Covet the Greater Gifts

On By TimIn 1 Corinthians 12, GiftsLeave a comment

But earnestly covet the greater gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:31

Wait! I thought we were not supposed to covet.

Here, Paul is telling the Corinthian church to covet something. They are to covet the greater gifts. One might ask what are the greater gifts?

That could be a good question to ask here. But I think there is one far greater. That is, how often do any of us think about the gifts of the Spirit to even know which are the greater ones to covet?

When speaking of gifts of the Spirit, I am most certain that the first one that comes to mind for most is going to be speaking in tongues. This is foremost in many conversations about the gifts the Spirit gives. But, if Paul is tanking those gifts in an ordinal way, it might be shocking to discover how Paul ranks tongues.

God has put these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

1 Corinthians 12:28–30

Clearly, tongues lands as the last in the list. If the list is ordinal, tongue is the least desirable gift to covet. That fascinates me.

I do not hold to Cessationism. I do not think the Spirit has stopped bestowing these gifts. The gift of apostles, some say is still available today. Others think apostles have to be eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus. It might seem impossible for today, but there are lots of accounts from Iran and China where people are meeting Jesus. Those ideas are fantastical, yes. And apostles were sent out to plant churches. I am uncertain here, and don’t think it is plausible that there are apostles around today, as these would have been taught by Jesus in person. Consider the importance of apostles to the early church… Having been taught personally by Jesus and then sent out Toolan churches.

Setting aside that gift of apostles, look at the next. It’s the gift of prophets. Now prophets don’t predict things. They are not seers. Prophecy is not about predicting or laying out the future. It is simply relating the truth for what It is. To some, the way prophecy is delivered seems rude, curt, and impolite. It comes without ambiguities and subtleties. As one of my pastors called it… It is “forth-telling.” If the gifts are ranked, why would this one be second?

Then there is the gift of teachers. Many know those with this gift. I am one that thinks it abounds. In fact the gifts are given individually but may be shared by many in any one congregation. When thinking of teachers, do you partake of teachings led by others in your local church?

I think wanting and then using these gifts in a congregation makes it healthy and vibrant. What would it do to the faith of anyone who were eyewitnesses to a bona fide miracle?

Paul said there is a gift of miracles, then healings and helps. Healings is basically self-explanatory. Helps is a bit more vague, but consider that hospitality, facilities, and the like. These are the people that setup and clean up. These hold doors, welcome folks, are ready to speak with anyone. They readily engage and encourage others.

Then comes governments. ThatI makes me smile, because these are the leaders and decision makers that affect the entire congregation. In the ordinal rankings, this is second to last on this list. Could it be that this is God’s way of doing things?

He does say that the older shall serve the younger; the strong protect the weak; and the first is last. But on any organizational chart, governments are at the top. In God’s way of doing things, they are necessary, but rank as far less desirable.

Then there are tongues on the bottom.

I know the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given me. Some are on this list. Others are not. There are even gifts that I’ve asked for and received. Yes, I can think of a few I’ve asked just for myself. But others were a desire to share them with the body of believers. It took me over 30 years of being a Christian to get to that point of wanting gifts from God, and asking for them. What opened my eyes was the first thing I remembered asking God to give me. I even like the way He revealed it to me. That is one of those anchor points of my faith just as much as my salvation and baptism are.

My God is real! And He is lavish in giving. He gave His Son. He gave eternal life to any who would want it. And He gives a multitude of gifts.

This list cited so far is not all inclusive. There are additional gifts listed in this chapter. That list contains one gift I covet over the others. I want it because I think it is of utmost importance in these dark days. Our lives are ever-increasingly crushed by evil. The Church needs people that can prophecy. It needs people that can teach. It also needs miracles and healings. There will always be plenty willing to pitch-in, lead a project, and speak.

What would your church be like if there were regular workings by prophets, teachers, miracle-workers, and healers?

Have you ever given a thought to be one of those in your church?

Which Side Are You On?

On By TimIn Psalm 002, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

History provides some poignant lessons… Among those is this one. I know I’ve written about this recently, but here is an important contemporary idea that needs to be considered in light of what the Bible says.

Why do the nations rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord
and against His anointed, saying,
“Let us tear off their bonds
and cast away their ropes from us.”

Psalm 2:1–3

How could this apply today, it’s just poetic literature, right?

Reading it carefully, it is God speaking to the nations and the people of those countries about their policies. God calls their plans self-serving.

The kings of the Earth set themselves. This clearly states that the leaders of the nations set themselves in opposition to God and Jesus. There are also rulers who counsel with these kings. Some of your translations read princes, but I think something a bit more sinister is at play. The Hebrew word translated here as ruler is razan. It means heavy, as in commanding. It is translated as prince or ruler. When we look at the Septuagint, the Hebrew scholars chose the Greek word archon. This adds a spiritual context that may hint at some underlying context.

Archon is used in many forms and places in the New Testament. It is used in the gospels as a descriptor of Beelzebub, ruler of demons (Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15.) It is also used in the Gospel of John to describe the ruler of this world. For the discussion at hand, let’s look at the two ways Paul uses it.

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the age of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

Ephesians 2:1–2

And again here:

For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

In the first citation, Paul says there is a prince of the power of the air. To understand, think that there is an archon of the exousia of the air. The second instance tells us we wrestle not against principalities, those are the archons. We also wrestle against exousias (powers) and kosmokrators (rulers.) These are dark powers at work in this world.

Considering that, what may be said in Psalm 2 of the kings and rules taking counsel together is that there are dark powers working with human leaders to effect policies in our world. The question then comes, is there evidence for such a thing?

I think there is ample evidence. Step back into recent history:

There is a source called Secret Nazi Plans for Eastern Europe A Study of Lebensraum Policies by Dr. Ihor Kamenetsky. He writes of the German occupation of Poland and the desire to eliminate what the Germans deemed as sub-human. The occupiers desired to weaken Polish society to accept their ideas. Those socialist Germans issued the following decree:

“All measures which have the tendency to limit births are to be tolerated or to be supported. Abortion in the remaining area (of Poland) must be declared free from punishment. The means for abortion and contraceptive means may be offered publicly without any police restriction. Homosexuality is always to be declared legal. The institutions and persons involved professionally in abortion practices are not to be interfered with by police. Racial-hygenic measures are not to be promoted.” — (Page 139, Secret Nazi Plans for eastern Europe)

It is said… Those that do not know history are doomed to repeat it. Looking again at Psalm 2 seems to reveal a prophetic pattern that comes with substantial consequences and an ultimate consummation.

The first point in the socialist’s decree is unrestrictive abortion and contraception. Given modern propensities, these may be perceived as desirable things to have. After all, with global warming, limiting the human population is probably a good practice. But is it?

Except the Lord build the house,
those who build labor in vain;
except the Lord guards the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain for you to rise up early,
to stay up late,
and to eat the bread of hard toil,
for He gives sleep to His beloved.
Look, children are a gift of the Lord,
and the fruit of the womb is a reward.
As arrows in the hand of a mighty warrior,
so are the children of one’s youth.
Happy is the man
who has his quiver full of them;
he shall not be ashamed
when he speaks with the enemies at the gate.

Psalm 127:1–5

God commands humans to be fruitful and multiply. He calls children a gift of His, they are a reward. They are even deemed weapons of a mighty warrior. Could that be why the Germans wanted to curtail these things under the lie of freedom?

There is also the unspoken idea present in the decree… Marriage to one person for life is too restrictive.

Look… The enemy doesn’t change tactics at all. He gets people to buy into the idea that the institutions given by God are too restrictive. God gave gender, male and female. That is now declared too binary. God told humans to be fruitful and multiply, but having children binds one to home. God gave marriage as a gift, but the idea of one man and one woman is old-fashioned. The means to be fruitful, that is sex for procreation is also considered too narrow. These things are now declared as too binding, just like ropes used to tie something up. They are considered limitations to human freedom. It is the same proclamation of bondage and a false promise of liberty that the nachash (serpent) spoke to Eve in the garden, “You shall be as gods.”.

The National Socialists in Germany knew how to demoralize humans. We are witnessing the repeat by decree of governments worldwide. It is just as if what Psalm 2 says… Is true now. Yet, history demonstrates that atrocities follow such things.

The War Against Humans

The enemy is at war with humans. There is an all-out battle waging in both the spiritual world and the physical world centered on human procreation. It was declared in Genesis 3:15, and it has God as Victor on one side and dark powers on another. It is like the activities of world governments are telling us Who the real Victor is.

