Preterism Articles and Blogs

THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL REVEALED!

2011-06-02T23:20:00Z

THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL REVEALED!

Steven Haukdahl

For years I remember reading the book of Ezekiel pondering what the phrase “Mountains of Israel” meant. Thinking, “What did God mean when inspiring Ezekiel to use this uncommon phrase...If only one could figure out what [the Mountains of Israel] was referring to, more than half the battle of understanding this prophecy could be solved!”.

Thē key component to understanding the prophecies of Gog and Magog are dependent upon knowing whose land and what peoples these hordes bring their invasion upon. The revelation of that mysterious prophetic phrase opens the door to much prophecy for our day. Please stick with the beginning as a basis is built for the interpretation being espoused. Most Christians today automatically look to the Middle East for prophecy since that’s where OT Israel resided and prophecy was fulfilled. But what if God said we in NT times should be looking elsewhere? After giving the matter much thought, I am convinced that indeed He did.

This article presents some of the highlights of the author's forthcoming book Massive Deceptions in Christianity taken from Part 4, “The Present Day Invasion of Gog & Magog” focusing on the proper understanding of Ezekiel's “mountains of Israel.” The first part of this article prepares the reader for a very different than mainstream paradigm, then builds the argument, so please stick with it. The second part helps connect the dots and open your eyes. Just past the halfway mark gives you the climatic meaning of this long concealed phrase and continues to support that meaning, with a final summary of what was discussed to remind the reader of important key points.

Here are 3 instances in which Ezekiel uses the mysterious phrase “Mountains of Israel”:

Ezekiel 36:1 “And thou, son of man, prophesy unto the “mountains of Israel”, and say, Ye “mountains of Israel”, hear the word of Jehovah.

Ezekiel 38:8, “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, upon the "mountains of Israel", which have been a continual waste; but it is brought forth out of the peoples, and they shall dwell securely, all of them.”

Ezekiel 39:4, “Thou shalt fall upon the "mountains of Israel", thou, and all thy hordes, and the peoples that are with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.” (ASV)

The lexeme "mountains” may refer to kingdoms of men and nations. There are places in scripture where "mountain" does in fact reference the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, e.g. Micah 4:1. Below are two verses in Revelation in which John shows the target of these Gog and Magog armies as the “Camp of the Saints and the Beloved City”, the same group of peoples and place of residence Ezekiel calls the “Mountains of Israel”. Note he directly ties them to the Gog and Magog scenario and the invasion (encompassing) that ensues in these verses:

Rev 20:8 “and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.”

Rev 20:9 “And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them.”

Did you notice there’s no other way to correctly interpret this passage than this invasion occurs after the thousand years; also when Gog & Magog begin to transpire Christ’s millennial reign has ended?

The Sometimes Unrealized Relation of Ezekiel 38-39 to Revelation 20

Some are promoting that Ezekiel 38, 39 & Revelation 20 are not synonymous events, there is no biblical basis for that assertion and I would like to point out scripture that counters that myth. They're confused as separate events because of a commonly misunderstood perception of the millennial reign, but there is only one Gog and Magog invasion prophesied in the Bible. After sharing and scrutinizing this interpretation for years without any good counter argument, I see chronologically that the commonly referred to NT “last days” was a 1^st century fulfillment, which happened before the millennium (pre-millenial); and is what is often confused with Ezekiel's “latter years” after the millennium (post-millenial). The following are reasons why Ezekiel 38, 39 & Revelation 20 correlate to warrant as the same post millennium event:

Both books point to a future time in which a great many nations attack the people of God. For Ezekiel, these people are the restored house of Israel. For John, they are the camp of the saints and beloved city (v.9); the followers of Christ. Ezekiel states it's for “the latter years” not in his time but a future prophecy, likewise Revelation 20 “when the thousand(s) years is expired”.

Although most Christians have yet to grasp this point, Armageddon should not be viewed as something that is to occur in the future, but as God's first-century vengeance upon the Old Covenant Jews for their failure to acknowledge Christ as their promised Messiah culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in AD70. Ezekiel's latter years are NOT the commonly understood “last days (of the old Jewish covenant) event”, two totally different events. Ezekiel's “latter years” event, is the vengeance of Yahweh God (instead of Christ) and He does just the opposite of the last days event, because in this event Jerusalem, camp of the saints in Rev. 20:9, on the mountains of Israel are not destroyed like the 1^st century Armageddon event, but in complete contrast Yahweh God destroys their attackers and saves Jerusalem!

While it doesn't appear Ezekiel mentions the millennial reign of Christ directly like Revelation 20 does, he does in Ezekiel 37:26-28 & 38, 39 place great emphasis on the peaceful situation the mountains of Israel are found in for a long period of time. This must be attributed to Christ's heavenly reign over the earth (Revelation 5:10, 20:6) during this “thousand(s) [chilioi] years” (in this case about 2,000 yrs.) having an effect upon the earth up until about the 20^th century. Then, the following verse indicates this long period of time will elapse in Ezekiel 38:8 “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought forth out of the peoples, and they shall dwell securely, all of them.”

Incidentally, Zechariah 14:6-11 parallels a portion of time in the millennial kingdom (v.11) and brings up the same situation in which the mountains of Israel find themselves in Ezekiel 28:26, 38:8 "dwelling safely and confidently" using the same Hebrew language and words:

Zechariah 14:11 And men shall dwell therein, and there shall be no more curse; but Jerusalem shall "dwell safely". Zechariah (a full exposition of chapters 12 – 14) for the first time known is explained from a future and preterist perspective in the book! Sound like a contradiction in terms? See how it is not.

Revelation 20 speaks of the nations encompassed, comprising Gog and Magog as coming from the “four corners of the earth” (v.8) while Ezekiel 38, 39 emphasizes that the enemies of “my people Israel” come from “the uttermost parts of the north” (38:6, 15; 39:2). It is a mistake to assume that the difference in the description of the geographical origin of those who attack God's people means that different sets of events are in view. The four corners of the earth (ehrets Hebrew word means land) in Revelation 20:8 as an ancient metaphor has strong indication as a reference to the cardinal points of the compass: N, S, E, W. Chuck Missler has argued these are different locations spoken of in these passages therefore are different events. However Ezekiel 38:5-6 speaks of the bands, hordes and other peoples with them, that originally migrated (and are actually still coming) from this biblical "four corners of the land" that correlates well with Revelation 20:8. Ezekiel's description in 39:2b "And I will bring you up from the recesses of the north, and will bring you on the mountains of Israel." speaks of the direction they are lured into this land they are invading as opposed to where these hordes originated, so there is no problem with either correlation as Chuck Missler wrongly asserts.

There’s a progression of events in both books that coincide and have a biblical basis too involved and consistent in history to be coincidence. In our book you will learn how this satan (better translated as “adversary”) has been let out of his prison for a little season (Rev 20:7-8) and how the events of Gog and Magog biblically had to immediately succeed, and according to the succession of recent events are on the world scene!

Ezekiel spoke of a time (before this invasion occurs) in which he was to prophesy to this malevolent Gog in Ezekiel 38:14b “Shall you not know in that day when My people Israel dwells securely?" indicating that millennial time (thousand(s) is used as a great expanse and often not literal) of peace for Israel in comparison to times of old. God's people were in that peaceful state of confidence right before the events of Rev 20:7 broke out!

