CLEARING UP THE CONFUSION OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION

When is the great tribulation? Today countless books are published telling us of this subject. They tell us of future powers colliding and causing the greatest war ever and that an antiChrist would come in power and cause this terrible time upon all the jews and those believers in the last seven years. Is this what scripture teaches us on this event? Lets look at the passages and see what Jesus was telling us and warning the disciples about.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us of this same event in time. Lets look at the passages.

Matthew 24:29-34
29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Mark 13:24-26
24But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Luke 21:20-28
20And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

As we read these scriptures it would seem fair to accept what is being said today because of the one passage in all three of these versions by the three writers. Jesus would come on the clouds with power. We automatically assume this is the end of time and the events are happening to all the world. The problem however is a big one, or may I say many big ones.

As we look at the passages and the statements made leading up to these verses we find facts that put this is a different time period possibly.

In Matthew 24:34 it says all these things will pass to that generation. Twenty times this phrase is used in scripture and it always means the generation being talked about is the one living in that day. Dispensational and futurists try to claim that generation means all jews forever but the greek doesnt allow this translation nor the fact that the other scriptures also show otherwise.
Could this tribulation actually have already happened in the disciples day? Lets dig a little deeper.

In Matthew 23:35-36 Jesus makes a statement to the pharisees that all the judgement will be on them for all the prophets deaths which they had killed. He even says it again in the following verse that on that generation all the tribulation will come on them.
He then makes the statement that because of them not accepting him that they will be left desolate (verse 38). When Jesus went out of the temple the disciples followed him and asked him when would this happen.
Then Jesus gave them the warning. Many false Christs will come, nations will rise against nation, famines and earthquakes will be present, then they shall deliver you up and kill you. You will be hated. This gospel shall be preached in all the world then shall the end come.

As I looked at these verses I noticed one glaring thing; it was going to happen to them.
Scripture quotes the famines and earthquakes they had in their day and all these things were going to happen to them and they did.

You may say but wait; it says they would preach to all the world then the end would come. This has to be the end of time since surely the disciples didn't preach to the whole world.
The problem with this thinking is something you dont know unless you seek the answers. The word for world here in the greek is a world meaning the Roman world. It does not mean the whole earth as we know it. This is why many places in scripture is worded this way. In some places Paul claimed to have preached to the whole world to every creature. This is what Paul was meaning not the whole world as we would be thinking. The end being talked about here is the end of the tribulation or destruction of Jerusalem which happened in 70ad.

Now back to the passage about Jesus coming on the clouds. Jesus here is not talking about his second coming. What you may say. Thats right. Jesus here is doing what he always does; quotes old testament passages to show what he is fulfilling or meaning. Its how the jews knew what each other was saying. In these three passages Jesus is quoting Isaiah 19:1. It is a statement of Gods judgement that would come on his people. It was the end of the old covenant, its intended purpose. This is discussed in Daniel 9 when after the 69th week the temple would be destroyed by the people of the prince. Jesus was the prince and by him the people who would not accept Christ would be abolished and the city where the temple was. Then Daniel goes on to talk about the details of the 70th week. The abomination of desolation would happen then in their time as Jesus warned them in Matthew 24:15. When you will see the abomination spoken of in Daniel then let them flee to the mountains out of Judaea. Notice its not a world event but an event at Jerusalem.
Luke talks about when the army is around the city of Jerusalem then flee to the mountains. Again its an isolated battle. The judgement was to be upon the old covenant people of God who rejected Jesus. They were to be punished for this and for their generations past sins of rejecting the prophets.

Another stumbling block to this thinking you might say is the last statement we have to look at to make this a bullet proof doctrine. Its the statement of the sun and moon and stars being disrupted. This language is also old testament language used by Jesus here to convey a message.
Isaiah 13 uses this same language when talking about the destruction of Babylon. Jesus as he so often does uses this same language to describe judgement by destruction on a nation. God would use the Medes to destroy the Babylonians just as he used the Romans here to destroy the Jews of Jerusalem. Isaiah 13 even speaks of the women and children going through the tribulation as he does also in the Olivet discourse of Matthew 24.

There is just too many holes in the futuristic teachings of these passages to even remotely be accurate. The position of it being fulfilled in the disciples day is too evident by the words Jesus used and the directness he spoke with to his followers. Clearly they would be in that time of distress and the judgement was on that generation of people at that time in Jesus' day.

ZECHARIAH 14: JESUS COMES TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

Zechariah 14 in History and Prophecy: Part 3 By Gary DeMar12/28/2006

Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle (14:3).

