Tag: prophecy

Messages explaining prophecy from a first century Christianity perspective.

The Plan of Salvation part 3: Our part in the plan

Did you know that you have a part in the plan of salvation established at the foundation of the world? At the end of the book of Deuteronomy is a prophecy that Paul later explains showing that we do, indeed, have a part in God’s plan!

Our Part in the Plan of Salvation

Review Luke 18:8 “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Part 1 showed that keeping the commandments, including the holy days, is a key way to be able to answer “yes” to this question

Review And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. (Rev 22:5) Part 2 showed how the plan of salvation was laid out at the foundation of the world through the establishment of the sun and moon, a calendar for the appointed times. And the shalom YHVH experienced on day 7 of creation is what we can look forward to at the end of this age. The clock established in Genesis will no longer be needed once all things are accomplished and this is when the Torah will no longer be needed, either.

So what now? We live in the “in between” time, but much closer to the end of that middle period. Well, now we get into the details and the how-to. We get into the actions that we can take today in order to be found faithful when Yeshua comes back, which really looks to be closer today than, say, a couple weeks ago.

First, let’s talk about why this even applies to us. Many would say we are not Jews, so this doesn’t apply. And others may say that we can’t keep the commandments, so why bother? Well, it’s clear that we are supposed to keep the commandments because Revelation literally says that the remnant, God’s people, keep His commandments and the testimony of His Son all the way to the end. In addition to that, look at this:

Slide 2 “Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; For they are a perverse generation, Sons in whom is no faithfulness. ‘They have made Me jealous with what is not God; They have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation, For a fire is kindled in My anger, And burns to the lowest part of Sheol, And consumes the earth with its yield, And sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.” (Deu 32:20-22)

Still slide 2 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Messiah. But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; “THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.” But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, “I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION, BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU.” And Isaiah is very bold and says, “I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME, I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.” But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.” (Rom 10:17-21)

The LXX matches Paul’s citation perfectly, by the way. This is a very important distinction for us. We keep the Torah because we are the people who were not a people. We keep the Torah because we are called to do so. And this angers those who are native born Israel. We are adopted into the family. We have no birthright to Yahweh’s family. And that is by design. Oftentimes people get moved to study scripture and adopt the Torah while continuing to believe in Yeshua and then they start thinking they are literally Jews or the lost tribes or something. This is not why we are called to be children of God. We have no claim to the family aside from our adoption through the shed blood of Messiah. Paul and the gang had to deal with this in Acts 15. Many, many gentiles were giving up their paganism and attending synagogue because of the draw of the Messiah. They had to have a meeting to decide what to do with them all. It was a new thing happening. Today, this new thing is happening again with Christians and even unbelievers, seemingly at random, reading the whole Bible and deciding to live as the first century Christians – keeping Torah and believing in Yeshua.

Let’s start making some connections here that perhaps you haven’t considered.

Slide 3 At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. “For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘LET HIS HOMESTEAD BE MADE DESOLATE, AND LET NO ONE DWELL IN IT’; and, ‘LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS OFFICE.’ “Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” (Act 1:15-22 NASB)

At the end of Acts 1 we see the Apostles replacing Judas. This is not a mystery so you may ask, “Chris, what are you up to on this one?” The Apostles had yet to receive the Ruach, the Holy Spirit, and they realized they were part of prophecy. They finally understood the scriptures and they realized they had to make a twelfth apostle in order to replace Judas, per the scriptures. That was a huge responsibility. It’s quite remarkable they realized exactly who they were and what their place was in the plan of salvation in real time. That’s a miracle. The importance here cannot be overstated due to the timing. Remember, always remember, those chapters and verses are not really there. The very next thing recorded is Shavuot, the Day of Pentecost, and the 12 had to be complete. Peter and the gang understood they had the authority and responsibility to do something very important to further the plan of salvation. The did not know what was to happen next, Yahweh and Yeshua did, and I imagine they were smiling from ear to ear when their chosen ones took the initiative to make a big decision and complete the 12.