John in Revelation 20 did not bring up Gog and Magog by coincidence, nor was he just drawing a comparison using ancient names as some assert, but was talking about that time Ezekiel spoke of when it would be fulfilled and identifies the perpetrators.

Ezekiel’s “latter years” (one passage in Ezekiel specified as “latter days” 38:16 can be described as “the latter days of the latter years”) which the YLT emphasizes well in Ezekiel 38:8 "After many days thou art appointed, In the latter end of the years... ".

A Faulty Premise in Mainstream Biblical Interpretation

There is a widespread tendency among readers of the Bible—including many who are considered to be authorities—to presume when Ezekiel refers to “the mountains of Israel” he's referring to modern day Israel/Palestine today. This presumption may seem feasible to some, but it is mistaken. Given that the events foretold in Ezekiel 38-39 correspond to those of Revelation 20:7-10, the traditional interpretation of these passages of Scripture are incorrect in at least these areas:

Christians that go along with these traditional assumptions are ignoring that this event is supposed to be after “the millennial reign of Jesus Christ”.
They misidentify Gog (not Russia).
They misidentify Israel. So it's not just the “land” and “people groups” they have wrong, but their chronological order as well.

If God was referring to “old covenant Israel” when He mentions “Mountains of Israel” in this Ezekiel prophecy, then why does He not just refer to them as just plain “Israel”, “my people Israel”, “children of Israel”, “House of Israel” as He did elsewhere in the OT? This is not to say God does not ever use the phrase “House of Israel” again, but usually more in a memorial sense for NT purposes.

In similar fashion, if the Apostle Paul was referring to old covenant Israel when naming new believers in the NT “Israel of God” why didn't he refer to them as just “Israel”?
Only modern day Israeli Jews have returned, not the combined 12 tribes as required: chapters 36 & 37 to fulfill this prophecy, they are only the House of Judah 2 southern tribes i.e. Jews.
Ezekiel 36:33-36 states that “in the day” (not at a later time after they possess the cities) these cities become inhabited their iniquities are cleansed. This cannot mean anti-Christ Jews, this is talking about a broad place and people with a new heart and God gives them His Spirit Eze 36:25-28. That He would be their God and them His people, this is NT Christian language.

God would have used the usual names and phrases for His people like “House of Israel” for this prophecy to be consistent with the past unless He was speaking of His people during a different time in a different place. God does not just use nebulous phrases to confuse us; He is not the author of confusion. In Gal 6:16 Paul is referring to the Israel of God who are of the new covenant, a “new creation (Christians)” who walk by the rule of the Christ and did not follow after the rudiments (elements of the temple, the law, etc. of the old heaven and earth) that were passing away in his (Paul's) day that consisted only of "vain genealogies (verse below), physical descendants". He was not speaking of “old covenant Israel” but he was talking about Christianity.

Tit 3:9, "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain."

In the same manner as the Bible admonishes “vain and unprofitable genealogies” Jesus told the Pharisee's their lineage would not help them gain salvation. Not because they were Esau's lineage (still a son of Abraham) instead of Jacob's either, to those Israel identity groups out there. He meant ANY physical, fleshly lineage did NOT give them special status with God anymore. It seems clear from this perspective that the phrase “Israel of God” Paul used would then be synonymous with the often used NT phrase “Church or assembly of God” which no-one would likely argue is not referring to Christian's (1 Cor. 1:2, 10:32, 11:22, 15:9, 2 Cor. 1:1, Gal. 1:13, 1 Ti 3:5, Acts 20:28). Israel was “called out and sanctified” as the ecclesia.

Besides in Ezekiel, the Phrase “Mountains of Israel” absent elsewhere
in the Bible except in one questionable passage

Intriguingly, with few exceptions among translations of the Bible, the phrase “mountains of Israel” is found only in Ezekiel. After a lexicon search for the terms "Mountains of Israel" as a phrase, one will discover that the KJV, LITV and Websters are the few out of many translations that do use this particular phrase elsewhere, but in these two verses only:

(KJV) Jos 11:16a Thus Joshua took all this land: the mountain country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, and the Jordan plain—the mountains of Israel and its lowlands,.....

Jos 11:21a And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel:.. (Notice mountains of Israel and Judah are distinct here?)

IF the above translations are correct because the Hebrew words seem to be the same (seem to be, because there are instances where the original language has used the wrong Greek or Hebrew word and the YLT has caught it) could it be because this was one of the few times in history in which God was conquering His enemies for Israel (all 12 tribes) in which He was giving them the promise land and they would finally be living in it in peace (as America)? Keep in mind also it is Mountains (plural). These things could be, but the contention here is that the YLT has caught another error (in the Hebrew) and corrected it. Where are the original languages wrongly copied you say? Here's one example:

Most will clamor; I thought the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts were inerrant?! Actually only the original manuscripts which we don't have (except for a few such as the dead sea scrolls) are wholly Holy Inspired. The assertion is the original Greek and Hebrew are more correct than English translations, but apparently man has had some biased corruption that entered even into the original languages... (condensed for purposes of this article, but full exposition in my book)….

When these two verses in the book of Joshua are examined from many other translations they do not use the phrase "Mountains of Israel"....(the following condensed for purposes of this article)…

(ASV) Jos 11:16, 21 So Joshua took all that land, the hill-country....

(YLT) Jos 11:16, 21 And Joshua taketh all this land: the hill-country, and all the south....

Notice it's not there in the ASV or the YLT?! Keep in mind that these translations (the ASV and YLT) that "do NOT" use the phrase "Mountains of Israel" in the above two verses, "do" use the phrase in the book of Ezekiel. Why is this phrase so absent except for in the book of Ezekiel?

We are getting closer to the meaning of this important prophetic phrase!

If “the Mountains of Israel” are not present day
Palestine/Israel then What and Where could it be referring to?

In the Bible and incidentally in our political and religious world today, the name Israel is often taken for granted by Christian’s because in the Bible it is used in various manners:

"Israel" is usually a people; seldom a 'land'

Jacob was called Israel by God in the OT

Israel as 10 northern tribes after Solomon's death and the 2 southern tribes then identified as the “House of Judah”

The 12 tribes scattered abroad (mentioned in James 1:1)

Israel of God in the NT has a different meaning than most strongly consider in their paradigm. Israel has an ultimate meaning once we get to the revelation of this peculiar phrase.

"Mountains of Israel" may refer to the “nations” where the people of Israel live – wherever that may be (it does not have to be designated to Palestine where OT Israel lived, like most assume).

Israel was not called “Israel as a nation” since the days of King David and shortly thereafter when all 12 tribes (before their tribal splits) were together living in peace. Yet the Jews today (only 2 tribes) have the audacity to call their alleged nation Israel. This would not be swallowed by so many if Christians had at least a decent working knowledge of OT Bible events.

Has the United States of America Become Thē “Mountain of Israel”?

