Why Measure the Temple?

I want to write about Revelations, but the material is so vast I never know where to start. I asked Paul to begin a dialogue with me; he will ask a question about Revelation and I will try to respond. This is a rewrite of a Dusty Disciple article from July 2009. Hopefully, time has added to the original understanding.

I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. (Rev 11:1-2)

QUESTION: Why is John told to measure the temple of God and why is the Court of the Gentiles excluded from this measurement?

DISCUSSION: Before the question posed can be answered, a more basic question must be addressed. Will a third temple be constructed before the return of Jesus Christ? Not only is the answer important in responding to the original question, the answer can give us some insight into the signs that will precede the return of Jesus. If the answer is “yes,” then we can fix the return of Jesus with relative certainty once construction of the temple begins. After we have answered the basic question about the temple, we can answer the original question about the significance of John’s call to measure the temple of God.

A FUTURE TEMPLE: A number of passages in the Bible suggest that a future temple will be constructed. When Paul warned of the coming antichrist, he wrote, “the man of lawlessness…the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God,” (2 Thess 2:3-4). The words of Paul indicate a temple that is required for the man of lawlessness to fulfill the prophecies written about him. Daniel has a similar prophecy that implies the existence of a temple.

“the prince who is to come…will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering,” (Dan 9:26-27).

Sacrifice by itself does not require a temple. After Israel returned from Babylon, Ezra and the priests offered sacrifices on the altar (Ezra 3:3-4), for approximately twenty years before the second temple was completed. From the days of David, sacrifice on the Temple Mount was always associated with the Tabernacle, the Temple, or during the days when the Temple was being constructed as in the days of Solomon and Ezra. Further, with very few exceptions (Elijah), sacrifice and offering can only occur on the Temple Mount. Therefore, if sacrifice and offering are permitted in the prophecy of Daniel, then the Jewish people have access to the Temple Mount. If they have access and control of the Temple Mount to offer sacrifices, a temple will be constructed to fulfill the commandments of the Law given through Moses.

The Book of Ezekiel dedicates five chapters (40-44) to the description of a future temple that has never been constructed. The description was given by God to provide hope for the Jewish people who were about to go into exile for seventy years. If this prophecy is to be fulfilled, sometime in the future the temple described by Ezekiel will be built. The one who is prophesized to build the temple is the Messiah, also referred to in scripture as “the Branch.”

“Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.'” (Zech 6:12-13)

“The Branch” is a title of the Messiah who is referred to in scripture as “a righteous Branch sprout(ing) from David's line” (Jer 33:15), “a Branch (that) will bear fruit” (Isa 11:1), and “a shoot…from the stump of Jesse,” (Isa 11:1).

Construction of the third temple will be one of the signs given to demonstrate that an individual is the Messiah. For this reason, the man of lawlessness will not only be compelled to construct the temple, but will use its construction to foster his Messianic claim. To further demonstrate that he is the Messiah, John tells us that he performs “great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heave in the full view of men,” (Rev 13:13). Fire from heaven is the quintessential sign from God who sent fire down from heaven at the dedication of the first temple and the offering of Elijah. The LORD also rained down fire in judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah and in the future will cause fire to come down from heaven and devour the enemies of God, (Rev 20:9).

Jesus warned of a future time when the man of lawlessness would take up residence in the temple.

“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.” (Matt 24:15-16)

The phrase “Abomination of Desolation” originates in the Book of Daniel who wrote, “Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation,” (Dan 11:31). This prophecy received partial fulfillment in the days of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (215-135BC), a ruler of the Seleucid Empire who, “profaned the temple in Jerusalem and dedicated it to Olympian Zeus,” (2 Maccabees 6:2). Antiochus prohibited the keeping of the Sabbath, celebration of the traditional feasts, and even the acknowledgment that a person was a Jew. In addition, he gave himself the name “Ephiphanes,” which means “God Manifest.” The desecration of Antiochus IV Epiphanes lasted approximately 3-1/2 years until his death in 163 BC.

Jesus refers to this history, “let the reader understand,” as a pattern of what will be repeated in the future by the coming antichrist. Like the man of Daniel’s prophecy, John tells us that the beast (the man of lawlessness, the antichrist) will open…

“his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast — all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” (Rev 13:6-8).

The duration of the beast’s authority will be approximately 3-1/2 years (1,290 days, Dan 12:11), from the middle of the seven year covenant to the end of the seven years, (Dan 9:27). Thus, the Gentiles “will trample on the holy city for 42 months,” (Rev 11:2).

In the days of Jesus, Herod the Great became a pattern of the antichrist. In order to win the favor of the Jewish people and solidify his clam as king of the Jews, Herod upgraded the second temple complex into one of the great wonders of the ancient world. He spared neither marble nor gold as his workman decorated the temple. He is reported to have hung a solid gold grapevine with three-inch thick branches from the front of the temple that was subsequently enlarged by wealthy donors. The rabbis referred to this object as the "true vine." Some scholars speculate that Jesus was at this location when he made the proclamation, "I am the true vine," (John 15:1).

Certainly the weight of scripture, including the words of Jesus, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Paul, indicate the existence of a future temple. Now we can return to the original question, “Why is John told to measure the temple of God and why is the court of the Gentiles excluded from this measurement?”

JOHN’S CALL TO MEASURE THE TEMPLE

In the Book of Revelations, we are told that John is given a measuring rod like a stick and instructed to "Go and measure the temple of GOD and the altar, and count the worshipers there." (Rev 11:1). This passage seems to pronounce the existence of the temple, but it is interesting to note that no measurements are recorded by John. The dimensionless measuring by John is contrasted with a story later in Revelations where an angel used a rod to measure Jerusalem and reported its length, width, and height to be 1200 stadia, (Rev 21:16).

Since no measurements are given, the reader must conclude that the act of measuring is the important principle being conveyed. Measuring is sometimes used in scripture to foreshadow the coming judgment of God, such as in the case of Daniel to Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, “You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting,” (Dan 5:27). (Other examples include: 2 Kings 21:12-14 and Isaiah 34:11.) However, since the temple is referred to as “the temple of God” and the altar and worshipers are included, it seems unlikely that destruction is being foretold. In scripture, measuring is also used to foreshadow the future movement of God to take possession of what belongs to Him.

The prophet Zechariah recorded the following vision given to him by God, “Then I looked up — and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand! I asked, ‘Where are you going?’ He answered me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.’" (Zech 2:1-2). As in the eleventh chapter of Revelations, no subsequent dimensions are given by the angel to Zechariah. The action is symbolic. Zechariah continues,

“Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him and said to him: ‘Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be its glory within.’” (Zech 2:3-5)

The words of Zechariah look forward to the time when the nation of Israel will be placed in the land to dwell with the LORD forever. Further, “Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem,” (Zech 2:11-12). The measuring seen by Zechariah is a picture of the LORD taking Jerusalem and Judah to be His own possession. The measuring seen by John may constitute the initial portion of the larger measuring seen by Zechariah.