After using Rome as His rod to smite Jerusalem, God later turns on Rome in judgment. Once again, Assyria is the model: “I send it against a godless nation and commission it against the people of My fury to capture booty and to seize plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets . . . . So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, ‘I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness’” (Isa. 10:5–6, 12–13). The fall of Assyria did not immediately follow its plunder of Israel. The same is true of God’s use of Rome to judge Israel. “It is significant that the decline of the Roman Empire dates from the fall of Jerusalem.”1 Thomas Scott concurs: “It is also observable, that the Romans after having been thus made the executioners of divine vengeance on the Jewish nation, never prospered as they had done before; but the Lord evidently fought against them, and all the nations which composed their overgrown empire; till at last it was subverted, and their fairest cities and provinces were ravaged by barbarous invaders.”2
And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south (Zech. 14:3–5).
This is the passage that futurists use to support their claim that Jesus will return from heaven with his raptured saints and touch down on the Mount of Olives and set up His millennial kingdom. Of course, one of the problems in making Zechariah 14:4 refer to Christ’s second coming is the absence of any reference to Him coming down to stand on the Mount of Olives or describing a previously raptured church following Him. The verse states simply “in that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.” We’re not told by Zechariah how He got to the Mount of Olives. Since we know that Jesus came to earth (John 1:14), and these events are described in the Old Testament, and Jesus did stand on the Mount of Olives, it’s logical to conclude that the reference to the Mount of Olives refers to Jesus’ first coming.
When did Jesus stand on the Mount of Olives during His ministry? The Olivet Discourse, found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, is the fulfillment of Zechariah 14:4. The earliest Christian writers applied Zechariah 14:4 to the work of Christ in His day. Consider the comments of fourth-century historian Eusebius:
But who would not be surprised at the fulfillment of a prophecy which revealed that the Jewish people would undergo these sufferings in the days of the Lord? For as soon as Jesus our Lord and Saviour had come and the Jews had outraged Him, everything that had been predicted was fulfilled against them without exception 500 years after the prediction: from the time of Pontius Pilate to the sieges under Nero, Titus and Vespasian they were never free from all kinds of successive calamities, as you may gather from the history of Flavius Josephus. . . . For after the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ, their city, Jerusalem itself, and the whole system and institutions of the Mosaic worship were destroyed; and at once they underwent captivity in mind as well as body, in refusing to accept the Saviour and Ransomer of the souls of men, Him Who came to preach release to those enslaved by evil dæmons, and giving of sight to those blind in mind.3
Eusebius is emphatic that “everything that had been predicted was fulfilled against them without exception 500 years after the prediction.”
Even Zechariah 14:4 is interpreted by Eusebius as having a first-century fulfillment: “And the words, ‘And his feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem to the eastward,’ what else can they mean than that the Lord God, that is to say the Word of God Himself, will stand, and stand firm, upon His Church, which is here metaphorically called the Mount of Olives?”4 Eusebius sees the literal fulfillment of this prophecy in Acts 1:9–11 where Jesus is taken up into heaven “from the mount called Olivet” in the presence of His disciples (1:12). Soon after Jesus’ ascension, the gospel was preached to “Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven” (2:5) and later to the Gentiles who before Christ were considered “unholy or unclean” (10:28). It was in Christ that “the barrier of the dividing wall” between these two groups had been broken down (Eph. 2:14), explained metaphorically by Zechariah as “the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west” (Zech. 14:4). His further comments are helpful in understanding his preterist perspective:
“That the Mount of Olives shall be divided, half of it to the east and towards the sea, a very great chasm and half of it shall lean towards the north, and half of it towards the south,” it possibly shews the expression of the Church throughout the whole inhabited world, for it has filled the east, and the western and eastern nations; it stretches to the western sea, and the isles therein; yea, it has reached to west and south, and to north and north-east. On all sides and everywhere the Church figuratively called the Olive of the Lord is planted.5
Eusebius sees the rest of Zechariah 14 as being fulfilled during the ministry of Christ and the apostles, including the keeping of the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles).6 There is even some indication that Eusebius believed that the destruction of Jerusalem was the coming of Christ:
When, then, we see what was of old foretold for the nations fulfilled in our day, and when the lamentation and wailing that was predicted for the Jews, and the burning of the Temple and its utter desolation, can also be seen even now to have occurred according to the prediction, surely we must also agree that the King who was prophesied, the Christ of God, has come, since the signs of His coming have been shewn in each instance I have treated to have been clearly fulfilled.7
Later in his Proof of the Gospel, Eusebius sees the fulfillment of Zechariah 14:5–9 in the first century: “This was fulfilled by the coming of our Saviour, accompanied either by His holy apostles and disciples, or by His angels and ministers, of whom the holy gospel says, ‘Angels came and ministered unto Him.’”8 While I do not always agree with the interpretation Eusebius gives a passage, the issue in this debate is whether passages are interpreted from a preterist perspective.
While Eusebius does not quote all of Matthew 24, the passages he does quote are applied to events leading up to and including the judgment of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.
Early Christian writers applied Zechariah 14:4 to the work of Christ in His day. Tertullian (A.D. 145–220) wrote: “‘But at night He went out to the Mount of Olives.’ For thus had Zechariah pointed out: ‘And His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives’ [Zech. xiv. 4].”9 Tertullian was alluding to the fact that the Olivet prophecy set the stage for the judgment coming of Christ that came with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 which would once for all break down the Jewish/Gentile division inherent in the Old Covenant.
Matthew Henry, while alluding to its symbolic meaning, interprets it in a preterist fashion in events leading up to and including the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70:
The partition-wall between Jew and Gentiles shall be taken away. The mountains about Jerusalem, and particularly this, signified it to be an enclosure, and that it stood in the way of those who would approach to it. Between the Gentiles and Jerusalem this mountain of Bether, of division, stood, Cant. ii. 17. But by the destruction of Jerusalem this mountain shall be made to cleave in the midst, and so the Jewish pale shall be taken down, and the church laid in common with the Gentiles, who were made one with the Jews by the breaking down of this middle wall of partition, Eph. ii. 14.10
You will notice that there is no mention of a thousand year reign following the presence of “the LORD” on the Mount of Olives. A New Testament millennial theology is being read into Zechariah 14.

THINGS THE AMERICAN CHURCH HAS LEFT OUT

This blog is about things we dont do as a whole in our churches today in America. We as a body are weak and ineffective due in part to these things being left out. We are too introverted to realize Christianity is about the outside not the inside. We are already saved and have the tools to do Gods will. Its time we evaluate what we are doing wrong.