I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures saying, with voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and there before me was a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow. And a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering that he might overcome.
When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come and see.” Then another horse that was red went forth. Power was given to him who sat on it to take peace from the earth, causing people to kill one another. Then a great sword was given to him.
When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there was a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” So I looked, and there was a pale horse, and the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed him. Power over a fourth of the earth was given to them, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had held. They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers should be completed, who would be killed as they were.
I watched as He opened the sixth seal. And suddenly there was a great earthquake. The sun became black, like sackcloth made from goat hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when it is shaken by a strong wind. Then the heavens receded like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the commanding officers and the strong and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath has come. Who is able to withstand it?”

Revelation 6:1–17

It is just as He said in Psalm 2…

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD ridicules them.
Then He will speak to them in His wrath and terrify them in His burning anger:
“I have installed My king on Zion, My holy hill.”
I will declare the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are My son; this day have I begotten you.
Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You will break them with a scepter of iron; you will dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Now then, you kings, be wise; be admonished, you judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear; tremble with trepidation!
Kiss the son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath kindles in a flash. Blessed are all who seek refuge in Him.

Psalm 2:4–12

Truth is pure. He knows the end from the beginning and has told us in advance.

Children are a heritage. There is no middle ground.

Which side are you on?

He Who Preaches Another Jesus

On By TimIn 2 Corinthians 11, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

But I fear that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve through his trickery, so your minds might be led astray from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might submit to it readily enough.

2 Corinthians 11:3–4

This is a warning against gullibility. Paul is teaching us to be circumspect and not immediately tolerant of other ideas without inspecting them throughly. There are other versions of Jesus being preached. There are other spirits you can receive.

These false teachings use the seemingly right-religious words. These often seem to be pious, and even Christian in nature. Yet the idea being offered in then may not necessarily align with the truth of Jesus Christ.

The strategy is to get the false ideas into the body. Whether that body is the corporate church or the individual believer. This is how the enemy a foothold. It’s an entrance inside the armor, a permission slip that gives him rights to exploit.

Do not give place to the devil. Let him who steals steal no more. Instead, let him labor, working with his hands things which are good, that he may have something to share with him who is in need.
Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you are sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and blasphemies, with all malice, be taken away from you. And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Ephesians 4:27–32

When false ideas enter the body of Christ, the strategy employed is to savagely destroy that body from the inside. The seduction of false doctrine hoodwinks many.

How can you be certain you’ve not succumbed to such a subtlety?

Pray to God to give you discernment. And when He shows you what it is, disavow it out loud in Jesus’ name. And then don’t do those things that give the enemy a place.

The Deliverer of God’s People

On By TimIn Acts 07, MosesLeave a comment

He supposed that his brothers would understand that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.

Acts 7:25

I stumbled across this while reading Stephen’s testimony to refresh my memory for another task. As God would have it, something caught the attention. This verse was a flashing neon sign that said, “Look at me!”

We know that Moses was chosen as the deliverer of Israel from Egypt. Stephen tells his audience that Moses knew his calling long before it was revealed to him by God. From where did Stephen get that idea?

In our small group, we are going through the book of Exodus verse-by-verse. In the part of the narrative to this point in Moses’ life, it is very difficult to even get a hint of that idea. That is, unless one pokes around the interactive of the Hebrew language and the cognates of the languages at the time.

It is intriguing to look into the origins of his name. In Hebrew, the name Moses is roughly spoken as Moshe. We get the terminal s from Greek language rules that do not allow a vowel to end a masculine proper noun.

Moshe

The underlying evidence is that whoever named Moses knew the Hebrew language well. The context in Exodus also provides some clue as to what the meaning of his name entails and how he received it.

Now a man of the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw him, that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. When she could no longer hide him, she took for him a container made of bulrushes and daubed it with tar and with pitch. She then put the child in it and set it in the reeds by the river’s bank. Then his sister stood afar off so that she might know what would happen to him.

Exodus 2:1–4

Clearly, there is intrigue. A Levite couple bore a Levite son. It was at the time the Egyptians forced infanticide on the Israelis for fear of the strength in their growing numbers. The baby was put in the basket and sent into the river. His big sister Miriam watched to see what would happen to the infant.

The daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river while her maidens walked along by the river’s side, and when she saw the container among the reeds, she sent her maid, and she retrieved it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying. She had compassion on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call for you a nursing woman of the Hebrew women so that she may nurse the child for you?”
And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the young girl went and called the child’s mother.

Exodus 2:5–8

There is more here than meets the eye of the casual reader. Miriam had to be very close to all of this. As she watched the Egyptian princess’ handmaiden draw her brother from the water, she witnessed the compassion of the young woman. Perhaps that is what drew her. She was close enough that she would even suggest summoning a wet nurse for the new baby.

The princess wanted it to be so, and sent Miriam.

Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away, and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.

Exodus 2:9

It is the goodness of God that in such terrible circumstances when all Hebrew infants were brutally murdered, a mother was able to care for her own infant son and earn a paycheck for doing so. It is easy to see how God Himself lifts up motherhood and sees the importance of intimate bond between a mother and child.

Now the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

Exodus 2:10

Moshe (Moses) would be under the care of his own mother until he was weaned. That would be somewhere between two and three years old. So now there is a bit of an understanding of the time that has elapsed until the naming of the child. The text says that the Egyptian princess names Moshe. The text also gives a hint to the meaning behind the name.

That is where the intrigue is. Moshe is more than just a name. Could it be that his Hebrew mother gave him his name?

The meaning of the name given in Exodus points to the Hebrew origin of the name. Exodus was written by Moshe. The text also hints at punnery. The meaning give makes it sound as if the word Moshe is passive in nature. Much like one drawn out (of the water.) To be etymologically correct, the word would be Mashuy. But the name Moshe has an active participle in it which changes it from passive to active. Thus the meaning of the name is one who draws (out of water.) Or better understood as the deliver.

Pharaoh’s daughter would Egyptianize the name with a cognate Mose. This word means child or offspring. In this way, Moshe’s name is prophetic. It is aligning directly from the promise given in Genesis 3:15 to the advent of Jesus. It is this (yet future) Child of the woman Who would be Deliverer.

It would be interesting to know if they had any idea of the eternal implications of what they were doing by living their own lives. Nevertheless, this is some tantalizing evidence that Moshe’s name pointed to him as deliverer of the Israelis long before God called him personally.

Mashah

The Egyptian princess claimed “I drew him out of the water.” This is in Exodus 2:10. The Hebrew word used for drew is mashah. That word is used only two more times in the Bible, both references are to being drawn out of the water.

He reached from on high and took me; He drew me out of mighty waters.

2 Samuel 22:17

He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.

Psalm 18:16

My mind reels at how similar those two separate verses are. They connect the idea that the Deliverer draws one out of the water. Biblically, water is symbolic of chaos.

Mose

Perhaps the Egyptian Princess used the name Mose because she thought it conveyed a meaning similar to being drawn out of the water, not quite understanding the nuances of Hebrew. On the other hand, maybe it was more of a claim of her naturally giving birth. The Egyptian word Mose derives from a verb that means to give birth.

Unlike any other Egyptian name, Mose is missing a theophoric element. That is the idea that a name contains a salute to a god. In Egypt, Ramose means born of Ra. Thutmose is child of Thoth. Much in the same way Michael and Daniel end in El. Which salutes the One True God.

Moses

The name Moses is quite unique. I think that tends to validate Stephen’s assessment of what Moses knew when this happened:

In those days, when Moses was grown, he went out to his brothers and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. He looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, two men of the Hebrews struggled with each other; and he said to him that did the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?”
He said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known.”

Exodus 2:11–14

Could it be that the impetus for Moses avenging that Israeli by killing the Egyptian be a hint that even at that time he foreknew of his role as deliverer of God’s people?

Stephen, moved by God, said Moses did know at that time.

He Who Sits in the Heavens Laughs

On By TimIn Last Days, Psalm 0021 Comment

Something that struck me from a text taught the other night. It speaks to the urgency of the time in which we live. Things are quickly coming to the point that God is going to establish His throne on Earth and set His Son on it.

Why do the nations rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord
and against His anointed, saying,
“Let us tear off their bonds
and cast away their ropes from us.”

Psalm 2:1–3

When considering the idea that human culture wants to be free from what they perceive as bondage that God puts on them, what does it mean?

