Wednesday, October 15, 2003

FOUR GREAT DAYS
Part I

The Bible speaks of four different days in the sense of long periods of time. Each one of these days marks a separate and distinct period of time. These are not meaningless expressions. There are four references of these days in Scripture. They are called:  (1) Man’s Day, (2) The Day of Christ, (3) The Day of the Lord, and (4) The Day of God. The good workmen will identify the four days and, then, “rightly divide” them.

MAN’S DAY

This designation is found in 1 Corinthians 4:3, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.”

When this verse was first studied, it was noted in my Bible that the word, “judgment,” referred me to the margin which gave an alternate rendering – Gr. day.  Since I don’t know Greek, or how to read it, I looked it up in a Greek lexicon and found that the word, “judgment,” is “hemeras” which means “day.”  “Hemeras” is used 391 times in the New Testament, and the only time it was translated as “judgment” is in 1 Corinthians 4:3.  So, the verse could safely be rendered, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s day …”

This comment was made by Paul because some in Corinth were attempting to examine, or judge him as to whether his service was acceptable to the Lord. He thought it to be a trivial matter that he should be examined by them, or man’s day. He was commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ, not by them. Therefore, he refused to acknowledge that they had a right to judge him. Neither, would he be judged, or assessed by “man’s day.” Because, all judgments, or assessments made on the basis of man’s day will need to be revised by the Lord Jesus in the day when He does the judging.

It’s like a baseball player saying, “Don’t pass judgment on me as a ball player based upon a three or four game series. My worth as a baseball player should be based on my performance in a 162 game season.” A three or four game assessment doesn’t give the real value of the player as does a day-in-day-out record of a whole baseball season.

Man’s Day began after the flood when Noah and his family walked away from the Ark. This was, also, the beginning of human government and a time when all nations were permitted to walk after their own ways (Acts 14:16). This was an era where man ruled man. This principle was not altered until Israel came upon the world scene. Then, God intervened with judgments, or blessings to Israel and the nations which came in contact with her. The other nations, far off, continued to walk in their own ways without interference from God.

Man’s Day can be described as man having the prominence, the exaltation, and the glory. During Man’s Day—man has the preeminence. This reached its pinnacle at Acts 28:28 when the Dispensation of the Grace of God was ushered in. Since then, all men and nations, including Israel, have been utterly free to walk after their own ways without the fear of immediate Divine retribution. Men can shake their fists in the face of God. They can declare Him to be dead. They can commit horrendous crimes and glory in their baseness. Men can take pride in their unnatural affection and their lascivious acts and glory in their shame. Among the nations, corruption and tyranny abounds. Greed is considered progress. Things wax worse and worse, and there is no recompense for evil doing.

The chief distinguishing feature of Man’s Day is death. The human race is born dying. Death is working in everyone. Graveyards are silent testimonies to the fact that death reigns.

For those who have eyes to see, it is clear that the rulers of the darkness of this world are guiding the course of this world. Governments rob their citizens, trample under foot God─given rights, and control their citizens with the threat of the power of the state. Yet, God does nothing except to show them love and grace which they do not deserve. His present purpose, in grace, is that He withholds judgment. No sin, or transgression receives a just recompense of reward. But, this will not always be so. Man’s Day will surely end, and the Psalmist will be answered:

“Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.”            (Psalm 9:19-20).

                    

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

FOUR GREAT DAYS

Part II

Our last study considered “Man’s Day.” Ever since the flood in Noah’s time until now, man has had the preeminence. Statues of men are everywhere. Men are exalted. Men are praised. Even in Christian circles, the “messengers” of Christ receive more glory than Christ Jesus Himself.  It’s true, today, even as it was in Paul’s day. “I am of Cephus,” or “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos” was the carnal cry of the Corinthians.

Evil men and seducers are waxing worse and worse, and there is no earthly power that can stop the “perilous times.” Man has ruined the world. As he continues his course of deterioration, we can only look for the Savior of the world to intervene. Man’s Day will end, suddenly and dramatically, when the Blessed Hope and the appearing (epiphaneia) of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ takes place (Titus 2:13).

Then, a new dispensation will begin when God intervenes in the affairs of man. It will be an age of the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. “The lofty looks shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, AND THE LORD SHALL BE EXALTED IN THAT DAY …” (Isaiah 2:12). The rule and misrule of man will end.

“O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for Thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth” (Psalm 67:4).

