ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH IN THE END TIME

There is a prophetic picture in the Old Testament showing what will happen in the time of the end.  In Israel at one time there were three places of worship representing the people of God: - The Tabernacle of David which housed the Ark [the Presence of God] accessible to all and with 24 hour worship and praise. It represents the Gentile Church. [Acts 15:13 – 18], Also the Tabernacle of Moses which was at Gibeon, It had lost the Ark but still continued to function. It represents God’s Old Covenant people. Then there was Solomon’s great golden Temple under construction. Solomon, son of David, is a type of the Lord Jesus. This Temple represents the Living Temple which Jesus is now building. ’a Habitation of God in the Spirit’ [Ephesians 2:29-22 and other Scriptures]

When the Temple was finished they brought up the Ark and placed it in the Holy of Holies; and they also brought up the old tabernacle of Moses. It was probably put in one of the store rooms. The Temple was dedicated and then filled with the Glory of God. [2 Chronicles 7:1,2]

At the time of the end, Jews and Christians will come together in Messiah Jesus and this Temple will be filled with God’s Glory. 

Speaking of Israel Paul said, “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” The Resurrection life of Jesus will flow from this Temple. It will draw all people in.

“Arise, shine, for thy light has come and the Glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.  For behold, darkness shall cover the Earth and deep darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee and His Glory shall be seen upon thee.  The Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” Isaiah 60:1-3

Yes the darkness and deep darkness is closing in; but the future is brilliant.

POSSESSING THE LAND

“But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.”            Numbers 14:21

 

Tucked away in the book of Numbers, a book that is often passed over, is this vow of God that the time is coming then His glory will fill the Earth. The prospect of seeing this come to pass should fill the heart of every Christian with joy and longing.  What is overlooked is the significance of where and when and under what circumstances this vow was made.

Israel was at the border of the Promised Land, having been led by the Cloud of the Spirit through the Wilderness. Their destiny was to possess the Land and establish the Kingdom. Twelve men were sent in to spy out the Land. The report of the majority was that it was indeed a good Land, but it was occupied by giants in walled cities. The Land was impregnable!

 Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, reminded the people that God had given them the Land for their inheritance and He was with them. They couldn’t fail. Israel choose to believe the negative report and incurred God’s anger by refusing to enter the Land. Moses interceded for Israel and God pardoned them. It was then that He made the vow. In effect He said:-

“You won’t possess the Land, but one day a generation will arise who will. It is then that My glory will fill the Earth.”  [My paraphrase vs 21-31]  God’s glory filling the earth is dependent upon the people of God possessing the Land. The ultimate fulfilment of this promise still lies ahead.

The promises of God belong to the Seed of Abraham. The patriarch had physical Seed –   Isaac and his descendants; and he had spiritual Seed – all those in Christ. [Read Galatians 3:16, 29.] These scriptures are pivotal to our understanding of the role of the Church in these end times. They tell us that Abraham’s Seed is One but many.  Isaac and Israel together are the physical Seed. [God called them His Son. “Israel is My son My firstborn” Exodus 4:20]. Christ and His Church are the spiritual Seed of Abraham.

To the physical Seed of Abraham, God gave the Land of Canaan for an inheritance; to the spiritual Seed, He gave the Earth. “For the promise that he would be heir of the world, was not given to Abraham, or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” Romans 4:13. This is probably a revelation to most Christians. For many years we thought of the Promised Land as Heaven. This is reflected in the many songs that speak of ‘crossing Jordan’ as dying. However the whole Salvation scenario is about reclaiming the Earth for the Kingdom of God. We lost Heaven on Earth at the Fall when Adam transferred his allegiance from God to Satan: Now ‘the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.’ 1 John 5:19. At the Cross Jesus removed Satan’s authority from all who trust in Him and regained the title deeds of the Earth for redeemed Man.  It is legally ours, but like the land of Canaan, we have to possess it.

Israel’s journey to and possession of their inheritance is a type or a map, showing us how the spiritual Seed will possess their inheritance. It is then that the glory of God will fill the Earth just as He vowed.

After many years in the Wilderness, a generation arose in Israel who, under Joshua, finally crossed Jordan and conquered the Land. When Solomon, son of David, sat on the throne, the Land was prosperous, the great golden temple was built and Israel came under the rule and blessing of Almighty. This is a faint earthly picture of what it the Earth will be when the Kingdom comes. All that was lost at the Fall will be restored, and King Jesus will sit on the throne.

The end time generation of Overcomers is soon to rise in the Earth. The battle of the ages for possession of the Earth will be fought and won on the battlefield of prayer and through proclamation of the Gospel and the heavenly hosts will join the fray just as they did at Jericho. Then Hell’s strongholds will crumble; Creation will be restored and the Kingdom of God will come ‘on Earth as it is in Heaven.’ AMEN

 

THE SACRED COW

There is a "sacred cow" standing in the way of the Church's journey into Truth. That is the teaching of an imminent Rapture of the Church. The Cross is not just about taking us to Heaven but it is about reclaiming the Earth for God. That is what God has been working toward since the Fall. The ultimate goal is that the Kingdom of God will come on Earth as it is in Heaven.

The imminent Rapture is admittedly an attractive teaching; but is it true? After many years of searching this out, I KNOW by the Word and the Spirit, that God has something even better in mind - a Church rising up in the power and Glory of God to bring in the nations. As Jesus said "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not stand against it." [Matthew 16:18,19] The Church is destined to destroy Hell's grip on the Earth. 1 John 5:19 tells us that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. Not for much longer! Jesus' work was to destroy Satan's authority and legal right to the earth and to give it to His Church. His victory has to be enforced.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would lead and guide us into all truth. We have not arrived yet! "The Lord has yet more light and truth to break forth from His Word."

Always before a great move of God, the Spirit brought revelation on the Word as God works towards restoration to the Church and ultimately for the world. The truth of Justification by faith brought in the Reformation, it was followed by Sanctification in the Wesley awakening. These are the truths of Passover. The Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewals restored the truth of Pentecost. One great Feast has yet to be fulfilled and that is Tabernacles - the Feast of the final harvest. The truth that will usher in this Feast is The Finished Work of Christ as pictured in the Day of Atonement.

We have not yet come into the truth of all that the Cross accomplished. When we do the Church will rise "unto the measure of the stature of Christ" [Ephesians 4:13] and bring in the nations in fulfilment of the Great Commission.

The Church is the Army of God. It is empowered by Truth. Much of the Church can't see beyond the 'Rapture' that is going to happen 'any minute now.' Their eyes are closed to any other revelation. It is wrong teaching. It fact it is worse than wrong. It is a 'red herring' placed in our way by the one who 'deceives the whole world.' [Revelation 12:9] The' father of lies' has been desperately trying to keep the whole truth from the Church ever since the Resurrection because he knows that then his grip on the earth will be finished.

The 'Rapture' Scripture [1 Thessalonians 4:14-17] is really about the 2nd Coming. When we have done what Jesus commissioned us to do, then He will return. Creation will be restored, the dead in Christ will live again and all His people will rise to meet Him and escort Him back to the throne.

I have written about this last great move of God in my books "The Other Bible Code" and "End Time Insights." featured on this page. May I hope that you will read them and earnestly pray about the precepts therein? They are the result of many years of searching out truth in the Word and revelation by the Spirit.

Push the sacred cow out of the way. Silence it's mooing, and open your spiritual eyes and ears. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.'