Contemplating Our Commission

Contemplating Our Commission

A Reflective Exegesis of Matthew 28:19-20a

There are several locations where one may find our Lord's so-called "Great Commission," with each rendition being somewhat unique -- Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47; John 20:21; Acts 1:8. Nevertheless, the commission of the Lord Jesus is quite obvious: unto all those instructed in the eternal truths of the Kingdom befalls the divine imperative to share this saving knowledge with the rest of humanity, as they have opportunity, as they go forth into the world about them! As those who themselves have been discipled, they are to disciple others. Some refer to this as "exponential evangelism" --- disciples making disciples making disciples ... etc. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus Christ commands, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations" (NIV). There is only one Greek imperative in the Great Commission. The other three statements are each participial clauses. The phrase "make disciples" in the above statement by Jesus Christ is the single imperative. Thus, it is the only part of the commission that is stated as a direct command.

Although many translations render this Greek verb (matheteuo) as "make disciples," some choose a different wording. The KJV, for example, has: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations." The Message has: "Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near." Young's Literal Translation has, "Having gone, then, disciple all the nations." The charge of our Lord Jesus in this passage is quite literally: "While going, be ye disciplers." Thus, as we go about our journey through life, we are to be instructing, training and discipling those with whom we come into contact. That first participle is from the Greek verb poreuomai, which simply means "to go, to pass from one place to another, to journey, travel about." So, while we journey through life we are to be about the business of discipling. In other words, we should take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way to encourage others tobecome pupils of Jesus Christ; learners of our Lord; students of the Savior.Our commission, then, is to disciple the people with whom we come into contact; instruct them in the truths of God's kingdom, that they may come to the point of conviction and acceptance of these saving truths, and thus be brought into a saving relationship with the Lord through an active (demonstrative) faith.

Those students of Christ who reach that point of conviction, and who desire to accept the free gift of God's grace offered through the atoning blood of Christ Jesus, are to be immersed, an action evidencing their saving faith.Who do we baptize? That's right -- disciples, or more accurately: those who were being instructed or discipled by us. Notice what Bro. H. Leo Boles wrote on this passage from Matthew's gospel account -- "Those who are 'discipled' are to be baptized; they were not to baptize 'all the nations,' but those of 'all nations' who were 'discipled.' ... Only those of the nations who are made disciples by preaching the gospel are to be baptized" [A Commentary on the Gospel According to Matthew, p. 564]. Indeed, what possible benefit is there to immersing one who has NOT been discipled in the teachings of Jesus Christ?

Both prior to conversion, and also subsequent to conversion, disciples of Christ are to be instructed in the teachings of our Lord. Thus, while we journey through life discipling others, we are also instructing them in our Lord's teaching. "To disciple a person to Christ is to bring him into the relation of pupil to teacher" [The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 8, p. 595]. After these students of Jesus have been brought to the point of personal commitment and acceptance, and have demonstrated the same by their immersion, we are to keep on "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:20, NIV). In other words, our training and instruction is to be never-ending. For as long as we live we are to be engaged in discipling others, and we ourselves are to be the recipients of continued discipling. "To disciple a person to Jesus Christ is to lead that one to become a follower of Christ, to be a learner in His school, to be obedient to His commands, to become a Christian. To 'make disciples' means to give all kinds of instruction for entrance into the church of our Lord" [H. Leo Boles, p. 564]. "Those persons who are 'discipled' to Jesus, and who have then been baptized, are to be taught 'to observe all things' which train and develop a child of God. There are three things that are commanded in the commission to be done, namely: (1) make disciples, (2) baptize those who are discipled, (3) teach them to be obedient to all the commands of God" [ibid, p. 565].

Some brethren suggest that the participial phrases depict the meanswhereby one is made a "disciple." I could not disagree more! The first participial phrase, which speaks of our "going," or of our journeying through life, is indeed tied to the "discipling" of others -- as we are going, we are discipling (or, since they both appear as aorists, we should say: as we go, we disciple). However, the last two participial phrases are tied to our obligation to those whom we have discipled in the teachings of Christ. Those who have been instructed in His truths, and who are ready to commit their lives to Him, are then immersed. As converts to Christ they are then the recipients of continued training and instruction ... as, indeed, we all are. "The syntax of the Greek participles for 'baptizing' and 'teaching' forbids the conclusion that baptizing and teaching are to be construed solely as themeans of making disciples" [The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 8, p. 597]!! "Baptizing and teaching are not the means of making disciples," but rather "the response of discipleship is baptism and instruction! Thus, baptism and teaching are not coordinate -- either grammatically or conceptually -- with the action of making disciples" [ibid].


