gospel of the kingdom refers to the good news (gospel) that Christ will soon return in judgment, and then set up His earthly kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). This will help people to realize their sinful state and receive the Savior during the tribulation.
The teaching in Matthew 24:15-26 gives further details concerning the tribulation. Jesus refers to the desolation of a future temple in Matthew 24:15-22; this is more clearly spoken of in Luke 21:20-24. The Beast will take authority and set up an image of himself in the future temple (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4; Revelation 13:1-18). In verses 16-20, Christ instructs those in Jerusalem to flee for their lives when they see that Beast has taken his seat of authority. The Antichrist will rule from Jerusalem for 42 months (3 ½ years), which is the last half of the tribulation.
Verses 21-22 tell us that there never has been a time like the great tribulation, nor shall there ever be again a time like it on the earth. If those days were not cut short (ended) by the return of Christ, every person would be destroyed. Verses 23-26 tell us of the prominence of false christs and false prophets in those days and how those on earth at that time can identify and avoid them.
When the Bible says thus saith the LORD, or it shall come to pass, we can depend on it. It’s going to happen! It’s going to happen, even though many prophecies were written back in 400-500 B.C. We’ve now come 2,000 years since the crucifixion of Jesus, and it’s still in the future. We’re closer and this is where we base everything on the teaching concerning the Tribulation. Here Daniel has already, by inspiration, laid out the format. That this seven-year period of time is going to be divided in half. There will be the first 3 ½ years and then the last 3 ½ years. So this seven-year period of time has been shoved out into the future, and in-between we have the calling out of the Body of Christ, the Church Age, the Age of Grace. It appears we are getting close to that period of time of the Church. When this Church Age is complete the Lord will remove it from earth, because God did not deal with the Church back here when He was dealing with Israel. It was Jew only. Here in the Church Age, God is dealing primarily with the Gentile, and the Jew is out in dispersion. So before He can come back and deal with Israel again in this final seven years, this Gentile Body of Christ has to be removed from the scene. Because God doesn't confuse Law and Grace. And as the Church Age winds down, and the final Gentile is brought in, then we find the Church being removed, Israel placed back in the land, and ready to be dealt with as we have been seeing in the Tribulation.
While in Babylon, Daniel writes his tremendous book of prophecy. Daniel Chapter 9 contains the basic Scripture references to our approach to eschatology. That is a big word for "End-Times." The study of end-time events. Here in Daniel we have the prophecy concerning God's timetable with the Nation of Israel. And there will be 490 years. This will cover the time that Nehemiah would be given instructions to go from Babylon, back to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall. From the day of that decree by King Cyrus that Israel can not only have the temple, but they can also have the city wall rebuilt; the time-span from that day would be 490 years until Christ would finally end His dealings with the Nation of Israel as His Covenant people. And we know from history and Scripture that 483 of those years were consummated at the Cross. And so this is where we get the whole idea of a final seven years yet in the future, that have never been completed.
The apostle Paul never spends much time on prophecy, because the Body of Christ(The Church) is not tied to the prophetic program. The Church Age is an interruption, it’s a parenthetical period of time of 1900+ years. But in II Thessalonians, in just a few verses, Paul lets us know that he is in full accord with the prophetic program that comes out of the Old Testament, the four gospels, part of Acts, and the Book of Revelation. Paul is in full agreement with everything that prophecy has said concerning the final seven years of Daniel’s 490 year prophecy. So, as we move on into verse 4, he speaks of the son of perdition in verse 3, known as the anti-Christ. Paul also refers to him as the wicked one. Daniel calls him the prince that shall come. All are references to this man, anti-Christ, who is going to one day appear on the stage of world events and he is going to become the absolute totalitarian dictator of the world. Paul goes on to explain that this man will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God. He is going to be an arrogant individual. He is going to have no compunction about telling the world that he is the God that they are looking for.
"Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God, (see how plain that is? He is going to let the world know that he is claiming to be the God that the world is looking for) sitteth in the temple of God, showing (or declaring) himself that he is God." (II Thessalonians 2:4).
Now the first place that I think we can go back for an Old Testament reference would be back to Daniel chapter 9, where Daniel refers to the anti-Christ as the ‘prince that shall come.’ Daniel chapter 9 is the very bench mark of the prophetic program. If you want an understanding of prophecy, as it will unfold especially in the end times, you have to know Daniel chapter 9. He begins this prophecy in verse 24 where he says that, "70 weeks of years" or where some translations have done the arithmetic for you - 490 years. Remember, God, with the nation of Israel, sets a prophetic program and ties it in with a time frame.
For example, long before it happened, God, through the prophets, told Israel that they would be spending 70 years in captivity down in Babylon. And the time came when it happened. When the 70 years are expired, miraculously a Persian king made a decree that the Israelites could go back to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. A 70-year prophecy, wrapped in a time frame, and it came true.
When Abraham was first called out of Ur of the Chaldees, God told him "430 years would go by before his offspring would come in to the Promised Land." We know now that it was exactly 430 years from the call out of Ur until Joshua took them over the river Jordan. So over and over through the Old Testament, this has been the format. And here is the prophecy that most concerns us:
"Seventy weeks (490 years God tells Daniel) are determined upon thy people (the nation of Israel) and upon thy holy city…" (and so on). (Daniel 9:24a)
In this prophecy we realize that 483 of the 490 years were fulfilled at Christ’s first advent. When He was: "…making an end of sins to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in everlasting righteousness…." (Daniel 9:24b)
The work of the cross was His first advent. But that was only 483 years, not 490. So as we now know there were seven years that were yet unfulfilled, but which, according to the prophetic program, after Christ had been rejected and had been raised from the dead; had ascended back to glory then, would come the 7 years as Daniel is prophesying. And then Christ would return and set up the kingdom, and Israel would be the light of the nations and evangelize the pagan world. But, Israel didn’t accept the king, Israel didn’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah and consequently God sent them into a spiritual blindness and a dispersion in about 70 A.D. Not that He is through with Israel (see: replacement theology, Ch. 7,pp.121) but rather, Israel has only been set aside. Not forever but for a period of time known only to God Himself. The closest we can come to when that being set aside will end is in Romans 11:25 where God through the apostle Paul says: "I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness (spiritually) in part is happened to Israel, until (that’s a time word. They will remain blind spiritually to the fact of Who Jesus was until) the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." (Romans 11:25).
The fullness of the Gentiles means the Body of Christ, the Church. And so when the Body of Christ is complete, God is going to pick up His prophetic program where He left off with Israel. And that of course, will be this final seven years that Daniel spoke of in chapter 9:27. After the 483 years were fulfilled at the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ, then we have in verse 27 the appearance of the prince that shall come, mentioned in verse 26 and now verse 27. "And he…" (this prince that is coming). (Daniel 9:27a)
He is going to come out of the geographical area of the old Roman Empire. He will confirm or will make a covenant with many. Israel is certainly going to be involved but not singularly. It is going to involve all the nations. Daniel says it so clearly, that this is the prince that shall come, who we know as the anti-Christ, the wicked one, the son of perdition.
"And he will confirm the covenant with many for one week; (or seven years) and in the midst of the week (or in the middle of the 7 years, dividing the seven year time line, 3 1/2 and 3 1/2. In the middle of the week) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation (that is the temple worship) to cease,…" (Daniel 9:27a)
It’s only logical. You can’t stop something unless it’s going! So this tells us that temple worship is going to be operating full blast during this 7-year period. Israel will somehow or other get the temple back. This man is going to make an agreement between the Arab world and the Jews, that they can have temple worship. Even as we speak they are ready, we know that. They have all the ramifications of temple worship ready to go. They have the clothing for the priests hanging on mannequins. They have all the shovels and all the various utensils for the sacrifices all ready. And they are going to be jumping right in, once this treaty gives them permission to rebuild a temple.
But Daniel prophesies that as great as it is going to be for Israel, they are going to be just euphoric to think that once again they not only have the homeland and Jerusalem but they are going to have the temple. But see what happens. In the middle of the week, the anti-christ is going to cause all this temple worship to stop. "…and for the overspreading of the abominations (in other words the horrors that shall follow) he ( the anti-Christ) shall make it (the temple) desolate, (in other words he is going to shut it down. He is going to defile it. And it will stay defiled) even until the consummation (that is until those 7 years have finished) and that determined (in other words everything prophesied) shall be poured upon the desolate." (or desolator, this man anti-Christ) . (Daniel 9:27b).
This is to say, all of the horrifying judgments that are prophesied for these final 3 ½ years will happen. Go to Matthew 24:15. These are the words of the Lord Jesus himself. Jesus is speaking to the twelve. Also remember the twelve are the representatives of the nation of Israel: "When ye (the Jews, the Nation of Israel) therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, (in other words, the horrible defiling of the temple and the stopping of the temple worship) spoken of by Daniel, the prophet…." (Matthew 24:15a). So Daniel wrote by inspiration, and his prophesies are as accurate as only God can make it. Jesus put his stamp of approval on Daniel the prophet in Matthew 24:15-16
This is the calling out of the remnant of Israel to be the seed stock of the nation of Israel going into the thousand year kingdom when Christ finally returns.
All of these are references to this verse in II Thessalonians that the man of sin this anti-Christ, will come into the temple in Jerusalem and defile it and not only cause temple worship to stop but also will turn on the Jews with the most horrible persecution that Israel has ever, ever experienced. But, Israel will be at the very core of the wrath of God. And from Revelation, it is also going to be the wrath of Satan. Because when he is cast out of heaven at the mid-point and he comes back to the earth, the book of Revelation says he knows that he has but a short time, and so he too, will be pouring out his wrath. This is a double-barreled wrath. The wrath of God, as well as the wrath of Satan, and it is going to be beyond human description.
So the verse says again that "he’s going to sit in the temple and declare himself as God." What did Paul say? The antichrist sets himself in the temple as God and declares himself as God. Daniel is in full agreement. And so he is going to put himself as God of gods, and shall prosper until the indignation or this final 3 ½ years are accomplished. And then just like Jesus said in Matthew 24, once that abomination starts in the middle of the tribulation, it’s going to continue on until it is consummated. This says the same thing. And yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him.
