Walking Through the Bible to Find

God’s Plan for Humanity

 

It is Really Good News!

  

 

 It's Truth Will Set You Free

 

Preface

 

All of the scripture verses in this book are from the Concordant Literal Version of the Bible which can be ordered or read at their website located at www.concordant.org, or here is a link to read it online: https://studybible.info/CLV. The method they used in translating the oldest manuscripts removed the bias of the translators, and I believe it is the most accurate English version now in existence.

If you are not inclined to read long passages of scripture, then you may want to jump to Chapter 29 for a summary of God's Plan for Humanity. For those few who want the details, keep reading.

 

Chapter 1

Age One 

The Big Bang

Genesis 1:1-2

 

"In a beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth."

 

As we begin our walk through the Bible, we see that in the first instant of time as we know it, “Elohim” (mighty ones) created the heavens and Earth. These mighty ones are God the Father and His Son. The Son is the Word of  God who became flesh and was named Jesus. The Son is the visible Image of the invisible Father and the first creature begotten by the Father. 

 

“And the word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at His glory, a glory as of an only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

 

“Who is the Image of the invisible God, Firstborn of every creature, for in Him is all created, that in the heavens and that on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or sovereignties, or authorities, all is created through Him and for Him, and He is before all, and all has its cohesion in Him.” (Colossians 1:15-17)

 

The moment of creation is what scientists refer to as the "Big Bang.” That big bang began time as we know it and created all matter and energy in the Universe. Sometime thereafter all spiritual beings we call angels were created. The inspired language of the Bible calls them “messengers”.

 

Some of the angels are servants of the Mighty Ones, yet some were created to be their adversaries. Among the servants are chief messengers named Michael and Gabriel. There are also groups of servant angels called the Cherubim and the Seraphim. There are millions of these heavenly servants.

 

“But you have come to mount Zion, and the city of the living God, celestial Jerusalem, and to ten thousand messengers...” (Hebrews 12:22)

 

“And I perceived, and I hear a sound as of many messengers around the throne and the animals and the elders, and their number was ten thousand ten thousand and a thousand-thousand…" (Revelation 5:11-12)

 

The chief Adversary is named Satan. He is served by demons or devils. 

“And the great dragon was cast out, the ancient serpent called Adversary and Satan." (Revelation 12:9)

"...Beelzebub, the chief of demons.” (Matthew 12:24)

"And he opens the well of the submerged chaos…they have a king over them – the messenger of the submerged chaos. His Hebrew name is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon." (Revelation 9:2, 11)

 

It is against Satan and his spiritual forces that humanity struggles during the ages.

 

“For the rest, brethren mine, be invigorated in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the armor of God, to enable you to stand up to the stratagems of the Adversary, for it is not ours to wrestle with blood and flesh, but with the sovereignties, with the authorities, with the world-mights of this darkness, with the spiritual forces of wickedness among the celestials.” (Ephesians 6:10-12)

 

Satan and his spiritual forces of wickedness led a rebellion against God during the first age of the Bible narrative. Some of them are now restrained in a place called Tartarus.

 

“As for the earth, it came to be a chaos and vacant, and darkness was over the surface of the abyss.” (Genesis 1:2)

 

“God spares not sinning messengers, but thrusting them into the gloomy caverns of Tartarus…” (2 Peter 2:4)

 

“Besides, messengers who keep not their own sovereignty, but leave their own habitation, He has kept in imperceptible bonds under gloom for the judging of the great day.” (Jude 1:6)

 

The result of that rebellion was that the Earth, and possibly all planets in the Universe, came to be without inhabited life. That is why scientists have never found credible evidence of life on other planets. 

 

If current theories of science are correct, age one lasted for more than nineteen billion years. The Bible does not tell us what animals, if any, inhabited that Earth, but it included what is called pre-historic life. 

 

Chapter 2

Age Two 

The Restoration of Earth

Genesis 1:2 - 2:9

 

The second age began with the restoration of Earth from the chaos that ended age one. It started with the process of changing the atmosphere of the Earth so that terrestrial life could once again survive on the planet. The Elohim, the mighty ones, first adjusted the atmosphere so that the light of the sun, moon, stars, and planets in outer space could be seen again from Earth. The heat from the sun then began to melt the ice and warm the Earth. The resulting seas were separated from the land, and plant life began to spring up from the seed that was already in the Earth. The fish, birds, mammals, and other animals, except humans, were then created. All the species of animals we see on the planet today have evolved from them, not from the pre-historic humans and other animals of age one.

 

On the sixth day the first post-historic male human was created, and later the first female was made.  

 

“So, Elohim created humanity in His image; in the image of Elohim He created it: male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

 

The Bible says that when the Elohim looked at all that was made, it was very good, and then stopped the work of creation. This stopping, or rest, is what is meant by the word Sabbath and is still celebrated among humanity as a day of stopping from work to rest.

 

“On the sixth day Elohim finished the work that was made; and ceased on the seventh day from all the work that was made. And Elohim blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, for in it was ceased the work that Elohim had created by making it.” (Genesis 2:1-3)

“And Elohim saw all that was made; and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

 

The second Chapter of Genesis then provides more details about the creation of post-historic humans, and for the first time a singular name for the two mighty ones (Elohim} was made known to humanity – Yahweh. When Yahweh became flesh and blood, He was named Jesus, a name which literally means “Yahweh saves.”

 

“These are the chronological records of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh Elohim made the earth and heavens.” (Genesis 2:4)

 

Post-historic humanity started with one male human we call Adam. His body was formed from the soil of the Earth. The breath of Yahweh then came into that body and Adam became a living soul.

 

“Yahweh Elohim formed the human out of soil from ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life; and the human became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)

 

As we shall see, this body is mortal and has limitations and will not be the immortal spiritual body which will enter the New Heaven and New Earth of the future Kingdom of God. 

God planted a garden paradise on the restored planet Earth, called Eden. The garden was in the modern-day Middle East around the place where the Tigres and Euphrates Rivers join together. To live in that paradise, Yahweh gave Adam one rule to follow. 

"Yahweh Elohim planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He put the human whom He had formed...Yahweh Elohim took the human and settled him in the garden of Eden to serve it and to keep it." (Genesis 2:8-9)

“And Yahweh Elohim instructed the human, saying: From every tree of the garden you may eat, yea  eat. But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat from it..." (Genesis 2:15-16)

 

Chapter 3

The End of Age Two

Banishment from the Garden Paradise

Genesis 2:10 to 3:22

The Bible says little about the everyday life of Adam in Eden. We know it was a beautiful garden paradise and Adam was to take care of it. And we know Adam was commanded not to eat of a tree in the middle of Eden, called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If he disobeyed, it would start the death process. 

 

“But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat from it; for on the day you eat from it, to die you shall be dying.” (Genesis 2:15-16)

 

Yahweh brought all the animals before Adam to be named, but Adam himself did not find a suitable mate among those animals.  

 

“Yahweh Elohim had formed from the ground every animal of the field and every flyer of the heavens; and He brought each one to the human to see what he would call it. And whatever the human would call it, each living soul, that was its name. So, the human was calling the names of every domestic beast, of every flyer of the heavens and of every animal of the field; yet for the human no helper was available as his complement.” (Genesis 2:19-20)

 

Yahweh made a female companion and helper to be Adam’s mate. The Bible says Adam was put to sleep, and she was formed from an angular organ taken from Adam’s body. Adam called her woman and named her Eve.

"Then Yahweh Elohim caused a stupor to fall on the human. While he was sleeping, He took one of his angular organs and closed up the flesh over its place. Yahweh Elohim built the angular organ that He had taken from the human into a woman and brought her to the human ...called woman, for this was taken from her man." (Genesis 2:21-23)

 

Sometime after Eve’s creation, a serpent tricked Eve into eating from the forbidden tree. The serpent lied to her and told her that the fruit from the tree would not cause death, but would make her wise like Elohim (the mighty ones).

 

"...the serpent said to the women: Not to die shall you be dying; for Elohim knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be unclosed, and you will become like Elohim, knowing good and evil...So she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate." (Genesis 3:4) 

"...for Adam was first molded, thereafter Eve, and Adam was not seduced, yet the woman, being deluded, has come to be in the transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:13-14)

 

Eve was tricked (seduced and deluded by the serpent), but it was Adam who had been commanded not to eat from the tree before Eve was made. It was Adam's sin of eating from the tree that resulted in humanity banished from the garden of Eden. The consequences of that sin include hard work to survive outside of Eden, pain for women in childbirth, and eventual death to flesh and blood bodies. Adam's sin and eventual death have passed through to all humanity.

 

"Because you hearkened to your wife's voice and ate from the only tree that I instructed YOU, saying you must not eat from it, cursed is the ground on YOUR account...By the sweat of your brow shall you eat your bread, until you return to the ground, for from it were you taken. For soil you are, and to soil you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)

“...through one-man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and thus death passed through into all mankind.” (Romans 5:12)

 

Banishment from Eden also prevented them from eating the fruit of another tree in Eden called the tree of life. The fruit of that tree had the power to heal and extended the life of a flesh and blood body.

 

"Then Yahweh Elohim said: Behold, man has become like one of Us in knowing good and evil. Now lest he should stretch out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live for the eon, Yahweh Elohim set him out of the garden of Eden to serve the ground from where he was taken." (Genesis 3:22-23)

 

Once outside the garden of Eden, Eve gave birth to children and two not them were twin sons they named Cain and Abel. After growing up Cain brought to Yahweh an offering from the ground that Yahweh had cursed and it was rejected. Abel brought to Yahweh a blood sacrifice from his flock which was accepted. The result was that Cain got mad and murdered his brother Abel.

"Abel became a shepherd of the flock, while Cain was serving the ground. And it came to be at the end of a year’s days that Cain brought an approach present to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground. As for Abel however, he brought some firstlings of his flock and their fat portions. And Yahweh gave heed to Abel and his approach present. But to Cain and  his approach present He did not give heed; so Cain’s anger grew very hot, and his face fell. Then Yahweh said to Cain: Why is your anger hot? And why is your face fallen? If you had done what is well, would you not lift up your face? But since you have not done well, there is a sin offering, a flockling reclining at the portal, And for you is restoration in his sacrifice; you are ruling over him. Cain said to his brother Abel: Let us go into the field. Now it came to pass while they were in the field that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. So Yahweh said to Cain: Where is your brother Abel? And he replied: I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper? Then He said: What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. Now you are cursed, away from the ground which has opened wide its mouth to take your brother’s blood from your hand. When you serve the ground, it shall not continue to give its vigor to you." (Genesis 4:2-12)

The sin of Adam, the banishment from the garden of Eden, and the murder of Abel by his Brother Cain bought an end to age two.

Chapter 4

Age Three 

From Eden to the Flood

Genesis 3:22 through Genesis 7

After being banished from the garden paradise the children of Adam and Eve eventually became a multitude of people. As humanity increased in numbers, they became increasingly evil and God decided to end the evil by destroying humanity with a world wide flood.

 

"Yahweh saw that the evil of humanity was multiplying on earth, and every form of the devisings of its heart was surely evil all the day. So, Yahweh said: I shall wipe out humanity that I have created off the surface of the ground, from human unto beast, unto the creeper and unto the flyer of the heavens." (Genesis 6:5-7)

But before the destruction, a human named Noah found grace in the eyes of Yahweh. 

 

"Yet Noah, he found grace in the eyes of Yahweh." Genesis 6:8)

 

Yahweh instructed Noah to build a large boat to save he and his family which the Bible calls an ark. When finished, Noah, his family, and a male and female of each of the land-based animals and birds entered the ark. 

 

"Now behold, I Myself am about to bring a deluge of water on the earth to wreck all flesh under the heavens which has the spirit of life in it. All that is in the earth, it shall decease. Yet I will set up My covenant with you..." (Genesis 6:17-18)

 

The flood covered the whole earth, deep enough to cover the mountain tops by twenty feet (fifteen cubits), and the flooding lasted about a year and ten days. 

 

“Exceeding exceedingly, the waters, they gained the mastery over the earth, and all the lofty mountains under the entire heavens were covered. At fifteen cubits upward, the waters had gained the mastery, so that all the lofty mountains were covered. All flesh that had been moving on the earth deceased, of the flyer, of the domestic beast, of the wild animal, of every swarming thing swarming on the earth, and every human. Everyone who had the breath of the spirit of life in his nostrils.” (Genesis 7:19-22)

 

The flood brought an end to the evil of age three. This was the second judgment that Elohim brought against humanity.

Chapter 5

Age Four 

From the Flood to the Tower of Babel

Genesis 8:1 through Genesis 11:9

 

Age four began when Noah came off the ark to find that he and his family were the only humans left on Earth. 

Yahweh then promised Noah that He would never again destroy all life by a flood, even though the heart of humanity would continue to be filled with evil. He made the rainbow as a sign of that promise.

 

"Yahweh Elohim said in His heart: Not anymore will I maledict again the ground on account of humanity, for the bent of the human heart is evil from its youth. And not anymore will I smite again every living flesh, just as I have done. In the future, for all the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, cold and warmth, summer and winter, day and night, they shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:21-22)

 

“My bow I bestow in a cloud, and it comes to be for a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. And it comes, when I cloud over the earth with a cloud, then appears My bow in the cloud, and I am reminded of My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living soul in all flesh, and there is not to come a future deluge of water to wreck all flesh.” (Genesis 9:13-15)

 

All the nations currently living on the Earth are descendants of Noah.

 

“These are the families of the sons of Noah, by their genealogical annals, by their nations. And from these the nations in the earth have come after the deluge.” (Genesis 10:32)

 

God told Noah and his three sons to multiply and roam over the Earth.

 

“And you, be fruitful, and increase, and roam in the earth and sway in it.” (Genesis 9:7)

 

Instead of roaming over the Earth, they settled in the east and eventually formed the first government, ruled by a man named Nimrod. He built the first kingdom of humanity in the land of Shinar and called the first cities Babel, Erech, and Calneh.

 

“And Cush generates Nimrod. He starts to become a master in the earth. He becomes a master hunter before Yahweh Elohim. Therefore, is it being said, “As Nimrod, the master hunter before Yahweh.” And coming is the beginning of his kingdom to be Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” (Genesis 10:8-10)

 

The kingdom of Nimrod began building a tower in the city of Babel that would reach into heaven as a place to honor their own wisdom, and to defy Yahweh’s instruction to scatter and roam over the Earth. This worship of the accomplishments of humanity was the first religion of the world.

 

“And saying are they, "Prithee! Build will we for ourselves a city and a tower with its head in the heavens, and make for ourselves a name, lest we are scattering over the surface of the entire earth.” (Genesis 11:4)

 

Yahweh was not pleased, and again brought judgment upon humanity by changing their one language into many languages so that they could no longer understand one another. This judgment caused them to stop building the tower, and in the days of a human named Peleg, they began to spread and roam across the Earth as Noah had been commanded.

 

“And descending is Yahweh to see the city and the tower which the sons of humanity build. And saying is Yahweh, "Behold! One people is it. And one lip is for them all. And this they started to do! And now nothing will be defended from them of all that they will plan to do.” (Genesis 11:5-6)

 

“And to Eber two sons are born. The name of one is Peleg, for in his days the land was distributed.” (Genesis 10:25)

 

The judgment of God upon the city of Babel and its tower brought an end to age four.

Chapter 6

Age Five

From Babel to Abraham

Genesis 11:01 through Genesis 23

 

The Apostle Paul refers to age five as the present wicked age.

 

"Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gives Himself for our sins, so that He might extricate us out of the present wicked age, according to the will of our God and Father, to Whom be glory for the eons of the eons. Amen!" (Galations1:4-5)

 

Much of the history of the Bible is focused on the descendants of man named Abram, later called Abraham. His grandson Jacob had twelve sons who are known as the nation of Israel to this day. They are referred to in the Bible as God’s holy people. 

 

“…for you are a people holy to Yahweh your Elohim, and Yahweh your Elohim chose you to belong to Him as a special people above all the peoples who are on the surface of the ground.” (Deuteronomy 14:2)

 

The other peoples of the world are often referred to as gentiles or the nations in the Bible.

The ancestors of Abraham settled in the land of Ur located in modern day Iraq. Abraham’s father was named Terah. After Abraham grew up, God spoke to him and told him to leave his land and kindred and go to a new land which Yahweh would show him. If he did so, all families of the Earth would be blessed. Abraham is first called Abram in the Bible.

 

“Yahweh said to Abram: Go by yourself from your land, from your kindred and from your father’s house to the land that I shall show you. I shall make you into a great nation, and I shall bless you; I shall indeed make your name great, and you will indeed be a blessing; I shall indeed bless those blessing you, and I shall curse the one maledicting you. In you all the families of the ground will be blessed. So, Abram went just as Yahweh had told him…” (Genesis 11:27)

When Abram and his father Terah left their homeland they settled in the land of Charan before entering the land Yahweh promised him. When Terah was two hundred and five years old, he died in Charan, and Abram entered the promised land of Canaan that same year.

 

“These are the genealogical records of Terah. Terah had begotten Abram, Nahor and Haran…The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai. Sarai was barren; she had no child. Terah took his son Abram, and his son’s son, Lot of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. When they came as far as Charan, they dwelt there. The days of Terah came to be two hundred five years. Then Terah died in Charan.” (Genesis 11:29-32)

 

“Abram was seventy-five years old when he went forth from Charan. And Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot and all their goods that they had gotten and every soul they had acquired in Charan; they went forth to go to the land of Canaan, and they entered to the land of Canaan.” (Genesis 12:1-5)

 

Yahweh promised to give Abram and Sarai a son who would be aa blessing to all nations of the Earth.

 

"Your seed shall take over the gateway of its enemies, and all nations of the earth will bless themselves in your seed…” (Genesis 22:17)

 

God did not fulfill His promise to give Abram and Sarai a son until Abram was 100 years old, and Sarai was 90 years old. They named this son Isaac. Because Abram believed the promise, even though they had reached the age where most couples could no longer have children, Abram is called the father of all those who have faith in the promises of God. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham because he would become the father of many nations.

 

“And Elohim spoke to him, saying: As for Me, behold, this is My covenant with you: You will become the father of a throng of nations. So your name shall no longer be called Abram; but your name will become Abraham, for a father of a throng of nations have I appointed you.” (Genesis 17:3-5)

 

"Abraham believes God, and it is reckoned to him for righteousness. Know, consequently, that those of faith, these are sons of Abraham. Now the scripture, perceiving before that God is justifying the nations by faith, brings before an evangel to Abraham, that in you shall all the nations be blessed.” (Galatians 3:6-9)

 

We shall learn, however, that it was not Isaac but a distant descendant, born more than a eighteen hundred years later, who would become a blessing to all nations. 

 

"The scroll of the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1)

 

"Now to Abraham the promises were declared, and to his Seed. He is not saying “and to your seeds", as of many, but as of One: "and to you Seed," which is Christ." (Galatians 3:16)

 

“Lo! the Lamb of God Which is taking away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

 

“And He is the propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins, yet not concerned with ours only, but concerned with the whole world also.” (1 John 2:2)

 

“…through His own blood, entered once for all time into the holy places, finding eonian redemption.” (Hebrews 9:12)

We shall see as we continue through age five that Christ Jesus has become the Savior of the world. In that saving of humanity, all the nations of the world have been blessed.

Chapter 7

Age Five Continues

From Abraham to Jacob to Moses

Genesis Chapters 25 through 50 

After Abraham’s death, God spoke to his son Isaac and confirmed the promises made to Abraham. Thereafter, Isaac had twin sons named Esau and Jacob. God chose Jacob to confirm the promises He had made with Abraham and Isaac. God later changed Jacob’s name to Israel. 

 

“Your name is Jacob; yet your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but rather Israel, it shall be your name." (Genesis 35:9-10)

 

Jacob had twelve sons who are the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. His eleventh son, Joseph, became his favorite. As the result of this favoritism, Joseph’s ten older brothers hated him.

 

“And Israel loved Joseph more than any of his sons, for he is a son of his old age, and made for him a long coat; and his brothers see that their father loved him more than any of his brothers, and they hate him, and have not been able to speak to him peaceably.” (Genesis 37:3-4)

 

They plotted together to sell Joseph into Egyptian slavery. They told their father that Joseph had been killed and eaten by a wild animal.  

