The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible - Part Twenty-Two - B Oct 18, 2020 by: John Herbert | Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Audio Study Notes PDF https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T007_20201018.mp3 Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Re 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. Today we will look at rulership in the Millennial Kingdom. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday October 18th 2020 The Word of God A Survey of the Bible – Lesson 22B This is the Day 1). Re 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” These 2 verses from Revelation Chapter 21 describe succinctly how things will exist during the Millennial Kingdom for the eternally saved Christian. Those eternally saved, who have overcome, whether Christians, Jews or Gentiles, ‘shall inherit all things’, but those who are eternally saved and have not overcome, described variously in v8, are figuratively seen to have a direct connection with the lake of fire, which is the second death – that which would be the diametric opposite of inheriting all things. a). And exactly the same scene, with respect to Christians, is presented again in Revelation Chapter 22 within the context of the Lord’s sudden return – Re 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. This really couldn’t be presented to us any more clearly. In that coming day it will be those found faithful from the eternally saved, whether Christians, Jews or Gentiles who will rule with Christ in the Kingdom, both earthly and heavenly. The unfaithful can have no part in this, having rejected, through their unfaithfulness, the very reason for their eternal salvation. In effect denying the ultimate purpose for our Lord’s sacrifice, and God’s stated purpose for Man’s creation. This is no insignificant thing. b). And so, as the Millennial Kingdom begins, the beast and the false prophet will have been thrown alive into the lake of fire and Satan and his angels will have been bound with a great chain and cast into the bottomless pit where they will remain for the 1000 years. Satan’s crown will have been taken from him, as will the crowns that have been worn by his angels. c). Those Christians found to be faithful at Christ’s Judgment Seat will now be Christ’s wife as a result of the redemption of the inheritance, fulfilling the purpose for Man’s creation with respect to the 7th Day – Ge 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion………. These will now be in the image and likeness of God as a result of the salvation of their souls and the redemption of their bodies – Php 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. These faithful Christians will possess a body that Scripture calls a spiritual body – 1 Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And having previously become sons of God through being the new creation in Christ, they will through the redemption of their bodies have been adopted as firstborn sons and will wear the crowns taken from Satan’s angels and those previously cast down by the 24 elders. d). And for the faithful Christian within the Millennial Kingdom there is even more than this – Ro 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. The faithful Christian, the one who has suffered with Him in order to be glorified with Him, will be a joint heir with Christ. And the status of being a joint heir with the King of kings and Lord or lords is something that will only be experienced by faithful Christians. e). The nation of Israel is also a firstborn son, but they will not share the status of being a joint heir. That which God offers us in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens is the greatest privilege there could ever be. An opportunity seen nowhere else. f). The position of rulership the joint heirs with Christ will occupy will be located in the New Jerusalem, seated with Christ on His throne – Re 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. And the exercise of rulership will be with ‘a rod of iron’ over the Gentile nations on the earth. And we may gain a glimpse into this process through – Mt 16:19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound [will have been bound] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed [will have been loosed] in heaven.” 2). Re 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Faithful Christians will not be the only ones ruling with Christ from the New Jerusalem. a). The scene presented in the verse from Revelation Chapter 20 shows those martyred during the tribulation being given positions of rulership. And as this scene is in the heavens it is most likely that this is where they will rule from. b). But those seen here in Revelation Chapter 20, cannot be included with those who comprise Christ’s wife, nor can they be joint heirs with Christ as these are positions, as we have seen, that are reserved for faithful Christians from the 2000 years of this dispensation only. c). And then there will be certain faithful OT saints, such as Abraham – Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. These OT saints had understood God’s promise of an earthly and heavenly inheritance, and perceiving the importance of the heavenly inheritance, and esteeming this to be prized more greatly than the earthly inheritance, they organized their life, accordingly, as witnessed in Hebrews 11:35. d). As we have seen in previous studies, all OT saints will be resurrected in the fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits during the 75 days following the conclusion of Daniel’s 70th seven. They will be regathered along with all eternally saved, resurrected Jews and those coming alive out of the tribulation to the wilderness of the peoples. e). And following the judgment that takes place there they will return to the land of Israel, to Jerusalem in receipt of their earthly inheritance. And from there, they will stand up out of all the other eternally saved Jews who will be at the head of the nations on the earth and taken into the heavens, the ‘better resurrection’ to which they aspired, to receive their heavenly inheritance – a place of rulership in the Kingdom Age. f). We will remember this from the Book of Hebrews – Heb 2:5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. Even though Israel has always been entirely separated from Satan’s kingdom, not being counted among the nations, and Michael their prince, and his angels did not rebel with Satan, that which is said in Hebrews 2:5 with regards to the age to come remains without exception – 1 Co 6:3a Do you not know that we shall judge angels? In the Kingdom Age the crowns presently worn by Michael and his angels will be given to these OT saints and others from the Jewish nation who will rule from the heavens over national Israel on the earth – Mt 19:28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. But let’s be clear again, none of these OT saints ruling from the heavens will be joint heirs with Christ and neither can they be a part of Christ’s wife, because as we have seen, these positions are exclusively reserved for the faithful Christian. 