Well, let’s just look at the last 70 or so years in the USA. Christianity, the Bible, prayer and God were removed from the schoolhouse. Those same things were also removed from the halls of the government. The people tend to not want influence from those things to enter the school, the government, nor the culture.

There has also been a movement that politicizes morality. What was once immoral now becomes legalized, so people can think it’s not wrong. This is part of the trickery of the age that ensnares people. It looks like hedonistic libertarianism, but without temperance it’s going to bring destruction. More people attempt to be free from constraints of old-fashioned Christianity.

We know God made man and breathed life into him. Science says man came from rocks, rain, and a zap in that primordial ooze that came from rain falling on rocks. Then from a long series of happenstance, humans evolved from that first life. Thats the laughable story science (so-called) crafts in order to loosen any ties to God. Humans don’t have to be bound to thinking of themselves as a creation (and possession) of God.

What else follows?

God established marriage as one man and one woman. That idea is considered too constraining. Marriage has been expanded by law, and is being pushed to extremes. The basic foundation and establishment of human community given by God is considered too narrow.

The blessings of sexual relations God have to be practiced within those boundaries of covenant marriage are another old-fashioned idea. It is considered wrong to confine sexual relations to just one man and one woman in marriage.

There is the issue of divorce. Because a lifelong commitment to one person is too restrictive. As a result the blessings of motherhood and fatherhood are also easily abandoned. Even more so with the availability of sterilization and abortion procedures.

Even the definition of love as selflessness is too restrictive. People are taught to look out primarily for themselves and their own fleeting pleasures.

There is even the idea that fathers can give birth because the binary basics of gender, male and female as God made them, are to narrow. Society is in the midst of freeing itself from that.

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord ridicules them. Then He will speak to them in His wrath and terrify them in His burning anger: “I have installed My king on Zion, My holy hill.”

Psalm 2:4–6

Why would God laugh?

Because He watches the vain futility as humans to try to abandon God.

It is clear that this Psalm is giving us a time marker. It is like it is saying, when these things happen, guess what comes next?

These are the very times we live in and those which God laughs at.

If that is so, it seems that He is going to bring His burning anger to those who do these things. Some call this period of time the tribulation. That is when God’s anger comes upon the nations of the earth. What epitomizes that period of time is the return of Jesus as King. He comes back and rules the earth for 1,000 years from a throne in Jerusalem.

I will declare the decree of the Lord: He said to me, “You are My son; this day have I begotten you. Ask of Me,
and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You will break them with a scepter of iron; you will dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Psalm 2:7–9

When Jesus comes again, who will be those broken by the scepter of iron?

Who will be those shattered to pieces like a broken vessel?

It will be the ones who have abandoned the old-fashioned idea of temperance is self-control. Loosing the bonds of God is an exercise in vanity. Christianity and morality, as given by God, are deemed too restrictive.

But there is an admonition to those who would hear it.

Now then, you kings, be wise; be admonished, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear; tremble with trepidation! Kiss the son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath kindles in a flash. Blessed are all who seek refuge in Him.

Psalm 2:10–12

My hope and prayer is that you are of those who honor God by honoring His Son. There is no other way to be truly free of the wrath of God other than seeking refuge in Him.

But 2,000 Years?

On By TimIn Hosea 05, Hosea 06, Israel, Return of Jesus1 Comment

I will again return to My place until they acknowledge their offense and seek My face. In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.

Hosea 5:15

How often does one read the minor prophets, let alone Hosea?

Well, for a clear overview of the relationship between God and Israel (both kingdoms,) read the book of Hosea. In a sense, Hosea is a high-level view of Israel and God’s relationship with her. God reveals His relationship with Israel in the relationship Hosea has with his own wife. It is a rather striking and beautiful account of redemption.

In this part of Hosea, God is withdrawing from Israel and Judah. He is going away until Israel acknowledges her offense and seeks Him. It is this affliction that comes with the drawing back of God that takes them to the point of earnestly seeking Him.

I am prone to think that occurred in AD 32 with the national rejection of the Messiah. Soon after, Jerusalem was besieged and disappeared from the role of nations. It had been like that for almost 2,000 years. As will be seen, this absence causes some to scoff at what the Bible teaches.

Affliction from the Lord’s Withdrawal

It is this absence that brings affliction. History is replete with them. One can clearly perceive the affliction in the history of antisemitism. It seems to ramp up on a bell curve. The Holocaust during World War II is not going to be the ultimate affliction. The one coming will be far worse. Jesus gave warning about that, with stern instructions.

“So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. Let him who is in the field not return to take his clothes.

Matthew 24:15–18

It’s going to be really bad. Far worse than anything ever experienced. Don’t believe me, believe what Jesus said.

Woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse in those days! Pray that your escape will not be in the winter or on the Sabbath. For then will be great tribulation, such as has not happened since the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.
“Unless those days were shortened, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

Matthew 24:19–22

It is these things that demonstrate the affliction that will bring repentance. That change of heart is written about by another prophet. When reading, pay attention to Who is speaking and what it is He is going to do. Remember that.

The oracle of the word of the Lord against Israel.
Thus says the Lord, the One who stretches out the heavens and establishes the earth and forms the spirit of man within him: I am going to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling before all the surrounding nations. And when there is a siege against Judah, it is also against Jerusalem. And it will be on that day that I will set Jerusalem as a weighty stone to all the peoples. All who carry it will surely gash themselves, and all the nations of the land will be gathered against it. On that day I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness, but for the house of Judah I will keep My eyes open although I will strike with blindness every horse of the peoples. Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, “There is strength for us with those residing in Jerusalem by the Lord of Hosts, their God.”
On that day I will set Judah like a fiery pot among wood and as a flaming torch among cut grain. And they will devour to the right and left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem will still reside in her place, the place of Jerusalem.
The Lord will deliver the tents of Judah as before, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of those dwelling in Jerusalem will not eclipse Judah. On that day the Lord will defend those residing in Jerusalem; and even the one who stumbles among them will be as David on that day. And the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going out before them. On that day I will seek to destroy all the nations who come out against Jerusalem.

Zechariah 12:1–9

On that day, the proverbial lights come on in the hearts and minds of Israelis. They will perceive the hand of God moving for them even in their affliction. Then there is a sudden change of heart by those towards God.

And I will pour out on the house of David and over those dwelling in Jerusalem a spirit of favor and supplication so that they look to Me, whom they have pierced through. And they will mourn over him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly over him as a firstborn.

Zechariah 12:10

As an Israeli, the question I would ask is when did we pierce God?

The Lord Ends His Withdrawal

We see an end to the withdrawal of the Lord. After some 2,000 years of languishing, He again showers Jerusalem and Israel with favor. Thats the promised time for Israel, and a cleansing of the land.

That’s God’s perspective, but what about the people?

Come, let us return to the Lord, for He has torn, and He will heal us. He has struck, and He will bind us up.

Hosea 6:1

The people themselves… They come to their senses. They turn and start to seek the Lord. It is the affliction that comes with the withdrawal that leads them to repent. They know He will bind them up, healing the wounds of affliction.

That is not the only thing that happens.

After two days He will revive us. On the third day, He will raise us up, that we may live before Him.

Hosea 6:2

Think hard about what is being said. Why would the Israelis think that the affliction would only be two days with healing oncoming after, and seeking peace on the third day?

Could there be another idea lurking just under the surface here?

Israel left the Lord. After two days, they will be revived and raised up. On the third day they will live before God.

I detect some messianic hints here.

But 2,000 Years

I have had that very objection raised quite a bit in the last two weeks. The latest came with a dose of mockery toward God. It came with the usual insistence of “that generation,” “at hand,” and “soon.” As if the events of the last days would have to happen in the first century and there was no other explanation. He said, “heaven doesn’t know how to tell time.”

Peter wrote something about that, which seems to bear on the discussion.

Know this first, that there shall come scoffers in the last days who walk after their own lusts, and say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were since the beginning of the creation.” For they willingly ignore that, by the word of God the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed standing out of the water and in the water, by which the world that then existed was flooded with water and perished. But by the same word, the heavens and the earth that now exist are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

2 Peter 3:3–7

Providentially, this portion also provides an answer to the mockery.

But, beloved, do not be ignorant of this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness. But He is patient with us, because He does not want any to perish, but all to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:8–9

Wait. Did Peter connect a thousand years with mockery in the end times?

