Proverbs 8:22-36; Wisdom Leads to Christ!

A proper hermeneutic will lead us to a correct understanding of Scripture.

Proverbs 1:1-7, The Right Fear of God

The last verse in this passage is the foundational idea for the whole book of Proverbs. This is why I titled this lesson, The Right Fear of God; we must know why and how to fear Him. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus told His disciples, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Same Greek word (from we derive “phobia”) in both places; context reveals meaning. That Greek word can mean great awe and reverence as well as terror. We will look into later in this lesson.

 

Hebrews 8 - The Main Thing

Here's my message from Hebrews 8 - The Main Thing. When myriad things cloud our minds and distract us for the Lord, His Spirit reminds us Who is the Main Thing and calls us back to worship and honor Him.

My Gay Conundrum

My Gay Conundrum

(This was written around 2008)

In many ways, I am a curmudgeon, refusing to cooperate with the culture on a host of issues. The push for euphemistic terms in all aspects of society particularly gripes me – from “sanitation engineers” to “gays”; I see no reason to go along with the subtle, evil scheme to redefine the terms that describe life.

Having said that, here’s my “Gay Conundrum”:

In 1999, I bought a used Ford Escort station wagon; it was purple (very much like the one in the picture). While my car was a deep, rich shade of purple – opposed to a light, soft shade – many in my circle of family and friends had fun telling me my car was “gay”. One brother in Christ gleefully called this car (upon which were several bumper stickers witnessing for Jesus) my “LAMBDA mobile” (look up LAMBDA on the Internet if the significance of this term is lost on you).

In 2000, my employer was laying people off. A VP, with whom I was friends and related to in Christ Jesus, told me how he was pressured to “protect” homosexuals during the layoff as he was to do so with historically protected minorities. He joked that his best protection against being laid-off was to declare himself “gay”. I told him that I embraced the “gay” label – with the explicit acknowledgment that my use of the term hadn’t fallen into the Humpty Dumpty redefinition process. Coupled with my driving a purple car, how could I lose? At any rate, he and I both survived the RIF. I gaily drove on in my purple chariot, not offended by the comments of friends and family who made fun of my car. Dark purple, as any student of ancient history knows, was a sign of royalty and honor. And that little purple Escort wagon was the best car I had owned. And it had a luggage rack on the top!

Until the summer of 2006. A young woman, driving her first car, blissfully ran through a red light and smashed into the driver’s side rear of my beloved car, rendering it “uneconomically repairable” – with increasingly debilitating electrical failures.

As news of this tragedy spread, my dear friend who labeled my car “LAMBDA-mobile” told me I should file a “hate-crime” report with the police and the homosexual activist crowd. Certainly, this blatant attack on the public declaration of my gayness was a hate crime!

Here’s the rub: I do not subscribe to the Orwellian view of “hate crimes”. A.) What are non-hate crimes to be called? “Love crimes”? B.) Motive should not be a constituent of the crime, but a consideration in the punishment. “Hate crimes” is a PC accommodation of Orwell’s infamous “thought crimes”. (If you have not read George Orwell’s 1984, correct this deficiency at once!)

So here I sit: a gay man whose LAMBDA-mobile was taken away too early. What’s a gay man to do? Sadly, my replacement car is a non-descript but tasteful silver – not “gay” at all. Has my identity been stripped from me? Has the “hate-crime” committed against me taken that away? No – a thousand times no! A man is not defined by his car. He is defined by his motorcycle!

Just kidding about that last part (although my dear wife of more than 30 years would agree that I spend too much time with my motorcycle).

I am struck by the insanity of defining crimes by attempting to see into the perpetrator’s mind and make his mental state a crime unto itself. Does one man’s hate for another make the taking of life or property any worse? In our post-modern culture, where the only truth is that perceived to be truth by hearer, it’s nigh impossible to convince any authority that facts matter more than perceptions. This is the fundamental reason so many churches are awash in false teaching and why education is a train wreck. People have lost the ability to think, the schools have not been teaching children to critically examine anything. This environment cannot help but give birth to “zero tolerance” policies that criminalize boys who “shoot” one another with their fingers or a banana.

Co-opting the word “gay” to mean homosexual is another symptom of this mindset. People taking offense at anything they would rather not hear is another. All these things – hate-crimes, “gay” conversations, zero-tolerance, thin-skinned offended folk – are the outworking of a post-modern mindset where meaning is assigned by the receiver of the information and no moral absolutes exist. This brings me to an interesting quote I saw on the Internet recently – with no idea who said it. But it pulls all this gay conundrum of mine into perspective and brings it full circle.

To be offended by what someone else says is your own choice, as you don’t have to care about what other people think, and nothing has actually happened to you.

Information merely passed from their [sic] mind to yours.

In other words, you actually want to stop certain information from being communicated. You must believe that you have some sort of right to dictate not only what people can and can’t communicate, but they can and can’t think.

To be offended is to take the first step in being a totalitarian megalomaniac.

If any of us were honest, we would admit to holding to one or more ideas that fit into that ugly picture painted in the quote above. The recent hub-bub about florists and pizza parlors that refuse to service homosexual weddings shows how many “conservatives” have fallen into this unfortunate world of political correctness. These well-meaning people have drawn their line of support for these businesses based on religious expression and the freedom we have in that arena. They ignore the fundamental rights being trampled on – freedom of association and ownership of private property. 20 or 30 years ago countless businesses had signs displayed notifying patrons of the store owner’s right to refuse service to anyone. The market taught them which policies were beneficial. Now, “conservatives” ignore the Constitutional issues, agreeing that government ought to enforce “antidiscrimination” – meaning businesses cannot refuse service to anyone. The government should not discriminate – they are funded by everyone. Privately owned businesses are free to discriminate (even though we have laws that forbid it); yet the only discrimination allowed in this new version of Wonderland is against those who are accused of having historical advantages – either real or imagined. Facts don’t matter. The inferred or assumed injury is judged by how serious or outrageous it sounds, not by the facts of the matter.

When it’s all said and done, I am not as gay as I was 10 years ago. This world has lost its mind and I’m weary of it. But in the larger scope of eternity, that’s a good thing – for all who are truly in Christ, this world is not our home. The trials and craziness we experience here serve mainly to remind us of the Fall and how serious sin is – that which infects us and that which we do. So the message for my fellow saints is simple – fix your eyes on that which is unseen, remember His words, from John 14:13 (ESV) “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” And that’s really good news for all those who are in Christ Jesus.

New Earth, Old Nature. Genesis 9:18-29

New Earth, Old Nature

In this time of this new earth, nature was still cursed and man was still waiting for his redemption. We’ll see some parallels between Adam and Noah in our text. 

It was VERY Good!

The last three days of the first week. Why was it very good?

 

Safety in the Flood

God doesn't yank His people out of trouble, He preserves them in the midst of trouble.

How the flood narrative relates to redemptive history and shows us the judgment of God on the unbelieving world and His saving grace provided for His own.

And such were all of us.

Eph 2:1-7 paints a stark contrast between people of the world and people of God.

Before we were alive in Christ.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (HCSB) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

We were spiritually dead.