In scripture, the Temple Mount is a unique and special place to God. According to Hebrew tradition, before a temple ever existed, God placed His name at this location, (Deut 12:5-7). From this passage and several similar, the Hebrews held to a belief that the LORD literally carved His Name into the ground surrounding the Temple Mount. They point to the convergence of the Kidron Valley (east of the temple mount), Tyropean Valley (west of the temple mount), and Hinnom Valley (west of the upper city), which form the Jewish letter “Shin,” ש . Shin is the first letter of the word “Shaddai” (El Shaddai – God Almighty) and “Shem” (HaShem – His Name). So whether or not a temple currently exists in this location, the LORD has, from the time of creation, put His mark, and therefore, His claim on this property. As the LORD told Ezekiel during his discourse on the future temple,

"Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.” (Ezek 43:7)

The importance of this location is reinforced by the numerous miraculous events that transpire between heaven and earth at this very place. According to the Bible…

• Abraham offered Isaac at the commandment of God on Mount Moriah at the location where the temple was ultimately constructed.
• Jacob saw his vision of a stairway to heaven with angels ascending and descending at this location. He called the place “Bethel” (House of God) and said that it was the “gate of heaven.” (Gen 28:17)
• At the instruction of the LORD, David built an altar on this location.
• The Spirit of God was poured out on this location when the first temple was dedicated by Solomon.
• The Spirit of God was seen leaving this location and ascending east of the temple (Mount of Olives) by Ezekiel.
• Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives just east of the temple.
• The Holy Spirit descended onto the temple and then was given to each and every believer.
• In the future, Jesus will return to stand on the Mount of Olives according to Zechariah.

GOD RECLAIMING HIS OWN POSSESSION

It should come as no surprise that Satan, the great enemy of God, desires to control this place that has God’s Name written upon it. The antichrist will use the same approach when he requires people to write his name on their hand or forehead, (Rev 13:16).

Measuring is the symbolic act of God reclaiming His own possession, whether the temple exists in John’s vision or is under construction. God is also coming to take possession of true believers, as John was told to “count the worshippers,” before the coming rapture, (Rev 11:12). In this context, measuring the “temple of God,” could also be an allusion to the greater body of believers referred to by Paul as, “the temple of the living God,” (2 Cor 6:16). The altar may refer to deceased believers since John “saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained,” (Rev 6:9).

The rest of the world, “the outer court,…has been given to the Gentiles,” (Rev 11:2). John is told to “Exclude” (NIV) and “Leave out (NAS), but the Greek is more emphatic, “Cast out” the outer court, the same Greek used in “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman,” (Gal 4:30). While a Court of the Gentiles existed for God Fearers during the second temple to fulfill the words of scripture (Mar 11:17), it was not part of the original design given from God. The larger context implies that the majority of Gentiles are not worshiping the true God since “they (Gentiles) will trample on the holy city for 42 months.” This irreverence includes the greater area of Jerusalem that is “figuratively called Sodom and Egypt,” (Rev 11:8). Therefore, the area and the people that are not part of God’s possession are not included in John’s measuring and will be rejected.

Along with Jerusalem, the world’s wickedness will merit the judgments of the two witnesses who, “strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want,” (Rev 11:6). After the death of the two witnesses, the LORD will hand the holy city over to the Gentiles to be trampled upon for 42 months, “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,” (Luke 21:24). This period marks the peak of the antichrist’s power that will be exercised over the last 3-1/2 years of the seven year period. The reign of the antichrist will be brought to an end by the return of Jesus who will reign as king and will take back the possession of Israel for the LORD. Never forget, “Whoever touches you (Zion) touches the apple of his (the LORD’S) eye.” (Zech 2:8).

WHAT WILL CAUSE THE TEMPLE TO BE CONSTRUCTED?

The current political environment in the Middle East currently precludes any peaceful attempt to construct a third temple. No secular Jewish government would even attempt to propose such an idea. In 1996, over one hundred people died during Muslim rioting that resulted from the construction of an additional exist to the Hasmonean Tunnel that runs along the inside of the western wall. Even though the archeologists had taken great care to brace the interior of the tunnel to protect surface structures, Muslims saw this as an attempt to undermine the foundations of their sacred structures. Since that time, most Israeli archeologists are relegated to sifting through the debris from the permitted excavations of Muslims on the temple mount.

Further, no one knows for sure where the temple should be located. There are a number of theories, but any theory would have to be supported by archeological evidence. At least two locations have been proposed south of the Dome of the Rock. If one of these locations could be supported by archeology, it opens up the possibility of two temples on the Temple Mount. In that scenario, the outer court of the Gentiles (Rev 11:2), would be a reference to the area containing the Dome of the Rock. A temple for the Jews and one for the Muslims would be somewhat analogous to the time Elijah built an altar to God adjacent to the altar built by the priests of Baal.

All this talk is mere speculation until some catalyst leads to the building of a third temple. Among many, there are three possible catalysts.

(1) A natural phenomenon such as an earthquake could destroy the Dome of the Rock and reveal foundations from the temple of Ezra or possibly even Solomon. Some believe these foundations still exist and were buried by Herod when he enlarged and elevated the Temple Mount. The evidence of the original temple foundations might offer sufficient proof to some and a sign that inspires others to rebuild the temple even in the face of opposition.

In scripture, earthquakes are often associated with the movements of God: (1) When the LORD descended on Mount Sinai, “His voice shook the earth,” (Heb 12:26), (2) When the LORD left the temple in the vision of Ezekiel, there was a great earthquake in the days of King Uzziah, (Zech 14:5), (3) At the crucifixion there was an earthquake, (Matt 27:54), and (4) An earthquake will accompany the return of the Messiah, (Zech 14:5)(Rev 11:13&19), “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” (Heb 12:26)(Hag 2:6).

Earthquakes occur with regularity in this part of the world since the Temple Mount lies just 15 miles west of the great Rift Valley where the Arabian and Africa tectonic plates move against one another. Several great earthquakes have happened along this fault including the great earthquake of 749 CE, which destroyed several Decapolis cities in the region east of Jerusalem. An earthquake hit the temple mount as recently as February 18, 2008, causing minimal damage to structures on the Dome of the Rock.

(2) A world leader could use the existing Dome of the Rock as a launching pad for proclaiming himself as a Messiah to the Jews and the Twelfth Imman to the Arabs (the Muslim world’s version of the Messiah). The increasing financial clout of the Arab nations in the face of a world struggling with a continuing financial crisis increase the potential of an Arab world leader. The Arabs have been looking for centuries for one who could unite all the Arab nations and force fundamental laws on the people.

An Arab leader would be rejected by all orthodox and many religious Jews, but some secular Jews might accept him if they thought peace would follow. If he could establish worldwide peace, he would have the foundation to declare himself to be god. He then could solidify that claim by making the Temple Mount his dwelling place.

(3) The Bible and history would lead the believer to consider some terrible confrontation, possible nuclear, between Israel and their Arab neighbors as the catalyst necessary to construct the temple. Israel will most likely be victorious in this war, possibly the battle prophesized in Ezekiel 38-39. Clearly the hand of the LORD will be seen in the victory of Israel (Ezek 39:7), and the nation will rush to bury the bodies of the dead in seven months in order to cleanse the land, (Ezek 39:12). This cleansing is required to prepare the nation and the people for a return to sacrifice and offering. As in the days of Ezra, construction of the temple will begin once the workers are purified by the offerings at the altar.

Construction of the temple could be one provision in a broader seven-year peace covenant referenced by Daniel, (Dan 9:27). As part of the peace agreement, Israel will burn weapons of war for seven years, (Ezek 39:9). In modern terms, this treaty involves a general disarmament of the world. In reality, only Israel will be disarming while the antichrist is rearming. How could Israel, after seeing the hand of God in victory, seek the trust and assurance of other nations? This is unfathomable, but prophecy would seem to indicate this is the case. Like any previous peace accord in history where Israel put their trust in a foreign power, God will not be pleased and will send two witnesses to prophesize against the nation of Israel, its rulers, and the world at large.

The principle architect of the peace agreement that leads to construction of the temple will have claim to the fulfillment of two major Messianic prophecies. Add a few miracles from the Book of Revelations, like causing fire to come down from heaven (Rev 13:13), and the antichrist will take his seat in the temple of God proclaiming himself to be God, (2 Thes 2:4).

Scott

Why the Nation Rejected Jesus as Messiah (Part 3 of 3)

THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE CONTINUING REJECTION OF JESUS

The LORD foresaw that the Jewish nation would remain “few in number,” (Deut 28:62), because of their disobedience. Among the nations, Israel

“will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. The LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life.” (Deut 28:65-66).

The generations testify to the fulfillment of the LORD’s words. Every time in history when the nation came close to assimilating and melting into the culture of another country, persecution arose and the Jews were driven away. This was all part of God’s plan to keep the nation of Israel, the remnant (Rom 11:5), as a separate and distinct people. Although this was part of God’s plan, believers should acknowledge and reject the Church sponsored persecutions of the Jewish people in history by individuals who professed to be believers in Christ and thought they were offering service to God, (John 16:2).

When believers try to assimilate the Jewish people into the Gentile culture, they put up a roadblock to the individual Jew's acceptance of Jesus as Messiah. Even believers who did not support the persecution of the Jewish people have held to the conviction that a Jew accepting Jesus as the Messiah must leave behind his lifestyle and conform to the lifestyle of a Gentile. Every Jew who accepted Jesus is this manner ceased to be a Jew. From the Jewish perspective, the approach of the Gentile Church has been similar to the Greeks of Alexander the Great who were always attempting to assimilate the Jewish faithful into the Greek culture. Had this assimilation occurred with the Greeks, the plan of God to preserve the nation would have faltered. Just as it was necessary for the nation of Israel to survive until the first coming of Jesus (Gal 4:4), the nation must also survive as part of God's greater plan for the return of Jesus.

For over 1800 years, believers thought it was necessary for every Jew to become a Gentile reasoning, “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile,” (Rom 10:12). Standing alone this statement lends support to the proposition that Gentiles and Jews in Christ should possess uniformity in beliefs and actions. However, this verse is preceded by one that qualifies how a Jewish believer and Gentile believer are equal, “through faith in Jesus Christ” (Rom 10:11).

Paul told the Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” (Gal 3:28). Does this statement of Paul mandate equality of belief and action among Jew and Gentile who believe in the same Messiah? Certainly, not! For the statement itself contains examples that are known in the physical world to not be equal. Slave is not the equal of free and man is not the same as woman. Equality does not mean uniformity. The Jew and Greek, slave and free, and man and woman are equal only in the aspects of “faith in Christ Jesus,” (Gal 3:26).

Therefore, a Jewish believer who acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah is not obligated to act as a Gentile believer. Only if a slave can act as one who is free and a man can become a woman (Gal 3:26) would a Jew be obligated to act as a Gentile. “Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him,” (1 Cor 7:20-24). And why remain as called, because “the body is not made up of one part, but of many…(whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free),” (1 Cor 12:13-14). God needs witnesses for Jesus everywhere in the world among all peoples, whether they are Jews/Greeks, slaves/free, or men/women. Even God, who is one, chooses to function in three forms, Father, Son, and Spirit, to accomplish His Will in the creation.

The Bible supports a continuing distinction between Jews and Gentiles who profess Jesus as the Messiah. We remember that Gentile believers became known as “Christians” at Antioch (Acts 11:26), but what escapes our notice, Hebrew believers were separately called “Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5), because they maintained the traditions of the patriarchs. Even Paul maintained his heritage as “a Hebrew of Hebrews,” (Phil 3:5). He prayed at the Temple (Acts 22:17), participated in Jewish ritual purification (Acts 21:24), and sought to celebrate the annual feasts when the opportunity permitted, (Acts 20:16). Upon his arrival in Rome before the Jewish leaders, Paul testified, “I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors,” (Acts 28:17). The word “customs” even goes so far as to imply that Paul followed aspects of the Oral Law, the traditions of the fathers, in addition to the written word.

The same freedom which allows the Gentile believer to participate or not, in the things which are considered “Jewish” cannot prohibit the Jewish believer from participating in that which uniquely identifies him with the covenant promises given by God to the Jewish people. How did Gentiles ever conceive that a Jew, who accepted Jesus as Messiah, was mandated to give up the unique nature in which God created and called him? Or as one member of my local church has said, “Spanish believers celebrate Cinco de Mayo and are never required to give up their cultural or their foods. Why are Jews held to a different standard, required to give up all of their festivals, kosher foods, wine, and the Sabbath to become ‘one of us’? My brothers, this should not be.”

THE PROMISED ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS AS MESSIAH

Despite the current rejection of Jesus as Messiah by the Jewish nation, scripture tells of a future time when the nation will turn to and acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. The most familiar passage used by believers comes from John, who twice quotes the prophet Zechariah,

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son”. (Zech 12:10)(John 19:37)(Rev 1:7)

Zechariah goes on to tell us,

“On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives. 13:1 "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” (Zech 12:11-13:1)

Looking on Jesus and mourning all appear to be responses associated with the return of Jesus and the rapture of the Church. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the son of man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory,” (Matt 24:30).

The events foretold by Zechariah, Matthew, and John appear to culminate in the eleventh chapter of Revelations at the resurrection of the two witnesses, an event witnessed by the people of the earth, (Rev 11:12). Many people were hardened by these events, but some “gave glory to the God of heaven,” (Rev 11:13). The twelfth chapter of Revelations continues with the story of a woman (Israel) who conceives and delivers a child (Jesus), “who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter,” (Rev 12:5). The child is then snatched up to God and to his throne for 1,260 days.

The present time is referred to in scripture as the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24), which will continue until the full number of Gentiles has come in, (Rom 11:25). The days leading up to the appearing of the Messiah are known in scripture as the “birth pains,” (Matt 24:8). “Therefore Israel will be abandoned until when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace,” (Mic 5:3-5).

“And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’” (Rom 11:26-27). The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob in a single day, (Zech 3:9). “Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem,” (Isa 4:3). On that day, even the bells on the horses in Jerusalem will be inscribed with the words, "HOLY TO THE LORD," (Zech 14:20). Thus, every person and everything in Jerusalem will be HOLY, even the horses.