Dr. John W. Ritenbaugh, in the Forerunner Commentary, asserts, "As they go, they are to make disciples. Teaching and baptizing do notmake a person a disciple, though they play a part. Just because a person is baptized does not mean he is converted. Nor does it mean he is a member of the Church of God or part of the Family of God. Just because he has been taught the way of our God does not mean that he has fully accepted and committed himself to what has been taught." This biblical scholar goes on to note that the Lord places the emphasis on thediscipling of others, who, when they reach the point of accepting faith with regard to these teachings, will evidence that faith in an act of faithknown as baptism. They will then submit to the further instruction that comes for all committed disciples of Christ as they seek daily to walk within the light as He is in the light. Naturally, in our early encounters with those whom we hope to disciple, we seek to impart only the very basics, so that they might come to appreciate who Jesus is and what He expects of our lives. But, we dare not leave these students/disciples at this basic level. Therefore, we soon intensify our discipling efforts with them so as to "make disciplined followers" of our Lord; men and women who are willing to fully commit to living lives of dedicated service to Him, a commitment given public expression in baptism.

Far too frequently, I fear, we have sought to make immersion the imperativein the Commission given by our Lord Jesus (and this is especially true of those within the legalistic, patternistic factions of the Churches of Christ). Yes, Christ's "instructions include an imperative surrounded by three participial clauses" [Dr. Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, p. 718]. This is a textual truth none will deny. The imperative, however, is "make disciples." Then we baptize THEM (i.e., disciples of Christ Jesus). Baptism is not what one does to make a disciple; baptism is what one does who is already a disciple!! "The 'them' who are baptized are those who have been made disciples" [The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 8, p. 597]!! At some point, those who are students of the Lord will come to a point of faith and conviction about those truths being learned. Their faith will lead them to accept His free gift of grace, and that faith will be evidenced not only in their willingness to turn from their former course to a walk with Christ (which is repentance), and a confession of Him as their Lord, but also in a symbolic act (baptism) showing their connection, through faith, with His death, burial and resurrection. A disciple who has been brought to a state ofsaving faith in God's saving grace will have no hesitation in manifesting this faith in the manner requested by our Lord Himself. One of the first public proclamations of a committed disciple will be baptism, and that will be followed by a life devoted to additional evidentiary acts of faith (i.e., loving one's brethren, acts of benevolence, sharing the good news, etc.). Their instruction in the will of the Lord for their lives will also continue throughout the remainder of their lives, so that they might grow in their understandingand appreciation and even application of His Will.

Those who are devoted to foreign missions often regard the word "Go," in the Great Commission, as the imperative. It is not. Indeed, there is nothing in that term itself that suggests we are required to "go abroad" to make disciples. "Because 'going' is a participle, we could read 'as you go' (essentially: 'on your way'), implying that one need not cross cultural boundaries to fulfill this commission" [Dr. Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, p. 718]. "Jesus does not command, 'Go!' -- the participle is merely auxiliary to the main verb. The heart of the commission resides in the one word matheteusate," which, of course, means "make disciples" [R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel, p. 1172]. "In the Greek, 'go' -- like 'baptizing' and 'teaching' -- is a participle. Only the verb 'make disciples' is imperative. Some have deduced from this that Jesus' commission is simply to make disciples 'as we go' (i.e., wherever we are) and that it constitutes no basis for going somewhere special in order to serve as missionaries!! There is something to this view!!" [The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 8, p. 595].