Thē with a long sounding “e” for definitive article was purposely used in the subtitle above because America is thē primary Christian nation. Also, “Mountain” singular instead of the commonly used plural form of the word because there are other mountains plural, of Christianity besides America, but America is primary from this perspective. The NT Israel of OT prophets cannot be equated to the modern state of Israel, though there seems to be no shortage of people who want to make such a claim. The enemies of Christianity [thoroughly explained in Pt.2 entitled Master of Deception vol.1 of book], not the only adversary of Christianity helped enact the open immigration law of 1965 to make the USA a multicultural nation warring within its borders destroying what was the greatest nation of Christianity at that time, and they have not let up since. Why was not their focus south Africa or Western Europe? There are plenty of Christians that God loves in those nations as well. They knew America was the threat and therefore was their target. They had to try and stop America from surpassing their nation and status as a people. The Death of America was enacted in 1965 with the signing of the Open Immigration Law and the results have been clear. Since the massive Third World immigration that Zionist Jews were instrumental in deceiving the country into accepting, our culture has become divisive and can no longer practice the freedom it once could. The recent attack of our govt. with their lawsuits against AZ demonstrates this. The settlers’ culture our founding fathers instituted is just another interest group that must now lobby in Washington for its share of the "spoils". We have no precedence over, like other nations have for "their own people", we are called racist for that.

America is called the melting pot for having so many diverse cultures and peoples E pluribus unum, Latin for "Out of many One" was founded in 1776 as the Seal of the United States. This phrase was never meant to imply that the United States was a melting pot when that phrase was instated. The truth is, the greatest immigration (the fruits of the European immigration cannot be compared to the fruits of illegal immigration which is really an invasion, or any immigration for that matter today) of Caucasian settlers from many areas became one people, inspired by their Christian faith (and the fruits of their labor proved this); made the world‘s greatest infrastructure in the greatest Christian nation the world would ever see. The late Dr. D. James Kennedy would often remind us that God made America the greatest Christian Nation or she never could have been as such. Before the current invasion we are experiencing, our primarily Caucasian nation, after what many called providential victories fought on our homeland in the mid-eighteen hundreds had dwelt safely or confidently because of a state of peace as the verses in Ezekiel purport. The reference (Ezekiel 38:8) “the land that is brought back from the sword” may refer to the last civil wars fought on our homeland in the mid-eighteen hundreds.

Nonetheless, that's the way it was in America, before it was invaded by foreigners. The modern day nation of Israel does not fit this prophetic invasion; America does for many reasons (not just a few) throughout this prophecy. Many already believe Christian America is being overrun by such an invasion in our day. Pat Buchanan (as others, but I just happen to have a quote from him) is noted as stating in interviews that America is being invaded by the whole world: “America’s being invaded by millions of illegal immigrants every year, and it threatens the future of the country.” He addresses this issue of immigration in his brand new... it's called "State of Emergency: The Third Word Invasion, The Conquest of America." Amazingly many still do not see this invasion and naively believe there is no way our land could ever be invaded. Just a note here, this does not insinuate that law abiding non-Caucasians that contribute to society in a positive manner are any less Americans. This prophecy does not seem to be targeted against individuals, but towards groups or hordes perpetrating unlawful (criminal) acts upon God‘s people in the latter years.

Another reason the United States is poised for this future military (in addition to the current civilian army, in some places already military invasion) attack by all these Magog nations described is the relationship existing between the USA and modern Israel. U.S. Zionist have always and will continue to support the nation of modern day Israel, despite their many atrocities and deceit, because many wrongly believe these Zionist Jews are God's chosen people or a good democratic nation. Those with dispensational theology believe God could bless and support deceit and injustice in what they call modern day Israel, just because of their wrong eschatological beliefs. Christians cannot turn a blind eye to injustices of such proportions. The rest of the world obviously does not see things their way, so these deceptions make the U.S. a sitting duck for such a military attack by these Magog countries.

More evidence these prophecies are speaking of America referred to as “Mountains of Israel” and the identity of the invading hordes upon America are cross-referencing Ezekiel and Revelation passages we see much of the same people groups of invaders Ezekiel as Gog and Magog coming from ancient names and lands traced to what is described in this book as being in and closely around “the resistance belt”, which would include Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and southern parts of Russia. The mid and northern parts of Russia do not fit the ancient geographical regions of the tribal areas. The 10/40 window or resistant belt, covers the region that has the least amount of Christians located between 10° & 40° N of the equator. Most Muslim, Hindu, Communists, Buddhist people reside in this region. Revelation 20 identifies these same foreign Invaders from the same areas described as “the four corners of the land”. Discover in the book how the wording of this invasion fits perfectly with the invasion into America.

The Revelation of this Phrase “Mountains of Israel” Exposes Errors in
Different Eschatological Paradigms

The meaning of this obscure phrase “Mountains of Israel” has some profound implications we need to think about, for some prominent groups in Christianity today. For both dispensational futurists and for those with a preterist perspective on eschatology like myself (there is a proper form of preterism that does work and will be demonstrated, the following do not).

For the pre-millennial dispensationalist which believes Jesus has some future “second advent or coming” this phrase indicates (as we shall see) this Gog and Magog invasion can not be upon the Jews or the House of Judah (in the land of modern day Palestine/Israel today) as they so adamantly hold to because of the description of the route, besides Jews are not the House of Israel that the promise went to. A Jew “inwardly” is a Christian. The "House of Israel" in OT times (the 10 northern tribes after the split, they are confusing with the Jews—the 2 southern tribes) lost the Kingdom permanently since they were kicked out of the covenant with Yahweh God way back circa 726BC, and would only be promised a Christian kingdom for the future, not a restored old covenant type kingdom. The House of Judah ultimately lost their kingdom when they rejected Christ, culminating with the war that destroyed their city and temple circa AD70 and they would never get it back. Even though the “House of Judah's (Jews, NOT Israel)” back in the land today (a prophecy entirely different than what 99.99% think it is, explained in Pt.2 of subtitle Master of Deception) it's not what Christians think. Pre-millennial dispensationalists need to seriously rethink their eschatology. Let that sink in.

For the “Full and Hyper Preterist” that holds to “all things were fulfilled in 70AD” this Gog and Magog prophecy either could not have happened yet, is still to happen or IS happening now. It can't be a first century fulfillment as they assert because these Magog nations never came against the House of Judah while they still had the kingdom which Preterists well know did ultimately lose when they rejected Jesus Christ circa AD70. Besides that they were not the whole 12 tribe House “in the land” as required. Their house of cards falls when they try to put this between 30-70AD or even before. We will soon reveal that this has to be a post Christian phrase and event, when Christians would be “in their own land” as a people and a nation (Ezekiel 36:24, 28, 34-36, 37:22, 38:8, 16, 18, 39:26, 28 and other places). That's “Christian's in their own land” (specificity), not old covenant Israel in their own land. This was for a time when the shadow of Christianity would become the reality after the Kingdom of Christ had been established and satan better translated adversary (the unbelieving Jews, adversary of Christianity) had been crushed and bound [not completely destroyed] (Rom. 16:20), post 70AD. Also, to the Preterist that tries to squeeze the millennium between 30-70AD, the term thousand(s) is always used in the Bible as a huge (not a small generational 40 year term) stretch of quantity or time, it is not used otherwise when it is not used as a literal thousand; and in this case it's a “plural of uncertain affinity or thousands”. So full and hyper preterists have to satisfactorily answer to these issues or show their paradigm as fatally flawed.

