Re: Amillennialism

by Bro John Sat Feb 26, 2022 6:21 pm

Chapter 11 b

As you can well surmise, this scripture alone destroys the end time time-line of the Futurists. But instead of jumping ship as they see their boat sinking as a result of a direct hit by this scriptural cannonball they instead bail water as fast as possible and continue full steam ahead. No, they shout. While Christ may be seated at the Father’s right hand He does not begin to reign until His 2nd coming when He destroys the Beast, the False Prophet and their armies.

Do you recall the sermon by the famous west coast Pastor back in chapter 3? This man took great pains in deconstructing the lyrics of the beloved Christmas Hymn, “Joy to the World” in order to prove Jesus is not reigning now. #1 Joy to the world… let earth receive her king, #2 Joy to the world the Savior reigns, and #3 He rules the world with truth and grace. He then asks the following question: Is Christ really reigning? His answer is a God dishonoring – no. That cannot occur, He says, until the Millennium when Jesus takes possession of the earth. So let’s take a closer look at a handful of scriptures that disprove this notion that Christ is not now reigning from heaven. We begin by bringing forth a sampling of scriptures that prove Christ was and is seated at the Father’s right hand at His ascension. We begin with Mark 16:19.

[list="padding-inline-start: 48px;"][*]So then after the Lord [Jesus] had spoken unto them, [His disciples] he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
[/list]

This scripture depicting the Ascension may also be seen in Daniel 7:13,14, Acts 1:9-12, and Revelation 12:5. Please read these scriptures prayerfully. Jesus was still at the Father’s right hand 3 ½ years after that grand event in 34 at the time the angel - faced Stephen made his brave defense before the High Priest and his council. But instead of sitting, Jesus had stood to his feet so as to receive with honor His first New Testament martyr. (Acts 7:55,56) Paul also mentions the installation of Jesus to the Father’s right hand in Ephesians 1:19.

Which [the exceeding greatness of his power] he [the God of our Lord Jesus] wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.

So, according to Ephesians, “the Father’s right hand” is identical to “the heavenly places”. But I see some hands go up in protest. If I were to quote the whole passage, my Futurists friends contend, I would see that all enemies were already under Christ’s feet in Ephesians 1:22. But is this so? Yes, and no. This is an example of God calling things that are not at present as though they were in time. Remember, God is eternal, therefore Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent. Please read Romans 4:17. Though they will most certainly be so in the future (because God said so) not all things are currently under the feet of Christ. How do we know? If they were Christ would immediately rise from His throne, collect His bride and punish the evildoers. I Corinthians 15:27,28 provides a second witness to our scripture in Ephesians.

27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Christ remains at the right hand of the Father or as the Epistle to the Ephesians puts it, in “the heavenly places” until such time as all things are under His feet. I Corinthians 15:28, however, uses the word, subdued. This is not the same thing as Christ’s enemies being made a stool for His feet by the Father. They are 2 different Greek words. Let’s look at some previous scriptures from I Corinthians 15 in order to assist us in rightly dividing this Word of Truth.

by Bro John Mon Mar 07, 2022 2:46 pm

Chapter 11c

21 For since by man [Adam] came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

Look at verse 23. Q. When are all made alive never to die again; having received their glorified bodies? A. It is at Christ’s coming – SINGULAR. So which is it, the supposed pre - tribulation rapture or His 2nd Coming? Remember, Futurists tell us there is no bodily resurrection at the 2nd Coming. Let that sink in. So, by default this ‘coming’ can only be the pre - tribulation rapture according to the Futurist end time rule - book. However, the next verse totally obliterates that possibility; for after the bodily resurrection of the saints, “Then cometh the end”. Q. Does the end, the delivering up of the kingdom by Jesus occur at the rapture? A. No, as it has yet to begin! According to Futurist eschatology Christ only comes to the 1st heaven in the clouds at the time of the rapture. He does not come to the earth until 7 years later. Our Dispensationalist friends are between a rock and a hard place. If Jesus delivers up the kingdom to the Father at the time the saint’s bodies are resurrected (the pre- tribulation rapture) there is no time for an earthly millennium; regardless whether it lasts for a single day or one thousand years!

So this begs the question: Since there is no resurrection of the saints’ bodies at Christ’s 2nd Coming in Futurist eschatology at what coming are they then raised? Just as a friendly reminder allow me to state again that Futurists teach a 4-fold 1st resurrection: #1 Christ, #2, Gentile saints at the pre - tribulation rapture, #3 Old Testament and Great Tribulation saints at the end of the Great Tribulation, and #4 Kingdom saints at the end of the 1000 years. Since the Futurists’ pre - tribulation rapture is not “The end” as there is another 1007 years of earthly existence to occur, and there is no bodily resurrection in the Futurists’ 2nd Coming of Christ, and there is no coming of Christ at the end of the Great Tribulation nor yet at the end of the Futurist Millennium, (as He is already on earth in Jerusalem beginning to or having already reigned for 1000 years from a temple made with hands) the Futurist position is without support both from a biblical and logical standpoint. We continue to another scripture highlight from I Corinthians 15.

25. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

Do you perceive what you just read? Let’s place this scripture side by side with our scripture from Psalms 110:1.

A Sit thou at my right hand, until B I make thine enemies thy footstool.
C For he must reign, till D he hath put all enemies under his feet.

We now make use of the principle of “the word equation” we have utilized in a previous chapter in order to better explain our meaning. The natural dividing line of our verse is the word, until. Everything to the left we will designate as A. This is what Jesus does. Everything to the right we label as B. This is what Jesus continues to do until such a time as the prescribed condition is met. In other words, the status quo remains unchanged until such a time as there is a change in the status quo. Let’s do the same with I Corinthians 15:25. Again, the word, till, bifurcates our verse in question. Everything to the left we place in the C column, and the right goes into the D category. But aren’t B and D the same? Yes, they are. So, if B = D, then A = C. So in word form, “Sit on my right hand”, therefore, must be identical or equal to “He must reign”.

But I notice another set of hands, though fewer in number, being raised from the Futurist camp. OK, these reluctantly admit. Christ may currently be reigning from heaven but not in fulfillment of God’s earthly promise to David. Dear Futurist friends, do you hear what you are saying? Jesus told His Apostles that all power in heaven and in earth had been given unto Him at the time of His resurrection. (Matthew 28:18) If He was reigning over both the terrestrial and celestial spheres prior to His exaltation why would you believe He has been demoted to rule over a single dominion anytime after His glorification? (Philippians 2:6,9, Psalms 93:1,2, Hebrews 1:8-12, Psalms 97:1, 98:6, 99:1, 95:3, John 7:38,39) A question for any who remain a Dispensationalist “Doubting Thomas”: From what city did Nebuchadnezzer rule the known world? In what palace did Darius’ and Cyrus’ sceptre hold sway? And in what city did the Roman Caesars decree their laws? What am I getting at? These earthly kingdoms all had a capital. Kings ruled both that city as well as the known world. So also does Christ. He does as He pleases with the armies of heaven, and He sets up and puts down earthly kings. (Daniel 2:21, 4:17,25-35) In a word, the heavens do rule! Now let’s finish up with our final scriptural touches with this 2nd primary color taken from Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15.

by Bro John Mon Mar 07, 2022 2:47 pm

Chapter 11d

24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power.

26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

He [Christ] reigns from heaven until ALL enemies are placed [by the Father] under His feet. Now, as we said, enemies being placed under the foot of Christ is not the same as their total subduing which is the FINAL putting down of “all rule and authority and power”, ie., ultimate destruction. Christ comes to subdue or destroy those ‘defeated’ enemies that have previously been placed under His feet by the Father “with the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of His coming.” (II Thessalonians 2:8) There is a distinct time interval, therefore, between defeat and death. Recall our OT example of Joshua who on that elongated day, never to be repeated when ‘sun and moon stood still’, had his military captains place their feet on the neck of the defeated enemies’ kings who were brought out of their hidey- hole cave suddenly turned into a cell of confinement. Yes, they were captured and defeated in the cave but not as yet destroyed or subdued until afterward when they were smitten and hung on 5 trees. (Joshua 10:12-27)

Further, as destruction was the one thing remaining following the placing of Joshua’s captains’ feet on the neck of the 5 defeated kings so it will be with Christ at His 2nd Coming. After all foes are underfoot Christ arises in heaven in order to come to possess the earth at which time the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God and His Christ. (Revelation 11:15) He then kills His enemies including death. (Luke 18:12-14,27, I Corinthians 15:51-55, Revelation 20:14)

We now blend I Corinthians 15 with Psalms 110 in order to corroborate evidence for our position.

[list="padding-inline-start: 48px;"][*]The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
[*]Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning; thou hast the dew of thy youth.
[/list]

      5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath

      6. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies;...

The ‘sent’ rod of God’s strength above in verse 1 is Christ when He leaves heaven, Who rules all nations with a rod of iron after all foes are made a stool for His feet. (Psalms 2:9, Revelation 12:5) He rules in their midst [on earth] only long enough to pass sentence upon them, upon which their demise takes place. In juxtaposition to this, God’s people, the “house of Jacob”, are “made willing in the day of his power [from heaven]” and ruled over in their hearts for a prophetic 1000 years; the time between the Resurrection and the 2nd Coming. (Luke 1:33) Hear now the 24 heavenly elders from Revelation 11:17,18 who at the sounding of the 7th trumpet /3rd woe leave their seats of honor to humbly fall upon their faces in worship of God. (my emphasis)

17. Saying, we give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned.

18. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth.

When Jesus at last takes dominion over the kingdoms of this world He is said to have reigned. And what transpires next in order of time is wrath and judgment. Returning to Psalms 110:5, above we find the Lord at the right hand is God’s means of judgment on the ungodly and all they who obey not the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Lastly, in verse 6 it is mentioned that he “fills the places with the dead bodies.” (Revelation 14:19,20, 19:15,21) 1,200 furlongs = 150 miles, and with the blood coming up to the horse bridles, perhaps 6’ or more, it is a whole lot of space.

by Bro John Mon Mar 07, 2022 2:49 pm

Chapter 11e

Q. From which Zion does the rod of God’s strength come: from Jerusalem which is below, or the heavenly Jerusalem, the bride of Christ, in heaven? A. It comes from the very throne room in heaven, the source of all decrees from the Almighty. (Psalms 2:4-7, Hebrews 12:1,2, 18-24)

As a refresher you may want to revisit chapters 1 and 7 where I flesh out the 2 sons/covenants.

Now, no doubt many of you who are following closely noticed the omission of verse 4 from our Psalms 110 overview. This specific verse is also quoted more than once in the NT, more so in the Book of Hebrews than all others. We quote it now in order to prove our last point.

[list="padding-inline-start: 48px;"][*]The LORD hath sworn and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
[/list]

So, Jesus is not merely a king or a priest, but a king-priest or a priest-king. It is as a priest that Jesus reigns and as a king that Jesus ministers. But why? We circle back once again to Psalms 110:1 and combine our 3rd and last primary coloring to this canvas of Biblical proof taken from select portions of the Book of Hebrews. (my emphasis)

[list="padding-inline-start: 48px;"][*]Hebrews 1:3 Who [the Son, the Creator and heir of all things] being the brightness of his [the Father’s] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
[/list]

[list="padding-inline-start: 48px;"][*]Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things that we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
[/list]

[list="padding-inline-start: 48px;"][*]Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
[/list]

[list="padding-inline-start: 48px;"][*]Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
[/list]

Look very closely at these 4 scriptures. What is the common denominator in Christ’s being seated at the Father’s right hand in heaven? Hebrews 1:3 mentions the purging of sins. Hebrews 8:1 speaks of the high priest. Hebrews 10:12 tells us of the offering of one sacrifice for sins. Lastly, Hebrews 12:2 describes He Who endured the cross. [the sacrifice] The common denominator is without a doubt our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 4:14-16, 10:19-23)

Christ is and has been at the right hand of the Father for almost 2000 years now. He reigns and ministers from heaven because He has been made by the oath of God a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. This priesthood has its sanctuary not on earth but rather in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not men. The sanctuaries on earth were but types or figures; rudimentary and man - made copies of the real, made without hands. (Hebrews 8:2,5)

It is in heaven that Christ presented His blood on the altar of God (Hebrews 9:11,12, 23,24) It is in heaven that Christ makes intercession for all those who come unto God by Him. In fact, He ever liveth to make intercession in keeping with His being made a High Priest forever. (Hebrews 7:25) In a word, He abideth a priest continually. (Hebrews 7:3) And because He continues forever, He has an unchangeable priesthood. (Hebrews 7:24) Do you understand? Christ cannot reign from the earth. It is impossible. Listen to Hebrews 8:3,4. (my emphasis)

3. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man [Jesus Christ] have somewhat also to offer.

4. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Look again at verse 4. Please, take this scripture in its literal - grammatical - historical context. The writer of Hebrews tells us unequivocally that Christ would not be a priest if he were on earth. But He has been made a priest forever not only by decree but by the very oath of God! My Dispensationalist friend, what will you do with these scriptures? Shall you continue to damn the torpedoes? Again, let me state with scripture. Christ could not be a priest on earth. Jesus cannot minister in a stone temple, let alone in a golden temple nor be worshipped in it as it would be a mere copy of the original, no matter how true to the heavenly pattern. Furthermore, it would be a reversal of God’s progressive revelation and outworkings. (Hebrews 9:11) Christ said He was the temple. Period and paragraph. Please reread John 2:19-21, and Revelation 21:22.

Additionally, there has been a change to the law as a direct result of there having been a change to the priesthood by virtue of the giving of the New Covenant. Futurists, what will you do now?

Need we bring forth any more arguments for Christ reigning now from heaven since His ascension and pouring out of His Spirit on Pentecost as proof of that event? Jesus was resurrected to reign as priest king. David may have been a king and a prophet but he was no priest. David will not be resurrected until the 2nd Coming after all enemies are made a footstool for Christ and after He has delivered up the kingdom to His Father. (Acts 2:29-36) One word more. Do you recall the exchange between the Lord Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well? Jesus told her that neither in that mountain, nor in Jerusalem (think millennium) would God be worshipped. Jesus is in heaven where He must remain until the very last day when time shall be no longer. (Revelation 10:5-7). Now you know the why, or rather, the where.

To be continued, Lord willing……………….

by Bro John Mon Mar 07, 2022 6:34 pm

Dear brothers and sisters, As I wind down this series on the kingdom I wish to enlist your help. Have I left any items unaddressed or under addressed? Have I given satisfactory explanations whether they be biblical or logical? Have any of my conclusions been less than satisfactory? Please, I wish to address all outstanding concerns and not only rest our case; not only on a reasonable doubt, but without one. If you do not know, or feel un-inclined perhaps you can send to some staunch Dispensationalist friends who would aver if they could. I appreciate your patience as we approach the short rows. Thank you, all.
Brother John aka man of clay.

by Sponsored content