There are countless misconceptions associated with the Commission of Christ to His disciples. Some people perceive it as the "origin of thesacrament of baptism." Others suggest that since the charge to teach these immersed disciples follows the command to make disciples and to baptize them, that this is therefore a mandate for infant baptism. Scholars have argued for this view vigorously for centuries. It is also believed by many that the "baptismal formula" is specified in this passage -- i.e., we must baptize "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." A few commentators (R.C.H. Lenski being chief among them) even suggest that if these words are not uttered over the candidate precisely as written, then the entire baptism is invalidated. I have encountered this same thinking among the legalists within my own faith-heritage!! Just recently a father failed to "utter the formula" prior to baptizing his son, and I had someone approach me after the baptism and say that she wasn't sure the baptism "took." Many scholars, especially within the Catholic Church, see this passage as one of the strongest supports for the doctrine of "the Trinity." Still others argue that since the word translated "name" is singular, this is instead a strong argument against the Trinity. Some suggest the Commission was only for the apostles; others argue it is for all disciples. In short, there have been innumerable debates, and much division, over this passage for centuries. In my view, it all misses what our Lord sought to convey that day.

Simply stated, our Lord has called each of us to a life of discipleship and discipling. We are lifelong students of the Master, who seek to encourage others around us to also become lifelong students of the Master. It requires no extensive theological training, no expensive missions to a distant land. It simply states: as you are going about your daily walk, wherever you may be, seek opportunities to share your faith with those about you! Introduce them to Jesus, help them learn of Him and His message of love and grace, help them to grow to the point of conviction and commitment to Him. When their faith compels them to renounce their former walk and to begin that journey with Jesus, encourage them to manifest that commitment of faith through the symbolic act of baptism, which is a public testimony to both them and those about them of their acceptance of the atoning work of God's Son. Then, help them grow in their understanding and appreciation of, and compliance with, the commands of Jesus Himself (which aren't burdensome, but which are simply characterized by an active love for God and each other). Brethren, our Commission really is just that simple. Sadly, oursectarian squabbles have caused us to lose sight of this, and our perception of the Commission has become more a mandate to proselytize the world to our parties and patterns. The countless denominations, factions, schisms and sects is the pitiful result. May God awaken us to His true intent and purpose! May He help us to lay aside LAW, and to embrace LOVE. By so doing, we will find fulfilling the Commission of Christ to be as natural a response as breathing ... and just as life-sustaining.

by Al Maxey

Super blood moon' odds 'off the charts

The grand finale of the rare blood-moon tetrad will b e a spectacular "super moon" eclipse, the first in more than three decades.

And the scholar who discovered the correlation between a sequence of four blood moons and events in the history of the Jewish people thinks the extremely rare conclusion of the tetrad with a super moon is a message from God to the nations of the world: Do not divide the land of Israel.

Pastor Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries said the final blood moon of a series of four occurring on Jewish holy days in 2014 and 2015 is "a loud call to Israel and to the nations."

The coming super blood moon will be seen in Jerusalem.
"The land of Israel belongs to the God of Israel and is on lease to them. They have no authority to sell or give away the land of Israel to another people, as it is their heritage," he said.

The fourth blood moon comes as the 70th United Nations General Assembly moves to recognize a Palestinian state, which Israel sees as a threat to its existence.

By a vote of 119 to 8, with 45 abstentions, the general assembly recently voted to allow the Palestinian Authority to raise the Palestinian flag in front of the United Nations. The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations has invited hundreds of leaders to attend the flag-raising ceremony.

Biltz, whose book "Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs" examines the phenomenon and offers an interpretation, sees the move toward a Palestinian state in the Holy Land as an ominous development.

"The prophet Joel warned Israel and the nations to not divide the land. This warning was even delivered within the context of ‘blood moons' in chapters 2 and 3. Here we have the United Nations assuming they have the authority to divide the land of Israel. They will soon see that if they try, the Creator of the universe will step into human history in a most dramatic way."

Joel 2:31 states, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come."

But is the appearance of a super "blood moon" at this time simply a natural occurrence?


Noah Petro, deputy project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, recently said, "It's just planetary dynamics."

The moon will appear larger than normal on the evening of Sept. 27-28, but as Petro explained: "There's no physical difference in the moon. It just appears slightly bigger in the sky. It's not dramatic, but it does look larger."

Biltz sees no contradiction with the science.

"The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob uses the natural phenomena that He created to communicate to us," Biltz said.

Biltz contends those who dismiss the final blood moon as merely a celestial curiosity are missing the point.


