When I read this article, it piqued my interest by re-introducing my attention to a few great scriptures that I lost track of... Psalms: 50:10, and Psalm 37:25.. which says, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." and verse 28, "For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off." Sorry, guys/ friends, I STILL love the KJV Bible better than all the others!! But I will not make fun of others who choose to read a different version that may be easier for them.
And Psalm 50:10, says, "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." Asaph wrote that Psalm, and it has a lot of meaning for me, but I don't have time to go into the surrounding context of it right now. But yes, I have MY favorites too, like every one else --- I would hope. And if you DON'T -- Shame on you! What happens if the Gov't suddenly puts all REAL Christians into FEMA camps tomorrow, and please don't laugh at that possibility, folks! What if all our bibles are taken away? The way things are running every single day with more persecution laid upon Christians.... duh, we can't say that we will always have FREEDOM in the USA! The Bible says it will happen, sooner or later. And a good 'rule of thumb' is: "if everyone around you loves you so much.... something is wrong! Because the world of Satan is fond of 'it's own !' What that means is, "YOU are not preaching and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ-- prob. because you are a COWARD!" which BRINGS ME TO THE SUBJECT OF TRUE CHRISTIANS VS: THE EVANGELICALS. There is a big difference between the two camps of people, one true -- the other false. Another truth is that now days, you just cannot tell a church by what "they call themselves.... Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, etc.... as I have personally found out. So, if you can't figure them out with your past Bible knowledge -- how will you really know if they are teaching the TRUTH of the Scriptures??? So, if someone says that they will jump "under the wire" at the last minute to get 'Saved' -- you've got to wonder. Usually, people with that kind of mentality will be late for their own wedding, and honey moon ... lol. Another rule of the thumb -- all those who hate the State of ISRAEL are NOT true Christians!! Israel is God's chosen race/ people, and will be finally brought to see, understand and accept that fact in the near future, so we'd better treat them will kindness and respect! See: Genesis 12:3. Now... go figure what obama and his WH Libs, are doing toward Israel --- throwing them under the bus. God sees everyone who is so complicit as guilty and deserving of a terrible plague! Beware. God will take care of Israel, in all matters. Period.
All the so-called little points continue to add up, don't they?
Another side point: Scripture says that 'God sees EVERYTHING in the world and in the universe ALL THE TIME!' In view of the onslaught of thousands of smaller 'Drones' taking to the skies in the near future spying on everything and everyone, can we not see the logic now and sure possibility of God using His Myriads/ Billions of Angels to watch over us and report back all to Him every thing under the sun ??? When people scoff at what the Bible says-- that God cannot see us or everythiing at the same time -- they are so wrong headed! Sometimes things we read in the Bible make more sense to us after some years go by, and seem "more acceptable." We should have just accepted what the Word of God said-- the First time!! Titus 1:2, "God cannot lie."
I am glad, at least, that I pushed myself to do some good, and 'cast my bread upon the water' when I was a bit younger, and shared SOME of my wealth, treasure and kindness back then. Because we never know when "our time is up on Earth" or what harsh times we may fall on, when we get older, sicker, infirm, disabled, crippled up with old age and injuries. If we did those good deeds for the right reason -- they will be stored up in Heaven for us, 'where moth and rust cannot comsume'! I know my own heart, and all the right and wrong things I did in the past 64 years. And if we can say that we are "SAVED" we are promised a place in heaven with the Lord. If we are able, and our sisters and brothers are truly needy--I believe that we ought to help them. But if they drink, smoke, party down and dance like the devil all the time -- that may be a different story. Only God knows their true heart. AS I said a few times, I have not had a real vacation in about 7 years!
I love my wife dearly, and I aim to take care of her as well as I can, even spoil her if I want to. She has been good to me. PTL. She works very hard for us and happens to be a great cook! She is my legally married wife, and there is no other woman for me. Thank you, dear Lord, for this special lady you have given me.