A HOUSE OF PRAYER
Luke 19:45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;
46Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

The house of God is a house of prayer. Are we praying in it. Yes maybe two or three times a pastor or someone prays a short prayer over the congregation but is this what is talked about here. We need to make Gods house a house of prayer. We should designate time for the people of God to go to God one on one with God. Can you emagine how powerful the Church would be and how the people of God would grow if we made it a house of prayer. We would be teaching our young and the lost that they need to go to God themselves. Christianity is a person to God experience and we need to influence and teach it as such to all and among all.

HELP THE NEEDY
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Are we about buildings and salarys or helping the weak among us. Husbands die and children lose their fathers. Bills get behind and people need comfort. The elderly and widows need things done that they cant do. Are we people of God who look into these things and want to help others. In Acts the young Church gave to the weak as they needed. Are we looking after our own like this. What about the lost. If we help in our communities wouldnt that make them see the real Christ in us. Real works is helping others who cant help you. Thats when our true selves comes out. Do we have a heart to help others who cant return the favor. Thats true Godliness.

COMMITTED WITNESSING
Luke 9: 1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

The point is this. The Church should make it a point to commit to witnessing to the lost. Dont just teach it but do it. Plan times of witnessing to the city or area your Church is in. Christianity was and is about the people of God going to the lost together. Again by doing so in action we teach the new converts, our children, and the lost we mean what we preach. We should be in action as a Church in carrying out the great commission. Ministrys like CARE is good where we follow up on people who have visited us but we need to make it about the lost. We are called to the fields. We are failing on this task.

TEACH THE WORD OF GOD
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Alot of Churches are good about this. They teach the word and leave the others out we discussed previously. There are some however who leave the bible out of most of their doctrine and weekly routine. Very little is taught out of the word instead they listen to the speakers and preachers and accept them as the word. Since the word is all we need to make us perfect in Christ then we should live from it and teach it and make it part of all we do.