The passage of a thousand years is like a day in heaven. It is like saying the passage of linear time on earth is not the same as in heaven. This directly speaks to those who claim that God is slow in keeping His word. Particularly as it applies to those things about the latter days.

After two days… Or really… After 2,000 years, He will revive us. On the third day they are raised up. Is that resurrection language?

Those Israelis live before Him. The third day would also be 1,000 years. Is that a reference to the Millennial Reign of Jesus?

It seems to fit well with other things in the Bible. Especially when considering what Paul wrote about resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. I have a long article concerning resurrection and futurism.

And about the third day being the Millennium…

Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His appearance is as sure as the dawn. He will come to us like the rain;
like the spring rains He will water the earth.

Hosea 6:3

His appearance is as sure as the dawn. All of the third day imagery also seems to align with this post on the Morning Star.

Concluding Thoughts

It sounds an awful lot like 2,000 years of affliction will be given to Israel. Since the rejection of the Messiah, they’ve been abandoned. Now as we witness some semblance of returning to seek after the Lord, it points to the soon return of Jesus.

As indicated in this recent post, we seem to be living in the last of the last days. Considering the weeks of years, and how the Bible teaches the new week begins on Nisan 10. Let’s do some more math.

If Jesus was crucified in the year AD 32. 2,000 years after that, ends up at 2032. 2032 would seem to be the year of resurrection and reconciliation of Israel, as well as the beginning of the Millennium. If so, there are seven years of terrible affliction before that… Which gives us the year 2025.

Take it for what it’s worth. It’s not date setting. It is pointing to seasons and times to which we have much written.

One Gets What They Give

On By TimIn Genesis 12, SalvationLeave a comment

I will make of you a great nation;
I will bless you
and make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless them who bless you
and curse him who curses you,
and in you all families of the earth
will be blessed.”

Genesis 12:2–3

Considering the things people are doing today, there are many chanting “From the River to the sea…” Not quite understanding the genocide inherent in the refrain. The ultimate goal there is the annihilation of the Israelis as a people.

Given the promise God made to Abraham and his descendants, there is blessing to those who bless. Cursing comes to those who curse. In other words, one will get in return what one gives to Israel.

That in itself is a practical personal application. There is a Hebrew word used in hermeneutics. It is remez, which generally means hint. Hint, as in there’s something else here. Knowing that, consider this:

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

Hosea 11:1

Israel was called out of Egypt by God. Moses led them through the wilderness and eventually to the Promised Land. The promise given to Abraham was kept by God. Along the way, those that treated Israel favorably got favor back. Those that didn’t received the unfavorable.

That verse in Hosea is prophetic. Matthew quoted it in his Gospel.

When he rose, he took the young Child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod, to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called My Son.”

Matthew 2:14–15

Clearly Israel serves as not just a synonym for Jesus. The two terms are interchangeable. Some Christians even call Jesus the “Israel of God.”

That has grand implications. One of those may be unsettling to some. That Israel was to bring salvation to the world. What is true for One is true for the Other. Jesus did bring salvation to the world, as is true for Israel.

So… To come full-circle.

One will get in return what one gives to Jesus. Those that give Him their life receive life in return. Those that don’t, won’t. (What I mean is you will lose your life eventually, and when you meet Him after, you will not have life to give to Him.)

God explained the principle. I will bless those that bless Jesus, and curse those who curse Jesus.

The deeper application is to you. There is only so much time that is available to anyone… Why are you waiting to give Jesus your life?

It might not be there when you want to do it.

Mind the Gaps in Daniel’s 70 Weeks

On By TimIn Daniel 09, Prophecy5 Comments

“Seventy weeks have been determined for your people and upon your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

Daniel 9:24

It goes without saying, that when having discussions about eschatology someone is going to mention the prophet Daniel. It would most likely be this particular portion of the writings of the prophet that will be used. So it is our springboard into a very interesting concept one might not consider.

Daniel establishes the high-level panorama of the time given to Israel for the specified purposes of finishing the transgression, making an end to sins, making atonement for iniquity, and bringing in everlasting righteousness. Seventy weeks is the amount of time for that. The idiom means these are weeks of years.

Those seventy weeks times seven years should make one remember what Jesus said about forgiving others (Matthew 18:21–22.) I do try to pay attention to the numbers and the ideas behind them. Most folks know that the number seven is biblically significant representing perfection. The number 70 also has significance. While it can be literal in use, it can also convey the idea of all of them. And as I have said before the forgiveness we must give is all of them perfectly. In the same way, Israel will make all the purposes God has assigned come to pass perfectly. Remember the promises given to Abraham:

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country, your family, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless them who bless you and curse him who curses you, and in you all families of the earth will be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1–3

Israel is to be a blessing to the world. The promise God made to Abram here also has prophetic implications. Though, those are probably things most do not consider. But the principle is, that the things done to Israel will be reflected back onto the doing them. Meaning, that if one expects a blessing from Israel, one ought to bless Israel. When you read the media reports and hear the talking heads, what are they saying about Israel?

I see some pretty nasty things being said by a lot of people. It probably is not going to go well for those given God’s promise. Those are things I would not want to experience.

Yet, I digress. Let’s get back to Daniel. The excursion in this piece is to mind the gaps.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem

“Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until the Prince Messiah shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of trouble. After the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the troops of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall come with a flood. And until the end of the war desolations are determined.

Daniel 9:25–26

The panorama Daniel gives is not comprehensive of Israel’s existence. It is a portion of it that begins at a specific place. Here it begins on the day of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. That is particularly important to understand that it is not just the rebuilding of the temple. The decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem on 14 March 455 BC by Artaxerxes Longimanus. There is a precision given here to help alleviate confusion. Note the emphasis on the plaza and moat. It is difficult to confuse this mandate with earlier ones confined to rebuilding the Temple. The mandate is recorded in Nehemiah 2:1–10.

So the king said to me, “What are you requesting about this matter?” Immediately, I prayed to the God of heaven and then said to the king, “If this pleases the king and if this might be good for your servant who is before you, then would you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs so that I may rebuild it?”

Nehemiah 2:4–5

I further said to the king, “If this pleases the king, may letters be given to me for the governors of the province Beyond the River so that they would allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, as well as a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple mount, for the city wall, and for the house into which I will enter.” The king granted me these things, because the good hand of my God was upon me.

Nehemiah 2:7–8

That decree is to rebuild the city… Jerusalem. This clearly matches the criteria Daniel gives.

Now, Daniel expects us to do the math. He says there will be 69 weeks, and after the completion of those weeks, the Messiah will be cut off. Daniel does not say 69 weeks, but “the command to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until the Prince Messiah shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks(.)” One might be inclined to just read the text, but we have a hint of the first gap. It’s not substantial, but merely a separation clearly established. It is generally considered that 49 years were given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Nehemiah and his people endured times of trouble as they rebuilt the city, completing their project in 396 B.C. (That account is in Ezra 9–10.)

King Messiah

If the first period was to rebuild Jerusalem, it is not too difficult to infer that the 62 weeks of years is to await the Prince Messiah. About that Prince, the Hebrew is Meshiach Nagid. Nagid is first used in the Bible in 1 Kings 14:7. It is used to describe Jeroboam’s relationship to the people of Israel. He was their king. And we know from our Bibles the exact day Messiah was presented as King.

When He was coming near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with loud voices for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Luke 19:37–38

Now that I have introduced math, let’s do some. Jesus entered Jerusalem that day. The date is Nisan 10. How do we know?

In John 12:1, John tells us Jesus entered Bethany six days before Passover. It was a supper with Martha and Lazarus among others. We know that Passover is on 15 Nisan.

Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: On the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a household. And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to what each man shall eat, divide the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats. You shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month, and then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and on the upper doorpost of the houses in which they shall eat it. They shall eat the flesh on that night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted with fire, its head with its legs and its entrails. And you shall let nothing of it remain until the morning, but that of it which remains until the morning you shall burn with fire. In this way shall you eat it: with your waist girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover.

Exodus 12:3–11

The lamb was taken into the household on 10 Nisan. It was slaughtered before twilight on 14 Nisan. The blood was sprinkled on the lintel and doorpost protecting the firstborn inside from certain death. The protection was for overnight, meaning when the Angel of the Lord would pass through the nation. Nisan is the first month of Israel’s ecclesiastical (religious) year.

10 Nisan

Back to the text in John, we know Jesus entered Bethany on 9 Nisan. According to John 12:12, it was the next day (10 Nisan) that Jesus entered Jerusalem.