"While we know lunar eclipses are natural phenomena, it becomes supernatural when the statistics go off the charts by adding in other scientific data and human events. According to NASA, over 5,000 years we average only one total lunar eclipse every one and a half years. Here we have four total lunar eclipses within that same time period. The odds have just increased against it being a coincidence.
"Now you add the odds of having all four total lunar eclipses being in a row without any other eclipses in between and the odds increase even more. Now let's imagine the odds when you have four total lunar eclipses in a row, within a year and a half, and they fall on the biblical holidays of Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles! The odds are starting to go off the charts as this has only happened nine times in 2,000 years!"

Biltz also says it is impossible to ignore how these events seem to correlate with historic turning points for the Jewish people.
"You can increase the odds even more by looking at the history of the last 500 years during the last three times this happened. The last three times this occurred were in 1967 when Israel when recaptured Jerusalem, when Israel became a nation and established itself in 1948 and 1949, and during the Spanish Inquisition in 1493 and 1494 when all the Jews were kicked out of Spain and Portugal," Biltz said.
"This final blood moon is also occurring near the end of the seven-year Shemitah cycle. Many religious teachers, including New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Cahn, have predicted a "great shaking" will accompany this period, with possible fluctuations in the stock market and the American economy.

Biltz suggests the final blood moon shares a relationship with the Shemitah cycle and believes the timing shows it isn't all just a coincidence.


"If you still believe the blood moons tetrad has no special significance, you still have to explain the astronomical odds of having all this occur in the last year of the seven-year Shemitah cycle," said Biltz. "Keep in mind, at this time all of Israel was supposed to be in Jerusalem to hear the King of Israel read from the Torah. With that context, think of the significance of a super moon, at this time, being seen in Jerusalem."

Biltz maintains any fair minded person must admit the odds of all of these circumstances lining up is improbable. Furthermore, he insists, it is unprecedented in history.

"A super blood moon seen in Jerusalem, at the end of a Shemitah cycle, serving as the culmination of four total lunar eclipses in a row has never happened in history before," Biltz said.


"Furthermore, this is all in line with what we read in Scripture. The Creator of the universe expressed His desire to communicate with us this way by having humans write down His thoughts. In Genesis 1:14, He declared: "The sun and the moon were created to send signals to us. And these signals are occurring on the annual holy days of the Jewish calendar." The circumstances and events, he said, are "supernatural."

The Seed of Immortality and the Elixir of Life

spora = seed, sowing

                                      

I give you above the key Greek word found in 1 Peter 1:23 — spora, seed. This is central to the saving Gospel as Jesus preached it (Heb. 2:3: “salvation was first preached by the Lord Jesus”). Before defining the seed in the teaching of Jesus, we note that Christian sermons do not show constant interest in the staggering and stupendous words of Paul in 2 Timothy 1:10. Let me give you this below in several versions, for impact.

Presumably every believer in God would want to be sure he or she has obtained the immortality seed. This is the one and only key to living forever and ever, gaining immortality, obtaining indestructible life. Paul stated that immortality is found in the Gospel and that this immortality was brought to light in the Gospel preaching of Jesus! No Gospel of the Kingdom, no seed!

2 Timothy 1:10: “…through the appearance of our savior, Christ Jesus. He destroyed death and brought life and immortality into clear focus through the good news.” “But made [salvation] public only now through the appearing of our Deliverer, the Messiah Jesus, who abolished death and, through the Good News [Gospel], revealed life and immortality” (CJB).

 “This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (CSB).

Peter, who spent hours listening to Jesus as the Savior and teacher (Isaiah 53:11: Messiah’s “knowledge makes us right”), naturally also explained the secret of immortality to the public:

1 Peter 1:23: “You have been born again by means of the living word of God. His word lasts forever. You were not born again from a seed that will die. You were born from a seed that can’t die” (NIRV).

“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (NIV).

“For your new birth was not from any perishable seed but from imperishable seed, the living and enduring Word of God” (NJB).

So where is the secret of immortality to be found? In the Gospel-words of Jesus and the words of all the apostles. Quite simply: go back to the precious Gospel words of Jesus in Luke 8, Mark 4 and Matthew 13 — the parable of the Sower. In Luke 8:11 we have this from Jesus: “The seed is the word of God.”

“The word of God is the word about the Kingdom” (Matthew. 13:19; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:43; 5:1).