History records instance-after-instance where one nation invaded another, occupied its territory, assumed sovereignty over the people, and established its own order in the conquered land. Today, it is done with sophisticated high- tech weaponry: planes, tanks, highly trained troops, and shear “shock and awe.” However, when God invades the earth, it is not going to be done in this manner. He will not send His Son, accompanied by the armies of heaven, to wreak carnage and destruction upon the earth’s inhabitants. It will be done by His Word spoken in heaven and His Spirit invading the earth. By His Spirit, He will invade the earth, occupy every square foot of it, assume sovereignty over it, establish His order upon it, and govern it as it should be governed. When God thus acts, His long display of grace will come to an end, and a dispensation of divine government will begin. The Apostle Paul refers to it as …

THE DAY OF CHRIST

Paul uses this designation in his Acts and post -Acts epistles:

“Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8).

“To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5).

 “As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus” (2 Corinthians 1:14).

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

 “That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10).

“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain” (Philippians 2:16).

These are the six references to “The Day of Christ” in the AKJV. Most Bible expositors, whether they are Acts 2, Mid-Acts, or Acts 28 believers, ignore the Day of Christ. Is it because they can find no place in their theology for it? We believe so.

What most of the Bible “authorities” do is simply state that the day of Christ is really the “Day of the Lord,” under another name, and let it go at that. Shame on them! If the Day of Christ is the Day of the Lord, then, one-plus-one equals one. Let it be said that, “Yes, Christ is the Lord and the Lord is Christ.” But, the Spirit of God designated one period of time as The Day of Christ and another period of time as The Day of the Lord. An honest seeker of truth must endeavor to rightly divide the two days. An open heart and an unbiased approach to the two days will reveal that they are totally different, and they are replete with profound differences.

While some expositors and students of the Bible ignore the Day of Christ, others may “not see it.” But, Abraham saw it and was glad.

The Lord Jesus Christ was rebuking the Pharisees and said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56).

The Day of Christ was not a Secret hid in the Heart of God and not made known to men. It was the subject, the theme, and the plot woven throughout the Bible. It just so happens that the “high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14) will find its rewards and service in the Day of Christ, not the Day of the Lord.

When will every knee bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11)? This speaks of mankind’s submission to Christ in His Day. This will be a universal acknowledgment that Christ Jesus is Lord.

It will be when God speaks and highly exalts the Name of Jesus from heaven. Then, the whole world will hear and understand Who Jesus Christ is and the high esteem which God the Father has for Him. This begins the Day of Christ and His long, benevolent reign over all of mankind.

This takes place while Christ remains in the heavens where His seat of Government is. Paul tells us, in 1Timothy 6:14-15, that at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in His times (His Day) He shall show who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

To say that Christ’s Day is the same as the Lord’s Day is to rob Him of His Day, in our thinking.

It will be the time of His preeminence, of His government, of His justice, and of His righteousness reigning in the affairs of men. He will bring all of His resources to bear as He establishes the divine government. Lincoln, in the “Gettysburg Address,” declared that this government “of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the face of the earth.” But, the Day of Christ will bring an end to a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Here, dawns a Government that gives instead of taking. The Day of Christ sees a Government of Christ, by Christ, and for all mankind.

Whereas, the distinguishing feature of man’s day is death, the distinguishing feature of the Day of Christ will be life. The time of resurrections—“every man in his own order”  (1 Corinthians 15:23).

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:  I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
 
It has been declared of Him and His Day, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10). “Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high” (Isaiah 52:13).

The Day of Christ is the day when the GLORY of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh will see it together and at the same time (Isaiah 40:5). We who make up His Fullness will be privileged to praise the glory of His grace.

                        

Wednesday, October 29, 2003

FOUR GREAT DAYS

Part III

THE DAY OF CHRIST (Continued)

The four great days are (1) Man’s Day, (2) The Day of Christ, (3) The Day of the Lord, and (4) The Day of God. We have looked at Man’s Day. This is the second study about the Day of Christ. Numbers 3 and 4 will be considered as we proceed in these studies.

More needs to be said regarding the Day of Christ. For this study, we will only scratch the surface of all the concomitant events associated with Christ’s Day. It will be the time when the Kingdom of God is manifested in the earth. Christ Jesus assumes sovereignty over the nations and rules from heaven.

The Day of Christ is the time when there is a divine intervention and another Advent of the Holy Spirit. The first Advent was on the Day of Pentecost and continued throughout the Acts period, and it was limited to those to whom the Gospel of the Kingdom of God was delivered. This Second Advent of the Spirit will be all pervasive: world-wide. It will be at Christ’s Appearing (Epiphany) and Kingdom (2 Timothy 4:1).