 

“And they take the coat of Joseph, and slaughter a kid of the goats, and dip the coat in the blood, and send the long coat, and they bring it in unto their father, and say, ‘This have we found; discern, we pray thee, whether it is thy son's coat or not?' And he discerneth it, and saith, `My son's coat! an evil beast hath devoured him; torn—torn is Joseph!'” (Genesis 37:31-33)

 

In Egypt, God blessed Joseph with the ability to interpret dreams. After interpreting the Egyptian Pharaoh's dream, he was set free from slavery and became second in command to Pharaoh. 

 

“…and Pharaoh saith unto Joseph, `After God's causing thee to know all this, there is none intelligent and wise as thou; thou—thou art over my house, and at thy mouth do all my people kiss; only in the throne I am greater than thou.' And Pharaoh saith unto Joseph, `See, I have put thee over all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:44-45)

 

In time, Jacob (Israel) and his family moved to Egypt because of a great famine and were welcomed by Pharaoh because of Joseph. Joseph forgave his brothers when he realized that what they had done to him was part of God's plan to save his family from the famine. 

 

“And Joseph saith unto his brethren, `Come nigh unto me, I pray you,' and they come nigh; and he saith, `I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt; and now, be not grieved, nor let it be displeasing in your eyes that ye sold me hither, for to preserve life hath God sent me before you.” (Genesis 45:4-5)

The Egyptians called the people of Israel, Hebrews. Over a great many years, the Hebrews became a large population, and it concerned the new Pharaoh. He did not remember what Joseph had done for Egypt in the past. To control them, the this Egyptian Pharaoh enslaved them.

 

"Then a new king rose over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph...Hence they placed over them chiefs of tributary service that they might humiliate them with their burdens." (Exodus 1:8-11)

 

After years of being mistreated in slavery, God decided to deliver the Hebrews. His plan began with the birth of a Hebrew boy to a couple from the tribe of Levi. Pharaoh had ordered all males born among the people of Israel to be killed, but this baby boy was spared when the daughter of Pharaoh found him in a basket floating in the Nile River. He had been hidden there by his Jewish mother. Pharaoh’s daughter took him out of the river and selected his Jewish mother to be his nanny. Pharaoh's daughter named him Moses and made him her son.

 

“When the boy was growing up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She called his name Moses…” (Exodus 2:10)

 

Many Jews today consider Moses to be their greatest prophet. 

Chapter 8

Age Five Continues

From Moses to Joshua

Exodus through Deuteronomy

 

The book of Exodus tells us that Moses grew up in the palace of the Pharaoh of Egypt. As a child, he had learned from his mother that he was one of the Hebrew children. He must have felt sympathy for his enslaved relatives because, when he was about 40 years old, Moses killed an Egyptian man who was beating one of the Hebrew slaves. When this was discovered, Moses had to flee Egypt to avoid the wrath of the Pharaoh. He settled in Midian for the next 40 years and worked as a shepherd for a priest of Midian named Jethro, who became his father-in-law.

 

“When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. So, Moses ran away from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian.” (Exodus 2:15)

 

“As for Moses, he had become a shepherd of the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian." (Exodus 3:1)

 

When Moses was 80 years old, Yahweh appeared to him in the land of Midian and told him that the Pharoah who had tried to kill him was dead. Moses was told to return to Egypt and tell the new Pharaoh to set the Hebrews free from their slavery. Moses was warned that Pharaoh would resist, but Yahweh would force him to let them leave. Moses was to bring the Hebrews to Mount Sinai to meet with Yahweh. At the request of Moses, Yahweh allowed his brother Aaron to help him.

 

Moses and Aaron went back to Egypt and told Pharaoh what Yahweh had said. At first Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews leave, which brought many plagues upon Egypt from Yahweh. The final plague was the death of all firstborn sons, including the firstborn son of Pharaoh. The firstborn sons of the Hebrews were spared when the death angel passed over their houses if the entrances were marked with the blood of a slain lamb in an event now called “the Passover.” 

“Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them: Draw out and take for yourselves from the flock for your families and slay the Passover. Then you will take a bunch of hyssop, and you will dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and you will touch the lintel and the two jambs with the blood which is in the basin. As for you, not one of you shall go forth from the portal of his house until the morning. When Yahweh passes through to strike the Egyptians, and He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two jambs then Yahweh will pass over on the portal, and He shall not allow the ruiner to enter into your houses to strike…It is the sacrifice of Passover to Yahweh, Who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians, yet our households He rescued.” (Exodus 12:21-24, 27)

 

This event has been memorialized as the annual Jewish Passover (Pesach) celebration to this day. 

 

After the death of his firstborn son, Pharaoh let the Hebrews leave Egypt. Not long after their exodus, Pharaoh changed his mind and led his army after them. The army cornered them at the Red Sea, but Yahweh parted the sea in a great miracle so that they could cross on dry land. When the Egyptian army tried to follow through the parted waters, Yahweh closed the sea upon them, and they all drowned.

 

"When the horses of Pharaoh had entered with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, then Yahweh returned the waters of the sea over them. Yet the sons of Israel, they had gone on dry ground in the midst of the sea!” (Exodus 15:19)

 

The Bible tells us that it was four hundred and thirty years after Abraham had entered the promised land that the sons of Israel arrived at Mount Sinai. Moses then ascended to the top of the mountain and Yahweh told him to go down to the people and tell them that if they would agree to obey the instructions He would give, they would become His special chosen people. He then went down from the Mount and the people agreed to do all that God instructed them.

 

“Now, if you shall hearken, yea hearken to My voice and observe My covenant then you will become Mine, a special possession, above all the peoples, for Mine is all the earth. As for you, you shall become Mine, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the sons of Israel. So, Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and he placed before them all these words which Yahweh had instructed him. Now all the people responded together and said: All that Yahweh speaks we shall do.” (Exodus 19:5-8)

 

Moses then went back up onto the Mount, and Yahweh told Moses that He would appear to the people in three days and speak to them. Yahweh Elohim then spoke to them the words known today as the Ten Commandments.

 

“Elohim spoke all these words, saying. I am Yahweh your Elohim Who brought you forth from the land of Egypt, from the house of servants. You shall not come to have other Elohim in preference to Me. You shall not make for yourself a carving nor any representation of that in the heavens above or that on the earth beneath, or that in the waters beneath the earth. You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor be made to serve them, for I, Yahweh your Elohim, am a jealous El, visiting the depravity of the fathers on the sons, on the third and on the fourth generation, to those hating Me, yet doing kindness to thousands, to those loving Me and observing My instructions. You shall not take up the name of Yahweh your Elohim for futility, for Yahweh shall not hold innocent him who takes up His name for futility. You are to remember the sabbath day to hallow it. Six days shall you serve and do all your work, yet the seventh day is a sabbath to Yahweh your Elohim. You shall not do any work, you, your son or your daughter, your servant or your maidservant, your bull, your donkey or your beast, or your sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days Yahweh dealt with the heavens and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and He stopped on the seventh day. Therefore, Yahweh blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it. Glorify your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged on the ground which Yahweh your Elohim is giving to you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not answer against your associate with false testimony. You shall not covet the house of your associate. You shall not covet the wife of your associate, his field, his servant or his maidservant, his bull, his donkey or anything which is your associate's.” (Exodus 20:1-17)

 

The people were scared by the voice of Yahweh and told Moses to speak to them from then on, because they were afraid that if Yahweh continued to speak directly to the people, they would die.

 

“They said to Moses: Speak you with us that we may hear; yet Elohim must not speak with us lest we die. Then Moses said to the people: Do not fear, for in order to probe you the One, Elohim has come, and in order that the fear of Him should come over your faces, that you may not sin. Then the people stood afar, yet Moses, he came close to the murkiness where the One, Elohim was. Yahweh said to Moses: Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel, You have seen that from the heavens I have spoken with you. You shall not make anything beside Me: no Elohim of silver nor Elohim of gold shall you make for yourselves.” (Exodus 20:19-23)

 

From that time forward Yahweh only spoke to the sons of Israel through intermediaries called prophets. Moses was the first prophet. Yahweh then gave Moses additional instructions, including the observance of the weekly sabbath day of rest and three annual multiple-day festivals during which they were to celebrate and honor Yahweh. 

 

“Six days shall you do your tasks, and on the seventh day you shall cease, that your bull and your donkey may rest, and the son of your maidservant and the sojourner be refreshed. You shall beware in all that I say to you. And the name of other Elohim you shall not mention; nor let it be heard coming out of your mouth. Three times shall you celebrate to Me in the year: you shall observe the celebration of unleavened cakes; seven days shall you eat unleavened cakes, just as I instructed you, at the appointed time in the month Aviv, for in it you went forth from Egypt, and none shall appear before Me empty-handed. Also observe the celebration of the harvest of the firstfruits of your yields from what you are sowing in the field: and observe the celebration of ingathering at the going forth of the year, when you gather your yields from the field. Three times in the year every male of you shall appear before the Lord Yahweh.” (Exodus 23:12-17)

 

Moses then came down from the mountain and related to the people all the words of Yahweh, and the people again agreed to do all they were told. He then wrote all the words down and read them to the people.

 

“So Moses came and related to the people all the words of Yahweh and all the judgments. Then all the people responded with one voice and said: All the words which Yahweh has spoken we shall do. Now Moses wrote all the words of Yahweh…And he took the scroll of the covenant and read it in the ears of the people; so they said: All that Yahweh has spoken we shall do and hearken to.” (Exodus 24:3-4, 7)

 

Moses then went back to the top of the mountain and stayed forty days and forty nights. During this time Yahweh gave instructions for receiving offerings from the people to be used for building a sanctuary called the Tabernacle. The first thing to be built was a chest made of acacia wood covered with gold inside and out to contain the tablets upon which was written the Ten Commandments. This chest came to be known as the Ark of the Covenant. He was also told to build a propitiatory shelter (a mercy seat) made of gold to place on top of the Ark between two cherubim also made of gold. Over this mercy seat Yahweh would meet and speak with Moses after the Tabernacle was complete. 

 

“They will make the coffer of acacia boards, two cubits and a half its length and a cubit and a half its width and a cubit and a half its rise. You will overlay it; with pure gold inside and outside shall you overlay it…You will put the testimony which I shall give to you into the coffer. You will make a propitiatory shelter of pure gold, two cubits and a half its length and a cubit and a half its width. You will make two cherubim of gold…The cherubim will come to be with spreading wings above, overshadowing with their wings over the propitiatory shelter with their faces each to his fellow. Toward the propitiatory shelter the faces of the cherubim shall come to be. Then you will put the propitiatory shelter on the coffer from above; and you shall put the testimony which I shall give to you into the coffer.  I will keep appointment with you there, and I will speak with you above the propitiatory shelter…” (Exodus 25:10-22)

 

Moses was told to build the Tabernacle and the other articles exactly as he had been told. Yahweh also told Moses to make holy garments for Aaron and his sons, who would become the priests.

 

“You, bring near to you Aaron, your brother, and his sons with him, from the midst of the sons of Israel, to serve as priests for Me; Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, sons of Aaron. You will make holy garments for Aaron, your brother, for glory and for beauty…These are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, a vestment, a robe, a tunic with mounts, a turban and a sash. They will make holy garments for Aaron, your brother, and for his sons, to serve as priests for Me.” (Exodus 28:1-4)

 

Moses was also told to make an altar of acacia wood with four horns and cover it with gold. It would be used to offer incense. It would sit at the opening to the room which housed the Ark of the Covenant. A bull and two rams would be sacrificed and some of the blood would be applied to the horns of the alter and the rest poured out at its base. The blood put on the alter would consecrate them as the priests of Israel.  

 

“Aaron will make a propitiatory shelter on its horns once in the year with the blood of the sin offering of the propitiatory shelter; once in the year shall he make a propitiatory shelter on it throughout your generations. It shall be a holy of holies to Yahweh.” (Exodus 30:10)

 

Sadly, even before Moses came down from the Mount, the people of Israel had disobeyed Yahweh by making a golden calf to worship. Yahweh told Moses that He was angry enough to destroy them, and would make Moses into a great nation.

 

“Then Yahweh spoke to Moses: Go! Go down, for your people whom you brought up from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have withdrawn quickly from the way I instructed them. They have made for themselves a molten calf and bowed themselves down to it. They have sacrificed to it and said: These are your Elohim, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. And Yahweh said to Moses: I have seen this people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people. And now, leave it to Me, that My anger may grow hot against them, so that I may finish them; and I shall make you into a great nation.” (Exodus 32:7-10)

 

When Moses came off the mountain and saw what Aaron and the people had done, he broke the tablets that Yahweh had written upon and then went back onto the Mount to intervene on their behalf, asking Yahweh to forgive their sin. 

 

“Then Moses hastened, bowed his head toward the earth, bowed himself down, and said: I pray, if I find grace in Your eyes, my Lord, I pray, let my Lord go among us, for they are a stiff-necked people, and You will pardon our depravity and our sins, and You will gain us an allotment.” (Exodus 34:8)

 

Yahweh agreed and told Moses to carve two more stone tablets like the first ones, and again wrote on the tablets the ten commandments. Moses also is said to have written the words, so apparently both God and Moses wrote the words on the second set of tablets. These tablets were later put inside the Ark.

 

“Yahweh said to Moses: Carve for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on the tablets the words which came to be on the first tablets which you broke...Yahweh said to Moses: Write for yourself these words for at the bidding of these words I contract with you a covenant and with Israel. And he came to be there before Yahweh, forty days and forty nights. Bread he did not eat and water he did not drink. Thus he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten words.” (Exodus 34:1, 27-28)

 

Israel then constructed the Tabernacle and the other articles used for its service. When finished, the glory of Yahweh filled the Tabernacle. The term “glory” is a word for the manifested power of Yahweh.

 

“When Moses had finished all the work and the cloud covered the tent of appointment, then the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle, so that Moses was unable to enter into the tent of appointment, for the cloud tabernacled on it, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud ascended above the tabernacle the sons of Israel journeyed in all their journeyings. Yet if the cloud was not taken up, then they would not journey until the day it was taken up; for the cloud of Yahweh was over the tabernacle by day, and fire, it came to be in it by night for the eyes of all the house of Israel in all their journeyings.” (Exodus 40:33-38)

 

The book of Leviticus records the rules for how the Tabernacle was to be used. It gives the regulations concerning sacrifices and tithes and offerings, how to consecrate priests, what Yahweh considers clean and unclean, and rules regarding the various festivals that Israel was to celebrate each year. It also tells Israel what they must do to keep being blessed as Yahweh’s chosen people. 

 

Yahweh promised to give Israel great blessings if it continued to do the things in the Laws given Moses on the Mount. However, if disobedient, He told them He would send destruction upon them for their sins.

 

The book of Numbers speaks about the duties the Levites were assigned to assist Aaron in the service of the Tabernacle and the work of the priesthood. Those duties included maintaining and watching over the Ark and the other furniture in the tabernacle. 

 

After dedicating the tabernacle, Israel left Mount Sinai to go to the promised land. When they came near the land, Moses sent spies to explore. Upon returning, two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, reported that Israel could successfully conquer the Canaanite people with the help of Yahweh. However, the other spies argued that it would be impossible to take the land from the Canaanites and recommended that Israel return to Egypt.

 

“All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron.  The whole congregation said to them: O that we had died in the land of Egypt or in this wilderness! O that we had died! Why is Yahweh bringing us to this land to fall by the sword?” (Numbers 14:2-3)

 

Yahweh again threatened to destroy the people for their lack of faith, but Moses and Joshua intervened on their behalf. So Yahweh told Moses that He would not destroy them, but would punish them for their lack of faith. The punishment was that all the adults, except for Joshua and Caleb, would die in the wilderness and not be allowed to enter the promised land. 

 

“Yahweh said: I have pardoned them according to your word. Nevertheless, as I am the living One, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Yahweh, all the men who were seeing My glory and My signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, who probed Me these ten times, and they did not hearken to My voice, they assuredly shall not see the land about which I had sworn to their fathers!” (Numbers 14:21-23)

 

It took about forty years for all of them to die off, and they wandered in the wilderness for those forty years. During that time Yahweh miraculously sustained them with food called manna which came each morning from heaven. Even their clothes did not wear out.

 

In the Book of Deuteronomy, we learn that after forty years in the wilderness, Moses and Joshua led the people of Israel to a place on the east side of the Jordan River. There, Moses spoke his final word to the new generation of Israel in preparation for their entering the promised land. He summarized the events of the past four decades and encouraged them to remember how Yahweh had miraculously preserved them for forty years in the wilderness. He repeated to them the laws given at Mount Sinai and gave explicit instructions that they were to destroy all the native inhabitants of the promised land so that those inhabitants would not be able to influence them to worship other gods.

 

“When Yahweh your Elohim brings you into the land where you are about to enter in order to tenant it, and He eases many nations out before your face, the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, seven nations more numerous and substantial than you, when Yahweh your Elohim gives them up before you, and you smite them, then you shall doom, yea doom them. You shall neither contract a covenant with them nor be gracious to them, nor shall you intermarry with them. You shall not give your daughter to his son, and you shall not take his daughter for your son. For it might take away your son from following after Me, and they might serve other Elohim.” (Deuteronomy 7:1-4)

 

Moses predicted that Israel would eventually grow disobedient and composed a song that recounted Israel’s history of unfaithfulness. He reminded them of Yahweh’s compassion. He wrote the song in a book and placed it with the Ark of the Covenant.

 

 “For I know that after my death you shall bring ruin, yea ruin on yourselves; you will withdraw from the way that I enjoined on you, and the evil visitation will befall you in the latter days, for you shall do the thing that is evil in the eyes of Yahweh so as to provoke Him to vexation by the work of your hands. Then Moses spoke in the ears of the whole assembly of Israel the words of this song until they were finished.” (Deuteronomy 31:29-30)

 

Moses was not allowed to enter the promised land. When the time came for them to take possession, Moses ascended upon a mountain where Yahweh showed him a vision of the promised land. He died on the mountain and was buried by Yahweh. 

 

“Then Moses ascended from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the summit of the Pisgah ridge, which is overlooking Jericho. And Yahweh showed him all the land…Then Yahweh said to him: This is the land about which I had sworn to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, saying, To your seed shall I give it. I have let you see it with your eyes, yet you shall not cross over there. Moses, the servant of Yahweh, died there in the land of Moab in accordance with the word of Yahweh. Then He entombed him in a ravine in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor. And no man knows his tomb until this day.” (Deuteronomy 34:1-6)

Chapter 9

Age Five Continues

From Joshua to King Solomon

Joshua through Second Chronicles

 

The book of Joshua records the events occurring after the death of Moses. Yahweh chose Joshua of the tribe of Ephraim to lead Israel.

 

“And it comes to pass after the death of Moses, servant of Yahweh, that Yahweh speaks unto Joshua son of Nun, minister of Moses, saying, Moses my servant is dead, and now, rise, pass over this Jordan, you, and all this people, unto the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.” (Joshua 1:1-2)

 

Under his leadership they entered the promised land with a miraculous parting of the Jordan River. Carrying the Ark of the Covenant, the priests entered the water and it instantly parted so that Israel passed over on dry ground.

 

“…and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stand on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan--established, and all Israel are passing over on dry ground till that all the nation has completed to pass over the Jordan.” (Joshua 3:17)

 

Upon entering the promised land, Yahweh told Joshua to circumcise all the males who were born during the previous forty years of wandering in the wilderness. 

 

“Yahweh unto Joshua, `Make for you knives of flint, and turn back, circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” (Joshua 5:2)

 

The first city they conquered was Jericho. Jericho had shut its people up behind its walls. Yahweh told Joshua to march around the walls each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day, and the walls would fall. The walls fell and they killed all the people in the city, except for a harlot named Rahab and her family. Rahab had helped the spies sent by Moses forty years earlier to spy out the land.

