We covered quite a lot of ground today, as we walk through the chart of the chronology of the of the Dispensations of Scripture. We can use this chart to help us navigate through all of scripture! We know where we are based on Paul’s testimony. We are in the Mystery period that has been hidden since the beginning of the world. This is a new message, totally different from Peter’s message to Israel after the resurrection of our Lord.
(Peter) Acts 3:18-21: But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
(Paul) Colossians 1:25-29: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. (See Romans 16:25-27, Ephesians 2:4-13, and Ephesians 3)
We have completed our walk through the “3 Strikes” against the nation of Israel, that caused her to stumble and fall by killing John the Baptist, the messenger of God, crucifying the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, and stoning Stephen to death, rejecting the last official offer of the kingdom in Acts 7. Romans 11 gives us the chronology of events that removes Israel, and opens the door of salvation to the Gentile world, through the preaching of the gospel given to Paul.
2 Timothy 2:8-9: Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
(Romans 2:16 & 16:25)
The picture of the board below reveals the four attributes / character traits that the Jews were looking for, and are looking for even now. The focus of the four gospels was to reveal Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah.
Matthew focused on Christ as the King, the Son of David, prophesied in Zechariah 9:9, the first Behold!
Mark focused on Christ as the Servant in Zechariah 3:8, the second Behold!
Luke focused on Christ as the Divine Man in Zechariah 6:12, the third Behold!
John focused on Christ as the Son of God in Isaiah 40:9, the fourth Behold!
The nation was commanded to Behold their coming Messiah! Jesus fulfilled all of the character traits prophesied, but he was rejected as the true One who was to come. The nation will be beguiled into believing the Antichrist is the coming Messiah. He will perform signs and lying wonders, and will build the temple for the Jews, so that they can sacrifice again. But, he will betray them, and seek their destruction. When Jesus returns at the 2nd Advent, he will build the temple, and establish true worship in the millennial kingdom.
Zechariah 6:12-13: And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place (1st Advent), and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both (2nd Advent).
Oh, what a glorious moment in the history of the world, when the true Messiah, King Jesus will return from royal exile in heaven! He is seated on the right hand of God until his enemies are made his footstool! The rapture of the Church Age saints is the next big event on God’s divine calendar. Once we are snatched away at the Harpazo, the prophetic program will be back on track, and Israel will once again be the main focus of God’s grace and blessing to the world.
Next Week, we will continue our walk through the chart on Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth.