JESUS IS THE CHRIST

And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” (Acts 17:2-3)

Paul, as much as any other, or more than any other had an understanding of Jesus as the Christ and what that meant. Most of Paul’s teachings come from the Old Testament prophecies. And as he preached those prophecies he was writing new prophecies that we are to preach.

Peter, was another that had a great depth of understanding of Jesus and His place in the End-Time scenario.

inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories (eschatological realities). (1 Peter 1:11)

Compare the understanding that Paul and Peter displayed about Jesus and how much they preached and focused on the End-Times and our role as believers in the End-Times, and we realize that our paradigm of what it means for Jesus to be the Christ has to be expanded to its biblical definition and boundaries.  Jesus being the Christ includes more then the introductory reality of the salvation, it encompasses the full reality of what the New Testament calls the mystery of the gospel

When the New Testament talks about the gospel being a mystery, it does not mean that this is information that is not accessible (or hidden) but rather that the central plan and purposes of God were hidden in the being of God and now have been made accessible to all the saints of God through the word of God.  I call the mystery of the gospel – the thoughts and intents of God’s heart

The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it clearly. (Jeremiah 23:20)

The preaching of the gospel for the apostles did not only include only the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, it also included the preaching of the glories that were come. In their understanding, you couldn’t have one without the other! And you really can’t. If you don’t understand the End-Time scenario, it shows up as misunderstanding the rest of the gospel.

In the same way, a proper understanding of the main aspects of the Gospel will always be demonstrated in a proper understanding of the End-Times. The apostles proclaimed eschatological realities.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, (1 Peter 1:10)

The New Testament paradigm is that Jesus, as the Messiah would deliver Israel, restore the theocracy and priesthood. As the Messiah, He would restore Israel to her original calling as a kingdom of priests and from there He would lead the gentile nations into the leadership of YHWH.

The Apostles proclaimed the reigning of a coming Jewish and global leader – Jesus.  

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples (gentiles) shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he (Jesus) may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion (Jerusalem) shall go the law, and the word of the Lord (the divine decree)from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations (Global leadership exercised from Jerusalem) , and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:1-4)

That brings us to the question:

Why study the End-Times?

The End-Time is not optional study reserved for fringe eccentric Christians. The Gospel narrative is made up of 89 chapters: and gives us a record of Jesus’ miracle working power at His first coming to accomplish redemption. The end-of-the-age narrative (called prophecy) is made up of over 150 chapters telling us about Jesus’ miracle power in taking leadership over the earth.

Why study the End-Times? To prepare the Church to be victorious in love and to participate in releasing God's glory. To prepare the Church to rightly interpret the crisis instead of being offended by it. To awaken the Church with urgency in intercession knowing we can minimize evil and increase victory in geographic areas, establishing pockets of mercy (Joel 2:13-14; Zeph. 2:3). To strengthen our confidence in sovereignty (God is in control and never surprised).

Let’s look at an essential component to understanding the apostolic gospel:

inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (1 Peter 1:11)

There are at least 100 paragraphs and passages in the apostolic writings referencing the End-Times in calling the church to passion for Jesus, which is holiness. Many preach holiness as rules and regulations, do and do nots. But holiness is loving God enough to love what He loves and to hate what He hates – and when we share His heart on those matters we will choose to live our lives in agreement with those dynamics.

Common lies related to End-Time prophecy:

1. It is not relevant (it is just for the curious).
2. It is impossible to understand.  2 Timothy 3:16  (we can have confidence when we study the End-Times), only the disobedient who don’t understand the End-Times have to worry about being deceived.
3. Every generation has believed they were the final generation.  Only two generations have had a universal conviction about this.  If it is not the last generation for the world before Jesus returns, it is surely your last generation.  (Eternity and the revelation of the brevity of life is a powerful motivator)

Confidence to study – as we grasp foundational truths of the End-Times, then we have confidence and zeal to go deeper in our study of other End-Time passages. One of the biggest hindrances today is the false conclusion that End-Time prophecy is too difficult to understand, so why even try.

Certainty of victory – to establish confidence in the fact of the ultimate victory of God’s Kingdom on earth in all spheres of life. Our lives and labors matter and will prevail.

Confidence in sovereignty – God is fully in control without being surprised. He is in control of the End-Time crisis, which was planned from the beginning. Result: we will live lifestyles of stable love instead of panic and fear.

The revelation of Christ: The study of the End-Times reveals the fierceness of Christ’s leadership culminating with the events of the 2nd Coming as He leads the earth into the fullness of that that which He accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection. End-time prophecy is about both the unveiling of events and the beauty of the personhood of Christ Jesus.  Somehow Jesus’ divine administrations are powerfully and intricately woven together with revelation of His beauty.