By no means be deceived by the idea that “word of God” is a vague synonym for the Bible! It is not. The “word of God” as preached by Jesus is defined by him as “the word about the Kingdom” (Matthew 13:19), which is equivalent in Mark and Luke to “the word” and the “word of God.” It is this word/Gospel of the Kingdom as Jesus preached it (cp. also Acts 8:4, 5, 12, 14), which is the “seed of immortality”; the key to living forever, the means to indestructible life, which all of us desire!

Peter had heard Jesus preach this supreme saving truth everywhere, and he relayed it to us in 1 Peter 1:23- 25. Here we find the same key words (spora, seed, word, logos) and gospel: “preached to you as Gospel” (1 Peter 1:25). Peter understood from Jesus that being born again (“having been born again,” 1 Peter 1:23) depends on the intelligent reception of the seed message/Gospel of the Kingdom, which Jesus said was the whole point of his whole Christian mission (Luke 4:43).

In churches today we do not hear the phrase Gospel of the Kingdom! This should be cause for alarm, The saving Gospel has not been rooted in Jesus’ own words. (Hebrews 2:3 states that Jesus was the first and original preacher of the saving Gospel.) A subtle shift has taken place — away from Jesus. Tract after tract misleadingly convinces the public that the death and resurrection of Jesus was the entire Gospel.

But Paul said that Jesus’ death and resurrection were “among things of first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3), which is obviously true. They are not the whole Gospel. Jesus preached the saving Gospel for 12 chapters in Matthew, introducing his death and resurrection only in Matthew 16:21: “he began to say…” This is a staggeringly interesting fact, little known.

A false distinction has been imagined in the mind of many. The truth is that “the Gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) is identical with the Gospel of the Kingdom (Acts 20:25). I must repeat this, if I may. The Gospel of the grace of God is precisely the same for Paul as heralding the Gospel of the Kingdom! Acts 20:24-25 puts this point beyond argument. There is absolutely no difference between the Gospel of the grace of God and the Gospel of the Kingdom! There is one saving Gospel given first to Jews and then to the whole world. We mortals all need to find and believe in that “seed” which is the vehicle of immortality, being the very seed of the immortal God (“God’s seed,” 1 John 3:9).

Is it not it fascinating that the word spora (seed) in 1 Peter 1:23 is found uniquely in the OT Greek in 2 Kings 19:29: “sowing, planting, reaping, eating fruit”? Jesus with his Gospel of the Kingdom was the ultimate sower, planter of immortality. His seed and sowing was the sowing of the germ of immortality. Sound interesting?

We do not have immortality; we have to gain it through seeking, finding and taking in the seed of immortality. Tell your friends about this Good News discovery in the Gospel teaching of Jesus about the Kingdom (Luke 4:43; Acts 8:12).

The Two-State Solution in End-Times Prophecy

Ever had the experience that something you have read “a thousand times” in the Bible all of a sudden leaps out at you? We all revel in those “light bulb” moments, those “Aha!” moments when the Spirit of God arrests and rivets our attention. I had one such moment lately. It concerns the centrally important prophetic words of Revelation 11:1-2: “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 worshippers there. 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.’”

Positively, the specific command is to measure the Temple, its altar and its worshippers. Negatively, the command is also precise — the outer court is not to be included in the measuring for “it has been given to the Gentiles” and will be trodden down. Then the famous words of Zechariah 12:3, LXX (Septuagint, Greek OT) are remembered as fulfilling this end-time prophecy — words also quoted by Jesus concerning the last days of this evil age (Luke 21:24): the area outside the Temple and its altar will be trampled by the Gentile nations for 42 months. God has promised to make Jerusalem “a trodden stone” by all the Gentile peoples of the earth and she will be “utterly mocked” (Zechariah 12:3, LXX). You must read the LXX here. It is a grim picture for Israel.

Why did this suddenly grab my attention? Well, this sounds like a “two state solution,” the very thing the governments of the world are pressuring for right now! Jewish and Gentile jurisdiction on the Temple mount together! We know the Islamic mosque on the Dome of the Rock stands where the second temple of Solomon stood before the Romans burned it. So how can there be a third Jewish temple to be “measured” with its “altar” and “worshippers” there on the Holy Mount? How can they exist in peace side by side with the Gentile peoples in the “outer” precincts?