This is a dual witness, one is from mathematics. The second comes from Jesus fulfilling the type of the Passover Lamb being brought into the household for inspection. This occurred on 10 Nisan according to the first Passover as established.

There is still some more math to do.

Calendars in the Ancient Near East used a 360-day year. This means that 69 weeks of 360-day years provides 10 Nisan as the date that Artaxerxes Longimanus made the decree. The start of the 7 weeks of years to rebuild Jerusalem was on 10 Nisan. The beginning of the 62-week wait began on 10 Nisan. With these two witnesses, it seems that Israel’s final week will also start on 10 Nisan.

The Bible is amazing. That 173,880-day interval between the mandate given to rebuild Jerusalem Palm Sunday is exceedingly precise. Jesus was presented as King the very day Daniel gave. (For more on that, read this: The Unexpected King.) This is exactly why Jesus held Jerusalem accountable for her day of visitation.

When He came near, He beheld the city and wept over it, saying, “If you, even you, had known even today what things would bring you peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you and surround you, and press you in on every side. They will dash you, and your children within you, to the ground. They will not leave one stone upon another within you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:41–44

Given the precision of the math, the expectation of the King was preannounced on the precise day! The event was preannounced with other amazing precision.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! And cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king is coming to you; he is righteous and able to deliver, he is humble and riding on a donkey, a colt, the offspring of a donkey.

Zechariah 9:9

Israel missed it and are now blinded to the truth. The future for Jerusalem is bleak. Jesus would not return to them as King until a point yet future.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how often I would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not! Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you shall not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Matthew 23:37–39

Something that comes to mind and bears a mention is Nisan is the new year for kings. Jewish commentaries in the Mishnah tell us that the year of the reign of Jewish kings began in Nisan. This is attested to in the Bible, but takes some digging. 2 Chronicles 3:2 gives us the very start day when Solomon began building the temple. It is a relative reckoning based on the beginning of his reign; fourth year, second month, second day. We must now move to 1 Kings 6:1 which tells us it is the month of Zif (Iyyar.) That month follows Nisan. The traditional Jewish understanding is that kings were crowned on Passover. Could that be attested to in the Bible?

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him. The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put a purple robe on Him. They said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they hit Him with their hands.
Again Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the Man!”

John 19:1–5

Jesus was crowned King and presented to Israel. It was intended to be mockery, but in my opinion, the stage was set for the return of the conquering King. Israel expected King Messiah. He was crowned and His next advent to Earth would be as King. It all happened on Passover, 14 Nisan of that year.

Messiah Shall be Cut Off

Daniel told us that after sixty-two weeks Messiah would be cut off. We know that happened on Passover immediately following that first Palm Sunday. This provides us with our next gap. The gap is the time between the Triumphal Entry and the crucifixion.

The Gospels record some of the happenings in that short week including the Olivet Discourse. That was a private briefing Jesus gave to some of His disciples. It is recorded in Matthew 24 and 25. This makes it a relevant part of this discussion because no matter how the discourse is understood, there is a perceived gap between when it was spoken by Jesus and when it would actually occur. Keep that in mind.

It’s the conjunctions that are often overlooked. For some of us Gen-Xers, we know the function of Conjunction Junction. It is to connect two ideas that may or may not be related. We come to that place now in the text where two different ideas are joined together.

And, And, And…

And shall have nothing. Three things have happened. Messiah is crowned King and presented to Israel. They rejected Him. (This is for our… That is Gentiles’ benefit, but that’s another post.) Messiah was then summarily cut off. He was crucified in the prime of life. For all intents and purposes in the physical world, He didn’t have a people to reign because they rejected Him. He had nothing.

And the troops of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The insertion of the conjunction and informs us of another perceived gap in the text. Considering the differing views on eschatology, it is undeniable that it was almost 40 years after the death of Jesus that the city and sanctuary were destroyed. Luke speaks of it as He writes of what was said on the Mount of Olives that night.

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you know that its desolation has drawn near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the city depart, and let not those who are in the country enter it. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and will be led away captive to all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Luke 21:20–24

Even though Luke uses similar language to Matthew’s version, this is a different event. Matthew has one looking for the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15.) Luke speaks of armies surrounding Jerusalem. Though, Jesus introduced both versions with the destruction of the temple, neither of these accounts assumes that. They are a warning of impending wrath and judgment.

Prophecy is better understood as patterning. This means multiple events may fit the pattern (more on that will come.) Luke’s account points to what we know was a near-fulfillment of the siege of Jerusalem and the burning of the temple. That occurred in the first century and would have been within the 40-year generation of those who witnessed the ministry of Jesus. It also is a pattern that will be witnessed again.

After the fall Jerusalem began the days of vengeance. This is an important concept to understand. The prophets speak of God avenging Himself on Israel (as well as other unbelievers.) This text renders it plainly God is going to judge the Earth.

The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come. Israel knows! The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is insane, because of your great iniquity and great hatred.

Hosea 9:7

Israel knows! As I write this, it is several days before the ninth of Av (Tisha B’Av.) That is it has become a solemn day of remembrance of the many calamities that came to Israel. It is the day the spies returned from the Promised Land with a bad report instilling fear in the Israelites that led them to a generation (40 years) of wandering. It is also the day Solomon’s temple and Herod’s temple were destroyed. Many bad things happened to the nation on that day. (Read more here: Tisha B’Av.)

The end of it shall come with a flood. This speaks to the sudden catastrophe that would befall those in Jerusalem at the time. Just as the flood was sudden and unexpected by those who perished in it, this destruction in like manner would be unexpected.

“Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

Matthew 24:36

This is another often misunderstood and misapplied verse. It deserves mention here as it connects the suddenness with the word flood.

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating, drinking, marrying, and were given in marriage until the day when Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:26–27

The destruction comes quickly and is unsuspected. Just as Jerusalem was sieged and the temple was burned, Jesus coming in judgment will likewise be unexpected and sudden. That is why the sudden taking of people is mentioned commensurate with this. This speaks to the sudden and unexpected destruction that would come.

And Until the End… War. What war? The translation I used says: “And until the end of the war desolations are determined.” It is translated in different ways. In one translation, the Lexham English Bible, says, “and on to the end there shall be war(.)” I have included the italics contained in the translation to show the assumed words that make a clear translation. I will explain and hopefully answer the question as to what war is.

Desolations are Determined

Until the end, desolations are determined. It is specifically this phrase that helps one to understand that multiple desolations will happen to Jerusalem until the end. It is precisely that phrase that helps to clarify that the abomination of desolation in Matthew 24 may or may not necessarily coincide with the surroundings of Jerusalem in Luke 21. What I mean is that the siege of Jerusalem that resulted in the temple being destroyed could be a partial fulfillment, and still points to a future siege of Jerusalem. Remember, until the end war and desolations are determined.

The war on Jerusalem (and Israelis) did not end with its destruction in AD 70. History is replete with the persecution of the Jewish people in the diaspora. Those people had no homeland until fairly recently. Yet they retained their ethnicity and national identity. Even though their desolations are many.

Indignation

He has violently taken away His tabernacle as if it were a garden; He has destroyed His place of assembly; the LORD has caused the solemn feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion. In his fierce indignation He has despised the king and the priest.

Lamentations 2:6

I would challenge all to read the whole chapter of Lamentations 2. Perhaps even more before and after. In this portion, God despised the king of Jerusalem by destroying the seat of government of the nation. He also despised the priest by laying in pieces the temple. Jesus spoke of this happening in the Olivet Discourse. It is clear to see the patterning in the prophets, and that has a name… fierce indignation.

Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him a command, to seize the plunder, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Isaiah 10:5–6

The idea of indignation is connected with the Jewish people having no homeland. Just as Jeremiah used in Lamentations, it is a term directed at Israel when the nation is judged. This term is mentioned multiple times and is connected with the dispersion of the people of Israel. I think it applies aptly to the last almost 2,000 years and has not yet seen an end.

It is the question someone asked me of how could there be almost 2,000 years for all of it to be connected. God has already answered that.

The Long War

Gabriel provided Daniel with an interpretation of the vision he had concerning the ram with two horns. As I have stated, prophecy is patterning. The patterning in that vision seems initially pointed partially to a figure in history named Antiochus IV. Later chapters of what Daniel wrote reads almost like history, but I think there is more to it. Let’s look.

