Judgment and the World that then existed

One quick survey of pop culture, TV shows, and the film world will produce a number of observations: the increase in graphic violence and sex, coupled with the political agendas of directors, actors, and artists clearly display a moral, ethical downgrade in society today. But this is not the worst of it, I believe: the pagan world denies any concept of a holy God, a cosmic judgment on sin, and the desperate need of a Savior. Ads, television, and movies all tell us to live in the here and now, be true to yourself, tolerate everything, and just live life to the fullest. Further, it seems the predominant worldview when it comes to any apocalyptic judgment is that with a couple bumps and bruises, humanity will ultimately endure. See movies like Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, I Am Legend, Armageddon, Resident Evil, or The Terminator - despite some world-ending threat, man seems to continue to thrive. Consequently, this elevates the manner in which man perceives himself and downplays the implications, severity, and longevity of the cosmic judgment brought by the LORD of heaven's armies.

Geerhardus Vos, in his The Eschatology of the Old Testament, says:

When we go back and compare the pagan analogies of "things heading for an end," with the biblical teaching, we soon perceive the fundamental idea in which they differ from the scriptural teaching on the subject. They are no real eschatology at all, simply because the end toward which they represent things as heading is not an absolute end, but the concluding segment in an unrolling sheet of world history which, when once read, gives place to another sheet. It is world after world, cycle after cycle, with no perceptible termination.

Whether it be an alien invasion, a huge, earth-shattering meteor, some natural disaster or storm, or even an epidemic, zombie-creating disease, apparently humanity is here and not going anywhere. Maybe things might look a little different, but we think that we will ultimately live on.

And this is exactly what Peter says in his second letter that we as Christians should be on edge about. Here is what he says concerning the false teachers of his day that seems to reverberate 2000 years into the present:

They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. - 2 Peter 3:4-7

Peter did not shy away from the judgment of God, but confronted it face on, proclaiming it with gruesome clarity as a warning, admonishing his fellow brethren to live lives holy unto the Lord. Hear what Meredith Kline has to say about Peter's words concerning the "world that then existed" before the flood and the implications for this world in which we now live:

The picture conveyed by Peter is that of a world that had a total history, that had its beginning, developed its culture and witnessed the course of the great conflict of heaven and hell to a final climax, had its eschaton, and made way for a new world. What makes all of this of special significance to Peter's Christian readers is that he also presents that overall, complete world-history from the creation to the Flood as a paradigm that is being followed again in the history of the present world. Peter appeals to this ancient pattern as instructive for our understanding of the eschatological course of our present world, in particular, as affording warning of cosmic divine judgment to come (v. 7). This insight into the nature of the prediluvian world was acquired by Peter from his Lord (cf. Matthew 24:37-39, Luke 17:26,27). "As the days of Noah were," Jesus had said, "so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matthew 24:37).

And Kline makes clear that the days of Noah were only a pattern - merely a paradigm of the judgment to come, lesser in degrees of intensity, scope, and duration than the Great Reality.  The point is clear - when the Son of Man comes, as Peter says, the heavens and earth that now exist will experience the stored up wrathful fire of the living God. Humanity will not endure. The world will not endure. The entire cosmos will not endure. There will be a judgment on sin, the vindication of the righteous, and the restoration of all things. It will be a new world-temple, occupied by the saints of glory around the Glory-Presence of the Lord and his Son.

SDG

The Millenium is Now and Satan is Bound

There are many views out there right now being discussed in Sunday school classes, from the pulpit, in mass-produced book series and movies, and on TV show prodcasts concerning the nature of the end times (or, as theologians refer to it, eschatology). These various views can typically be categorized under the following major headings: historic premillennialism, dispensationalism, postmillennialism, and amillennialism. With broad, sweeping strokes, they generally portray the following beliefs -

1. Historic Premillennialism explains that Christ returns bodily before the millennium from Revelation 20, to establish a future, literal 1000-year reign with those believers living in that day. Historic premillennialists also believe in a post-tribulation rapture;
2. Dispensationalism is much more complicated, but briefly stated, it explains before the tribulation occurs (therefore, pre-tribulation), believers are raptured up to heaven with Christ where they will begin a 1000-year reign, while the Jews reoccupy Jerusalem and re-institute the OT sacrificial order within the temple; 
3. Postmillennialism simply explains that Christ does not return until after this future 1000-year reign, which is constituted by an extended period of Christian prosperity without worldly persecution; 
4. Amillennialism explains that the millennium is not a future event nor is it literal, but it is the time frame between Christ's first and second advents, and it is happening now in the free proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations. 

