2nd Coming of Christ, 1of5

~ The End of The World ~

Consider the World—its course and its end…

The World Is The Empire of Satan  ~  Jesus said, “The ruler of this world will be cast out” (John 12:31b).  Jesus also said, “The ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:11b).  “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith” (1 John 5:4).

The World Has Rejected Christ  ~  “He (Jesus Christ – The Messiah) was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:10-11).  Jesus said, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil” (John 7:7). 

Christ Came To Save The World ~  Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:14-17).  Jesus also said, “If anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.  He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:47-48).  “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15).

All In The World Are Guilty Before God  ~  “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20). 

The Judgment Upon The World ~  Jesus said, “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out” (John 12:31b).  “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.  He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31). 

Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;  I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’  And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’  Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me’  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:31-46). 

The World—Its Doom ~  “The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).  “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).  “The heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7). 

Jesus said, “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  And pray that your flight may not be in winter.  For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.  And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand. 

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near — at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” ( Mark 13:14-37). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

Christ—Jehovah, 7of9

~ The Title “Jehovah-Nissi” ~

Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30).

There are quite a number of Jehovah titles.  This series will focus on seven Jehovah titles which embrace the fullness of Jesus Christ for His people.  These titles include the completeness of Jehovah’s name as it is manifested in the life of Jesus Christ for His people.  These titles show how the Messiah completely meets His people’s need from their guilt to their future glory. 

Jehovah-Nissi means “the Lord our banner,” or “the Lord my banner.”  In this context a banner can be thought of as an insignia, ensign, signal pole, a standard, or commemorative plaque. 

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’  And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, ‘Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation’” (Exodus 17:14-16). 

Circumstances  ~  It was following a military victory over the Amalekites at Rephidim that Moses built a memorial to honor the event.  In our day our warfare is not with flesh and blood but with the world, the flesh, and the devil (1 John 2:16-17).  It is the Cross of Calvary which is our banner today—it signifies God’s power over sin and death, and the ability to redeem the lost sinner. 

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:14-16). 

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

Messiah, 143

~ Messiah Would Possess the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2).   

The Messiah  

Jesus said, “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:27-28). 

Jesus said, “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:4-5). 

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

God’s Gender

~ Is Your God Male or Female? ~

In some Christian circles there is confusion about the gender of God.  This has been accentuated with the feminist movement of the last few decades.  What can we learn about God’s gender by looking only at Scripture without adding personal desires?  First, we must recognize that the Word of God pictures God as masculine, as feminine, and as gender neutral.  We need to come to a reasonable conclusion based entirely on what God’s Word says while understanding the culture at the time the Bible was written. 

Male Images of God  ~  When the Scriptures speak of God in gender terms it is most often in a male image.  A well known example is the Father image.  Perhaps the best known example is the model prayer Jesus gave His disciples (often mislabeled The Lord’s Prayer).  “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9).  Another example is God as a bridegroom.  “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5b).  “Jesus said to them [speaking of Himself], ‘Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?  But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast’” (Matthew 9:15).  One of Scripture’s metaphors for the church universal is as Christ’s bride. 

Female Images of God  ~  Sometimes the Scriptures speak of God in terms of a female image.  For example in Isaiah we find God comparing Himself to a woman giving birth.  “I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself.  Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once” (Isaiah 42:14).  Furthering this image we see God as a nurturing mother.  “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.  As they called them, so they went from them; they sacrificed to the Baals [false gods], and burned incense to carved images.  I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them.  I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.  I stooped and fed them” (Hosea 11:1-4). In these passage we see a tender and loving God raising His children—who incidentally in this passage are referred to in a masculine gender. 

While on earth the Messiah uses the feminine gender of a hen with His chicks. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37-38).

Cultural Factors  ~  Why does Scripture present some images of God to us with gender connotations?  The economy of the time was primarily agricultural.  The fertility of the soil was paramount in thinking and many false gods arose out of the focus on fertility.  The pagan culture of the time created many gods and goddesses.  An Old Testament example was Ashtoreth, a goddess of the Canaanites, and is found in many passages (i.e., Judges 10:13; 1 Samuel 7:3-4, 12:10, 31:10).  A New Testament example was the goddess Artemis (Acts 19:27).  Given the culture of the day we should not be surprised at the use of anthropomorphisms (describing what is not human in human terms) in Scripture.  Describing God’s masculinity and His feminine qualities differentiated the one true God from all others.  In other words, the key issue involved here is God effectively communicating to mankind. 

Gender-Neutral Images of God  ~  Scripture also speaks of God as a Spirit—not just as the Spirit of God being one member of the Trinity.  The Messiah said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). 

Key Factors  ~  First, we know that “God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).  Second, we know that there will not be sexual differentiation in heaven.  We read, “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.  For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven’” (Matthew 22:29-30).  Third, it is worth noting that the masculine images of God are quite definite (i.e., Father) whereas the feminine images are less sharp (more like similes: prefaced by words such as “like”). 

Conclusion  ~  (1) We should not think of God as either male or female in the same sense that we consider mammals as male or female.  Rather God’s characteristics resemble both sexes.  (2) In no way does the Word of God imply that men are more like God than women are.  (3) The word pictures we have of God are meant to allow us to relate and communicate to Him more effectively. 

don’t miss this  ~  Do you marvel in the fact that you were created in God’s image? 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).