 

“And the people shout, and blow with the trumpets, and it comes to pass when the people hear the voice of the trumpet, that the people shout--a great shout, and the wall falls under it, and the people goes up into the city, each over-against him, and they capture the city;" and they devote all in the city, from man even unto woman, from young even unto aged, even unto ox, and sheep, and ass, to the mouth of the sword. And to the two men who are spying the land Joshua said, `Go into the house of the woman, the harlot, and bring out thence the woman, and all whom she has, as you have sworn to her.” (Joshua 6:20-22)

 

Toward the end of his life Joshua divided the promised land among the various tribes and told them to take possession of the land allotted to them. However, the tribe of Levi was not given their own allotment of land, but were given land within the allotment given the other tribes. Among the Levites were the priests and those who helped them. They were scattered among the other tribes and served in and around the tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem. They then buried the bones of Joseph which they had carried out of Egypt. 

 

“And Israel serves Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who prolonged days after Joshua, and who knew all the work of Yahweh which He did to Israel. And the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up out of Egypt, they buried in Shechem, in the portion of the field which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor.” (Joshua 24:31-32)

 

The book of Judges is a continuation of Joshua, with the central theme being the settlement of the promised land. This is the era that preceded the monarchy of the Kingdom of Israel. The various leaders were known as Judges, and they provided political and military leadership in times of crises. The people of Israel were rarely faithful to Yahweh and His law, which often resulted in their defeat by surrounding nations. The first Judge was Othniel, who delivered them from the king of Mesopotamia. Another was Deborah, a woman who united them against the Canaanites. The strength given the Judge Samson delivered them from the Philistines.  There were other Judges, but a new type of leadership was coming, and the book of Judges ends with these words.

 

“In those days there is no king in Israel; each does that which is right in his own eyes.” (Joshua 21:25

 

Samuel was the final Judge, and like Moses and Joshua, Samuel received direct revelation from Yahweh to tell the people. Samuel grew up helping Eli the high priest in his duties in and around the tabernacle and became a prophet to Yahweh.

 

“And Samuel grows up, and Yahweh has been with him, and has not let fall any of his words to the earth; and all Israel know, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, that Samuel is established for a prophet to Yahweh.” (1 Samuel 3:19-21)

 

In time, the people of Israel demanded of Samuel a king to rule over them like the nations around them. This offended Yahweh, but He allowed them to pick a king. They chose a man from the tribe of Benjamin named Saul to be the first king. Yahweh later rejected Saul and removed him as king for refusing to do what He instructed him to do through the Prophet Samuel. 

 

Yahweh Himself then chose the second king; a young man named David of the tribe of Judah. The Bible speaks of David as a man after God’s own heart. He is considered by many to be the greatest King of Israel. God promised David that one of his descendants would be the final King of Israel. 

 

“I am telling you that Yahweh shall build a royal house for you: It will come to pass when your days are fulfilled to go and lie down with your fathers, then I will raise up your seed after you that shall come to be one of your own sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a House for Me, and I will establish his throne for the eon. I Myself shall become for him like a father; and he shall become for Me like a son. As for My benignity, I shall not withdraw it from him as I withdrew it from him who was before you. I will install him in My House and in My kingdom for the eon; his throne, it shall become established for the eon. According to all these words and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.” (1 Chronicles 17:11-14)

 

That “seed” of David that Yahweh was referring to is the same seed promised Abraham. He would reign over the house of Israel (Jacob) for the eons. The book of Luke tells us that this seed is Jesus, and His kingdom would never end.

 

“And lo! you shall be conceiving and be pregnant and be bringing forth a Son, and you shall be calling His name Jesus. He shall be great, and Son of the Most High shall He be called. And the Lord God shall be giving Him the throne of David, His father, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for the eons. And of His kingdom there shall be no consummation." (Luke 1:31-33)

 

King David conquered the enemies of Israel with the help of Yahweh. David told Nathan the Prophet that he wanted to build a house for Yahweh to replace the Tabernacle. Yahweh spoke to the Prophet Nathan and told him to tell David that Yahweh did not live in a house, but that He would bless David by raising up one from his seed to establish the house of David. This seed was his son Solomon.

 

“Yahweh has declared to you that Yahweh does make for you a house. When your days are full, and you have lain with your fathers, then I have raised up your seed after you which goes out from your bowels, and have established his kingdom.” (2 Samuel 11:11-12)

 

Although David did not build the Temple, he accumulated the materials needed and his son Solomon built a magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple was dedicated to Yahweh and replaced the Tabernacle built by Moses as the central place of worship for the people of Israel. It was built on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, the city that became the capital city of Israel. Israel thrived during the reigns of David and Solomon and was at peace with the nations around them during the reign of Solomon. 

 

When Solomon found out he was to succeed David as King, he asked Yahweh for wisdom. Yahweh was so pleased with this request that He not only gave him great wisdom, but great wealth and power as well.  People from all over the world would come to seek his wisdom.

 

“Behold, I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that not one like you has been before you; and after you not one shall rise like you. Moreover, what you have not asked, I will give you: both riches and glory all your days, so that there will be not man like you among kings.” (1 Kings 3:11-13)

 

“Elohim gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly much understanding and wideness of heart, like the sand which is on the seashore. The wisdom of Solomon was greater than the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other human… They came from all the peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon.” (1 Kings 4:29-34)

 

“When the queen of Sheba had discerned all the wisdom of Solomon and had seen the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, the standing of those ministering to him and their clothing, and his cupbearers, as well as his ascent offering that he was offering up in the House of Yahweh, then there was not more spirit in her. So she said to the king, True was the word that I heard in my land about your affairs and about your wisdom. Yet I did not believe the words until I came and my eyes had seen it; and behold, not half was told to me. You have added wisdom and well-being beyond the report that I heard.” (1 Kings 10:4-6)

Chapter 10

Age Five Continues

The Poets of Israel

Ruth, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations

 

The book of Ruth reveals the great love of Ruth for Naomi, her mother-in-law.

 

“Naomi said to Ruth, Behold, your sister-in-law has turned back to her people and to her Elohim. Turn back after your sister-in-law. Yet Ruth replied, You must not persuade me to forsake you, to turn away from following you; for wherever you go I shall go, and wherever you lodge I shall lodge. Your people will be my people, and your Elohim my Elohim. Where you die, I shall die; and there I shall be entombed. Thus may Yahweh do to me, and thus may He add if anything but death parts between me and you.” (Ruth 1:16-17)

 

The book of Job shows us that Satan, the chief Adversary of Yahweh, must get permission from Yahweh to interfere in the affairs of humanity.

"There was a day when the sons of Elohim would come to station themselves before Yahweh, and the Adversary came also in their midst…Yahweh said to the Adversary, Behold, all that he has is in your hand, but you must not put forth your hand upon himself. Then the Adversary went forth from Yahweh's presence." (Job 1:6-12)

 

The Psalms are filled with exclamations of praise to Yahweh for all His blessings.

 

“Bless Yahweh, my soul, And all within me, bless His holy Name! Bless Yahweh, my soul, And do not forget any of His well-dealings, Who is pardoning all your depravity, Who is healing all your ailments, Who is redeeming your life from ruin, Who is crowning you with benignity and compassion.” (Psalm 103:1-4)

 

“Even though I should walk in the ravine of blackest shadow, I shall not fear evil, For You are with me…Yea, goodness and benignity shall pursue me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of Yahweh for the length of my days.” (Psalm 23:4, 6)

 

“Gracious and compassionate is Yahweh, Slow to anger and with great benignity. Good is Yahweh to all, And His compassions are over all His works. May all Your works acclaim You, O Yahweh, And let Your benign ones bless You. The glory of Your kingdom, may they affirm, And of Your powerful mastery may they speak, To make known to the sons of humanity His masterful deeds, And the glorious honor of His kingdom. Your kingdom is a kingdom for all the eons, And Your rule for every generation after generation. Faithful is Yahweh in all His words, And benign in all His works. Supporting is Yahweh all who are falling And is making erect all who are bent down.” (Psalm 145:8-14)

 

The book of Proverbs is filled with wisdom for daily living.

 

“Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and do not lean to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He Himself shall straighten your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5)

 

“Train up a youth in accordance with his proper ways; Even when he is old he shall not withdraw from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

 

“A wife of ability, who can find? Far more than rubies is her worth.” (Proverbs 31:10)

 

The book of Ecclesiastes recommends that we should enjoy life the best we can under our varied circumstances.

 

“So, I lauded rejoicing, Since there is no good for a man under the sun Save to eat and to drink and to rejoice.” (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

 

“Go, eat your bread with rejoicing, and drink your wine with good heart, For already the One, Elohim, has approved of your works. In every season, let your garments be white, And oil on your head, let it not be lacking. See life with a wife whom you love all the days of your transitory life.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7-9)

 

The book known as Song of Songs is a masterpiece of romantic love.

 

“Place me like a seal upon your heart, Like a seal upon your arm, For love is strong as death, Its jealousy hard as the unseen, Its burning coals as burning coals of fire, The blaze of Yah. Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can streams overwhelm it.” (Son of Songs 8:6-7)

 

The book of Lamentations reminds us that Yahweh is faithful to renew His compassion for humanity every morning.

            

“It is by Yahweh’s benignities that we have not come to end, that His compassions are not all finished; They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

 

Chapter 11

Age Five Continues

The Kings of the Divided Kingdom

Second Chronicles through Second Kings

 

After King Solomon died, Israel split up and became two separate kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom included ten tribes that are called Israel (sometimes Ephraim) in the Bible. Jeroboam was the first king, and he made the city of Samaria its capital. He set up calf idols in the cities of Bethel and Dan to worship, a sin that would continue until the Northern Kingdom fell to the Assyrians.

 

“So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold and said to the people, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your Elohim, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. And he placed the one in Bethel and the other he set up in Dan. This matter came to be a sin.” (1 Kings 12:28-29)

 

There were nineteen kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Because of the idols, all those kings are said to have done what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh. The typical epitaph written about these kings is…

 

"He did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh; and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin with which he had caused Israel to sin." (1 Kings 15:34)

 

The worst of them all was Ahab, who built a temple for the pagan god Baal, the god of his wife Jezebel. He encouraged the Northern Kingdom to worship the image of Baal.

 

“Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh, worse than all who had been before him. So it came to pass as if it was lightly esteemed by him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he took as wife Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians. Then he went to serve Baal and worshiped him. He set up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab proceeded to do more to provoke Yahweh Elohim of Israel to vexation than all the kings of Israel who had been before him." (1 Kings 16:30-33)

 

The last king of the Northern Kingdom was Hoshea. The Assyrians under Sargon II conquered Samaria and removed the people of the Northern Kingdom from the promised land to Assyria, as Yahweh had warned through the Prophets. 

 

“The sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam that he had done. They did not withdraw from it, until Yahweh put Israel away, out of His presence, just as He had spoken by means of all His servants the prophets. So, Israel was deported from on its own ground to Assyria until this day.” (2 Kings 17:22-23)

 

These ten tribes are sometimes referred to as the lost tribes of Israel.  

 

The Southern Kingdom is called Judah in the Bible and included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Jerusalem remained the capital of the Southern Kingdom and the Temple built by King Solomon remained its worship center. There were twenty kings of Judah that reigned four hundred twenty-two years until the Babylonians conquered them. After King Solomon, only eight of them are said to have done what was good in the eyes of Yahweh. These good kings were Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Azariah, Jotham, Hezekiah and Josiah. The best one was King Hezekiah who was the king when Assyria conquered the Northern Kingdom.

 

“In Yahweh Elohim of Israel he trusted; and after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor was there among those before him. He clung to Yahweh and did not withdraw from following Him; he kept His instructions that Yahweh had enjoined on Moses.” (2 Kings 18:5-6)

 

The Babylonian Empire (also called the Chaldeans) invaded the Southern Kingdom and took some of its people into captivity. At this time they did not destroy Jerusalem or the Temple. The King of Babylon appointed Zedekiah to be a vassal king of Judah. 

 

“Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; his mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah. He did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh according to all that Jehoiakim had done. For it was on account of Yahweh’s anger that this occurred in Jerusalem and in Judah, until He had flung them away from on His presence. Zedekiah revolted against the king of Babylon.” (2 Kings 24:18-20)

 

Yahweh warned Zedekiah, through the prophet Jeremiah, not to revolt.

 

“Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, Thus says Yahweh Elohim of hosts, Elohim of Israel: If you shall go forth, yea go forth to the chief officials of the king of Babylon, your soul will live, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you will live, you and your household. Yet if you do not go forth to the chief officials of the king of Babylon, this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire, and as for you, you shall not escape from their hand.” (Jeremiah 38:17-18)

 

Zedekiah did not listen and revolted. The armies of Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar II again invaded Judah and destroyed the walls of Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and deported most of the remaining people to Babylon where they would remain for seventy years.

 

 

Chapter 12

Age Five Continues

The Prophets

Isaiah through Malachi

 

The Bible books known as the Old Testament are almost exclusively concerned with the history of the people of Israel from their exodus out of slavery in Egypt to the Babylonian captivity. This is a period of around nine hundred years.  

 

Before we cover what happened during and after the Babylonian captivity, we will briefly look at some of the Prophets of Israel.

 

As I said before, Moses was the first Prophet of Israel and repeatedly warned Israel about being unfaithful to Yahweh. Before he died, Moses told Israel that he knew they would be unfaithful and would be expelled from the land. Nevertheless, Yahweh would show compassion to them and would see to it that they returned to the land.

 

“It will come to be, when all these things come on you, the blessing and the malediction which I put before you, that you will recall them to your heart among all the nations where Yahweh your Elohim will have expelled you and that you will return again to Yahweh your Elohim and hearken to His voice according to all that I am instructing you today, you and your sons, with all your heart and with all your soul. Then Yahweh your Elohim will reverse your captivity and show compassion to you; He will return and convene you from all the peoples where Yahweh your Elohim will have scattered you.” (Deuteronomy 30:1-3)

 

The unfaithfulness of Israel and the calls for repentance by the Prophets were repeated over and over during the reign of the kings of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. As we have seen, Yahweh finally allowed both Kingdoms to be conquered by their enemies and removed from the promised land, just as Moses had warned. 

 

The Prophet Elijah performed eight miracles recorded in the Bible, including raising a woman’s son from the dead.

 

“Yahweh my Elohim, I pray, let the soul of this boy turn back on within him. Yahweh hearkened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the boy turned back on within him, and he revived. Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper chamber to the house and gave him to his mother. Then Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.” (1 Kings 17:22-23)

 

Elijah was unique among all the Prophets, for he was taken up by God into the heavens in a fiery chariot and his body never found.

 

“Now it occurred while they were walking, and speaking as they walked that, behold, a fiery chariot with fiery horses appeared; they caused the two of them to part, and Elijah ascended in a tempest to the heavens.” (2 Kings 2:11)

  

The Prophet Elisha succeeded Elijah and the Bible records seven miracles performed by him. One was the resurrection to life of the son of a widow.

 

 “And Elisha came into the house, and lo, the youth is dead, laid on his bed, and he went in and shut the door upon them both, and prayed unto Yahweh. And he goes up, and lies down on the lad, and puts his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands, and stretched himself upon him, and the flesh of the lad became warm; and he turns back and walked in the house, and goes up and stretches himself upon him, and the youth sneezes seven times, and the youth opens his eyes. And he calls unto Gehazi, and says, `Call unto this Shunammite;' and he calls her, and she comes in unto him, and he says, `Lift up thy son.' “ (2 Kings 4:32-37)

 

The Prophet Ezekiel promised a day when Yahweh would bring Israel back into the promised land as a united Kingdom and change their hearts.

 

“Therefore say, Thus says my Lord Yahweh: Though I have removed them far among the nations, and though I have scattered them among the lands, yet I shall become a Sanctuary to them a little while in the lands where they have come. Therefore say, Thus says my Lord Yahweh: I will convene you from the peoples and gather you from the lands in which you have been scattered, and give you the ground of Israel. And they will come back here and take away all its abominations and all its abhorrences from it. Then I will give them another heart, And a new spirit shall I bestow within them, I will take away the heart of stone from their flesh, And I will give them a heart of flesh, That they may walk in My statutes, And they may observe My ordinances and obey them; So they will become My people, And I Myself shall become their Elohim, says Yahweh.” (Ezekiel 11:16-20)

Then I will take you from the nations and gather you together from all the lands, And I will bring you to your own ground. I will sprinkle clean water on you, And you will be clean from all your uncleannesses, And from all your idol clods I shall cleanse you. I will give you a new heart, And a new spirit will I bestow within you, And I will take away the heart of stone from your flesh, And I will give you a heart of flesh. My spirit shall I bestow within you, And I will make it that you shall walk in My statutes and observe My ordinances, And you will obey them. Then you will dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers, And you will become My people, And I shall become your Elohim.” (Ezekiel 36:24-28)

 

“The word of Yahweh came to me, saying: as for you, son of humanity, take for yourself one stick, and write on it: For Judah and for the sons of Israel joined with him; then take another stick, and write on it: For Joseph (Ephraim’s stick) and all the house of Israel joined with him…I will make them one stick, and they will become one in My hand.” (Ezekiel 37:15-16, 19)

I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king for them all. They shall not longer be two nations, nor shall they be divided into two kingdoms any longer. They shall not defile themselves any longer with their idol clods, with their abominations and with all their transgressions. I will save them from all their backslidings in which they have sinned and will cleanse them. They will become My people, and I Myself shall become their Elohim. My servant David will be king over them, and there shall come to be one shepherd for them all. They shall walk in My ordinances and observe My statutes, and they will do them.” (Ezekiel 37:22-24)

 

The Prophet Isaiah told Israel of a coming king who would sit on the throne of David and rule righteously over the kingdom of Israel. He would redeem them from their enemies and gather them from the ends of the Earth back into the promised land. He would then pardon all their depravity and no longer remember their sins.

 

“For a Boy, He is born to us; A Son, He is given to us, And the chieftainship shall come to be on His shoulder, And one shall call His name Marvelous; Counsel to the master shall He bring, Unto the chief, well-being. To the increase of the chieftainship And to the well-being there will be no end; On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to brace it with right judgment and with justice, Henceforth and in the future eon, The zeal of Yahweh of hosts, it shall achieve this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

 

“For I, Yahweh, am your Elohim, The Holy One of Israel, your Redeemer…Do not fear, for I am with you! From the east I shall bring your seed, And from the west I shall convene you. I shall say to the north, Give, And to the south, Do not lose off; Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 43:5-6)

 

“Be jubilant, heavens! And exult, earth! Let jubilant song burst forth, mountains, For Yahweh comforts His people, And He is having compassion on His humbled ones. Yet Zion is saying, Yahweh has forsaken me, And Yahweh Himself has forgotten me. Shall a woman forget her infant, Or to have compassion on the son of her belly? Even if these should forget, Yet I Myself shall not forget you!”  (Isaiah 49:13-15)

 

The prophet Jeremiah prophesied that Israel would return to the promised land seventy years after the Babylonian captivity.

 

“For this is the covenant which I shall contract with the house of Israel after those days, averring is Yahweh: I will put My law within them, And I shall write it on their heart; I will become their Elohim, And they shall become My people. No longer shall they teach, each man his associate, And each man his brother, Saying: Know Yahweh! For they all shall know Me, From the smallest of them to the greatest of them, averring is Yahweh; For I shall pardon their depravity, And I shall not remember their sin any longer.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

 

"For thus said Yahweh, surely at the fulness of Babylon--seventy years--I inspect you, and have established towards you My good word, to bring you back unto this place." (Jeremiah 29:10)

 

The prophet Micah prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

 

“And you, Bethlehem Ephratah, inferior to be among the mentors of Judah, from you shall One fare forth for Me to become the Ruler in Israel.” (Micah 5:2)

 

The Prophet Malachi was the final Prophet mentioned in the Old Testament. After him, there were no other prophets until John the Baptist appeared at the time of the birth of Jesus. In the final prophecy of the Old Testament, Malachi said Yahweh would send Elijah the Prophet to announce the time of restoration of the people.

 

“Behold, I will send to you Elijah, the prophet, before the coming of the great and advent day of Yahweh. And he will restore the heart of the fathers to the sons and the heart of the sons to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth to its doom.” (Malachi 4:5-6)

 

In between Moses and Malachi there were many Prophets. Twenty of them lived during the reign of the kings of the Northern and Southern kingdoms. The most famous of these prophets other than Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Micah, and Malachi was Daniel.

 

I will have much to say about the prophet Daniel in later chapters.

 

There are many more passages of Scripture I could quote, but I think you get the point. Yahweh is faithful and will fulfill all promises He has made to Israel by its prophets, regardless of how unfaithful Israel was and is to Him! 

