From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 1997 12:16 AM
To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: The Harvest at the end of the Age - Part I
>From Mark Wilson
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: End of Age
THE END OF THE AGE
This title of "The End Of The Age" should not be confused with the end
of the world which is a common misunderstanding. The supermarket
scandal papers often write about the end of the world is coming soon.
The "AGE" that we are in at the present time is "the church age". This
is the time between Pentecost and the second coming of Christ. Many are
referring to the time immediately following the Tribulation as "the end
of the world". They overlook the fact that there is a thousand year
reign of Christ on this earth, in its present state, following the great
tribulation. This is what is commonly called "The Millennial Reign".
Following the Millennium there will be the white throne judgement.
REV 20:11 And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from
whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for
them. Following this judgement will be the passing away of the present
heaven and the present earth. Then will appear the New Earth and the
New Heaven and the New Jerusalem. This is the beginning of the eternal
Kingdom of God.
The purpose of this article is to set in order some of the events of the
last 7 years of "the end of the age". Since this interpretation is
quite different than the doctrines that are commonly taught, I will try
to present scriptures for each event. Of course each of the various
interpretations use scriptures also. In Pat Roberterson's new book on
the end of the age he shows why the church must go through the 7 years
of the great tribulation and be caught up at the end. Many other bible
scholars use the scriptures very well but show the church will be caught
up before the great tribulation. Hal Lindsey is one of those teachers.
REV 3:10 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will
keep you from the hour of testing, that {hour} which is about to come
upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. Still
other good Bible teachers will show, without a shadow of doubt, that the
church will go through the first 3 1/2 years of the great tribulation
and be caught up in the middle. Everyone has solid scriptures for the
position that they each take. Then we may ask "How can all these be
right?" This paper will attempt to show that each of these positions
are correct but that not all the church will be caught up at ANY ONE OF
THESE TIMES.
We will attempt to show this from the harvest feasts of the Lord. From
Revelation 12. From the unfolding events of the book of Revelation.
>From the 10 virgins in Mat. 25 and from various statements of Jesus.
The present popular teaching that the whole church will be caught up at
a certain time does not take into consideration the preparation and
maturity of those who are caught up. It is generally thought that all
born again believers will be caught up at the same time regardless of
their character or how they are living. One radio preacher said that
some will be caught up right out of houses of prostitution simply
because they were forgiven by the blood of Jesus. That thieves will be
caught up right in the act of stealing because they were cleansed by the
blood of Jesus.
1CO 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall
not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
nor thieves, nor {the} covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Some Pentecostal churches teach that only Spirit baptized believers
will be caught up. Our position will be that the harvest will be in three parts
and the harvest is the end of the age.
MAT 13:39-40 and the enemy who sowed them
is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are
angels. Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and
burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.
The KJV translates the end of the age as "the end of the world" which
is the source of this confusion. Since the harvest speaks about the
"end of the age" we will have to examine the harvests of the
Old Testament to see how they were brought in.
Each feast of the Lord, which was called "the appointed times of the
Lord, was a harvest feast. The harvest feasts were in three parts.
(1) The Feast of Passover, Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits, in the first
month
(2) The Feast of Pentecost, 50 days later
(3) The Blowing of Trumpets, The Day of Atonement and the Feast of
Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles was the celebration of the
final feast of the agricultural year in the 7th month.
Israel had two kinds of years that ran simultaneously. One was the civil
year or governmental year and the other was the agricultural year. The
agricultural year ran for 7 months while the civil year
(The governmental year) ran for 12 months. The feasts were connected
to the harvests of the agricultural year. We will try to show that the harvest
at the end of the age will be in three parts.
(1) The firstfruits, before the tribulation
(2) The main harvest, in the middle of the tribulation
(3) The gleanings, at the end of the tribulation.
LEV 23:4-5 'These are the appointed times of the
Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed
for them. 'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the
month at twilight is the Lord's Passover. All the other feasts follow
in order and are referred to as the appointed times of the Lord.
If we can show the harvest will be in three parts it will be a good
incentive to sanctify our lives and grow up in all things into Christ so
that we may participate in the firstfruits harvest, the rapture of the
saints. The main harvest of Pentecost was also called "firstfruits" but
there was a difference in the feast. The last two harvests will be
resurrections and not raptures. If we preach that only a born again
preparation is necessary for the rapture there is no reason for the
believer to pray or seek God or put abominations out of their lives or
to grow up into Christ. If "babes in Christ" (those who refuse to grow)
are accepted into the bride company that is caught up before the great
tribulation there is little reason to grow.