In many ways, the biblical story of Joseph foreshadowed the story of Jesus and his future acceptance by the nation. Sent by the father to check on the welfare of his brothers (Gen 37:13), Joseph was unjustly persecuted and rejected by his brothers. Joseph was sent to a foreign land to prepare a place of salvation for the family of Jacob. When Joseph’s brothers again saw him they did not recognize him, as he was now ruler in Egypt second only to Pharaoh. Joseph maintained no animosity toward his brothers but tested them to see if their hearts were repentant. After his brothers demonstrated that their hearts were repentant, Joseph revealed himself. The suffering of Joseph is seen by many Jews to be a picture of the suffering servant of Isaiah chapter 53. For the believer, the story of Joseph foreshadows the coming days of the return of Jesus.

In the story of Joseph, the nation of Egypt can be seen as Gentiles already receiving blessings through their relationship with Joseph. When Pharaoh hears that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials rejoiced, just as there will be much rejoicing among the Gentiles when the Messiah is revealed and the nation of Israel accepts Him and enters into a relationship with Him. Joseph does not reveal himself to his brothers until he first cleared all the Egyptian attendants from his presence, (Gen 45:1), just as Gentile believers may be removed from the earth at the revealing of Jesus to the people of Israel.

When news reached the Patriarch that Joseph is alive, he is referred to as “Jacob”. Upon hearing the news, the spirit of Jacob is revived as disbelief is turned into faith. He is now called “Israel”, as it is written, “Israel said, ‘I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive” (Gen 45:28). In a similar manner, the nation will be revived at the appearing of Jesus. Paul prophesized of a future time of national revival when, “all Israel will be saved, as it is written ‘The deliver will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob,” (Rom 11:26).

After Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers feared that Joseph would retaliate against them for their sins against him. However, Joseph understood the greater plan of God that had delivered him as a slave into Egypt.

"Joseph said to them, 'Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.' And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them." (Gen 50:19-21)

In the same way, believers look toward the forgiveness of the Hebrew people. We pray that the nation will have the heart of Joseph and tell us, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Scott

Why the Nation Rejected Jesus as Messiah (Part 2 of 3)

THE REJECTION OF JESUS AS PART OF GOD’S GREATER PLAN

“Did they (Israel) stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to Gentiles…But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!” (Rom 11:11-12)

"For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery — so that you will not be wise in your own estimation — that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,

'THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." 27 "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.'" (Rom 11:25-27)

Although there are understandable reasons for the rejection of Jesus by the broader Jewish nation, scripture acknowledges the hand of providence in working out the plan of God. According to Paul, it was necessary for the Jewish nation to stumble so that riches might come to the rest of the world. This stumbling was caused by the hardness of men’s hearts, which God permitted as part of his greater plan, (Rom 11:25). We are living in the days of the Gentiles, but a time is coming when the physical nation of Israel will take on a more prominent role in the world after “the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,” (Luke 21:24). The branches representing the nation were broken off (Rom 11:17), but this does not preclude the certainty that these branches will be grafted back into the original root “if they do not persist in unbelief” and “how much greater riches will their fullness bring!”

There are some prophesies that remain unfulfilled and cannot be fulfilled apart from the physical nation of Israel, which Ezekiel prophesized to return (Ezek 38-39). Among them are the four unfilled prophecies cited by Maimonides. Jesus will…

• Build the Temple,
• Gather the Exiles,
• Restore the kingship of David by Reigning on the throne of David in Israel, and
• Send forth the word of the LORD from Israel (Restore the commandments of the Torah).

Moses foreshadowed the coming of Jesus and told the people, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers,” (Deut 18:15). As a pattern of the two appearing of Jesus, Moses twice descended off Mount Sinai. The first time he came and delivered the Torah to a rebellious people who were in the mist of making a golden calf. The second time he descended with a new copy of the commandments, a set of instructions on how to build the tabernacle after a pattern he had seen of the heavenly reality, and a reminder from the LORD to “observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you” (Ex 31:14).

Build the Temple: In scripture the Messiah is referred to as “a righteous Branch sprout(ing) from David's line” (Jer 33:15), “a Branch (that) will bear fruit” (Isa 11:1), and “a shoot…from the stump of Jesse“ (Isa 11:1).. The prophecy, "He will be called a Nazarene" (Matt 2:23), is not literally in scripture, but derives from the Hebrew root word for shoot, “natzer.” According to Zechariah, the Messiah, as the Branch, will construct the temple.

“Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.'” (Zech 6:12-13)

The temple Jesus will build is the temple described by Ezekiel in chapters 40-44. This temple is implied by the future celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech 14:16) and the keeping of the law which will go forth from Zion, (Isa 2:3).

The statement of Jesus, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days" (John 2:19), was of special interest to those who heard because it was seen as a declaration that Jesus was the Messiah, (Matt 26:61). Many believers read the words of John as prohibiting a temple anytime in the future “because the LORD God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple,” (Rev 21:22). However, in this passage John is speaking of the new heavens and the new earth (Rev 21:1), referred to in scripture as “the world to come,” (Heb 2:5). This world will appear after the 1000 year reign of Jesus on the earth.

Gather the Exiles: Shortly before his death, Moses spoke these words to the people of Israel.

When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. (Deut 30:1-5)

The gathering of the people back to the land of Israel is one of the great expectations of the Jewish people as reflected in the daily Amidah prayer, “Sound the great shofar for our freedom, raise the ensign to gather our exiles, and gather us from the four corners of the earth. Blessed are You, O Lord, who gathers the dispersed of his people Israel.” The gathering is also one of the great expectations of scripture.

'Thus says the Lord GOD, "When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and will manifest My holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob. 26 'They will live in it securely; and they will build houses, plant vineyards and live securely when I execute judgments upon all who scorn them round about them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.'" (Ezek 28:25-26, 11:17, 20:23, 36:24)

'I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.' (Jer 29:14)

The concept of gathering is expressed in scripture as a shepherd gathers his lambs.

“For thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.’ As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep…I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land,’” (Ezek 34:11-13)

Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. (Isa 40:11).

The gathering of the people into the land of Israel remains an everlasting promise from God to the nation, a promise Jesus alluded to when he said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling,” (Matt 23:37). Scripture tells us of a future time when Jesus will “send forth the angels and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven,” (Mark 13:27). As a result of this gathering, “People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God,” (Luke 13:29).

Reign on the Throne of David: When the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary about the child he said, “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end,” (Luke 1:32). There are thrones in heaven and there are earthly thrones; David’s throne existed on the earth and the promise of the prophets was for one who would sit on the throne of David forever, as long as this present earth endures. “David…was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne,” (Acts 2:30). There are many prophecies in the Hebrew text relating to the Messiah sitting on the throne of David. Here are just two…

"For this is what the LORD says: 'David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel’" (Jer 33:17-18). And the passage we all learned as children…

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." (Isa 9:6-7)

Send Forth the Word of the LORD from Israel: The days are coming when the people of the world will stream to Israel to hear the word of the LORD spoken by the Messiah sitting on the throne of David in the city of Jerusalem. Isaiah said it best…

"In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” (Isa 2:2-4)(Micah 4:1-2)

Although believers have already received a partial fulfillment, the coming days of Jesus’ earthly reign as king will be the greatest fulfillment of the words of Jeremiah.

