Plainer Words since 1968
August 7, 2014
PLAINER WORDS ONLINE… ELIJAH, THE CHIEF OF ISRAEL’S
RESTORATION
Part 1
Elijah is mentioned 99 times in the Bible. In the Old Testament, he is identified 69 times as Elijah, while in the New Testament, he is Elias. Elias is the Greek word for the Hebrew Elijah. The name, Peter, is used 158 times in the N.T.; whereas, the great Apostle—Paul—is mentioned, by name, 156 times. His birth name was Saul which is used 26 times. Thus, the combined use of both of his names is 182.
Elijah is called “the prophet” only three times, and he is referred to as “Elijah the Tishbite” six times. “Tishbite’ is, most likely, the name of his hometown which was located in Gilead.
When I first started researching Elijah, I was astounded at the extent of his history as a “man of God.” During my research of Elijah, I wrote five PW Studies highlighting this outstanding “man of God” (see Footnotes for the Titles). It was, also, noted that in my opinion, preachers and teachers of the Word have never given him the “press” he deserved. An example was on Sunday, July 27, 2014 which further confirmed my opinion. A very prominent Preacher in Dallas, Texas is Jack Graham, Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church. His church is one of the nation's largest, which moved from its North Dallas location to a new 7,500-seat auditorium in West Plano, Texas. His sermon was on Elijah’s Faithfulness, and Graham presented it by way of “Power Points,” totally ignoring the ministry which Elijah will have for at least 490 years before the Coming (Parousia) of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Graham ignored, as do most teachers and preachers, several of the most important prophecies in all of the Word; i.e., prophecies about Elijah’s ministry during the Pre-Millennial Kingdom of God.
(1) “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:” (Mal. 4:5). Was not mentioned.
(2) “And he [Elijah] shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Mal. 4:6). Was not mentioned.
(3) “And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Why then say the scribes that Elias [Elijah] must first come?’” (Matt. 17:10). Was not mentioned.
(4) “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias [Elijah] truly shall first come, and restore all things” (Matt. 17:11). This was, also, not mentioned.
(I will use the O.T. name—Elijah, instead of the N.T. translation—Elias, from this time forward).
These passages were either overlooked, or ignored by Pastor Graham, as they are by the vast majority of Bible Teachers. These verses inform the student, who has “eyes to see,” that Elijah will be raised from the dead and will perform mighty works of major spiritual importance for the new Nation of Israel. Regarding Elijah’s future ministry—most Bible teachers wouldn’t even touch the subject “with a ten-foot pole.” Why? Because, the truth set forth in Malachi 4:5-6 and Matthew 17:10-11 does not fit into their format of Prophetic Theology. They refuse to find a place for Elijah’s significant work to “restore all things.” Truly, Elijah shall come first [before Christ] to restore all things.
They cannot “see” Elijah coming on the world-scene before the Personal Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to wit, His Parousia—but we can! Even though that is what the Scripture declares. This doctrine does not “dove-tail” with their theology. They believe that the next event on God’s Prophetic Clock is the Rapture of the “Church” and the 2nd Coming of Christ.
DAY OF MAN—DAY OF CHRIST—DAY OF THE LORD—DAY OF GOD
The Four Days enumerated above are divine eras set-forth in the Bible (see the “Chart” on the PW website and the study – “Four Great Days”). (1) The Day of Man began after the Flood and ends with the Appearing [Epiphaneia] (2 Tim. 4:1) – which ushers in (2) The Day of Christ which lasts about 700 years. (3) The Day of the LORD begins with the Tribulation and lasts 1,000 years with Christ being Present on earth as King of kings and Lord of lords – (4) The Day of God is characterized by God Himself dwelling with men. We are not told much about this Day (2 Pet. 3:12-13 and Rev. 21:1 – 22:7).
“The Day of Christ” is used, metaphorically, of the special time-period which will be approximately 700 years. These 700 years will include the five Gentile Kings. The first one being the resurrected Nebuchadnezzar; he will be followed by four more kings. All of which will be universal Monarchs (www.plainerwords.com, Nebuchadnezar: God’s Next King).
The Gentile Monarchs rule for the first 200 years of the Day of Christ. During their rule, “shall the God of heaven set a kingdom {Israel], which shall never be destroyed” (Dan. 3:44). This Kingdom of Israel, with its resurrected King David, grows into a great Government that fills [covers] the whole earth (Dan. 2:35).
During Christ’s Day, there will be a multiplicity of spectacular, supernatural events taking place world-wide. The Scripture centers, mostly, on the events happening in and around Israel’s geographical area. One of these spectacular events is the raising from the dead; one of the Heroes of Faith—Elijah, who will be the Chief of Israel’s Restoration. This will fulfill the prophecies of Malachi 4:6, Matthew 17:11, Mark 9:12, and Acts 3:21.