I seem to recall reading the prophets foretelling that the Man of Sin (the Anti-Christ, Daniel’s “little horn,” the “Beast,” “the lawless one,” “the Assyrian” are just some of his designations, Isaiah 11:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:8) will have a penchant for brokering a covenant of peace in the Middle East. He will be able to “solve” what the world’s leaders so far have not been able to solve in all their machinations — an initial peaceful solution for two nation-states, Israel and Palestine.

This event, the covenant of peace, will cause the world to “wonder after, be amazed at the Beast,” to adore his political and religious genius and to cry, “Peace! Peace! At last.” Jesus warned that this will be an undeniable sign that the Great Tribulation will be about to be launched upon the inhabitants of the world (Matthew 24:15, 21).

I am not being sensational to report what is common knowledge, namely that the Jews have for some time been making serious preparations to rebuild their third Temple. Many of the great stones are pre-fabricated — already cut! And the Temple furniture, such as the golden candlestick, the brass (bronze) lathe, the table of the presence, and even the ark, is ready. (These facts can be verified by a simple Google search.) But with the Temple site being so venerated by Muslims it will probably never be surrendered to Israel for them to build their new temple without the danger of world war erupting. The Mosque on the Rock is Islam’s third holiest of sites.

Enter the current push by the United Nations for “a two state solution.” How long and hard has this solution been worked on by the world’s nations! How many Camp David's have we had?

Just in the last few weeks the papacy has declared its official support for a Palestinian state to stand alongside Israel. Indeed, as I write this very day, the Senate in the United States has just legislated that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel! Yes, you read this right. Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel! And the recent United Nations vote for official Palestinian state recognition fell short by just one vote, yes, one vote! It was with the proviso that Israel come to this “solution” herself “voluntarily” (!) — otherwise it will be legislated upon her.

No one has any exact dates until the final 7 years begin when a treaty is made with the one who turns out to be an evil person.1 It seems to me the Muslim mosque on the Dome of the Rock may stand alongside a rebuilt Jewish Temple, and the world will rejoice that peace has come at last, and they will revel initially in their two-state man-made solution. The antichrist in a rebuilt temple was seen to be truth by many early pre-millennialists (believers in the future 1000-year reign of Christ on earth), and lost only when a theory of “days=years” submerged it.

Thus the reason Revelation 11:1-2 screams out to get our undivided attention. It says there will be a “two state solution” — one jurisdiction for the Jews and one jurisdiction for the Gentiles. For the Jews this will lead to an imposition, a trampling, an utter mocking of God’s holy mount and city, a desecration and defiance of their God-bequeathed heritage.

But it is clear God will eventually punish those who “divide” His land (Joel 3:2). The proposed two-state solution is an attempt to “divide” the holy land. Zechariah goes on to prophesy that God will in the end strike this Gentile trampling and mocking with a judgment causing “madness” and “astonishment” (Zechariah 12:4).

Alas for Jerusalem! Just as the prophet predicted, Zion has become “as trembling door posts” to the people round about her and is like “a trodden stone” of the Gentile nations who “utterly mock” her (Zechariah 12:2-3, LXX). It has become fashionable to squeeze Israel more and more. Friends and allies are increasingly cool towards her. Israel is at a rapid pace becoming more and more isolated and hemmed.

Alas for Israel! Such a tiny, tiny nation 260 miles long and about 70 miles wide, with Arab (Palestinian) enclaves pocketed throughout and surrounded by a billion Muslims whose aim it is to wipe her out of existence.

Yet as the prophets foretold long ago, God will, after refining them through severe discipline (Zechariah 13:9), eventually draw His ancient covenant people back to an acceptance of and faith in the Messiah. As I write there is a large influx of Jews streaming back (but still in unbelief!) to Israel from France, indeed all of Europe, the Ukraine and Russia. When Hitler ruled in Germany Europe’s population was approximately 3% Jewish. Today it is less than 0.2%!

Prime Minister Netanyahu was asked about Israel’s “homeland security.” He said that the President of the USA is rightly concerned to secure the borders and protect the homeland against terrorists. “Every day the President may well ask, ‘Is the United States safe?’ But when I wake up in the morning I ask my wife concerning Israel, ‘Are we still here?’”

The United Nations has struggled for decades to solve “the Palestinian problem.” The UN is now within a whisker of legislating that Israel accept “the two-state solution,” or it will be forced upon them by the governments of the world!

