This blog came out of a recent phone conversation with a believer who did not think there would be a thousand-year reign of Christ (Messiah) on this earth. He believed that the solitary reference of such an event in the Book of Revelation (Chapter 20) was not enough to convince him it should be taken literally. That instead it should be understood spiritually, which meant seeing that the reign was already taking place now through the life of the believer.
Now I have never been able to keep all those theologies straight that are described as postmillennialism, premillenialism, dispensational premillennialism, and amillennialism. In restudying them last week, I decided the two premillennial viewpoints came closest to my understanding that Jesus would reign over the world for a 1000 years with Jerusalem as His capital, which would then be followed by the new heaven and the new earth. The view of my believer-friend on the phone was closest to the ammillennial and postmillennial view that dispenses with the visible reign altogether. Of the four view, the postmillennial one is the least attractive because it sees the world getting better and better through the influence of the gospel, culminating in the final judgment and new heaven and new earth. But one look at the world today shows you that ain't going to happen.
Anyway, the Lord just showed me this morning that contrary to popular understanding, the 1000-year-reign of Messiah is not just found mentioned in the 20th chapter of Revelation. Rather it is found throughout the Bible, only it is called "the Day of the Lord." As we know, the apostle Peter informed us that, "One day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). We are just so used to thinking of the "Day of the Lord" as a time of judgment, that we forget the judgment is just God's way of cleaning up the world to get ready for the new Day when he will bring in the promised times of worldwide blessing through His nation Israel. Of which all those in Messiah are included.
In addition to the "Day of the Lord" references, the "restoration of the Kingdom of David" in the promised land is one of the most prophesied events in the Old Testament. That's why the apostles asked Jesus just prior to His ascension, "Is it at this time that you are restoring the kingdom to Israel" (Acts 1:6). Clearly they were hoping it was, understanding that He was the promised son of David who would sit on that throne. However, it wasn't time for the kingdom to be manifested fully yet. The kingdom had come, but it would remain hidden within the hearts of those who were called to be His loyal citizens - on that point, I agree with my telephone friend - until all the lost sheep of Israel had been found and brought home. Then will the kingdom come - with a bang!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Paradigm Shift
This is the first of what I hope will become many sharings from the heart.
I titled this blog "Paradigm Shift" because I believe an extraordinary milestone has been reached that will propel us soon into a dramatic new move of God. There is a movie playing in American theatres now entitled, "The Cross." It tells the story of Arthur Blessitt, the man whom God told to carry the cross literally to every island and nation in the world, preaching the gospel as he went. I myself, my wife, brother-in-law and his wife (girlfriend then) encountered him in Los Angeles in 1977 where he led both my b-i-l and s-i-l to the Lord! But as astounding as his 40-year walk (just completed) was, it is the prophetic significance of that feat I find even more incredible. For I believe it signifies the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14, where Jesus declared, "And this gospel shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to the nations (Gentiles), and then the end shall come."
For nearly 2000 years the gospel has been preached all over the earth. But never more so than in the previous century thanks to the introduction of televison, radio, advanced travel, film, hi-speed printing and the Internet. But the question has always been, how will we know it has officially reached all the nations of the world to the satisfaction of God so that it can be declared finished? We know now because we know Arthur Blessitt did it!
That tells me the grace given to us who are chosen from among the Gentiles to receive the gospel is now being withdrawn. But as this door shuts, and before this corrupt age is brought to an end and the kingdom of God arrives, another door of grace must open. This one to the Jewish people who, by God's design, have been blocked from seeing Jesus as their Messiah all these centuries. For Paul told us, "From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable" (Romans 11:28,29).
But Paul also told us a day would come when that block would be removed and the grace denied them so long would be given to them also. The event that would signal this transition would be the completion of the gospel to the Gentiles. "I do not want you brethren to be uninformed of this mystery, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel [the nation as represented then by the Jewish people], until the fullness of the Gentiles had come in [to Israel], thus all Israel [now represented by Jew and "Gentile" believer]will be saved" (Romans 11:25,26).
Therefore, if Arthur Blessitt's odyssey means what I think it means, then the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And we can expect a new Pentecostal outpouring of God's Spirit - the often prophesied latter rain - to deluge the Jews around the world to recognize their Messiah. Could it begin this Pentecost? When it starts to happen, and all those chosen from among the Jews awaken and join us in Messiah, then "all Israel" will then experience the salvation we have long awaited.
I titled this blog "Paradigm Shift" because I believe an extraordinary milestone has been reached that will propel us soon into a dramatic new move of God. There is a movie playing in American theatres now entitled, "The Cross." It tells the story of Arthur Blessitt, the man whom God told to carry the cross literally to every island and nation in the world, preaching the gospel as he went. I myself, my wife, brother-in-law and his wife (girlfriend then) encountered him in Los Angeles in 1977 where he led both my b-i-l and s-i-l to the Lord! But as astounding as his 40-year walk (just completed) was, it is the prophetic significance of that feat I find even more incredible. For I believe it signifies the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14, where Jesus declared, "And this gospel shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to the nations (Gentiles), and then the end shall come."
For nearly 2000 years the gospel has been preached all over the earth. But never more so than in the previous century thanks to the introduction of televison, radio, advanced travel, film, hi-speed printing and the Internet. But the question has always been, how will we know it has officially reached all the nations of the world to the satisfaction of God so that it can be declared finished? We know now because we know Arthur Blessitt did it!
That tells me the grace given to us who are chosen from among the Gentiles to receive the gospel is now being withdrawn. But as this door shuts, and before this corrupt age is brought to an end and the kingdom of God arrives, another door of grace must open. This one to the Jewish people who, by God's design, have been blocked from seeing Jesus as their Messiah all these centuries. For Paul told us, "From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable" (Romans 11:28,29).
But Paul also told us a day would come when that block would be removed and the grace denied them so long would be given to them also. The event that would signal this transition would be the completion of the gospel to the Gentiles. "I do not want you brethren to be uninformed of this mystery, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel [the nation as represented then by the Jewish people], until the fullness of the Gentiles had come in [to Israel], thus all Israel [now represented by Jew and "Gentile" believer]will be saved" (Romans 11:25,26).
Therefore, if Arthur Blessitt's odyssey means what I think it means, then the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And we can expect a new Pentecostal outpouring of God's Spirit - the often prophesied latter rain - to deluge the Jews around the world to recognize their Messiah. Could it begin this Pentecost? When it starts to happen, and all those chosen from among the Jews awaken and join us in Messiah, then "all Israel" will then experience the salvation we have long awaited.
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