Faith – by understanding End-Time prophecy, we can then discern the biblical prophecies when they actually come to pass before our eyes. Then, we are greatly encouraged that God is in control and that He cares for us. Then we have courage to continue to proclaim more to others without the fear of man or of suffering consequences.

Warned – so that we have discernment of what seductions to avoid or what not to do. For example, to avoid the positive presentations to take the mark of the Beast, or to participate in the seemingly prosperous economic and religious enterprises of the Babylon the Great Harlot.

Creating a context that de-mystifies eschatology

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; (Matthew 11:25)

As valuable as the scholarly and intellectual approach to the word is, the word of God was written primarily for the majority of the earth which so happens to be the poor and the “uneducated”.  Conservative guess of dire global poverty is at about 40-50%

The literal and common sense interpretation of the Scripture is the way forward.  This is called the grammatical-historical method; where words say what they mean and mean what they say. The departure of the literal interpretation of Sscripture happened around the time of Origen and it is significantly related to the brewing anti-Semitism among gentile believers at that time (Counsel of Nicea 325 AD)

The issue of the mystery of Israel (Romans 11:25) is what makes the interpretation of Scripture literal.  Without Israel in the mix we come up with an erroneous understanding of the End-Times and the Kingdom of God.

Advantages of the literal method

1. Interpretations are rooted in fact (history, grammar, logic)
2. Interpretation can be measured and challenged
3. Greatest seed bed for revelation.  The word of God is exceedingly broad – Psalm 119:96
4. Allows interpretation to be tested.
5. It allows for scripture to be interpreted with scripture
6. Revelation is when the facts of Scripture are made alive in the inner man

CREATING A CULTURE OF DILLEGENT SEARCH

The exhortations of Jesus and Paul concerning the End-Times tell us that we cannot be indifferent about the issue of the End-Times.  Indifference concerning the matter always leads to serious deception, not just about the End-Times but in other areas as well.

And Jesus answered them, “See that (take heed – NKJ) no one leads you astray (deceives you - NKJ). (Matthew 24:4)

And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. (Mark 13:5)

And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’…Do not go after them. (Luke 21:8)

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

Eschatology is to be pursued diligently in the secret place of intimacy with the Lord. You will find yourself stymied in your walk of intimacy if it doesn’t include a diligent study of Jesus’ purposes in the last days.

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)

The Lord’s response to the disciples shows us that the Lord is eager to speak to us concerning these things.  The Lord has great zeal about the day of the Lord.  It is the day of the gladness of His heart.  SS 3:11; Ps 110:3; Ps 110:5

The prophets of the OT were eager to look into and proclaim these things.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (1 Peter 1:10-11)

The angels of heaven long to look into and proclaim these things

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (1 Peter 1:12)

And one called to another (proclamation) and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full (God’s vision for fullness – Eph 1:9, 20-23) of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)

We must actively pursue the Lord in this matter.  This will take a deliberate reordering of our time for study, meditation and teaching (from the pulpit and small group settings and prayer meetings)

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for (looking for – NKJ) new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:10-13)

And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” (Ezekiel 40:4)

Creating a context for zeal for the lord’s house

The clearest context to grow in our understanding of the End-Times is with the context of fasting and praying.  It is important that we move our ministries to where fasting and prayer truly is the center of everything that we do.

King David the 1st millennial theologian was a man of one thing(Ps 27:4).  Being a man of one thing means that David’s top priority was to gaze (commune) and inquire concerning the knowledge of God. David had two main priorities and those were that he would be found in the pursuit of communion with the Lord (Psalm 27:4) and laboring for the corporate encountering and habitation of God (Psalm 132)

King David was consumed with these realities and endured much trouble because of it.  This resulted in David having profound insight and revelation into the millennial rule of Christ and eternity

I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s sons. For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me. When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me. But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. (Psalm 69:8-13)

Daniel also shows us the model of fasting and prayer as it relates to the study of end-times.

in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. (Daniel 9:2-3)

I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. (Daniel 10:3)

Day Of The Lord: two extremes at the end-of-the-age

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. (Matthew 24:21)

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:28-32)

The Day of the Lord refers to the unusual End-Time events related to the Second Coming of Jesus. These events (positive and negative) will come to fullness in the final 3½ years before Jesus returns. The Day of the Lord is a time period where God’s zeal for righteousness, for His people and against wickedness is fully and openly manifest.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

It will be a glorious day for the responsive and the greatest revival in history. And it will be a day of terror to the rebellious because they will experience the most severe judgments of God in all history as well as experiencing Satan’s rage against them. The coming global crisis will be the great crisis the earth has even seen accompanied with the greatest release of power and glory.

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. (Matthew 24:21)

…a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations. (Joel 2:2)

…And because of all your abominations I will do with you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again. (Ezekiel 5:9)