Consider how John describes him in his great book of prophecy. Go to Revelation chapter 13. These verses are parallel references that agree totally with what Paul is writing in II Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 4. Now in Revelation chapter 13 verse 1 John writes. "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, (which is symbolic of the sea of humanity, the masses of people ) and saw a beast (now, not some animal but it’s an empire and an emperor. It’s a twofold meaning here in Revelation. Sometimes it speaks of the empire of the beast and sometimes it speaks of the man himself. But he sees a beast, an empire, a government) rise up out of the sea, (of humanity) having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his head the name of blasphemy." (this anti-God individual who will proclaim himself as God.) (Revelation 13:1).
Then the picture of the empire is in verse 2 and it is going to be likened to a compilation of all the great gentile empires beginning with Babylon, the Medes and the Persians, the Greek, the Roman and our present day Western European revived Roman Empire. Go to verse 3 and 4, still describing this man who will come into the temple in Jerusalem and set himself up as God.
"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." (Revelation 13:3 )
This is speaking of the empire. The revived Roman Empire that is miraculously coming back in the Western European Union. Here we are talking about the empire, the government. "And they (the people of the world) worshipped the dragon…" (Revelation 13: 4a)
That’s Satan worship. And it is coming in with a flood, it is everywhere you look. Even our rural areas are not immune to it. Alright, so here we have it, that the world is going to worship the dragon. They are going to become Satanists. "And they worship the dragon who gave power to the beast: (or the man anti-Christ or the government, however you want to look at it) and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? (or the man anti-Christ) Who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:4).
In verse 5 we see it is in full agreement with what Paul said in II Thessalonians: "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy…" (Revelation 13:5a)
This man is going to be Satanic from the word go, and will have power. Now you see God is sovereign and God can permit it. And God will permit this to happen and so He permits him to have power "to continue 42 months." Well how long is 42 months? Three and one half years! So from the time that he defiles the temple and turns against the nation of Israel, there will be 3 ½ years to finalize the 7 years of Tribulation.
And as that seven years is ended with the return of Christ now this man will finally meet his doom. He cannot usurp the coming of Christ. Recall in Matthew 4 when he tempted Christ and said, "Jump down off this mountain and I will give you all the kingdoms of this world. Fall down and worship me." Were they his to give? Yes, they were his to give. But the Lord isn’t going to have to fall down and worship Satan to get those kingdoms. He will get them by virtue of this Second Coming, when he comes as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and he is going to be the ruler, not only the world but of the universe.
THE PRE-TRIBULATION REMOVAL
OF THE BODY OF CHRIST
The premise is that the Body of Christ out of this Age of Grace will have to be taken into heaven prior to the Tribulation, so that God can pick up where He left off with His covenant people 1900+ years earlier. Scripture teaches very clearly that the precepts of the Law and Grace do not mix. It is so clear in II Thessalonians 2 that before the Man of Sin can be revealed, before the Anti-Christ can come on the scene, there has to be the departure of the Body of Christ. As believers, we too, will hear the trumpet call to come up. That's that blessed hope the Apostle Paul talks about in Titus Chapter 2.
God has his angelic trumpets, and His own trumpet as well. The Day of Christ is what the body of Christ is anticipating - the removal from earth and meeting our Lord in the air. The Body of Christ will hear a trumpet call, and the Archangel will give a shout, and suddenly all believers will go with Him to Heaven.
The Second Coming occurs after the completion of the Tribulation when Christ returns to earth and stands on the Mount of Olives. If you mix Paul's doctrine concerning the removal of the Church with the Second Coming, then you are mixing Law and Grace. When Christ returns and sets up His Kingdom, ruling from Jerusalem, Israel will finally enjoy all the real estate promised to Abraham in Gen. 15:18. And, it will not be a desert. It will be as the Garden of Eden. Isaiah 51:3 - "For our Lord shall comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.”
The following is Scriptural proof of the above premise. The Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ's return prior to His thousand-year millennial reign is not only scriptural but an ancient belief that was held by an overwhelming majority of notables of Church History. Although their views on this important doctrine varied, they nevertheless believed Jesus Christ would return before the thousand-year reign of Christ.
For three centuries the Christian church held the doctrine of the premillennial coming of Christ. A study of the writings of the church Fathers for three centuries held to this doctrine with the exception of Origen. It was the faith of Barnabas, Polycarp, Clement, Ignatius, Papius, Tertullian, Justin Martyr, Nepos, Irenaeus, Victorinus, Methodius, Lactantius, Hermas and many others… -all were at one. The Early Church fully believed that it (i. e., the Second Coming) would precede, or usher in, the thousand years of His reign with His chosen people. A general change of view came in after the establishment of Christianity under Constantine, and when corruption in doctrine and practice had begun.
A pre-70th week removal of the Body of Christ is taught in the Bible. It has to do with the character of this event as imminent. Paul wrote in the first century, "The Lord is at hand" (Philippians 4:5). The Pauline teaching being that the event is to be regarded always as imminent, and in view of that he writes to the Philippians: "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus." Paul lived in the anticipation of the imminent return of the Lord. For whatever reason, the Risen Lord wants us all to live in imminent expectation of this event, and inspired Paul to hold that view.
To teach that the Church will go through the Tribulation Period or even enter it is to nullify the teaching of the imminent coming of the Lord, and thus prevent the salutary effect of the immanency of the event from becoming operative in the lives of the saints(the Body of Christ). Events on earth as of 2015 are not ready for the Great Tribulation. The Jewish temple in Jerusalem must be built, and the Antichrist crowned as emperor of the revived Roman Empire before Daniel's 70th week begins.
The removal of the Church will occur just shortly before the beginning of that final seven years of Tribulation. As stated earlier, the Old Testament prophesied this final seven years of Tribulation, and always split it in two; 3 ½ and 3 ½ . So as we come to the end of the Church Age and the Body of Christ is taken out of the way by what is today commonly called the Rapture, and God can then finish where He had left off with Israel back here where they crucified their king. The Church(the Body of Christ) is going to be Raptured out and the last 7 years of Tribulation comes to an end with the Second Coming of Christ.
Christ will return to earth at His Second Coming to set up the Kingdom that has been promised to Israel ever since Genesis chapter 12, and the earth will revert back as it was in the Garden of Eden. Then we go into those final 1,000 years when He will rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And so there we have the whole picture of human history from Adam to the cross, to the calling out of the Body of Christ, the Church, whereupon the Tribulation will come in under the rule of the anti-Christ
From the pen of the Apostle Paul--the Risen Lord’s chosen Apostle: "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery (it has never been revealed before), lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness (spiritual blindness) in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." (Romans 11:25)
What is the fullness of the Gentiles? The Body of Christ, which is the church. As Gentiles are being saved, they are being placed into the Body of Christ. And when the last Gentile has been saved and the body of Christ is full, it will be taken out (the Rapture) and God will pick up once again where He left off with Israel.
The Church(the Body of Christ) is strictly a Pauline revelation from the Risen Lord. In other words, you can find nothing concerning the Church in the Old Testament. You can find nothing concerning the Body of Christ in the four Gospels. And it isn't until the Apostle Paul comes on the scene, and has this great revelation from the ascended and glorified Lord, that the Body of Christ has its beginning. Not only was the Gospel of Grace given to the Apostle Paul, but just about every doctrine concerning the Body of Christ (The Church) was given to him only. Many things were kept secret by God until He chose to reveal them. It can’t be repeated enough that you can't find the Body of Christ, the Church in the Old Testament or the four Gospels. And neither can you find any mention of the removal of the Church. That had been kept secret by God, until revealed to the Apostle Paul in I Thessalonians and I Corinthians. So only Paul writes of the calling out of the Church..
The mystery is the revelation that God is now doing something different in these last 1900 + years of time. He is calling out the Body of Christ, which is not under the Law, nor associated with the Nation of Israel, with Judaism, or the Temple. It is totally the operation of the Grace of God, based upon the finished work of the Cross, His death, burial and Resurrection.
And so this is totally removed from the Mosaic Law, which will again come in during the Tribulation, because Israel will again have her temple worship. And to repeat once again, you cannot mix Law and Grace. We couldn't mix it during the Church Age and it won't mix in the Tribulation. The Church would be as out of place as a fish out of water in the Tribulation. It just wouldn't fit. It is not part of the Jewish program. It is completely insulated from all of God's dealing with Israel. Whereas in the Tribulation, God is primarily dealing with Israel. So as the Church Age is completed, it must be taken out of the way so God can once again pick up where He left off with Israel.
One of the keys to understanding the Scriptures, is that the Bible divides the whole human race into two categories. Jews and Gentiles. The view that Israel and the Church are different is clearly taught in the New Testament. Biblically speaking, the Church is completely different and distinct from Israel, and the two are never to be confused or used interchangeably. We are taught from Scripture that the Church is an entirely new creation that came into being on the day of Pentecost and will continue until it is taken to heaven at the Rapture. The Church has no relationship to the curses and blessings for Israel. The covenants, promises, and warnings are valid only for Israel. Israel has been temporarily set aside in God's program during these past 2000 years of dispersion.
All the different views of the relationship between the Church and Israel can be divided into two camps: either the Church is a continuation of Israel (replacement theology, Ch.7,pp. 121), or the church is completely different and distinct from Israel (premillennialism).
The Body of Christ is the goal of eschatology. The goal of eschatology is the eternal inheritance. Therefore, the Body of Christ is the eternal inheritance of the saints. The “purchased possession” redeemed by the blood of Christ said to be the inheritance, is the Body of Christ.
Christ did NOT come to earth to establish a “religion”, a “church system”, or “mystical body”, nor was He going to share His reason with man or a woman. Based on His Word, Jesus Christ came to fulfill a promise to open the gates of heaven – closed by man’s sin (Adam and Eve in the Garden).
The present group of believers, today’s true Body of Christ, are the ones that will be taken out of the world. The Body of Christ on earth is a temporary group, not meant to last. The Body of Christ will be removed just prior to the Tribulation, when the wrath of God will be poured out upon all the earth, and it could happen at any time.