Acts 3:21 sums up the restoration of all things and states that all of the prophets of old prophesied about this restitution:
“Whom [Jesus Christ] the heaven must receive until the times of restitution [restoration] of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).
The presences of Elijah will be seen and felt very early in the Day of Christ. We can only imagine all of the work Elijah will have to do, getting everything ready to start his work of restoration. The work of restoration seems to focus on all things that need to be restored and made ready for the majestic Coming and Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
With the manifestation of the Pre-Millennial Kingdom of God, Elijah shows up in the Promised Land. He will already know what his mission will be. He knew the prophecy of Daniel 9:24, so he knew that he had 490 years to get everything restored and ready for the Arrival and Presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords in the last days of Christ’s Day/ the beginning of the Day of the LORD.
“Which in His times [The Day of the LORD] He shall shew, Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;” (1 Timothy 6:15).
“He shall shew” is the NT word: #1166, which means “to show, i. e.; expose to the eyes”
(Thayer's Greek Lexicon). The eyes of men will see the only Potentate—the Lord Jesus Christ—in Person when He is made manifest during the Day of the LORD.
Elijah will be commissioned by the Lord Jesus to perform specific assignments. As Israel’s Chief of Restoration, it should be understood that he is the Chief of the National Department of Restoration (I suggest that Elijah’s Restoration Department will have a comparable name).
Elijah will certainly be given construction plans of the Temple Complex as detailed as those which the LORD gave Moses for the construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings (see: Exodus 25 through Numbers 31).
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, …. ‘According to all that I [the LORD] shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.’” (Exodus 25:1 and 25: 9).
The “patterns” were the ‘blueprints” which the LORD provided Moses with, in the wideerness, in order for him to construct the tabernacle and its furniture.
Elijah will employ engineers, architects, master craftsmen, and manual laborers. The restoration will be awesome in that he will be preparing everything for the Official Presentation to the world of the great God and our Savior—JESUS CHRIST—at His Parousia.
Think of the time the Lord Jesus appeared to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration:
“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias [Elijah] talking with Him” (Matthew 17:1-3).
Now, consider a parallel passage in Mark 9;
“And He said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. And after six days Jesus taketh with Him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and He was transfigured before them. And His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias [Elijah] with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus” (Mark 9:1-4).
Elijah and Moses, as well as Peter, James, and John, were spiritually transported into the future Day of Christ. They experienced time-travel. Moses and Elijah were dead but were shown as being alive from the dead on the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter, James, and John experienced a brief history of a future day and were eye witnesses to Jesus, talking with Moses and Elijah, in His glorified body. No doubt, the super-natural conversation was about the mission Elijah was going to have in the Pre-Millennial Kingdom. Based upon Moses’ construction experience in the building of the tabernacle, he was, and will be able to give Elijah some valuable tips on the Temple construction.
Footnotes:
Studies of Elijah on www.Plainerwords.com are; Elijah the Prophet, Elijah and John The Baptist, The Ministry of John the Baptist-Parts 1 & 2. Where Are They Now—Enoch and Elijah-Parts 1 & 2.
Copyright© 2014 by Thomas L. Ballinger
(To be continued)
Tom L. Ballinger
1031 Wilson Rd.
Lancaster, Texas 75146
;
Plainer Words Online
By
Tom L. Ballinger
Plainer Words since 1968
July 24, 2014
PLAINER WORDS ONLINE… ELIJAH, THE CHIEF OF ISRAEL’S
RESTORATION
Part 2
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His Appearing and His Kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:1).
Christ shall determine who of those Jews and Gentiles will qualify to live under His world-wide reign. This Pre-Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus, as King of kings and Lord of lords, will last approximately 700 years. Those who, throughout the world, live according to the precepts of the Day of Christ can be expected to live in good health throughout the manifestation of His Kingdom. Life expectancy will even be longer than that of the Pre-Flood population (from Adam to Noah). The realization of the Appearing [Epiphaneia] be the Blessed Hope of the Church over which Christ Jesus is the Head.
“ …Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12b-13).
Back to 2 Timothy 4:1—it is a very emphatic statement by the Apostle Paul. He is stating that the Lord Jesus Christ was about to start adjudicating, among the living and the dead, who will meet the qualifications to live-again under His Divine Government. But, the Church, which is His Body, will have a prior resurrection [i.e. Exanastasis] (Philippians 3:11) to those mentioned in 1 Corinthian 15:23—But every man in his own order: Christ’s firstfruits.
Shortly after the Day of Christ becomes manifest in the earth, one of the spectacular events that takes place will be the resurrection of Elijah the Prophet. Elijah’s resurrection from among the dead will be the fulfillment of several prophecies. One will be the Old Testament prophecy of Malachi 4:5-6:
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
This undertaking will be part of his Mission during the Pre-Millennial Day of Christ. The New Testament prophecy is found in Matthew 17:10-11:
“And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias [Elijah] must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias [Elijah] truly shall first come, and restore all things.”