“No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Jer 31:34)

“All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children’s peace.”
(Isa 54:13)

The LORD preserved the Jewish nation as a separate and distinct people to accomplish His plan in the last days. Had the LORD allowed the nation to assimilate with the Gentile world, Israel would have ceased to be a separate and distinct people, (Isa 1:9). From the days of Egypt, every time the nation began to dissolve into another group of people, the LORD brought persecution upon the Jewish nation. The Holocaust may have been the most recent example of a history marked with persecutions and inquisitions against the Jews in foreign lands including England and Spain. Six million Jews died in the Holocaust, one-third of the entire world Jewish population, but out of that lost the physical nation reappeared, a sign that the plan of God is moving toward its conclusion. (to be continued...)

Scott

Why the Nation Rejected Jesus as Messiah (Part 1 of 3)

Believers have the misconception that Jews generally rejected Jesus as Messiah. While it is impossible to know how many Jews accepted Jesus, James tells us that “many thousands (myrias)” (Acts 21:20), elsewhere translated as “tens thousands,” (Jude 14, ESV)(Rev 5:11), of the Jews living in Jerusalem believed. Given the first century population of Jerusalem, it is conceivable that at least one-quarter and up to one-third of the Jews living in Jerusalem believed in Jesus as the promised Messiah. In addition, we know that Jews in Samaria and other parts of Israel also believed. A balanced reading of scripture makes it clear that it was the leadership of the Jewish Nation, not the Jewish people as a whole, that principally rejected Jesus as Messiah.

"The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." (Luke 9:22)

Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish." (John 11:49-50)

The rejection of Jesus can be sub-divided into four aspects:

(1) the rejection of Jesus by the leadership of first century Israel,
(2) the subsequent and continuing rejection of Jesus by the Jewish nation,
(3) the rejection of Jesus as part of the LORD’S greater plan, and
(4) the role of the Church in the continuing rejection of Jesus by the nation.

THE FIRST CENTURY LEADERSHIP

“When the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.' 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" 41 "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time."
(Matt 21:38-41)

The audience for Jesus’ parable of the vineyard were the “chief priests and the elders,” (Matt 21:23), and not the nation as a whole. In the parable of the vineyard, it is the wicked tenants, the rulers of the vineyard, who reject the owner and kill his son. In scripture, the vineyard is consistently seen as a metaphor for the nation, “The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel,” (Isa 5:7). In this context, the tenants are seen as the leadership of the nation, the shepherds of Israel, who have acted wickedly.

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says, ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should, not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock,’” (Ezek 34:2-3)

The rejection of Jesus by the rulers of Israel is no great exercise in theology. The leadership was primarily composed of Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection or the coming judgment. This world, and this world alone, represented both the present and future reality to the Sadducees. The Sadducees were simply living out the words of Paul, “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die,’” (1 Cor 15:32).

In the 1990’s, archeologists found what they believed to be the homes of the High Priests Annas and Caiaphas. They were located where you would expect them to be, in the Beverly Hills of Jerusalem overlooking the Temple Mount. In addition, archeologists found stone tables and mosaics of animals and people. Both were rare and expensive to acquire, while the latter was a Pharisaic violation of Deuteronomy against the making of human and animal images. This cost of this life style was unobtainable by most, but the High Priests had access to the revenues from the operation of the temple.

From the days of Herod the Great through the Roman procurators, the High Priest became a political and financial appointment determined by a person’s social status and wealth rather than their lineage and holiness. Whereas scripture appointed the High Priest for an entire lifetime, the officials ruling over Judea made it a regular practice to replace the High Priest. To maintain the position of High Priest, it became necessary for an individual to raise an ever increasing amount of money. Annas (Luke 3:2), was apparently able and willing to do this. For the majority of the first century, as long as the temple existed, Annas, each of his six sons, and son-in-law Caiaphas all functioned as High Priests. The Bible refers to the collective group of Annas and his family as “the chief priests.” They maintained their power through their close association with the ruling Herodians and Romans. This association was possible by the continuous tribute that Annas paid to the authorities. The operation of the temple made that tribute possible.

Jesus was a danger to the chief priests and Sadducees because he threatened their source of income which protected their position of power. Jesus died for the sins of the world, but his death was precipitated by the greed of individuals who sought to protect their empire. The overturning of the money changers table near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry must have been the final straw. It was paramount for the survival of the Sadducees that Jesus be silenced.

"If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." (John 11:48)


THE CONTINUING REJECTION OF JESUS BY THE JEWISH NATION

The corrupt nature of the Sadducees helps explain the rejection of Jesus by the ruling authorities of first century Israel, but believers have a difficult time understanding the continuing rejection by the Jewish nation. In particular, believers do not understand why fulfilled prophecy is insufficient to change the hearts and minds of the Jewish people. The principle arguments expressed by believers generally fall into two categories:

(1) Jesus fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah
(2) Jesus performed miracles demonstrating that he was the Messiah

Although Jesus fulfilled many of the prophecies in scripture, many remain unfulfilled. It is these unfulfilled prophecies that form the primary foundation for the continuing rejection of Jesus by the Jewish nation. Maimonides, the codifier of Jewish law during the middle ages, summarized the general Jewish belief in the Messiah as follows:

King Messiah will arise in the future and will restore the kingship of David to its ancient condition, to its rule as it was at first. And he will rebuild the Temple and gather the exiled of Israel. And in his days all the laws will return as they were in the past. They will offer up sacrifices, and will observe the Sabbatical years and the jubilee years with regard to all the commandments stated in the Torah. And he who does not believe in him, or he who does not await his coming, denies not only the (other) prophets, but also the Torah and Moses our master. For, behold, the Torah testifies about him (the Messiah), as it is written, (Deut 30:3-5), “then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will proper you and multiply you more than your fathers”. (Maimonides Hilkhot M’lakim)

Within this passage, Maimonides established the basic Jewish tenants for the national rejection of Jesus as the Messiah, Son of David. Jesus did not…

• Build the Temple,
• Gather the Exiles,
• Restore the kingship of David, nor
• Restore the commandments of the Torah.

The expectations identified by Maimonides are all responsibilities of the king of Israel. It was the king of Israel (Solomon) who first built the Temple. It is the king who has the power to sit on the throne, to gather the nation together, and to teach and impose the Torah on the people. Jesus did not reign as king on the earth sitting on the physical throne of David when he first appeared, but suffered at the hands of the Gentiles (Mark 10:33). Instead of rebuilding the temple, it was destroyed forty years later by the conquering Roman army and remains in ruins unto this day. Instead of gathering the exiles, the nation was dispersed forty years after the crucifixion to live in the Diaspora until 1948. With the exile of the nation from the land of Israel, the throne was lost, the temple was destroyed, and with the temple, any hope of fulfilling all the commandments in the Torah.

From the Jewish perspective, the failure of Jesus to fulfill certain prophecies disqualifies him and every other person who claimed to be the Messiah. Believers counter that any unfulfilled prophecies will be fulfilled at the “Second Coming” of Jesus. However, the Jewish people do not generally recognize a “Second Coming” of the Messiah in scripture. They argue that if Jesus can return, so could other righteous men who lived in the past. Moses, Elijah, Ezra or any number of prophets, might be eligible to return as Messiah and fulfill what was not accomplished during their life on earth. Objectively speaking, this argument is not without merit.