EXAMINING THE GIFT OF PROPHECY

Is God still speaking to His church through direct revelation? Is the office of prophet still operational in the body of Christ today? Charismatics teach that we are still receiving direct revelation from God. Many Charismatics are uncomfortable regarding the idea that modern prophecy is equal with Scripture. Therefore, they have developed the notion that New Testament prophecy is somehow a lesser revelation. In order properly to answer these questions, we must answer the question, what is prophecy?
In order to disprove the popular Charismatic conception of the New Testament prophet as giving forth revelation that is something less than Scripture, we must examine the continuity between the Old Testament prophet and the New Testament prophet. The passage which sets forth the divine legislation which defined the office of prophet is Deuteronomy 18. Note that the true prophet speaks the very words of God: whatever the Lord has commanded him to speak.
The prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?”—when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him (Deut. 18:20-22).
There are two methods for determining a true prophet. First, the prophet must speak in the name of the true God—that is, the prophet must have correct theology. Second, whatever the prophet prophecies must come to pass with 100% accuracy—anything less demanded death by stoning. If someone claims to have the gift of prophecy yet never gives a specific prophecy by which that prophet can be objectively tested, we have absolutely no reason to believe or fear that so called “prophet.” What gave the Old Testament prophets unique authority and objective validation, even to unbelievers, was the fact that what they said truly came to pass. Without the specific predictive element, the prophets would have been no more than teachers of the law.
The test of a true prophet also applies to New Testament prophets, for there is a definite continuity between the Old Testament prophet and New Testament prophet. After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church, Peter quoted the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.... I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophecy” (Ac. 2:17-18). Note that the New Testament prophet was involved in exactly the same phenomena associated with the Old Testament prophet: dreams, visions, and prophecy (cf. Num. 12:6). “Thus we have prophecy of the Old Testament type (familiar Old Testament prophetic modes) entering into the New Testament era, and in fulfillment of a specific Old Testament prophet’s word. And this is according to Peter’s divinely inspired interpretation of Joel.” [31] This continuation of Old Testament prophecy into the New is confirmed by the New Testament prophet Agabus. Agabus spoke the very words of the Holy Spirit. By speaking God’s words, Agabus, like the Old Testament prophet, revealed the future.
A certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles’” (Ac. 21:10-11).
That the New Testament prophet actually speaks direct words form God, and is not merely a teacher or preacher, is supported by Paul: “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries...” (1 Cor. 13:2). The word “mystery” in the New Testament does not mean the same thing as our English word. Edwards writes,
In the NT the word occurs 27 or...28 [times]; chiefly in Paul.... It bears its ancient sense of a revealed secret, not its modern sense of that which cannot be fathomed or comprehended.... (2) By far the most common meaning in the NT is that which is so characteristic of Paul, viz., a Divine truth once hidden, but now revealed in the gospel.... (a) It should be noted how closely “mystery” is associated with “revelation”...as well as with words of similar import.... “Mystery” and “revelation” are in fact correlative and almost synonymous terms.... [32]
The prophet reveals to the church a mystery or mysteries from God. He reveals something previously unknown, something new revealed for the first time.
Paul specifically says in 1 Corinthians 14 that prophets receive “revelation”: “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the other judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent” (1 Cor. 14:30; cf. v. 26, “has a revelation”).
Revelation (apokalupsis), [is] a disclosure of something that was before unknown; and divine revelation is the direct communication of truths before unknown from God to men. The disclosure may be made by dreams, visions, oral communication or otherwise (Dan. 2:19; 1 Cor. 14:26; 2 Cor. 12:1; Gal. 1:12; Rev. 1:1). [33]
The fact that the New Testament prophetic office is revelatory like the Old Testament office is clearly taught by Paul’s use of “mystery” and “revelation.” Note how he pulls both terms together in Ephesians 3:3-5: “By revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I wrote before in a few words, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets.” [34]
Thus, the prophets of God in both the old and new covenants spoke under divine inspiration. They could give fully authoritative pronouncements, such as when the Holy Spirit ordered the church to send out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries. They could by inspiration tell the future (e.g., Agabus). They could speak mysteries. The prophets could literally give the church new authoritative doctrine. The apostles and prophets, by divine inspiration, explained to the church the meaning of Christ’s death. The Holy Spirit revealed to the church that the ceremonial laws of the old covenant were put away, and the middle wall of partition has been broken down; thus, God only has one people: those who are in Christ. All the various implications of the cross needed revelational (spirit-inspired) explanation. The reason it is important to define the nature of New Testament prophecy is because most Charismatics, either explicitly or implicitly, regard prophecy as less revelational and authoritative than Scripture. The fact that not all inspired prophetic statements were inscripturated or placed in the canon (the 66 books) is not important to this discussion, because not all the apostles’ inspired statements or writings made it into the canon either (e.g., the lost letter of Paul to the Corinthians). When a Charismatic says that much of what a New Testament prophet does is not predicting the future but giving exhortation, he may be correct. But prophetic exhortation is not just sanctified advice; it is not just the exposition of Scripture. It is Spirit-inspired, revelational exhortation. It has the same authority as Scripture; it is a “Thus-saith-the-Lord” exhortation.
The author attended Charismatic churches for over three years and heard hundreds of “prophecies.” Yet never once did he hear new doctrine. In fact, when a “prophet” did speak forth new doctrine, the pastor and elders would tell that “prophet” to shut up. In the many instances where “prophets” ordered people to do things (e.g., “Mary, God told me that you should marry John”) people learned real fast that such exhortations should be taken with a large grain of salt! Why? Because modern Charismatic prophets simply cannot be trusted. They are about as dependable as throwing a pair of dice. Thus, even most Charismatics don’t take their exhortations and prophecies seriously.
Why do Charismatics go out of their way to redefine prophecy as something less than it actually was in the New Testament? [35] The primary reason is that most Charismatics realize that modern Pentecostal prophecy is really not the same as Old Testament and New Testament prophecy. If Charismatics did not redefine prophecy as basically nothing more than “vague” spiritual exhortations, then their prophets would be subject to objective verification. Compare a typical biblical prophecy with a typical modern Charismatic prophecy. Elijah the Tishbite came and prophesied to evil King Ahab and his wicked wife, Jezebel. Note the specificity: Ahab’s family will be cut off (i.e., murdered; 1 Kgs. 21:21). Ahab’s posterity will be cut off after Ahab is dead (v. 29). Ahab’s wife will be eaten by dogs by the wall of Jezreel (v. 23). In the exact spot where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth (whom Ahab murdered) the dogs will lick up Ahab’s blood. These prophecies were fulfilled perfectly (cf. 1 Kgs. 22:34-39; 2 Kgs. 9:32-37, 10:7-11). After the last of these prophecies was fulfilled, God says: “Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the Lord which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the Lord has done what He spoke by His servant Elijah” (2 Kgs. 10:10).
Now compare Elijah’s prophecy to the typical Charismatic “prophecy”: “Oh, come unto Me, my people. If you return to Me, I will bless you. If you come close to Me, I will love you and bless you,” etc. This kind of vague, nonspecific sort of “prophecy” can never be confirmed as real, because it contains nothing specific regarding the future. Moreover, when Charismatics do go out on a limb and get specific, what happens? They are consistently proven wrong, time after time.
