The scripture records many wonderful promises of
God to his saints of an earthly type. Promises not of the next life
after these flesh and blood bodies die but promises pertaining to this
life. For the most part these promises remained unfulfilled throughout
history. When the messiah came to earth in the first century that only
seemed to make the persecution directed towards his saints and the
resulting upheavals of nations even worse. God did not leave
himself without a witness though in his Word as to when his saints and
in fact the world in general would begin to see circumstances where
these promises could and would be fulfilled in nations as a matter of
course. Prophecy on the matter was very specific: After the Roman
Empire; the fourth of four prophesied empires that would war against he
saints and overcome them. Then the world would see a new dawn, a new age
where the government of God, its influence for good would begin to fill
the earth. This transformation that was coming would be so dramatic that
Bible prophecy uses the illustration of a "new heavens and new earth" to
describe it.
Here is a small sample of these
earthly promises and a few of many of the prophecies concerning their
timing.
Luke 1 67.
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied,
saying, 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he has visited and
redeemed his people, 69. And has raised up an horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David; 70. As he spoke by the mouth of his
holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71. That we should
be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72. To
perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy
covenant; 73. The oath which he swore to our father Abraham, 74. That he
would grant to us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our
enemies might serve him without fear, 75. In holiness and righteousness
before him, all the days of our life.
A number of things should be pointed out about this
scripture. First, that it is a prophecy inspired by God. Second, just as
it says. That this is a prophecy that repeats or encapsulates
volumes of prophecy in the Old Testament that promise and predict same
thing. Third, that when Jesus grew up and completed his ministry this
prophecy, as far as its earthly promises, did not come to pass. Nor did
it for the next 1500 years. Yet today, in the lands that through
Gods mercy have had the Gospel preached to them in power. Lands that the
general population has access to Bibles. Something began to exist that
never existed in the world before the Roman Empire fell in 1453 AD.
That for the first time in history outside of ancient Israel. The believers
began to be saved from the hands of their enemies and were able to freely serve God
without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of their lives.
This is all due to the transformative nature of the Gospel, Gods Word
and his Government.
Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into
mind. 18 But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create:
for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of
weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
The New or Heavenly Jerusalem of the book of Revelation is quoting
verses 17-19 and as such Isaiah is prophesying about the very same New
Jerusalem. One mistake that is made with prophecies like
these, especially by those who have embraced modern pop culture end time
prophecy teachings is the way those teachings effect the adherents
perception of the substance of prophecies like this. The utter madness
and dysfunction of the ancient world is foreign to modern westerners.
They look at the past through the lens of what they experience now. The
modern westerner truly has little concept of living in a world where the darkness
and dysfunction that rules is universal and un-penetrable. They have
truly forgot and have no reason to be reminded of what the world was
before the Gospel began to transform it. They don't have anything with
which to compare the world they live in to the ancient one to understand
how these prophecies about joy, the lack of sufferings, weeping and
sorrow of heart have been coming to pass in nations that have met the
conditions for centuries now. It must be understood is a
local church to posses these earthly promises of God that church must exist in a
nation where the people and the government have some type of grounding in
Biblical principle. Otherwise they would be mercilessly
persecuting that church and therefore these earthly promises would not
be coming to pass. 20 There
shall be no more there an infant of days, nor an old man that has not
filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the
sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. Verse 20
promises long life. The average life span in the free world has doubled
that of the ancient world and still climbing. 21 And they shall
build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat
the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they
shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days
of my people, and my elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
It was quite normal that outside of ancient Israel for true believers to
not possess property rights in the ancient world. In fact under the
despotic rule of kings no one but those who supported the king or
emperor really did. Its not that men didn't understand the rights
to own property. Under despotic government rule though the powers that
existed did as they pleased and were especially brutal in robbing those
whom they considered a threat to their rule, namely real Christians.
This was due
to the light that was in them that exposed evil. Now however, at least
to those who fear God, property rights are considered of divine origin
and written into the laws and constitutions of the nations they founded.