If you are a believer and a member of the Body of Christ, your final heavenly home has been prepared for you when He said that He “will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:3). There will be a new heaven and earth, for this earth will melt away as will also the heavens pass away with a great noise ( 2 Peter 3:10). Remember Jesus made a way for ALL creation, He paid for ALL sins. However, you must appropriate that gift by believing Paul’s gospel that says Christ died for your sins and then rose from the dead (1 Cor.15;1-6) It has to be YOUR decision, and no one can make it for you while on earth or even after you leave this earth.
The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ
The Second Coming of Christ is a major doctrine of both the Old and New Testaments, and all orthodox creeds include the fact of His second coming as a part of essential doctrine.
Begin in Revelation chapter 19 for the Second Coming of Christ. By the end of the Tribulation, all the wrath and vexation of God will have utterly destroyed the earth as we know it. Out of that will come, then, a renewed Garden of Eden-like planet that will be made ready for the millennium, or the thousand-year reign of Christ.
Daniel 7:13-14 states that the Second Coming marks the termination of the times of the Gentiles and the beginning of the reign of God’s kingdom on earth: His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. This passage makes clear that it refers to an event not yet fulfilled that will consummate the plan of God for the ages.
The word “millennium” is not found in Scripture, however in Revelation 20 the term “thousand years” is mentioned six times. The word “millennium” is Latin, “mille meaning “one thousand” and “annum” meaning “year.” The Millennial Kingdom will be a literal thousand-year period in which Jesus Christ will physically rule and reign from Jerusalem over the entire earth, Rev. 20:4. There is absolutely no reason to think of this time period in any other term other than literal. When we read the many references to the Millennial Kingdom in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, it is clear that a literal time period is being spoken of. It is also clear that this time period has never been fulfilled in the past, showing that it is a prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled.
The Millennial Kingdom is what the Jews had expected the Messiah to set up at His first coming. They had totally missed the prophecies that showed the Messiah would first come as the sacrifice that was needed for the remission of the sins of mankind, Isa. 53; Isa. 50:6 & Acts 3:18 , and that He would return a second time as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Rev. 19:11-16, to set up His Kingdom. Because the Jews of Jesus’ day didn’t understand the two comings, they rejected Jesus as their Messiah when He didn’t set up His Kingdom at that time.
The Millennial Kingdom will be the fifth kingdom mentioned by Daniel the prophet in Dan. 2:44-45 and in Dan. 7:13-14, 22, and 27. The first four kingdoms of Dan. 2 & Dan. 7 are Gentile world powers that will rule over the earth. This time period is referred to as “the times of the Gentiles,” Luke 21:24. The first four kingdoms have been literally fulfilled in history; they were the Babylonian Empire, the Medio-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire and the Roman Empire. A careful reading of Dan. 2 and Dan. 7 shows that the Roman Empire, the forth kingdom, will be revived in the last days and will become the kingdom of the anti-christ, the little horn of Dan. 2:8 and Dan. 7:24-25. Today, the revived form of the forth kingdom is being fulfilled through the European Union; the kingdom of the anti-christ is being united and is waiting for its leader. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, who is the stone of Dan.2:34, will bring to an end the Gentile world powers and He will at that time set up the fifth kingdom, the Millennial Kingdom, which is symbolized by the mountain of Dan. 2:35. The word mountain was often used in the Old Testament to represent a kingdom.
The Millennial Kingdom is not the final heaven on earth, it will be a “Theocracy” which means “governed by God”. Jesus Christ will be recognized as the supreme civil ruler and His laws will be taken as the laws of the land. His government will be one of perfection and His rule will be so absolute and authoritative that it is likened to an “iron rule,” Rev. 19:15. The capital city of His kingdom will be Jerusalem, Zech 2:12; Zech 8:22 & Zech 14:16. During the millennium Satan will be imprisoned for the thousand years so that he will not be able to deceive and tempt the people of the world. At the close of the thousand years, Satan will be released for a short period of time in order for those who will be born during the thousand years to make their choice between God and Satan, just as all of mankind has already had to do, Rev. 20:1-3 & Rev. 20:7-10.
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” (Revelation 19:11). In other words, God never does anything out of anger or getting even. No vengeance, as such, it’s simply the result of man’s rejection of His offer of love and mercy and grace. Revelation 19—the Second Coming is going to be the final event of those seven years of wrath and vexation and will usher in the thousand years of Christ’s reign.
“His eyes (speaking of Jesus the Christ at His Second Coming, now) were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew, but he himself. 13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped (or sprinkled or splattered) in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:12-13). Which, of course, is a perfect fit with John’s Gospel chapter 1.
“And the armies who were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations:…” (Revelation 19:14-15a)
There are many different viewpoints amongst theologians regarding the question —“Is the Body of Christ going to return with Christ at His Second Coming, or will we be eternally set in the heavenlies?” “When Jesus Christ returns to earth at the completion of the Tribulation, I do not think the body of Christ will accompany Him at that time. Matthew 25:31(31 (When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory) makes it clear that only Angels will attend his second coming
And here’s the reason: “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” (Revelation 19:14).
Who are these armies in Heaven? I think (this is why I’m on the fence), could this be a reference to the Body of Christ. Not angels?
It can’t be the Old Testament Saints, because they’re not going to be resurrected until 75 days later. Here’s the dilemma. On the one hand, it appears the Body of Christ is going to be with Christ at His Second Coming, but this is unclear. Go to Romans. A lot of these things are not clear. No doubt about it. We probably won’t know until we get there, then we’re going to find out.
In Romans 8 verse 18, Paul is writing to the members of the Body of Christ.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in (or to) us. 19. For the earnest expectation of the creation (That is all the animal kingdom, the birds, and everything on creation.) is waiting for the manifestation of the children of God.” (Romans 8:18-19). Well, now go back up to verses 14, 15, and 16. And let’s establish—who are the Children of God that Paul is talking about? It’s the Body of Christ.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Because we’re His child.) 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:14-17).
“For the earnest expectation (of all) of the creation (At the end of the Tribulation and the horrors of it, what are they waiting for?) waiteth for the manifestation of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19). That’s us. Well, how else could we be manifested except to be with Him at His coming. That’s one way to look at it.
“For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope. 21. Because the creation itself shall also be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of (Whom?) the children of God.” (Romans 8:20-21). Who were the children of God? The Body of Christ. Now, I can’t separate that. But simply leave it. If you find information that refutes this interpretation, just say, “Well, that’s one way of looking at it.”
Here is another one. Back in Revelation 19—it’s not only here that I have a question, where the armies which are in Heaven are clothed in fine linen. That appears to be the Body of Christ.
And out of his (that is out of Christ’s) mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: (And remember that Hebrews tells us the Word of the Lord is a what? A two-edged sword. So we’re not talking about a metal sword here. We’re talking about the spoken Word that will come from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Coming.) and he shall rule them (future—in the coming 1,000 years) with a rod of iron:…” (Revelation 19:15a). And referring back to the final days of the Tribulation, He will use the 100 pound hailstones to crush those millions and millions of people gathered in the valleys of Israel.
“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16). There’s His full title. And He’s going to set up His Kingdom
These things that Daniel had written prophetically were not understood until the late 1800’s. For eighteen hundred years Christendom had absolutely no concept of end time prophecy. And God didn’t intend it to be. But as we approach the end times, more and more becomes evident.
For the believers there will be two resurrections. The resurrection of the Body of Christ at the Rapture, and the resurrection of all the rest of the believers before we come into the Kingdom event when the Old Testament saints will come back 75 days after Christ returns. But now at the end of everything, at the end of the 6,000 years or whatever else goes on after that. At the end of everything, the Great White Throne is set up and here come all the lost of the ages. They’ll be in bodies, because they are resurrected.
Resurrection simply means a person who has died and has been supernaturally brought back to life. Not like Lazarus. Lazarus wasn’t resurrected. He was simply brought back to life. The widow’s son was brought back to life. But resurrection is when, by God’s supernatural power, a person who has lived and died and gone back to the dust of the earth is called out with a resurrection body. And that’s what we have here. They’re going to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ bodily. With a body not fit for eternal bliss, but a body fit for the Lake of Fire. And if they weren’t in the Book of Life, God would show it to them, proof positive. You’ve never entered into eternal life. You’ve never exercised faith. And then He judges their punishment in the Lake of Fire, where there will be degrees. Absolutely there will be. He gives out the punishment according to the works that were registered in the books. Every human being that has ever lived is going to have his moment of time, although it’s in eternity, before the Lord Jesus Christ.
They’re resurrected out of wherever the lost have been in the interval of time, and then bodily they are cast into the Lake of Fire—the second death. The first death, of course, is physical death. The second death is spiritual death.
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15). And Jesus Himself over and over used what kind of terminology? Forever and ever and ever and ever. It is without end.
In Revelation 21 all of a sudden, we’re into eternity. And it’s a whole new ballgame, once again. Verse 1:
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2. And I, John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:1-2).
Not right away but after two thousand years of human history, the Nation of Israel appears. And from the onset of Israel, they are God’s what kind of people? Earthly! And all that God dealt with was the Nation of Israel, until He sent the Apostle Paul to the Gentile world with another whole new program and called them the Body of Christ. But what kind of people were they? Heavenly!
Is God addressing His earthly people Israel? Or is He dealing with the heavenly people, the body of Christ? Now Revelation 21 just told us that everything is going to be made new just like it was in Genesis, a new heaven and a new earth.
Peter here is referring to what we’re seeing in Revelation 21. II Peter chapter 3 and go all the way to verse 4, so we get the flow of Scripture. And remember, Peter is writing to Jews. This is not an ecumenical book at all. This is Peter addressing fellow Jews.
“And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” Sound familiar?(II Peter 3:4).
Well, we’re hearing the same thing today. You try to talk to people about the signs of the times and hear, “No, it’s always been this way.” No, it hasn’t! We are in a time that’s different than anything else. Granted, it’s all connected, but we are in the signs of the times. All right, now verse 5:
“For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6. Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7. But the heavens and the earth, which are now,…” (II Peter 3:5-7a). Now remember, when Peter is writing in the first century, A.D. 60-65, the world is as it is now. The oceans and everything haven’t changed.