We were enslaved to sin, the world, and Satan.

We were objects of God's wrath.

We lived as disobedient children.

We were under Satan's rule.

 

After we were born from above and made alive in Christ.

Ephesians 2:4-7 (HCSB) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through ⌊His⌋ kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

We are spiritually alive.

We are enthroned with Christ.

We are objects of grace.

We have fellowship with God.

We are in union with Christ, Jesus - His servants/slaves.

 

No man can cause himself to be changed from being spiritually dead to alive in Christ.  In order to see and enter the kingdom of God, you must be born from above by the Spirit of God. No human gives birth to himself, physically or spiritually. God takes that which was dead and makes it alive - can these bones live? You, know Lord. Nobody else has the keys to life.

None but Jesus can do poor sinners good.

The Revelation of Christ Jesus

 John's Apocalypse contains many graphic word pictures that are interpreted in many ways, often leadingpeople to see this books as a puzzle which must be put together by finite analysis. I believe John's Apocalypse is a picture book that reveals the glory and majesty and power and authority of the Christ that our study of this book ought to be aimed at seeing Him more clearly.

 

To that end, I draw your attention to the seven letters in chapters 2 & 3, focusing on how Jesus describes Himself and the rewards He will give to His people. Read these passages carefully, and be at awe of the revelation of Jesus Christ presented in this small portion of John's Apocalypse.

 

Revelation 2:1 (HCSB) “The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand and who walks among the seven gold lampstands"

Revelation 2:7 (HCSB) “I will give the victor the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in God’s paradise."

 

Revelation 2:8 (HCSB) “The First and the Last, the One who was dead and came to life"

Revelation 2:11 (HCSB) “The victor will never be harmed by the second death."

 

Revelation 2:12 (HCSB) “The One who has the sharp, double-edged sword"

Revelation 2:17 (HCSB) “I will give the victor some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name is inscribed that no one knows except the one who receives it."

 

Revelation 2:18 (HCSB) “The Son of God, the One whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like fine bronze"

Revelation 2:26 (HCSB) "The one who is victorious and keeps My works to the end: I will give him authority over the nations"

 

Revelation 3:1 (HCSB) “The One who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says"

Revelation 3:5 (HCSB) "the victor will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels."

 

Revelation 3:7 (HCSB) “The Holy One, the True One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and closes and no one opens"

Revelation 3:12 (HCSB) "The victor: I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God—the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God—and My new name. "

 

Revelation 3:14 (HCSB) “The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation"

Revelation 3:21 (HCSB) "The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne."

 

Saints - who is the victor mentioned here these seven times? Is it the man who pulls himself by his own bootstraps? Is it the man who sees Jesus and himself rightly and throws himself at the mercy of the Lamb? What do we read?

 

In describing the end of the age, when final victory over death is ours, Paul wrote, "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Corinthians 15:57). God gives us victory through Christ. Same as our salvation - by grace through faith in Christ, which is a gift from God (Eph 2:7).

 

John agrees with Paul and I will end with this. "whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. And who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:4-5). We have victory by faith in Christ.

 

When Jesus says, "to the victor ..." He refers to those believers who continue to believe in the face of tribulation, sorrow, riches, and poverty; kept by the Spirit until the day of judgment. Jesus is the almighty creator, sustainer, savior, and judge.

 

If you are in Christ - you have victory! If you are not, while is it yet today, repent and believe on Him.

What is Your Standard of Righteousness?

From Webster's 1828 Dictionary: Righteousness, as used in Scripture and theology, in which it is chiefly used, is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles.

Is the Decalogue a standard of righteousness?

1. Do not make other gods.

2. Do not make idols.

3. Do not profane the name of YHWH.

4. Keep the Sabbath day holy.

5. Honor your parents.

6. Do not murder.

7. Do not commit adultery.

8. Do not steal.

9. Do not lie.

10. Do not covet.

Of the ten commandments, 8 are prohibitions against sin and 2 are commands to do something. The 4th command, as spoken by Moses in Exodus 20:8-11, provides instructions on how to keep it (rest from all work). The 5th command does not, merely giving a reason to obey.

Only God can know if a man worships idols or covets, though man may discern evidence of these sins.

How do these instructions establish righteousness?

Contrast the teachings of Moses found in the Decalogue with those of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 and consider: which truly describes righteousness? Perfect love, described in 1 Cor 13, is an attribute of Christ Jesus, alone among men. And He is our righteousness.

Consider what Jesus revealed as the greatest commandments: Matthew 22:37-39 (HCSB) He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." These two commands reflect a high standard of righteousness, one no mortal man can attain. Might these two words, which are NOT a summation of the Decalogue (see verse 40), be the highest standard given to us?

Better Than Moses

Better than Moses, Matt 5:17ff

You can listen to this sermon here.

(Note: the audio has bits that are not in the notes.)

The Sermon on the Mount covers chapters 5 - 7 in Matthew's gospel. The context is shortly after His temptation and the very beginning of His public ministry. Large crowds had begun to follow Him. Matthew 5:1-2 When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Then He began to teach them. "Disciples" in this setting refers to the large crowds that followed Jesus from time to time; these people were not His 12 that we read of later.

After telling them about the characteristics of the people in His kingdom (the beatitudes, salt and light, city on a hill), Jesus abruptly shifts gears. He begins to transition into His main point: He is not just a prophet, He is greater than the greatest prophet YHWH had ever raised up. Here’s how He is compared in Hebrews 3:5-6 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said ⌊in the future⌋. But Christ was faithful as a Son over His household. And we are that household if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope. To be that household mean we are sons. Paul tells us we are no longer servants but sons of God; and since we are sons, we are heirs (Gal 4:7). What a contrast! Moses is described as faithful servant; Jesus is termed the faithful Son over the household of God. And we are sons of God through faith in Christ. This is the hinge-point of the Sermon on the Mount: Jesus unveiling Himself to pious Jews who desired to see the Messiah.

Matthew 5:17-20 (HCSB) “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches ⌊these commands⌋ will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

I. Jesus said He did not come to destroy the Law OR the Prophets. The phrase "the Law AND the Prophets" is a normal reference to the entire collection of Scripture known to the Jews, our "Old Testament." Jesus used a different phrasing, as if to separate Moses from the rest of the leaders of national Israel. This is to heighten the contrast between Moses and Christ.

Jesus was speaking to Jews, their lives were ruled by Moses' Law. Jesus is the fulfillment of every type portrayed in the Old Covenant - whether prophet, priest, judge, or king. The Law of Moses and all the prophets pointed to the promised Seed. He is the fulfillment of all of them. He was born under the law (Gal 4:4). He completed His work of redemption (John 19:30). He came to fulfill all righteousness (Matt 3:15). He blotted out the written ordinance (Col 2:14). Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for all who believe (Rom 10:4). In Christ we have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ; He tore down the wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile, abolishing the law of commandments (this clearly refers to the Mosaic Law) (Eph 2:12-15). This word, abolish, does not mean the law was removed from Scripture, as if it no longer exists. As covenant law between God and national Israel, that which kept them separate from other nations, it was abolished; the Mosaic Covenant and its law were brought to their planned end by the redemptive work of Christ. He did not come to destroy it, but to bring about its predetermined end. By His redemptive work, the Law was fulfilled - for the promised seed had met every requirement of that Law.