Today, as differentiated from the past, entire people groups cannot
imagine a world where the law does not exist to protect their property
rights. 23
They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are
the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.
Lets just tie verse 23 to the scourge of human slavery to make a point.
1/3-1/2 of all human beings that ever existed before this new era as the
property of others. All colors and races have been slaves and enslavers.
It must also be pointed out that with the exception of the few and far
in-between "benevolent" dictators and small tribal, (family government.)
Legal human slavery could not be done away without first ridding nations
of kings and emperors and replacing them with a government of, by and
for the people who's morality was based in Biblical principle. Once this
transformation began to take place after the fall of the Roman Empire in
1453 AD, the idea of legal human slavery began to decline and was
finally ended. So now, in the nations who's people and founding's
revolve around Biblical principle we have opportunity that did not exist
before. To labor and reap what we sow and enjoy the fruits of that
labor. In this age there are many nations where people can have children
and raise them without fear of someone enslaving them or invading armies
destroying them. They are able to freely raise them to fear God and not
have to be confronted continually with disaster that would destroy their
lives. 24 A
and it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and
while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Verse 24 is a common
experience for true believers. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall
feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust
shall be the serpent's meat. Animals and plants are used
throughout the Bible to illustrate different peoples and nations and
this
speaks of different nations and peoples living peacefully with one
another just as you see modern western Democracies and Republics not
warring with one another like nations of old. Or perhaps a better
example of this would be nations like the United States. A nation
where people of all races, nationalities can embrace
principle that makes them one people. A nation that ascribes to an ideal
rather than racial, family or national animosities of the past. That
ideal of course, to those who understand, came straight from the pages
of the Bible. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my
holy mountain, said the LORD. The mountain of the Lords house is the oft repeated
illustration of the Lords people of faith who come from all nations.
In this article on
a parable about the government of God
Jesus
addresses this mountain in detail. In light of all of history, Gods
earthly promises to his saints in ages past have just begun to see their
fulfillment.
Psalm 72:2 He shall judge your
people with righteousness, and your poor with judgment. 3 The mountains
shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of
the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. 5 They shall fear
you as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. 6 He
shall come down like rain on the mown grass: as showers that water the
earth. 7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of
peace so long as the moon endures. 8 He shall have dominion also from
sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. 9 They that
dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick
the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring
presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yes, all
kings shall fall down before him: all nations
shall serve him. 12 For he shall deliver the needy when he cries;
the poor also, and him that has no helper. 13 He shall spare the poor
and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14 He shall redeem
their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be
in his sight. 15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the
gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily
shall he be praised. 16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth
on the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon:
and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17 His name
shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun:
and men shall be blessed in him: all nations
shall call him blessed. 18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of
Israel, who only does wondrous things. 19 And blessed be his glorious
name for ever: and let the whole earth be
filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
This is
truly one of the most amazing prophecies in the Bible. It is so rich in
the illustrative language of Bible prophecy but this commentary is not
going into all that. The focus of this commentary is: When did did the
poor and the needy begin to get saved from the hand of the oppressor?
When did the peoples begin to get judged with righteousness, i.e. begin
to live under the rule of law rather than the arbitrary rule of men?
When did the oppressors of mankind begin to be crushed by the people
instead of the oppressors crushing the peoples? When and how did God
begin to be even able to answer the cry's of the poor and the needy with
deliverance from the perpetual circumstances that caused them to be poor
and needy? When did the good guys actually begin to win sometimes?
Although this can be construed to be talking about salvation from hell
and the promise of heaven; it is clearly talking about much more than
this. The prophetic and the historical answer to these questions is
this: These things began to come to pass when what had been the capitol
city of the Roman Empire since 333 AD, Constantinople fell in 1453 AD.
The time period when for the first time in history the Bible began to
get into the hands of the general public. Which occurred in northern Europe.