Current events in the Middle East are crying out for the predicted false “covenant of peace.” As we know, the prophets also tell us that mid-way through this “solution” the Antichrist will double-cross Israel and “break” his covenant with them (Daniel 9:27). It is at this point that those who are in Judea in those days must not enter their houses and gather their goods, but flee hastily for their very survival. At this point there will be a fearful holocaust launched against the Jews, in one final Satanic burst of pure hatred, designed to wipe out those who will then cry out for their Messiah to come and save them in the Name of the LORD (Matthew 23:39). Yes, Satan hates the prophecy of Jesus’ Second Coming, his Parousia and is not going to stop short (again) of an attempt at total annihilation of every Jew to stop their Messianic invitation! (Zechariah 13:8-9; 14:1-2).

The other amazing current development is that the national alliances the prophets speak of at the end times are now clearly forming — specifically, Iran and Russia to the north and the Sunni Arabs and Egypt to the south. The troubles come from “the north” (Daniel 11:31). When the predicted Antichrist is plainly on the scene, we should lift up our heads, for our redemption draws near (Luke 21:28), and we are going to see our King Jesus. The call to his disciples is to prepare and get ready to inherit his Kingdom and to rule this world with him (Revelation 2:26-27; Daniel 7:18, 22, 27, RSV; 1 Corinthians. 6:2; Revelation 20:4).

Just before his crucifixion Jesus told his disciples he was leaving them. In order to inform and to comfort them Jesus explained why he forewarned them: “Now I have told you before it comes to pass, so that when it does take place you may believe” (John 14:29; Mark 13:23). When we see prophecies unfolding before our very eyes it increases our faith in “the spirit of prophecy which is the spirit of Jesus” (Revelation 19:10). These teachings are not optional extras for believers in Jesus, but the very heart of his mind and spirit. Paul taught them to his congregations nearly 2000 years ago (2 Thessalonians 2:5).

Watching the promised props fall into place on the world’s stage fills me with increased faith in the prophetic word of Jesus as we approach the end of this “evil age.” King Jesus will enter center stage of history and rule as this world’s only rightful king and lord Messiah! (Luke 2:11: “lord Messiah”; Psalm 110:1: “lord,” adoni). The stone that is supernaturally cut out will in God’s time fall and crush the colossus of Daniel’s vision (Daniel 2:44), and “the times of the Gentiles” will have been fulfilled.

God announced long ago that Jerusalem would be “a trodden stone” and that all the Gentile nations would trample upon her and “utterly mock” Zion (Zechariah 12:3, LXX). Watch “the two-state solution” unfold before your very eyes. Measure the Temple and its altar and those who worship there! But leave out (probably “throw down” of Daniel 8:11) the outer precincts for the unbelieving Gentile nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on, trodden on, but for a limited time, just as Zechariah and Jesus who read him (Luke 21:24; Revelation 11:2-3) have prophesied!

Written by: Greg Deuble

What is the meaning of Lent?

Lent has been handed down to the Christendom from the Babylonian Mystery Religion originating with Nimrod and Semiramis through the Roman Catholic Church to most all the churches in Christendom. It is not biblical, not ordained of God. It's origin is pagan and there is no reason for any follower of God's anointed one Jesus to keep Lent.

The only sacrifices we are called upon to make are the following:

Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

1 Peter 2:5 You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus the anointed One - Christ.

Hebrews 13:15 By him [God's anointed one, Jesus] therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name [Yehovah].

We as followers of the lord Jesus God's anointed One are not called upon to give up food, or anything as a sacrifice during the period known to Christendom as Lent. We can not do anything to gain salvation, that has been given to us as a free gift because Jesus offered himself up as a sacrificial sin offering on our behalf and that offering was acceptable to God as we see in the resurrection of our lord and savior. Nothing in my hand I bring, only to his cross I cling.
God looks upon the one who approaches Him our of a deep and abiding respect, with a humble and contrite heart that is willing to serve Him and His beloved son Jesus.

The only thing we have to give up is self, taking Jesus side against our own carnal human nature and putting on the new man, taking part in praising his God and our God, his Father and our Father as new creations in him. In the anointed One we have everything. Taking a position in him against self is what we can do given that God has given us His spirit to enable us to do so.

Bruce Lyon Elder: Restoration Fellowship Assembly