Isaiah 40:5, “And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

Acts 2:17-18, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:”

John 16:7-12, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

The Lord’s next great public act will be to speak to all of mankind at once, and to individuals, and to the nations. All will understand in their native tongue. The human race will be enlightened and plunged into light and truth (see Isaiah 55:11, 45:22-23, Deuteronomy 32:1-4, Luke 17:24). How will this be done? Saul, on the road to Damascus, is the biblical example, “as one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:8). This world-wide illumination even affects “babes and sucklings” (Psalm 8:2,         Matthew 21:16).

Most pre-millennial dispensational teachers declare that God’s next great public act will be to remove all believers from the earth, then, plunge the rest of mankind into error and darkness.

When God audibly speaks, He literally invades the earth with His Spirit, and judges (sets the order for) the living and the dead to determine who shall be allowed to continue living, and who shall be raised from the dead to enjoy life under the Government of God. The interested Mountaineer should consult the following Scriptures: 2 Timothy 4:1, Isaiah 59:19, John 16:7-8, John 6: 39- 40 & 44, Isaiah 40:5, Habakkuk 2:14,       Colossians 3:4. This is just to mention a few.

Ruling from heaven, Christ, skillfully, brings about a perfect solution to every problem plaguing mankind (Matthew 12:18-21, Isaiah 9:6).

The people of all nations will put their trust in Him and enjoy a long period of peace, righteousness, and justice (Isaiah 41:1-4, Isaiah 26:9, Romans 15:9-12).

As Christ Jesus governs the world, He begins to identify the true descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He pleads with them as described in Ezekiel 20:35-37. Also, see  Ezekiel 11:17-21.  The Jews who are converted are brought back to their promised land. David is raised from the dead and is their king. The twelve Apostles, likewise, are raised and become the judges of the twelve tribes.

Present day Israel is not the Israel that God will bring back to the land. The size of present day Israel occupies a territory not much larger than a postage stamp. When God does His work during the Day of Christ, the Jew will live in the land He promised them. Their land will be from the River Nile to the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers.

The Temple will be rebuilt, with financial help from the Gentiles (Isaiah 6:15, 8:23), and is accepted by the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:4); the order of the daily sacrifice is renewed (Ezekiel 20:40, 46:13).

Over many years, Israel’s ascendancy over other nations gradually increases             (Mark 4:26-28, Luke 17:20-21).

During the Day of Christ, the world enjoys not only good government but divine government.

It will be a time of resurrections, every man in his own order (1 Corinthians 15:23).

The Ecclesia over which Christ Jesus is Head has a prior resurrection (Philippians 3:11), or a change (Philippians 3:21) before the other company of God’s redeemed. Our bodies will be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ. Our faith gives way to sight when the Lord speaks from heaven, and we experience the Blessed Hope of the appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

The abundant life (John 10:10) will be realized during the Day of Christ and in resurrection for those who have eternal life. This belongs to the John 3:16 believers. Ours is a higher and more glorious calling than the “born again” ones. The One New Man will be the first company of redeemed to be raised, or changed.

Some highlights of the coming dispensation which will benefit men living in natural bodies could be summed up this way:

    Mankind is enlightened, supernaturally, by Jesus Christ.

    Every individual and every nation acknowledges that Jesus Christ is Lord and     submits to His rule (Philippians 2:10-11, Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11).

    The curse is removed and all things are restored to the pristine glory of the pre-    flood era (Acts 3:19-21).

    Natural men living during this time will not die as a result of Adam’s sin, “But     every one shall die for his own iniquity” (Jeremiah 31:30).
    
    Life expectancy will be lengthened (or restored) as it was before the flood      (Isaiah 65:20).
    
    Perfect health will be the order of the Day of Christ (Isaiah 33:24, 35:6-7).
    
    Hunger and starvation disappears (Psalm 67:6, Isaiah 35:1,6).
    
    Change in the animal kingdom and their nature (Isaiah 11:6-7).
    
    Universal peace prevails (Isaiah 2:4. Micah 4:3).

    Prayers will be answered immediately (Isaiah 65:24).
    
    Divine direction will be given individuals (Isaiah 30:21).
    