With the literally thousands of Charismatic prophets throughout the United States, we should expect to find at least a few that can meet the test of true prophet given in Deuteronomy 18. The truth is that there are no real prophets today, because prophecy, like tongues, ceased when the New Testament Scriptures were completed. Remember that God set up the sign gifts such as tongues, prophecy, dramatic healings, etc., in such a way that they prove publicly the truth of God’s Word. That is why the New Testament prophecies, tongues and healings were seen and known to be real by both Christians and unbelievers. Christ’s enemies could not deny that Jesus was working amazing public miracles; they were forced to attribute them to Satan (Mt. 12:24). Paul healed a crippled boy publicly; the pagans who observed the miracle could not deny it; they attributed the miracle to their false gods (Ac. 14:11).
The fact that an objective, empirical analysis of modern Charismatic prophecy proves that what is called prophecy today is not the same as New Testament prophecy does not necessarily mean that prophecy has ceased; it just means that the Charismatic claims regarding it being a continuation of what occurred in the days of the apostles are false. To prove that prophecy ceased after the death of the apostles and the close of the canon (the New Testament), one must go to Scripture. One passage which teaches that tongues and prophecy have ceased is 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. That passage was discussed in our consideration of tongues (p. 18). There is another passage which proves that the office of prophet was foundational and temporary; that passage is Ephesians 2:19-22.
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Before discussing the foundational nature of the New Testament offices of apostle and prophet, we must dispense with the notion that Paul is speaking of Old Testament prophets in verse 20. There are several reasons why “prophets” definitely refers to New Testament prophets. First, note that Paul mentions apostles first and prophets second. When discussing the gifts of the Spirit in the New Testament church, Paul follows a consistent pattern. New Testament apostles are always listed first before New Testament prophets. “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets.... Are all apostles? Are all prophets?” (1 Cor. 12:28-29). If Paul had been discussing Old Testament prophets, he would logically have placed them before the apostles and not after. Second, the context within the book of Ephesians shows that Paul is speaking of New Testament prophets. “The mystery of Christ...has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets” (Eph. 3:4-5). Although Ephesians 3:5 is seven verses after Ephesians 2:20, it is the very next sentence in the Greek. Also, the Greek word nun (“now”) cannot refer to Old Testament prophets, because the word refers to a present reality (i.e., when Paul wrote the epistle). Third, in Ephesians 4 Paul says very specifically what he means when he says apostles and prophets. He says that after Christ ascended to the Father, He gave gifts to His church (vv. 7-8). In verse 12 he says that these gifts are “for the edifying of the body of Christ” (i.e., the New Testament church). In verse 11 Paul identifies what these New Testament gifts are: “He gave some to be apostles, some prophets.” “Since the prophets are gifts given, along with the apostles, as a consequence of Christ’s victorious ascension, they must be New Testament prophets.” [36] Paul mentions apostles and prophets three times in this short epistle, and each time he obviously means the same thing: New Testament apostles and prophets.
Paul says that the New Testament offices of apostle and prophet are foundational to the Christian church.
A foundation, by the very nature of the case, is laid but once, while the superstructure may be erected over a long period of time. In fact, Paul here clearly implies that the foundation is already laid. He says: “having been built upon the foundation” (epoikodomethentes). But he goes on to speak of the building presently “growing” (auxei) and “being built together” (sunoikodomeisthe) on that foundation. [37]
The picture that Paul sets before us is that of a completed foundation upon which the church of Jesus Christ rests. But the church, unlike the foundation, continues to grow. The verb “to grow” in verse 21 is in the present tense and shows that Christ’s church continues to grow even now.
The offices of apostle and prophet were unique to the situation of the church before the completion of the canon. Revelation was needed to produce the New Testament. And before the New Testament was completed, direct revelation was necessary to explain the work of Christ and to meet contemporary needs. Just imagine what it would be like trying to explain the significance of what Christ did without the New Testament! After the New Testament canon was completed and the last prophet and apostle died, the revelatory gifts ceased. This is not only the teaching of 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 and Ephesians 2:20; it is also a historical fact.
From the time of the apostles until the present, the true church has believed the Bible is complete, efficient, sufficient, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative. Any attempts to add to the Bible, to claim further revelation from God, have always resulted in cults, heresy, or the weakening of the body of Christ. Although Charismatics will deny that they are trying to add to Scripture, their views on prophetic utterance, gifts of prophecy, and revelation really do just that. As they add—however unwittingly—to God’s final revelation, they undermine the uniqueness and authority of the Bible. New revelation, dreams, and visions come to be as binding on the believer’s conscience as the Book of Romans or the Gospel of John. [38]
Thus far we have seen that most Charismatics have redefined prophecy as something less revelational and authoritative than what occurred in the days of the apostles. This unbiblical redefining of prophecy allows Charismatics to do two things. First, they avoid the objective verification that the biblical prophets were subject to by giving vague exhortations or nonspecific prophecies (which could easily be made up on the spot by any Christian; their nonspecific prophecies cannot be proven either true or false). Second, by claiming that prophecy is less revelational and authoritative than Scripture, they can claim that they are not adding to Scripture. We have noted that the office of New Testament prophet is a continuation of the Old Testament office. The exhortations and prophecies of the New Testament prophet are Spirit-inspired and equal in authority to Scripture. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that prophecy serves a distinct foundational function in the church because of unique historical circumstances (i.e., an open canon). When the New Testament canon was completed, prophecy ceased, because it was no longer needed.
The description given thus far of the beliefs of Charismatics regarding prophecy does not convey the full truth regarding how bad things are within the Charismatic movement. It would be one thing if Charismatics had a few “prophets” in each church blurting out vague exhortations and nonspecific prophecies. But in actuality, most Charismatics believe that God speaks to each Spirit-filled Christian directly; that He leads people to do things apart from the Holy Scriptures. Phrases common in Charismatic circles are “God told me to do this,” “The Spirit led me to do that,” “Jesus spoke to me and told me such and such.” Such thinking leads to subjectivism and mysticism; it clearly contradicts God’s Word. In the days of the apostles, when all the supernatural gifts were being practiced, direct revelation came only by the apostles and prophets (tongues and their interpretation are a form of revelation also). The Apostle Paul specifically says that not all had the gift of tongues and that only some were prophets (cf. 1 Cor. 12:30; Eph. 4:11). The idea, common in our day, that God leads people directly or communicates with people directly is unbiblical and dangerous. While the majority of Charismatics believe in biblical inerrancy and claim to love the Bible, many are being led about by subjective feelings, impressions and experiences rather than the clear teaching of God’s Word.
Our responsibility as believers is not to follow our feelings or impressions but to study the Word of God and apply it to our lives. Everything we need in life for all our decisions can be learned from scriptural principles. Christians must stop believing in mystical impressions and start learning how to deduce truths from Scripture and apply them to ourselves, our families, jobs, schools, civil government, and so on. The Charismatic movement and its implicit subjectivism have caused untold harm to thousands of Christians. The author personally knows of horror stories where immature believers were “led” to do unbiblical and stupid things (e.g., “God led me to quit my job and live in a tent,” “God led me to leave my wife,” “God told me to marry Mary,” “God told me to invest in such and such,” etc.). If someone says to you that God spoke to them, say, “Show me in the Bible.” When a Christian tells you that God led him to do something, tell him to prove it from the Word of God. Our freedom from dictatorial pastors, oppressive governments and subjective nonsense is the objective, infallible, sufficient Word of God, the Bible.