Warm Regards,
Tom Schuckman
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The Coming Kingdom (Part 13)
By Dr. Andy Woods Sugar Land Bible Church 
Because today's evangelical world believes that the church is experiencing the Messianic kingdom, we began a study chronicling what the Bible teaches about the kingdom. This earthly kingdom is anticipated in the office of Theocratic Administrator that was lost in Eden, in the biblical covenants, in the predictions of the Old Testament prophets, and in the earthly theocracy governing Israel from the time of Moses to Zedekiah. This theocratic arrangement terminated with the initiation of the "Times of the Gentiles" when the nation had no king reigning on David’s Throne as Judah was trampled by various Gentile powers. Against that backdrop entered Jesus Christ, the rightful Heir to David's Throne. Had first-century Israel enthroned Christ, the earthly kingdom would have become a reality. Despite this unprecedented opportunity, Israel rejected the kingdom offer (Matt. 12) leading to the kingdom's postponement.
Due to this postponement, Christ explained the spiritual conditions that would prevail during the kingdom's absence. This interim program includes His revelation of the kingdom mysteries (Matt. 13) and the church (Matt. 16:18). Because neither the kingdom mysteries nor the church represent the fulfillment of God's Old Testament kingdom promises, the kingdom will remain in a state of abeyance as long as God's present work in the world continues through His interim program. However, one day the church's mission on the earth will be completed (Rom. 11:25b) resulting in the church's removal from the earth through the rapture. Then God, who is not forgetful of His prior unconditional covenants with Israel (Exod. 2:24; Ezek. 36:22), will re-extend the offer of the kingdom to national Israel in the midst of the coming Great Tribulation. Unlike at the First Advent (Matt. 23:37-38), this time the offer will be accepted leading to Christ's return (Matt. 24:30-31) and subsequent earthly kingdom (Matt. 25:34; Rev. 20:1-10). Revelation therefore explains how the world will eventually transition from the rule that Satan has had over the world ever since the Fall in Eden (Luke 4:5-8; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 1 John 5:19) to the future time in history when God and His people "will reign upon the earth" (Rev. 5:10b). Revelation 11:15 well captures this theme when it says, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever."
Establishment of the Kingdom
As mentioned in earlier installments, one of the significant purposes of the "Great Tribulation Period" is to bring Israel into a right relationship with her Messiah so that the Messianic kingdom can come to planet earth. As previously stated, unlike at the First Advent, this time the offer will be accepted leading to Christ's return (Matt. 23:37-39) and subsequent earthly reign (Matt. 25:34; Rev. 20:1-10). During this glorious one-thousand year era, everything that was promised in the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants will find a literal fulfillment when Christ will rule the world from David's Throne (Matt. 25:31) in Jerusalem (Zech. 14:16-18). This time period represents the restoration of the office of Theocratic Administrator lost in Eden. God the Father will govern the last Adam, or God the Son, who in turn will govern the world on the Father's behalf.Israel's covenants will find their fullest expression during this Age. All that God intended for the earthly theocracy of the Old Testament era will come to fruition not only for Israel, but also for the entire world. The Times of the Gentiles will be brought to an end as Israel will be head again over the nations (Isa. 14:1-2; 60:10, 12, 14, 16). All of the kingdom truths predicted by the Old Testament prophets will become a reality. All that Christ wanted to do for Israel at His first Advent (Matt. 23:37) will come to pass at the Second Advent (Matt. 24:31). With Satan bound during this period (Rev. 20:1-3), the earth will finally be exonerated from the long bondage it has suffered under since the Edenic Fall.
One Thousand Years Means One Thousand Years
The passage that typically comes to mind when discussing Christ's millennial reign is Revelation 20:1-10. As explained throughout this series, most of the information regarding the conditions of the millennial kingdom have already been anticipated and explained in prior Scripture, especially the Old Testament. Yet, Revelation 20:1-10 provides an important detail since it is the only passage that specifies the kingdom's duration of one-thousand years. Here, John makes six references to the kingdom's one-thousand year length. Many commentators attach little significance to the expression "thousand years" on the grounds that this number should be interpreted non-literally. Their thinking is that since Revelation is a symbolic book, the number "one thousand" should also be rendered non-literally. Postmillennialist Kenneth L. Gentry is typical among these allegorical commentators:The proper understanding of the thousand year time frame in Revelation 20 is that it is representative of a long and glorious era and is not limited to a literal three hundred and sixty-five thousand days. This figure represents a perfect cube of ten which is the number of quantitative perfection. [1]Yet, there are valid textual reasons for taking the number "one thousand" literally. At least four come to mind. First, John knows how to use indefinite concepts when he wants to. In verse 8, John uses the simile "like the sand of the seashore" to describe the number of those involved in the final rebellion. Yet such a conspicuous figurative expression is absent in any of John’s six uses of "thousand years." Moreover, John, in Revelation 20:3 says Satan will be released for "a short time" (mikros chronos). Had John wanted to indicate the Millennium will last "a long time" it would have been very easy for him to do so. In fact, other biblical writers use the expression "long time" (polys chronos). For example, Matthew employs it in order to depict the lengthy yet chronologically undefined period of time between Christ's advents (Matt. 25:19). Here, however, John does not employ this expression but instead provides a specific number.