Here is a summation of the three verses:
Malachi 4:5 speaks about the time-frame before the Day of the LORD—which will be the Prophetic Day of Christ.
Malachi 4:6 speaks of Elijah turning the heart of fathers to their children, and the children to the fathers in the early days Pre-Millennial Kingdom.
Matthew 17:10-11 also speaks that Elijah must come first, i.e., before Messiah, and Christ adds to the prophet’s coming, the monumental task of the RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS. This is not in the sense, “TO RESTORE ALL THINGS” world-without-end. The sense is—ALL THINGS SACRED.
It was pointed out, in Part 1, that Elijah will live again before the dreadful Day of the LORD, which will be before the Great Tribulation and before the Second Coming [Parousia] of Christ. In fact, he will have a special resurrection prior to any of the children of Israel after the Appearing [Epiphaneia] of Christ’s Kingdom (2 Timothy 4:1). Elijah will headquarter in Jerusalem. With all of his responsibilities, he will, of necessity, have to have a rather large organization of folks with various areas of expertise. His operations will begin long before the qualified Israelites begin to be raised from the dead; according to 1 Corinthians 15:23—“every man in his own order.” His work of restoration begins even before the living Jew, in other lands, will gain entry to the Holy Land. Those who are in today’s Israel, when the Day of Christ begins, will be removed to what will become an area called “the wilderness of the people” (Ezekiel 20:35-36).
THE WILDERNESS OF THE PEOPLE
The place where the Lord will gather the descendants of the three patriarchs has been designated as “the wilderness of the people” (V. 35). The word is a little misleading; inasmuch as, when the earth is restored, as it will be at the manifestation of the Pre-Millennial Kingdom, there will be no desert, or place of desolation on it. The “wilderness of the people” is symbolic of the wilderness in which the Hebrews wandered. In Ezekiel 20:35, the “wilderness of the people” indicates that there will be an area, or a neutral zone, probably in and around Sinai, in which the Jew will be completely separated from the nations and totally dependent upon the Lord. As yet, this has not happened. Acts 3:19-21, “the restoration of all things,” must take place. It will be in this area, or region, that the Lord will say, as He did with Israel of old, “I will plead with you face to face. Like I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you” (Vs. 35-36).
Moses gave a magnificent description of the time when the LORD shall speak from heaven:
“Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass” (Deuteronomy 32:1-2).
During the Day of Christ, He will speak, audibly, from heaven. His doctrine (principles of governing) shall drop down as the rain, and His speech shall distil as the dew. The earth’s inhabitants are likened to the tender herb upon whom the small rain shall fall. This distilling is like showers upon the grass. This is majestic language describing the gentle effect His words will have upon men. He is not speaking in wrath.
These gentle words shall fall on the ears of the living children of Israel, and as it does upon those who rise from the dead who are in foreign countries.
This has not happened historically. It is not Tribulation truth, nor is it Millennial Truth. Those two time periods belong to the dispensation that follows the Day of Christ. This truth, however, is for the time when Christ rules from heaven—the Day of Jesus Christ. Therefore, His doctrine will drop down from heaven as a gentle rain. And, it will direct the children of Israel in foreign lands to make their way back to Israel and to “the wilderness of the people.”
The true descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, if not carried back to Israel miraculously, will board trains, planes, or ships for their trip to the New Nation of Israel:
“Surely the isles shall wait for Me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because He hath glorified thee” (Isaiah 60:9).
It is highly recommended that the earnest student of the Word of Truth read the whole chapter of Isaiah 60. As the chapter is read, keep in mind that the time-frame is the RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS, ALL THINGS SACRED (Acts 3:21).
“And I will cause you to pass under the rod [like a Shepherd uses his rod or staff as he inspects his sheep, as they pass under it], and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant” (Ezekiel 20:37).
Copyright© 2014 by Thomas L. Ballinger
(To be continued)
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Tom L. Ballinger
1031 Wilson Rd.
Lancaster, Texas 75146
Plainer Words Online
By
Tom L. Ballinger
Plainer Words since 1968
August 29, 2014
PLAINER WORDS ONLINE… ELIJAH, THE CHIEF OF ISRAEL’S
RESTORATION
Part 3
OUTER DARKNESS
It is during this process that the Lord determines which sheep are allowed to enter into Israel’s restored kingdom. We can, mentally, picture this as being likened to:
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
The Counterfeit-Jews will not be allowed entrance into territorial boundaries of the New Nation. The children of Israel who are not to be allowed to enter will be the rebels as here described: “And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against Me; I will bring them forth out of the countries where they sojourn, and they will not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 20: 38).
The rebels will be men without a country during the Pre-Millennial Kingdom of God. Notice that the rebels will not even dwell in the former land of their sojourn, and if they are not allowed to enter the Land—where will they dwell? It is apparent that there will be a place for them to dwell on the restored earth. I can’t locate where it will be, or describe what it will be like. But, the Bible names the place—outer darkness. I’ll use a hyperbole to simply say, “It’s a place where the sun don’t shine.” These were to have been the “children of the kingdom,” but because of their rebellious heart-attitude, they forfeit their right, just like Esau who found no place for repentance.
“And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:11-12, 22:13, 25:30).
Before Elijah begins most of the restoration of Israel’s Sacred Things, there must be a major project of demolition: such as, cleansing the land of all remnants of Islamic idolatry such as the Muslim Shrine - The Dome of the Rock. Today’s Israel is polluted with the things related to Mohammed.
Not only will the Land of Israel be cleansed from all uncleanness, so will the entire earth be rid of all of mankind’s hidden idols—and not only this—but all of the heavens will be delivered from all entities representing ungodliness. The Day of Jesus Christ will be glorious in which ALL OF CREATION WILL BE FREE OF EVIL!
A very remarkable fact which ought to be praised by all of us is found in the two following Verses:
“That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
The “things” in the three spheres, mentioned, are identified as follows:
Things in heaven … We who are members of the Church, which is His
Body who are stationed in the heavens; heaven’s hierarchy: and all of heaven’s hosts.
Things in earth … All of mankind: those who have immortality on earth; those who live on earth in natural bodies; and, even, babies and sucklings.
Things under the earth…These are the dead who shall yet be raised, to give glory to Him, and the demons in the abyss (see Psalm 148 as well as The Companion Bible’s note on Philippians 2:10).
The sound of all of creation confessing, aloud and in unison, that “Jesus Christ is the LORD,” will be like the sound of a Heavenly Chorus.
BOUNDARIES OF THE TWELVE TRIBES
Probably, one of the first assignments Elijah will have is to set the boundaries for each Tribe. The Biblical borders of the Tribes were not very precise. A look at most any Bible Atlas, and you will notice that the borders are not drawn as exact as they would be drawn today. Cartography was not a science in OT Times, or in Biblical NT Times.
Elijah will re-settle those who are bona fide Jews according to their Tribes. Therefore, the Twelve Tribes must have distinct borders. I would consider that the boundaries of the tribal nations should be as exact as possible. In Elijah’s time, boundaries were not exact. During the Pre-Millennial Dispensation, Cartography will be a fine art. He should have no problem finding quality map-makers. The Lord Jesus will give Elijah the direct boundary-lines for each Tribe. These will be given to the Cartographers. Elijah would not have been chosen by the Lord to do all of this restoration work had he not had the innate talent to direct all kinds of operations.
Elijah need not be a surveyor in order for him to get the best qualified men to make maps. He will be the “Lord’s man” to manage things and to lead men. His supervision would lead to a job, well done, and a work acceptable by the Lord Jesus Christ. That goes for all of the responsibilities Elijah will have. A good Manager can manage any enterprise. A good Leader can lead good men. He doesn’t have to be skilled in every phase of a business in order to manage it in a superior manner.
Every Israelite who shows up in the Promised Land will be directed to “the wilderness of the people.” It will be there that every child of Israel will find out who their fathers were, and what Tribe they belong to, because the majority will have no idea what Tribe they belong to.
TRIBAL IDENTIFICATION
Elijah will follow the instructions the LORD gave the Children of Israel when they encamped around the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai. The Book of Numbers, Chapters 2 through 10, shows that each Tribe was to have its own Standard. The children of Israel were told by the LORD, through Moses:
“And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts” (Numbers 1:52).
“Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch” (Numbers 2:2).
Israel of old followed the protocol of the military. In fact, the body of the tribe was referred to as “armies” (the NIV calls them “divisions”).
The Standard was a flag or banner with the sign of the Tribe on it. The Sign of the Tribe of Judah was Leo (the Lion). The other eleven Tribes bore the names of the Zodiac (see the Companion Bible, Pg 181). The Ensign was a banner or flag which was to identify the Tribe, the family, and the man (head of the household).
The Tribes (i.e., the Twelve Nations of Israel) will reside within their own borders. However, we notice that there will be some migration among the Tribes.
Copyright© 2014 by Thomas L. Ballinger
(To be continued)
Tom L. Ballinger
1031 Wilson Rd.
Lancaster, Texas 75146
Plainer Words Online
By
Tom L. Ballinger
Plainer Words since 1968
September 7, 2014
PLAINER WORDS ONLINE… ELIJAH, THE CHIEF OF ISRAEL’S
RESTORATION
Part 4
The Lord said in Matthew 17:11; “… Elias {Elijah] truly shall first come, and restore all things.” It goes without saying; he doesn’t restore all of the things destroyed by the armies of anti-Christ. The reference is to all things Sacred to the restoration of the Jewish Faith in the Land of Promise and the City of God (Jerusalem).
In the three previous Parts of Elijah as the Great Architect of Israel’s Restoration of Sacred Things, we have looked at some of the following which he will restore.