Well, guess what? We have a part to play in the plan, too. This is our part. To keep the commandments because we WANT to. No bloodline. To fulfill the part about making people jealous. The Christian understanding of being called is often inadequate. Too often people think of being called as just becoming a believer. That just the knowledge of the scriptures with the proper doctrinal understanding is the destination. This isn’t the case. The idea that one is called to understanding but then left to just live out their days with that understanding, attending services on the right days and such, is simply incomplete. The calling we receive and the knowledge we understand is always for a purpose, just like with Peter and the 11. In fact, it’s going to be for multiple purposes. It’s not just knowledge for the sake of knowledge, we have jobs and are playing a part in the plan. I don’t want to overstate our part. Be sure you don’t think I am equating us with the Apostles. That would be hubris of the highest order. We have a part to play, but it’s much lesser than the Apostles. However, the hairs of our heads are numbered, so our parts matter to Yahweh for sure!

Slide 4 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; (Rom 11:25)

We need this knowledge to drive behavior which displays our faith. Paul is telling us in Romans 10 and here in 11 one of the big reasons. The fullness of the gentiles. We are part of the fulfillment of the prophecy Moses made in Deuteronomy 32. We’re not nearly as special as the apostles in Acts 1, but we do have a part in the plan of salvation. They were 12 men out of the history of all mankind. Doesn’t this really make you feel better about the walk? Knowing that your actions, your desire to keep the Torah while believing Yeshua is the Messiah, was not only planned and prophesied but is part of the giant plan of Salvation!

When I talk to Jewish folks, the practicing ones not just the ethnically Jewish. The rabbi on the plane, random Israeli at the hotel. They do not know what to do with me. They do not know what to do with us. Why, out of the blue, do we have all these gentiles studying the whole bible and even using Jewish resources to understand things, they ask. Some of it is the protestant view of the Bible, of course. The dispensationalists believe that the law is nailed to the cross only for non-Jews and that the Jews keeping Torah and then accepting Yeshua is a key to their view of the end times. But all the while the Christians get to keep eating pork and celebrating Christmas, etc. It’s quite confusing. So when Jews look at us like we’re from Mars for observing the Torah and believing in Yeshua, well, it’s partially because our fathers inherited lies and taught them to us. The Protestants also think we are from Mars for keeping the commandments because they are still in that world with an artificial barrier between being a Christian and keeping the commandments. But for those of us who understand we are grafted into the vine, that we become fellow heirs of the promise, part of both the blessings and the cursings, through the shed blood of Messiah, well, that’s different. And it’s kind of neat to have at least made a couple Jews curious, albeit likely not jealous. Again, I don’t want you to think I’m overstating our walk, but at least we are getting noticed!

Remember, for the first many years of Christianity belief in Yeshua was almost exclusive to Jews who accepted Yeshua as Messiah. The Gentiles who joined, years later, adopted the Torah. We are doing that again here in these last days. Because we have a job. We have a role. And it is special.

Which brings me to part three of this series on the 6000 year plan of salvation.

Slide 5 He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation (Yeshua) may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isa 49:6)

Israel’s purpose is to be a light to the nations so that the knowledge of Yeshua, His Name literally means salvation, can be made known to the world. What do we know now about the plan of salvation? We know when and how it was laid out at the foundation of the world through the appointed times, the seasons. We know that the Holy Days are a big part of this plan, literally, prophetically, and in every way, shape or form. We know that Yeshua, Yahweh’s agent of Salvation, asked if He would find faith when He returns and that an easy way for Him to spot faith when He returns is for there to be a people who are keeping his Father’s commandments, particularly the Holy Days. And it all comes together. Our job is to see that light to the nations and to act on it. Yeshua is the light of the world, and we draw near to Him and His father by trusting and obeying. And understanding that we each have a tiny part in the plan of salvation.

The Plan of Salvation part 2: When will the Torah be abolished?

This message identifies when the Torah (law) will be abolished and explains the deeper meanings of Shalom.

Shalom

Explain Lev 23 from 40K feet or a helicopter view, not so much detail, just intro. Explain the shalom and how far we are removed from that society. How the universe was made to be a clock and how observing the holy days displays our faith. One answer to the faith Yeshua is looking for when He returns is obedience to Torah, specifically observing the appointed times of Leviticus 23. As with a lot of scripture, there are many levels of understanding. Today we are going to talk about observing the holy days as a display of faith about something that will be done, not something that has been done. We’re going to explore one aspect of how these days are prophetic that is seldom considered.