Second, in the rest of the Greek New Testament, when a number is associated with the word "year" or "years," this linguistic combination always refers to a literal duration of time. Why should the six-fold repetition of the thousand years found in Revelation 20:1-10 be the sole interpretive exception to this rule? Third, if the number "one thousand" here is not literal, how then do we interpret all of the other numbers in the Book of Revelation? What do we do with two witnesses (11:3), seven thousand people (11:13), four angels (7:1), seven angels (8:6), one hundred and forty-four thousand Jews (7:4), twelve thousand from each tribe (7:5-8), twenty-four elders (4:4), forty-two months (11:2), and one thousand two hundred and sixty days (11:3)? [2] Thus, not taking "thousand" literally in Revelation 20:1-10 casts suspicion upon every other number in the Apocalypse, thereby rendering them non-sensical and meaningless.
Fourth, while Revelation is a symbolic book, not everything in the book is a symbol. Generally, when the author wants us to take something symbolically he tells us so. For example, we do not take the woman in Revelation 17 literally, because the last verse in the chapter tells us that the woman represents a city (Rev. 17:18). Thus, an overt clue is given to alert the reader to the fact that a non-literal interpretation of the woman is intended. The same can be said of the dragon or the serpent, who is interpreted as Satan within the immediate context (Rev. 20:2). However, in Revelation 20, the number "one thousand" is listed over and over again with nothing in the text telling us that anything but a literal number is in view.
Sometimes, allegorical interpreters appeal to Psalm 50:10 as a justification for taking the number thousand in Revelation 20:1-10 non- literally. [3] Psalm 50:10 says, "For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills." The "logic" of the non-literalist is as follows: since this verse indicates that God owns everything, then "thousand" in this same passage is obviously a symbolic number. Certainly God owns the cattle on the thousand and first hill as well since He owns it all. Because "thousand" is non-literal in Psalm 50:10, it must also be non-literal in Revelation 20:1-10. However, not only does this argument ignore the four aforementioned reasons for taking "thousand" literally in Revelation 20:1-10, but it also ignores the reality of Hebrew poetry. Unlike the poetry that Westerners are accustomed to, Jewish poetry rhymed ideas rather than sounds. Therefore, the Jews employed parallelism in their poetry. Thus, both clauses in any given verse must be understood together or in harmony with one another. Psalm 50:10 represents an example of synonymous Hebrew parallelism where the first line restates the same idea found in the second line but in different words. In such a context, "thousand" is obviously symbolic and non-literal since it is restating the notion that every beast of the forest belongs to the Lord through the figurative use of "thousand." In other words, we know that "thousand" in Psalm 50:10 is non-literal since the context, or synonymous Hebrew parallelism, demands it. However, there is no similar synonymous Hebrew parallelism in any of John's uses of "thousand" in Revelation 20:1-10. Rather, John simply uses the number "thousand" in a straight forward way. Thus, any attempt to symbolize "thousand" in Revelation 20:1-10 on the basis of the same term's symbolic expression in Psalm 50:10 is tantamount to mixing apples and oranges. The genre, or category of literature, in Psalm 50:10 is completely different from the genre of Revelation 20:1-10.
In sum, although most of the information concerning the Millennium's conditions are already revealed in prior Scripture, Revelation 20:1-10 provides the kingdom's one thousand year duration, and it is best to understand this number in its normal sense.
(To Be Continued...)
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