“For the Partial Preterist” that holds to “Jesus has some second advent or coming”, when Ezekiel penned that phrase "Mountains of Israel" he said it would be in the "latter years" not for his time and not within the time frame of the old covenant as we shall soon see. In Ezekiel's day Israel whom the promise was to had already lost their kingdom and status with Yahweh God for over a century and would not get it back until Messiah which they already did anyway, so this has to be a post old covenant fulfillment (Gen 49:10, Hos 1:11, Ezekiel 37:14ff) since it's for a Christian people in their own land. The “Reign of Christ” had to be established in order for this phrase “Mountains of Israel” to have any significance, since there could not be anyone living that would be anti-Christ after their (the partial preterists) idea of a millennium. Their idea of a millennium (much like the dispensationalist) is basically “paradise restored” since Christ is reigning on earth according to them. If they say otherwise, that there can be sinful human beings during the millennium as asserted here, then this position works also; Christ does not have to be here physically to reign over the Earth.

All of these prominent Christian groups, in light of this prophetic phrase alone have had their “people groups”, their “chronological sequence of events”, and their “location of events” mixed up and now need to have answers to these dilemmas in their eschatology!!

“The Mountains of Israel” as a Metaphoric Phrase

It sounds ambiguous but the fact is the Bible does use metaphors; therefore in a sense the naming is sometimes non-literal but the thought conveyed is literal. The Apostle John uses the apt metaphor “Sodom & Egypt” in a similar fashion in the sense that he calls different places by different names to describe the spiritual condition of latter-day Jerusalem (Rev. 11:8, cp. Gal. 4:25). Likewise Ezekiel uses this cryptic phrase "Mountains of Israel" to describe a different people and places then most Christians are accustomed to thinking of when they hear the word Israel.

The Apostle John's metaphor is to be understood quite literally. If the reader has a decent working knowledge of the OT, the reader understands the similarity of sin between Sodom & Egypt and Jerusalem in the 1^st century. That is the context; the context is not identifying names of ancient countries and cities with their historical names. If someone says it is raining cats and dogs, even though the words are allegorical, the concept is to be taken “literally” that there is a torrential downpour outside; this would not mean they are a non-literalist.

Here Peter describes these scattered Gentiles of Israelite believers as a holy nation:

1Pe 2:9, “But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

Let's consider this phrase as literal for a moment. The Huachuca Mountains are just north of the Mexican Border and often used as a passage route for illegal aliens (Of different nationalities sometimes posing as Mexican after learning key words and dialects of the language!). The Huachuca Mountains are directly west of the city of Sierra Vista, AZ. These mountains range in elevation from 3,934 feet… To look at this phrase literally would mean God destroys the invading armies "upon the mountains of Israel" as stated in Ezekiel 39:4 above. Even the mass of this mountain range does not seem to support the vast amount of hordes from many nations this prophecy seems to purport. There are other mountain ranges surrounding the US but Arizona has been the main gateway for these invaders up until now and fits the description of the route of this invasion and final military attack where God decimates these armies. Maybe this scenario is part of the scheme of things, but still does not negate the metaphoric emphasis elsewhere this prophetic phrase is used.

We are getting to the climatic meaning of this important prophetic phrase!

The Ultimate Meaning of Israel

In the following four verses we see the correlation of Gods' righteousness, the terms Kingdom, Nations and His Holy City (God, His people in their place of dwelling) to the metaphor "Mountains."

Psa 36:6a “Thy righteousness is like the great mountains;”.. is a great attestation to NT Christians, Christ being our righteousness. In the next 3 verses we see more of the correlation between God's Holy City, and His righteousness with "Mountains."

Jer 31:23b, "Jehovah bless thee, O habitation of righteousness, O mountain of holiness."

Dan 9:16a, "O Lord, I pray to You, according to all Your righteousness, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain." (Jerusalem not a literal mountain)

Psa 48:1, "A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness." (City of our God, a metaphoric mountain of Holiness)

Jesus Christ is not only our righteousness (righteousness a metaphor for "mountains"), but our spiritual life support (the vine, we are the branches). He's the head and calls the followers/Christians His body. Jesus is "The King Sheppard of Israel" He said He came not but for the "lost sheep of the house of Israel". Without Him there is no Israel today because He is the Kinsman Redeemer of Israel. Those lost sheep became gentiles or “people of the nations” from which many again would become God’s people through the Christ, Hosea and other passages.

Now, in Galatians, Paul spoke of the “seed” in a singular fashion not plural as the Pharisees thought when they shouted “we are of Abraham’s seed,” but singular meaning "The Shepherd":

Gal 3:16, “But the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed (it does not say, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, 'And to your Seed,' which is Christ" [Genesis 3:15; 21:12; 22:18, Rom. 9:6; Heb. 11:18]).

The same emphasis when speaking of Israel is put on the Christ, which also puts the emphasis on Christians, hence the "Mountains of Israel" becomes "Kingdom of Christ” includes Christianity!! There you have it! Here's more biblical emphasis on Jesus Christ as the epitome of the fulfillment of Israel to further back up the revelation of this phrase:

Isa 49:3, “and said to Me, You are My servant, Israel, You in whom I shall be glorified.”

John 5:39, “Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me;” (ASV)

Jesus Christ is indeed the Israel of scripture. Mountains representing Kingdoms brings us to the conclusion the terms “Mountains of Israel”, denotes the “Kingdom of Christ” and/or “Nation of Christendom” in light of 1 Pet 2:9 and other passages. As Christians we cannot honestly ignore the obvious metaphoric manner in which this phrase was purposely devised by God for us to figure out.

Now that we have unveiled the meaning of this important phrase let's again compare Ezekiel to Revelation 20 which speaks of the nations encompassed by the wording Gog & Magog coming from the “four corners of the earth (land of EurAsia)” (v.8) Ezekiel 38,39 emphasize that the enemies of my people Israel (38:14,16) come from the uttermost parts of the north (peoples that came from the lands of Europe-Asia....(condensed for article)...Discover in the book why these descriptions in Revelation 20 & Ezekiel 38, 39 all coincide perfectly to the invasion of our homeland USA!

More proof from the book of Daniel

Dan 2:35 “Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were together broken to pieces, and they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away so that no place was found for them. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

The stone that struck this image described in the verse we just read was written to symbolically be the representative of what would become the 5th kingdom. This 5th kingdom was none other than the Kingdom of Christ which began, circa 70AD, when the Kingdom was taken away from the House of Judah. Matt 21:43 Jesus refers to the Jews (NOT the House of Israel dispersed among the nations then) and their city and temple was destroyed signifying that end of the old Jewish covenant with God.

Hence we have the Kingdom which the God of Heaven set up representing "the Mountains of Israel (Christianity)". Remember, in Ezekiel's day Israel had already lost their kingdom and status with Yahweh God for over a century! And it cannot be referring to the "House of Judah (Jews)" since these Magog nations never came against them before God took away their kingdom circa AD70. The only one left after that is "the Kingdom of Christ & Christianity”!

Dan 2:44 “And in the days of these kings, the God of Heaven shall set up a kingdom (not a man-made kingdom) which shall never be destroyed. And the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and destroy all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”

A CONCLUDING WORD

In light of what was just discussed, this mysterious phrase God inspired Ezekiel to write we now know was to be what He had planned or foresaw for a far future prophecy when the shadow of His plan would become the reality (in the latter years Ezekiel 38:8) which was the reality of Christianity. You've seen the documented motives of our enemies by the open immigration laws imposed upon us to destroy what had become the world's greatest Christian Nation. Why “Mountains of Israel” can be a metaphoric phrase, seldom if ever literal mountains and not the old covenant people. We've built an argument for America as the proper interpretation as a “Nation of Christendom” also fitting biblical metaphoric vernacular. We've also established with this once concealed phrase why Dispensational Futurists and Preterists need to change their views, whether they agree with final conclusions or not. The phrase “Mountains of Israel” made sense to God then (maybe not to His people, if any of them understood it at the time Ezekiel penned it), and should mean the same thing to us today that God understood it to mean way back then, in the following manner.