Very broad view in order to explain what it is we’re looking at. Torah establishes a culture that is foreign to us.

What we are talking about here and what we desire is a culture, a world, that we are very far away from. When we observe these days we know it’s not perfect. What we are doing is trying to get a glimpse of the kingdom. We are doing so to get closer to Yahweh and His Son.

Shalom – explain how encompassing that is with respect to the holy days. When you ask someone how they are doing in Hebrew you ma shlomcha? Shlomi tov. It means so much more than how are you doing. Shalom has a ton of meanings and is supremely important in God’s culture. When the 6th day was completed and Yahweh rested on Shabbat, it was shalom. Perfect, sinless, shalom. For the entire universe. All was perfect, there was no sin, the animals, the plants, the ocean, all was in perfect balance doing what it was all designed to do perfectly. The fall broke this peace. The fall broke the shalom.

Today, we can get a small glimpse of this in our own lives. When you tune a car or build something at home. When the house is actually clean and all the laundry is done. When the kids actually understand the math you have been teaching them. When you work on a project at work and it comes together on time and on budget. Any time you work on a project or a task and it comes together. You can sit back and enjoy your work because we are made to enjoy our work. We are made to accomplish things because we are made in the image of God.

Back to Genesis, the moment Eve decided to listen to the serpent, the shalom was broken. It was no longer perfect. From that moment, we have been in a fallen condition. Imagine a perfect meadow with a perfect pond with no ripples on the pond at all. Just a beautiful day, 74 degrees, perfect sun, perfect atmosphere, perfect birds. And then somebody take a pebble and drops it in the pond. Now the beach is no longer perfect. The pebble is out of place. It’s at the bottom of the pond. The pond is disturbed and the ripples go out. But this time, the ripples increase instead of attenuating. They get bigger and bigger until there’s a tidal wave. This is an analogy of what happened when Eve sinned. Her sin put things out of place. Then she spread it to Adam. Then the sin increased until it was pure chaos with just one righteous family and the flood, absolute terror, came upon the land. The opposite of peace. Chaos, death, and misery.

How does all this relate to the Holy Days of Leviticus 23? Well, they are individually significant in the literal, simple sense. Each day has a purpose that it fulfills. This is something that we have to accept – YHVH instituted these observances, each with a literal purpose, and they did what they were designed to do. Since we live in the culture we do and understand the scriptures looking back into history prior to the Messiah, we often think that system didn’t work. We get the notion that perhaps the Israelites were set up for failure and all the work put into observing Torah was for naught. That’s nonsense. Yahweh would not allow that to happen. The Sabbath honors creation, marks a weekly cycle, allows for a break, allows for us to rest, provides a day for holding a religious gathering, etc. The day has functioned as designed from inception. Passover week provided a commemoration of what happened in Exodus 12 and subsequent chapters. The observance did what it was intended to do. It also prophesied the Messiah and was a shadow of Abraham and Isaac. It worked. They all did what they were designed to do when used properly. Today, we long for the time when we can observe them properly. And not in an OT context but in the proper context with the knowledge of Yeshua being the Messiah.

The whole of them were meant to reflect a culture of shalom, a nation at peace. This is a very high level view of the holy days. I want you to imagine the entire nation of Israel, millions of people, in ancient Israel, ceasing work on Shabbat. Imagine this from the view of a helicopter. You’ve watched them for Friday and they are busy, doing commerce, agriculture, and the affairs of the day. By Friday sunset, everything comes to a halt. Sunrise Shabbat and there is no activity. Perhaps some kids at play. People wandering to fellowship at each other’s houses. Perhaps they had meeting places like a synagogue back then, we don’t know. Then the sun goes down on Saturday and Sunday comes back with the hustle and bustle. Millions of people doing the proper thing at the proper time. Looking down from above, we would see something designed to do a job functioning perfectly. Week after week, like a well oiled machine.