TITHING AND THE CHRISTIAN

This is an article by Steve Gregg. It seemed very accurate so here it is to examine.

It is commonly taught in churches that Christians should tithe (a word meaning the giving of “a tenth” of their income) to their local church. Christians are sometimes told that they owe the first ten percent of their income to the church where they attend, and that any giving to other needy persons or ministries falls into a separate category called “offerings” and should be given only after the first tenth has been given to the church. Preachers sometimes speak as if the Bible actually teaches such a thing, although the Bible nowhere mentions what we today call a “local church,” and the New Testament never applies any duty of tithing to Christians.
Tithing was commanded to the children of Israel for the support of the Levites (Num.18:21). The Levites, who were consecrated to full-time ministry and could not be profitably employed, would enjoy a standard of living that approximated or was slightly higher than the national average. The Levites, in turn, contributed a tenth of their income to the priests for their support (Num.18:26-28). The system was designed to free-up a large number of men to minister in things of the tabernacle/temple and to teach the law to the people. The fraction “a tenth” was not arbitrary, but corresponded to the needs of the number of full-time ministers requiring support.
Ever since God abolished the temple and the Levitical priesthood, there remains no obvious reason why the tithe should continue to define a Christian’s measure of giving to God. The church generally does not release one full-time minister for every ten families (though this ratio would not be excessive), so there is no biblical or logical reason why the same percentage of the Christian’s income should be devoted to the church’s coffers as was required of the Israelites in their support of the temple clergy. This is, no doubt, why neither Jesus nor the apostles ever so much as suggested this duty to the disciples. The tithe was for the support of the ritual system of Israel. These ceremonial aspects of the Law were done away with in the coming of a better covenant.
Sometimes it is argued that tithing did not “go out with the Law” for the simple reason that it was practiced prior to the giving of the Law, and has, therefore, a validity of its own independent of the Law. The total evidence that tithing was practiced before the time of Moses consists of two passages in Genesis. In Genesis 14:20, Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils of his recent conquest against Chedolaomer to the priest Melchisedek. Also, in Genesis 28:20-22, Jacob, awaking from his famous dream, vowed to give God a tenth of whatever prosperity God might give him in the time of his absence from Canaan. Do these passages teach or even hint that godly individuals regularly devoted ten percent of their wealth to God? Two isolated cases cannot establish such a pattern, since we never read of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Isaac, Judah or Joseph observing any such practice. Nor do we have record of Abraham or Jacob ever doing so on occasions other than these two recorded cases. We have no reason to believe that Abraham tithed regularly.Therefore, none can establish from Scripture that tithing was a recognized or mandated practice prior to the time of Moses. Furthermore, even if we did have a biblical basis for such a teaching, it does not follow that tithing continues as a duty into the New Covenant. Remember, circumcision and animal sacrifices (both commanded in the Law of Moses) were definitely regular practices prior to the giving of the Law, but this does not provide an argument for their continuance after the time of Christ.
Tithing is mentioned in the New Testament in three connections. Hebrews 7 simply recounts the story of Abraham and Melchisedek, without reference to any duty in this matter accruing to others. The Gospels record the saying of Christ that the scribes and Pharisees meticulously paid their tithes, while neglecting “weightier maters of the law” (Matt.23:23/Luke 11:42). Jesus states that they should have done both (i.e. paid tithes and observed the weightier matters), but this only states what was required of the Pharisees as men living under the Old Testament law, and tells us nothing of any ongoing duty for Christian disciples. Finally, we have the self-congratulating “prayer” of a Pharisee in a parable (Luke 18:12), who boasts of paying tithes of all that he possesses, but the parable does not go on to make this man a model for Christians to emulate.
It is not surprising that advocates of tithing do not make much use of these New Testament verses. The preaching usually centers upon the classic Old Testament rebuke of those who neglected to “bring all of the tithes into the storehouse” (Mal.3:10). The argument goes something like this:
“The storehouse is where you go to get your food. Spiritually, you get your feeding from your local church. Therefore, God commands you to give ten percent of your income to the church of which you are a member. Anything over that amount that you give is not your tithe, but an offering.”
One can easily speculate as to the motivation churches might have for teaching along this line. The only thing wrong with the above argument is that there is not one legitimate scriptural point contained in it. First, the “storehouse” was not where the Jews went to get their food. The storehouse refers to the storage rooms in the Jerusalem temple (Neh.10:38) where food was stored for the priests. They ate it there, and any surplus was given to the poor (Deut.26:12), but the idea was not that of a private pantry from which the tithing worshipper provided for his own sustenance. Further, it is not a given that every Christian gets his primary spiritual feeding from his local church. It is the very negligence of such feeding by the churches that has led to the proliferation on non-ecclesiastical ministries (sometimes called parachurch ) to make up for this deficiency. Finally, nothing in the passage is addressed to New Testament believers. The Christian’s standards for giving are defined in entirely different terms.
Those terms are found in the teaching of Christ, that one who would follow Christ must forsake “all that he has” (Luke 14:33/ cf. Matt.13:44-46). The ceremonial law served as a foreshadowing of the Christian revelation. The latter teaches that all of God’s people, having been “bought with a price,” are not their own, but are owned lock, stock and barrel by Jesus Christ (1 Cor.6:19-20). All of the believer’s time and all of his possessions belong to God—a fact foreshadowed in ceremonial law by the requirement of giving Him a representative token of each (one day of his week, and one tenth of his possessions).
In place of “tithing” the New Testament teaches “stewardship” (Luke 12:42; 16:1ff; 19:12-13/ Matt.25:14/ Titus 1:7). The Christian is a “steward”, or “manager,” of somebody else’s (God’s) possessions. He is not in a partnership with God in which God holds 10 shares and he holds 90. In coming to Christ, the repentant sinner surrenders everything to God, and claims ownership of nothing (Acts 4:32). From the moment of his conversion, the believer becomes responsible to manage every asset (monetary or otherwise) in the interests of his Master’s profit. Those seeking to reserve a share of their lives for themselves need not apply (Luke 9:23).
What, then, is the steward’s responsibility? He must discharge his trust in exactly the manner that his Master would do if He were in His steward’s shoes. What would God spend His money on? Well, the Scriptures give us all the guidance we need on this matter. Throughout Scripture, God expresses His concern for the plight of the helpless poor and the support of those who minister the Word of God. A timely gift to the poor is a gift to God Himself (Prov.19:17/Matt.25:37-40), and is the prescribed method of depositing treasures in heaven (Mark 10:21/Luke 12:33). Giving to the needy is merely an expression of the mandate to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Luke 10:27-37).
The support of the Kingdom’s ministers is similarly an expression of our duty to love God, to seek first the Kingdom of God (Matt.6:33). These ministers include those who teach the Word of God (as the Levites were to do—Gal.6:6/1 Cor.9:11/1 Tim.5:17-18). This would include the pastor of one’s church (if he teaches God’s Word) as well as others from whom one receives spiritual direction and nourishment. It also would include traveling ministers and missionaries (Luke 8:2-3/Phil.4:16-18/3 John 5-8). There is such a variety of ministry—some more- and some less-needy, and some more-, some less-worthy of support—that a conscientious steward will do a bit of prayerful research before committing the Master’s funds to a given appeal for assistance. In the end, the discharge of one’s stewardship requires a great deal of prayer and leading of the Holy Spirit. It is nothing like such a simple matter as writing a check to the local assembly (which might be looking to replace the carpeting for the third time this decade) for a tenth of one’s paycheck.
We must also acknowledge that God would provide for the needs of His servants and their families. Therefore, a certain amount of our income must be devoted to the feeding, housing and clothing of our families (1 Tim.5:8). Nor is there any forbidding of a few things for enjoyment alone (1 Tim.6:17). How many such things? That is between the steward and his Master, and is not for another to judge (Rom.14:4). However, we must be on our guard against our own pervasive tendency to judge our own actions (and expenditures) more favorably than the facts would suggest. In eternity, our rejoicing will be proportionate to our self-denial in this life and our generosity to the poor and to the work of God.
In the century following the apostolic age, the Christians understood that tithing had been replaced by full surrender to God. In Against Heresies, Irenaeus wrote, “[The Old Testament saints] offered their tithes; but those who have received liberty set apart everything they have for the Lord’s use, cheerfully and freely giving them, not as small things in hope of greater, but like that poor widow, who put her whole livelihood into the treasury of God.” The Didache (early second century) certainly has Scripture on its side when it counsels, “Do not hesitate to give, and do not give with a bad grace; for you will discover who He is that repays you. . .Do not turn your back on the needy, but share everything with your brother and call nothing your own.”