Mountains of Israel = Kingdom of Christ = Righteousness of Christianity (mountain is a metaphor for righteousness and Christ is our righteousness) = Reign (Kingdom) of Anointed One(s) (Christ and Christians) = Camp of the Saints and the Beloved City (Rev. 20:9) = Kingdom of Christianity = Nation of Christendom

Any way you slice it the results of this metaphoric phrase (from scripture) are clear!!

correspondences for the book: shauk100@gmail.com or 262.763.3220

70 AD -- A very important date

2009-10-03T22:12:00Z

More people from various groups of Christianity are coming to realize the Biblical significance of what happened circa 70AD. Dispensational futurist still insist the book of Revelation was written post 90AD, which to them means most of Revelation has a future fulfillment since the catostrophic events of 70AD were already in the past when John had penned it. Yet the new covenant Kingdom could not be right at the door as Jesus clearly stated while the old covenant and kingdom was still standing. Hebrews tells us the old was ready to vanish:

Heb 9:8 the Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle is yet standing;

Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Steve Simms whom we have no acquaintance recently posted this article in the Examiner.

70 AD -- A very important date
September 8, 2009

Jewish Temple Mount What is the most important date after the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? My vote is for 70 AD.70 AD was an awful year--yet extremely significant in world history. That was the year Roman armies surrounded the city of Jerusalem and defeated it. Then they sacrificed a pig in the Jewish temple and totally demolished and flattened both the city and the temple. In the process they slaughtered more than a million Jews and drove most of the rest out of Israel. This was written about by Roman historian Josephus who was an eye witness to it.

So why is 70 AD the most important date in history since Christ?

1) When the Jewish temple was demolished, that was the end of Old Testament Judaism. Never again in history have the required animal sacrifices been offered in the "Holy of Holies" in the God's Temple. The destruction of the temple totally changed the application of the Old Testament to Jewish and Gentile life. After 70 AD there was no longer an animal sacrifice for our sins.

2) The events of 70 AD also drastically effected the early Christians by greatly reducing the influence of Judaism and Jewish rituals on Christianity.

3) The events of 70 AD help us date the writings of the New Testament. Many people in an effort to discredit the New Testament writings say that they were written after 90 AD all the way up to the second or third century. But in the light of 70 AD, how is this possible? How could such a huge and radical event as both the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the end of animal sacrifices not be mentioned one time in the books of the New Testament if they were written after 70 AD? The book of Hebrews says animal sacrifices are still going on--therefore it had to be written before 70 AD. Paul had great verbal battles with Jewish Christians that wanted all new believer's to be circumcised. If the Temple had been destroyed before Paul was writing, wouldn't he have used that as a great argument for his cause? Paul had to be writing before 70 AD. In fact, all the New Testament books must have been written before 70 AD, because no New Testament writer (all were Jewish but one) could have left out such a devastating event if it had happened before his writing.

This means that the New Testament was written by people who were no more than 43 years (70 AD minus the 33 years of Jesus' earthly life plus 6 years if Jesus was born in 6 BC as some scholars say) removed from Jesus' earthly life. All of the New Testament writers actually knew Jesus physically or knew someone who knew Him physically.

So why did the animal sacrifices end in 70 AD? Because the final blood sacrifice had been made by Jesus Christ on the Cross and the animal sacrifices were no longer meaningful.

70 AD shouts -- "The New Testament was written before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD by eyewitnesses of Jesus and His earthy ministry and by those who knew eyewitnessesses personally. Therefore it is very reliable!" So since we have such an awesome witness of God's working in our world, shouldn't we devote some time to reading the Bible?

Sin Ain't What You Think!

2009-02-21T04:47:00Z

SPIRITUAL 1 CORINTHIANS 2:9-15
MAINTENANCE TITUS 3:8

NEWSLETTER
                                               MARCH 2008
                           WEB ADDRESS: spiritualmaintence.org
                       E-MAIL ADDRESS: grindan@bellsouth.net
__________________________________________________________
The Spiritual Maintenance Newsletter is a monthly study of scripture and matters that deal with our spiritual life and our growing in grace and knowledge of the nature and character of God. It is not a lecture or a sermon but practical help and insight for our faith walk in this tired busy world. You are invited to e-mail responses, AGREEMENT IS NOT REQUIRED. Some print out the newsletter and share it with others, and some study it over a month in small segments from their computer. It is not necessary to read in one sitting, but in parts over the month, for thought and meditation, at ones own pace. We are not so concerned with who is right but what is right, not what we believe as much as whom we believe.
                                                                    Acts 17:11 / 2 Timothy 1:12
__________________________________________________________
SIN AIN'T WHAT YOU THINK!

                  ROMANS 5:12-13 / 3:1-20 / 3:23 / 6:23 / JEREMIAH 17:9

Throughout human history man has spoken the word “sin” in ridicule and frustration. Most people accept the word “sin” but deny it’s reality or personal application, or at least what it really is. The natural man “who does not understand the things of God”, mocks it, denies it, and refuses the Biblical declaration of “lostness”. We as believers are forever plagued with its reality and as we grow in grace we develop an even greater awareness of our “absolute spiritual inability”. Our victory is always “His Victory” in us and through us. We must never forget that “WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE SINNERS AND NOT SINNERS BECAUSE WE SIN”! Sin is not murder, rape, adultery, greed, etc., in other words not what we do or don’t do but rather a condition or disease of the human heart or experience. All the behavior that misses God’s purpose, misses the mark of His plan for our lives, whether it is to be found in what we do or what we fail to do. Thus murder, rape, adultery, greed, drunkenness and so on or the by-product of the “sin nature” and the human condition. It simply put, declares that we have “missed the mark” or “come short” of the glory of God. I grew up as a kid hearing the following cuteness in response to the idea of sin and how we saw it, “I don’t dip, dance or chew and I don’t run with folks that do, or date girls who do.” This I might add does not describe SIN in the Biblical sense but rather human behavior as it relates to a given human value, or personal opinion. Sin is indeed a malicious cancer in the heart of all mankind.
Jesus Christ is our righteousness and our only hope, a gift of grace.
SIN DEFINED!
All have SINNED and COME SHORT of the glory of GOD. ROMANS 3:23

S SHORT of GOD’S plan we “MISSED THE MARK of HIS
        RIGHTEOUSNESS - WE WEAR MASK / WE PLAY GAMES / WE HIDE     WE RUN / Isaiah 64:6 / Matthew 6:33 / Romans 5:17 / Titus 3:3-7 / James 1:13-15
      GOD FINDS US NOT US FINDING HIM. Genesis 3:8-10
I “I” is me at the center of the universe / ME – MYSELF & I
      OUR COVERING IS SELF / I AM MY OWN AUTHORITY / THUS WE FEEL
           INADEQUATE / INSECURE AND WE ARE / OUR SELF IS LOST!
      Romans 3:10-18 / Jeremiah 17:9 / Job 14:1-6 / Proverbs 3:5-6 / Luke 19:10
LOST WE ARE: L lonely O opposing S salvations T treasure / 2 Corinthians 4:7
OUR GREATEST SIN AS BELIEVERS IS IDOLATRY / SELF TRUST v GOD TRUST
WE GROW IN GRACE BUT DAILY CONFRONT SIN FROM VICTIM TO VICTORY!
N NAKED and afraid / fears and anxieties / we hurt
   THE NATURAL MAN SEEKS AN IDENTITY / COVERS EMOTIONAL NAKEDNESS
     WITH SCHEMES / RELIGION / PHILOSOPHIES / DEFINED BY PSYCHOLOGY
Mark 7:14-23 / 2 Timothy 1:7 / Philippians 4:4-7 /   2 Corinthians 5:21
                                                  Genesis 3:8-10