“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, (In other words, God has not permitted anything to happen to it, but He has reserved it for His own purposes, remember, which is--) reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years,…”(II Peter 3:7-8a).
God is eternal. He is not constrained by time. A thousand years is no different to God than a day. A second is no different than a hundred years. He’s eternal. He’s timeless. All right, verse 9:
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9). Now remember, Peter is dealing with his fellow Jews.
Why will God destroy everything?
Revelation chapters 21-22 gives us a detailed picture of the new heavens and the new earth. After the events of the end times, the current heavens and earth will be done away with and replaced by the new heavens and new earth. The eternal dwelling place of believers will be the new earth. The new earth is the “heaven” on which all believers will spend eternity. It is the new earth where the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city, will be located. It is on the new earth that the pearly gates and streets of gold will be.
Heaven—the new earth—is a physical place where we will dwell with glorified physical bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-58). The heaven that believers will experience will be a new and perfect planet on which we will dwell. The new earth will be free from sin, evil, sickness, suffering, and death. It will likely be similar to our current earth, or perhaps even a re-creation of our current earth, but without the curse of sin.
When Revelation 21:1 refers to the new heavens, it is likely indicating that the entire universe will be created—a new earth, new skies, a new outer space. It seems as if God's heaven will be recreated as well, to give everything in the universe a “fresh start,” whether physical or spiritual. Will we have access to the new heavens in eternity? Possibly, but we will have to wait to find out. May we all allow God’s Word to shape our understanding of heaven.
God has to destroy everything if you consider that it was Satan who has defiled everything. Did Satan defile Heaven? Yes. Satan’s had access to Heaven. His filthy presence has polluted everything that he’s ever touched. God is just going to have to show that, yes, Satan diluted and polluted everything in His creation. And He’s going to make it all brand new. Everything is going to be brand new for eternity.
“Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Peter 3:12a).
In Revelation 21, John is saying the same thing. And along with this new heaven and new earth, is the Holy City. The New Jerusalem, which has also been called the City of God, the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the Celestial City, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth. It is referred to in the Bible in several places (Isaiah 52:1, Galatians 4:26, Hebrews 11:10, 12:22-24, and 13:14), but it is most fully described in the 21st chapter of the book of Revelation.
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”(Revelation 21:2).
It’s a three dimensional city 1500 miles by 1500 miles by 1500 miles. A city 1500 miles wide and long, would never sit on this present earth. Half of it would be out over the Atlantic Ocean. So in order to have a planet big enough to hold a city 1500 miles square, it would have to be larger than the planet Jupiter. It’s going to be humongous, but whatever. It’s going to be a city 1500 by 1500 by 1500.
John is writing to the Nation of Israel. There’s not one Gentile word in here. “And I head a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 21:3). Who did God say that to way back in Jeremiah? Israel. Go back to Jeremiah 31. This is the new covenant, and it’s going to carry Israel right into the eternal state.
“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33). You see how Scripture identifies itself with Scripture? John is saying the same thing in chapter 21. That God, dealing with His people Israel, will be their God and they shall be His people.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, (I’m the A and the Z.) the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” (Revelation 21:4-7)
Now there’s that word “overcometh.”’ Where else do we see it? In the seven letters to those seven assemblies in the first three chapters of Revelation. Those weren’t Gentile churches. Those were Jewish Synagogues. Same language. Look how Jewish this all is.
“And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names were written thereon, which are the names of the (Body of Christ? No. Who?) the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:” (Revelation 21:12).
“On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:13-14). They were the apostles only to Israel . So, this is all Jewish. You can’t put Gentile language in there!
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month:…” (Revelation 22:1). This is primarily the promises made to Israel. All of these things are first and foremost God’s promises to His covenant people Israel.
“Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, (that’s Old Testament) and of them who keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 10. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” (Revelation 22:9). Then the Lord Jesus Himself says, in verse 12:
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12). When the lost will come before the Great White Throne. The saved of the ages, of course, will be in a different judgment.
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,…” (Revelation 22:13-14a). Now the Tree of Life disappeared back there in Genesis and has been off the scene until we get to the last chapter of the Book. Then it’s back in view. The tree of life is still alive and well, thank you.
To summarize as best I can. After the rapture, and the Body of Christ(the church) is in Heaven, God will restore Israel as the primary focus of His plan. The first event (on earth)at this time is the tribulation (Revelation chapters 6-19). The world will be judged for rejecting Christ, while Israel is prepared through the trials of the great tribulation waiting for the second coming of the Messiah. Then, when Christ does return to the earth, at the end of the tribulation, Israel will be ready to receive Him. The remnant of Israel which survives the tribulation will be saved, and the Lord will establish His kingdom on this earth with Jerusalem as its capital. With Christ reigning as King, Israel will be the leading nation, and representatives from all nations will come to Jerusalem to honor and worship the King—Jesus Christ. Then will come the judgment of unbelievers at the White Throne, and Satan and his minions will receive God’s perfect justice. At a time known only to God, the church(the Body of Christ) will return to the new heaven on earth and will reign with Christ as His joint-heirs forever and ever.
THE HOLY CITY OF NEW JERUSALEM
(HEAVEN ON THE NEW EARTH)
One of God’s most wonderful promises to those who love Him is the creation of the New Jerusalem, a place of unimaginable beauty and perfection. In fact, Jesus promised to go ahead of His followers and prepare a place for them in the New Jerusalem, and the Old Testament heroes who exhibited unwavering faith in the Word of God had their eyes trained on this future city, a place where justice would reign and righteousness would endure for all of eternity.
In the New Jerusalem all will be holy. Holiness is the nature of God. Love reveals God’s heart, righteousness is God’s way, and holiness is God’s nature. Only God Himself is holy, for only God is separated and uniquely different from everything else. The New Jerusalem is a city that is absolutely saturated and mingled with God; therefore, it is absolutely holy. It is entirely different from all other things. Whenever we experience the mingling of God as with the indwelling Holy Spirit today, there is a real holiness. In everything we do, if we have that Holy Spirit being mingled with us, we experience holiness in that thing. Holiness signifies a separation from common things. The more we are mingled with God in Christ, the more we will be holy. We will be different and separated from all things common. To be holy means to have something of God mingled with us. Holiness is not a matter of action but a matter of nature. ;As believers it is not a matter of what we do but of how much we have been mingled with God, and we will have a new nature. When we are resurrected we will be like God, and this means that we may partake of His nature by being mingled with Him. The New Jerusalem is absolutely and thoroughly mingled with God; therefore, it is the holy city, and we will be a part of it both physically and spiritually.
The New Jerusalem, which has also been called the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the City of God, the Celestial City, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth. It is referred to in the Bible in several places (Isaiah 52:1, Galatians 4:26, Hebrews 11:10, 12:22-24, and 13:14), but it is most fully described in the 21st chapter of the book of Revelation.
By the time we reach the 21st chapter of Revelation, the recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages have come and gone. Christ has taken His church home (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). The Tribulation and the Great Tribulation of the book of Revelation have passed. The battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:17-21). Satan has been chained for the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth; he was released and deceived the nations once again, causing them to rise up in rebellion against God once more, but God has defeated Satan again and Satan has received his just punishment, an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1-10.) The Great White Throne Judgment has taken place, and mankind has been judged (Revelation 20:11-15).
Now in Revelation 21 the new heaven and the new earth are created, God the Father then brings heaven to earth in the New Jerusalem where He dwells with His own for eternity. Only God’s children will be with Him in the New Jerusalem (John 1:12). In Ecclesiastes Solomon tells us of the futility of our pursuits in this life. Verse 3:11 tells us that since we were made for eternity nothing in time will fully and permanently satisfy us. Augustine wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and we are restless until we find our rest in you.”
The New Jerusalem is where believers in Christ will spend eternity. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is heaven, paradise, God’s goodness made fully manifest.
God will create the city called New Jerusalem; as it is written, "whose builder and maker is God."
It is called the bride, the Lamb’s wife, the holy city, the holy Jerusalem, the heavenly Jerusalem, My Father’s house, the city of the living God, and a rejoicing.
This great city is presented as a bride adorned for her husband. It is spotless and magnificent.
At some point after the Millennium, this city will come down from God out of heaven. Apparently, it will be shortly after the heavens and the earth have passed away.
It appears to be positioned somehow above the new earth; it is a heavenly city.
The glory of God is there. The glory and honor of the kings and nations of the new earth is there.
Abraham looked for this city. The saints also desire this better country, which is a heavenly one. It is a place prepared "for you."
God the Father will be there. Jesus will be there. Abraham will be there. It is a city prepared for those that died in faith. There are an innumerable company of angels. The twelve apostles will be there and the twelve tribes of Israel. God’s servants will be there. Within the city are many mansions, including places for the saints. Her people are a joy.
The kings of the earth may enter and those in the Lamb’s book of life. They also that do God’s commandments may have the right to enter in.
God’s servants shall serve Him, they shall see His face. His name shall be in their foreheads. They shall reign for ever and ever.
There will be no more curse or night; there will be no more tears, or death, or sorrow, or crying, and no more pain.
There is no temple. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. There is a throne for God and the Lamb.
New Jerusalem has no need of the sun, moon, or candle to shine in it. Its light is like a jasper stone, clear as crystal and most precious. The glory of God lightens it—the Lamb is its light.
It is an enormous city and appears to be shaped like a cube. It is approximately 1500 miles long, 1500 miles wide, and 1500 miles high. Such a city, if it has levels, could house billions of people.
It is of pure gold, but the gold is clear like glass. It has a great and high wall that appears to be built of jasper or diamond. It has foundations; in them are the names of the apostles of the Lamb. The foundations are garnished with precious stones.
The city of New Jerusalem has twelve gates that shall never be shut (three gates for each of the four directions: east, north, south, and west). Each gate has an angel and a name written, the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
It has a street of pure gold, but the gold is like transparent glass.
It has a river of pure water, which is the water of life. It is clear like crystal and proceeds out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
There is a tree of life, located in the midst of the street and on either side of the river. The tree bears twelve kinds of fruit. The fruit comes forth every month. The tree also has leaves that are for healing. All that do God’s commandments may have the right to the tree of life.