But some say the Law of Moses is still in effect, why? A friend of mine used to say that humans are hard-wired for works righteousness; we naturally love to show off how good we are, at least in our own eyes. This is a dangerous way to live and it’s deadly theology. Paul dealt with folks who were drifting into this perspective in Galatia. Galatians 3:2-3 I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh? Not only cannot you not begin your Christian life by law-keeping, you cannot complete it by law-keeping!

In the ditch on the other side of the road, there are some who care not enough about the Word of God that they are willing to unhinge the Law and the Prophets from Christian life. I heard one fellow Baptist say he would be happy if the Ten Commandments were thrown in the trash. Paul tells us the Law of Moses served a purpose - not to bring about righteousness but to show the power of sin. This makes the need of imputed righteousness all the more clear. The Law of Moses was given as guardian for national Israel to keep them as the people of God who were to bring the promised Seed to fruition. Once Christ came, that law ceased to function as Israel's guardian. But as Scripture, it is useful for edification, if used properly: not to be thrown away nor imposed a legal requirement that binds us.

Not only was the Law fulfilled, the prophets were. How were the Prophets of the OT fulfilled? One example – Isaiah. When he was sent by YHWH, it was to preach to Israel. Isaiah 6:9-10 Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive. Dull the minds of these people; deafen their ears and blind their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed. Listen to Jesus Mark 4:10-12 When He was alone with the Twelve, those who were around Him asked Him about the parables. He answered them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables so that they may look and look, yet not perceive; they may listen and listen, yet not understand; otherwise, they might turn back— and be forgiven.” Jesus is the greater prophet Who brought salvation to His people, not everyone.

As every prophet, judge, priest, and king given to national Israel failed to bring about righteousness to that people, the only prophet capable of bestowing righteousness to His people came in the person of Jesus. And He is the prophet, high priest, judge of all flesh, and King of kings! Fred Zaspel has commented, "The old law was not "full" in itself; it had a forward look. It anticipated a "fulfilling" which in Christ's teaching finally came to perfect realization." This applies to the Law and to the prophets.

II. Verse 18 For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. Only two verses in, and we have some of the most controversial things to look at! Note the strange construction of this sentence: Until heaven and earth pass away, nothing will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. Which phrase controls the continuation of the Mosaic Law? Does the first phrase, about heaven and earth, refer to the end of this age? The last phrase, all things being accomplished; does that refer to the redemptive work of Christ?

Charles John Ellicott's commentary is one of the few that does not get bogged down on the “smallest stroke” of the law; he reviews these descriptive phrases. He thought the first phrase was intended to reinforce the unchangeable nature of God's Word. We can be sure that every letter of Scripture will be available to God's people until the end of the age. In the age to come we will see Him as He is - the living Word - and we will be with Him forever. Ellicott saw the last phrase referring to the redemptive work of Christ. Most commentators maintain that Jesus was referring to His work of redemption AND His judgment of all flesh at the end of the age. Some claim that refers to Jesus' fulfilling the law. All three views can be supported, but not completely. The latter view, referring to everything Christ does before the end of the age, is aligned with the first phrase, emphasizing the security of the written Word until the living Word returns.

Here's what we can conclude: The Old Testament cannot be unhinged from our studies. But the New Covenant, brought about by the work of Jesus, has ended the Old Covenant, breaking the bonds of the ministry of death and changing how those laws apply to His New Covenant people. By rightly understanding our status in the New Covenant, we can determine how to apply OT teaching and which laws from the old do not apply at all - that is "rightly dividing the Word," by viewing all of Scripture through the lens of Christ Jesus and His redemptive work. We know Moses accuses those who put their hopes in him; he pointed to One Who was greater than himself (John 5:45-46), just as John the baptizer did. When Jesus comes the second time, He will judge the nations, gather His people, and make all things new. And the living Word will be among His people and the written Word will have fulfilled its purpose.

III. Matthew 5:19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches ⌊these commands⌋ will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Here's the question we must answer: what are “these commands” to which Jesus refers? Again, Fred Zaspel is helpful.

First, it could be taken very literally to mean that throughout this age the church should continue to observe every detail of the Mosaic law. But given the teaching that is capsulized in the book of Hebrews, few Christians would want to go this far. Second, it could be taken to mean that the moral law in general and/or the decalogue in particular should continue to be observed throughout this age. This is the standard Reformed position. But it would be difficult to understand "these least commandments" as a reference to this "weightier" aspect of the law! Further, it introduces a literary division of the law which is extraneous to the passage: it is every last "jot and tittle" that is in view _ not just the 10 words.

I would add that breaking the least of the Mosaic laws meant you had broken the whole Law (Jas 2:10) and breaking one of those “moral laws” carved on the tablets of stone would get you put to death by stoning (Deut 17:2-7). How would it make sense to say whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called the least in the kingdom if the penalty for doing so was death – for those in the kingdom? Another small thing – Jesus referred to “these commands,” not “the commandments” which is the normal way biblical writers refer to the Decalogue.

If Jesus wasn’t referring to the entire Mosaic Law or the Decalogue, what’s left? There are two more possibilities. Either Jesus is speaking of how the Law of Moses was fulfilled in Him OR He was pointing forward to the balance of His sermon. I going to assert that Jesus meant to draw attention to the balance of His sermon – all the more so because of verse 20, which was designed to be provocative: For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

IV. Who are the least and greatest in the kingdom that Jesus mentioned? Those who break the least of the commands are least and those keep all are the greatest. In Matthew 23 Jesus pronounces a series of woes on the religious leaders; verse 23 in that chapter is relevant: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. Here we see the error of dissecting God’s law and doing (while teaching others to follow) some but breaking others. Jesus says in His kingdom, those who do such things are least (if anyone is in the kingdom he has been born from above by the Spirit of God). If we claim that we can divide up the Law of Moses into three categories and ignore two of them while claiming the third to be binding on the saints – are we not doing the same thing for which Jesus rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees? If we teach people to love God but don’t teach or model how to love our neighbor, are we not doing the same thing for which Jesus rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees? If we do, we are the least in the kingdom.

Contrary wise – who is the greatest? He who practices and teaches ALL that Christ has commanded. The Great Commission – make disciples, teaching them ALL I have commanded you. The first and greatest commandment – love God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL our strength, and ALL your mind. Weep and wail because you cannot do these; but rejoice if you are in Christ, for He alone is able. Who is greatest in the kingdom? None but Jesus! Not you, not mot me, not Moses. None of us should ever think we can meet that requirement, even as we strive to do so.

To enter the kingdom one must possess more righteousness than the Scribes and Pharisees. If we are not categorically better than them in law-keeping and discipling, how can we enter the kingdom? That is the question these first century Jews faced; it’s the question that faces anyone who reads the Scriptures. Every Jew considered these two groups of people to be the most religious people on the planet; that meant they were very righteous. No human could be more righteous than the Pharisees and Scribes – unless he possessed an alien righteousness. How can this be? That is the right question. This is why we must be born again, for only the imputed righteousness of Christ can enable us to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Let him who boasts, boast only in the Lord!