Life is short / death is sure / SIN the cause / Christ the cure!
               SIN IS!?.
         LEGAL GUILT BEFORE GOD
                                             Romans 3:9-12 / 23

SIN is an actual legal standing before GOD whereby we are declared guilty and condemned of not accepting His gracious payment of the death, the burial and resurrection of HIS SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST in our behalf. John 3:18 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Ours is inherited human sinfulness and
inability because of Adam’s transgression. Romans 5 Thus all men are dead in sin and totally corrupt in all parts and faculties of both soul and body. Therefore we all inherited a polluted, corrupt nature. We are conceived in sin and by nature children subject to God’s anger against sin, the servants of sin and subjects of death. We as all men are now given up to unspeakable miseries, spiritual temporal and eternal unless the Lord Jesus Christ alone sets us free. Psalm 51

           SINS ARE!?.
       CONSEQUENCE OF A CONDITION
                           Romans 5:18-19 / 3:26

We SIN because we are SINNERS! Once we have received God’s pardon in Jesus Christ “BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH”, we are no longer looked upon by God as SINNERS
But rather Children of God, and “joint heirs with Jesus Christ”. We then have a whole different relationship to sin. Sin is no more out master, but we are under command to “refuse sins reign in our “corrupt mortal bodies”. As a believer God never views us as “SINNERS”, rather as His children who struggle with “our earthly bodies”, that is our “old natures”, with their desires, resulting in sin. James 1:13-16 We will often move in our growth from victim to victory and stand continually in conflict with our old nature of the flesh.
Romans 7:14-25 / Galatians 5:17   Our position in Christ never changes as we confront and conflict with our old nature, but our condition changes and our joy is disapated. John wrote “DON’T SIN, but if you do, you have an ADVOCATE with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the righteous”.    1 John 2:1-3 As in the human relationship between a parent and a child we must moment by moment repeat the process of renewal of intimacy and fellowship between us and our HEAVENLY FATHER. 1 John 1:9-2:2 Our relationship is not broken by our sin but our fellowship is. At our physical death “this mortal puts on immortality and this corruption puts on incorruption.
1 Corinthians 15:50-58 / Luke 15: 11-32 / Romans 8 The renewal process is:

                      CONFESS – 1 John 1:9
                      REBOUND – 1 John 2:1-3 / Philippians 2:12-13

FEED YOUR NEW NATURE / DON’T FIGHT THE OLD! 1 John 1:7
   2 Timothy 2:14-15 / Hebrews 4:12-13, 5:13-14, 12:1-3 / Psalm 51, 119:9,11, 89
         James 1:13-16 / Romans 6:12-14 / 2 Peter 1:2-8, 3:17-18 / 1 John 2:27

We live in mortal, corrupt bodies that are not redeemable, thus Paul declared that, “flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God, and this mortal must put on immortality, and this corruption must put on incorruption.”
1 Corinthians 15:50-53    This happens at our physical death when
redemption is complete for which we were sealed at the moment of our salvation. Ephesians 1:13-14 Thank God that our condition of sin, in our natural lostness, is remedied only by
receiving at a moment in time, His “LEGAL RIGHTEOUSNESS
AS A GIFT”, by which we are covered, redeemed and sealed until the day of redemption. Never forget, “CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY.” Colossians 1:27 / Galatians 2:20 / Romans 5:17

EASTER IS BASICLY A PAGAN HOLIDAY BUT WE AS BELIEVERS CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION TO NEW LIFE IN CHRIST 24/7. THE CROSS CELBRATES THE DEATH OF THE LAW IN OUR LIVES WHICH CANNOT GIVE LIFE BUT RATHER IS THAT WHICH BRINGS US TO CHRIST AND HIS RESURRECTION LIFE. “CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OFGLORY!”

           READ: GALATIANS 3 / COLOSSIANS 2 & 3 / 1 CORINTHIANS 15

                 Amazing GRACE how sweet the sound
                 That saved a WRETCH like me
                 I once was lost but now I’m found
                 Was blind but now I see.
                                                            JOHN NEWTON
Heart to heart
Life has been very busy these days and God is faithful. Every generation has it’s own pain and struggles. Our world is so given to technology that often separates us rather than drawing us together. We are often removed from closeness and intimacy but we must determine to make ourselves available to one another in order to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. I ask you to pray for me and my family as we pray for you. Pray for Grace Fellowship that meets on Sunday and Wednesday, for our Sunday evening Bible Study in Mooresville every other week, for the Voice of Reason worldwide radio ministry that I share with John Anderson twice a month. Finally pray for the monthly ministry of Spiritual Maintenance, the newsletter and the one to one discipleship ministries. I am
home schooling Elizabeth our 9 year old, 4th grader and she is precious and we both are growing and learning. Pray for Diane my faithful wife, her work and her mom and dad who are having physical problems. Their names are Ralph and Doris. Thank you for your many letters, emails and phone calls. Feel free to call for prayer or to discuss some need or Biblical truth. I love you each one and am grateful for you being in my life. Pray especially for our country, our world and our leadership, and the many faithful who walk daily with the Lord.
                                      I LOVE YOU IN HIS GRACE      danny griffin

Feel free to call me 704-497-7126!

1Corinthians 15:19-28

2009-02-21T04:29:00Z

Steven,

My name is Dan and I found your email address on Properpreterism.org. I began studying preterism in the late 1990's when I was in my early twenties, but didn't quite understand it at the time. As it happens I unfortunately became a backslidden Christian for the better part of ten years and nearly put it out of my mind completely. About two years ago I renewed my relationship with Christ and for the first time in my life experienced true repentance for my sins. In the last two years I have spent a great deal of my time studying scripture and bringing myself closer to God. I am a full preterist, but there are still things that I don't fully understand, so I was happy to come across your website.

What I am trying to understand mainly is what happens to this physical world? Is this world to continue on as is forever as many full-preterists seem to believe with sin still existing in some form? Or is Christ going to eventually put all things in subjection in the literal sense as in putting an end to the evil and sin (and death)? It seems to me that there is a lot of spiritualizing being done by many preterists particularly in relation to 1 Corinthians 15 24-28. My understanding is that this has not happened yet because sin is utterly rampant everywhere. Could you tell me your thoughts on this? Perhaps I have misunderstood.

Thank you kindly for taking the time to read through this email and answer my questions. I saw that you have a 262 area code in your phone number. I'm not sure where you live, but my family and I live in Muskego. I hope you are doing well.

Warm Regards,
Dan

Dan,

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm. We hope the following article will assist in answering your questions. Please let us know your thoughts and where you disagree.