Then we will have to answer the question; Is the coming of the Lord
one event? The answer will be Yes! But it will be in three parts.
Then is the great tribulation one event? Yes! But it will be in two
parts with many aspects of each part. There will be the first 3 1/2
years and then the last 3 1/2 years. The first part of the coming of
the Lord will be secret.
1TH 5:2 For you yourselves know full well that
the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. The last
will be visible.
REV 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and
every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes
of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen.
2PE 3:11-14 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what
sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of
which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will
melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are
looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness
dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be
diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.
If there was no preparation except being born again these scriptures
would be meaningless. We will attempt to show many other convincing
scriptures. For example; If being born again was all that was necessary,
the message to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 would serve no
purpose.
REV 3:3 'Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and
keep {it,} and repent. If therefore you will not wake up, I will come like a thief,
and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.
Therefore, we will begin by outlining the book of Revelation to show
two viewpoints of the great tribulation. Chapter one is the
introduction and shows who is giving the Revelation. Chapters two and
three are warnings to the churches to be prepared. In chapters four and
five John is given a revelation of heaven. Chapter six begins the great
tribulation. In chapter 11 the tribulation comes to a close and we see
the dead are judged. The temple of God in heaven is opened. Rewards
are given to His:
(1) Bondservants
(2) the prophets
(3) The saints
(4) Those who fear the name of the Lord. (Four groups)
Now in chapter 13 we see the great tribulation beginning and the beast
appears. REV 13:7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints
and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and
tongue and nation was given to him. This takes place for 42 months or 3
1/2 years. In chapter 19 we see the end of the great tribulation. The
armies of heaven assemble to make war with the beast and the false
prophet. They are seized and cast into the lake of fire. REV 19:20 And
the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the
signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the
mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were
thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
Chapter 20 is the 1000 year reign of Christ with His saints. This is
called "the Millennium". Chapter 21 and 22 is the eternal Kingdom.
REV 21:1-3 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and
the first earth passed away, and there is no longer {any} sea.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard
a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is
among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people,
and God Himself shall be among them.
In the study of the Tabernacle of Moses we saw the tabernacle was in three parts.
(1) The outer court (2) The holy place (3) The most holy place.
Here in the Tabernacle of God we see it also is in three parts.
(1) The New Earth (2) the New Heaven (3) The New Jerusalem.
Each part of the Tabernacle of God will be inhabited by redeemed people.
The whole Tabernacle of God is called "heaven". The New Jerusalem is
the place that Jesus has prepared for His bride and she shall rule with Him.
JOH 14:2-3 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were
not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to
Myself; that where I am, {there} you may be also.
The Father's house is already full. The Old Testament saints already
have their place. The place that Jesus is going to prepare is a different
place for those whom He will receive to Himself when He returns again.
The book of Revelation is one vision but is seen from two viewpoints.
(1) In Israel (2) out of Israel.
Then (1) among the Gentiles (2) among the Jews.
The persecution in the first 3 1/2 years is against the
Gentiles while the persecution in the last 3 1/2 years is against the
Jews.
However, this leaves Revelation 12 out by itself. In Revelation 12 we
see the whole tribulation from beginning to end in a capsule form and in
an overview. For this reason chapter 12 is of very great importance for
our understanding. Chapter 12 will show us the three parts of the
harvest that is the end of the age. The first harvest is the "male
child" which is caught up to the throne of God and is the firstfruits.
This is what many refer to as the "rapture".
REV 12:5 And she gave birth to a son, a male {child}, who is to rule
all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God
and to His throne.
These are the overcomers of REV 2:26 'And he who overcomes, and
he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over
the nations; REV 2:27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the
vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received
{authority} from My Father.
Also the overcomers of REV 3:21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him
to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with
My Father on His throne.
The second harvest is the saints that come out of the woman in the
middle of the tribulation.
REV 12:6 And the woman fled into the
wilderness where she *had a place prepared by God, so that there she
might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. That is
42 months or 3 1/2 years. REV 12:11 "And they overcame him because of
the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and
they did not love their life even to death. REV 12:12 "For this reason,
rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the
sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing
that he has {only} a short time." These were killed for their faith in
Jesus and are resurrected in the middle of the tribulation. This is the
main harvest and is seen as the great multitude in Revelation 7.