 

The rest of this book will be focused on how Yahweh fulfills His promises to Israel, and it will reveal Yahweh’s plan for the rest of humanity – the other nations.

 

Chapter 13

Age Five Continues

The Kingdom of Judah in Babylon

Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel

 

In previous chapters we saw that the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom were both removed from the promised land for their disobedience and unfaithfulness to Yahweh. 

 

The book of Ezra covers the period after that removal. 

 

Babylon was conquered by the Medes and Persians. Cyrus, one of the Kings of Persia, ordered the rebuilding of a Temple for Yahweh in Jerusalem. He allowed any Jews living in Babylon to return to help build the Temple.  

 

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to conclude the word of Yahweh from the mouth of Jeremiah, Yahweh roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he caused a notification to pass through all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying, Thus speaks Cyrus king of Persia: Yahweh Elohim of the heavens has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He Himself has committed to me to build for Him a House in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Anyone among you of all His people, may his Elohim be with him. Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and let him rebuild the House of Yahweh Elohim of Israel. He is the One, Elohim, Who is in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:1-3)

 

Over forty thousand returned. As Jeremiah had prophesied, this return occurred seventy years after Judah had been conquered by the Babylonian Empire.

 

The book of Nehemiah is about the rebuilding of Jerusalem with the approval of King Artaxerxes of Persia. After the walls were rebuilt, many more Jews started coming to Jerusalem to make their home.

 

The book of Esther tells the story of a Jewish woman among the captives of Babylon who became queen of Persia under the reign of the Persian King Ahasuerus. Yahweh used her position to save the Jewish people from being destroyed by their enemies while in captivity.

 

The book of Daniel was written by one of the earliest deportees during the conquest of the southern kingdom of Judah by Babylon. While in Babylon he became a chief officer in the kingdom. He came to power by interpreting a dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. 

 

“You, O king, you were perceiving, and lo, one great image. This image was grand, its aspect excelling, set up in your view, and its appearance was terrifying. This image, its head was of good gold, its chest and its arms were of silver, its belly and its thighs of copper, its legs of iron, its feet, part of them of iron and part of them of clay. You were perceiving until a stone was severed from a mountain, not by hands, and it collided with the image at its feet of iron and clay and pulverized them. Then, all at once, the iron, the clay, the copper, the silver, and the gold were pulverized and became as chaff from summer threshing sites; and the wind lifted them up, and not a trace at all was found of them. And the stone that collided with the image became a vast mountain range and filled the whole earth. This is the dream, and its interpretation shall we state before the king.” (Daniel 2:31-36)

 

Daniel explained the dream to the king. He told him that the image showed a succession of great kings and kingdoms of humanity, beginning with King Nebuchadnezzar, who was represented in the image as the head of gold. All these kingdoms will come to an end and be replaced by the Kingdom of God, which will never end.

 

“In their days, that is, of these kings, the Eloah of the heavens shall set up a kingdom that for the eons shall not come to harm, nor shall His kingdom be left to another people. It shall pulverize and terminate all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for the eons.” (Daniel 2:44)

 

Daniel received other visions which he did not fully understand because they were for the time of the end of age five. The understanding of the words given him were to be sealed until the end of age five.  Daniel was assured that he would stand in that day, apparently referring to his resurrection.

 

“As for me, I heard, yet I did not understand. So, I said, My lord, what will be after these things? And he replied, Go, Daniel, for the words are stopped up and sealed until the era of the end. Many shall purify and whiten themselves and be refined; yet the wicked will act wickedly. None of all the wicked shall understand; yet the intelligent are understanding…Now you, go on to the end, and you shall rest and stand up for your lot at the end of the days.” (Daniel 12:8-13)

 

Chapter 14

Age Five Continues

The Future of Israel Revealed to Daniel

Daniel 9

Daniel and Revelation are two of the most important books of the Bible when determining Yahweh’s plan for Israel. As stated earlier, Daniel was taken captive to Babylon in its invasion of the Southern Kingdom. After interpreting the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel and three of his friends were promoted to high positions in the kingdom of Babylon.

 

“Then king Nebuchadnezzar himself fell on his face and bowed down to Daniel, and he ordered that an approach present and fragrant incense be offered up to him. The king was responding to Daniel and saying, In verity your Eloah, He is the Eloah of Elohim, the Lord of kings, and the only Revealer of hidden secrets, for you were able to reveal this secret. Then the king elevated Daniel and granted to him immense, huge gifts; he gave him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him grandee of the prefects who were over all the wise men of Babylon. As for Daniel, he petitioned the king, and he assigned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Yet Daniel was in the gateway of the king.” (Daniel 2:46-49)

 

Seventy years later, Daniel was reading from the prophecy of Jeremiah about the sins of Israel that had caused Yahweh to send the Babylonian empire to conquer and remove the Southern Kingdom from the promised land.

 

“Therefore, thus says Yahweh of hosts: Because you do not hearken to My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, averring is Yahweh, and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I will bring them against this land, against its dwellers and against all these nations round about…and this land will become a waste, a desolation, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” (Jeremiah 25:8-9, 11)

 

Daniel prayed, confessing the sins of Israel, and asked if there would come a time when His people would stop rebelling. 

 

“We have sinned, and we have been depraved: we have acted wickedly and have revolted; we have withdrawn from your instructions and from Your ordinances, and we have not hearkened to Your servants the prophets...all the people of Israel, the near and the far, in all the lands where you have expelled them for their offenses with which they offend You. With You, O Yahweh, is righteousness, yet with us is shame of face: with our kings, with our chiefs, with our fathers, since we have sinned against you… My Lord, hear! My Lord, pardon! My Lord, attend and do! Thou must not be delaying on Thine own account, my Elohim, for Thy name is called over Thy city and over Thy people, Israel." (Daniel 9:5-7, 19)

 

Yahweh answered the prayer and sent His messenger Gabriel to tell Daniel that a period of seventy-sevens had been determined to bring about the fulfillment of His promises to Israel and the anointing of the Messiah.

 

"Seventy sevens are segregated for your people and for your holy city: to detain transgression, to make sin come to an end, to make a propitiatory shelter for depravity; to bring the righteousness of the eons, to seal the vision and the prophetic word, to anoint the holy of holies." (Daniel 9:24)

 

Gabriel told Daniel that this period of seventy-sevens would begin with a decree issued for Jerusalem to be rebuilt. He told him from that decree to the coming of Messiah would be sixty-nine sevens, yet the Messiah would be cut off without being anointed.  

 

"Now you should know and be intelligent: From the going forth of the word to cause a return and to rebuild Jerusalem - from then until Messiah the Governor is seven sevens, and sixty-two sevens...It shall return and be rebuilt, square and salient, even in the constraint of the times. After the sixty-two sevens, Messiah shall be cut off, and there will be no adjudication for Him." (Daniel 9:25-26)

 

The book of Ezra records several decrees of Persian kings allowing the return of the Jewish people to the promised land. One of them was by the Persian King Cyrus, who had been named by the prophet Isaiah as one who would help Israel. 

  

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to conclude the word of Yahweh from the mouth of Jeremiah, Yahweh roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he caused a notification to pass through all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying, Thus speaks Cyrus king of Persia: Yahweh Elohim of the heavens has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He Himself has committed to me to build for Him a House in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Anyone among you of all His people, may his Elohim be with him. Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and let him rebuild the House of Yahweh Elohim of Israel. He is the One, Elohim, Who is in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:1-4)

 

Years later, the Persian King Artaxerxes also allowed anyone from Israel to return to the land.

 

“Artaxerxes king of kings, to Ezra the priest, scholar in the edict of the Eloah of the heavens. Peace being perfected! And now a decree is being promulgated from me, that anyone in my kingdom who is from the people of Israel and its priests and Levites and who is willing to go to Jerusalem with you, may go.” (Ezra 7:12-13)

 

They rebuilt the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. This second Temple remained intact until 70 AD, when the Roman Empire destroyed the walls of Jerusalem and the Temple and scattered the people of Israel among the Roman Empire.

 

Miraculously, after more than eighteen hundred years another decree was issued in 1917 by the British Empire which declared portions of Palestine to be a national homeland for the Jews. The British had become administrators of the land of Israel when the territories of Palestine were conceded to them by the Ottoman Empire following World War I. The people of Israel started returning to the promised land in significant numbers, and on May 14, 1948, Israel declared their national independence, with the support of the United Nations, and have been the independent State of Israel since that time. 

 

Today, Israel is one of the smallest yet most prosperous nations of the world. Jews from all over the world continue to return to the land each year. Nevertheless, Israel controls only a small part of the land it possessed before the Assyrian and Babylonian conquests, and even a smaller portion of the land Yahweh promised Abraham.

 

The final seven of Daniel’s seventy-sevens will begin sometime in the future. The New Testament book of Revelation gives details of that future seven, which I will discuss later in this book. At its end, Yahweh will bring righteousness to the Earth, finish the prophetic word, and the Messiah of Israel will be anointed.

Chapter 15

Age Five Continues

From the Birth of Jesus to His Death and Resurrection

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

 

So far in our walk through the Bible we have looked at the history of Israel recorded in the Old Testament books of the Bible. Now we begin our walk through the New Testament books of the Bible. 

 

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John detail the life of Jesus from His birth to His death and resurrection. 

 

When it was time for God the Father to send His Son to Earth, the power of God miraculously impregnated a young Jewish woman named Mary. At the time, Mary was engaged to a Jewish man named Joseph. 

 

"The scroll of the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham…” (Matthew 1:1)

 

Both Mary and Joseph were from the tribe of Judah and descendants of both Abraham and King David. God sent His messenger to tell Joseph and Mary to name the baby boy Jesus which means "to save, deliver.”

 

"At the espousal of His mother, Mary, to Joseph, ere their coming together, she was found pregnant by holy spirit.” (Matthew 1:18)

 

"... you shall be calling his name Jesus, for He shall be saving His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

 

"Lo! the virgin shall be pregnant and shall be bringing forth a Son, and they shall be calling His name Emmanuel, which is, being construed, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

 

Jesus is unique in His human form – for He is both the Son of God the Father and the Son of a human. The Bible calls Him the firstborn of every creature, and the express Image of the invisible God. He is the prototype of what humanity will become when the plans of Elohim are finished. The Son of God, Jesus, was incarnated as human to reveal the love of God for His creation by rescuing and saving humanity from the darkness of sin.  

 

“Who rescues us out of the jurisdiction of Darkness, and transports us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we are having the deliverance, the pardon of sins, Who is the Image of the invisible God, Firstborn of every creature…” (Colossians 1:13-15)

 

As a descendant of King David, Jesus was humanly qualified to be a king of Israel. The miracles He performed in the land of Israel and His resurrection to life after death proved that He was the Son of God and the Jewish Messiah – the Christ. 

 

Yet the Jewish leaders rejected Him and had him killed by the Roman government. As the Son of God, He could have called down legions of heavenly messengers to rescue Him from death, but He submitted to death on the cross because it was the will of God the Father. Jesus was the final and perfect blood sacrifice required by the Law of Moses to atone for the sins of Israel and the whole world. The sacrifice of Jesus took away the sins of humanity.

 

“Yet what God announces before through the mouth of all the prophets - the suffering of His Christ - He thus fulfills.” (Acts 3:18)

 

"Lo! I am arriving to do Thy will, O God...This One, when offering one sacrifice for sins, is seated to a finality at the right hand of God…" (Hebrews 10:9)

 

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but grew up in Nazareth, both small towns in the land of Israel. The Bible says little about His childhood, but around the age of thirty He begin His ministry to Israel. To mark the beginning of His ministry, the prophet John the Baptist baptized Him in the Jordan River and called Him the Lamb of God, the Son of God who would take away the sin of the world.

 

“…he is observing Jesus coming toward him, and is saying, “Lo! the Lamb of God Which is taking away the sin of the world…This One is the Son of God.” (John 1:29, 34)

 

God the Father then authenticated what John had said with His own voice from out of the heavens.

 

“And it occurred in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and is baptized in the Jordan by John. And straightway, stepping up out of the water, He perceived the heavens rent, and the spirit, as a dove, descending and remaining on Him. And a voice came out of the heavens, "Thou art My Son, the Beloved; in Thee I delight.” (Mark 1:9-11)

 

After being baptized, Jesus began preaching to Israel about the kingdom of God, calling on them to repent and believe the good news (evangel/gospel).

 

"Fulfilled is the era, and near is the ( kingdom of God! Repent, and believe in the evangel!” (Mark 1:15)

 

His message was that the kingdom of God was near, but Israel needed to repent and believe this good news. If so, God would once again bless them, defeat their enemies, and restore their kingdom. Even after Jesus was crucified, the same message of repentance was offered to Israel through the apostle Peter as recorded in the first part of the book of Acts.

 

"Let all the house of Israel know certainly, then, that God makes Him Lord as well as Christ -- this Jesus Whom you crucify!" Now, hearing this, their heart was pricked with compunction. Besides, they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "What should we be doing, men, brethren?" Now Peter is averring to them, "Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the pardon of your sins, and you shall be obtaining the gratuity of the holy spirit. For to you is the promise and to your children, and to all those afar, whosoever the Lord our God should be calling to Him.” (Acts 2:36-39)

 

Baptism would demonstrate their repentance and they would be empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

 

Jesus traveled about Israel for about four years performing miracles to confirm that He was the Christ. These miracles included raising the dead, healing the sick, calming storms, and casting out demons who were possessing some of the people. The apostle John closes his gospel by saying that if all were written down that Jesus had done, the world would not be big enough to contain such a book.

 

“Now there are many other things also, which Jesus does, which, if they should be written, one by one, I am surmising not even the world itself would contain the written scrolls.” (John 21:25)

 

Despite that, the Jewish religious leaders rejected Him and sentenced Him to death for claiming to be the Son of God, which they thought to be blasphemy. The Jewish leaders handed Him over to the Romans to be crucified, where he died on a cross used to execute criminals, and was entombed. Again, the apostle John wrote that His death was not only the necessary sacrifice for the sins Israel, but for the sins of the whole world. 

 

“And He is the propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins, yet concerned not with ours only, but concerned with the whole world also.” (1 John 2:2)

 

The Passover festival that year had begun at sunset on a Tuesday, and Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples that night. Sometime that night he was arrested, brought before the Jewish high priest, and tried for the crime of blasphemy. They found Him guilty and worthy of death. But because they had no power to execute Him, they delivered Him over to Pilot, the Roman leader in charge of Jerusalem. They asked that Jesus be crucified. Sometime Wednesday morning, Pilot ordered His crucifixion, and around noon He was nailed to the cross. He died about three hours later and just before sundown on Wednesday, Jesus was placed in the tomb. 

Wednesday night passes...Thursday passes...Thursday night passes...Friday passes...Friday night passes...Saturday passes - three full nights and three full days to fulfill His words concerning the final sign God would give Israel to prove He was their Messiah.

 

“Yet He, answering, said to them, "A generation, wicked and an adulteress, for a sign is seeking, and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For even as Jonah was in the bowel of the sea monster three days and three nights, thus will the Son of Mankind be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” (Matthew 12:39-40)

 

At sundown on Saturday evening Jesus came to life, and as we shall see, the ransom, redemption and salvation of humanity was secured!

 

At daybreak on Sunday, the first day of the week after His resurrection, some of the women came to the tomb. They would be the first ones to hear that He was alive.

 

“Now after the sabbaths, at the lighting up into the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to behold the sepulcher. And lo! a great quake occurred, for a messenger of the Lord, descending out of heaven and approaching, rolls away the stone from the door and sat upon it. Now he was, to the perception, as lightning, and his apparel white as if snow. Now from fear of him the keepers quaked and became as the dead. Now, answering, the messenger said to the women, "Fear you not! For I am aware that you are seeking Jesus, the Crucified. He is not here, for He was roused, according as He said. Hither! Perceive the place where the Lord lay. And, swiftly going, say to His disciples that He was roused from the dead, and lo! He is preceding you into Galilee. There you will see Him. Lo! I told you!" And coming away swiftly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to report to His disciples.” (Matthew 28:1-8)

 

Over the next forty days Jesus was seen by Peter, His twelve disciples and apostles, His brother James, and more than 500 people at one time. 

 

“Christ died for our sins accor   ding to the scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He has been roused the third day according to the scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, thereupon by the twelve. Thereupon He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once...” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

 

On the fortieth day after His resurrection Jesus was with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. As they watched, Jesus ascended through the clouds into the heavens. They were told that Jesus would return just as they had seen Him go.

 

“The Lord, indeed, then, after speaking with them, was taken up into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19)

 

"And saying these things, while they are looking, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him up from their eyes. And as they were looking intently into heaven at His going, lo! two men stand beside them in white attire, who say also, Men! Galileans! Why do you stand, looking into heaven? This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven. Then they return into Jerusalem from the mount called Olive.” (Acts 1:9-12)

 

Before His crucifixion, Jesus had told His Jewish followers that He was going to be rejected and killed, but afterward He would go to prepare a place for them and return.

 

"Let not your heart be disturbed. Believe in God, and believe in Me. In My Father's house are many abodes; yet if not I would have told you, for I am going to make ready a place for you. And if I should be going and making ready a place for you, I am coming again and I will be taking you along to Myself, that where I am, you also may be. And where I am going you are aware, and of the way you are aware." (John 14:1-7)

  

Chapter 16

Age Five Continues

The Calling of Saul (Paul)

Acts

Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus was transfigured back into His immortal spiritual body while ascending through the clouds into heaven. There He would take His place again beside God, His heavenly Father.

Ten days after His ascension, the apostle Peter and the other apostles were filled with the power of God, the Holy Spirit which Jesus had promised to send. It was and is a source of power, truth, and comfort to those who believe Jesus is the Christ and the Savior of the world.

“It is expedient for you that I may be coming away, for if I should not be coming away, the consoler will not be coming to you." Now if I should be gone, I will send him to you… whenever that may be coming - the spirit of truth -it will be guiding you into all the truth, for it will not be speaking from itself, but whatsoever it should be hearing will it be speaking, and of what is coming will it be informing you." That will be glorifying Me, seeing that of Mine will it be getting, and informing you." (John 16:7-8, 13-14)

From that time forward the disciples of Jesus started telling the people of Israel that Jesus was their Messiah/Christ and that they were eyewitnesses of His resurrection. They informed them that if all Israel would repent of their rejection and killing of Jesus, He would return to deliver Israel from their enemies and begin the restoration of all God had promised.

"Yet the Inaugurator of Life you kill, Whom God rouses from among the dead, of which we are witnesses… Repent, then, and turn-about for the erasure of your sins, so that the seasons of refreshing should be coming from the face of the Lord, and He should dispatch the One fixed upon before you, Christ Jesus, Whom heaven must indeed receive until the times of restoration of all which God speaks through the mouth of His holy prophets who are from the eon." (Acts 3:15-21)

Peter and the other disciples of Jesus spoke to the Jews living within the promised land. Peter and Mark also went to the people of Israel still living in Babylon with the good news about Jesus. We know this because Peter wrote the book of first Peter from Babylon.

“Greeting you is the ecclesia in Babylon, chosen together with you, and Mark, my son.” (1 Peter 5:13)

There was still a large block of Jews in Babylon in the time of Jesus, so Peter and Mark had gone there because Peter had been commissioned as the Apostle “of the Circumcision,” a reference to the people of Israel. Paul explains this in his letter to the Galatians.

“I have been entrusted with the evangel of the Uncircumcision, according as Peter of the Circumcision (for He Who operates in Peter for the apostleship of the Circumcision operates in me also for the nations), and, knowing the grace which is being given to me, James and Cephas and John, who are supposed to be pillars, give to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we, indeed, are to be for the nations, yet they for the Circumcision.” (Galatians 2:7-9)

 

Before Paul became a believer in Jesus, he was known as Saul of Tarsus and was a zealous follower of the Law of Moses. While working for the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, he traveled to Damascus to arrest some of the Jewish followers of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem. On the way, Jesus appeared to him. 