1Corinthians 15:19-28

By Lloyd Dale

In order to properly understand 1Cor 15:19-28 many things must be taken into account. In 1Cor 15, Paul is refuting the erroneous notion that there is no resurrection. He Claims that "now Christ is risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of those that have died (slept)." Thus in order to properly understand this portion of this chapter, we must first properly understand what the Bible and Paul meant by "dead." For the present suffice it to say that Christ became "dead" when He voluntary surrendered to death on the cross.

Next Paul states that "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. Contrary to popular opinion Paul is not writing about salvation here, he is writing about death in Adam and he is simply stating that Adam's death is imputed to all men that are born of Adam's seed. Then he states that in the same manner that Adam's death was imputed to all men Christ’s resurrection life is imputed to all men that are born of Adam's seed.

Again, contrary to popular opinion, Paul is not writing about salvation in this passage. He is simply contrasting death and resurrection life. Other passages clearly tell us that there will "a resurrection of the dead, both the just and the unjust" (Acts 24:15, cf. Dan 12:2). In that context, Paul states that this resurrection of the dead to life will occur for all men, "but each man in his own order. The first man, in this order of resurrection life, is Christ; He was the resurrection firstfruits of all men.

Next Paul states, "afterward (we now know from the balance of the NT that Paul's "afterward" meant approximately 40 years after Christ's resurrection) they that are Christ's at His Parousia." Paul's those "that are Christ's" is of course a reference to those that were given to Jesus by God the Father (John 17:9-24). In this verse, Paul clearly states the only "those that are Christ's" (the justified) will receive resurrection life at His Parousia. Nothing what-so-ever is stated about the resurrection of anyone that was not Christ's (the unjustified). By any reasonable standard this is the "first resurrection" of which John wrote in Rev 20:4d. We are told that those that "have a part in this first resurrection" will have no part in "the second death."

At this point let me ask you a question: How can anyone have a part in the "second death" unless he was born of Adam, and first died of Adam's death then experienced the resurrection life of Christ and then became subject to the "second death" because his name "was not found written in the book of life.?" Don't criticize my view until you have a reasonable and complete answer to this question.

At this point we are left with a serious question: "When will those that had not been given to Christ be resurrected?" By any reasonable standard those that had not been given to Christ by God the Father, i.e. "those that are Christ's at His Parousia" would be the "rest of the dead" of which John wrote in Rev 20:5.

John writes that "those that had a part in the first resurrection are blessed and holy and they shall be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him a thousand years."

Now without writing any more about this right now let's return to 1Cor 15:24 were Paul wrote, "then the end." What is this "end" to which Paul refers? One thing is certain, whatever it is; it clearly occurs after the "resurrection...of those that are Christ's at his Parousia" of verse 23 in Paul's sequence of events as presented here. That leaves two questions that we must answer correctly in order to properly understand what Paul is stating here: (1) "How long after the event of verse 23 (the Parousia resurrection of the justified) will it be until the "end?" (2) "What is this "end" to which Paul refers?"

From Scripture it can be deduced that Paul, John and the other apostles discussed the Revelation at the Jerusalem council in ca. 46 AD, therefore, I think that Paul and John were in agreement about these things. While Paul does not give us the details about the resurrection of the unjustified dead (the rest of the dead), in 1Cor 15:19-28; John does in Rev 20:5-6 and 11-15 and according to John this resurrection of the rest of the dead (the unjustified) takes place after a thousand year "heavenly kingdom" (2Tim 4:18) "reign" of the saints ("beheaded" and otherwise dead) resurrected at the Parousia (the justified of 1Cor 15:23b, cf. 1Tim 2:10-12, Matt 16:27-28,19:28, 25:31)

That this reign of the saints with Christ begins at the Parousia is verified by the sequence of verses 23 and 25 in 1Cor 15. First, the resurrection of "those that are Christ's at His Parousia," in verse 23 then "for He must reign..." in verse 25. In 1Cor 15 there is NO mention, not even a suggestion of a "reign" until after the Parousia of verse 23. However, in verse 26 after the Parousia of verse 23 Paul states, "for He must reign..." This follows or correlates perfectly with the events in Rev 20:4-6 & 11-15. Thus 1Cor 15:19-28 and Rev 20:4-6 & 11-15 are parallels that clearly establish that the "end" Paul has in mind in 1Cor 15:24 is the end of "the thousand years reign of the resurrected saints with Christ" which John describes in Rev 20.

It should be noted here that there is no coming of Christ or Parousia of Christ identified with the end of the thousand years reign of the saints with Christ in Rev 20:11-15. This all takes place in the realm of the "resurrected" both of the just and the unjust ("...whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" of the "second death, verses 14-15).

In keeping with both Paul's and John's sequence of events, the events of 1Cor 15:26-28 occur after "the thousand years reign of the saints with Christ."

Lloyd

Hi, Steve

Thank you for forwarding Lloyd's article. It was excellent and not to mention undeniable in its entirety. I have to say that it is almost shocking to read something like that. It makes me wonder why I hadn't come to the same conclusion years ago because it seems so obvious that it is the truth of the matter. One can only guess how it has been possible that dispensationalists have been so sucessful in promoting a doctrine that obviously smacks of complete non-sense. It is almost as if they call God a liar and then create an esoteric means by which one should understand scripture. I recently heard a preacher on WVCY talking about how the Jews were going to build another temple in Jerusalem and that would be the temple that would eventually be destroyed per Matthew 24. What a pitiful state we are in when people can accept these lies without so much as a fight.

I had always wondered why we had strong Christian civilizations like Byzantium that would eventually crumble, only to give birth to Christian cultures that seemed to only get more and more degenerate. So when I see these degenerate currents finding their place in our world, it makes perfect sense why Rev 20: 7-10 makes complete sense in our present times. How wonderful to have learned this!

I learned about preterism back in 1998 from a man named V.S. Herrell. I had been involved in his " Christian Separatist Church " for a time and eventually had a falling out with them and left that church, which is something similar to what is today called "Christian Identity." I believe some of his writings can still be found online. This occured in my early to mid twenties. I'm 32 now. Since then, I haven't been involved in any other churches or similar organizations. I am married with three children living in Muskego .

Thank you again to you and Lloyd for sending this excellent article. Very well written. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

Dan

A Reply On Noah's Ark

2008-07-21T00:26:00Z

Hi Jerry,

Hope all is going well. I was debating this guy from a video that was airing and we got on the subject of archaeological finds. Well naturally, I brought up Noah’s Ark and he sent me this reply below, basically saying the claims have been fully refuted and it’s not what they thought it was. You are probably familiar with this, but I’d be interested in hearing your reply.

Thank you,
Steve

Comment on the findings of Noah's Ark:

1)A report published by geologist L. Collins in co-authorship with the original discoverer of the 'anchor stones' David Fasold, found that they are composed of local rock and thus are unlikely to have been transported to the site from Mesopotamia, one of the Ark's supposed places of origin.

2)In 2007, a joint Turkish-Hong Kong expedition team found what is thought to be fossilized wood, initially believed to be part of noah's ark, in a cave on Mount Ararat in Turkey. Photographs of geologic thin-sections of the "wood" have been examined by several creationist geologists who concur that this is likely volcanic tuff. It has been suggested that the finding is a ploy to increase tourism in the area of the ark's discovery. Nearly every other geologist allowed to research the site has found that the anomaly is of natural origin.