When the public armed with
the newly found power of the truth and the God who is faithful to keep
his word; they began to win these promises. This was the beginning of
the end for despotic government. It was the pattern forward to see
greater and greater fulfillment of this prophecy. An age where nations
that embrace Biblical principle provide the avenue that these precious
promises and prophecies can be fulfilled in the lives of the peoples
were they could not be fulfilled before. An age by the way
that the Bible says has no end.
It can
easily be seen with these prophecies how pop culture end time teachings
cause Gods people to actually work against these prophecies and promises
coming to pass. How might the reader ask? First by not believing in them
but believing the future holds the exact opposite. Faith in Gods
Word is prerequisite to all things in our relationship to God and his
government. Then, if one looks at history. None of this came to pass
without the agency of man working along side God or at least doing his
will. Previous to the 20th century Christianity as a whole looked at
these prophecies and promises as the will of God to be strived for in
the world. Modern pop culture end time prophecy teachings that
pervade the Christian world today were not embraced by the men and woman
who created the free world we now enjoy. In fact todays popular end time
teachings
were considered false teaching and false prophecy. So, if real
Christians do not put their faith and labors in these prophecies coming
to pass. If they do not seek to instill the acceptance of Biblical
principle in the population. If they do not seek to have themselves and
Biblical principle as the primary influence in human government according to the will of God.
If they don't even believe these things can be done. Then none of
this will be able to come to pass. God will not do this another way. He
waited many millennia to do it this way because it is the best way.
God's people
and those who seek a better world will voluntary serve God and win the
victory over the wicked of the earth who seek to subjugated it or the
world will fall under despotic rule. We have 7000 years of human history
prior to this time period that prove mankind will not overcome despotism
apart from God's Word. Yet, pop culture end time teachings declare
this battle lost, (placing that in the heart
of the saint) before it even begins because they have taken the end time
prophecies of the last two ages and placed them in this age. This
holds just as true for a variant of these teachings called dominionism.
Teachings that still accept the basic premise of these end time
teachings but also believe these types of prophecies will supernaturally
be fulfilled before those end time doctrines come to pass fully. They
disconnect these prophecies from their Biblically stated time periods
and history's lessons on how they come to pass. The hard work, the
preparations, the treasure, the blood sweat and tears, the loss,
the victories of past generations are not considered relevant as
to the path forward. Instead they carry on as if the end times that they
do not know prophesied the end of the last two ages are upon us. They
then believe God is going to give us one big slam dunk revival and
supernaturally give Christians control of the world and cultures before
all hell breaks loose. This is so absurd that it suffices to say people
who have accepted such teachings are pathetically un-prepared
spiritually or intellectually to accomplish the tasks necessary in
Christ for these prophecies to be fulfilled. Some actually think
their worship services will become so supernatural that everyone in
their cities will turn away from their evil and believe. This will
then usher the pastors and staff members of their churches into
governmental positions of power. Not that this author is against
supernatural occurrences changing cities and nations. It happened in the
past and will happen in the future. You can see though how those who are
under the spell of these types of teachings will not be preparing or
doing any of the hard lifting and involving themselves in lifetimes of
struggle to overcome the wicked who seek to subjugate the peoples. The
people who God needs for this to come to pass are only doing part of
what needs to be done. They are preaching and teaching which is
absolutely necessary. As a matter of course though they are not
involving themselves with the same propose in the other matters and
callings that are necessary for these promises to be fulfilled. They are
leaving vast area's to the wicked to control and believing the evil they
see as a result is "the end times."
Isaiah 25 7. And he will destroy in this
mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil
that is spread over all nations. 8. He will swallow up death in victory;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke
of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord
hath spoken it. 9. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our
God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we
have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
1
These are a few scriptures concerning the timing
of these prophecies.
Daniel 2:31 You, O
king, saw, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness
was excellent, stood before you; and the form of it was terrible. 32.