We have considered that he will restore and delineate the tribal boundaries of Israel’s twelve tribes. He will be charged with identifying the tribe that each child of Israel belongs to. The Scripture does not attempt to point out all of the Sacred Things Elijah will restore.
Now, it will be noted that he and his crew of Restorationists will put all of the fathers in Israel together with their sons. The result will be that over 4,000 years of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be matched up—by each family, and each extended family. They will be given the title of inheritance to the tribe they belong to.
FAMILY IDENTIFICATION
Noah Webster recognized, rightfully so, that governments have their origin in the family unit. Webster wrote, “All government originated in families, and if neglected there, it will hardly exist in society … The foundation of all free government and social order must be laid in families and in the discipline of youth … The Education of youth, an employment of more consequence of making laws, and the preaching the Gospel, because it lays the foundation on which both law and Gospel rest for success ...”
According to Scriptures already cited, we know that Elijah will have to identify the fathers of all the families and discover the genealogy of each father (Malachi 4:5-6). Elijah will have to match-up all of the fathers and children and all of the descendants for over four-thousand years. This seems to be a monumental job. There will be people showing-up in the “wilderness of the people” which have been dead for several thousand years, looking for the Tribe and the extended family to which they belong. Each man (the head of a household) will have to secure his Standard or Ensign and carry it to his inheritance and thrust the pole into the ground. And, he will await and welcome those who are his kin and belong to his tribe and family. What a sight that will be.
Allow me to make an illustration with which I am familiar. I have been a Substitute High School Teacher at the Red Oak Independent School District for about twelve years. Red Oak, Texas, twelve years ago, was a rural, small town. It is twenty miles south of Dallas in Ellis County. Today, it is growing fast. The flight is not white flight out of Dallas, but the flight is of all races, nationalities, and creeds. There is an exodus from “Big D” to Red Oak which had been a small country town.
When I first started at the Red Oak School District, many of the students were from farm and ranch families. There was no dress code then. The normal attire for most of the kids was Western Wear. This, also, included a large number of the girls. Blue jeans, big belt buckles, Western shirts, and Cowboy boots were the apparel of choice. They drove pick-up trucks. Cowboy hats hung on the gun racks in the pick-ups. Hats were not worn indoors. It seemed they were, by nature, polite and respectful—“Yes Sir, No Sir,”
” Yes Ma’am, No Ma’am.” I haven’t heard a “Yes, Sir” in five years. Now, it’s “Yeah” or “Naw.”
In my day, kids from Texas and the South always used “Yes Sir and Yes Ma’am.” Even a so-called bad boy used this courteous phase. The families who fled “Big D” had apparently never taught their children manners and Texas and Southern customs. The boys and girls in the ROTC usually reply with a proper “Yes, sir!” The prince of the power of the air is delighted to see a coarse and impolite society and the disintegration of the family, which coincides with the total corruption of the local, state, and federal governments within America.
As you remember from your school days, you used to have Fire Drills. They still do. When the bell rings three times, that’s the signal for a Fire Drill. Every teacher’s class- room has a Standard secured to the wall by the door. The Standard has the teacher’s name on it.
Every teacher has a designated place outside of the building. Today, there are about 2,000 students enrolled in the High School. When the Fire Drill sounds, the teacher gets their Standard and leads the class to the assigned area, either on the athletic field, or parking lot, or on the grassy area in front of the School. Every student is supposed to be in the area of his teacher for that period. The teacher, or an assistant holds the Standard up high so it can be seen from a distance. The Attendance is checked to make sure no-one is missing.
The Standards are yellow poster boards with the teacher’s name on it. The sign is stapled to a six-foot long flat stick. The Standard identified the teacher’s class. The Principal and staff, after all classes have been assembled, make a walking inspection of the classes arrayed in a semi-military formation. With the stretch of my imagination, I can visualize the Twelve Tribes arrayed with the Standards of the Tribe, the Ensigns of the leading fathers, and each father of a family with his Banner on the four sides of the Tabernacle, just as Moses had designed, according to the instruction from Yahweh.
I remember in my US Army days; a Division had its Standard, as did each Company in the Division, and each Platoon in the Company had its own Standard. They were, also, to be used on the battlefield in case soldiers got lost in combat. The Standards helped the commanders observe the battle, and they could identify the units engaged.
Another sacred thing Elijah will restore is that of the Jewish Family. This restoration has to do with restoring the family—the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers. Myriads of Israelites have lived since Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their ancestors cover almost 4,000 years. An untold number of them will be resurrected from all around the world. They will be brought back to their assigned acreage in the Promised Land which they will, literally, inherit during the Day of Christ. Of course, there will not be those Israelites who are alive at the time of the Appearing who don’t have a clue as to who their distant fathers (ancestors) were, nor will they have any idea to what tribe they belong.