V. The Greater Prophet. Having given them a brief summation of the characteristics of His kingdom people (verses 1-16), He then told the crowd what kingdom life looks like – concluding with establishing Himself as more righteous than their religious leaders. In verse 21 through the end of the chapter, Jesus asserts His position as the greater prophet, making 6 “You have heard it said … But I say unto you” statements. How do we read these and what difference does it make? There are three ways this passage has been interpreted.

a.) Many reformers, people who build under the cover of the WCF or the 1689, claim Jesus is giving the "thick reading" of the TEN COMMANDMENTS, telling His audience what Moses really meant. You will search in vain for anything in the Old Testament indicating this. These reformers want this to be the case because their confessions assert the Law of Moses as the way of sanctification. But Jesus is not Moses' interpreter and Paul would say to these people, Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh? Also from Gal 3: For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” He is not an interpreter of Moses - He is the greater prophet Moses spoke of in Deuteronomy 18:18.

b.) Some folks, including some Reformed folk and those who hold to the "New Perspectives of Paul," claim Jesus is addressing the erroneous way the first century Pharisees taught the Law of Moses. This theory doesn't work for the same reason the first doesn’t: because every "you have heard it said" comment by Jesus is a direct quote from the Law of Moses. There is no mention or hint of Him addressing the myriad errors of the Pharisees in this passage – He simply quotes Moses.

In at least two of the six contrasts, Jesus explicitly does not teach the "true meaning" of Moses' Law nor does He build upon it. In speaking about divorce He throws out the liberal provisions of the Mosaic Law and imposes a far more restrictive rule. John Reisinger observed that “Moses allowed for divorce for uncleanness; but he mandated death for adultery (Deut 22:22). When Christ gives his new law that allow for divorce only in the case of adultery, he overturns the law that mandates death for adultery.” In His discussion of "an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth" Jesus says His people are not to resist evildoers; as Paul would say in 1 Cor 5, within the brotherhood we are to embrace being defrauded rather than take a brother to a civil court. The Old Covenant law provided for retribution; the New Covenant command is to suffer harm rather than vengeance – for vengeance belongs to YHWH.

Neither of these two teachings can be reconciled to the Mosaic Law. Jesus was not merely interpreting Moses; He was not merely correcting the Pharisees. If correcting the Pharisees was Jesus' intention, He would have likely said something like we read in Mark 7:10-11 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)." In this passage, He contrasts the Law of Moses with the traditions of man which make the Word of God void; in the Sermon on the Mount, He contrasts the Law of Moses with His Law. What was He doing? Jesus was giving new law from this greater prophet Who is the new law-giver.

c.) The right way is to see Jesus explaining the nature of His kingdom. First century Jews were looking for a renewal of earthly Jerusalem in all its glory; Jesus was announcing the soon coming of spiritual Israel and how it differs from earthly Israel; He was announcing Himself as Moses' greater prophet. A.T. Robertson, early 20th century Baptist, said, "Jesus now assumes a tone of superiority over the Mosaic regulations." It may be hard to fathom, but Jews and Samaritans in Jesus' day were convinced that being physically related to Abraham and doing your best (in your own eyes) to keep Moses' Law was good enough. That law given to guard a mostly unbelieving people is not suited for a people ruled by the Holy Spirit living within them. Rather than looking to a written code, we look to the Savior, Who is the righteousness of God. All we have need of is provided by our union with Christ; nothing we have need of is available outside that union.

In his book on this passage of Scripture, But I Say Unto You, John Reisinger observed, "In the Sermon on the Mount, the new lawgiver contrasts his teaching, based on the gracious covenant he established, with the teaching of Moses, based on a covenant of law." He further commented, "He (Jesus) replaces Moses in exactly the same way he replaces Aaron." New prophet, priesthood, and a New Covenant which, by necessity, brought about a change in law. There is no absence of law in the New Covenant, there is a new law with a new purpose, given by a new law-giver.

Summary. The Sermon on the Mount ends with Jesus asserting His Words are what men need to submit to and obey. This is why I believe Jesus was pointing forward, to the balance of His sermon when He mentioned the “least of these commands.” No mention of the Mosaic Law for sanctification, but the words of this prophet. And the people, Jews, were astonished.

Matthew 7:24-29 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!” When Jesus had finished this sermon, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes. We read that nothing would pass from the Law of Moses until heaven and earth pass away; Jesus would later say, Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. The Law of Moses was for a time and place; the words of Christ are eternal.

Jesus is the new lawgiver for life in the New Covenant; He is not merely a greater teacher of what Moses was given. Many teach we are to look to Christ for salvation but look to Moses for sanctification. The first century Jews believed the law of Moses was “the great guarantee of holy living and sanctification.” Paul taught them they who were in Christ were no longer under the law but under grace (Rom 6:14). He went on in chapter 7 to explain how they were to walk: Romans 7:4-6 Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to death in relation to the law through the ⌊crucified⌋ body of the Messiah, so that you may belong to another—to Him who was raised from the dead—that we may bear fruit for God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us and bore fruit for death. But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old letter of the law. Jews had been under the heavy yoke of Moses’ Law. By faith in Christ, they died to the law and, having been set free (if Christ has set you free you are free indeed!) they are to serve in the NEW WAY of the Spirit and not in the OLD letter of the law.

This is the instruction for us, though we never were under Moses’ Law, we were a law unto ourselves (Rom 2:14). And while we lived in the flesh, our sinful passions worked in us just as they did in those Jews Paul was addressing. And verse 6 was written for us, just as it was for those Jewish Christians Paul was addressing, even though different laws were at work: But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old letter of the law. Learn from all of Scripture as you seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. But do not shrink back and seek safety in law – look unto Christ daily and His Spirit will equip and guide you to do what is pleasing in His sight. The greater prophet has come, and He alone is our safe refuge.

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

There are some brothers in Christ who are so focused on the local assembly of saints that they deny there is any congregation of a universal manner; that is, comprised of all the redeemed from every generation. This focus includes an emphasis on water baptism, to the exclusion of what John foretold - that One was coming who would baptism with fire and the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:11).

One passage that is said to be only about water baptism and the local fellowship is Ephesians 4, where we find this: Ephesians 4:4-5 (ESV) There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

The context of this short passage should shed light on whether it is all and only about the local assembly and water baptism or if it's about something greater.

We know that Paul's letter to the saints at Ephesus was meant to be read to many local assemblies; it's a universal letter to the body of Christ. In the first three verses of chapter 3, Paul stresses identity in Christ and the unity of believers - dealing with one another in humility, gentleness, patience, and so on.

And then we find this: Ephesians 4:4-7 (ESV) There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

This letter reveals Paul's passion for all the saints to understand the unity we have because of our union with Christ Jesus, proclaiming there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. By this union with Christ we each have been given grace according to His gift.

Is there ANYTHING in this passage that hints Paul was addressing only the local assembly or numerous assemblies of saints? Is he not making much of the fact that ALL the saints share in these things, without regard to any temporal circumstances? One body, not numerous local bodies. One Spirit, not a separate Spirit for each locale. One hope, one Lord, one faith, one God and Father of ALL. This speaks to all saints in all locations and all generations. And one baptism.