New Jerusalem is called the mother of us all. She represents the new covenant and freedom.
The tabernacle of God will be with men. They shall be His people, and He will be their God.
HEAVEN
Does Heaven differ from The New Jerusalem?
In Revelation 21:2 it says that the holy city, New Jerusalem is coming down out of heaven. This verse seems to imply Heaven and the New Jerusalem are not necessarily synonymous. However, as stated earlier God had to destroy everything if you consider that it was Satan who has defiled everything. Did Satan defile Heaven? Yes. Satan’s had access to Heaven. His filthy presence has polluted everything that he’s ever touched. God is just going to have to show that, yes, Satan diluted and polluted everything in His creation. And He’s going to make it all brand new. Everything is going to be brand new for eternity.
“Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire
shall be dissolved, Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Peter 3:12a). It seems as if God's heaven will be recreated as well, to give everything in the universe a “fresh start,” whether physical or spiritual. We may have to wait to find out. May we all allow God’s Word to shape our understanding of heaven.
Heaven is a real place described in the Bible. The word “heaven” is found 276 times in the New Testament alone. Scripture refers to three heavens. The apostle Paul was “caught up to the third heaven,” but he was prohibited from revealing what he experienced there (2 Corinthians 12:1-9).
If a third heaven exists, there must also be two other heavens. The first is most frequently referred to in the Old Testament as the “sky” or the “firmament.” This is the heaven that contains clouds, the area that birds fly through. The second heaven is the abode of the stars, planets, and other celestial objects (Genesis 1:14-18).
The third heaven, to be recreated anew, the location of which we believe to be on the newly created earth, will be the dwelling place of God. Jesus promised to prepare a place for true Christians in heaven (John 14:2). Heaven is also the destination of Old Testament saints who died trusting God's promise of the Redeemer (Ephesians 4:8).
The apostle John was privileged to see and report on the heavenly city (Revelation 21:10-27). John witnessed that heaven (the new earth) possesses the “glory of God” (Revelation 21:11), the very presence of God. Because heaven has no night and the Lord Himself is the light, the sun and moon are no longer needed (Revelation 22:5).
The heavenly city of God on the new earth is filled with the brilliance of costly stones and crystal clear jasper. The new heavenly city has twelve gates (Revelation 21:12) and twelve foundations (Revelation 21:14). The paradise of the Garden of Eden is restored: the river of the water of life flows freely and the tree of life is available once again, yielding fruit monthly with leaves that “heal the nations” (Revelation 22:1-2). However eloquent John was in his description of the new heaven, the reality of heaven is beyond the ability of finite man to describe (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Heaven is a place of “no mores.” There will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more sorrow (Revelation 21:4). There will be no more separation, because death will be conquered (Revelation 20:6). The best thing about heaven is the presence of our Lord and Savior (1 John 3:2). We will be face to face with the Lamb of God who loved us and sacrificed Himself so that we can enjoy His presence in heaven for eternity.
The Apostle Paul’s Encounter With Heaven
The following account of Paul’s vision of heaven provides us with the major revelation in Scripture of what believers can expect after they are called into heaven.
While in the early years of his ministry, Paul was in the city of Lystra...unbelieving Jews from Pisidian Antioch arrived and turned the crowds against the apostles. The people of Lystra stoned Paul until they believed he was dead and dragged his body out of the city where they left him for dead. As the disciples (those who had come to faith through Paul's preaching) stood around Paul's body, miraculously he got up and returned to the city, the very city where he had been stoned!
During this period of unconsciousness before his resuscitation, the Apostle Paul had a very vivid and life-changing experience, which he kept secret for most of his life until he was prompted to write to a group of his followers in Corinth.
“It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory . I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell ; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell : God knoweth ;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell : God knoweth ;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter . 5 Of such an one will I glory : yet of myself I will not glory , but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory , I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear , lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure . 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak , then am I strong.” (II Corinthians 12:1-10) (KJV)
Go back to the time that he is referring to in Acts 14. This was on Paul's first missionary journey. But he's gone up into central Turkey on that first missionary journey, and at the little city of Lystra he had performed a miracle. You would have thought that would have settled everything but rather it got everyone in an uproar because they thought he was a god. But it turned on him and when they suddenly realized that he wasn't a god, they came violently against him. And the Jews were leading the mob.
"And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, (these were cities close together) who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, (according the Jewish system of execution) drew (probably use a rope to drag) him out of the city, (of Lystra) supposing he had been dead." (Acts 14:19).
Remember the ancients weren't that stupid. They had a good idea when life was still in the body, so for all practical purposes Paul died as a result of this stoning.
"Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, (people who were stoned. Their corpse was so crushed and mutilated and yet this is miraculous. We don't know how many hours he laid there with his fellow believers in a dither of what to do.) he rose up, and came into the city: (I think if I'd been him I would have headed in the other direction,) and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe." (Acts 14:20).
Now go back to II Corinthians. I tie this with the stoning in Lystra because, chronologically, it fits. It was probably about 45 or 46 AD when Paul was on that first missionary journey, and we know that he wrote II Corinthians in about 60 AD So chronologically it fits. It was at this time that he experienced this tremendous opportunity to see the glories of Heaven, Paradise.
"...(whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell; God knoweth,) ( It's obvious he was out of the body. The body was the one laying outside of Lystra having been stoned. So the soul and spirit took flight.) God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven." (II Corinthians 12:2b)
The first heaven is what we would call the air or atmosphere - the area where the birds fly, so we know what the Scripture is talking about. The second area is what we now call space or the area of the stars and so forth. The third one is Heaven as we know it. It the very abode of God.
"And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven;..." (Genesis 7:23a).
So it was already referred to in Genesis that the atmosphere is part of what the Bible calls the first heaven.
I know a man in Christ (A true born again believer) above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven." (II Corinthians 12:2).
The second heaven is the area of the stars..
"And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars even all the host of heaven,..." (Deuteronomy 4:19a).
That's not the Heaven that we normally think of as the abode of God, but rather the second heaven. It's not the area where the birds fly, and it's certainly not the abode of God. In II Corinthians Paul will delineate the third Heaven as being Paradise.
"And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful (or permitted) for a man to utter..."(or repeat) (II Corinthians 12:3,4a).
In the Old Testament a believer could not go up into the presence of God when he died, but rather he went down into Paradise.
Here Jesus is speaking.
"But he answered and said unto them, `An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas; 40. For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.'" (Matthew 12:39,40).
So the moment Jesus died He went down, not up. So everything concerning Paradise in the Old Testament economy until after Christ's resurrection was down to this area in the center of the earth.
All of this helps us understand what Paul now teaches with regard to Paradise compared to what it was in the Old Testament and during Christ's earthly ministry.
"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores. 21. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23. And in hell..." (Luke 16:19-23a).
Hell in the Old Testament in the Hebrew word was 'Sheol,' in the Greek it was Hades, in English it's hell. They all mean the same thing. All three of these words ware simply the abode of those who had departed this life. Jesus did go down into the Paradise side of hell.
"And in hell he (the rich man) lift up his eyes, being in torment, (he was an unbeliever) and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (two believers) 24. And he cried and said, `Father Abraham, (the rich man must have been a Jew to say that) have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame.' 25. But Abraham (he, too, is in hell, but not in the torment side but rather the Paradise side.) said, `Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.' 27. Then he said, `I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28. For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29. Abraham saith unto him, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30. And he said, `Nay father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.' 31. And he said unto him, `If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.'" (Luke 16:23-31).
So remember in hell at that time one side was torment and the other side was Paradise. Now go to Ephesians 4 to see what happened. Also, recall this statement by Jesus on the cross:
"And he said unto Jesus, `Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.' 43. And Jesus said unto him, `Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.'" (Luke 23:42,43).
In Paradise that day they went down and joined the saints that were waiting for this great work of atonement. Now since the atoning Blood had been shed and Christ has spent these three days and nights in Paradise, now look what Paul says happened.
"Wherefore he saith, `When he ascended up on high, [that is after His resurrection] he led captivity captive, [Who’s been in captivity? Those believing Old Testament saints. They were held in the Paradise side of hell waiting for the atoning Blood. which had now been shed.] and gave gifts unto men. 9. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?) 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things." (Ephesians 4:8-10).
This all fits with Jesus' account in Matthew Chapter 12. And here Paul puts the capstone on it that before Jesus ascended to glory, He descended into Paradise and took those who were captive with Him.
Now go to II Corinthians 12. So when Paul says that when he went up to Paradise, you see this is confirmation of the fact that Paradise is no longer down in the center of the earth, but now it's in glory.
"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." (II Corinthians 5:8).
Now if he's going to be present with the Lord, where is he hoping to go? Paradise! Because Paradise is now in Heaven as we understand Heaven. Now go to Chapter 12. Paul has now gotten a glimpse of Heaven as we normally think of Heaven. With all of its beauty, and no doubt with music. Evidently, Paul had full exposure to all this. He saw the glories, he heard the magnificent things as we see in verse 4.
"How that he was caught up into paradise, (into the third Heaven) and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." (II Corinthians 12:4).
In other words God said, "All right Paul I'm letting you see and hear, but you can't repeat it, you have to keep it to yourself."
"Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; (Paul is remembering what God had instructed) for I say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be or that he heareth of me." (II Corinthians 12:5,6)
Here Paul is saying if God had permitted him to repeat what he had seen and heard, what would the human race have done with the apostle Paul? They would have worshipped him. The apostle Paul was just as human as you and I. Never does Paul expect worship from any of his converts. He's not God. Well if Paul could have rehearsed with any of his people, or even to the Roman world in general, of what he had seen and heard they would have fallen down and worshipped him, so God wouldn't permit that. So He put the stigma on Paul that he couldn't repeat what he had seen and heard.