He said, “Listen, I will make you know what shall be in the final period of the indignation, for the end shall be at the appointed time. The ram which you saw having two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. The rough goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now the broken horn and the four horns that stood up in its place are four kingdoms that shall stand up out of his nation, but not with his power. “In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king will arise, having a fierce countenance, skilled in intrigue. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. And he shall destroy wonderfully and shall prosper and practice his will and shall destroy the mighty men and the holy people. By his cunning, he shall cause deceit to succeed under his hand, and he shall magnify himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in a time of peace. He shall also rise up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken, not by human hands.

Daniel 8:19–25

Note that Gabriel draws Daniel’s attention to a certain character in the latter time of that kingdom. Also, note his great might that is not from his own power. But it is that last line that this king shall rise up against the Prince of princes. That’s Jesus. When did Antiochus IV rise up against Jesus?

I suppose it could be one of those allegory things. I don’t think so. In my wacky way of seeing things, I don’t consider the Greek empire gone. It eventually broke up into Hellenistic kingdoms. I think even in our modern times, we live with the vestiges of power from this empire. The western education system is Greek. We teach children Greek letters. We teach them Greek mythology. While the Western education system is Grecian in nature, the government system is decidedly Roman. It was Rome that eventually unified these kingdoms politically.

Since the great Roman Empire, Jewish folk have suffered persecution in Europe. This practice was embraced and continued by the spread of Latin Christianity under the vestiges of the Roman Catholic church. This persecution gave way to forced conversions, property confiscation, expulsion, and outlawing of Jewish people. It’s shameful, really. One of those things not taught in American history classes is the fact that the journey of Christopher Columbus was funded by money seized from the Jewish people as they were expelled from Spain. Of course, recent history seems to cap the plight of the experience of the Jewish people in Europe. Millions were not just expelled, but systematically murdered during the expansion of the German (supposed thousand-year) Third Reich.

Think of the magnitude of these troubles with what Jesus said.

For then will be great tribulation, such as has not happened since the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.

Matthew 24:21

It is this that makes me think that the indignation against the people of God is long-term. These people have suffered the anger of God and other people for millennia since before the birth of Jesus. Even amongst all of this God sent His Son to them. They rebelled yet again, and God had removed Himself from the influencing of His people. It makes them an easy target for Satan. It is as if there is a lot of war against them. One could say it is a long war against them. It is the book of Daniel that conveys a loose outline of history beforehand. It is also written to those witnessing the final period of indignation.

But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Daniel 12:4

Until the Indignation is Accomplished

“The king shall do according to his will. And he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak blasphemous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper until the indignation is accomplished. For that which is determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above them all. But instead he shall honor the god of forces, a god whom his fathers did not know. He shall honor him with gold and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus he shall do in the strongest of fortresses with a foreign god. He shall give great honor to those who acknowledge him, and shall cause them to rule over the many and shall divide the land for gain.

Daniel 11:36–39

Like the text previously cited in Daniel 8, Antiochus IV also seems to typify what is written here. That previous text presented a divergence to include another yet future figure that will fit the pattern. Likewise, this text does, too. It says this one shall prosper until the indignation is finished. It is this that I think is important. And I want to understand it. I think the indignation has stretched over a far greater length of time than we can imagine.

It is this prophetic and apocalyptic literature that speaks of the indignation God has. It was prophesied long before the Assyrians were used as a tool by God. When the northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria in 721 BC, they dispersed the people to other nations. Subsequently, the southern kingdom of Judah fell in 701 BC. The children of Abraham were dispersed into many nations. Yet God promised to gather them back.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far off, and say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.”

Jeremiah 31:10

That is just one of the many places where God has promised to regather Israel back into their land. Some scholars seem to think there will be two gatherings. I don’t hold to that. Yes, there was a partial gathering of Judah from which became the modern namesake to describe the people of the nation. Yet there are 10 ‘lost tribes‘ that have not been regathered and indicate the days of vengeance are not quite done.

I think that we live in the time of the gathering. There is a yet future gathering of God’s people from wherever they were scattered. It casts shadows that are easily witnessed today.

If You Will Not Listen to Me

But if you will not listen to Me, and will not do all these commandments, if you despise My statutes, or if you abhor My judgments, so that you will not do all My commandments, but you break My covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with terror, with wasting disease, and with a fever that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart, and you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set My face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies. They that hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you.
If you will not yet listen to Me after all this, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heaven as iron and your land as bronze. Your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield her increase, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
If you continue to walk contrary to Me and will not listen to Me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number. And your roads shall be desolate.
And if by these things you are not turned to Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I will also walk contrary to you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. I will bring a sword upon you that shall extract vengeance for My covenant. And when you are gathered together within your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. When I have broken the supply of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall ration your bread again by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied.
If you will not listen to Me for all this, but walk contrary to Me, then I will walk contrary to you also in fury, and I Myself will chastise you seven times for your sins. You shall eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your funeral offerings on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I shall abhor you. I will make your cities a waste and bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your fragrant offerings. I will bring the land into desolation, and your enemies that dwell there shall be astonished at it. I will scatter you among the nations and I will draw out a sword after you. And your land shall be desolate and your cities a waste. Then the land shall enjoy its sabbaths as long as it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land shall rest and enjoy its sabbaths. As long as it lies desolate it shall rest because it did not rest during your sabbaths when you lived upon it.

Leviticus 26:14–35

Now, as has been established, prophecy is patterning. While the land did rest after the invasions of old, I think this has application today. Especially when one pays particular attention to the talk of scattering and desolation. Mark Twain testified to the desolation in his book Innocents Abroad. As a skeptic, Twain wrote of the Sea of Galilee like it was, “a solemn, sailless, tintless lake, as unpoetical as any bath-tub on earth.” While passing through the Jezreel Valley, he said, “There is not a solitary village throughout its whole extent – not for 30 miles in either direction. There are two or three small clusters of Bedouin tents, but not a single permanent habitation. One may ride 10 miles, hereabouts, and not see 10 human beings.”

Long before Twain’s visit, there was another observation by a write. Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, known as Nachmanides, fled Spain for Palestine. After a long journey, he arrived at the Port of Acre in AD 1267. He was traveling to Jerusalem. He couldn’t even find many other Jewish folk to pray with. He wrote, “Many are Israel’s forsaken places, and great is the desecration. The more sacred the place, the greater the devastation it has suffered. Jerusalem is the most desolate place of all.”

Seeing the long-term desolation of the land of Israel is real, the 70-weeks prophecy referenced above by Daniel becomes relevant. Not in that it is done, but that there really is a long gap of time from the culmination of the 69th week to the beginning of the 70th week. Much of the Tanakh references the rebellion of Israel and Judah. It doesn’t look as if they were real in their relationship with God. In fact, in the book of Hosea, that relationship was pretty much one-sided.

Then the LORD said to me, “Go, again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just as the LORD loves the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love raisin cakes.”
So I purchased her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and for a homer of barley, and a half homer of barley. Then I said to her, “You will remain with me many days. You will not play the whore, and you will not belong to another man. And also I will be with you.”
For the children of Israel will remain many days without a king and without a prince, without a sacrifice and without a standing stone, and without an ephod and teraphim. Afterward the children of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come in fear to the LORD and to His goodness in the latter days.

Hosea 3:1–5

Go, Again. Hosea went back, just as a foretype to Jesus Who will come back to Israel as the conquering King. They will seek God in the latter days.

Math… Again

God says He is going to repay the rebellion seven times, it requires us to do some math. Taking Daniel’s 70 weeks of years computes to 490 years. Multiplying that by 7 yields 3,430 years. That is a huge number of years.

Israel entered the Promised Land around 1406 BC. Taking those 3,430 years and subtracting those years leaves 2,024. Accounting for year “0” gives 2,023 years after the birth of Christ. (Yes, I know it is politically correct to use BCE and CE instead of BC and AD, they both reference the same standard.)

While the exact date means little, it is the calculation that points to the modern day. What is even more astonishing, is taking into account the seven years required to subdue the land from the Canaanites comes to the year 2030. What comes to my mind is the UN’s Agenda 2030. It seems that somebody else had some inside knowledge.

Now I know that for part of those years, Israel lived in the Land in relative peace. Yet from the time of Moses on, her rebellion is recorded. And the nation suffered repeatedly for the rebelliousness. The culmination came after the cutting off of the Messiah.

It is not that if the math is exactly correct. It shows the real validity of a period of judgment that can last over millennia. It would not be surprising that there could be 2,000 years since the death of Jesus Christ until He sets it all right. But could it be that precise? Could it be that the end of the indignation nears?