Water baptism makes no one a child of God. The lack of water baptism keeps no one out of the kingdom of God.

But that baptism John mentioned, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and of fire, corresponds to the circumcision made without hands (Col 2:10-11). This baptism is what brings enemies of God into His kingdom as His friends and children; without this baptism, no one can enter into His domain.

As much as these brothers resist and insist, there is no argument that can be made from Ephesians 4 that restricts Paul's message of union and unity to the local assembly only. They can only make assertions in support of their view. Paul’s concern as an apostle was for the whole body of Christ, redeemed saints from every nation, tribe, and tongue. To deny this universal intent is to constrain the love of God for His people to clumps here and there, denying the communion we have through the Holy Spirit to all the saints.

It's too small a view of God's work and of His body.

Historic Premillienialism

You Can Listen to this Sermon Here.

Historic Premillennialism

A reminder of a couple of things that we need to keep in mind.

1.       Every system of theology is the product of man and will have error. No one description of any system will satisfy everyone. We should look for the system that “does the least violence to Scripture.”

2.       Keep Christ clearly in view. The ultimate goal of all creation is the glorify God the Father and the Son. Our view of the end times should seek to keep His glory in its rightful place

Historic premillennialism is one of the systems within the premil category; dispensationalism being the other. Recall the definition of premillennialism by George Ladd, who is recognized by most as the "go-to guy" for this view: "After the Second coming of Christ, he will reign for a thousand years over the earth before the final consummation of God's redemptive purpose in the new heavens and the new earth of the age to come." Here's the basic rule of interpretation (hermeneutic) used by this system: "Natural reading" of Revelation. Context determines whether literal or figurative. Interpret the Old Testament by the New Testament (Hos. 1:9/Rom 9:25-26, Jer.31:33ff/Heb. 8) Millennium must be Christ-Centered and is often seen as a literal 1,000 years, but this latter is not essential to this view.

Ladd's definition reveals what's most important to this view: Jesus returns to earth before the millennium, before the consummation of all things and the making of new heaven and earth. It is important to comprehend this: the earthly reign of Christ comes while sin and death are still present. Secondly, Ladd insists on a "natural reading" of Revelation. We will see what this means and why it's important to him.

In his defense of historical premillennialism (The Meaning of the Millennium), Ladd starts off summarizing his position by saying it's "the most natural reading of Revelation 20." He puts distance between his position and that of dispensationalists, making note that his hermeneutic sounds very much like Amillennialism. In his book, The Last Things, he wrote, speaking of himself, "the present writer feels that he must adopt a spiritualizing hermeneutic because he finds the New Testament applying to the spiritual church promises which in the Old Testament refer to literal Israel. He does not do this because of any preconceived covenant theology but because he is bound by the Word of God." Ladd is guided by a spiritual hermeneutic which takes promises made to literal (physical) Israel and fulfills them in the church in the gospel age because he finds this pattern in the New Testament.

But Ladd is unable to be consistent in this hermeneutic, saying, "there are two passages in the New Testament which cannot be avoided. One is Romans 11:26: "And so all Israel will be saved." It is difficult to escape the conclusion that this means literal Israel." Later in his essay, it becomes apparent Revelation 20 is the other passage. We will take a look at his position on each of these.

Ladd defends his view of Romans 11:26 by reviewing the olive tree metaphor earlier in the chapter. Natural branches are broken off because of unbelief and wild ones are grafted in; and natural branches can get grafted back if they do not continue in unbelief. Verse 24 concludes: For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. Ladd sums up, "This is the context of Paul's statement, that a hardening has come upon (a large) part of Israel until the full number of the Gentiles comes in. "And so [that is, in this way, after a period of hardening] all Israel will be saved."

He then asserts that the "New Testament clearly affirms the salvation of literal Israel," although he merely asserts "literal Israel" is what Paul had in mind without defining this term. Ladd also makes it clear that whoever is in "literal Israel" would be saved in the same way as every other soul - "by faith in Jesus." He admits, "the New Testament does not give any details of Israel's conversion and role in the millennium" and goes to protest that just "because many of the Old Testament promises are fulfilled in the church" doesn't mean "that all of the promises to Israel are fulfilled in the church." It should be noted that it's not as though the church is where the promises are fulfilled, for Paul tells us in 2 Cor 1:20 that every one of God's promises find their "Yes" in Christ Jesus. Not some of the promises or even most of them. EVERY promise of God finds it fulfillment in Christ. The church gains in this because we are His body. Jesus said Abraham rejoiced to see His day, not the church. Abraham was looking for a city whose designer and builder is God as the fulfillment of the promise given him. This heavenly Jerusalem is the bride of Christ. Every identification or scrap of significance we may have is all and only because we are in Christ. He is the focus of redemptive history and in Him ALL the promises of God find their Yes! Seeing promises made to physical Israel being fulfilled in Christ is not a bad hermeneutic. But it will undermine premillennialism if held to consistently.

In his book, The Last Things, Ladd devotes chapter 2 to separating his position from dispensationalism, as regards Israel. He makes a wonderful defense of Paul's teaching that believers are the true Jews, true children of Abraham. Here's where we find out what he means by "literal Israel" - "When Paul says "All Israel will be saved," he obviously cannot mean every Jew who ever lived. He is talking about redemptive history. But the day will come when "all Israel," the vast majority of living Jews, will be saved." When premillennials talk about "literal Israel" they mean physical Israel, Jews according to the flesh.

A few pages later, after making the case for the fulfillment of the Levitical religion in the New Covenant faith, Ladd concludes, "Once the types and shadows have fulfilled their purpose, they are discarded in God's redemptive programs." But he cannot see national Israel as part of those "types and shadows", for he continues:

What does this have to do with the present Israeli question? Three things: First, God has preserved his people. Israel remains a "holy" people (Rom 11:16), set apart and destined to carry out the divine purpose. Second, all Israel is yet to be saved. Third, the salvation of Israel must be through the new covenant made in the blood of Christ already established with the church, not through a rebuilt Jewish temple.

Ladd is on the money when he says not every Jew who ever lived is what is meant by "all Israel." But is he on the money by saying "all Israel" means "the vast majority of living Jews" (at the time of Christ's return)? Is he on track with his three things about Israel? Points 2 & 3 flow from his first point, so we'll look at that one. There is no doubt that God preserved national Israel for a time and a purpose - to preserve the promised seed until He came. But once Christ came, the Old Covenant no longer played a role. Just as the religious practices were discarded, so was the people defined by them. Without the religion that YHWH gave them to set them apart from the rest of the world, after the conquest by Nebuchadnezzar in which the genealogical records were destroyed, national Israel lost its distinctive identity. And when the New Covenant came, game over for literal Israel.