REV 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which
no one could count, from every nation and {all} tribes and peoples and
tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in
white robes, and palm branches {were} in their hands; REV 7:13 And one
of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the
white robes, who are they, and from where have they come?" REV 7:14 And
I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the
ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Now the woman flees to the wilderness where there is a place prepared
for her. Then the earth (some earthly power) helped her for another 42
months or for a time, times and half a time, 3 1/2 years. REV 12:17 And
the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the
rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the
testimony of Jesus. They also will be killed for their faith. This
group are the gleanings at the end of the tribulation and will be a
resurrection.
Chapter 12 then is an order of events as they progressively unfold
during the 7 years of the tribulation. This is not the details but
an overall picture. The details are seen elsewhere. The overcomers are
caught up to the throne of God before the great tribulation begins but
at a time of great persecution. This is called the birth pains.
MAT 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,
and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. MAT 24:8
"But all these things are {merely} the beginning of birth pangs.
Some teach that this was fulfilled in 70 A.D. however it appears there will
be another fulfillment. REV 12:2 and she was with child; and she *cried
out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. This is something brand
new and has never happened before in all the church age.
The significant thing to be noted is that the great red dragon was not
concerned with the woman but was waiting to devour her child as soon as
she gave birth. The reason was because this "male child" was destined
to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. This is the position that
Satan has assumed now. This "rapture" is not just one child but what we
call "the male child company of overcomers". In other places these are
called "the bride" or the perfected and matured saints.
The main harvest, in the middle of the tribulation, will be severely
persecuted and tested and found faithful even unto death. They chose
death rather than taking the mark of the beast. They have come out of
the great tribulation at the end of 3 1/2 years. However, they are
resurrected to a place "before the throne of God" and not "on the throne
of God". While "the bride" has her place in the New Jerusalem and on
the throne of God as the body of Christ, this group will be found
"before the throne", possibly, in the New Heaven. This fact is not
clear in scripture but from the Tabernacle of Moses we can see the area
directly in front of the Ark of the Covenant (the throne of God) was the
Holy Place which corresponds to the New Heaven.
Since "the Tabernacle of God" is made up of three places it is just
logical that all will be inhabited. Since the devil and all who belong
to him are cast into the pit, the only ones left must be those who were
redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ. We could say the eternal Kingdom
will be inhabited by those who have been "saved". Some are infuriated
by the statement that "saved people" will be in different places.
REV 6:9-11 And when He broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the
souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and
because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they
cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true,
wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell
on the earth?" And there was given to each of them a white
robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while
longer, until {the number of} their fellow servants and their brethren
who were to be killed even as they had been, should be completed also.
In the Tabernacle of Moses the altar was just inside the first gate.
These souls had not advanced beyond the primary experience of Calvary.
They were crying out for vengeance upon those who had killed them.
Jesus and Steven both prayed that God would forgive the ones who killed
them. Even so white robes were given to them.
REV 15:2 And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mixed with fire, and
those who had come off victorious from the beast and from his image and
from the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps
of God. REV 15:3 And they *sang the song of Moses the bond-servant of
God and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Thy
works, # O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou
King of the nations. This group had advanced some. The were standing
at the place of the Laver. They had come as far as baptism and were
singing the song of Moses. Moses sang his song at the Red Sea
following the crossing.
1CO 10:1-2 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren,
that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the
sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the
sea; It appears that believers will take up their position in heaven
according to how far they have grown in the Lord. Some will be
satisfied to take up their position beside the thief on the cross. He
just made it in. Some are deceived into thinking the thief will sit on
the throne with Jesus. His character will hardly fit him for that place
even though he was forgiven.
We have already seen those who will stand before the throne, that is in
the Holy Place, and those who sit upon the throne, that is in the Most
Holy Place.
The whole tabernacle is called "heaven". However, all who are "in
heaven" will not be in the same place. It should be clear that the
thief on the cross will not inherit the same place as those who were
faithful, loved God and served God with all their heart. This fact will
infuriate those who are saved and satisfied but have no intention of
growing up into Christ or doing the will of God.
It is popular today to preach about how we will all rule and reign with
Christ forever. We should ask ourselves: If we are all going to rule,
whom are we going to rule over? If God gives understanding, we should
see that those who sit on the throne will be ruling with Christ and
those in New Heaven and on the New Earth will be ruled over.