“Now in his going he came to be nearing Damascus. Suddenly a light out of heaven flashes about him. And falling on the earth, he hears a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"  Yet he said, "Who art Thou, Lord?" Yet He said, "I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting. Nevertheless, rise and enter the city, and it will be spoken to you what you must be doing." (Acts 9:3-6)

Saul became a believer that Jesus is the Christ, and he too initially preached only to the Jews living outside the land of Israel. Later he was entrusted by Jesus with the job of taking God’s message of salvation to the rest of the nations. At that time, his Hebrew name Saul changed to the Greek name Paul in the text of the New Testament.

“Now to you am I saying, to the nations, in as much as, indeed, then, I am the apostle of the nations…” (Romans 11:13)

After his conversion, Paul went into Arabia, and stayed three years. While in Arabia Jesus told him what he was to preach to all nations, including various secrets previously hidden from humanity.

“For I am making known to you, brethren, as to the evangel which is being brought by me, that it is not in accord with man. For neither did I accept it from a man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ…Now, when it delights God, Who severs me from my mother's womb and calls me through His grace, to unveil His Son in me that I may be evangelizing Him among the nations, I did not immediately submit it to flesh and blood, neither came I up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I came away into Arabia, and I return again to Damascus. Thereupon, after three years, I came up to Jerusalem to relate my story to Cephas, and I stay with him fifteen days.” (Galatians 1:11-13, 15-18)

“Now to Him Who is able to establish you in accord with my evangel, and the heralding of Christ Jesus in accord with the revelation of a SECRET hushed in times eonian, yet manifested now and through prophetic scriptures, according to the injunction of the eonian God being made known to all nations for faith-obedience -- to the only, and wise God, through Christ Jesus, be glory for the eons of the eons. Amen!” (Romans 16:25-27)

In speaking to Israelites, Paul tried to convince them that Jesus was their Messiah and was the Son of God. Paul was a traveling tentmaker by trade, and in towns he entered he would go first to the Jewish synagogues to tell Israelites about Jesus.

“Now Paul, rising and gesturing with his hand, said “Men, Israelites, and those who are fearing God, hear! The God of this people Israel chooses our fathers and exalts the people in the sojourn in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led them out of it.” (Acts 13:16-17)

Paul would relate the history of Israel up to King David and told those in the synagogue that Jesus was the seed of King David who would be anointed the Messiah and King over Israel. He told them that even though the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem had rejected Him, upon their repentance He would return.

“From this one’s seed, God, according to the promise, led to Israel a Savior, Jesus…"Men! Brethren! Sons of the race of Abraham, and those among you who are fearing God! To us was the word of this salvation dispatched. For those dwelling in Jerusalem and their chiefs, being ignorant of Him and of the voices of the prophets which are read on every sabbath, fulfill them in judging Him. And, finding not one cause of death, they request Pilate to have Him dispatched. Now as they accomplish all that which is written concerning Him, taking Him down from the pole, they place Him in a tomb. Yet God rouses Him from among the dead…Let it then be known to you, men, brethren that through this One is being announced to you the pardon of sins, and from all from which you could not be justified in the law of Moses, in this One everyone who is believing is being justified… Now the synagogue having broken up, many of the Jews and the reverent proselytes follow Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to remain in the grace of God.” (Acts 13:23, 26-30, 38-39, 43)

One sabbath day, the whole city of Antioch came to hear Paul, both Israelites and Gentiles. Seeing that the Gentiles were gathered, the Jews began contradicting Paul’s message because they did not believe that God would have anything to do with Gentiles, the people of other nations. Paul then told the Jews...

“To you first was it necessary that the word of God be spoken. Yet, since, in fact, you are thrusting it away, and are judging yourselves not worthy of eonian life, lo! we are turning to the nations. For thus the Lord has directed us: I have appointed Thee for a light of the nations; for Thee to be for salvation as far as the limits of the earth.'" Now on hearing this, the nations rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and they believe, whoever were set for life eonian. Now the word of the Lord was carried through the whole country.” (Acts 13:46-49)

Throughout the book of Acts, Paul would first go to the Jews in each city with the good news about Jesus being their Messiah and Savior of all humanity. When the Jews would reject the message, Paul would then preach to the Gentiles and encourage them to believe in Jesus. An example was the gentile jailer in the town of Philippi, who asked how he could be saved.

"Masters, what must I be doing that I may be saved?" Now they say, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:31)

Sadly, as the book of Acts comes to an end, the leaders of Israel had again rejected Jesus as their Messiah and the Savior of the world. By this time, Paul was in jail in Rome. This is the account of his final appeal to Israel.

“Now setting a day for him, more came to him in the lodging, to whom he expounded, certifying to the kingdom of God, besides persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till dusk. And these, indeed, were persuaded by what is said, yet others disbelieved. Now there being disagreements one with another, they were dismissed, Paul making one declaration, that, "Ideally the holy spirit speaks through Isaiah the prophet, to your fathers, saying, 'Go to this people and say, "In hearing, you will be hearing, and may by no means be understanding, And observing, you will be observing, and may by no means be perceiving," For stoutened is the heart of this people, And with their ears heavily they hear, And with their eyes they squint, Lest at some time they may be perceiving with their eyes, And with their ears should be hearing, And with their heart may be understanding, And should be turning about, And I shall be healing them.' Let it be known to you, then, that to the nations was dispatched this salvation of God, and they will hear." (Acts 28:23-28)

The result is that the nation of Israel has continued in a state of unbelief for almost two thousand years. Its promised kingdom on Earth has been postponed until Jesus their Messiah returns. After this final rejection, Paul stopped trying to convince the Jewish leaders that Jesus was their Messiah.

"For I am not willing for you to be ignorant of this secret, brethren, lest you may be passing for prudent among yourselves, that callousness, in part, on Israel has come, until the complement of the nations may be entering. And thus, all Israel shall be saved, according as it is written, arriving out of Zion shall be the Rescuer. He will be turning away irreverence from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them whenever I should be eliminating their sins." (Romans 11:25-27)

 

Even though most Jews reject Jesus as the Messiah, God has always reserved for Himself a remnant among the people of Israel who believe Him. When Elijah the prophet thought he was the only one who had not forsaken Yahweh, he was told there were seven thousand others.

 

“He replied, I have been very zealous for Yahweh, Elohim of Hosts, for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant--Your altars they have thrown down, and Your prophets they have slain by the sword, and I am left, I, by myself, and they seek my life…And Yahweh said to him…I have left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal.” (1 Kings 19:14-15, 18)

 

The remnant during the period of the book of Acts were those Jews who believed Jesus was the Messiah and Savior of the world. The disciples of Jesus were obviously some of them, as well as the apostle Paul. Before His death, Jesus had sent his disciples to the people of Israel with the good news that their kingdom was near, reserved for them in the heavens. After His ascension back into the heavens, this same remnant was certain that Jesus would soon return to fulfill the promises that God had made to Israel. While waiting, the remnant preached to the Jews in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the limits of the Earth that Jesus was their Messiah and the Savior.

 

"Going then, disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to be keeping all, whatever I direct you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

“But you shall be obtaining power at the coming of the holy spirit on you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in entire Judea and Samaria, as far as the limits of the earth."  And saying these things, while they are looking, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him up from their eyes." (Acts 1:8-9)

 

Chapter 17

Age Five Continues

The Secrets Revealed to Paul

 

God has postponed the fulfillment of some of His promises to Israel. In the interim, Jesus selected the Apostle Paul to reveal the secrets of His plan for all humanity, both Jew and Gentile.  These secrets had been hidden from Israel. 

 

One of those secrets was that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross resulted in God being at peace with everyone in the world, regardless of how evil they were or would become.

 

“God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation. For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ's sake, "Be conciliated to God!" For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)

 

This conciliation (peace), however, is one-sided until a person believes that good news. When a person believes that God is at peace with him/her, then there is reconciliation – a two-sided peace between God and the person. 

 

Another secret revealed to Paul was that God’s plan for humanity is to reconcile the nation of Israel with the gentile nations. They would be a joint body, with the Lord Jesus Christ as the head of the joint body. Humanity will no longer be divided into the “Circumcision” (Israel) and the “Uncircumcision” (the rest of the nations).

“Wherefore, remember that once you, the nations in flesh -- who are termed 'Uncircumcision' by those termed 'Circumcision,' in flesh, made by hands -- that you were, in that era, apart from Christ, being alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and guests of the promise covenants, having no expectation, and without God in the world. Yet now, in Christ Jesus, you, who once are far off, are become near by the blood of Christ. For He is our Peace, Who makes both one, and razes the central wall of the barrier (the enmity in His flesh), nullifying the law of precepts in decrees, that He should be creating the two, in Himself, into one new humanity, making peace; and should be reconciling both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in it. And, coming, He brings the evangel of peace to you, those afar, and peace to those near, for through Him we both have had the access, in one spirit, to the Father. Consequently, then, no longer are you guests and sojourners, but are fellow citizens of the saints and belong to God's family, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the capstone of the corner being Christ Jesus Himself.” (Ephesians 2:11-20)

            

As one new humanity, they are at peace with one another as God Himself is now at peace with both. This one new humanity Paul calls the body of Christ, the Ecclesia. Ecclesia is the Greek word for Church.”

 

“And He is the Head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is Sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first, for in Him the entire complement delights to dwell, and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens. And you, being once estranged and enemies in comprehension, by wicked acts, yet now He reconciles by His body of flesh, through His death, to present you holy and flawless and unimpeachable in His sight.” (Colossians 1:18-22)

 

As we walk through those books of the New Testament written by the Apostle Paul, we will learn more about this one new humanity called the body of Christ, the Church.

 

Another secret revealed to Paul was the good news that the salvation of humanity was a gift to humanity (approach present), God made His Son Jesus a gracious sin offering on behalf of humanity.

 

"For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting. For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God makes ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Those who believe this good news of the grace of God become ambassadors for Christ and have been delivering this message for the past two thousand years.

Again, the book of Acts records the transition from God dealing exclusively with the promises God made to Israel, to the current era in which God is announcing the redemption, reconciliation, and salvation of all humanity by the blood of Jesus and the grace of God. 

 

Looking back on the beginning of that transition period, Paul writes to the Gentiles about the time before the secret of their salvation was revealed.

 

“You were, in that era, apart from Christ, being alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and guests of the promise covenants, having no expectation, and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12)

 

During this transition period, Paul was also shown that there would be an eventual reconciliation of all creation to God - heavenly beings (angels) as well as humans. Again, reconciliation is a term meaning both parties are at peace with each other.

 

“…through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.” (Colossians 1:20)

 

One more secret given to Paul was the details of the resurrection of humanity. It was revealed to Paul that the resurrection would involve the transformation the mortal body of flesh and blood into an immortal spiritual body like the glorious spiritual body Jesus and the angels now have. Generally, when Paul refers to salvation, he is referring to saving humanity from the old, dying mortal body of flesh and blood into an immortal spiritual body that cannot die.

 

“For our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which we are awaiting a Savior also, the Lord, Jesus Christ, Who will transfigure the body of our humiliation, to conform it to the body of His glory, in accord with the operation which enables Him even to subject all to Himself.” (Philippians 3:21)

 

“…in the resurrection neither are they marrying nor taking in marriage, but are as messengers of God in heaven.” (Matthew 22:30)

These secrets from the word of God are the truths that set me free from dependence on the various religious doctrines of humanity.

 

 “If ever you should be remaining in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will be making you free.” (John 8:31)

 

Unfortunately, it appears to me that these secrets are almost unknown among institutional Christianity in our current era. These institutions teach that most humans will be eternally separated from God rather than saved and reconciled to God. This error has prevented most people from knowing the truth about God’s plan for humanity. It has also resulted in the heretical and blasphemous teaching about eternal conscious torment in hell. Everyone, in my opinion, who believes in such a doctrine has withdrawn from the faith. None of them have yet been set free from deceiving spirits and the teaching of demons.

 

“Now the spirit is saying explicitly, that in subsequent eras some will be withdrawing from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons, in the hypocrisy of false expressions.” (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

 

“For such are false apostles, fraudulent workers, being transfigured into apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is being transfigured into a messenger of light. It is no great thing, then, if his servants also are being transfigured as dispensers of righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

The Apostle Paul regarded the separation of humanity into saved people and unsaved people as no gospel at all - and foolish. 

 

“I am marveling that thus, swiftly, you are transferred from that which calls you in the grace of Christ, to a different evangel, which is not another, except it be that some who are disturbing you want also to distort the evangel of Christ. But if ever we also, or a messenger out of heaven, should be bringing an evangel to you beside that which we bring to you, let him be anathema! As we have declared before and at present I am saying again, if anyone is bringing you an evangel beside that which you accepted, let him be anathema!” (Galatians 1:6-9)

 

“O foolish Galatians! Who bewitches you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was graphically crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you get the spirit by works of law or by hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:1-2)

 

Quite frankly, it is why I no longer attend an institutional church. I love the people and the fellowship but can no longer associate with false teaching about God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Before I left, I tried to point out these errors, but the traditions of men were too well established for them to change just because I encouraged them to do so. 

 

Jesus had the same problem with the Jewish religious institution, and lamented.

 

“Moreover, consequently, at the coming of the Son of Humanity, will He be finding the faith on the earth?" Now He said, also, to some who have confidence in themselves that they are just, and are scorning the rest, this parable: "Two men went up into the sanctuary to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a tribute collector. The Pharisee, standing, prayed this to himself: 'God, I am thanking you that I am not even as the rest of men, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tribute collector. I am fasting twice of a sabbath. I am taking tithes from all whatever I am acquiring.' Now the tribute collector, standing afar off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his chest, saying, 'God, make a propitiatory shelter for me, the sinner!' I am saying to you, this man descended to his home justified, rather than that one, for everyone who is exalting himself shall be humbled, yet he who is humbling himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:8-14)

 

I think many Christians will be astounded when they arrive before God to find that all humanity has been saved, not just those who joined their institutions. Tragically, in his final letter to Timothy, Paul said that all in Asia had departed from the good news of the salvation of all humanity by the grace of God, and he encouraged Timothy to correctly teach the truth because the error would spread like gangrene. It has!

“Of this you are aware, that all those in the province of Asia were turned from me, of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.” (2 Timothy 1:15)

“Of these things be reminding them…Endeavor to present yourself to God qualified, an unashamed worker, correctly cutting the word of truth. Yet from profane prattlings stand aloof, for they will be progressing to more irreverence, and their word will spread as gangrene…” (2 Timothy 2:14-17)

My hope is that this book will help prevent my children and grandchildren from being caught up in that error should they decide to attend services of institutional churches. 

In upcoming chapters of this book, I will take a close look at what the Bible teaches about the biblical Church, the true Church which is the body of Christ. We will see how all humanity gets into the Church, and when they get into the Church. I will set out the scripture which showed me that it is the will of God for all humanity to become members of the Church, the biblical body of Christ. 

But before we look further at the books written by the Apostle Paul to the joint body of Christ, we will briefly look into the New Testament books written specifically to the people of Israel.

 

Chapter 18

Age Five Continues

The Remnant of Israel

Hebrews, James, 1st and 2nd Peter, 1st, 2nd and 3rd John, Jude, and Revelation

The above books are letters written specifically to Jews who believe that Jesus is the Messiah. 

 

When Jesus did not return as soon as expected, some of this remnant began to doubt His return. These letters were written to give them strength to continue in their faith in Jesus as the promised Jewish Messiah. 

The book of Hebrews tells them to continue to have faith in what they were expecting and defines what faith is.

 

“Now faith is an assumption of what is being expected, a conviction concerning matters which are not being observed…” (Hebrews 11:1)

 

They were told not to doubt the promises of God and were reminded of the faith of their Jewish ancestors who died before seeing all the promises to Israel fulfilled. 

 

"In faith died all these, not being requited with the promises…wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be invoked as their God...” (Hebrews 11:13-16)

 

They were told to continue to meet and encourage one another with the promises God had made to Israel.

 

 “We may be retaining the promises of expectation without wavering, for faithful is He who promises. And we may be considering one another to encourage each other to love and ideal actions, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, according as the custom of some is, but entreating, and so much more as you are observing the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)

I will make one comment about “the assembling of ourselves” in the above verses. Regular assembling of believers in an institutional Christian church is NOT what is meant. It was for the JEWISH believers to not stop assembling themselves together as required in the law given through Moses.

 

"You are beholding, brother, how many tens of thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and all are inherently zealous for the law?” (Acts 21:20)

 

They were being instructed to assemble to encourage each other with the truth of the return of Jesus to fulfill God’s promises to Israel. We can still find this Jewish remnant today among those Jews who teach that Jesus is the Messiah and continue to follow the Torah. They are usually referred to as Messianic Jews. They are the remnant of Jews that God reserved for Himself during age five.

 

“But what is that which apprises saying to him? I left for Myself seven thousand men who do not bow the knee to the image of Baal. Thus, then, in the current era also, there has come to be a remnant according to the choice of grace.” (Romans 11:4-5)

 

The letter from James encouraged the remnant to rejoice in the promises God had made to Israel, even to rejoice in the various trials they were going through.

 

"James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion. Rejoice! All joy deem it, my brethren, whenever you should be falling into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith is producing endurance.” (James 1:1-3)

 

The letters from Peter, the recognized leader of the Messianic Jews, reminded the remnant that the promise of the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel is being kept in the heavens for them. 

 

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen expatriates of the dispersion… May grace and peace be multiplied to you…for the enjoyment of an allotment incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, kept in the heavens for you…” (1 Peter 1:1-2, 4)

 

The letters from John remind the remnant that they have fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus and that they are loved by God as His children. The second letter tells them they have grace, mercy, and peace from God and Jesus. And the third letter tells them to imitate the goodness of God.

 

“…this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3-4)

 

“Perceive what manner of love the Father has given us, that we may be called the children of God!" (1 John 3:1)

 

“With us will be grace, mercy, peace from God, the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” (2 John 1:3)

 

“Beloved, do not be imitating the evil, but the good.  He who is doing good is of God.” (3 John 1:11)

 

The letter from Jude tells the remnant that they are beloved of God the Father and kept by the Lord Jesus Christ. He warned them to stay away from those among them who were disowning Jesus as the Messiah and Lord.

 

“Judas, a slave of Jesus Christ, yet a brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept by Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:1)

 

“For some men slip in…irreverent, bartering the grace of our God for wantonness, and disowning our only Owner and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4)

 

And in his book of Revelation, the Apostle John assured the remnant of Israel that Christ Jesus is coming again, and those watching for Him will be among those who reign with Him in the Kingdom.

 

 "…they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will be reigning with Him the thousand years." (Revelation 20:6)

 

The book of Revelation will be especially relevant to the Jewish remnant during the final seven years of this age. Revelation unveils to the unbelieving Jews the truth about Jesus. In fact, the word revelation means “unveiling.” It unveils to Israel their Messiah Jesus and tells them what will happen in the final seven of Daniel’s seventy sevens. 

 

“The Unveiling of Jesus Christ, which God gives to Him, to show to His slaves what must occur swiftly; and He signifies it, dispatching through His messenger to His slave John, who testifies to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, whatever he perceived. Happy is he who is reading and those who are hearing the word of the prophecy, and who are keeping that which is written in it, for the era is near.” (Revelation 1:1-3)

 

Chapter 19

Age Five Continues

The Ecclesia - The Body of Christ

Romans through Philemon

Paul's thirteen letters, Romans through Philemon, were written to and for all nations of the world. In these thirteen letters he reveals the plan of God to make all humanity into one joint body of Christ, the Church. As I stated earlier, this secret had been previously hidden from Israel and all other nations of the world.

 

"I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you, the nations - since surely you hear of the administration of the grace of God that is given me for you, for by revelation the secret is made known to me (according as I write in brief, by which you who are reading are able to comprehend my understanding of the secret of the Christ, which, in other generations, is not made known to the sons of humanity as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets): in spirit the nations are to be joint enjoyers of an allotment, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus, through the evangel of which I became the dispenser…To me, less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the evangel of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the secret, which has been concealed from the eons in God.” (Ephesians 3:1-9)

 

"Now to you am I saying, to the nations, in as much as, indeed, then, I am the apostle of the nations.” (Romans 11:13)

 

"For I am not making known to you, brethren, as to the evangel which is being brought by me, that it is not in accord with man. For neither did I accept it from a man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11-13)

 

Those who hear and believe the good news are placed in the body of Christ, also called the ecclesia, the Church. 