Is national Israel described as "holy" in Romans 11:16? Let's read the passage to get some context, Romans 11:13-16 (page 2176)

One can make the case that the "firstfruits" refers to Christ or to redeemed Jews (see Rom 16:5 & 2 Cor 16:15). But there is no basis to claim this passage refers to national Israel. The last part of verse 16 shows us what makes the firstfruits holy - the root, which is Christ! Verse 18 tells us the root supports the branches. No branch can boast. No person is truly holy as God is holy without redemption found only in the Lord Jesus.

With regards to Ladd's claim that Romans 11:26 means "the vast majority of living Jews will be saved," Blake White (a Baptist I count as a friend) has said, " Paul uses very similar language in Romans 10:13 as he does in Romans 11:26. In the former he writes that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. In the latter he says that all Israel will be saved. All Israel consists of everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. They will be saved."

While some have made very credible arguments that "all Israel" in Romans 11:26 refers to the elect Jews (which makes better sense than Ladd's view), considering the extensive teaching about the make-up of true, spiritual Israel and Paul's use of that word to describe Gentiles who are in Christ, and the way both Jew and Gentile believers are portrayed in the olive tree metaphor, it makes the best sense to see his phrase "all Israel" in Romans 11 to refer to true, spiritual Israel. All elect Jews are not "all Israel," all the Jews living at any point in time are not "all Israel," but all the elect from all generations are!

If we back up to verse 7 we see that national Israel failed to obtains reconciliation with God, but the elect within national Israel obtained it. The rest of national Israel was hardened. This ties to what Ladd correctly saw as part of national Israel being hardened; but they are hardened until, or as long as, the full number of Gentiles are being redeemed. Paul is not giving a chronological relationship between these two groups, he's telling us the elect from both Jew and Gentile will obtain peace with God until He returns. Paul uses the same construct in 1 Cor 11 when he says we proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. A remnant of Jews will be saved until the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in, elect from both groups will be brought in until the last of the lost sheep is brought in. This is what Paul is teaching us in Romans 11.

If we are look at Romans 11 as Ladd presents it, we see God presented as a respecter of persons, as He is portrayed as favoring one ethnic group over another. This is flatly denied in Scripture as regards salvation. While national Israel was highly favored in many ways (see Romans 2), it was not in any way related to being reconciled with God. When Simeon, a righteous and devote man saw the infant Jesus, he said, "this child is appointed for the all and rising of many in Israel." This is clearly a reference to national Israel and also clearly reveals that some Jews will be raised up and others will fall, with the anointed one as the rock of offense over Whom many will stumble.

In another place, the apostle says Gentiles (who were foreigners to the covenants of promise and without God) have been brought near and that in Christ Jesus, both groups, Jew and Gentile, are one man - having torn down the wall of hostility (Ephesians 2). And in Galatians 3:28-29 we read, There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. What sense would it make to back-track on all this and elevate a generation of people that put stock and confidence in their flesh? True Israel is the Lord Jesus and all His sheep. And in the same way as Jews and Gentiles were saved in Paul's day, without regard to fleshly genealogy, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, all Israel will be saved - as the Gentiles are also brought into His sheepfold.

On to Ladd's second passage that cannot be overlooked, Rev 20.  In introducing this topic (The Meaning of the Millennium), he presents a vigorous and glorious view of the second coming of Christ. No secret rapture that some teach, but "divine invasion in which the majesty and glory of God will be revealed." He emphasizes that Rev 19 teaches the return of the Lord Jesus; this is central to his position on Rev 20. In typical premillennial form, Ladd claims Revelation "chapters 19-20 form a continuous narrative announcing the marriage of the Lamb, the victorious return of Christ and his victory over his enemies." Chapter 20, he says, describes Jesus' victory over the devil in which he is bound and shut up in the "bottomless pit" for a thousand years, "that he should deceive the nations no more," and at the end of the thousand years he is cast into the lake of fire. He then writes, "This is to me the only admissible exegesis of Revelation 20:1-6. The exegesis of the passage depends upon one's interpretation of verses 4-5." (page 2492)

Of these two verses Ladd says, "The entire interpretation of the passage hinges upon the question of whether the first "coming to life" and the "coming to life" of the rest of the dead mean the same thing, namely, bodily resurrection." He and others argue that the Greek word for "came to life" clearly means bodily resurrection in the latter occurrence so it must mean in the first occurrence. Ladd does not deny that the Bible teaches spiritual resurrection, and points out a passage in John 5 that teaches the spiritual resurrection precedes the bodily resurrection (page 2032 vs 25-29). But Rev 20 cannot be communicating that because there is no contextual clue within Rev 20 to tell us such; there is in John 5. Ladd cannot accept the same pattern in Rev as he found in John 5 because it undermines his system. "At the beginning of the thousand years some of the dead come to life; at the conclusion, the rest of the dead come to life. The passage makes perfectly good sense when interpreted literally." Ladd demonstrates what another author warned about: "An expositor's interpretation of the meaning of "the first resurrection" will be directly related to the presuppositions he brings to the text."

The clear teaching in several other places that show a spiritual resurrection first, then a bodily resurrection (he cites Eph 2:1-6 and John 5:25-29), leaves Ladd unconvinced that we should see Rev 20:4-5 in the same light. His presuppositions - literal Israel will be saved and the first resurrection is physical - will not allow him to follow the pattern established elsewhere in Scripture. This is a recurring them in most of the eschatological systems: an unhealthy focus on the temporal, with varying degrees of ignoring the spiritual.

While Revelation contains elements of narrative and epistle content, it is primarily an apocalyptic work, full of signs and symbols. We are told in the very first verse of this book that God made the revelation known by signifying it though His angel to John. The Greek word behind "signifying" is used in linguistic, medical science, and literature to describe communication through signs; such as sign language used to communicate with deaf people. Since we see that this is the device YHWH has told us He used to reveal this bit of the redemptive story to our brother and partner in the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance that are in in Jesus (verse 9), what basis would we have to interpret it "naturally" or "literally"? If the book is symbolic by design, we should insist on clear indications that a piece of it should be taken literally, or physically.  Even the letters sent to the 7 churches are mainly symbolic, although they represent historical facts that are rightly taken literally. One theologian has discovered that of the 81 Old Testament prophecies which are interpreted by the New Testament, 70 of them (86%) are fulfilled spiritually! The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom.

Later in his argument, Ladd admits "the New Testament nowhere expounds the theology of the millennium;" but he says, "in some way not disclosed in Scripture, the millennium is part of Christ's Messianic rule by which he puts all his enemies under his feet (1 Cor 15:25)." And then, "The order of the Age to Come will involve a new heaven and new earth, and will be so different from the present order that we can speak of it as beyond history. The millennium will reveal to the world as we now know it the glory and power of Christ's reign." This is the tension of the premillennial system - recognizing the Bible does NOT expound a theology of the millennium but being compelled to sketch out a theology of the millennium, for without it, your system would fall apart.

Since death and rebellion are part of the millennium in Ladd's system, how effective is the glory and power of Christ's reign? He agrees Jesus reigns now, but can be seen only by the eye of faith. Does not that agree with the entire nature and design of the gospel? We preach Christ crucified to a world that cannot see Him and does not believe in Him. Yet the gospel is the only thing given that is the power of salvation to those who are being saved. Luke 16:31 ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ Another round of earthly presence of Christ Jesus with Him as earthly king sounds like Jewish dreams. He was clear - His kingdom is not of this world; it is of the one to come.