Convergence

I must speak to the Last Jubilee. Heather Rivard has put together a small book that is available online. It is called The Jubilee and Ezekiel’s Temple. In this work, she lays out the case for 70 jubilee years for Israel. (I will leave you that homework to read it.) In her calculations, she makes the case for the Last Jubilee to occur in one of three years 2023, 2024, or 2025. It will mean the restoration of the land and the people. It will probably come with the restitution of the Mosaic Law. Ezekiel’s Temple will be built at the beginning of this Jubilee. It will be the start of Daniel’s final week. If indeed there are 70 jubilee years given to Israel, the final one is upon us.

As stated previously, the weeks of years begin on 10 Nisan. Ms. Rivard provides three data sets in her conclusion. The first points to the year 2023 as the Last Jubilee. Another points to the year 2024. The final data set gives the year 2025. It is this final dataset that intrigues me.

If the Last Jubilee begins 10 Nisan 2025, then with it begins the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy. As I have previously cited the work by Chuck Missler in The Unexpected King, I want to call attention to the precise date given for the first Palm Sunday. That is 6 April AD 32. That day would be 10 Nisan in AD 32 (by modern reckoning of years.)

I know Ms. Rivard set a date.

An examination of the history of antisemitism shows something remarkable. In the Eleventh century, antisemitism surged. From then on, the specific recorded accounts grow exponentially. It continues to grow until the recorded occurrences explode in number. It is like the last 1,000 years is real warfare that is ramping up in frequency and atrocity. If there ever was a need for a peacemaker, it is becoming plainly evident.

The Prince Who Shall Come

And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

Daniel 9:27

There’s the conjunction and indicative of yet another gap. This prince who shall come will appear to be a peacemaker. The text indicates he will make a firm covenant with many. The translation here may be a bit misunderstood. It is not that this prince will make an agreement. The prince that comes will be the one who usurps Jesus and stands in His place. Israel will mistakenly see him as the Messiah. Jesus spoke to this truth.

I have come in My Father’s name, but you do not receive Me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

John 5:43

As to the covenant, the King James translation conveys exactly what is going to happen. He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. In other words, this prince will establish the covenant Mosaic Law to be practiced in Israel in the coming temple for seven years. The word many in the text is another rhetorical device used in the Bible. It is a synecdoche used to refer to the people of Israel.

In the middle of the week is preceded by another conjunction… But. Connecting these two ideas exposes another gap of time between the establishment of the covenant and three-and-a-half years later. The prince causes the sacrifices and offerings to cease. This is indicative that the covenant made was for Temple sacrifices and the rudiments of the Mosaic Law to be restored.

On the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate. To understand this phrase we must go back to where Daniel first used the word desolation.

Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said to that certain saint which spoke, “How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?”

Daniel 8:13

He used it in a question about a previous event explained to him from the vision he had.

Indeed, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and from Him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.

Daniel 8:11

The prince in Daniel’s vision “shall do according to his will. And he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak blasphemous things against the God of gods(.)” He will establsih himself as to the one to be worshipped and erected an altar to that purpose. In history, Antiochus IV erected an altar to Zeus over the existing altar. Hence the rhetorical device used in Daniel 9:27 of spreading of wings. The Grecians’ mythology is a twisted version of true history. Zeus is Satan. The Titans are other fallen angels.

The conjunction and coupled with the preposition until denotes another gap of time that leads to the appointed culmination.

Until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator. There comes an end for this enemy of God and His people. It is when Jesus comes back to Earth as King.

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to wage war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. But the beast was captured and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. The remnant were slain with the sword which proceeded out of the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh.

Revelation 19:19–21

Concluding Thoughts

I know this was long. I know I didn’t fill all the gaps, so to say. The goal was to find precedence to justify the anger of God toward Israel to last over a long period of time. I do think the evidence is profound and clear.

Like the patterning in all prophecy, the generation that saw the death of Jesus and the destruction of the Jerusalem spanned that 40-year timeframe. It is clear that not all of the events Jesus spoke of in the Olivet Discourse have come to pass. Therefore, there is a future time when all these things take place. Likewise, the generation that witnesses the budding of the fig tree will see the events of the end.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: When its branch becomes tender and grows leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you shall see all these things, you know that it is near, even at the doors. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

Matthew 24:32–35

I do not have a problem with anyone being able to know the times and seasons.

The Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire

On By TimIn Holy Spirit3 Comments

Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them through the way of the land of the Philistines, although it was nearby. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt.” Therefore, God led the people around, through the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea, and the children of Israel went up prepared for war out of the land of Egypt.
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely attend to you, and you shall carry my bones away from here with you.”
They took their journey from Sukkoth and camped in Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

Exodus 13:17–22

Having just spent the past few days at a conference where the Holy Spirit was emphasized, it seemed appropriate to adapt this part of a small group study presented on Exodus 13 and post it here. In all the typologies presented in Exodus leading up to the selection above, we have encountered the working of God Almighty (El Shaddai, the Father) and the Lamb (Jesus Christ.) As these have worked to free the Israelites from bondage, we meet this Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire. The question then comes… What (really Who) is this cloud?

I think the answer may surprise some. I think the cloud is the perfect typification of the Holy Spirit. I think the immediate text of Exodus clearly indicates this. Here is why.

Then the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of the cloud moved before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, and there was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night. Therefore, the one did not come near the other the entire night.

Exodus 14:19–20

Encountering this text is quite an eye-opener. The angel of God properly understood is none other than a Christophany. It is the person of Jesus Christ as He interacts with people as recorded in the Tanakh. In our minds, we may tend to think that Jesus is the Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire. The text gives us a distinction. The use of the conjunction and joins the two ideas together. It would follow that if the angel of God has the attributes of a unique Person, then this Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire must also. They Both move in similar ways. But the Angel of God moved to flank the Israelites, while the Pillar of Cloud moved before them and also stood behind them. It is like they were being commissioned.

If you know me. I like to discover patterns in the Scriptures. I consider this to be one of those things that patterns something yet future. The Israelis were saved from and called out of bondage. The purpose was to serve the Lord. We might tend to think of that as just them making animal sacrifices… But I think it is far more. It was to be a witness of Him to the entire world. In a sense, I see this as the same commissioning that Jesus gave His disciples.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you.” When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.”

John 20:21–23

The account of the Exodus gives us the pattern Jesus repeats. Just as God sent Jesus, God sent the Angel of the Lord. Just as Jesus sent His apostles (picture Him behind them sending them out,) the Angel of the Lord flanks Israel. Just as Jesus was revealing the Holy Spirit to His disciples, we see the same action of the Angel of the Lord revealing the Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

The first thing we can know of the Holy Spirit is that He comes as a gift. Though the initial text from Exodus 13 does not call Him a gift, God gives Him as a guide to the Israelis. He guides and He gives light to them. The New Testament testifies to the fact that the Holy Spirit is a gift.

“Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:38

This is the first place we encounter this Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire. I(t is clear that the Holy Spirit covers and guides these Hebrews. The Angel of God removed Himself to reveal the Holy Spirit. This is yet another pattern that is revealed in the New Testament.

“The gift is not like the result that came through the one who sinned. For the judgment from one sin led to condemnation, but the free gift, which came after many trespasses, leads to justification. For if by one man’s trespass death reigned through him, then how much more will those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:16–17

The Holy Spirit comes after the Lamb. Just as the Lamb was sacrificed for the Passover, the Holy Spirit comes to those saved from death. The Holy Spirit comes after the Lamb has given His life.

The evidence indicates that this Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire typify the ministry of the Holy Spirit. What else can we know from the Tanakh about His work?

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

The prophet Isaiah tells us overtly of how God’s Spirit works. But it is the Septuagint that is laser-focused, revealing Him precisely.

And God’s spirit will rest on him, a spirit of wisdom and intelligence, a spirit of counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and piety. He will fill him with a spirit of the fear of God; he will not judge according to reputation or reprove according to speech.

Isaiah 11:2–3 (Lexham English Septuagint)

The Holy Spirit comes to the believer with a sevenfold ministry of gifts and activities. These things are witnessed to us by the prophet Isaiah, and expounded upon by the Jewish scholars who translated the Hebrew text into Greek.

Somehow, I want to work the following into a numbered list of seven, and that may work out. I would rather just explore what the Bible says about the working of the Spirit, I think that would be more appropriate. So let’s check it out.