So we see that throughout the remainder of Paul’s life when this man was going through intense suffering, from whippings he was constantly sustained by what he had seen and heard in glory. In addition to that there were many times the Lord Jesus appeared unto him like he did at Corinth, when the Lord said unto him, "Don't give up Paul, I have a great number of people in this place." And the time they were about to be shipwrecked on that trip to Rome and a lot of the prisoners were about to be put to death for fear they would escape. That's when Paul just brought everything under control and said, "Look, God has appeared to me and not a life is going to be lost." So the Lord Jesus communicated with him often. Paul had these things of the supernatural to compensate for all his trials and all of his sufferings. So when he would come through these beatings he could just remind himself, "But just look what I've got coming."
The book of Romans was probably written about 10 years after Paul got a glimpse of glory. So it is easy to see how he could write with full understanding after being inspired by the Holy Spirit.
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time (see how plain that is now?) are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18).
This should be a lesson to all of us. Even though we may not share many of the world's pleasures, and we may not enjoy some of the things that the world thinks are enjoyable, is it worth it? Well you better believe it. Because no matter what we suffer even if we suffered to the extent that the apostle Paul suffered, we would still be able to say, "Oh but it's worth it because of the glory that is waiting for us." And it's not just going to be seventy years to compensate for seventy years down here, but rather it's forever.
There is another verse of scripture that we can use for this in I Corinthians 2. And again, remember this was written long after this tremendous experience.
"But as it is written, `Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.'" (I Corinthians 2:9).
What a promise, and God can't lie. So we can rest on it that the day is coming when we are going to experience things like what Paul had the privilege to see.
Our Citizenship is in Heaven
Forty days after the resurrection our Savior was taken, in His glorified body, up into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of God. He will remain in heaven until such time the Tribulation event is complete, after which He will return to earth to establish His Kingdom. The benefits of our Lord's ascending up into heaven forty days after His resurrection are many. He is in heaven now, says the Bible (I John 2), as our advocate with the Father. He intercedes for us as a merciful and compassionate High Priest. Still more, in heaven He rules over all things for the church. He subjects everything to Himself. He rules to serve the purpose of God and to bring about the eternal kingdom of our God. And still more, Jesus Christ is in heaven as the pledge that we, too, must go to be with Him. Because He is in heaven, all those who belong to Him shall also be with Him.
But there is also this profound benefit of the ascension of Jesus, namely, that it shows that our citizenship has changed. If you are a believer and in the Body of Christ, your citizenship is already in heaven. The apostle Paul, in Philippians 3:20.21, puts it this way: "For our conversation (or citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." By the ascension of Jesus Christ we are now translated from this world of darkness into the kingdom of His Son. We are given a heavenly citizenship. Belonging to Jesus Christ who is ascended into heaven, we are now given the title for glory. The life of heaven is now in our heart. Not only shall I become a citizen of heaven at death - no, I am one right now. I am made a pilgrim and a stranger here on earth. I hold a spiritual citizenship not in this world but in that which is to come. Why? Because Christ, the Head of the church, the Head of the body, ascended into heaven. And being united to Jesus Christ by grace through faith means that we too have entered into heaven. Therefore we have, in Him, secured a heavenly citizenship. That is why the present world cannot be our permanent home.
The wonder is that our citizenship now is in heaven. Heaven is eternal. Heaven is the dwelling place of God. Heaven is wrapped in light and peace and joy and perfection. It is a land that is glorious and fair. And each part of that land is glorious because it reflects the glory of God. It consists in perfect fellowship with God. It is rich beyond compare in love and mercy and grace. Its language is golden, its laws proceed from God's throne and are true and righteous altogether. There is no evil, no lying, no death, no weariness, no toil or pain, no tears. There is Jesus Christ and all of the saints. And it will never pass away. But it goes on from glory to glory. It is fixed and eternal. Our citizenship is in heaven. Its life is now ours. We hold the title to it. We have been given an inheritance, a mansion in glory. We belong to the state of heaven, where all our sorrows and sighings and all our sins will be forever gone. And we will enjoy fellowship with God.
How is it possible to be a citizen of heaven? The answer is: the ascension of Jesus Christ. You see, the Bible would have us understand that believers are always in union with Jesus Christ in the most intimate sense. By the wonderful love of God we are placed in Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ we are nothing. We have nothing. We can do nothing. We are naked and helpless and exposed. But God has placed us in Jesus Christ as a joint-heir so that all that is Christ's is also ours. He is in heaven. He ascended into heaven. He has the perfect right to be there. We also have the right of heaven.
The Glory of Heaven
Every believer in Jesus, who has been made righteous through Him, is given the greatest possible reward ... that of eternal life and the bliss of forever being in the presence of the Lord. Jesus said to His disciples,
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3).
Jesus claimed: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25-26).
The gracious gift of eternal life is a present reality, as well as a future promise (John 3:36; 1 Timothy 4:8). What a joyous existence that will be! It will be a life of joyous and active service and worship to God.
When Jesus taught His Jewish listeners, He did not have to tell them that there was an after-life... they already believed in that, but He did correct them when they were mistaken about the nature of the heavenly existence, thinking that a man would have a wife there which implies a sexual relationship. Jesus corrected them by saying that there would be no marrying in heaven, for the resurrected body would not be as our body is now, which is a body suited to earth and having natural desires; no, the resurrected body will be a body suited to heaven. There will be no sexuality in heaven, but rather, as Jesus said, we will be like the angels (Matthew 22:29-32). Heaven will not be a place of sensual or physical rewards. Our heavenly desire will be for God alone and to serve and worship Him, not to serve our own appetites or pleasures, for that would be unthinkable in heaven!
Scripture teaches that the believer in Jesus, after he or she dies, will be resurrected to life - a new life in the spiritual realm. It will not only be endless life, but it will be life in all its fullness (Matthew 25:46). We will have new interests and activities. Our joy will be complete, since the reason for our creation and existence will be fully realized and we will be restored to the closeness with God that Adam enjoyed in the garden before the Fall, when sin entered the world.
Heaven is described in Scripture by various names:
Paradise, or literally, "a garden" which conveys the idea of a place of great beauty (Revelation 2:7; 2 Corinthians 12:2-4).Jesus told the repentant and believing thief who was on the cross beside Him that he would be with Him in Paradise (Luke 23:43).
Jesus described heaven as His "Father’s House" with many mansions which conveys the thoughts of rest, safety, and a home. (John 14:2)
A Heavenly country conveys the thoughts of a homeland, a place of citizenship for those in the Kingdom of God (Hebrews 11:13-16; Philippians 3:20-21).
A "City" means that heaven is an organized society with much activity (Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 21:2).
What are the blessings of heaven?
The greatest blessings is continual Fellowship with Jesus Christ (John 14:3; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 8; Philippians 1:23; Revelation 21:3; 22:4), and we shall see His face, for as Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). The Redeemed will see God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In heaven there will be Fullness of knowledge - the most important knowledge being the knowledge of God (1 Corinthians 13:12). Another blessing of heaven will be Rest and ultimate peace. There will be no sin, curse, pain, nor sorrow (Revelation 14:13; 21:4) A fourth blessings of heaven is Service to God (Revelation 7:15; 22:3). Another blessings is Joy. There will be no tears (Revelation 21:4). Also, Permanence and stability, for the happiness of heaven will last forever.
We will be blessed in heaven with Social interaction since we will be in the company of angels and gathered together with others who have been redeemed (Hebrews 12:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:17). Yet another blessing of heaven is Light and beauty - the light, which is unceasing, is like none other we have seen before. The beauty of heaven is hard for our limited minds to comprehend for nothing on earth can compare to it (Revelation 21:23; 22:5).
Just as the idea of an after-life is a part of man’s conscience, so too is the notion of a divine judgment. God is the Judge of all, and He performs this work through Jesus Christ to whom He has given all judgment (John 5:22-23; Hebrews 12:23). Scripture teaches that there will be several judgments, and one is the judgment of the righteous that will take place when Jesus Christ returns (Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12) . Here the Lord will judge the works of the believers and bestow rewards (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 4:5). It will not be a judgment for sin, since the Lord atoned for our sins upon the Cross and removed them (Romans 8:1). We know from Scripture that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but death cannot keep us, for although our bodies will die, yet will we live forever. Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).
In several of Jesus’ parables, He taught about this judgment, such as in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), and the ten minas or pounds (Luke 19:11-27), and the parable of the Laborers (Matthew 20:1-16). Every believer will be called to give an account of the use he or she has made of their talents, money, responsibilities, and the opportunities that God has entrusted to them. The works that are tried by fire and remain will be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:13-14).
The Apostle Paul states that salvation is a gift of God given by His grace, "not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:9-10). In other words, God has given us opportunities to do as Jesus said, "lay up for yourself treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:20).
What will lead to a heavenly reward?
Leading others to know the Lord is the most important thing we can do as believers - and this will be rewarded (Daniel 12:3; Proverbs 11:30; 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; James 5:20). Jesus made it clear that labor in His harvest field will reap a reward (John 4:36).
Being a faithful steward of all God has entrusted to us, like Jesus’ parables taught (Matthew 20:1ff; 25:14ff; Luke 19:11ff; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Galatians 6:7-10). A reward is given for doing good to all men, especially to fellow believers who are in need (Galatians 6:10; 2 Peter 1:7). Jesus taught that hospitality is rewarded (Matthew 10:40-41), so is caring for the sick, the poor and the persecuted (Matthew 25:34-40). Even giving a cup of cold water to one who is in need will be rewarded (Matthew 10:42). Doing good includes having Christ-like virtues which include brotherly-kindness and love - all which ensure that "An entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11). God will reward the labor of love (Hebrews 6:10; 1 Corinthians 15:58). Believers will be rewarded for enduring suffering and remaining true to the Lord Jesus in an evil world. (Matthew 5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23; 2 Timothy 2:12; James 1:12). Believers will be rewarded for Self-sacrifice. Jesus said that everyone who has sacrificed "for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life" (Matthew19:29).
The nature of the reward is represented by the figure of the crown; an "incorruptible or imperishable crown" as Paul describes it (1 Corinthians 9:25). Souls won to the Lord are our "crown of rejoicing" (1 Thessalonians 2:19). In other Scripture the reward is called a "crown of righteousness" (2 Timothy 4:8), "the crown of life" (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10), and the "crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:4). In some way this crown is a mark of distinction that shows the Lords pleasure bestowed upon the one to whom it was given.