It must be noted, here, that Elijah does his superlative work in the time-period and under the conditions brought about by the divine as¬sumption of sovereignty which inaugurates the Government of God upon the earth. As stated earlier, the time-frame will be during the Day of Christ, which will be approximately 700 years. The 490 years of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks will run its full course during the Day of Christ. Elijah will be busy during the entire Seventy Week period restoring all of the Sacred objects associated with the worship of the Great I AM THAT I AM (Exodus 3:14)..
It will be Elijah who sets the families in order. Millions of resurrected Israelites will have no idea what family or Tribe they belong to. The Lord Jesus knows, and He will direct Elijah. Elijah identifies who belongs to what tribe and who are their fathers; hence, what family they belong to. It can go back more than 4,000 years.
We should not confuse Malachi 4:5-6 with Mark 13:12 and Matthew 24:10. The references in Mark and Matthew refer to events that will take place after the Day of Christ ends. Whereas, the prophecy of Malachi 4:5-6 will find its fulfillment during the Day of Christ. Note the graph, below, indicating the Day of Christ begins 700 years before the Day of the LORD.
Day of Christ Day of the LORD
[ Malachi.4:5-6 ]───[ Mark. 13:12 & Matt. 24:10 ]
It must be noted, here, that Elijah does his great work in the time-period and under the conditions brought about by the divine as¬sumption of sovereignty which inaugurates the Government of God upon the earth.
Matthew 17:11; “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things,” must be interpreted in the light of Malachi 4:5-6. This has to do with restoring the family ties and identities. Myriads of Israelites will be raised from the dead from all around the world and will be brought back to their Land of Promise, during the beginning years the Kingdom [Day] of Jesus Christ. This follows on the heels-of-the-Appearing (2 Timothy 4:1).
This will be a grand work of spiritual importance. It was God Who established the family unit. The family was the chief unit for establishing order. Elijah will restore the families and inform them which of the Twelve Tribes they belong to. The restoration of the family units will be a blessing to Israel, and, from them, it will be a blessing for all the families of earth; men grouped according to their “family tree.” This indicates there will be a full return to the family system when God governs the earth.
It seems that Satan’s focus, ever since he has had dominion over the world, has been the destruction of the family. Think of Cain and Abel who were the first Biblical account of rebellion within the family. As time marched onward, it has gotten progressively worse.
Elijah will be the one who will indicate the exact boundar¬ies of the land which God promised to Abraham, the geographical boundaries of the land allotted to each tribe, the division of Israel according to their tribes, the identification of Aaron’s family, the three divisions of the tribe of Levi, and the restoration of the judges and counselors as promised in Isaiah 1:26:
“And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellers as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
Most all of today’s Jews, so I am told, believe that are descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They cannot prove it. They have no records going back that far. The Israelites’ birth records were recorded and stored in the Temple which was destroyed by Titus in 70 A.D. I believe there is going to be a great surprise when many of the self-proclaimed Jews will find out they were not in the line of descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. By the same token, there will be many who will be surprised to find out that they are in the line of descent, when they thought they were of Gentile by descent.
Elijah and his select Staff will have a colossal assignment. The Lord will be their source of ancestral knowledge as to what family each person belongs to.
Most of the work of identification will take place in “the wilderness of the people.” In the early days of the Pre-Millennial Kingdom of God, the Lord Jesus will plead with them face-to-face.
“And I will bring you [children of Israel] into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 20:35-36).
Here, in the wilderness of the people, we are talking about millions of Jews that the Lord will to speak in an effort to convert those who came forth out of the graves, as well as those who were alive at the time of 2 Timothy 4:1. Some who were in the wilderness of the people had not believed on Jesus Christ as their Messiah. But, there was something “good” in their lives that qualified them to live again in order to hear the Lord Jesus Christ speak from heaven.
THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
All of the multitudes will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ:
“For we [Church of God] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, used another explanation for the Judgment Seat of Christ when he preached in Athens in Acts 17:
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; BUT NOW commandeth all men every where to repent: Because He hath appointed a Day [Day of Christ], in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31)
The Acts 18 account of—BUT NOW-- ties in with Ezekiel 20:35-38:
“And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 20:37-38).
The purged rebels didn’t pass the test of “passing under the rod.” Their rebelliousness was discovered, resulting in their forfeiting their inheritance, as did Esau. They will spend their days, during Christ’s Day, in an area called “outer darkness.”
Elijah will organize all the family heads in the Tribes they belong to. It goes from the Apostle of the Tribe, who is their Judge, all the way down the Family Tree. Every child of Israel will know who he is and where he belongs in the Tribe’s scheme of things. The ideal government is family centered.
Copyright© 2014 by Thomas L. Ballinger
(To be continued)
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Plainer Words Online
By
Tom L. Ballinger
Plainer Words since 1968
September 25, 2014
PLAINER WORDS ONLINE… ELIJAH, THE CHIEF OF ISRAEL’S
RESTORATION
Part 5
This article will examine five special projects which will be part of the multifaceted mission of Elijah during the Pre-Millennial Day of Christ. We have considered the …
(1) Restoration of the Family which is the most important Sacred feature in the life of Israel.