Then we look at it from an annual observance perspective. The month Abib has arrived. The trumpet sounds with the new month. Ten days later, all the heads of household go to the sheep pens and select a lamb. 4 days later, all the households shut up at sundown and there is a strong smell of cooked lamb throughout the nation. The next day, everybody goes to meet together again. This time in celebration. Then they do it again 6 days later. About 45 days later, they have another festival. Then they have the rest of the spring and summer for work, keeping Shabbat every 7 days just like the commandment. Then in the fall, they have a festival at the blowing of a trumpet, then ten days later the most tranquil day a nation could ever have. Then 5 days later, a nationwide party! A festival with dancing, singing, eating, fellowship, and general fun! People have come from all over the land to celebrate! It’s absolutely wonderful!

Actually, three times a year all the men of the land stopped what they were doing and came to the country’s capital. They left all their possessions, land, and such behind and made three pilgrimages per year. This would be shalom. All of the people doing what they were supposed to do week after week, year after year. From the view of a helicopter or an airplane, it would look like the functions of a machine. It would be peaceful to know what to expect.

What do we see when we think of all these things from a helicopter view? We see a nation at perfect peace. We see families at peace with children doing what they are supposed to do when they are supposed to do it. We see a prosperous nation with no enemies. Remember, the men have to leave their residences and convene at a central meeting place, either where the tent of meeting was or at Jerusalem. That means they had to leave their flocks, herds, and lands unprotected and make a long journey. The nation would be very vulnerable during festival times. That shows national faith in Yahweh. It shows that Yahweh will protect their lands while they are vulnerable. If a nation wanted to invade, they could easily do so during one of the pilgrimage feasts. If someone was a criminal, they could stay back from the pilgrimage festivals and steal livestock or other assets. The festivals are around harvest season so an invading army could just come and take it all and leave Israel without food. The vulnerability of the holy days of Leviticus 23 to the nation was immense. What it tells us is that Yahweh planned to actually protect the entire nation in total had they been obedient.

And in this vein, it mirrors the Exodus when Yahweh did literally take care of His people, 100%, for 40 years in the wilderness. Their clothes did not fall off of them, they didn’t need to go to war until towards the end, they didn’t go hungry, they were completely safe.

Slide 2 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing And her people for gladness. I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying. No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, Or an old man who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred Will be thought accursed. They will build houses and inhabit them; They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They will not build and another inhabit, They will not plant and another eat; For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; For they are the offspring of those blessed by YHVH, And their descendants with them. It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says YHVH. (Isa 65:17-25)

So here is that peace I’ve been talking about. This is talking about a period of time where society is perfectly peaceful. Where even the animals will be back to what they were doing prior to the fall, living in peace and the world will be in balance.

Slide 3 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. (Rev 21:1-7)

The holy days represent an ideal culture and also something we are looking for and long to experience – true shalom. The real Jerusalem will descend from heaven. Yahweh will tabernacle with us, just like He did in the garden. There won’t be any death, there won’t be any pain or sorrow. This is the goal. A perfect society for eternity. So, what’s missing?

Slide 4 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. (Rev 21:22-23)

There is no temple and the clock is missing. The sun and moon no longer mark time. Because it won’t be needed. The plan of salvation laid out at the foundation of the world is now done and executed so that method of reckoning time will no longer be necessary. Sin will be gone and the perfect shalom will be back. Only this time, it will last. Let me explain something to you now that will likely make a lot more sense than it did 30 minutes ago.

Slide 5 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Mat 5:17-18)

Whenever the opportunity presents itself, I like to teach by tying things together that believers already know. You know this verse, maybe even by heart. Now you know what it means. Now we see that this isn’t just some Hebrew idiom. And we can clearly when all will be accomplished. At the end of the age. The present heaven and earth are here to do a job. Just like the holy days. Today, the universe functions as it should. Time is marked by the sun and the moon. We observe the days as best as we can, understanding these observances cover a multitude of meanings. We do so out of faith – faith about things that have happened in the past and faith about things that will happen in the future. And we look forward to the day when we get to experience that pure shalom in the New Jerusalem with Yahweh and Yeshua. When everything will again be perfect, as it was on the 7th day. When Yeshua takes that pebble out of the pond and puts it back on the beach. And we enter eternity.