However, believers should take heart. Scripture is filled with examples of two comings. Moses, considered the greatest prophet in Jewish history, twice descended off Mount Sinai after being in the presence of the LORD. Joseph reappeared to his brothers after a long absence, during which, his father and brothers thought he was dead. Hosea related the coming of the LORD to the two seasons of rain that fall each year in the land.

“Let us acknowledge the LORD, let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." (Hos 6:3).

The two annual rain cycles in Israel produce two individual growing seasons that result in two separate harvests. The two harvests are celebrated by four spring feasts and three fall feasts of the Jewish calendar. Jesus produced a crop of righteous believers at His crucifixion in the spring (Passover/Pentecost) and believers anticipate a second crop will be harvested at His reappearing in the fall (Trumpets/Tabernacles), the time when kings are crowned in Israel.

What About the Miracles?: Believers like to point to the miracles as proof that Jesus was the Son of God. These miracles are important demonstrations of the kingdom of God, but by themselves are not sufficient to proclaim Jesus as Messiah. The Jews have a literagy of many righteous men who performed similar miracles. It is the resurrection from the dead that declared Jesus to be the Son of God, (Rom 1:4), but that miracle was discounted by the Jewish authorities shortly after it occurred, (Matt 28:13). Miracles by themselves do not testify that an individual is from God. The servants of Pharaoh were able to perform counterfeit miracles to oppose Moses and Aaron. In addition, John tells us that the future Beast will perform “great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men,” (Rev 13:13). Further, Jesus warned his disciples that “false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracle to deceive even the elect,” (Matt 24:24).

If miracles are not sufficient by themselves to demonstrate that an individual is the Messiah, how does a person know if a miracle producing individual is from God or not? Jesus gave his disciples these words to distinguish the true believer from the false deceiver, “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit…So then, you will know them by their fruits,” (Matt 7:16-20). The pattern is the same for the Messiah. Miracles must be accompanied with the fruits of righteousness, as defined by the commandment of the Torah.

Since Jesus is not presently walking the earth for Jews to observe, they must judge who he is by the actions of his followers. Jesus told the disciples, "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master.” (Matt 10:24-25). No amount of words spoken by a believer to an unbelieving Jew will be sufficient to overcome a lifestyle that is inconsistent with the words of Jesus. Believers are further handicapped by a history that includes times of violent persecution against the Jewish people and a consistent attitude that any person who accepts Jesus as the Messiah must relinquish all that makes him or her Jewish. For many Jews, Christians are no different than the Greeks who came before us and tried to force the Hebrew people to convert to pagan worship at the point of the sword.

Paul tells us that the leader of the future rebellion at the end of days will be known as “the man of lawlessness,” (2 Thes 2:3). This is not a reference to general lawlessness, as most believers understand, but a specific disregard by the anti-Christ for the commandments of Moses. Daniel told us that the anti-Christ, “will speak against the Most High and try to change the set times and the laws,” (Dan 7:25). Instead of the law going forth from Zion (Isa 2:3), as prophesized by Isaiah, the anti-Christ will declare an end to the law. This position runs contrary to the Jewish belief that the law is eternal, and the words of Jesus that support this position, “I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stoke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished,” (Matt 5:18).

The LORD specifically warned Israel through Moses against false prophets by saying, “

“If a prophet or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against the LORD your God,” (Deut 13:1-5)

This warning from God makes it clear that miracles are insufficient by themselves. Sometimes the LORD may even allow miracles to test the hearts of His people to see if they truly love Him. When believers require Jews to abandon their Jewish traditions, culture, and the underlying commandments, we only reinforce the broader Jewish position that Jesus was a false Messiah according to the Deuteronomy warning. The Apostolic text never tells Jews to abandon the principles that make them Jewish, only to acknowledge that works of the Law are not sufficient by themselves to save an individual.

Throughout history, the Jewish rabbis have been reluctant to proclaim any person as Messiah since the days of Rabbi Akiva (50-135 AD), who announced the leader of the second Jewish revolt (132-135 CE), to be the Messiah by naming him “bar Kokhba,” Son of the Star. The title alludes to the prophecy “A star will come out of Jacob,” (Num 24:17). After the failure of the revolt, the rabbis renamed Simon “bar Kozeba,” Son of a Lie. (To be continued...)

Scott

Sukkot 5771

Enjoy!

The Resurrections - Part 3

“Rabbi Joseph the son of Levi objects that it is written in one place, ‘Behold one like the son of man comes with the clouds of heaven,’ but in another place it is written ‘lowly and riding upon an ass.” The solution is, if they be righteous he shall come with the clouds of heaven, but if they not be righteous he shall come lowly riding upon an ass.” (Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a).

Scripture is filled with seemingly contradictory statements that are true, but difficult to reconcile in advance of their fulfillment. Two of those statements were reconciled by the Sages in a manner documented by the Talmud. The believer is faced with similar difficulty when reconciling prophecies surrounding the return of Christ. Believers tend to focus on the resurrection described by Paul when the dead and living in Christ are caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, (1 Thes 4:17). THE END, or so many believers have held for centuries. However, THE END of our understanding does not come until much later in scripture (1Cor 15:24), at the conclusion of the Christ’s earthly reign.

We are told that Jesus will bring “those who have fallen asleep in him,” (1 Thes 4:14). In another place we are told “the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones,” (Jude 14). Believers are said to be gathered “together…in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,” (1 Thes 4:17). Yet, Zechariah has written, “The LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two,” (Zech 14:4). So how are believers caught up to meet the Lord in the air, while at the same time, the Lord is coming to stand on the Mount of Olives? Are these events simultaneous or do they speak of separate events like the coming of Jesus on a donkey and his coming in the clouds?

Scripture tell us that the resurrection of the two witnesses will be seen by the entire world, (Rev 11:12). “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him,” (Rev 1:7)(Zech 12:10). Two responses to the appearing of Christ are recorded by John, some “gave glory to the God of heaven,” while “the nations were angry,” (Zech 11:18). The Lord Jesus will appear “to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him,” (Heb 9:28). What about the people who did not believe before, but come to believe in Jesus because of His appearing?

The resurrection of the two witnesses (Rev 11:12), occurs in scripture just prior to the declaration of Christ as King, (Rev 11:15). In the account of Jude, Zechariah, and John (Rev 19:11-15), Jesus will return as King to conquer and judge the inhabitants of the earth. It is possible that all these events are simultaneous. Believers may be resurrected and gathered to meet Jesus in the air and immediately return with Christ and His angels to earth. Paul connects these events in his letter to the Church in Thessalonica.

This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus…on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. (2 Thes 1:7-10)

However, the position that all these events occur simultaneously would seem to preclude the response of the nation to the appearing of Jesus.

“I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great,” (Zech 12:10).

Further, an immediate return by Jesus to earth after the catching up of the saints would allow no time after the removal of the restrainer for the man of lawlessness to display his false miracles to deceive those who are perishing, (2 Thes 2:6-12)(Rev 13:13-18). Finally, the nation of Israel comes to believe when “She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days,” (Rev 12:5-6). The believing nation is not resurrected at this time, only the child (Jesus) is snatched up to the throne of God. The nation is given the responsibility to exist as God’s witness for the last 42 months (1,260 days), after the resurrection of the Church.