PROPHECY FULFILLMENT: BY CHURCH OR FUTURE ISRAEL

Many prophecies by Dispensationalists are fulfilled in the end times especially in a millenial kingdom where Israel and Jerusalem are rebuilt. The thought process is that Jesus will reign on a throne they call Davids throne and he will sit among Israel and its saved members who lived through the tribulation and the people saved during the Church age. They will have children and they too must accept Jesus before age 100 or they die in sin. Most every prophecy pertaining to Israel or the jews is placed in an end time/millenial kingdom setting. Lets look at some of these prophecies and see when it could be fulfilled and what is more likely the time of its fulfillment.

Jeremiah 23: 3 "I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. 4I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the LORD. 5"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David[1] a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 6In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

Jeremiah was written years before the jews return to Israel and rebuilt the temple. To take this literally would have to place this prophecy at this time and not skip it and go to the millenial kingdom. Jesus is the root of David, the branch who reigns for his people now as we know but is this during the church age. It says they will be fruitful and increase in number. This gives us an idea of people being born or people being saved. It could be taken either way. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah and verse 6 states he will be saved and Israel will be safe.
The new testament says the new Jerusalem is in heaven where Jesus reigns and in Zion. This verse lines up more with this line of thinking more than a literal fleshly kingdom since it points out Judah. There is however enough here to give dispensationalists fuel for their placement of this prophecy if we dont take scripture and the new testament as a whole. Lets look at another.

Jeremiah 32: 37 I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. 38They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. 41I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.

I think this passage is more clear on the subjects. We can take this literally in the flesh and show some of a fulfillment when the jews returned to build the temple around 457bc. The thing that shows a more future fulfillment pertaining to the church is as follows. Verse 38 says they will be my people and I will be there God. This is a verse in the new testament pointing to the church as being the fulfiller of this prophecy. Verse 39 says I will give them single heart so that they will fear me and their children after me. This verse shows also a new testament fulfillment in that it says he will give them a single heart which means they cant choose to not accept Christ like in the millenial teaching and it says they will fear him. The Church taught a fear of the Lord. Verse 40 says I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Not 1000 years but everlasting. The Church as the disciples raised the cups at the Lords supper instituted this new covenant also promised in Jeremiah 31. The book of Hebrews talks about this covenant beginning as Jesus sat on the throne in heaven after being raised from the dead. Verse 40 also says they will never turn from me and Paul wrote about this in the new letters. We who are saved will not turn but will endure to the end. People in a millenial kingdom reigning with Jesus but not accepting him and dying at age 100 doesn't fit this prophecy. This is probably a double fulfillment prophecy to the jews in 450s bc and the Church age.

Ezekiel 20: 34 I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered--with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.