3). Then on the earth during the Kingdom Age, Israel will occupy her rightful place at the head of the nations with the nations of the earth receiving God’s blessings through the Jewish people, just as the Lord had promised to Abraham. a). Israel will have become the wife of Jehovah and, as seen through the type of Abraham marrying Keturah, Israel will become fruitful throughout the Kingdom Age in complete contrast to the nation’s previous condition described in a parable at the Lord’s first advent – Lk 13:6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ” And in fulfillment of the first sign given to the Jewish people, recorded in John’s Gospel, at the wedding at Cana of Galilee, the ‘water’ will be turned to ‘wine’ - Jn 2:6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” The 6 waterpots of stone provide the picture of Israel prior to their restoration. 6 is of course Man’s number and stone shows the condition of the people’s hearts. And the waterpots being fully filled with the water that is then turned to wine shows the completeness and totality of the restoration to be performed. b). The water pictures the Spirit and the Word which are synonymous. The Word with which Israel has been filled being the recipients of the oracles of God which are God breathed. The same Word that will be opened to their understanding to reveal their Messiah, as seen through the disciples on the road to Emmaus on the day of the Lord’s resurrection. And then the work of the Spirit through the Word, who is of course Christ. c). And that seen pictured through the wedding in Cana had been prophetically portrayed by Ezekiel – Eze 36:24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. The nation of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom will be filled with the Spirit, but they will not possess ‘spiritual bodies’, but bodies of flesh, bone and blood – Lk 1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” The time when the Lord ‘will reign over the house of Jacob’ takes us to the restoration of Israel following the great tribulation and therefore into the Millennial Kingdom. d). And let’s note 2 things, firstly, Christ will reign over the house of Jacob, and the particular reference to Jacob rather than Israel, points to the nation’s natural existence. Not the Jewish people in disobedience, but the Jewish people in natural bodies – bodies of flesh, bone and blood. e). And secondly, that Christ’s reign over the house of Jacob is ‘forever’, quite literally what it says. And so, the Jewish people will possess natural bodies of flesh, bone and blood not only during the Kingdom Age but also throughout the endless ages of eternity that follow. f). The natural, physical body, of itself should not be equated with sin and death. Let’s remember that Adam and the Woman were created with natural bodies, which were both eternal and apart from sin. 3). Isa 43:10 “You are My witnesses,” says the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior. The creation in Jacob had been brought into being to have the position of God’s firstborn son and in that position to be His ‘witnesses’ to the nations of the earth. A calling that has been presented through the type of Jonah – Jon 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah’s commission to ‘go to Nineveh, that great city’, forms the type for Israel’s calling to be God’s witnesses to the Gentile nations. And just as Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord, failing to complete his commission, so Israel has never yet fulfilled her calling to be God’s witnesses. a). We will remember that Jonah’s rejection of God’s purpose for him had severe consequences – Jon 1:4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up……….11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous. 12 And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.” ……………..17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. The imagery here in the type, takes us to Israel in the place of death during the tribulation in order to be brought to the end of themselves – Jon 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly. 2 And he said: “I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. ‘Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. 3 For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ 5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God. 7 “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 “Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.” 10 So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land……………3:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Jonah, following his ‘resurrection’ then did exactly as the Lord had said to him and went to Nineveh. And in the same way, following Israel’s restoration, the nation will go to the Gentile nations with God’s message. b). And this is pictured in a type given through the experience of the Apostle Paul – Acts 9:8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank……..17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. 19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. 20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. The fulfillment of Israel’s calling to be God’s witnesses to the nations is foreshadowed in the ministry of the 144000 Jewish evangelists to the Gentile nations during the 3 ½ years of great tribulation prior to the end of Daniel’s 70th seven, where they are described as the firstfruit of the nation as a whole – Mt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Re 14:4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in the fulfillment of Israel’s calling to be God’s witnesses will also be the fulfillment of what we have come to call ‘the great commission’ – Acts 1:7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And the fulfillment of Israel’s calling to be God’s witnesses is also pictured in the type of Joseph’s brothers’ action, once Joseph had been revealed to them – Ge 45:25 Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26 And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.”……….. So, what will be the nature of Israel’s witness to the Gentile nations during the Kingdom Age? It is given to us in Isaiah Chapter 53 – Isa 53:1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors. We will continue with this next week – if the Lord is willing. The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible - Part Twenty-Two - B Oct 18, 2020 Speaker: John Herbert Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Category: Sunday Morning https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T007_20201018.mp3 Download Audio x
Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Re 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. Today we will look at rulership in the Millennial Kingdom. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday October 18th 2020 The Word of God A Survey of the Bible – Lesson 22B This is the Day 1). Re 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” These 2 verses from Revelation Chapter 21 describe succinctly how things will exist during the Millennial Kingdom for the eternally saved Christian. Those eternally saved, who have overcome, whether Christians, Jews or Gentiles, ‘shall inherit all things’, but those who are eternally saved and have not overcome, described variously in v8, are figuratively seen to have a direct connection with the lake of fire, which is the second death – that which would be the diametric opposite of inheriting all things. a). And exactly the same scene, with respect to Christians, is presented again in Revelation Chapter 22 within the context of the Lord’s sudden return – Re 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. This really couldn’t be presented to us any more clearly. In that coming day it will be those found faithful from the eternally saved, whether Christians, Jews or Gentiles who will rule with Christ in the Kingdom, both earthly and heavenly. The unfaithful can have no part in this, having rejected, through their unfaithfulness, the very reason for their eternal salvation. In effect denying the ultimate purpose for our Lord’s sacrifice, and God’s stated purpose for Man’s creation. This is no insignificant thing. b). And so, as the Millennial Kingdom begins, the beast and the false prophet will have been thrown alive into the lake of fire and Satan and his angels will have been bound with a great chain and cast into the bottomless pit where they will remain for the 1000 years. Satan’s crown will have been taken from him, as will the crowns that have been worn by his angels. c). Those Christians found to be faithful at Christ’s Judgment Seat will now be Christ’s wife as a result of the redemption of the inheritance, fulfilling the purpose for Man’s creation with respect to the 7th Day – Ge 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion………. These will now be in the image and likeness of God as a result of the salvation of their souls and the redemption of their bodies – Php 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. These faithful Christians will possess a body that Scripture calls a spiritual body – 1 Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And having previously become sons of God through being the new creation in Christ, they will through the redemption of their bodies have been adopted as firstborn sons and will wear the crowns taken from Satan’s angels and those previously cast down by the 24 elders. d). And for the faithful Christian within the Millennial Kingdom there is even more than this – Ro 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. The faithful Christian, the one who has suffered with Him in order to be glorified with Him, will be a joint heir with Christ. And the status of being a joint heir with the King of kings and Lord or lords is something that will only be experienced by faithful Christians. e). The nation of Israel is also a firstborn son, but they will not share the status of being a joint heir. That which God offers us in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens is the greatest privilege there could ever be. An opportunity seen nowhere else. f). The position of rulership the joint heirs with Christ will occupy will be located in the New Jerusalem, seated with Christ on His throne – Re 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. And the exercise of rulership will be with ‘a rod of iron’ over the Gentile nations on the earth. And we may gain a glimpse into this process through – Mt 16:19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound [will have been bound] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed [will have been loosed] in heaven.” 2). Re 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Faithful Christians will not be the only ones ruling with Christ from the New Jerusalem. a). The scene presented in the verse from Revelation Chapter 20 shows those martyred during the tribulation being given positions of rulership. And as this scene is in the heavens it is most likely that this is where they will rule from. b). But those seen here in Revelation Chapter 20, cannot be included with those who comprise Christ’s wife, nor can they be joint heirs with Christ as these are positions, as we have seen, that are reserved for faithful Christians from the 2000 years of this dispensation only. c). And then there will be certain faithful OT saints, such as Abraham – Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. These OT saints had understood God’s promise of an earthly and heavenly inheritance, and perceiving the importance of the heavenly inheritance, and esteeming this to be prized more greatly than the earthly inheritance, they organized their life, accordingly, as witnessed in Hebrews 11:35. d). As we have seen in previous studies, all OT saints will be resurrected in the fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits during the 75 days following the conclusion of Daniel’s 70th seven. They will be regathered along with all eternally saved, resurrected Jews and those coming alive out of the tribulation to the wilderness of the peoples. e). And following the judgment that takes place there they will return to the land of Israel, to Jerusalem in receipt of their earthly inheritance. And from there, they will stand up out of all the other eternally saved Jews who will be at the head of the nations on the earth and taken into the heavens, the ‘better resurrection’ to which they aspired, to receive their heavenly inheritance – a place of rulership in the Kingdom Age. f). We will remember this from the Book of Hebrews – Heb 2:5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. Even though Israel has always been entirely separated from Satan’s kingdom, not being counted among the nations, and Michael their prince, and his angels did not rebel with Satan, that which is said in Hebrews 2:5 with regards to the age to come remains without exception – 1 Co 6:3a Do you not know that we shall judge angels? In the Kingdom Age the crowns presently worn by Michael and his angels will be given to these OT saints and others from the Jewish nation who will rule from the heavens over national Israel on the earth – Mt 19:28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. But let’s be clear again, none of these OT saints ruling from the heavens will be joint heirs with Christ and neither can they be a part of Christ’s wife, because as we have seen, these positions are exclusively reserved for the faithful Christian. 