It is this latter interpretation of the millennium that I find the most biblical support. Christ's reign is not a future event, but it is occuring now. Hear what Paul says to the Corinthians, "Then comes the end, when he [Christ, the Son] delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he [Christ] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). Before handing the kingdom over to the Father, the Son must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. And Paul clarifies that this reign began at Christ's resurrection (vv. 20-23). Paul says with more emphasis in his letter to the Ephesians that God, the Father of glory, gives his saints wisdom and knowledge, "according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:19-23). Christ currently reigns far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, not only in this age but also in the age to come - the millennium is now.

To be sure, there was already an assured message of victory at Christ's resurrection. See what Paul says in his Ephesian letter, "When he ascended on high, he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men" (Ephesians 4:8). The nature of his ascension was that of a triumphal procession, where he dragged his enemy captives of war in his train for all to see. Look again in Colossians 2, where Paul describes the identities of these captives, "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in the cross" (Colossians 2:15). And again, see what Peter says in his first letter, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they did not formerly obey" (1 Peter 3:18-20a). Peter and Paul are declaring that as Christ rose from the grave, death no longer had dominion over him - in the train of his triumphal procession as he ascended on high, he dragged those captive spirits (the rulers, principalities, and authorities, including death and sin - 1 Corinthians 15:56-57) for the entire church of believers to see and rejoice over.

And what's more, Christ mentions in Matthew 12 that he was able to cast out demons because he had bound the strong man [Satan] and has begun to plunder all of his household goods (Matthew 12:29, the "goods" referred to here are probably the same "gifts given to men" that Paul mentions in Ephesians 4). It is in this manner, Jesus says, that "the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:28, the establishment of Christ's millennial reign). What does this mean? It means that Satan has been chained up "that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended" (Revelation 20:3). It means that the gospel message propogates throughout all tribes, tongues, peoples, and nations without demonic hindrance, that "the mystery hidden for ages and generations...[is] now revealed to his saints" (Colossians 1:26). That there is now "neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).

SDG

The Nature of the Kingdom of Christ

How does Christ's kingdom come into this world? Do we think of America as a holy nation like Old Testament Israel? Does America advance the influence of righteousness and God's glory through the conquest of surrounding nations? I believe when people are put to this question, they would probably say no - but I think maybe subconsciously, many in America think along these lines. Maybe this is why we think we should have a Christian president, or that schools should allow us to pray and read the Ten Commandments, or why people continually reference back to our "Christian" forefathers - we inwardly believe that the nature of God's kingdom should be external and visible in America. I would like to offer a few Scriptural points to think about -

1. The nature of Christ's kingdom is one of suffering and persecution - "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force" (Matthew 11:12).
2. The nature of Christ's kingdom does not come with signs to be observed - "The kingdom of heaven is not coming in ways to be observed, nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of heaven is in the midst of you" (Luke 17:21).
3. The nature of Christ's kingdom is one of righteousness, peace, and joy - "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men" (Romans 14:17-18).
4. The saints of Christ's kingdom do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against demonic powers - "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over the present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:11-12).
5. The saints of Christ's kingdom do not wage war with swords and guns but with the gospel that destroys strongholds - "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

The theocracy of Israel in the Old Testament was established as a typological pattern, meant to teach both Israel in the past and us today what the kingdom of Christ might look like. It is similar in many ways...but not exactly the same. It taught us that God is the sovereign King, that his people are redeemed by the gracious work of his Son, and they obey his Law and worship by means of the Holy Spirit as a royal priesthood in the sanctuary of the Lord forever. The implications of what I am saying is that the kingdom of Christ is present in grace but not yet consummated in glory - we live in the "wilderness" between exodus (being liberated from the bondage of our sin at the resurrection of our Lord) and conquest (the final judgment of sin and evil at Christ's return, along with the vindication of the righteous, the revealing of the sons of God, and the renewal of all things), in the tension of the already and not yet.

As a side note, I spoke of this topic in an earlier post about the enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent from Genesis 3. It can be found here.