The appearance of the nation of Israel and the understanding that the LORD still has a separate plan for the nation apart from grafted in Gentiles can bring great clarity to the understanding of the resurrection accounts. Saints will be resurrected to meet the LORD in the air removing the force that currently restraints the anti-Christ. Men and woman will subsequently become believers from witnessing the appearing of Jesus. Some of these believers will escape into the wilderness, while many will be martyred for their refusal to worship the Beast and receive the mark of his ownership. The Lord will then return again to the earth.

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. (Rev 19:11-15)

The resurrection at the beginning of Christ’s earthly reign is for “the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years,” (Rev 20:4). Since this verse is limited to “those who had been beheaded,” it is reasonable to understand this verse as referring to those who came through the last three and one-half years of the tribulation. Otherwise, the verse must be read symbolically since few believers are literally “beheaded.” Although this resurrection of these saints would be the third distinct resurrection, scripture combines all three, calling them the “first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection,” (Rev 20:5-6). One final resurrection remains.


THE FINAL RESURRECTION: JUDGMENT AND THE END OF THE AGE

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt,” (Dan 12:2)

“Do not be amazed at this, a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned,” (John 5:28-29).

The Bible is clear, not only will the righteous be resurrected, but also the unrighteous. According to John, one final resurrection will occur after the 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth is ended, (Rev 20:5). We are also told,

“The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.” (Rev 20:13)

The Sages offered the following parable to illustrate the need for a physical resurrection of all men and women.

“A blind man and a lame man both desired to raid a certain orchard, but their physical limitations precluded this. The lame man met the blind man and they formed a partnership. The blind man took the lame man upon his back, and the lame man directed him to the orchard. They then shared the fruits of their ‘labors’.

When they were caught by the owner of the orchard, the lame man protested that he himself could not have plundered the orchard. The blind man defended himself in the same manner. The owner then took the lame man, set him upon the blind man and administered punishment to them together (Sanhedrin 91b).” (Artscroll – Daniel, page 321)

The sins committed in the flesh will be judged in the flesh, otherwise the spirit of men will say to God, “How can you judge me for the sins committed by the flesh when I am not flesh, but spirit.” The flesh of a man will likewise say, “How can I be judged when it was the spirit within me that directed my actions?” Paul said it this way, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad,” (2 Cor 5:10). For this reason, the resurrection precedes the judgment, as John has written,

“I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it…And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books,” (Rev 20:11-12).

In order to subject all created things to Christ (1 Cor 15:25), it is necessary for every man and woman to be resurrected so “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” (Phil 2:10-11). Only in the flesh can the knees of mankind bow and the tongues confess.

At the time of the great white throne judgement, the earth will be destroyed as, “Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them,” (Rev 20:12). “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire,” (Rev 20:14), as it is written, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death,” (1 Cor 15:26). How is death destroyed, by resurrecting all men and women, just as Jesus destroyed death by His resurrection, (2 Tim 1:10)(Rev 1:18).

“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory,” (1 Cor 15:54).

“But someone may ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” (1 Cor 15:35)

The Sages also wondered if the resurrected body will be clothed or naked? The Sages concluded, “The answer is; ‘As man goes (into the grave) clothed, so he will return clothed. This may be learnt from the example of Samuel whom Saul beheld. He asked the witch of Endor, “What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up and he is covered with a robe,” (1 Sam 28:14)(Gen. R 95.1). In a like manner, those who come out of the great tribulation are seen wearing white robes and holding palm branches, which is what is done during the Feast of Tabernacles.

“One of the elders asked me, ‘These in white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?’ 14 I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, ‘they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16 Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’" (Rev 7:13-17)

Scott

The Resurrections - Part 2

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
(1 Thes 4:16-18)

The next resurrection believers anticipate will occur when “the LORD Himself will descend from heaven” for “all who have longed for his appearing,” (2 Tim 4:8), who “eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed,” (1 Cor 1:7)(Phil 3:20)(Titus 2:13), “to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him,” (Heb 9:28). The next resurrection will include all believers, both the dead and living, who have existed up to that time in history, excepting those resurrected along with Christ, (Matt 27:52-53). Maimonides taught that, while belief in the Messiah is essential, a longing desire for His return is also required, as John has written, “Come, Lord Jesus,” (Rev 22:20).

Scholars generally accept that the resurrection of the saints will occur during the seven-year period of end time events identified as the final week of Daniel’s seventy week prophecy. The angel Gabriel told Daniel, “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city…he will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate,” (Dan 9:24-27).

The Bible further subdivides this seven year period into separate three and one-half year periods. The first is marked by temple sacrifice and worship of the true God, which is immediately followed by apostasy and the revealing of “the man of lawlessness,” (2 Thes 2:3). The latter three and one-half years is a time of great persecution for Israel, commonly referred to as the “birth pains of the Messiah” (Micah 5:3-4), and the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer 30:5-7). The book of Daniel concludes by saying, “There will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time…From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!” (Dan 12:1&11-12).

Pre-Tribulation Resurrection: There are three traditional positions relating to the resurrection of the saints during this seven year (one week) covenant and I will do great injustice to all three in my brief description. The first school of thought, often referred to as the “pre-tribulation rapture,” holds that believers will be resurrected at the beginning of the seven year period. Believers will remain with Christ and then return with Him to earth at the end of the tribulation period. The pattern for this event is the one week biblical weddings typified by Jacob. In this way, believers will be kept from “the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world,” (Rev 3:10), fulfilling the many similar promises given in scripture, (1 Thes 1:10).

The belief in an early resurrection is attractive because believers will not have to experience any of the judgments in the Book of Revelations. However, the “hour” referred to in the third chapter should be seen as the “the hour of his (God) judgment” (Rev 14:7), the same “one hour” that the ten kings receive their authority to reign with the beast, (Rev 17:12). This hour occurs during the last three and one-half years when the seven bowls of judgment are poured out on the earth. The many promises in scripture to protect believers do not require that believers be removed from the earth. During the days when the LORD poured out His ten plagues on Egypt, He did not remove Israel from the land, but providentially protected them in Goshen. It is not before the coming tribulation, “But immediately after the tribulation of those days…He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEYWILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other,” (Matt 24:29-31).

Post Tribulation Resurrection: Another school of thought, often referred to as the “post tribulation rapture,” holds that believers are destined to endure the tribulations in the Book of Revelations and will be resurrected at the end of these tribulations, (Matt 24:24-31). During the last half of the seven year covenant period, the Beast is given authority to rule over the earth, (Rev 13:5). This final forty-two month period is referred to as “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24), who will be given power to “trample on the holy city for 42 months,” (Rev 11:2). The leader of the Gentile nations, the Beast (anti-Christ), will be “given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them,” (Rev 13:7)(Dan 7:21) “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God,” (2 Thes 2:4).

Many saints who refuse to worship the Beast will be persecuted and killed by the sword. “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on…they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them,’” (Rev 14:12-13)(Rev 13:10). As I understand, the Church of Christ holds that the majority of tribulations written about in the gospel accounts, the epistles and the Book of Revelations, have already occurred. However, if they have occurred, who were the two witnesses of Revelations (11th chapter) and why did the resurrection and judgment not immediately follow the tribulation?