The Scripture speaks of the spiritual nature of the kingdom in numerous places, including 1 Peter 1:3-4; 1 Thess 4:17; 2 Cor 5:1; John 17:24 (Jesus says His sheep will be with Him where He is, not another place.) Col 3:2; Heb 12:22; 2 Pet 3:13; John 14:2-3. Our destiny is tied to Christ, secured by our union with Him. It is not tied to a place on earth, no matter how one defines the millennium.

In his lengthy argument about our identity in Christ, in Romans 5 & 6, Paul describes the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus and our relationship with Him. Since we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We have died to sin with Christ and we will live with Him for sin and death have no dominion over Jesus and, therefore, no dominion over us! Do not allow sin to rule over you but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life. This is the change that takes place in every sinner brought to faith in Christ - resurrection from spiritual death to eternal life! In the present age.

Ladd is emphatic that Rev 19 reveals the second advent of Christ Jesus. We find this climax to the great eschatological battle: (Read 14-16, page 2491). In Rev 20 we see, during the present gospel age, Satan bound from deceiving the nations so the saints can go to all the nations with the Lord's gospel. And then, at the end of the millennium, Satan is released to deceive the nations and lead the people of the world to their eternal defeat. The battle in Rev 20:7-10 shows the same revolt against the Lord and His Christ as we read in Rev 19 (page 2493). Another author, R. Fowler White, has observed that the binding of Satan to keep him from deceiving the nations (as found in Rev 20) would be superfluous if it followed the battle of Rev 19:11-21 in chronological sequence. But if Rev 20 is parallel to Rev 19, describing the same basic themes from a slightly different perspective, then we the same redemptive plan of God reinforced by the retelling.

Is the binding of Satan found in Rev 20 part of the future or is it now? Jesus asked, "How can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house" (Matt 12:29). The Greek verb deö, to bind, here translated "ties up" is the very same verb used of Satan’s binding in Rev 20. Those who object that Satan is still struggling to carry out his deceptive work overlook that the binding implies a restriction, not total neutralization. For example, the very same verb (deö) is employed of John the Baptist’s binding by Herod (Matt. 14:3), which nevertheless didn’t prevent John from sending his disciples to Jesus (Matt. 11:1-7). Another example of this verb used to depict a relative restriction is found in Romans 7:2, "For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to [her] husband as long as he lives." This binding is not complete or comprehensive in its normal use in the New Testament. Neither the context in Rev 20 nor the similar uses in the Bible indicate we should view as comprehensive in Rev 20. The strong man is Satan; Jesus has spoiled his house, taken over his dominion, and restrained him from certain actions. All of this was accomplished during the Lord's first advent, being consummated by His propitiating death and glorious resurrection and ascension.

Kim Riddlebarger, in A Case for Amillennialism, sums it up: "God's restraint of satanic deception of the nations (Rev 20:1-3) is a description of the present age of gospel preaching and is not a reference to a future millennium. This is the gospel dispensation when Satan is bound, and the gospel will go to the ends of the earth until the thousand years are over (Acts 17:30-31 page 2123; Eph 3:4-6). Only then, God's restraint upon Satan is lifted, so that he can deceive the nations and organize them against Christ's church, the supreme act of rebellion which brings about the final judgment." We will review this concept more fully when we discuss amillennialism, but mention it here to demonstrate that the premillennial view is not the only one possible - and may not do the least violence to Scripture.

In his critique of Ladd's essay, Loraine Boettner, postmil, observed, "When Christ returns in his own glory and that of the Father, with all the holy angels, certainly no mere man, who by comparison is but a worm of the dust, shall be able to stand before him. His period of humiliation is over, and his divine glory forbids the approach of those who are tainted with sin. No mortal man can come into that presence and not be overwhelmed by it. This world and the people in it cannot stand such glory."

In his critique of Ladd's essay, Anthony Hoekema, amil,  asks questions that premillennialism opens up but does not answer: Why should believers be raised from the dead to live on an earth which is not yet glorified and is still groaning from sin, rebellion, and death? Why should the glorified Christ have to come back and rule over sinful people and endure rebellion? Was not this phase finished during His time of humiliation? Is Christ no coming back in the fullness of His glory to usher in, not an interim period of qualified peace and blessing, but the final state of unqualified perfection?

Is Revelation a book of the future, as premillennialism asserts, which their view of the millennium demands? In 8 statements of Jesus throughout Revelation, the Lord emphasizes the present tense of His identity, using expressions that transcend their physical or literal meaning and describe Jesus metaphorically or spiritually as the "I AM."

Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord.

Revelation 1:11 I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.

Revelation 1:17 Fear not; I am the first and the last.

Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.

Revelation 2:23 I am the One who examines minds and hearts.

Revelation 21:6 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Revelation 22:16 I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star.

This is the focus of the whole Bible and the Apocalypse revealed to John. Just as Ladd's focus on literal Israel in Romans 11 led him to depart from the apostolic hermeneutic he recognizes elsewhere as God describes His elect as spiritual Israel, so in Rev 20 he departs from the spiritual hermeneutic he recognizes elsewhere as God fulfills physical promises spiritually in His redeemed. This is the tendency of our human condition - focusing on the physical rather than the spiritual. Consistently in Scripture we are instructed to think heavenly, where we are seated with Christ in this present age - during the millennium of Rev 20. That's where Ladd would have ended if he had been consistent with his hermeneutic.

Colossians 1:15-20 The Supremacy of Christ

Colossians 1:15-20 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased ⌊to have⌋ all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross— whether things on earth or things in heaven.

This one paragraph sums up everything essential to know about the Lord Jesus; His deity, humanity, role in creation, place in history, role in His church, position in eternity, and authority over all things. Most of what we read in the Bible about Jesus can be traced to Paul’s description of Him here. And several of Paul’s statements were taken from other places in God’s Word. When we study the Bible rightly, we will see that the entire Bible truly is about Him – just as He stated in John 5:39 and Luke 24:27

Speaking to the Pharisees who had seen the many miracles Jesus performed and had just heard His testimony of His mission on earth, Jesus said, You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, yet they testify about Me. (John 5:39)

Speaking to the disciples who had seen the crucifixion but did not comprehend what they had seen: Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. (Luke 24:27)

The whole Bible, and every message from it that we are to bring forth must have the Lord Jesus as its topic, its solution, its main point. If a man preaches without pointing people to Christ as the Savior of sinners, he has preached in vain.

In saying that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, I dare say our thinking will bring to our recall Genesis 1:27: So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female. Note a major difference: Adam (and all humans) are created in the image of God; Jesus is the image of God. Man is a created being; Jesus is the eternal God. The likeness of God present in Jesus is far superior to the image possessed by Adam, even before the Fall. This image is something given to man by Creator; it is something inherent to the character of Christ, for He is God. Later in Paul's letter to Colossi we read that we have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator (chapter 3:10). As we pursue the Lord, walking as children of the light, we are being ever conformed and renewed in grace and knowledge so we will reflect Him better, to bring more glory to the Lord Jesus.