This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver,
his belly and his thighs of brass, 33. His legs of iron, his feet part
of iron and part of clay. 34. You looked until that a stone was cut out
without hands, which struck the image upon his feet that were of iron
and clay, and broke them to pieces. 35. Then was the iron, the clay, the
brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became
like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them
away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the
image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36. This is
the dream; and we will tell the interpretation of it before the king.
37. You, O king, are a king of kings: for the God of heaven has given
you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38. And where ever the
children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the
heaven has he given into your hand, and has made you ruler over them
all. You are this head of gold. 39. And after you shall arise another
kingdom inferior to you, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall
bear rule over all the earth. 40. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong
as iron: for as much as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things:
and as iron that breaks all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41. And where as you saw the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and
part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of
the strength of the iron, for as much as you saw the iron mixed with
miry clay. 42. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part
of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43.
And where as you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to
another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 44. And in the days of
these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never
be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it
will crush and bring to an end all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
for ever. 45. For as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the
mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass,
the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the
king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and
the interpretation of it sure.
Daniel 7:1 In the first
year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his
head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the
matters.2. Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and look,
the four winds of the heaven were stirring the great sea. 3. And four
great animals came up from the sea, different one from another. 4. The
first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I looked till the wings
were torn off, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon
the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. 5. And look,
another animal, a second, like a bear, and it raised up itself on one
side, and it had three ribs in it's mouth between its he teeth: and they
said this to it, Arise, devour much flesh. 6. After this I was looking,
and saw another, like a leopard, which had on its back of it four wings
of a bird; the animal also had four heads; and an empire was given to
it. 7. After this I looked in the night visions, and saw a fourth
animal, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong; and it had great
iron teeth: it devoured and crushed, and trampled what was left with its
feet: and it was different from all the animals that were before it; and
it had ten horns. 8. I considered the horns, and look, there came up
among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the
first horns uprooted; and look, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of
man, and a mouth speaking great things. 9. I looked until the thrones
were set up, and the ancient of days sat, whose robe was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the
flames of fire, and its wheels were burning fire. 10. A river of fire
ran and issued from his presence: thousand thousands served him, and ten
thousand times ten thousand stood in his presence: the court was seated,
and the books were opened. 11. I was looking then because of the sound
of the great words which the horn spoke: I looked until the animal was
killed, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12. As
concerning the rest of the animals, they had their empires taken away:
yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13. I saw in the
night visions, and look, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of
heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near
before him. 14. And there was given him an empire, and glory, and
dominion, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his
empire is an everlasting empire, which shall not pass away, and his
dominion that which shall not be destroyed. 15. I Daniel was distressed
in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head
troubled me. 16. I came near to one of them that stood by, and asked him
the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the
interpretation of the things. 17. These great animals, which are four,
are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18. But the saints
of the most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for
ever, even for ever and ever. 19. Then I would know the truth of the
fourth animal, which was different from all the others, exceeding
dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which
devoured and crushed, and trampled what was left with his feet; 20. And
of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up,
before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth
that spoke very great things, whose look was more greater than his
fellows. 21. I was looking, and the same horn made war with the saints,
and overpowered them; 22. Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment
was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the
saints possessed the kingdom. 23. So he said, The fourth beast shall be
the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be different from all
kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and
crush it. 24. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that
shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be
different from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25. And he
shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the
saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they
shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of
time. 26. But the court will sit, and they shall take away his empire,
to consume and to destroy it until the end. 27. And the kingdom and
empire, and the greatness of the dominion under the whole heaven, will
be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is
an everlasting kingdom, and all empires shall serve and obey him. 28.
This is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my thoughts greatly
alarmed me, and my color changed on me: but I kept the matter in my
heart.
These four empires are named and dated
in latter prophecies about the same things as Babylonian, Medo\Persian,
Greek and Roman empires. It is during the fourth one
that Gods Kingdom begins to fill the whole earth and Gods saints start
to have a say in their destinies. Every prophecy in the Bible about
these four are covered in great detail on this in the article;
End Time
Prophecy.
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