REV 21:22-24
And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb,
are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the
moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its
lamp {is} the Lamb. And the nations shall walk by its light,
and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it. Both the
K.J.V. and the Spanish Bible say "The nations of them who are saved"
shall walk by it's light. In other words the brilliance and glory of
the New Jerusalem, which is transparent, will illuminate the nations of
the New Earth. Many teach that the nations is speaking of the
millennium and means the Jews. Even a shallow reading will disprove
that.
LUK 19:16 "And the first appeared, saying, 'Master, your mina has made
ten minas more.' LUK 19:17 "And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave,
because you have been faithful in a very little thing, be in authority
over ten cities.' The unfaithful slave will not rule or be ruled over.
He was not even fit to exist in any part of the Kingdom. This is a
Kingdom parable as we can see in verse 11. The eternal Kingdom and the
Tabernacle of God are synonymous. The governmental center of the
eternal Kingdom is the New Jerusalem and the throne of God. From there
the government will function through the New Heaven and throughout the
New Earth. (See the study on the church, the New Jerusalem).
It is a very poor comparison to relate Washington D.C. to the New
Jerusalem but that is about as close as we can compare. Washington is
the governmental center of the U.S.A. Even though each state has its
own government, Washington is central. The "laws" go forth from
Washington and are enforced in the states.
ISA 2:3 And many peoples
will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To
the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways,
And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
While this is not a very good example it shows very clearly why those
who sit upon the throne of Christ, must be like Christ. They must have
been changed to His very image and not like those who are in power in
Washington. Otherwise, the Eternal Kingdom would be a repeat of the
corruption that is found in the governments of the earth.
ISA 33:14-17 Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the
godless. " Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us
can live with continual burning? " He who walks righteously,
and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain, And shakes his
hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing
about bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; He
will dwell on the heights; His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His
bread will be given {him;} His water will be sure. Your eyes
will see the King in His beauty; They will behold a far-distant land.
The government that is established upon Mt. Zion, the Throne of the
Eternal King, must be completely righteous. All those who rule "with
Christ" must rule "like Christ". It should be obvious that all born
again believers are not automatically of the same character and
integrity as Jesus Christ. However, if they submit to the work and
discipline of the Lord, they will be changed. The throne of God, which
is the very presence of God, is a burning fire. Then who among us could
possible dwell there. Those who have already been purified and consumed
by the fire.
1PE 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a
little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
that the proof of your faith, {being} more precious than gold
which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result
in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
HEB 12:28-29 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let
us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service
with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.
HEB 12:6-11 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges
every son whom He receives. " It is for discipline that you
endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom
{his} father does not discipline? But if you are without
discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are
illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly
fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much
rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they
disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He
{disciplines us} for {our} good, that we may share His holiness. All
discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but
sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it
yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
After you have been in the church for a time, you will realize that not
all born again believers will submit to God's discipline and be trained
by it. It is for this reason that all believers will not be in the same
part of the eternal heaven and not all will be "the bride of Christ".
All are welcome but not all will pay the price of being His disciple or
submit to His discipline!
MAT 25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins,
who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. MAT 25:6 "But
at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet
{him.'} MAT 25:10 "And while they were going away to make the purchase,
the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the
wedding feast; and the door was shut. MAT 25:11 "And later the other
virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.'
For a complete study of the ten virgins see the paper on the Kingdom of
God and the ten virgins.
It is commonly taught that the five wise virgins were the bride and the
five unwise were unsaved but even a shallow reading of these scriptures
will reveal that is foolish. Both the five wise and the five foolish
virgins were exactly the same in every detail except for the amount of
extra oil they carried. It is clear that all ten were saved but not all
were acceptable to the Lord. This is not speaking about their character
or their growth but just about the difference of oil and how the lamps
were burning.
The significant thing is the number of virgins and when the Lord
returned for this group. The bride is never spoken of as five but
always as one and in the singular.
REV 19:7-9 "Let us rejoice and be glad
and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His
bride has made herself ready. And it was given to her to clothe
herself in fine linen, bright {and} clean; for the fine linen is the
righteous acts of the saints. And he *said to me, "Write,
'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'"
And he *said to me, "These are true words of God." The invited guests
are spoken of as plural, and even a great multitude, but the bride is
one.
At the wedding feast there will be a great multitude in attendance but
there will only be one bridegroom and one bride, which is His one body.
End of Part I
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