The Gospels and their Raptures (Kingdom - Part 5)
Additional
Christs death a mystery and completely unknown during this gospel.
It is interesting to note that throughout the period of Christ's ministry, the purpose of His sufferings and death were kept hidden. Jesus was not silent regarding His death, but the purpose of His death was a secret kept hidden in the heart of God. Unlike our Grace Gospel, Jesus' death was not preached or understood as a condition in the Kingdom Gospel. Nobody at this time knew the purpose of Jesus death. It was hidden based on God's predetermination (1 Cor.2:8). Even though Jesus spoke of it, it was not comprehended.
Matt.16:21-23 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Lk.9:44-45 ...for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them,
Lk.18:31-34 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. 34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
Lk.24:45-48 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures ... thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead.
Paul later tells us that Christ's sufferings and death was kept secret so that this necessary act, for the sake of humanity, would go ahead and not be prevented by Satan and the men under his influence,
1 Cor.2:7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Similar roles between saints in the kingdom and tribulation
The following is my current reasoning as I still have questions or gaps in my knowledge in regard to the following. If you have more insights or would like to add your views or clarity on this, I welcome your input in the comments section below.
During the first half of the tribulation, both the 2-witnessess and the 144000 will be evangelizing the world. The 2-witnesses might be simulating the role of John the Baptist and Jesus. John the Baptist was said to come in the spirit and power of Elijah, so Elijah is probably one of the 2 witnesses. The other witness is possibly Moses who facilitated the task of the exodus of Israel from Egypt and will repeat this role in preparing the minds of the Jews to flee to the wilderness when the abomination of desolation occurs at the mid-point of the tribulation.
The 2-witnessess could be preaching a form of the Kingdom gospel to Jews in Jerusalem, preparing the Jews for the coming of their Messiah and warning them to flee into the wilderness when the Antichrist defiles the temple. At the end of the tribulation, as part of the new covenant (Ezekiel 11:16-20; Ezekiel 36:22-30; Jeremiah 31:31-34), the Lord will pour out His Holy Spirit upon these living Jewish converts, who were protected by God out in the wilderness, before they enter into the Millennium.
The other group of witnesses, the 144000 might be simulating the role of the 12 Apostles during the beginning of the book of Acts. After all, they are uniquely sealed by God with a mark on their foreheads. This seal might be the Holy Spirit resting upon them just as the 12 in Acts received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This will enable them to preach a form of the Gospel of God (the gospel we will look into next in this study) in any language, by the sign of tongues, to all tribes* and nations* and kindred* as a preview of the Great Commission** which will be fulfilled by Jews in the Millennial Kingdom. This gospel includes faith in the resurrection of Christ and baptism of the Spirit.
* Rev.7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
** Matt.28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
It is my view that the ministry of the 144000 is connected to the work of the post-Pentecost 12 in the beginning of Acts. The start of the church of God was creating a unique group of people called the "little flock" and was part of that "short work" on the earth according to Romans 9:28. These are people who loved not their lives unto death (Rev.12:11). These are the ones who are connected to these scriptures,
- ones who had to lose their lives in order to save it (Matt.16:25) and
- ones who had to endure to the end to be saved (Matt.24:13) and
- ones who were not fit for the kingdom of God if they put their hand to the plough, and looked back (Lk.9:62)
The work of the 144000 would be a continuation of this work done by the 12, and their converts, bound by the same faith conditions during the tribulation, would have to lose their lives for the sake of Christ at the hand of the Antichrist. In Revelations we hear of saints before the throne of God crying out to God to take vengeance on those who killed them, but they are instructed to wait just a little longer for their fellow servants who still needed to be martyred,
Rev.6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Part 6 will continue with a 'summary' of this Kingdom gospel.
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