Let us read of a final reward that Jesus spoke of: "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne" (Revelation 3:21
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In the parable of the unrighteous steward, Christ refers to heaven as "the eternal dwellings" or as one version translates it "the everlasting habitations" (Luke 16:9). This tells us that heaven is a place, not a dream or an illusion. It is a place where glorified saints and angelic beings live together with God. We are told that God "has prepared a city for them" and we are given a preview of the glory of this city in the book of Revelation: "Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, or a stone of crystal-clear jasper...the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone...And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass...the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb" (Revelation 21:11, 18, 19, 21, 23). It is also a place that remains forever. It is called "eternal" or "everlasting" and of its inhabitants it is said, "neither can they die anymore, for they are like the angels, and are sons of God" (Luke 20:36). Those who go to heaven live in that glorious city for all eternity.
When Christ was dying on the cross the penitent thief next to Him made a request of the Lord: "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" Christ responded to him: "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:42, 43). Heaven is called Paradise. Men often refer to an exotic, tropical island as "paradise," yet this paradise will make all earthly paradises look meager and barren.
In Luke 16 heaven is also called Abraham's bosom. "Dives saw Lazarus in Abraham's bosom. And it is so called, because as the bosom is the receipt of love, and the friend of your bosom is your dearest friend, so in glory they are said to be in Abraham's bosom to show that God will love and shelter His elect, as a friend will do to this dearest friend, the friend of his bosom." This is Paradise indeed!
Heaven is called "the joy of your master." The servant who acted wisely with his master's talents is welcomed into the kingdom of God with these words: "Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:23). Psalm 16:11 tells us: "In Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever."
These expressions have given us a view of heaven which is like looking through a colored glass at a far distant kingdom which we cannot see clearly. Those in heaven will be free from sin. In heaven we will know what the eternal blessedness of the soul consists.
The occupants of heaven shall be freed from sin itself, from the causes of sin, and from the consequences of sin. First, those who enter glory to live forever with God in heaven shall be free from sin itself. Sin is the cause of all the misery in the world. Sin is the reason we experience pain, sorrow, sickness, and even death. Paul mourns over sin and expresses in strongest language his desire to be rid of it: "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24). The true child of God longs to be where he will sin no more: a place where he will never commit another sin; a place where he will never even have another sinful thought. Sin is the greatest enemy of the one who loves holiness. Here sin makes war upon you as the flesh lusts against the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). Heaven is the place where sin will be no more. This is pictured beautifully in Revelation 21:3-4: "And God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Why are there tears? Why is there death? Why do men mourn, cry, and feel pain? It is all because of sin. Sin brings all of those evils upon man. In heaven men shall be free from sin.
In heaven men shall be free from the causes of sin. There are three primary causes of sin: your sinful nature, the temptations of the devil, and the lure of the world. Your sinful nature is the source of the sins which you commit. If the devil were chained up and not allowed to touch or tempt you, you would continue to sin because of the principle of sin which indwells you: "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh" (Romans 7:18). In heaven your vile body shall be made like unto His glorious body and you cannot sin.
In heaven you will be free from the temptations of the devil. Here men are assaulted daily by the enemy of their souls. Here "your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (I Peter 5:8). On earth the devil seeks to sift you as wheat as he sought to do to Peter. Soon the devil shall be thrown into the lake of fire and be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10). Soon, if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, "the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet" (Romans 16:20). In heaven there shall be no more devil to tempt saints to sin anymore. In heaven men shall be free from the lusts of the world. These are described by John as "the lusts of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life" (I John 2:16). Here the world system seeks to press you into it's mold. Christians are constantly being bombarded by the ungodly influences of lust, greed, pride, etc. These ungodly influences working hand-in-hand with your corrupt nature bring much grief to your soul. In heaven the godly shall be free of the evil influence of the world for they will have overcome the world for all time through the blood of Jesus Christ.
In heaven men will be free from the consequences of sin. The primary consequence of sin is eternal punishment in hell. Scripture makes it clear that a person at death goes to either heaven or hell. There is no in between state or place, no purgatory, no other option. Those who go to heaven are spared the wrath of God which falls upon those in hell. They are delivered from "the wrath to come" (I Thes-salonians 1:10). Physical death which opens the door into eternity is also one of the consequences of sin. Death came originally, as a direct penal infliction upon man because of his sin for "the sting of death is sin" (I Corinthians 15:56), "but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Death is swallowed up in victory" so that the child of God can boldly say, "Oh, death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (I Corinthians 15:54, 55, 57).
Paul said, "Now we see through a glass darkly" (I Corinthians 13:12). Certainly, the picture we now try to describe is dark indeed compared to the true glory of heaven. Who can imagine the things we now try to describe? "We shall never understand glory fully till we are in heaven.
The blessedness of the soul in glory consists of at least three things: 1) the seeing of God, 2) the perfection of graces in the believer, and 3) fulness of joy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). The saints in heaven shall see God in all His majesty. They shall behold the infinite glory of the Almighty One in as great a capacity as they are capable of. They shall not behold Him only at a distance, but "face to face" (I Corinthians 13:12). This is what the blessedness of the saints in glory chiefly consists of: the beholding of God. Revelation 22:5 describes some of the glory of seeing God: "And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them." The glory of God will swallow up the light of the sun as the brilliance of the sun now dispels the darkness of night.
The Father will not directly manifest Himself to those in heaven for we are told in the Scriptures that God is invisible: "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (I Timothy 1:17). It is said of Christ that "He is the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15). The Father will not need to manifest Himself in any other way than through the glory and majesty of the exalted Christ. The Lord told His disciples on the night before He died: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).
Seeing God in the glorified body of Christ, is the most perfect way of seeing God with the bodily eyes that can be; for in seeing a real body, which one of the Persons of the Trinity has assumed to be His body, and in which He dwells forever as his own, the divine majesty and excellency appear as much as it is possible for them to appear in outward form or shape...They shall see Him, as appearing in His glorified human nature, with their bodily eyes; and this will be a most glorious sight. The loveliness of Christ as thus appearing will be a most ravishing thing to them; for though the bodies of the saints shall appear with an exceeding beauty and glory, yet the body of Christ will without doubt immensely surpass them, as much as the brightness of the sun does that of the stars. The glorified body of Christ will be the masterpiece of all God's workmanship in the whole material universe. There shall be in his glorious countenance the manifestations of His glorious spiritual perfections, His majesty, His holiness, His surpassing grace, and love, and meekness. The eye will never be wearied with beholding this glorious sight.
Not only will they see Christ face to face, but they will walk with Him and talk with Him. Christ shall treat them as brothers and shall speak to them as His intimate friends. Just before His crucifixion, Christ told His disciples: "No longer do I call you slaves, for a slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). If Christ could say this to His disciples while they were still clothed in their sinful natures, do you think He will not admit them nearer to Him in heaven when they have been fully purged of all stain and iniquity and stand before His throne spotless clothed in His blood? Certainly he will. The Scriptures speak of God's living with and among His people in glorious terms: "Behold the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them...and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads" (Revelation 21:3; 22:4).
Those who are admitted to heaven shall enjoy the perfection of all their graces. Consider three graces particularly: 1) the grace of knowledge, 2) the grace of holiness, and 3) the grace of love.
First, the grace of knowledge shall be perfected in glory. "For now we know in part, and prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away...For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known" (I Corinthians 13:9-10, 12). Now our knowledge of divine things is shallow and indistinct. We do not perceive things clearly. We are sluggish in our understandings. Then we shall know, as Christ now knows us. The grace of knowledge shall be perfected in the godly in heaven. The godly shall understand more fully Christ as Mediator between God and men. They shall understand the mystery of the incarnation, of God becoming man. To as great a degree as possible, those in glory shall understand the mystery of the Trinity. They shall understand the plan of salvation and how divine providence worked in all the circumstances of their lives. There all the difficulties, trials, and dark providences of life shall be seen as a glorious entity which will testify to the truth that "all things work together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28). They shall understand the excellencies of Christ to as full a degree as they are capable. The knowledge of God shall be full, yet God shall not be fully known, for man can never completely comprehend the Godhead.
The grace of holiness shall be perfected in all who are received into glory. "We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him" (I John 3:2). Holiness is the transcendent beauty of God and the angels. Holiness is primary among the attributes of God. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:3) is the cry of the seraphim who constantly attend Him in glory. In heaven holiness will be perfected in the believer. Sin shall be no more. Then the words of God shall fully be brought to pass: "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (I Peter 1:16). Holiness is the fervent desire of the saint as he travels through this world of sin. There the saints shall be as the angels of God. There, as much as can be, they shall be like Christ Himself. They shall be holy.
In heaven the grace of love shall be perfected. On earth love to God is expressed in fits and spasms. Sinful flesh and self-interest dampen and hinder love to God. We cannot love God as we ought or even as we would like to. Although the spirit in the child of God desires with all that is within him to do what the Scripture says, to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5), it cannot be done perfectly here. But as he in his heart desires to do so, God accepts the desire in the believer as if the action were done perfectly. In heaven, unhindered love shall flow forth to God as none have ever experienced on earth. God shall be loved completely and fully and the saints shall love one another without carnality or selfishness being present.
Thirdly, those who are in heaven shall experience fulness of joy. "In Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand are pleasures forever" (Psalm 16:11). Fulness of joy could be described as experiencing the bountiful love of God to them as the waters of an ocean. From this glorious manifestation of God's love will flow infinite joy into the souls of the blessed; therefore heaven is called 'entering into the joy of our Lord' (Matthew 25:21). The seeing of God, loving God, and being beloved of God will cause a jubilation of spirit, and create such holy raptures of joy in the saints, that are unspeakable and full of glory. They shall see in Him all that love desires. Love desires the love of the beloved. So the saints in glory shall see God's transcendent love to them; God will make ineffable manifestations of His love to them. They shall see as much love in God towards them as they desire; they neither will nor can crave any more...When they see God so glorious, and at the same time see how greatly God loves them, what delight will it not cause in the soul! Love desires union. They shall therefore see this glorious God united to them, and see themselves united to Him. They shall see that He is their Father, and that they are His children. They shall see God gloriously present with them; God with them; and God in them; and they in God. Love desires the possession of its object. Therefore they shall see God, even their own God; when they behold this transcendent glory of God, they shall see Him as their own. The one in glory shall enjoy God as far as their capacity allows.