(2) Restoration of the Boundaries of the Twelve Tribes. The Boundaries were never precise. Elijah will have them precisely drawn by his Cartographers.
(3) Restoration of the Twelve Tribes. Most of the Israelites who are granted life during the Day of Christ will have no direct knowledge of what tribe they belong to.
(4) Next will be the Restoration of one of Israel’s most important Sacred entities—the Temple and its glorious Temple Complex.
(5) Restoration of Historical Sites and Ordinances.
TEMPLE CONSTRUCTION DURING THE DAY OF CHRIST
This will be a major architectural project. Ezekiel 40:1-44:31 lays out a verbal blueprint for the Temple Construction. Most teachers of Dispensational Truth believe the Temple in the Ezekiel Prophecy is one that will be built during the 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth. I do not subscribe to that line of teaching. The Temple Complex that the Prophet Elijah will be responsible for is the one that will be the marvel of The-Day-of- Christ-World. The construction of The-Day-of-Christ-Temple is initiated when the LORD says, concerning the resurrected Cyrus:
“That saith of Cyrus, He [Cyrus] is My shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid” (Isaiah 44:28).
Isaiah 44:28 takes place 49 years after Daniel’s Seventy Weeks begin. “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [ * ] shall be seven weeks [49 years], and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times” (Daniel 9:25).
[ * ] In Messiah the Prince the “M” and “P” are capitalized because the translators thought it was a reference to Jesus Christ. It is really a reference to the resurrected King David. David was God’s anointed, and he was a prince—hence, David is the “messiah the prince.”
This means that 49 years after the 490 years begin, Cyrus initiates the restoration of the Temple and its foundation. Cyrus issues the signal to Elijah to commence the major project of building Jerusalem, a euphemism for the Temple Complex.
In Ezekiel’s last vision, he saw and wrote about the City of God, Jerusalem, which appears as the capital of the whole Land of Israel. Over time, the City of God becomes the capital of the heavens and earth. The scene is Pre-Millennial.
The Land of Israel will extend from the Euphrates River, on the North, to the Nile, on the South, and from the Mediterranean, on the West, to the Indian Ocean on the East. The tongue of the “Egyptian sea” will be dried up (Isaiah 11:15), thus, enlarging Arabia. The Land of Israel, during the Day of Christ, will be a magnificent territory embracing a vast portion of the Ancient World.
Jerusalem, the City of God, will have a dimension of one-hundred and forty-four square miles. This will be appropriate for the future metropolis of the universe.
RESTORATION OF HISTORICAL SITES AND ORDINANCES
While the Lord Jesus Christ is enthroned upon God’s Throne in heaven, He will visit Elijah, from time-to-time on the Temple grounds, by passing through the East Gate. Speaking about the “Throne,” here, it is not a reference to David’s Throne. At one time, I parroted that following the Dispensation of Grace, Christ will return to earth the Second time and will sit upon “David’s Throne” and rule with a rod of iron. Pay close attention to the portion of Peter’s Pentecostal address found in Acts 2:29-34.
“Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him [David], that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He [God] would raise up Christ to sit on His throne [i.e., God’s Throne] [ * ]. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all [i.e., twelve Apostles] are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself [i.e., David], The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand” (Acts 2:29-34).
[ * ] cp. 1 Chron. 29:23, and see Ps.2:6.
Finally, I carefully notedy, and saw that my mentors had been wrong. The subject of Acts 2:30-31 was Christ, NOT DAVID.
31 He [David] seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His [Christ’s] soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Verse 34 corrected me and should have corrected my teachers and others.
“For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he [David] saith himself, The LORD [God] said unto my Lord [Jesus], Sit Thou [Christ] on My Right Hand [in heaven]” (Acts 2:34).
My responsibility was to believe the spiritual light I have received. I was not responsible for convincing them, i.e., my teachers, that they were wrong. I would never try to change the teachers I sat under. I prayed for them, but if they ever read my work, they would see where I differed with them and could, either, change their position, or ignore my conclusion.
The student’s responsibility is to PLEASE GOD with what we believe He has shown us. Sometimes, His Spirit may show us truth from the Word of Truth, itself, or we be shown Truth from another believer. We should rejoice in the Rightly Divided Truth we see; whether, it is from the Word, itself, from being enlightened by the Spirit of Truth, from the writings of a Bible teacher from another generation, or from current men of God.
Paul settled the issue for me in His Roman Epistle:
“Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4).
Scripture, in many cases, speaks common sense. Romans 14:4 is a case in point. Here is a principle of Common Sense and common propriety. It is not ours to sit in judgment of another man’s servant. We are servants, together, to the same Man, Christ Jesus. We have no right to usurp our Lord’s place and act as if we were “lords over His Heritage” (1 Peter 5:3). Consider Romans 14:4 in plainer words:
Who are we that judges another man’s servant? Since the Lord Jesus Christ has received him, he is the servant of Christ, and his accountability is not to us, BUT TO HIM. Christ is able to make him stand. In spite of what we may think is error, he shall stand for the Lord is able to keep him. This conduct is not able to sever him from the Grace of God. Many of us didn’t have ears to hear for a long time.