Comforter, Counselor, Advocate

“I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, that He may be with you forever:”

John 14:16

The Greek word paraclete is translated in that text as Counselor. Other translations use the words Comforter and Advocate, (not a conclusive list.) There is no single English word that suffices to encompass the meaning of the word. Paraclete is used much like the idea of a lawyer in court. One that comes alongside to help. Think of the lawyer for a moment. His skill is in knowing the intricacies of the law. He also offers advice and counsel to his clients. The lawyer is an active advocate for the person.

This serves as a unique starting point. It is easy to see how the Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire comes alongside the Israelites. In how the cloud is present with the Israelites, day and night He provides comfort. His presence is as a Comforter. He covers Israel.

“He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light in the night.” 

Psalm 105:39

In the same way that the Pillar, the Holy Spirit comes into each of us believers as cover and protection.

In Him you also, after hearing the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and after believing in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:13–14

Paul calls Him the Seal of a believer. The earnest (or down payment) of a sure promise to be delivered. In that way, the Holy Spirit is both covering and protecting the believer in the same way the Pillar did for the Israelis. This text also conveys the idea that the Holy Spirit comes after the Lamb.

The Holy Spirit gives counsel.

“He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; they kept His statues and the ordinance that He gave them.” 

Psalm 99:7

Clearly, God speaks to Israel through the Cloud. He counsels them as a guide to keep His ordinances and to go His ways.

“But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own authority. But He will speak whatever He hears, and He will tell you things that are to come.”

John 16:13

One can trust the Holy Spirit to complete His minsitry in the believer. Just as the Pillar spoke to Israel, reminding them… The Spirit does the same in us

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.

John 14:26

The Pillar advocated for Israel. He did not forsake them in the wilderness.

yet You in Your great mercy did not forsake them in the wilderness: The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, to lead them in the way, nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way they should go.

Nehemiah 9:19

His presence was a testimony to all. Even amongst those His presence supported Moses and the other leaders in their work. He worked through them, too… Testifying to their leadership.

“And whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord spoke with Moses.”

Exodus 33:9

“The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood in the opening of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.”

Numbers 12:5

Other Ministries of the Holy Spirit

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you are sealed for the day of redemption.”

Ephesians 4:30

It goes without saying that the ministrations of the Holy Spirit can be grieved. Even in this account of the Israelites with His very visible protection around them, they grieved Him by not trusting in Him.

When Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and indeed, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they were extremely terrified, so the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

Exodus 14:10–12

Thank God that the leading of the Holy Spirit is never to a dead end. God parted the sea and made a way for them, keeping His presence in both the Angel of the Lord and the Pillar. When Moses spoke to Pharaoh the words of God, he called Israel His son. Paul tells us that those led by the Spirit are sons of God. It is He Who testifies to that fact.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.”

Romans 8:14

He is Darkness to His Enemies

Have you ever wondered why some just cannot see the truth witnessed by the Scriptures?

In the Exodus, as the Israelis were penned in between the advancing Egyptians and the Red Sea at the gaping mouth of a canyon, the Pillar was working.

“So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, and there was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night. Therefore, the one did not come near the other the entire night.”

Exodus 14:20

The Egyptians had their perception of reality obscured. It happens in unbelievers. It is not that God blinds them so they cannot see, it is that they have not wanted to see the truth but only desired to satisfy their felt needs. The Egyptians became blinded by their own vengeance.

For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, “They are confused in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.” So I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he shall pursue them. And I will be honored because of Pharaoh and because of all his army, so that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

Exodus 14:3–4

God is more than willing to oblige one’s folly by protecting His own. When the Egyptians decided to pursue Israel, it became darkness to them as their goal was obscured by the Pillar. They pressed on in that darkness of hatred to certain doom. One only has to look back at the longsuffering and patience God had for Pharaoh to change his mind. It seems he may have, but we know not really. There is a lesson there for those who do not believe… Eventually, there is a point in time where God removes His influences and all you will perceive is darkness leading to certain doom. That is indeed a scary path.

It is not a bad thing that God hides things.

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.

Proverbs 25:2

Pharaoh failed to pursue the hidden things of God. He failed the glory of kings. Yet there is a lesson he provides to the unbeliever who finds themselves reading this. You are reading this for a reason. You are pursuing the hidden things. Don’t give up until you find them!

It is this childlike approach to the truth. Pharaoh wanted it for his own exploitation, but they are revealed to those who humbly seek.

“At that time Jesus said, “I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to infants.”

Matthew 11:25

This is the same principle Jesus spoke of and attested to in His parables.

“He answered them, “It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For to him who has, will more be given, and he will have abundance. But from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Therefore I speak to them in parables: ‘Because they look, but do not see. And they listen, but they do not hear, neither do they understand.’ In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: ‘By hearing, you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing, you will see and shall not perceive; for this people’s heart has grown dull. Their ears have become hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them, and to…” 

Matthew 13:11–17

He Rests in the Tabernacle

“He erected the courtyard all around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the curtain of the courtyard gate. So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”

Exodus 40:33–35

This is one of my favorite things about the Holy Spirit. He rested in the Tabernacle. After those Hebrews followed the instructions of Moses, they erected the Tabernacle. The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. The picture given to us is that of a cloud, just as presented inthe Pillar that led the Israelis in the wilderness.

Think about where the Tabernacle is today.

What? Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God, and that you are not your own?

1 Corinthians 6:19

The tent of meeting is within the believer. It is that first moment of faith, I believe that Jesus is the Redeemer Who died and rose again. Most of us believers know these things to be true. But if you are that person who might not quite believe, or perhaps one that scoffs, please don’t harden your own heart.

Apostosy in Thessalonians, It’s Probably Not What You Think

On By TimIn 2 Thessalonians 02, Apostasy1 Comment

Do not let anyone deceive you in any way. For that Day will not come unless a falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction,

2 Thessalonians 2:3

What would you think if I told you that what you believe about this verse may be a bit wrong?

I am speaking specifically about the idea of falling away. That idea is translated from the Greek word apostasia from which we get the English word apostasy. Abandoning faith is the idea behind the definition of the English word apostasy. You, like me, have probably been taught to look at it with a church-centric focus. That is, the falling away will be some sort of mass walking away from Christianity.

But, is that the right way to understand what Paul is saying?

He used that word once in his writings here. It occurs in one other place in the New Testament. It’s here:

They have been informed concerning you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to observe the customs.

Acts 21:21

The Greek word apostasia is translated here to the English word forsake. It is specifically applied to leaving the observance of the law of Moses.

Could that be important?

It seems to go along with the idea of leaving something. Some even think apostasia can mean something akin to rapture. Granted, that idea has always intrigued me… And I may have embraced it. I have a tendency to challenge the ideas I hold as truth… To see if they are true.

Let’s examine what Paul wrote in the next verse where he used apostasia.

who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself as God.

2 Thessalonians 2:4

The idea of apostasy is connected to the revealing of the man of sin. That revelation comes at a very specific event… When he exalts himself as God in the temple, causing the sacrifices to stop.

And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.”

Daniel 9:27

Because of the connection Paul makes in context, it would be that this is entirely Jewish in nature. That is, all of this is happening in the temple to Jewish people. The antichrist is revealed for who he is here. And it’s with an abandonment of the law of Moses, causing the sacrifices to cease.

The apostasy here is most likely just like Luke used in Acts 21, the forsaking of the law of Moses.

That makes a lot of sense considering that this person is called the lawless one. There comes another conundrum that reinforces the abandonment of the law. Lawlessness and the lawfulness cannot coexist. The law must be removed before the lawless one can be revealed. It follows that this son of perdition can only be revealed with the removal of the law of Moses.

This reinforces the idea that the Thessalonians thought they were already in the Day of the Lord. This error was perpetrated by a seeming previous letter that was a forgery.

Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and concerning our gathering together unto Him, we ask you not to let your mind be quickly shaken or be troubled, neither in spirit nor by word, nor by letter coming as though from us, as if the day of Christ is already here.

2 Thessalonians 2:1–2

Reading this passage with this new information reveals precision not previously encountered here. It also shows us that at some point in the future, a temple odd going to be built and sacrifices will resume.

It opens some unexpected insights that may add to indignation. If as Hebrews 10:4 says the old is taken away to establish the new which is better. It is then a blatant affront to God to reestablish the old and again deny Jesus. That would be abhorrent and could be why the plural is used in the phrase the wing of abominations. That is the abomination of resurrecting the law of Moses coupled with the usurpation of the worship in God’s house.