3). Then on the earth during the Kingdom Age, Israel will occupy her rightful place at the head of the nations with the nations of the earth receiving God’s blessings through the Jewish people, just as the Lord had promised to Abraham. a). Israel will have become the wife of Jehovah and, as seen through the type of Abraham marrying Keturah, Israel will become fruitful throughout the Kingdom Age in complete contrast to the nation’s previous condition described in a parable at the Lord’s first advent – Lk 13:6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ” And in fulfillment of the first sign given to the Jewish people, recorded in John’s Gospel, at the wedding at Cana of Galilee, the ‘water’ will be turned to ‘wine’ - Jn 2:6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” The 6 waterpots of stone provide the picture of Israel prior to their restoration. 6 is of course Man’s number and stone shows the condition of the people’s hearts. And the waterpots being fully filled with the water that is then turned to wine shows the completeness and totality of the restoration to be performed. b). The water pictures the Spirit and the Word which are synonymous. The Word with which Israel has been filled being the recipients of the oracles of God which are God breathed. The same Word that will be opened to their understanding to reveal their Messiah, as seen through the disciples on the road to Emmaus on the day of the Lord’s resurrection. And then the work of the Spirit through the Word, who is of course Christ. c). And that seen pictured through the wedding in Cana had been prophetically portrayed by Ezekiel – Eze 36:24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. The nation of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom will be filled with the Spirit, but they will not possess ‘spiritual bodies’, but bodies of flesh, bone and blood – Lk 1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” The time when the Lord ‘will reign over the house of Jacob’ takes us to the restoration of Israel following the great tribulation and therefore into the Millennial Kingdom. d). And let’s note 2 things, firstly, Christ will reign over the house of Jacob, and the particular reference to Jacob rather than Israel, points to the nation’s natural existence. Not the Jewish people in disobedience, but the Jewish people in natural bodies – bodies of flesh, bone and blood. e). And secondly, that Christ’s reign over the house of Jacob is ‘forever’, quite literally what it says. And so, the Jewish people will possess natural bodies of flesh, bone and blood not only during the Kingdom Age but also throughout the endless ages of eternity that follow. f). The natural, physical body, of itself should not be equated with sin and death. Let’s remember that Adam and the Woman were created with natural bodies, which were both eternal and apart from sin. 3). Isa 43:10 “You are My witnesses,” says the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior. The creation in Jacob had been brought into being to have the position of God’s firstborn son and in that position to be His ‘witnesses’ to the nations of the earth. A calling that has been presented through the type of Jonah – Jon 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah’s commission to ‘go to Nineveh, that great city’, forms the type for Israel’s calling to be God’s witnesses to the Gentile nations. And just as Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord, failing to complete his commission, so Israel has never yet fulfilled her calling to be God’s witnesses. a). We will remember that Jonah’s rejection of God’s purpose for him had severe consequences – Jon 1:4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up……….11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous. 12 And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.” ……………..17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. The imagery here in the type, takes us to Israel in the place of death during the tribulation in order to be brought to the end of themselves – Jon 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly. 2 And he said: “I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. ‘Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. 3 For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ 5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God. 7 “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 “Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.” 10 So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land……………3:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Jonah, following his ‘resurrection’ then did exactly as the Lord had said to him and went to Nineveh. And in the same way, following Israel’s restoration, the nation will go to the Gentile nations with God’s message. b). And this is pictured in a type given through the experience of the Apostle Paul – Acts 9:8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank……..17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. 19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. 20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. The fulfillment of Israel’s calling to be God’s witnesses to the nations is foreshadowed in the ministry of the 144000 Jewish evangelists to the Gentile nations during the 3 ½ years of great tribulation prior to the end of Daniel’s 70th seven, where they are described as the firstfruit of the nation as a whole – Mt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Re 14:4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in the fulfillment of Israel’s calling to be God’s witnesses will also be the fulfillment of what we have come to call ‘the great commission’ – Acts 1:7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And the fulfillment of Israel’s calling to be God’s witnesses is also pictured in the type of Joseph’s brothers’ action, once Joseph had been revealed to them – Ge 45:25 Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26 And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.”……….. So, what will be the nature of Israel’s witness to the Gentile nations during the Kingdom Age? It is given to us in Isaiah Chapter 53 – Isa 53:1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors. We will continue with this next week – if the Lord is willing.