After many generations of divine rule, in which the Holy Spirit acts as the Restrainer of evil, the Spirit’s influence is slowly, but surely, withdrawn. As the Restrainer gradually relaxes His grip on mankind, the natural man, even after years and years of learning righteousness under the Government of God, begins to tempt the Lord. As the day of Christ winds down, He allows an unraveling. There comes a falling-away from the previous enlightenment, that is to say, an apostasy, and the man of sin is revealed            (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

The apostasy and revolt comes at the end of the Day of Christ, not at the end of the Grace Dispensation. Present-day writers of prophecy such as Hal Lindsay and his book, “The Late Great Planet Earth,” and Tim LaHaye’s books, the “Left Behind” series, have made millions of dollars portraying that we are living in the “end times,” and that the Tribulation events are about to over-take us. I don’t mind them making all of that money. What I do care about is that they are enriching themselves by promoting the wrongly divided Word of God. They have taken traditional Christian teaching and embellished that teaching with vain and fanciful imaginations.

Let us keep in mind that truth which belongs to one part of the future must not be read into another part of the future. We are not to mix and mingle the Day of Christ with the Day of the Lord.



Wednesday, November 05, 2003

FOUR GREAT DAYS

Part IV

THE DAY OF THE LORD

The Day of the Lord follows the Day of Christ. There is no one single event that marks the beginning of the Day of the Lord since it comes as a thief in the night                        (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10).

During the Lord’s long display of divine government in the earth, after mankind has been enlightened, and the “restitution of all things” has been accomplished, the restraining force of evil is gradually relaxed; thereby, allowing the Lord Jesus Christ to test what the world has learned. It is found that, as predicted in scripture, there are world rulers who haven’t benefited, or learned how to govern, justly.

After the world-wide enlightenment, and the rule of Christ for generations, there comes “a falling away:” an apostasy which leads to a rebellion (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

During the Day of Christ, the devil is alive and well and only restrained and frustrated by the pervasiveness of the Holy Spirit’s force and power in the world. But, he does go about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). As the divine restraint is being withdrawn, he deceives some of the nations.

During the “last days” of Christ’s rule from heaven (the Day of Christ), there are some nations who begin a revolt against the Government of God. This is “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24, Ezekiel 30:3, Revelation 11:2). Psalm 2 depicts this rebellion with great clarity. Psalm 2 should be prayerfully considered. As a scene fades away in a movie, and another becomes apparent, this is how I would liken the Day of Christ fades out, and the Day of the Lord fades in.

“The kings of the earth [not all] set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD [Jesus Christ], and against His anointed [David] saying, ‘Let us break their bands [halters or restraints] asunder, and cast away their cords [ropes or chains] from us.’ He [Christ Jesus, the Lord] that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then He shall speak unto them in His wrath and vex them in His sore displeasure” (Psalm 2:2-5).

Sometime between the rulers taking counsel to cast away the “velvet chains” of restraint, which they perceive to be grievous, and the uprising, the Day of the Lord commences.
 
This uprising ushers in Daniel’s Seventieth Week. With the exception of the first nine verses and the last two chapters, the entire book of Revelation belongs to the Day of the Lord. Not one word in the book of Revelation deals with anything that will transpire during the Dispensation of the Mystery. It deals with the events that will come to pass in that day.

The uprising and persecution of the saints ends with the personal return of Christ (His Parousia), the devil is bound and cast into the bottomless pit. The Lord Jesus Christ begins His one-thousand year reign on earth. His rule is likened to an iron rule, or a rule with a rod of iron, as compared to His benevolent rule during Christ’s Day.

As the Day of the Lord (the Millennium) draws to a close, the devil is let loose “for a little season,” and he goes about and, once again, deceives the nations.

Limitation of time and space requires that in this study we will not develop this topic more than what has been presented. Bible Mountaineers know the events which take place during the Day of the Lord.

It is believed that an honest and unbiased interpretation of scripture must allocate a place in one’s heart and mind for a time in order that our Lord Jesus Christ have His Day which, as we have said, is not the Day of the Lord.

THE DAY OF GOD

The fourth great day mentioned in the Bible is the Day of God. The Apostle Peter mentions this Day, “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:12-13). Presently, I don’t have a very clear understanding of what all of this entails.

However, members of Christ’s Fullness will understand, perfectly, after having gone through His School and Service during the Kingdom of God and the one-thousand years of His Parousia.

Revelation 21:1 to 22:7 tells about all we can know, now, about the Day of God. In this Day, there will be a new heaven and a new earth. A new Jerusalem comes down from heaven, and a voice is heard saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with men …” It will be a new world, a whole new order which is so far- removed from anything we have ever known, or experienced that we have no basis for comprehending it. The Lord has made no attempt to tell us what it will be like. Never again, will men say, “Our Father, which art in heaven,” for the center of God’s activity will have been changed from heaven to the earth.

I dare not speculate about it. All I know, for sure, is that it will be.