The Psalmist wrote of the great blessing attending the worship of God in His temple: "How blessed are those who dwell in Thy house! They are ever praising Thee...For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:4, 11). Those in heaven shall rightly say: "How blessed are those who stand in Thy very presence!" If the Lord withholds nothing on earth from those who walk uprightly, shall He then withhold any of the glory of heaven from His redeemed?
Here we enjoy God primarily through His Word, ordinances of worship, and prayer. There we shall enjoy Him "face to face." "Here you have God in expectation, but there you shall have Him in possession." There the saints in glory shall be filled with joy through the eternal enjoyment of the manifestation of God in all His attributes. It will greatly add to the joy and rejoicing of those in glory when they contemplate God's mercy shown to them in salvation and how they deserved to be among the damned, but were spared the torments of hell solely because of God's sovereign mercy given to them. Paul writes of this joy in I Thessalonians 2:19: "For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?" Other things will undoubtedly contribute to their joy, such as their being with loved ones and the saints of all the ages, the contemplating of God's providences toward them on earth, being in the heavenly city, but the greatest joy of all will come from being in His presence!
FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN
Heaven is a place of unspeakable glory where the elect of God live with one another in the immediate presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorified and heavenly body, and where they behold Him in all His glory face to face. It is a place where the curse of sin and all of its effects have been removed forever from all who dwell there; they, being made joint heirs with Christ, inherit all things and live with unmixed joy in a state of perfect happiness incapable of being described or exaggerated forever and ever.
Heaven is called by Jesus Christ "a kingdom." "Come you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). It is called "the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). This tells us that the exceeding glory of this kingdom far outweighs the glory of all earthly kingdoms combined. This is a heavenly kingdom where Christ is King. Not only that, but those who live there with the Blessed One are declared by Christ to be "priests to His God and Father" (Revelation 1:6) and proclaimed by Peter as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession" (I Peter 2:9). What kingdom is like unto this kingdom? What earthly kingdom can be compared to it? There are none.
Heaven is called "the third heaven" (II Corinthians 12:2) and "the heaven of heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14) to show its great eminency. By this it is distinguished from the sky above, the atmospheric heaven, which is also called heaven, and the starry heaven containing all the celestial orbs: the sun, the stars, the planets, and moons of the universe. Think how vast and great are the starry heavens above. The heaven of heavens is far greater still. Here we see only the objects of creation. There God's children will see, worship, and dwell with the God who created the universe and everything in it.
In the parable of the unrighteous steward, Christ refers to heaven as "the eternal dwellings" or as one version translates it "the everlasting habitations" (Luke 16:9). This tells us that heaven is a place, not a dream or an illusion. It is a place where glorified saints and angelic beings live together with God. We are told that God "has prepared a city for them" and we are given a preview of the glory of this city in the book of Revelation:
"Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, or a stone of crystal-clear jasper...the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone...And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass...the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb" (Revelation 21:11, 18, 19, 21, 23).
It is also a place that remains forever. It is called "eternal" or "everlasting" and of its inhabitants it is said, "neither can they die anymore, for they are like the angels, and are sons of God" (Luke 20:36). Those who go to heaven live in that glorious city for all eternity.
A view of heaven for us mortals is like looking through a colored glass at a far distant kingdom which we cannot see clearly.
The occupants of heaven shall be freed from sin itself, from the causes of sin, and from the consequences of sin. First, those who enter glory to live forever with God in heaven shall be free from sin itself. The true child of God longs to be where he will sin no more: a place where he will never commit another sin; a place where he will never even have another sinful thought. Sin is the greatest enemy of the one who loves holiness. Heaven is the place where sin will be no more. This is pictured beautifully in Revelation 21:3-4: "And God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." In heaven men shall be free from sin.
Second, in heaven men shall be free from the causes of sin. In heaven your vile body shall be made like unto His glorious body and you cannot sin.
In heaven you will be free from the temptations of the devil. In heaven there shall be no more devil to tempt saints to sin anymore.
In heaven men shall be free from the lusts of the world. In heaven the godly shall be free of the evil influence of the world for they will have overcome the world for all time through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Unless while still living, we are included in the rapture of the church we will experience physical death. Death then opens the door into eternity. Death came originally, as a direct penal infliction upon man because of his sin for "the sting of death is sin" (I Corinthians 15:56), "but thanks be to God, who gives us the vic-tory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Death is swallowed up in victory" so that the child of God can boldly say, "Oh, death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (I Corinthians 15:54, 55, 57).
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). The saints in heaven shall see God in all His majesty. They shall behold the infinite glory of the Almighty One in as great a capacity as they are capable of. They shall not behold Him only at a distance, but "face to face" (I Corinthians 13:12). This is what the blessedness of the saints in glory chiefly consists of: the beholding of God. Yet it is impossible that a finite man should comprehend God.
The Father will not directly manifest Himself to those in heaven for we are told in the Scriptures that God is invisible: It is said of Christ that "He is the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15). The Father will not need to manifest Himself in any other way than through the glory and majesty of the exalted Christ. "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Seeing God in the glorified body of Christ, is the most perfect way of seeing God with the bodily eyes that can be; for in seeing a real body, which one of the Persons of the Trinity has assumed to be His body, and in which He dwells forever as his own, the divine majesty and excellency appear as much as it is possible for them to appear in outward form or shape...They shall see Him, as appearing in His glorified human nature, with their bodily eyes; and this will be a most glorious sight. The loveliness of Christ as thus appearing will be a most ravishing thing to them; for though the bodies of the saints shall appear with an exceeding beauty and glory, yet the body of Christ will without doubt immensely surpass them, as much as the brightness of the sun does that of the stars. The glorified body of Christ will be the masterpiece of all God's workmanship in the whole material universe. There shall be in his glorious countenance the manifestations of His glorious spiritual perfections, His majesty, His holiness, His surpassing grace, and love, and meekness. The eye will never be wearied with beholding this glorious sight.
Not only will we see Christ face to face, but we will walk with Him and talk with Him. Christ shall treat us as brothers and shall speak to us as His intimate friends. "No longer do I call you slaves, for a slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). Christ said this to His disciples while they were still clothed in their sinful natures. Do you think He will not admit them nearer to Him in heaven when they have been fully purged of all stain and iniquity and stand before His throne spotless clothed in His blood? Certainly he will. The Scriptures speak of God's living with and among His people in glorious terms: "Behold the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them...and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads" (Revelation 21:3; 22:4).
The saints in heaven shall enjoy the perfection of all their graces. First, the grace of knowledge shall be perfected in glory. "For now we know in part, and prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away...For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known" (I Corinthians 13:9-10, 12). Now our knowledge of divine things is shallow and indistinct. We do not perceive things clearly. We are sluggish in our understandings. Then we shall know, as Christ now knows us. The grace of knowledge shall be perfected in the godly in heaven. The godly shall understand more fully Christ as Mediator between God and men. We shall understand the mystery of the incarnation, of God becoming man. To as great a degree as possible, we shall understand the mystery of the Trinity. We shall understand the plan of salvation and how divine providence worked in all the circumstances of their lives. There all the difficulties, trials, and dark providences of life shall be seen as a glorious entity which will testify to the truth that "all things work together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28). We shall understand the excellencies of Christ to as full a degree as we are capable. The knowledge of God shall be full, yet God shall not be fully known, for man can never completely comprehend the Godhead.
The grace of holiness shall be perfected in all who are received into glory. "We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him" (I John 3:2). Holiness is the transcendent beauty of God and the angels. Holiness is primary among the attributes of God. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:3) is the cry of the seraphim who constantly attend Him in glory. In heaven holiness will be perfected in the believer. Sin shall be no more. Then the words of God shall fully be brought to pass: "You shall be holy, for I am holy" (I Peter 1:16). Holiness is the fervent desire of the saint as he travels through this world of sin. There the saints shall be as the angels of God. There, as much as can be, they shall be like Christ Himself. They shall be holy.
In heaven the grace of love shall be perfected. We cannot love God as we ought or even as we would like to. Although the spirit in the child of God desires with all that is within him to do what the Scripture says, to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5), it cannot be done perfectly here. But as he in his heart desires to do so, God accepts the desire in the believer as if the action were done perfectly. In heaven, unhindered love shall flow forth to God as none have ever experienced on earth. God shall be loved completely and fully and the saints shall love one another without carnality or selfishness being present.
Fullness of joy could be described as experiencing the bountiful love of God to them as the waters of an ocean. Others, who have a far greater understanding of this than I do, have described it in this way: "From this glorious manifestation of God's love will flow infinite joy into the souls of the blessed; therefore heaven is called 'entering into the joy of our Lord' (Matthew 25:21). The seeing of God, loving God, and being beloved of God will cause a jubilation of spirit, and create such holy raptures of joy in the saints, that are unspeakable and full of glory. They shall see in Him all that love desires. Love desires the love of the beloved. So the saints in glory shall see God's transcendent love to them; God will make ineffable manifestations of His love to them. They shall see as much love in God towards them as they desire; they neither will nor can crave any more...When they see God so glorious, and at the same time see how greatly God loves them, what delight will it not cause in the soul! Love desires union. They shall therefore see this glorious God united to them, and see themselves united to Him. They shall see that He is their Father, and that they are His children. They shall see God gloriously present with them; God with them; and God in them; and they in God. Love desires the possession of its object. Therefore they shall see God, even their own God; when they behold this transcendent glory of God, they shall see Him as their own. The one in glory shall enjoy God as far as their capacity allows.
Those in heaven shall rightly say: "How blessed are those who stand in Thy very presence!" If the Lord withholds nothing on earth from those who walk uprightly, shall He then withhold any of the glory of heaven from His redeemed? Those who are in heaven shall experience fullness of joy. "In Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand are pleasures forever" (Psalm 16:11).
The greatest joy of all will come from being in His presence!
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