 

"...God placed the members, each one of them, in the body according as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:18)

 

"Now you are the body of Christ…" (1 Corinthians 12:27)

 

All who are placed into the body of Christ have invoked the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. The timing for when a person hears and believes is determined by God.

 

“Near you is the declaration, in your mouth and in your heart - that is, the declaration of faith which we are heralding" that, if ever you should be avowing with your mouth the declaration that Jesus is Lord, and should be believing in your heart that God rouses Him from among the dead, you shall be saved." For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, yet with the mouth it is avowed for salvation." For the scripture is saying: Everyone who is believing on Him shall not be disgraced. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same One is Lord of all, being rich for all who are invoking Him." For everyone, whoever should be invoking the name of the Lord, shall be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13)

 

As we shall see, every human will eventually be invoking Jesus as Lord. Only a relatively few in this age do so, but all will do so in one of the ages to follow. The Greek word for Church is "ecclesia" and means "called out.” Those who are called out of humanity and placed into the body of Christ are called “saints.” The word “saint” means set apart, or holy ones.

 

"...to the ecclesia of God which is in Corinth, hallowed in Christ Jesus, called saints, together with all in every place who are invoking the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:2)

 

 The builder, head, and Savior of the church is Christ Jesus. 

 

“…on this rock I will be building My ecclesia, and the gates of the unseen shall not be prevailing against it.” (Matthew 16:18-19)

 

"...Christ is the Head of the ecclesia, and the Savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:23)

 

To repeat, only a few are placed in the body of Christ during this present age five. The rest of humanity will be placed in the body of Christ during ages six and seven. Those currently in the body of Christ accept the following truth about Jesus.

 

 “…that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He has been roused the third day according to the scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

 

God alone determines when the above is heard and accepted, but to accept the truth one must hear about it from someone who has been commissioned to tell others the good news.  

 

“Yet how should they be hearing apart from one heralding? Yet how should they be heralding if ever they should not be commissioned? According as it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those bringing an evangel of good!” (Romans 10:14-15)

 

God commissioned the Apostle Paul to tell the whole world that the death, entombment, and resurrection of Jesus has guaranteed the salvation of humanity, and that this salvation was a gracious gift from God as the result of  Jesus Christ’s faith.

 

"Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest (being attested by the law and the prophets), yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, for all, and on all who are believing, for there is no distinction, for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-24)

 

“For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

 

"For the ration of Sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

 

"God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!) and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus, that, in the oncoming eons, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7)

 

Paul was chosen by Jesus to certify the good news of this grace of God. God's love manifests itself in the mercy and grace that He has shown to sinful people. Paul calls this the evangel of the grace the evangel of God.

 

“…I should be perfecting my career and the dispensation which I got from the Lord Jesus, to certify the evangel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24)

 

“Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, a called apostle, severed for the evangel of God (which He promises before through His prophets in the holy scriptures), concerning His Son (Who comes of the seed of David according to the flesh, Who is designated Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead), Jesus Christ, our Lord, through Whom we obtained grace and apostleship for faith-obedience among all the nations, for His name's sake, among whom are you also, the called of Jesus Christ: to all who are in Rome, beloved by God, called saints: Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:1-7)

 

“God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes.” (Romans 5:8)

 

Humanity sins; that is part of what we were designed to be able to do. The Hebrew word for sin means missing the target. In our flesh and blood bodies, humanity falls short of the target of perfection - the perfection found only in Jesus, who is the image of God. 

 

“…for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus (Whom God purposed for a Propitiatory shelter, through faith in His blood, for a display of His righteousness because of the passing over of the penalties of sins which occurred before in the forbearance of God), toward the display of His righteousness in the current era, for Him to be just and a Justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is debarred!” (Romans 3:23-27)

 

Because of sin, the flesh and blood bodies of humans cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Yet the love, mercy, and grace that God has for humanity has guaranteed that our mortal flesh and blood bodies will be transformed into a new, immortal, spiritual body after death. Jesus proved it could be done. He was the first to die, be brought back to life, and have His flesh and blood body made of soil transformed into an immortal body of pure spirit. The rest of humanity will follow according to the plan of God.

 

“And according as we wear the image of the soilish, we should be wearing the image also of the Celestial." Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the kingdom of God, neither is corruption enjoying the allotment of incorruption.” (1 Corinthians 15:49-50)

 

The blood of Jesus, shed for our sins, leaves nothing more that humanity must do to qualify for salvation and eventually enter the Kingdom of God. His blood was the final sacrifice for the sins of the people of Israel and for the sins of the whole world. 

 

“And He is the propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins, yet not ours only, but concerned with the whole world also.” (1 John 2:2)

 

God’s plan for the salvation of humanity into the glorious image of His Son is one of the secrets Paul was chosen to reveal, and part of the riches which had been kept a secret until revealed to Paul.

 

“Now the Lord is the spirit; yet where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Now we all, with uncovered face, mirroring the Lord's glory, are being transformed into the SAME IMAGE, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

 

“To me, less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the evangel of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the secret which has been concealed from the eons in God.” (Ephesians 3:1-5, 8-9)

 

Because humanity is saved by the grace of God, regardless of good or bad works, the body of Christ will eventually include all humanity. God predestined all humans to be disobedient sinners so that He may demonstrate His love, grace, and mercy by saving them all.

 

“For God locks up all together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to ALL. Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!” (Romans 11:29-33)

 

Every creature is destined to bow before God the Father and acclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord. God will exalt His Son Jesus for sacrificing Himself for the sins of humanity.

 

“For all of us shall be presented at the dais of God, for it is written: Living am I, the Lord is saying, For to Me shall bow every knee, And every tongue shall be acclaiming God!” (Romans 14:10-12)

 

"God highly exalts Him and graces Him with the Name that is above every name, that in the Name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, our Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

 

All of this was preordained by God before the ages were made, to magnify the glory of His grace. 

 

"...He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight, in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, for the laud of the glory of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:4-6)

 

Those who hear and believe the truth during this age are referred to by Paul as pre-expectant. As I said earlier, most humans will not be placed into the body of Christ until after they are resurrected from death. Then they will hear and believe the truth about Jesus – the gospel of their salvation. Christ will be the head of everything in the coming ages.

 

“…making known to us the secret of His will (in accord with His delight, which He purposed in Him) to have an administration of the complement of the eras, to head up all in the Christ -- both that in the heavens and that on the earth -- in Him in Whom our lot was cast also, being designated beforehand according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will, that we should be for the laud of His glory, who are PRE-EXPECTANT in the Christ. In Whom you also -- on hearing the word of truth, the evangel of your salvation -- in Whom on believing also, you are sealed with the holy spirit of promise (which is an earnest of the enjoyment of our allotment, to the deliverance of that which has been procured) for the laud of His glory!” (Ephesians 1:9-14)

The Apostle Paul was given the details of the resurrection. Humans are not all to be raised from death at the same time. It will occur in stages, or classes.

 

“Yet now Christ has been roused from among the dead, the Firstfruit of those who are reposing." For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead." For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class: the Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ’s in His presence; thereafter the consummation." (1 Corinthians 15:20-24)

 

The first to be resurrected to immortality was Jesus. The second group are those who are resurrected by Jesus when He returns to this Earth. At that time, they will receive an immortal glorified body like Jesus now has.

 

"Lo! a secret to you I am telling! We all, indeed, shall not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed...Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, swallowed up was Death by Victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)

 

“For our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which we are awaiting a Savior also, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transfigure the body of our humiliation, to conform it to the body of His glory…” (Philippians 3:20)

 

In another of his letters, the Apostle Paul refers to the resurrection of the second group as being snatched away (some call this the Rapture).

 

"Now we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are reposing, lest you may sorrow according as the rest, also, who have no expectation...the Lord Himself will be descending from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the Chief Messenger, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall be rising first. Thereupon we, the living who are surviving, shall at the same time be snatched away together with them in clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And thus shall we always be together with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

 

Those snatched away are the former resurrection spoken of by the Apostle John.

 

“Happy and holy is he who is having part in the former resurrection! Over these the second death has no jurisdiction, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will be reigning with him…” (Revelation 20:6)

The last group is most of humanity. They will be resurrected one thousand years after the second group and stand before the Great White Throne of God where they too will become believers. The events of the Great White Throne will be covered in Chapter 24 of this book. 

The ultimate home of humanity is in the New Heaven and New Earth, the Kingdom of God. They will be an eternal witness to the riches of the love, grace, and mercy of God the Father and His Son Jesus.

 

To summarize, when the plan of God is over, all humanity will have been redeemed from sin, saved out of death, reconciled to God, and added to the body of Christ because of  Jesus Christ’s faith, not because of anything they have done.

 

“Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest (being attested by the law and the prophets), yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, for all, and on all who are believing, for there is no distinction, for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-24)

 

“For if, by the offense of the one, death reigns through the one, much rather, those obtaining the superabundance of grace and the gratuity of righteousness shall be reigning in life through the One, Jesus Christ." Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all humanity for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all humanity for life's justifying." For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just." Yet law came in by the way, that the offense should be increasing. Yet where sin increases, grace superexceeds, that, even as Sin reigns in death, thus Grace also should be reigning through righteousness, for life eonian, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” (Romans 5:17-21)

 

"For the ration of Sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

 

"For the premonition of the creation is awaiting the unveiling of the sons of God. For to vanity was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him Who subjects it, in expectation that the creation itself, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:19-21)

 

"Surely, He Who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us ALL, how shall He not, together with Him, also, be graciously granting us all?" (Romans 8:31)

 

“For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead." For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified.” 

(1 Corinthians 15:20)

 

"...He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight, in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, for the laud of the glory of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:4-6)

 

“...and through Him to reconcile ALL to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those of the earth or those in the heavens.” (Colossians 1:18-20)

 

"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

“...our Savior, God, Who wills ALL humanity be saved and come into a realization of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and humanity, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for ALL (the testimony in its own eras)." (1 Timothy 2:4-7)

 

“Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of ALL humanity, especially of believers. These things be charging and teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:9-10)

 

“For the saving grace of God made its advent to all humanity, training us that, disowning irreverence and worldly desires, we should be living sanely and justly and devoutly in the current eon, anticipating that happy expectation, even the advent of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, Who gives Himself for us, that He should be redeeming us from all lawlessness and be cleansing for Himself a people to be about Him, zealous for ideal acts." Speak of these things and entreat and expose with every injunction.” (Titus 2:11-15)

 

I hope that I have made it clear that the Church is the body of Christ, not some institutional religious social group that people join. It is a term used in the Bible for those who have come to the realization of the plan of God to save humanity through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world.  

 

Again, Jesus died for the sins of humanity, was entombed, and was raised to life by the power of God. He is now seated once again at the right hand of God. When He came to Earth over two thousand years ago, He had the power to lay down His life for humanity and the power to take it up again when the purpose of His death was accomplished – that purpose was the salvation of the world He and His heavenly Father had made.

 

“I am the Shepherd ideal, and I know Mine and Mine know Me, according as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. And My soul am I laying down for the sake of the sheep." And other sheep have I which are not of this fold. Those also I must be leading, and they will be hearing My voice, and there will be one flock, one Shepherd." Therefore the Father is loving Me, seeing that I am laying down My soul that I may be getting it again." No one is taking it away from Me, but I am laying it down of Myself. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to get it again. This precept I got from My Father." (John 10:14-18)

 

I cannot fully comprehend such love. I can only rejoice in being a recipient of something that I do not deserve in my own mind. In the quietness of the day, I often reflect on the inspired words of the Apostle Paul and those of King David.

 

“O, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!" For, who knew the mind of the Lord? or, who became His adviser? or, who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid Him? seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is all: to Him be the glory for the eons! Amen!” (Romans 11:33-36)

 

“Raise a joyful shout to Yahweh, all the earth!" Serve Yahweh with rejoicing! Come to His presence with jubilant song! Know that Yahweh, He is Elohim; He it is Who has made us, and we are His. His people are we and the flock of His pasture." Enter His gateways with acclamation! His courts with praise! Acclaim Him! Bless His Name! For Yahweh is good; His benignity is eonian, And His faithfulness unto generation after generation.” (Psalm 11:1-5)

Chapter 20
The Close of Age Five

The Fulfillment of the Seventieth Seven of Daniel

Daniel 9, Matthew 24, Mark 13, 2 Corinthians 11, Revelation

In Chapter 14 we read that God told Daniel that the promises He had made to Israel would be fulfilled at the end of seventy-sevens. Daniel also tells us that sevens would begin with a decree to rebuild Jerusalem. Yet, at the end of sixty-nine sevens, the Messiah of Israel was cut off without being anointed, a reference to the death of Jesus in the first century AD. The seventieth-seven has been delayed for almost two thousand years. It will begin when a future leader or group of leaders negotiate a peace treaty between Israel and its enemies.

 

“Then he will master a covenant with many for one seven.” (Daniel 9:27a)

 

We are told that in the middle of that seventieth-seven Israel will be forced to stop the sacrifices, and something on a wing of the sanctuary will cause desolating abominations. 

 

“At half of the seven, he will cause to cease the sacrifice and the approach present; on a wing of the sanctuary shall be desolating abominations. Till the conclusion of the era the decided conclusion will be poured forth on the desolation." (Daniel 9:27b)

So, apparently a sanctuary will be constructed during the first half of the seventieth-seven. Orthodox Jews have a plan for a new Temple today. It is to be built on Mount Moriah, and many teach that Messiah will not come until it is built. We are not told exactly what the abominations are, but Jesus talked about it when speaking of His second coming to Earth.

“Now whenever you may be perceiving the abomination of desolation, declared by Daniel the prophet, standing where it must not (let the reader apprehend), then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. Now let him who is on the housetop not be descending into the house, neither let him enter, to pick up anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not turn back to that behind, to pick up his cloak. Now woe to those who are pregnant and those suckling in those days!" Now be praying that your flight may not be occurring in winter, for in those days will be affliction such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation which God creates till now, and under no circumstances may be occurring.” (Mark 13:14-19)

 

From that point until the end of the seventieth-seven, Jesus said there would be extreme affliction in the world unlike anything that has happened in the past.

 

"...for then shall be great affliction, such as has not occurred from the beginning of the world till now; neither under any circumstances may be occurring." (Matthew 24:21)

 
In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John details in his vision this great affliction – many people call this The Great Tribulation.

 

“The Unveiling of Jesus Christ, which God gives to Him, to show to His slaves what must occur swiftly; and He signifies it, dispatching through His messenger to His slave John who testifies to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, whatever he perceived…And when I perceived Him, I fall at His feet as dead. And He places His right hand on me, saying, "Do not fear! I am the First and the Last, and the Living One: and I became dead, and lo! living am I for the eons of the eons. (Amen!) And I have the keys of death and of the unseen. Write then, what you perceived, and what they are, and what is about to be occurring after these things.” (Revelation 1:1-2, 17-19)

 

One of those details is that a world leader will rise to power after he receives a death blow and brought back to life in the middle of the seventieth-seven. After this miracle, he becomes esteemed throughout the world and his government becomes the eighth great kingdom of humanity. He and his kingdom are called "the wild beast” and he is referred to as the Antichrist by most people today.

 

“Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains where the woman is sitting on them, and they are seven kings. Five fall, one is, the other came not as yet; and whenever he may be coming, he must remain briefly. And the wild beast which was, and is not, it also is the eighth, and is from among the seven.” (Revelation 17:9-11)

 

We can know with relative certainty that six of the seven heads mentioned above represent past kingdoms. At the time of the writing of Revelation at the end of the first century, five of these kingdoms had come and gone.

 

I think the first kingdom was founded by Nimrod, in modern day Iraq, after the flood that ended age three. Nimrod built the first cities and began to build a great tower called Babel. God intervened by confusing the languages of the people and scattering them throughout the Earth.

I think the second kingdom was Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs, one of whom enslaved the people of Israel. God freed Israel, and the book of Exodus records this event. The Jews still celebrate this historic event with a holiday season called Pesach (Passover).

 

I think the third kingdom was Babylonia, which controlled most of the known world when it destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon. This was the first time that Israel had been completely removed from the promised land after taking possession under the leadership of Joshua.

 

I think the fourth kingdom was Persia, which defeated Babylon and allowed the Jews to return to their homeland to build a Temple for Yahweh and rebuild the walls of the city of Jerusalem.

 

I think the fifth kingdom was Macedonia/Greece under the leadership of Alexander the Great. He conquered Persia and most of the known world. After he died, his kingdom was divided among his generals.

 

I think the sixth kingdom was the Roman Empire which controlled the promised land at the time of Jesus and was still in control when John wrote the book of Revelation. 

We can only speculate about the seventh and eighth kingdoms of humanity, which were future at the time of the writing of Revelation. But, they must be kingdoms arising after the collapse of the Roman Empire with influence on the promised land.

 

My view is that the seventh kingdom is the British Empire at its zenith. At its height, the British Empire was the largest kingdom the world had ever seen and was said to be "the Empire on which the sun never sets.” It gained control of the promised land after World War One. It gradually declined as a world power after World War Two. 

As for the eighth, it is said to be “from among the seven” so it seems likely to me that the United States of America could be the eighth kingdom if the return of Jesus comes in the near future. It came out of the British Empire by declaring its independence in 1776. Except for native Americans, its citizens are children of immigrants from all over the world and includes people from all the former great government Empires. Today the USA has become the most dominant economic and military power the world has ever seen. Regardless, there will be an eighth and final great government kingdom of humanity before Jesus returns to establish the kingdom of Israel over the Earth. 

 

I think the Antichrist, wild beast, will become the leader of the eighth kingdom and will probably be the white horse rider of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

 

“And I perceived, and lo! a white horse, and he who is sitting on it has a bow, and to him was given a wreath. And he came forth conquering and that he should be conquering.” (Revelation 6:2)

 

The peaceful white horse rider later becomes the vicious wild beast described in the thirteenth and seventeenth chapters of Revelation. Again, most people refer to him as the Antichrist. This Antichrist brings war, famine, and death to the world and is said to get its power from “the dragon” who is identified as Satan, the chief Adversary of God.

 

“And I perceived a wild beast ascending out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten diadems, and on its heads blasphemous names. And the wild beast which I perceived was like a leopardess, and its feet were as a bears, and its mouth as the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gives it its power and its throne and great authority.” (Revelation 13:1-2)

As stated earlier, the Antichrist receives a death blow in the middle of the seventieth-seven and appears to the world to have been killed and brought back to life. Thereafter, most of the world will follow and worship him.

 He will quickly take control of the political and religious powers on Earth until Jesus returns.

 

“And I perceived one of its heads as if it had been slain to death, and its death blow was cured, and the whole earth marvels after the wild beast."  And they worship the dragon, seeing that it gives authority to the wild beast. And they worship the wild beast, saying, "Who is like the wild beast? and "Who is able to battle with it?  And to it was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. And to it was given authority to do what it wills forty-two months." (Revelation 13:3-5)

 

Interestingly, in the middle of the seventieth-seven the angel Michael, one of the chief celestial beings serving God, is said to do battle with Satan in heaven. Satan loses the battle and is cast out of heaven onto the Earth.

 

"And a battle occurred in heaven. Michael and his messengers battle with the dragon, and the dragon battles, and its messengers. And they are not strong enough for him, neither was their place still found in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, the ancient serpent called Adversary and Satan, who is deceiving the whole inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:7-9)

 

Revelation chapter thirteen introduces another wild beast called the false prophet. He helps the first wild beast come to power. 

 

“And I perceived another wild beast ascending out of the land, and it had two horns like a Lambkin, and it spoke as a dragon. And it is exercising all the authority of the first wild beast in its sight and making the earth and those dwelling in it to be worshipping the first wild beast, whose death was cured.” (Revelation 13:11-12) 

This second wild beast may be a group of religious organizations who come together to help the Antichrist to power. This second beast causes people on Earth to direct their worship toward the Antichrist. Paul tells us that Satan, who is giving authority to the wild beast, can transfigure himself into a messenger of light to deceive people. 

 

"For such are false apostles, fraudulent workers, being transfigured into apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is being transfigured into a messenger of light. It is no great thing, then, if his servants also are being transfigured as dispensers of righteousness -- whose consummation shall be according to their acts.” (2 Corinthians 11:11-15)

 

The Antichrist and the second wild beast will appear as messengers of light and dispensers of righteousness, which will enable them to deceive the world. They will wield enough power on Earth that no one will be able to buy or sell anything without having the emblem of the Antichrist on their right hand or forehead.