SDG

The 144,000 and the Great Multitude

A thought-provoking subject of conversation is always found in the topic of the "end times" - when will Christ return, what happens to the church with respect to the rapture, the tribulation, the millennium, and is there any distinction between Israel and the church? So many little subtopics in this one, controversial subject - I do not have time to address each and every one. But I would like to put a thought in your head concerning the supposed distinction between the 144,000 (the tribes of the sons of Israel) and the great multitude that no one could number from Revelation 7.

Many have probably heard this as a distinction between the tribes of Israel and the Gentile church. And then later, they would say that the tribes of Israel would reclaim the promised land, while the Gentile church is raptured up to heaven before the tribulation. Here is why I do not think that this is the case.

Christ explicitly tells the disciples in Mark 13:24 that believers would suffer, and only after that suffering had taken place would they see the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven to gather up his elect from the ends of the earth (Mark 13:26-27). The context of gathering up the elect from the ends of the earth should point us to the interpretation of all believers - not just Gentile or Jew specifically, but the universal church holistically.

But more importantly, back to Revelation 7 where this supposed distinction can now be reconciled. First, John says that an angel declared with a loud voice that no eternal judgment (not to be mistaken with suffering in the world) would occur until the servants of God had been sealed (Revelation 7:3). These next two parts are very important - then, John hears the "number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel" (Rev. 7:4). After the hearing with the ears now comes the seeing with the eyes - John looks and sees "a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes, and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb..." (Rev. 7:9). What I am saying is that the number of the elect that John hears is the very same as what he gazes upon a verse later. The Old Testament list of the sons of the tribes of Israel is the same as the great multitude - the New Testament fulfillment of the true Israel of God, the blessed Church.

There is another example in Revelation of this hearing and seeing phenomenon experienced by John. To reinforce my argument, I will discuss it as well. In Revelation 5:5, John first hears the title of "the Lion of the tribe of Judah", but when he looks to the throne, he sees "a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain..." (Rev. 5:6). So the title of the one whom John hears is the exact same person he looks upon - Jesus Christ, the Lion and the Lamb. The dichotomy again has to do with an Old Testament title and the New Testament fulfillment.

SDG

The Enmity between the Woman's Seed and the Serpent's Seed

The coming of Christ's kingdom into this world can best be described from the perspectives of already and not yet - the kingdom of Christ is already present in grace, but not yet consummated in glory. This is sometimes referred to as the church militant and the church triumphant, respectively. The church militant is living in the midst of this present evil age - just like the wheat that grows alongside the weeds in Jesus' parable, so the church continues to reside in tension with the rest of the world until Christ comes back with power and in glory.

The "tension" is first mentioned in the serpent's curse in Genesis 3, where God declares to the satanic snake, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring" (v. 15a). This is a prophecy foretelling the future struggle between the children of the serpent and the offspring associated with the one who will "crush the serpent's skull" - a broader description of the strife that would continually escalate throughout history between the Lord's saints and the rest of creation still under Satan's sway.

This struggle is teased out again and again throughout Scripture - the warring between the surrounding pagan nations and the people of Israel as they march in to occupy Canaan, the battle between David and Goliath (a wonderful typological portrayal of Christ's ultimate victory over Satan), the disciples casting out demons and healing the sick during the ministry of Jesus, and even the continual persecution of the church around the world, all the way up to the present day. Even John in his revelation tells of that ancient serpent of old who has now grown to the scale of a "dragon" becoming furious with the "woman" (this time, not just Eve in particular, but with Israel symbolically) and proceeds to make war with the rest of her offspring (all those keeping God's commands and confessing Jesus as Lord, Revelation 12:17). The enmity between the woman's seed and the serpent's seed is a reality that cannot be denied.

And unlike those who believe in some Utopian Christian age when there will be no persecution of the saints or antagonism towards the gospel, or those who believe in a pretribulational rapture where the saints conveniently miss all trials and suffering, this enmity will continue between the seed of the woman and the seed of Satan until Christ comes - when he will come with the clouds of heaven to separate the weeds from the wheat (Mark 13:24-27). So here is the summons - Christian, the fight is inevitable and long-lasting, and you must persevere to the end. But Christ assures us that while we will experience tribulation in the midst of this present evil age, we should take heart, for he has overcome the world (John 16:33).