Matthew 25 - Judgment Parables continued

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 25:29-30

In the parable of the talents, Jesus gives His disciples another explanation of the coming judgment on that Levitical/Mosaic temple system. In this example, a man (Jesus, the Lord) who plans to travel to a faraway country (the heavenly Jerusalem) called his servants (believers) so He could distribute His goods (gifts of the Holy Spirit).

After a long time had passed (40 years from 30 AD to 70 AD), the Lord returned to find that two of His servants had done great things with these gifts and had even doubled them, which brought forth great praise! But one of the servants hid his gift in the ground because he was fearful and unbelieving. The Lord called that servant wicked and slothful - that he should've at least given the gift to the bankers to earn a little interest.

Result: what little that wicked servant had was taken from him and given to the successful servant. And then to make matters worse, the wicked servant was cast out into utter darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Who was Jesus speaking of when He referred to this wicked, slothful servant?  It was the sleepy believer who had grown weary and shrunk back into the temple system, abandoning his faith in Jesus. He did nothing with the wonderful gift given to him - if he was going to shrink back into that passing temple system, he should of at least used it there, in a way that could bring some benefit. But instead, he hid it in the ground where no one benefited.

Essentially, this servant viewed God with a pair of Old Covenant eyes, not New Covenant eyes; to this servant, God was harsh and cruel, reaping where He did not sow (basically viewing God as a thief and extortioner)!

Under the New Covenant, God is not like that - He is loving, kind, forgiving, and merciful! Praise the Lord for this very good news!

Links:
https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/unheeded-or-misinterpreted-signs-the-destruction-of-jerusalem-70ad/

http://bible.christiansunite.com/jos/warindex.shtml

http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com/

http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/haggadah.html

Matthew 25 - Parables of the Coming Judgment

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Matthew 25:11-13. 

After Jesus gave the signs of the end of that Jewish age (which occurred in 70 AD), He then proceeds to give His disciples several parables to explain how the spiritual kingdom would arrive. First, He compared it to a wedding festivity where the bridegroom sounds the alarm and ten sleepy bridesmaids (virgins) wake up to meet their future husband. Unfortunately, half of the virgins had let their lamps darken so that by the time they purchased oil for their lamps (representing the Holy Spirit), they were shut out of the marriage supper.

What did this parable mean? It was a warning that, as the second coming delayed (40 years from 30 AD to 70 AD), the temptation would be there to shrink back from this new faith and return to the temple/sacrificial system. Those Jewish people of that end time generation who had tasted the goodness of God and had received the Holy Spirit would be shut out of the kingdom if they gave up on their faith. When the bridegroom, Jesus, came, a judgment would occur and there would be a great and devastating penalty for reverting back to the temple sacrifices.

Today, in the new covenant age, people must believe and receive Jesus Christ in order to be born again and come into the kingdom - just like during the first century. Those who do not receive Jesus will be forever lost and will live eternally in the lake of fire once they pass from this life to the next. That is why it is so important for us to share the goodness of the Gospel.

Links:
https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/unheeded-or-misinterpreted-signs-the-destruction-of-jerusalem-70ad/

http://bible.christiansunite.com/jos/warindex.shtml

http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com/

http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/haggadah.html

Matthew 24 - The Day of the Lord!

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24:36-39

Jesus continues to warn His disciples as to the signs of the end of that age in which they were living - it would be the end of that Mosaic/temple/Levitical priesthood system which ruled in that day. Jesus explained that it would come suddenly, at a time when there would be peace and prosperity, just as in the day of Noah when the flood, suddenly and unexpectedly, came upon mankind. As God judged man on that day, He would judge His people, Israel, on the Last Day - which we know occurred in 70AD.

Jesus said that all these things (the law and the prophecies) would be fulfilled and be completed in THAT generation - the ones alive and well during the time of Jesus' incarnation. If we look to Scripture and BELIEVE what God says, many times, confused issues become very clear.

Do not believe in all of the doom and gloom that many Christians preach, saying that we must have horrors, tribulation, wars, and an evil Anti-Christ, etc. No, we must abide by the truth and take the authority and power IN Christ that He died to give us!

Christians, wake up and believe the truth! Pray and follow exactly as the heavenly father directs! Shalom!

Links:
https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/unheeded-or-misinterpreted-signs-the-destruction-of-jerusalem-70ad/

http://bible.christiansunite.com/jos/warindex.shtml

http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com/

http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/haggadah.html

Matthew 24 - All Has Come to Pass!

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Matthew 24: 34-35

More on the truth that the things Jesus warned of in Matthew 24 ALL came to pass during the lives of the generation of His day! It was the generation of those who were alive in 30 AD (the date of Crucifixion), as well as 70AD (40 years later at the date of the fall of the temple system)!

Jesus gave His disciples many signs and warnings to heed before the great and terrible day of the Lord when He would return to judge wicked and adulterous Israel and put an end to the Mosaic temple system. The new, spiritual kingdom of God would be ushered in, and those who received it by faith would walk in the glorious light of the Gospel.

Sadly, so many pastors and teachers teach that all of Jesus' signs and warnings are for a future event - an end of the world scenario where a physical kingdom from the earthly city of Jerusalem will prevail. But Jesus never promised His church a physical, earthly kingdom, but a SPIRITUAL kingdom where born again sons of God would rule and reign on earth from a spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem even as they dwelt in earthly bodies amongst evil regimes. This was a new paradigm shift from the Old Testament Jewish belief that all of God's promises are purely physical.

For those who doubt that all prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD just as Jesus predicted, please consider what actually happened in history. Just a cursory look at the great Jewish historian, Josephus, is quite shocking. We see many of the things Jesus spoke of: wars, famines, pestilences, terror, spiritual signs in the heavens, miracles, wonders, and false prophets/christs.

Research on your own and reject the Left Behind theories taught in most of our churches today!

Links:
https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/unheeded-or-misinterpreted-signs-the-destruction-of-jerusalem-70ad/

http://bible.christiansunite.com/jos/warindex.shtml

http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com/

Matthew 24 - Does History Support Jesus' Warnings?

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it werepossible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Matthew 24:23-25

Jesus gave His disciples many signs and warnings to heed before the great and terrible day of the Lord when He would return to judge wicked and adulterous Israel and put an end to the Mosaic temple system. The new, spiritual kingdom of God would be ushered in, and those who received it by faith would walk in the glorious light of the Gospel.

Sadly, so many pastors and teachers teach that all of Jesus' signs and warnings are for a future event - an end of the world scenario where a physical kingdom from the earthly city of Jerusalem will prevail. But Jesus never promised His church a physical, earthly kingdom, but a SPIRITUAL kingdom where born again sons of God would rule and reign on earth from a spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem even as they dwelt in earthly bodies amongst evil regimes. This was a new paradigm shift from the Old Testament Jewish belief that all of God's promises are purely physical.

For those who doubt that all prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD just as Jesus predicted, please consider what actually happened in history. Just a cursory look at the great Jewish historian, Josephus, is quite shocking. We see many of the things Jesus spoke of: wars, famines, pestilences, terror, spiritual signs in the heavens, miracles, wonders, and false prophets/christs.

Research on your own and reject the Left Behind theories taught in most of our churches today!

Links:
https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/unheeded-or-misinterpreted-signs-the-destruction-of-jerusalem-70ad/

http://bible.christiansunite.com/jos/warindex.shtml

http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com/