 

“And it is causing all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, that they may be giving them an emblem on their right hand, or on their forehead, and that no one may be able to buy or sell except the one having the emblem of the wild beast, or its name, or the number of its name.” (Revelation 13:16-17)

 

During this time there will also be a great world commercial center referred to as Secret Babylon the Great. Whether this is a literal rebuilding of ancient Babylon, or is another world city like ancient Babylon is not clear. John called it the mother of the prostitutes and the abominations of the Earth.

 

"Hither! I shall be showing you the sentence of the great prostitute who is sitting on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth commit prostitution, and those dwelling on the earth are made drunk with the wine of her prostitution… And on her forehead is written a name: Secret Babylon the Great the mother of the prostitutes and the abominations of the earth… And the woman whom you perceived is the great city which has a kingdom over the kings of the earth." (Revelation 17:1-2, 5, 18)

 

A city like New York City best fits the description, since it is the home of the United Nations. Regardless, it will be destroyed in one hour! Before that happens, a warning to the people of God to get out will come from heaven.

 

“And I hear another voice out of heaven, saying, "Come out of her My people, lest you should be joint participants in her sins, and lest you should be getting of her calamities…in one day shall her calamities be arriving: death and mourning and famine. And she shall be burned up with fire, for strong is the Lord God Who judges her." And the kings of the earth, who commit prostitution and indulge with her, will be lamenting and grieving over her whenever they may be observing the smoke of her conflagration, standing afar off because of the fear of her torment, saying, Woe! Woe! that great city! Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour your judging came…And they cast soil on their heads, and cried, lamenting and mourning, saying, Woe! Woe! the great city, by which all who have ships on the sea are rich as a result of its preciousness, for in one hour it was desolated!...Thus Babylon, the great city, will be hurled down, and nevermore be found in it." (Revelation 18:4, 8-9, 19, 21)

 

The Antichrist will bring about the final war of this age at a place referred to as Armageddon. 

 

“And I perceived, out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the wild beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as if frogs (for they are spirits of demons, doing signs), which are going out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to be mobilizing them for the battle of the great day of God Almighty." ("Lo! I am coming as a thief! Happy is he who is watching and keeping his garments, that he may not be walking naked and they may be observing his indecency!") "And they mobilized them at the place called, in Hebrew, "Armageddon." (Revelation 16:13-16)

 

The war will be won by Jesus and He will take control of this Earth. If he were not to return, everyone on Earth would die in this war. Thankfully, Jesus will bring peace to the world for almost a thousand years.

 

“And, except those days were discounted, no flesh at all would be saved. Yet, because of the chosen, those days shall be discounted." (Matthew 24:22)

 

“And I perceived heaven open, and lo! a white horse. And He Who is sitting on it is called "Faithful and True," and in righteousness is He judging and battling. Now His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, having names written of which no one except Himself is aware, and He is clothed in a cloak dipped in blood, and His name is called "The Word of God." And the armies in heaven, dressed in cambric, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. And out of His mouth a sharp blade is issuing, that with it He should be smiting the nations. And He will be shepherding them with an iron club. And He is treading the wine trough of the fury of the indignation of God, the Almighty. And on His cloak and on His thigh He has a name written: "King of kings and Lord of lords." (Revelation 19:11-16)

 

At His return, Jesus will rid the world of those who have followed the Antichrist. The Antichrist and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire burning with Sulphur and Satan will be bound in the submerged chaos so that he cannot deceive humanity for the one thousand-years. The return of Jesus brings age five to its end.

 

"And I perceived the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered to do battle with Him Who is sitting on the horse and with His army. And the wild beast is arrested, and with it the false prophet who does the signs in its sight, by which he deceives those getting the emblem of the wild beast, and those worshiping its image. Living, the two were cast into the lake of fire burning with Sulphur. And the rest were killed with the blade which is coming out of the mouth of Him Who is sitting on the horse. And all the birds are satisfied with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:19-21)

 

“And I perceived a messenger descending out of heaven, having the key of the submerged chaos and a large chain in his hand."  And he lays hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Adversary and Satan, and binds him a thousand years." And he casts him into the submerged chaos and locks it, and seals it over him (lest he should still be deceiving the nations) until the thousand years should be finished." (Revelation 20:1-3)

 

Chapter 21

The End of Age Five

Signs of the Second Coming of Jesus

Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, 1 Thessalonians 5

 

Jesus told His disciples that God had not revealed to Him the exact day or hour of His return. However, He did give them signs to look for. One of the signs is remarkable to me, and often overlooked by those watching. The sign was that there would be an era when many will be saying that Jesus is the Christ, but the same people will be deceiving themselves. 

 

"And answering, Jesus said to them. Beware that no one should be deceiving you. For many shall be coming in my name saying I am the Christ and shall be deceiving many." (Matthew 24:4-5)

 

For almost two thousand years, those who claim Jesus is the Christ have been called Christians. Over those years there has come to be divisions among institutional Christianity, most notably between Catholics and Protestants. Both affirm that Jesus is the Christ yet teach different things regarding the Bible. Some of that teaching must be wrong, so "many” who are saying that Jesus is the Christ are being “deceived” by the teachings that are false.

 

Another sign would be a time when humanity will be living like it did in the days of Noah. In the time of Noah, humanity was doing and thinking about evil most of the time!

 

“And seeing is Yahweh Elohim that much is the evil of humanity in the earth, and every form of the devices of its heart is but evil all its days. And regretting is Yahweh Elohim that He made humanity on the earth, and grieving to His heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6)

 

"For even as the days of Noah, thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind. For as they were in those days before the deluge, masticating and drinking and marrying and taking in marriage until the day on which Noah entered the ark, and did not know till the deluge came and takes them all away, thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind." (Matthew 24:37-38)

 

Jesus indicated that another sign would be the blossoming of the fig tree used by the prophet Hosea as a metaphor for Israel.

 

“As grapes in a wilderness I found Israel; as a firstfruit, when the fig tree is in its beginning, I saw your forefathers.” (Hosea 9:10)

 

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Mankind in heaven, and then all the tribes of the land shall grieve, and they shall see the Son of Mankind coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory."  And He shall be dispatching His messengers with a loud sounding trumpet, and they shall be assembling His chosen from the four winds, from the extremities of the heavens to their extremities." Now from the FIG TREE learn a parable: Whenever its bough may already be becoming tender, and the leaves sprouting out, you know that summer is near." Thus you, also, whenever you may be perceiving all these things, know that He is near-at the doors." (Matthew 24:30-33)

 

The sprouting of the fig tree in the above verses may be a reference to Israel coming back to the land of promise and declaring its independence on May 14, 1948. 

One thing is certain, the Bible teaches that Jesus is coming again. However, it is also certain that most humans will not be watching for His return. Nevertheless, those of us who are watching the events of history can know when it is near. 

 

“Now concerning the times and the eras, brethren, you have no need to be written to, for you yourselves are accurately aware that the day of the Lord is as a thief in the night -- thus is it coming! Now whenever they may be saying "Peace and security," then extermination is standing by them unawares, even as a pang over the pregnant, and they may by no means escape. Now you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day may be overtaking you as a thief, for you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. Consequently, then, we may not be drowsing, even as the rest, but we may be watching and be sober.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6)

 

Chapter 22

Age Six

The Millennium

According to the Bible, this present Earth has at least one thousand more years before God is through with it. The final one thousand years is age six. It will begin with the return of Jesus to Earth. Jesus promised to return and rule over the Earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. During that time Israel will become the head of the nations of Earth as Moses told them.

 

“It will come to be if you should hearken, yea hearken to the voice of Yahweh your Elohim, to observe and to obey all His instructions which I am enjoining on you today, that Yahweh your Elohim will give you supremacy over all the nations of the earth…So Yahweh will make you to be the head and not the tail, and you will surely be above, and you shall not be below…”(Deuteronomy 28:1, 13)

 

Upon His return, Jesus will gather before Him representatives from all the nations on Earth. If He comes in the foreseeable future, that gathering could be at the United Nations building in New York City. Jesus will allow the people of the nations who supported Israel during the final years of Daniel’s seventieth-seven to continue as a nation during the thousand years. Those nations who followed the religion and governmental rule of the Antichrist will be destroyed. 

 

"Now, whenever the Son of Mankind may be coming in His glory, and all the holy messengers with Him, then shall He be seated on the throne of His glory, and in front of Him shall be gathered all the nations. And He shall be severing them from one another even as a shepherd is severing the sheep from the kids. And He shall be standing the sheep, indeed, at His right, yet the kids at the left. Then shall the King be declaring to those at His right, 'Hither, blessed of My Father! Enjoy the allotment of the kingdom made ready for you from the disruption of the world...In as much as you do it to one of these, the least of My brethren, you do it to Me." Then shall He be declaring to those also at His left, 'Go from Me, you cursed, into the fire eonian, made ready for the Adversary and his messengers... verily I am saying to you, in as much as you do it not to one of these, the least, neither do you it to Me. And these shall be coming away into chastening eonian, yet the just into life eonian." (Matthew 25:33-46)

 

The term “fire eonian” is likely a figure of speech for the wrath of God because the Bible refers to God as a consuming fire that devours His enemies. 

 

“…for Yahweh your Elohim, He is a devouring fire…” (Deuteronomy 4:34)

 

That figure of speech is used to graphically show that God has finally put an end to those who do not humble themselves before God, instead they follow the governments and false religions of humanity that fail to bring peace and righteousness to the Earth.

The angelic adversaries of God will be put into a place called the submerged chaos. They will be restrained from interfering with the rule of Jesus during most of the thousand years. 

 

 "And I perceived a messenger descending out of heaven, having the key of the submerged chaos and a large chain in his hand. And he lays hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Adversary and Satan, and binds him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-2)

After Jesus determines which nations will survive during the thousand years, He will distribute to Israel all the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They will become the priests of God during this age. Only a small part of this land has ever been possessed by Israel, but it will all be possessed by them during age six in fulfillment of the promise of God.

"And I give to you and to your seed after you the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, as an eonian holding…" (Genesis 17:8)

 

"… they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will be reigning with Him the thousand years." (Revelation 20:6)

 

"Thus says my Lord Yahweh: This is the boundary in which you shall allot the land for the twelve tribes of Israel…" (Ezekiel 47:13)

 

Ezekiel tells us that a great worship center will be built at the start of the thousand years and he gives the details of this place of worship. The worship center will be as large as a city.

 

"In appearances of Elohim He brought me to the land of Israel, and He rested me on a very lofty mountain, and on it was a city like-building in the south." (Ezekiel 40:2)

 

It is laid out as a square that is eight hundred seventy-five feet in length and width. All people who worshipped the Antichrist are killed when Jesus returns; however, there will be millions who did not receive his mark. They will continue to live on the Earth, raise families, and worship at or toward this worship center. Their worship will remind them of the death of Jesus on the cross for the sins of the world.

Because they are still mortals in flesh and blood bodies, they will continue to sin and die. The sin will likely be judged according to the righteous law of God given to Moses for Israel. With respect to those offenses that require the death penalty, the valley of Gehenna located outside of Jerusalem may be rekindled with fire to cremate the bodies of those sentenced to die.

 

“All flesh shall come to worship before Me, says Yahweh. And they will go forth and see the corpses of the mortals who transgressed against Me, for their worm shall not die, and the fire shall not be quenched, and they will become a repulsion to all flesh.” (Isaiah 66:23-24)

 

Jesus and the body of Christ, the Church, will not only reign over the present Earth, but will also reign among the celestials - which is everywhere else in the Universe.

 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ, according as He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight, in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, for the laud of the glory of His grace, which graces us in the Beloved…making known to us the secret of His will (in accord with His delight, which He purposed in Him)" to have an administration of the complement of the eras, to head up all in the Christ - both that in the heavens and that on the earth" in Him in Whom our lot was cast also, being designated beforehand according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will, that we should be for the laud of His glory, who are pre-expectant in the Christ." (Ephesians 1:3-6, 9-2)

 

King David will be the prince of Israel on the Earth, and he and the twelve disciples of Jesus will govern the twelve tribes of Israel during those thousand years. 

 

"I, Yahweh, shall be their Elohim, and my servant David will be prince in their midst; I, Yahweh, have spoken." (Ezekiel 34:24)

 

"Then, answering, Peter said to Him, "Lo! we leave all and follow Thee. What, consequently, will it be to us?" Yet Jesus said to them, "Verily, I am saying to you, that you who follow Me, in the renascence whenever the Son of Mankind should be seated on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:27-28)

 

It will be a peaceful and righteous reign over the Earth for much of the thousand years, yet the Bible says that toward the end Satan and his minions will be loosed out of the submerged chaos and allowed to go out into the four corners of the world to deceive the nations. Again, they will succeed in causing humanity to rebel, this time against the righteous rule of Jesus and His Church. The rebellion will be quickly judged with the fire from heaven which will destroy them all.

 

“And whenever the thousand years should be finished, Satan will be loosed out of his jail." And he will be coming out to deceive all the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to be mobilizing them for battle, their number being as the sand of the sea." And they went up over the breadth of the earth and surround the citadel of the saints and the beloved city. And fire descended from God out of heaven and devoured them.” (Revelation 20:7-10)

 

Why God allows this final rebellion is not stated in the Bible, but I suppose it is to show that mortal humanity is no match for the spiritual forces of darkness. Humanity can only withstand these forces of darkness when they are clothed in the armor of God.

 

“As to the rest, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might; put on the whole armour of God, for you to be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, because we are not wrestling with blood and flesh, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual things of the evil in the heavenly places; because of this take ye up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to resist in the day of the evil, and all things having done—to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about in truth, and having put on the breastplate of the righteousness, and having the feet shod in the preparation of the good-news of the peace; above all, having taken up the shield of the faith, in which ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one, and the helmet of the salvation receive, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the saying of God, through all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 6:10-17)

 

Chapter 23

The End of Age Six

The Final Deception of Satan

 

After God destroys the rebellion Satan is cast into the lake of fire and sulphur to join the two wild beasts, the Antichrist and the false prophet who were put there the end of age five. These three are the ONLY created beings that the Bible says will be tormented day and night for the eons of the eons,

 

“And the Adversary who is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and Sulphur, where the wild beast and where the false prophet are also. And they shall be tormented day and night for the eons of the eons." (Revelation 20:9-10)

 

The word “tormented” is the Greek word basanizo and has to do with examining and testing the quality of a metal by use of a touchstone. It exposes what is fake or lacking in that being tested. Another example of the use of the word basanizo is when the disciples of Jesus were “tossed with waves” (basanizo) on the lake. It revealed the quality of the "faith" of the disciples of Jesus when they were tested by the storm.

“But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed (basanizo) with waves…You of little faith, He said, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:24, 31)

So, the lake of fire tests and reveals the flaws of what is cast into it. Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet represent the spiritual forces behind all governments and religions of humanity during the ages. The failed governments and religions of humanity, influenced by the spiritual Adversaries of God, will show failure of mortal humanity during the past ages. Such failure will be known and talked about for the “eons of the eons” and will magnify and glorify the grace of God in saving humanity.

 

The judgment that destroys those who rebelled against the righteous rule of Jesus four one thousand years brings an end the age Six.

Chapter 24

Age Seven

The Great White Throne Judgment of Every Human

 

Age seven begins when Satan is cast into the lake of fire and will end when all mortal humans who followed Satan  are cast into the lake of fire. During that time, all humans will appear before God and His Son Jesus at what the book of Revelation calls the Great White Throne. Before this throne the final destiny of all humans will be revealed, and then God becomes All in all.

 

“For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall ALL be vivified. Yet each in his own class: The Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ’s in His presence; thereafter the consummation, whenever He should be nullifying all sovereignty and all authority and power. For He must be reigning UNTIL He should be placing ALL HIS ENEMIES under His feet…Now, whenever ALL may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him, that God may be All in All…” (1 Corinthians 15:22-26, 28) 

 

The Great White Throne judgment is one of the most misunderstood and neglected events in the Bible, but it is crucial in God’s plan for all humanity to become one with God the Father and His Son, Christ Jesus the Lord.

 

"And I perceived a great white throne, and Him Who is sitting upon it, from Whose face earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. And I perceived the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne.” (Revelation 20:11)

 

In that moment, nothing will stand between humanity and their Creator. The overwhelming evidence of being returned to life after death is undeniable. The material things of the past world will have been destroyed and there will be nothing to separate humanity from the mighty ones, their creators - God the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Jesus will be at the right hand of God the Father as the only being in the Universe with the power to condemn. Yet rather than condemn, He will be advocating for them before God the Father.

 

“Who is the Condemner? Christ Jesus, the One dying, yet rather being roused, Who is also at God's right hand, Who is pleading also for our sakes?” (Romans 8:34)

 

“And if anyone should be sinning, we have an Entreater with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just. And He is the propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins, yet not concerned with ours only, but concerned with the whole world also.” (1 John 2:1-2)

 

I imagine it will be a time of tremendous fear, especially for those who had heard and rejected God and His Son in past ages. Can you imagine? They will stand there knowing that their eternal destiny is now in the hands of the One whom they had rejected.

 

"And do not fear those who are killing the body yet are not able to kill the soul. Yet be fearing Him, rather, Who is able to destroy the soul as well as the body in Gehenna.” (Matthew 10:28)

 

God the Father will announce to humanity that He has given to His Son the final judgment as to their destiny. 

 

“For even as the Father is rousing the dead and vivifying, thus the Son also is vivifying whom He will. For neither is the Father judging anyone, but has given all judging to the Son, that all may be honoring the Son, according as they are honoring the Father.” (John 5:21-23)

 

As the remaining unbelievers of humanity turn their eyes upon Jesus, I believe they will hear Jesus say to the Father:

 

“Father, forgive them, set them free, and transform them also into a new creation. They have been justified and redeemed in my blood, just as we planned!”

 

“Now Christ…through His own blood, entered once FOR ALL into the holy places, finding eonian redemption.” (Hebrews 9:11-12)

 

“…being now justified in His blood, we shall be saved from indignation, through Him. For if, being enemies, we were conciliated to God through the death of His Son, much rather, being conciliated, we shall be saved in His life.” (Romans 5:9-10)

 

All humanity will then know that God the Father laid all their sin upon Jesus when He went to the cross as the final sacrificial Lamb. The love, grace, and mercy of God will have been manifested to humanity.

 

“In this is love, not that we love God, but that He loves us, and dispatches His Son, a propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins…And we have gazed upon Him and are testifying that the Father has dispatched His Son, the Savior of the world.” (! John 4:13-15)

 

“God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them…the one not knowing sin, He makes a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God’s righteousness in Him.” ((2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

 

“He who is not honoring the Son is not honoring the Father Who sends Him. "Verily, verily, I am saying to you that he who is hearing My word and believing Him Who sends Me, has life eonian and is not coming into judging, but has proceeded out of death into life. Verily, verily, I am saying to you that coming is an hour, and now is, when the dead shall be hearing the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall be living. For even as the Father has life in Himself, thus to the Son also He gives to have life in Himself.” (John 5:24-26)

 

All unbelievers of previous ages will still be in a mortal flesh and blood body as they stand redeemed before the Great White Thorne. Those bodies must be returned to the soil from which they came, for flesh and blood bodies cannot inherit the New Heaven and New Earth – The Kingdom of God. That return to soil is accomplished by means of the lake of fire, called the second death.

 

“Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the kingdom of God, neither is corruption enjoying the allotment of incorruption.” (1 Corinthians 15: 50)

 

“And I perceived the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. And scrolls were opened. And another scroll was opened which is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged by that which is written in the scrolls in accord with their acts. And the sea gives up the dead in it, and death and the unseen give up the dead in them. And they were judged, each in accord with their acts. And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death-the lake of fire. And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

 

The "scroll of life" is the book containing the names of all believers who were in the body of Christ before the Great White Thorne judgment and have already been transformed into immortal bodies . All remaining mortal humans are cast into second death and instantly made alive and transformed into a new immortal body. They will then be added to the body of Christ. 