The martyring of many saints would seem to run contrary to the promises to keep the saints from “the hour of testing,” (Rev 3:10). Further, Paul tells us that “The mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed,” (2 Thes 2:7-8). In scripture, it is God who protects and delivers the saints from the “evil one,” (John 17:11)(2 Thes 3:3)(Rev 12:6). For this reason, the “he who now restrains” is commonly understood to be either the Holy Spirit or the body of the Church where the Holy Spirit dwells. At some point in God’s plan to judge the world, the Spirit will be removed, following the pattern of Sodom and Gomorrah where the righteous were removed, so that judgment of the world can be completed. The promises relating to the Spirit make it impossible to remove the Spirit without also removing believers who have been sealed by the Spirit. In the parable of the ten virgins (Matt 25:1-13), it is the five who were ready, who have oil (the Spirit), who leave with the bridegroom when he appeared. Those without oil (the Spirit) remain despite their plea to, “Open the door for us!” (Matt 15:11).

Mid-Tribulation Resurrection: The 11th chapter in the Book of Revelations contains many elements of the resurrection found elsewhere in scripture. Central to the 11th chapter are the two witnesses, who prophesy “for 1260 days, clothed in sackcloth,” (Rev 11:3). This time period appears to mark the first half of the seven year covenant foretold by Daniel (Dan 9:27) and will fulfill the words of Jesus, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things,” (Matt 17:11). As in the first coming of Jesus, many will not heed the words of Elijah and in the over the last 42 months (Dan 12:11), the holy city will be trampled upon by the Gentiles (Rev 11:2)(Dan 9:27). The first 42 months and the last 42 months are separated a significant event, the death and resurrection of the two witnesses. The resurrection of the two witnesses contains a number of elements that are also associated with the larger resurrection of the saints.

The Loud Call and The Trumpet Blast:

“Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Come up here.’ And they went up in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. At that very hour there was a severe earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed…Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign for ever and ever.’” (Rev 11:12-15).

The resurrection of the two witnesses is accompanied by “a loud voice from heaven” and the sounding of the seventh angel’s trumpet, reminding us of Paul’s resurrection account, “a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God,” (1 Thes 4:16). Although some believers hold to an earlier resurrection, Paul’s statement that, “the dead in Christ will rise first,” would seem to preclude a resurrection prior to the two witnesses.

The loud voice from heaven is heard to say, “Come up here.” At the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus “called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’” (John 11:43). People have speculated that Jesus used the name of Lazarus to preclude a broader resurrection. Jesus told his disciples, “a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned,” (John 5:28-29). All people will hear the voice of Jesus, but those who hear the voice of Jesus in this life will live, (John 5:25). In scripture, when Jesus calls out to an individual, “Come,” they are compelled to respond, (Matt 4:19-20)(Matt 14:28-29).

The voice from heaven is immediately followed by a trumpet blast (Rev 11:15), which is the seventh and “last trumpet,” identified by Paul as the trumpet of the resurrection, (1 Cor 15:52). The two witnesses are gathered into “the cloud,” just as all the saints “will be caught up together…in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,” (1 Thess 4:17). Coming in the clouds is a consistent theme throughout scripture (Dan 7:13)(Matt 24:30)(Mark 13:26-27)(Matt 26:64).

Earthquakes: Two earthquakes are associated with the resurrection of the witnesses in the 13th and 19th verses of the 11th chapter. Earthquakes in scripture are associated with the arriving and departing of the Lord, as the Psalmist has written, “The earth quaked; The heavens also dropped at the presence of God; Sinai itself at the presence of God, the God of Israel,” (Psa 68:8). Sinai was said to shake at the LORD’s descending, (Heb 12:26). The great earthquake in the days of Uzziah (Zech 14:5), is associated in Hebraic tradition with Ezekiel’s vision of the LORD leaving the temple, (Ezek 10:1-22). The earth shook at the time of the crucifixion (Matt 27:54), when the tomb was opened, and when Christ first ascended to the father, (Matt 28:2)(John 20:17). We would expect the return of Jesus to be accompanied by one of more earthquakes of unprecedented magnitude, “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’” (Heb 12:26)(Zech 14:4).

The Elements of the Fall Feasts: Believers who view scripture from a Hebraic perspective generally hold that the return of Christ will occur during the fall Feasts of Trumpets (Rosh HaShannah), The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Tabernacles (Sukkot). In the 11th chapter of the Book of Revelations, we are given a number of evidences to demonstrate that these events occur during the time of the fall Feasts. The blowing of the seventh trumpet would be appropriate on the Feast of Trumpets. In addition, the Feast of Trumpets marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year (the first day of Tishrei), the date when the kings of Israel were crowned. Immediately following the seventh trumpet, loud voices in heaven proclaim, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” (Rev 11:15). At this time, “You (Jesus) have taken your great power and have begun to reign,” (Rev 11:17).

The ten days between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement are referred to as “The Days of Awe,” a time when heaven is open to receive the repentant prayers of the saints. On the Day of Atonement, the books are closed and the judgment of God is rendered. John records “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant,” (Rev 11:19). John’s words indicate the time of year and tell us that even during these future days of tribulation, God will remain open to the repentant prayers of the nations prior to rendering judgment. How do the nations respond? “The nations were angry,” (Rev 11:18), so God will judge the nations “destroying those who destroy the earth…And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm,” (Rev 11:18-19).

The Day of Atonement is the time for “judging the dead, and for rewarding your servant the prophets and your saints and those who reverence you name both small and great,” (Rev 11:18). Believers often forget that there is a time for judging and rewarding the saints. As Peter warned believers, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Pet 4:17). After this judgment, we will enter into the eternal rest of God. The writer of Hebrews exhorts believers to, “make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience,” (Heb 4:11).

The Mystery of God Will be Accomplished: When Jesus is revealed to the world, “in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets,” (Rev 10:7). Scripture contains a number of mysteries, but “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and shares together in the promise in Christ Jesus,” (Eph 3:6). The removal of the believing Church results in the removal of the Holy Spirit, which now holds back the secret power of the lawless one, (2 Thess 2:8). The Spirit’s removal allows Satan to display “all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders (to deceive) those who are perishing,” (2 Thess 2:9-10), and the LORD to pour out His judgments.

From this point forward, the Book of Revelations focuses on the final plagues of the great tribulation and the redemption of the nation of Israel, who is depicted as “a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head,” (Rev 12:1). The two earthquakes in the 11th chapter are followed by the flight of the woman (Israel) into the desert (Rev 12:8). The flight of the woman may fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah,

On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. (Zech 14:4-5)

The LORD will deliver and protect the nation of Israel in the wilderness from the increasingly devastating plagues that will come upon the earth and the persecution of the Dragon who has fallen from heaven, (Rev 12:6-9). Beginning with the third plague on Egypt, the magicians of Egypt were unable to reproduce miracles concluding, “This is the finger of God,” (Ex 8:19). Beginning with the forth plague, the LORD made “a distinction between my people (Israel) and your people (Egypt)” (Ex 8:23), so that Israel was protected in Goshen. This pattern will be repeated in Revelations. After the resurrection of the saints, during the 42 months of the anti-Christ, the LORD will providentially protect and provide for the remnant of His people in the wilderness over “1260 days” (Rev 12:6), the last three and one-half years of the final tribulation.

Scott