DO YOU HAVE A GARDEN TO RETIRE TO AT TIMES?
I should not fail to mention the quite time that I spend “In the Garden,” alone, seeking only Him as I read His Book and plead for discernment. This is a refreshing time.
Years ago, I was thinking about the Classic Gospel Hymn—“IN THE GARDEN”—and decided I wanted to try to find a place, in my mind, that could serve as a retreat to replicate C. Austin Miles’ hymn, “In the Garden.”
In my mind, I formed a Garden. I tried to compartmentalize it. I have come to be at home when I retire to my Garden. I reckon that when I open the Bible, the birds hush their singing; He and I may even take a walk together and, sometimes, He opens my spiritual eyes, and I see even more wonders of His Word. When I am in the Garden, no-one knows I’m there. I may be at the computer, or in an old chair with the Bible in my lap. I may be on the patio early in the mornings, or even at sunset. There are times I am in the Garden without the Bible. The good thing about “my Garden” is, it’s always available for me no matter where I am. By this, don’t think, for even a minute, that I think I’m a mystic. This is just about as green a thumb as I have. At times, this green thumb provides a place where I like to tarry.
HISTORICAL SITES ARE TO BE RESTORED AND ORDINANCES SETUP
Elijah was to identify all the sacred and historical sites. He was to restore certain Feasts and the proper way for their observance. No Israelite really knows how Passover was observed in the time of Christ. Elijah will initiate instruction in Ordinances that will be re-instituted in the Nation of Israel.
The Lord’s Supper will be observed during the Day of Christ. In fact, Christ Jesus Himself will leave the heavens and will observe His Supper during the Day of Christ within the Temple Complex on special occasions. He will enter through the East Gate.
All of this will be restored by Elijah while Christ governs the heavens and earth from God’s Throne in the heavens. Israel’s Chief of Restoration is not said to have any responsibility for restoring any of the previous Gentile-World.
While Elijah and his restoration crew are working on the Restoration projects, the magnificent events and policies of Isaiah 60:1-22 will be in the process of being fulfilled.
ISAIAH CHAPTER SIXTY
Theses verses concern Zion, the City of God, the children of Israel, the Gentiles, and the LORD.
Verse 1 –The Glory of the LORD rises and shines on Israel. Verses 2 –The LORD’s Glory shall be seen upon thee. Verse 3—Nations will come to the light of Israel. Verse 4 –Thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Verse 5 – Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy because the forces [wealth] of the Gentiles shall come to thee. Verse 6 – The multitude of camels shall cover thee; and all of them from Sheba shall come bearing gold and incense; they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. Verse 7 –All the flocks of Kedar, all the rams of Nebaioth, they will be accepted as offerings My Altar, and I will adorn My Temple. Verse 8 – Who are these that fly as a clouds, like doves to their nests? Verse 9 –Ships of Tarshish bring thy sins from afar, their silver and gold with them the LORD thy God hath glorified thee. Verse 10 –Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Verse 11 –The Gates of Jerusalem will never be closed so that the Gentiles can bring Israel their riches.
Verse 12—The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee [Israel] shall perish. Verse 13—The Glory of Lebanon will come to you beautiful trees will adorn My sanctuary; and I will glorify the place for My feet. Verse 14 –Children of your oppressors will bow before you; all who dispise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Verse15 – I will make you [Jerusalem] the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations. Verse 16 –Israel will drink the milk of the Gentiles and suck the breasts of kings, and Israel will know that I AM [LORD] the mighty One of Jacob. Verse 17 –Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of stones: I will make peace your governors and well-being your rulers. Verse 18 –No longer will violence be heard in Israel, nor destruction within your borders. You will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. Verse 19 –The LORD shall be your Light (no longer the sun or moon). And your God shall be”thy” Glory. Verse 20 –Repeats Verse 19; plus the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Verse 21 --Thy people all (Israel) shall be righteous. They shall inherit the Land forever that I may be glorified. Verse 22 –A little one shall be a thousand, and a small one a strong nation.
I have appreciated Elijah much more than ever before when I have considered his Pre-Millennial Restoration Projects of Israel’s Sacred things. Hope you have too.
~~THE END~~
Copyright@2014 by Thomas L. Ballinger
PLAINER WORDS
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We endeavor to put in print and in plainer words Bible Studies which we recommend to students and teachers alike. This is our 46th year of publishing Plainer Words. Plainer Words is emailed to anyone upon their personal request.
Visit our Web Site: www.Plainerwords.com
Tom L. Ballinger
1031 Wilson Rd.
Lancaster, TX 7516
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