 

“Yet now Christ has been roused from among the dead, the Firstfruit of those who are reposing. For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class: the Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ's in His presence; thereafter the consummation, whenever He may be giving up the kingdom to His God and Father, whenever He should be nullifying all sovereignty and all authority and power. For He must be reigning until He should be placing all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy is being abolished: death. For He subjects all under His feet. Now whenever He may be saying that all is subject, it is evident that it is outside of Him Who subjects all to Him. Now, whenever all may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him, that God may be All in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

 

After the completion of the body of Christ, every human will give an account to God of our lives lived as mortals. During this accounting, each one’s work while mortal will become apparent with fire consuming the temporary works consisting of  wood, grass and straw.

 

“For other foundation can no one lay beside that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone is building on this foundation gold and silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, each one's work will become apparent, for the day will make it evident, for it is being revealed by fire. And the fire, it will be testing each one's work -- what kind it is. If anyone's work will be remaining which he builds on it, he will get wages. If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will forfeit it, yet he shall be saved, yet thus, as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

 

I think that during this accounting, humanity will once again be shown why they could not become righteous by creating governments to rule over them and false gods to worship. They will be reminded that during previous ages, humanity had been given freedom to save themselves, yet their institutions did not save them or bring the light of peace to the world - only darkness. Once again, they will embrace the truth that only Jesus, the Son of God, could established the light of perfect peace and righteousness in humanity – and all will rejoice in His righteousness! 

 

“The people walking in darkness, they will see a great light; dwellers in a land of blackest shadow, light, it will be bright over them. You will increase the exultation; You will magnify the rejoicing; They will rejoice before You as the rejoicing in the harvest…For a Boy is born to us; a Son, He is given to us, and the chieftainship shall come to be on His shoulder, and everyone shall call His name Marvelous.” (Isaiah 9:2-3, 6)

 

Humanity will then know the value and purpose of evil in the world. Each will have experienced the evil of death, yet will have been transformed out of death and conformed to the image of Jesus, the Son of God.  

 

“Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God, who are called according to the purpose that, whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be Firstborn among many brethren. Now whom He designates beforehand, these He calls also, and whom He calls, these He justifies also; now whom He justifies, these He glorifies also. What then, shall we declare to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:28-31)

 

The new humanity will then enter and see the Kingdom of God - the New Heaven and New Earth where we will forever be free from evil, sin, and death in the Kingdom of God. 

 

"...the creation itself, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Romans 8:22)

 

"If ever you should be remaining in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will be making you free.” (John 8:32)

 

“Now the Lord is the spirit; yet where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Now we all, with uncovered face, mirroring the Lord's glory, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

 

The judgment of the second death brings age seven to a close. Redeemed humanity will have learned that they were always secure in the arms of a gracious, merciful, loving Father God and His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus the Lord.

 

“For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing but may be having life eonian. For God does not dispatch His Son into the world that He should be judging the world, but that the world may be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-17)

 

"For God locks up ALL together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to ALL.” (Romans 11:32)

 

"God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!)" (Ephesians 2:4-6)

 

"No longer because of your speaking are we believing, for we ourselves have heard Him, and we are aware that this truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ." (John 4:42)

 

Chapter 25

Age Eight

The New Heaven and New Earth - The Kingdom of God

 

After all humans are safely in the body of Christ, the Church, and have given account to God for life lived in their mortal bodies, God will create a New Heaven and a New Earth where only righteousness dwells. I believe this is what the Bible means when it refers to the Kingdom of God. 

 

Both the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul hoped for this and were patiently waiting for it to come.

 

“Yet we, according to His promises, are hoping for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness is dwelling. Wherefore, beloved, hoping for these things, endeavor to be found by Him in peace, unspotted and flawless. And be deeming the patience of our Lord salvation, according as our beloved brother Paul also writes to you, according to the wisdom given to him, as also in all the epistles, speaking in them concerning these things...” (2 Peter 3:13-15)

 

The Apostle John saw this new creation in a vision and wrote down the details in the final chapters of the book of Revelation.

 

“And I perceived a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth pass away, and the sea is no more…Lo! the tabernacle of God is with humanity, and He will be tabernacling with them, and they will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them. And He will be brushing away every tear from their eyes. And death will be no more, nor mourning, nor clamor, nor misery; they will be no more, for the former things passed away. And He Who is sitting on the throne said, “Lo! New I am making all! And He is saying, Write, for these things are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5)

 

The New Earth will become the home base for redeemed humanity. All humans will have then been called out of death to become sons of God. This eighth age is the final age that we discover in our walk through the Bible to find God’s plan for humanity – but unlike all previous ages, it will never end!

 

Life will be wonderful on the New Earth and in the New Heaven. It is the utopia that humans have been longing for during previous ages but have been unable to create by their own effort. All will then live in righteousness, peace, and prosperity.

 

"Let not your heart be disturbed. Believe in God, and believe in Me. In My Father's house are many abodes; yet if not, I would have told you, for I am going to make ready a place for you. And if I should be going and making ready a place for you, I am coming again and I will be taking you along to Myself, that where I am, you also may be.” (John 14:1-3)

 

The new humanity will have its dwelling place in the New Jerusalem. This eternal city is currently being built by Jesus and will descend out of heaven and be located upon, or hover over, the New Earth.

 

“And I perceived the holy city, new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God made ready as a bride for her husband. And I hear a loud voice out of the throne saying, “Lo! the tabernacle of God is with humanity, and He will be tabernacling with them, and they will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them.” (Revelation 21:2-3)

 

I think it is the paradise which the Apostle Paul saw being built in the third heaven, but was restrained from giving any details about it.

 

“And I am acquainted with such a man (whether in a body or outside of the body I am not aware -- God is aware) that he was snatched away into paradise and hears ineffable declarations, which it is not allowed a man to speak.” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)

 

The Apostle John also saw the city and gave us some details. He saw a huge, magnificent city fifteen hundred miles high and fifteen hundred miles wide. The walls of the city were made of jasper and the buildings and roads in the city were made of pure gold. The city sat upon twelve foundations of various precious stones. 

 

“And the city is lying four square: and its length is as much as the breadth. And he measures the city with the reed to twelve thousand stadia. Its length and breadth and height are equal. And he measures its wall of a hundred forty-four cubits of a human measure, which is that of the messenger. And the building material in its wall is jasper, and the city is clear gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every precious stone…” (Revelation 21:16-19)

 

The throne of God will be in the New Jerusalem. The River of Life will flow out from under His throne and the Tree of Life that was available to Adam and Eve before their sin will once again be made available to humanity. The tree will grow on the banks of the river and produce twelve fruits, a different fruit for each month. The New Earth will be the restored Eden and the garden Paradise but much larger and grander.

 

I like to think that the animals we all love will dwell on the New Earth and redeemed humanity will once again take care of them. They will be fed and watered by the Tree of Life and the River of Life and healed of injury by the leaves of the tree. But of course, this is just speculation, for the Bible does not talk specifically about animals on the New Earth. But the term “nation” is from the Greek word “ethnos” and can refer to any group of animals, not just human beings.

 

“And he shows me a river of water of life, resplendent as crystal, issuing out of the Throne of God and the Lambkin. In the center of its square, and on either side of the river, is the log of life, producing twelve fruits, rendering its fruit in accord with each month. And the leaves of the log are for the cure of the nations (ethnos).” (Revelation 22:1-20)

 

The gates of New Jerusalem will never be closed, and the glory and honor of the nations will be carried into it from time to time.

 

“And its portals should under no circumstances be locked by day; for there shall be no night there. And they shall be carrying the glory and the honor of the nations into it, and under no circumstances may anything contaminating, or one who is making an abomination and a lie be entering into it, except those written in the Lambkin's scroll of life." (Revelation 21:24-27)

 

Humanity will thrive in righteousness, peace, and prosperity as it travels throughout the vast Kingdom of God, which includes all parts of the New Heaven as well as the New Earth. No longer will humanity be confined to the Earth, but we will be able to explore the wonders of the creation of God the Father and His Son Jesus, the Lord – we will be like the angels.

 

Humanity will forever be a witness to the riches of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. And wherever we go, we will do the good works that God has prepared for us to do.

 

“God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!) and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus that, in the oncoming eons, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting. For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God makes ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them.” (Ephesians 2:4-10)

 

Chapter 26

Age Eight Continues

Equality

 

Humanity’s current quest for racial, gender, and sexual preference equality is at its peak as I write this book. In my observation it is causing more division and hatred than any other quest. 

 

Yet where humanity has failed, God will succeed. When He is finished making humanity into the image of Christ, there will be no racial, gender, or class differences. 

 

“…there is no Jew nor yet Greek, there is no slave nor yet free, there is no male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus. Now if you are Christ's, consequently you are of Abraham's seed, enjoyers of the allotment according to the promise." (Galatians 3:28-29)

 

“…in the resurrection neither are they marrying nor taking in marriage but are as messengers of God in heaven.” (Matthew 22:30)

 

Earlier in this book we looked at the details of the body of Christ, the Church. We learned that it was formed in the mind of God before the original heavens and Earth were created. And we saw that only a few humans will be placed in the body of Christ prior to appearing before the Great White Throne. These few are referred to in the Bible as "pre-expectant" and it is to this special group that the Apostle Paul wrote his letters.

 

“…being designated beforehand according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will, that we should be for the laud of His glory, who are pre-expectant in the Christ. In Whom you also -- on hearing the word of truth, the evangel of your salvation -- in Whom on believing also, you are sealed with the holy spirit of promise.” (Ephesians 1:7-13)

 

The pre-expectant members are special only because they were chosen by God, in His grace, to be His ambassadors to the world during this present evil age. They are few, and when you meet them, they will not boast about who they are because they know that being chosen has nothing to do with any righteousness of their own. They know that even their faith is a gift to them, and the timing of that gift was according to the will of God.

 

“Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation, how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation." For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ's sake, "Be conciliated to God!" For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

These ambassadors are not influenced by race, gender, class, or sexual preference, they are simply energized by the grace of God to tell the world the good news of God’s plan, even though it is my experience that few listen and even fewer believe the good news. The first ambassadors included the twelve disciples of Jesus, the Apostle Paul, Timothy, and other ordinary men. Their message has been passed on for the past two thousand years.

 

“You then, child of mine, be invigorated by the grace which is in Christ Jesus. And the things you hear from me through many witnesses, these commit to faithful men, who shall be competent to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:1-2)

 

When the plan of God the Father and His Son Jesus is complete, all the nations of humanity, both Jew and Gentile, will be fellow-citizens in the Kingdom of God, united as equals in the body of Christ, the Church.

 

“Wherefore, remember that once you, the nations in flesh -- who are termed 'Uncircumcision' by those termed 'Circumcision,' in flesh, made by hands - that you were, in that era, apart from Christ, being alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and guests of the promise covenants, having no expectation, and without God in the world.Yet now, in Christ Jesus, you, who once are far off, are become near by the blood of Christ. For He is our Peace, Who makes both one, and razes the central wall of the barrier (the enmity in His flesh), nullifying the law of precepts in decrees, that He should be creating the two, in Himself, into ONE NEW HUMANITY, making peace; and should be reconciling both in ONE BODY to God through the cross, killing the enmity in it. And, coming, He brings the evangel of peace to you, those afar, and peace to those near, for through Him we both have had the access, in one spirit, to the Father. Consequently, then, no longer are you guests and sojourners, but are fellow citizens of the saints and belong to God's family, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the capstone of the corner being Christ Jesus Himself.” (Ephesians 2:11-20)

 

“ONE BODY and one spirit, according as you were called also, with one expectation of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, Who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)

 

“… stripping off the old humanity together with its practices, and putting on the young, which is being renewed into recognition, to accord with the Image of the One Who creates it, wherein there is no Greek and Jew, Circumcision and Uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman, but all and in all is Christ. And let the peace of Christ be arbitrating in your hearts, for which you were called also in ONE BODY; and become thankful.” (Colossians 3:9-11. 15)

 

“Now He Who is searching the hearts is aware what is the disposition of the spirit, for in accord with God is it pleading for the saints. Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God, who are called according to the purpose that, whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be Firstborn among many brethren. Now whom He designates beforehand, these He calls also, and whom He calls, these He justifies also; now whom He justifies, these He glorifies also. What then, shall we declare to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Surely, He Who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us all, how shall He not, together with Him, also, be graciously granting us all? Who will be indicting God's chosen ones? God, the Justifier? Who is the Condemner? Christ Jesus, the One dying, yet rather being roused, Who is also at God's right hand, Who is pleading also for our sakes? What shall be separating us from the love of God in Christ Jesus? Affliction, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? According as it is written that "On Thy account we are being put to death the whole day, we are reckoned as sheep for slaughter." Nay! in all these we are more than conquering through Him Who loves us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers, nor sovereignties, nor the present, nor what is impending, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 8:27-39)

 

 

Chapter 27

Age Eight Continues

Judgment of the Celestial Adversaries of God

 

God the Father and Jesus His Son will save, justify, glorify, and unify humanity into their image. Then humanity will finally understand that they have been working all things, even the evil things, together for good.

Humanity will have learned the difference between good and evil - and have the power and wisdom to always do good. Humanity will have experienced both love and hate – and have the power and wisdom to love. Humanity will have seen its need for a Savior – and been gloriously saved. Humanity will have been mortals who perish in death – yet raised to immortal life. Humanity will have been enemies of God – and become His friends and family.  

In the image of God, humanity will be prepared to judge the messengers (angels) who were created as adversaries and enemies of God. The adversaries will also be reconciled to God. 

"Are you not aware that we shall be judging messengers?" (1 Corinthians 6:3)

 

And how will humanity judge those Adversaries, the spiritual forces of darkness who are the enemies of God? 

As the image of Christ, I have no doubt that redeemed humanity will judge these messengers with the same love, grace, and mercy that they themselves received while enemies of God.

 

"Yet God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for our sakes. Much rather, then, being now justified in His blood, we shall be saved from His indignation, through Him. For if, being enemies, we were conciliated to God through the death of His Son, much rather, being conciliated, we shall be saved in His life." (Romans 5:8-10)

 

And what will be the response of the Adversaries to the love, grace, and mercy of redeemed humanity? 

 

They will bow in subjection before God the Father and Jesus His Son, realizing that they too were reconciled to God by the blood of Jesus.

 

“…and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on earth or those in the heavens...” (Colossians 1:20)

 

"For God locks up ALL together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to ALL." (Romans 11:32)

 

"God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the Name that is above every name, that in the Name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, our Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

The story of Jesus and His body, the Church, will not come to an end until all His enemies, both in heaven and Earth, are loving friends and worshipers of God the Father.

 

“For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall ALL be vivified. Yet each in his own class: The Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ’s in His presence; thereafter the consummation, whenever He should be nullifying all sovereignty and all authority and power. For He must be reigning UNTIL He should be placing ALL HIS ENEMIES under His feet…Now, whenever ALL may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him, that God may be All in All…” (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

 

This brings me to a close of our walk through the Bible. 

 

The Bible is the testimony to humanity from Jesus, the Son of God. I hope you have the same joy that I have in knowing the truth found in its inspired pages. I live every day knowing that Jesus is coming again to finish His work.

 

"He Who is testifying these things is saying, 'Yea, I am coming swiftly.'" "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20-21)

Chapter 28

Beyond the Eight Ages

No one knows what will happen beyond what we find in the Bible, but we will love God with all our being.

 

 “You shall be loving the Lord your God out of your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole strength, and with your whole comprehension.” (Luke 10:27)

 

And I think we, like the Apostle Paul, will regularly burst into praise.

 

"O, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! For who knew the mind of the Lord? or who became His adviser? or who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid him? seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is ALL: to Him be the glory for the eons of the eons! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36)

 

I have learned in my years of studying the Bible that nothing can separate humanity from the love of the mighty Elohim - God the Father, and His Son, Christ Jesus the Lord.

 

"I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers, or sovereignties nor the present, nor what is impending, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

 

Chapter 29

Summary of the Untraceable Riches of Christ

 

“To me, less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the evangel of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the secret which has been concealed from the eons in God." (Ephesians 3:8-9)

God is now conciliated (at peace) with His enemies.

"Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation, how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them...for the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

Israel, God’s unfaithful chosen nation, will become faithful.

"And thus, all Israel shall be saved, according as it is written, arriving out of Zion shall be the Rescuer. He will be turning away irreverence from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them whenever I should be eliminating their sins." (Romans 11:25-27)

Every human being has been ransomed by Christ Jesus and will be saved out of death into a new immortal creation. 

"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

“...our Savior, God, Who wills ALL humanity be saved and come into a realization of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and mankind, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for ALL (the testimony in its own eras)." (1 Timothy 2:4-7)

“For the ration of sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

"Surely, He Who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us ALL, how shall He not, together with Him, also, be graciously granting us all?" (Romans 8:31)

 

“Lo! a secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality. Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)

 

Every human being will be justified before God gratuitously, meaning without doing anything to earn that justification.

 

"…for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24)

 

“Who was given up because of our offenses, and was roused because of our justifying.” (Romans 4:25)

 

“For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

All creation (including the Adversaries of God) will be reconciled to God.

“...and through Him to reconcile ALL to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those of the earth or those in the heavens.” (Colossians 1:18-21)

"For the premonition of the creation is awaiting the unveiling of the sons of God. For to vanity was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him Who subjects it, in expectation that the creation itself, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:19-21)

"God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the Name that is above every name, that in the Name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, our Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

 

The untraceable riches of the evangel of the Kingdom, will be proclaimed among all the nations.

 

“And heralded shall be this evangel of the kingdom in the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, and then the consummation shall be arriving.” (Matthew 24:14)

 

This book is written to do my part in helping spread that good news.

 

Chapter 30

Is the Bible Really the Word of God?

 

 

Some of you might honestly ask - do you know for sure that the Bible is the Word of God? 

I have spent over four decades reading and studying the Bible to discover what it is saying about God. Over that time, I have come to believe in my heart that it is, but I do not know for sure. I only hope that my understanding of the Bible has been graciously given me by the spirit of God.

"…that which is of God no one knows, except the spirit of God. Now we obtained, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit, which is of God, that we may be perceiving that which is being graciously given to us by God.” (1 Corinthians 2:11-12)

“Now we all, with uncovered face, mirroring the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

When I look up on a clear night, I am in awe of what I see. I thank God for His creation and for how His Spirit has led me to perceive the destiny of humanity – a glorious destiny of being transformed into the Image of God. In that transformed immortal body, I imagine myself and my family exploring the glorious sea of galaxies we see in the night sky - and even beyond! I become a child again, smiling and pretending to do what I can only do one day if the Bible is truly the Word of God.

"For our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which we are awaiting a Savior also, the Lord, Jesus Christ, Who will transfigure the body of our humiliation, to conform it to the body of His glory, in accord with the operation which enables Him even to subject all to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

Epilogue

The Biblical Star Wars!

 

The world seems to be in great chaos. The political, secular, and religious doctrines of men have filled the world with ignorance of our loving Father God, and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

It appears to me that humanity has ruined much of the harmony and natural beauty that God created for us to enjoy. We live in a world where darkness seems to overcome the light - much like the Dark Side of the Force in the Star Wars movies I have enjoyed over the years!

 

But I have come to believe that the true Force is Elohim, the mighty ones of the Bible - God our heavenly Father and Christ Jesus His Son. Their love and light will eventually drive out the darkness. We will continue to experience evil in this present age, and the ever-dimming light we now have must eventually go out, because our mortal flesh and blood bodies are not fit to enter the glory of the Kingdom of God.

When our light goes out it is not the end of life; it is the dawn of a new immortal life which will be much better. God will not leave us sleeping in the darkness of death. The bright light of immortality will dawn for each of us, for it is our destiny to become immortals - the very Image of God and His Son Christ Jesus the Lord! So, for me, I have decided to trust the God of the Bible, for He alone has the power to write a glorious sequel to the trials of this mortal life in which we live!

 

“No trial has taken you except what is human. Now, faithful is God, Who will not be leaving you to be tried above what you are able, but, together with the trial, will be making a sequel also, to enable you to undergo it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

 

"Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gives Himself for our sins, so that He might extricate us out of the present wicked age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for the eons of the eons. Amen!" (Galatians 1:3-5)

 

  

 

“For Freedom Christ Frees Us! Stand Firm.”