This is another prophecy fulfilled when the jews returned from Babylon and Assyria and the surrounding countries over 100 years after the prophecy was made. This was already fulfilled before Jesus returned.

Ezekiel 36: 24 "`For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.

Again this prophecy fulfilled over 100 years after it was made when the jews returned to Israel a second time around 450bc.

Zechariah 8: 7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. 8I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God."

Clearly a reference to the new covenant believer as all of Zachariah pertains to the Jesus and early believers. We are saved from the east and west and will sit with Isaac and Jacob, the true believers and followers of God. He is our God as Paul states this prophecy. He is faithful and just to forgive us from all sin, those who repent.

Genesis 28: 10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway[1] resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13There above it[2] stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

Clearly God is talking about all believers spread throughout the ages over the whole world. We will be as dust blessing the world. You and your offspring will bless the world. Clearly these are references to the new covenant believer and not a centralized jewish nation. Jews can not bless the world from Israel. They have to be spread throughout the world like the passage states through generation to generation which the new covenant Church continues to do.

Isaiah 35: 1 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, 2it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.

Written over 200 years before the jews returned to Israel and built the temple again this verse tells of the people seeing the glory. Jesus would fulfill this verse when he came the first time among them.

DID GOD CREATE EVIL

Wow. This seems impossible at first mention. But what are the facts and what does the word say itself about this subject? Lets take a look.

John 1
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Genesis 2
8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 3
22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever

Isaiah 45
7I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

God made everything. He is the creator and only God. He made the tree in the garden of good and evil. He even created the angels, one being Lucifer. It seems odd doesnt it?

God is the potter and can do what ever he wants. This is the way he presented things so that we could have a life with him. Think of it this way. Without sin we may not have been created to have a chance to be with God and know him one day. He created the playing field and no matter how we try to break it down, its still a system and world of grace. We see his love through it and that is God. Remember the motives or fruit of God isnt evil. He is holy and pure. He just created a way in which people by choice could fall if they chose to. He made all things and by saying this is acknowledging him as who he is, our creator. We will never understand all of this here but one day we will know why God did it this way. He makes the rules. He gave us a way out with his love even if we fell in this state of evil known as sin: Jesus is the evil zapper. Grace is still the sum of it all.

WHEN IS THE LAST DAYS

Lets look at a few prophecies on this subject and then put it together. Its very easy to see the answer.

Micah 4
1But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
2And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
3And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
4But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
5For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
6In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;
7And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.
8And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

Isaiah 2
1The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Joel 2
28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.
32And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Acts 2
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Peter as he delivers his first sermon after receiving the Spirit tells us that these are the last days and that now the prophecies of the last days are being fulfilled through Gods new covenant to his people. The church that would last forever had begun. Peter proclaims this to the people.

We reign with our God and seek his ways as the prophecies foretold that we would do and that the remnant that would believe would follow him who sits in Zion in the mountain high.
Hebrews tells us that We are now part of the mountain of the new jerusalem and Zion from above in heaven where Christ reigns. This was what was meant in the prophecies of the mountain from on high. It was about where Christ would reign and that he would reign there until he makes all enemys his footstool. These last days are now.

Hebrews 1
1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Hebrews tells us we are in the last days as he sits on the throne in heaven.

Even Jacob gave us a message on these last days.

Genesis 49
1And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
2Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
7Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
8Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
9Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Out of Judah would all the believers of Israel bow down to. Jesus came from this tribe. He now reigns in which we all bow to. He, our Lord, from the tribe of Judah.

THE DAY OF VISITATION

The day of visitation was the day prophecied to Israel of their king and new covenant coming to them. It was their whole purpose as a people, to follow the true king who would come.
The most known verse about the day of visitation is in Luke 19:44 when Jesus looked over the city and grieved as he spoke of Jerusalem not realizing their hope had come. As Jesus quoted they didnt know the time of their visitation. They had missed Jesus their king.

The amazing thing about this statement however is that the prophecy is fulfilled and is truely realized by their missing the Christ. Lets look at some prophecies on this subject.

Jeremiah 8:12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
13 I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

Hosea 9
1Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
2The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
3They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
4They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.
5What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
6For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
7The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
8The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
9They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
10I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
11As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
12Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
17My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

Hosea 10:1 Israel is an empty vine

Hosea 11: 1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

Hosea 11:12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

Jeremiah and Hosea tell us Israel will be punished for her sin and for not accepting the Lord when he comes to pardon her. Israel was an empty vine but Jesus would come as the true vine to rescue Israel but Israel would not be listening. There will be no more figs on the fig tree. Jesus before he was killed was walking down a road and saw a fig tree and destroyed it and said never again will this tree bear fruit. Jesus was warning the disciples of Israels coming doom and the fulfillment of Jeremiah 8:13.

In Hosea 11:1 its says when Israel was a child I loved him and called my son out of Egypt.
Matthew 2:15 quotes this verse and places it on Jesus. He was now the true Israel who would fulfill Gods righteousness. He was the vine with the fruit. What Israel of the flesh couldnt do Jesus would take on himself. Hosea 11:12 says Judah yet rules with God and his saints while Israel was full of deceit. Jesus from the tribe of Judah was the fulfiller of this prophecy along with the body of Christ, his saints. The remnant that would believe in him are now the ones who are Gods Israel as Paul describes in Romans. We are Gods olive tree as prophecied in Hosea 14:6. From us are his fruits found who walk by faith all prophecies fulfilled in Hosea 14:8 and 9 by the church, Gods new covenant, the body of Israel who was and is Jesus.

The jews didn't realize the time of his visitation but now we must realize as Peter talks about in 1 Peter 2:12 that he will visit again. We must live righteous for him as that day approaches.