He is the beginning, meaning without Him nothing was made that was made. He is essential to all that is, the agent of creation Who will judge all of creation. Jesus is also the firstborn of all creation, by this is meant He is preeminent over everything that has been created. We are all familiar with the Jewish culture in which all the blessings of inheritance went to the firstborn male. This is the connection with the phrase, firstborn. It is not, as some cults try to assert, that Jesus came into existence when He was born as a man. Jesus is the ruler over all creation - just as the firstborn son became ruler over his father's estate when the son was of age. Having accomplished the work given Him to redeem the lost sheep, Jesus was exalted, enthroned in majesty, and all things were put under His feet. Because He is the firstborn Son of God - sovereign over all creation.

He is preeminent over all created things because all things were created by Him (verse 16). But we read in Genesis how God the Father created all things. We must keep in mind the unity of God within the holy Trinity. We see this unity in many places in Scripture. When God the Father completed His creation work, He rested from that work. He continued to guide redemptive history and the Scriptures, actively involved in shaping history and the lives of men. When the Lord Jesus had finished His work of atonement, He sat down at God's right hand, resting from His work of redemption. He yet works, serving as our high priest and advocate, our protector and shepherd. And so it is with the third person in the holy trinity; the Holy Spirit worked during and after Pentecost to bring about the birth of the church, with many signs and miracles. Though the bulk of these miracles has ceased, the foundation of the church having been completed, the Holy Spirit continues His work of giving us illumination as we read the Scriptures; convicting the world of sin and revealing the righteousness of Jesus. In each of these creation/recreation works and in all of the ongoing works, the three persons of the trinity are completely unified. Recall that the world was created by the Father through the Son, with the Spirit hovering over the waters during this event, as if giving birth. The Father chose those to be redeemed, Jesus atoned for them, and the Spirit has sealed them until the Day of Judgment. They each had a role in one-time creation work and in regeneration work, followed by resting from that work, while continuing on, in unity, with other work required for our good and their glory. This is the work of the Trinity, each completely unified with the other two; one God, three persons in covenant with one another for the redemption of sinners to bring glory to their name.

Don’t miss the scope of what was created by Him, everything in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. This is very similar to what Paul wrote in Romans 8:38 & 39 - For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus is Lord over all, heaven and earth; creator of all things. This is why we can have confidence in Him to not lose us to anything – He truly is Lord of all and nothing He has created can overthrow Him!

Building on the preeminence of Jesus, Paul tells us He is before all things (see Jesus’ statement in John 8:58 – before Abraham was, I am!) and He holds all things together. Do not think that materials such as wood and Styrofoam keep their qualities is due to nature. Nature is held together by the will of God in Christ Jesus. If, as some assert, the devil is the absolute ruler of this world, all would be chaos and materials could not counted on to maintain their characteristics. While Satan is the ruler of this age, he is, as Luther said, God's devil. He is bound and has as much influence as it pleases YHWH to give him. Jesus holds the devil on a leash; Christ is Lord of all. At His word, these heavens and the earth will be judged, put to death, and resurrected to serve as our eternal home. He decreed the destruction of the world in the great flood that wiped out the human race, save 8 souls. He promised to provided seed-time and harvest, rain and sun, until the end of this age, when He comes a second (and final) time. Unlike you and me, He is the faithful One; He will keep His promises!

Of importance to our life in this age, as members in a local church, Jesus is heralded as the head of the church. We are His body and He is the head – of the universal church (all believers in all ages) and of the local church. We read body language as regards the church in several of Paul's letters, reminding us of the importance of giving ourselves to one another and recognizing Who is the sovereign head to Whom we owe our allegiance. Let all who put man at the head of the church repent! We see this phenomenon in hierarchical church denominations, with the papist religion as the most grotesque example. But we also see it in our own circle of the faith – with “senior pastors” and his minions. The structure of these tends to induce people to think more highly of their elders and for the elders to think the people are right! Peter warns those who serve as elders not to lord their position over the people, just as Jesus did when His disciples argued over which of them could at His left and right hand. Recognizing Christ Jesus as the head of His body, wherein we are each called a member thereof, is vital to our health! If man can give us assurance, it is false. If man saves us, it is false. If man condemns us, it is false. In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song.

Paul continues to repeat what he’s already said, so important is the idea of seeing Christ accurately.

He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. His preeminence, being firstborn, having first place in everything. Get the idea that we tend to think too little of Christ and too much of man? I think that’s the point in repeating these truths about the supremacy of Christ in all things. We are weak and feeble creatures and tend to grow attached to the comforts and false treasures. As Peter said, I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of my body (2 Pet 1:13). This is one of the core functions of the local church – to equip the saints for the work of the ministry so we will not be tossed about by the deceitful cunning of men (Eph 4:12 – 14). If Christ be not first in our lives as individuals and in our corporate life as a church, we will drift into lesser things and end up as fables. We need one another to guard against this.

The last two verses are one sentence that sums up the redemptive historical reason for Jesus coming to us as a man.

Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased ⌊to have⌋ all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross— whether things on earth or things in heaven.

We see here that God the Father and God the Son are two distinct persons, with distinct but complimentary roles. The Son is not the Father, but the fullness of God is in the Son – Jesus is fully God and fully man. It pleased the Father to send the Son to reconcile everything to Himself, doing so by the blood of His cross. It’s been rightly said that the Christian faith is a bloody one. Without the shedding of blood there is NO remission of sin. And for true forgiveness of sin, rather than the temporary covering of it for a season, the divine blood of the Lamb of God was required.

As to His mission, to reconcile everything whether on earth or in heaven, does this mean Jesus will save all people and angels? This passage ties this reconciliation to the blood of His cross – it MUST mean reconciliation with the Father. So all people will be saved?

We must go back in order to answer this properly. We recall how the entire creation was cursed at the fall (Gen 3:18), and Paul tells us creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed.  For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it—in the hope  that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now (Romans 8:19-22).

Because of sin, creation was cursed and is in every bit of need of being set free from that bondage as are we. George Whitefield said that every time a dogs barks at a man, every time a bear growls at a man, they are taking up their Master’s charge, reminding man of what his actions have done.

Peter tells us this present earth will be destroyed (2 Pet 3:10-13) at the end of this age. It make most sense to understand this as creation being put to death and resurrected in a glorified state – just as we will be. On that new earth, righteousness will dwell – that is a pointer to the Lord Jesus Himself, as He will be among His people on the new earth forever.

Revelation 21:1-5 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.”

This the way Jesus reconciles "everything" to Himself. When the end of the age is come, all whose name is not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire. All the saints from every generation will be resurrected with eternal bodies and the heavens and earth will be made new. All things will be reconciled to Jesus - all will know He is Lord and all will submit to Him.

This is the certain promise of eternal life that God has extended to all who have placed their faith in Christ. Jesus Christ came into this world to find the lost sheep – He will rescue each and every one of us. John 10:14-16 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Trust the Lord Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God. He is supreme over all created things. He will have satisfaction for His sacrifice by bringing many sons and daughters to victory.

When the end of the age comes upon man, the only place of refuge is in the Lord Jesus.