3)In April of 1997, during sworn testimony in an Australian court, David Fasold repeated his doubts about the validity of the ark's discovery and noted that he regarded the claim that Noah's ark had been found as "absolute BS". Earlier in 1994 he visited the site with Australian geologist Ian Plimer and concluded that the structure was not a boat. He surmised that ancient peoples had erroneously believed the site was the ark.

4)On Ron Wyatt, the 'discovery's' biggest promoters also happens to be a huge fraud. His claims are dismissed by scientists, historians, biblical scholars and most Christian leaders even in his own Seventh-day Adventist Church. Answers in Genesis has called some of Wyatt's claims fraudulent,& one Seventh-day Adventist professor of archaeology sums up Wyatt's noah's ark and anchor stones claims in these words: "While the Durupinar site is about the right length for noah's ark, [it is] ... too wide to be noah's ark. Wyatt has claimed that the "boat-shapedness" of this formation can only be explained by its being noah's ark, but both Shea and Morris have offered other plausible explanations. Likewise, Wyatt has argued that the standing stones he has found are anchors, while Terian is aware of similar stones outside the Durupinar site area that were pagan cultic stones later converted by Christians for Christian purposes." Archaeologist Joe Zias of Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has stated that "Ron Wyatt is neither an archaeologist nor has he ever carried out a legally licensed excavation in Israel or Jerusalem. In order to excavate one must have at least a BA in archaeology which he does not possess despite his claims to the contrary. ... [His claims] fall into the category of trash which one finds in tabloids such as the National Enquirer, Sun etc."

5)You assert that since the sight looks like a boat that it must be a boat. Hey, there's a rock formation on Mars that looks just like a face! I guess that means there were people there to have built it. There are stones off the coast of Florida that look like they were part of road, so I guess that means they were part of road. Get it in your head, "Looks like a duck, yadda, yadda..." isn't evidence.

From: Jerry Bowen (in reply to my letter above to him)

Hi Steven,

Lets take these one at a time, and yes I have come across all these rationalizations of the site. As you can imagine, not only are some Christians afraid of this site, but the humanist are petrified of it.

#1 - I have personally examined the anchorstones several times, (Drogue stones), and they are not indigenous to the area. A high school student could look at them and tell they are out of place with the natural surroundings. Now, there are some grave stones in the area that might be confused with the drogue stones that could be local.

#2 - The Turkish-Hong Kong expedition was examining so-called evidence on Mount Ararat, approx. 15 miles northeast from the actual remains. Since the entire area is highly volcanic and seismically active, the volcanic tuff is everywhere.

#3 - David Fasold was a treasure hunter first of all, and he seemed interested in capitalizing on the discovery. Ein Plimar, an atheistic geologist, who was involved in the court case attempting to dis-credit the site, had initially convinced Fasold to question the site, which he recanted before his death. Fasold even produced a video that is quite compelling in favor of the site.

Dave Fasold worked with Ron initially on the project, but at some point his interpretation of the site differed completely from Wyatt. This means he believed the site was the remnants of Noah's ship, but a different design then that which Wyatt concluded. Without a physical excavation no one could say with 100% certainty just how the ship was constructed. Also, this gave Fasold something to market that differed from Wyatt.

Though Fasold was privileged to process an abundance of evidence confirming the site, I believe he abandoned his belief temporarily to secure money for copyright materials. This occurred at the time of a trial in Australia between Dr. Allen Roberts and Ein Plimar. Roberts was going around Australia presenting the Discovery materials, (apparently using some of Fasolds material), and Fasold thought he should get paid for it. So, he linked up with Plimar to bolster his chances to collect from Roberts (which he did). Fasold and Plimar ever visited the site together and it was at that time that Plimar, (as the professional), convinced fasold the site was natural geology. I believe Fasold went along with the idea, simply for monetary gain, but later before his death had a chance to set the record straight. I know fasold was excited about the discovery, but he seemed to me, to be more concerned about how he could profit from it, then how God would use it to reach the World.

#4 - Certainly all the scholars, scientist, historians, and professors must be right and the evidence is just overwhelming, right. The Bible puts it very succinctly in 2 Tim 3:7 concerning them, " Ever learning, and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." God uses the simply things to confound the so-called wise. This is nothing more than a personal attack against Wyatt.

It is a very predictable tactic of the enemies of truth. Many folks are missing the big picture here, of what God has done. God side-stepped all the so-called experts on purpose, and used a humble man to re-locate these sites, to reveal the absolute miraculous nature of what is going on. God alone would receive the credit for raising up these particular sites and the message of these stones crying out would be undeniable.

#5 - This is the first valid question you pose. You are correct in your assumption; this is why Wyatt and others studied the site for over 10 years. If it were just the visual aspect of the site that brought us to our conclusions then you would have a case, however when you consider the petrified wood, (must be carboniferous), the iron rivets and plates, the animal hair and other samples, the length, the metal scans, the sub-surface radar, the location, the geology, and circumstantial evidence in the surrounding area, it all adds up. Add to this the fact that the remains slid to this location, and you have a perfect picture of what our Lord would accomplish, just as the hull was impaled on an outcropping of limestone, Christ was pierced in the side for us.

Let me simply add that, not everyone who comes across this material is going to get it.

The Bible reveals that the majority of individuals will be lost, they will take the broad road that leads to destruction, (Matt 7:13) they're minds will be taken captive through worldly philosophy and vein deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col.2:8)

God has provided a tool here for the true believer to use, one that validates His Word and sounds the warning message in Revelation 14. A message of Mercy and the last warning to planet earth. Do you get the impression that something is about to happen? With all the unrest in the World today, as man's inhumanity to man is at it's peak, God will interview as He has done in the past, I pray you will be ready, God bless!

The Case For The Resurrection

2008-03-21T16:58:00Z

Question: "Why should I believe in Christ’s resurrection?"

Answer: It is a fairly well-established fact that Jesus Christ was publicly executed in Judea in the 1st Century A.D., under Pontius Pilate, by means of crucifixion, at the behest of the Jewish Sanhedrin. The non-Christian historical accounts of Flavius Josephus, Cornelius Tacitus, Lucian of Samosata, Maimonides and even the Jewish Sanhedrin corroborate the early Christian eyewitness accounts of these important historical aspects of the death of Jesus Christ.

As for His resurrection, there are several lines of evidence which make for a compelling case. The late jurisprudential prodigy and international statesman Sir Lionel Luckhoo (of The Guinness Book of World Records fame for his unprecedented 245 consecutive defense murder trial acquittals) epitomized Christian enthusiasm and confidence in the strength of the case for the resurrection when he wrote, “I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer appearing in many parts of the world and am still in active practice. I have been fortunate to secure a number of successes in jury trials and I say unequivocally the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

The secular community’s response to the same evidence has been predictably apathetic in accordance with their steadfast commitment to methodological naturalism. For those unfamiliar with the term, methodological naturalism is the human endeavor of explaining everything in terms of natural causes and natural causes only. If an alleged historical event defies natural explanation (e.g., a miraculous resurrection), secular scholars generally treat it with overwhelming skepticism, regardless of the evidence, no matter how favorable and compelling it may be.

In our view, such an unwavering allegiance to natural causes regardless of substantive evidence to the contrary is not conducive to an impartial (and therefore adequate) investigation of the evidence. We agree with Dr. Wernher von Braun and numerous others who still believe that forcing a popular philosophical predisposition upon the evidence hinders objectivity. Or in the words of Dr. von Braun, “To be forced to believe only one conclusion… would violate the very objectivity of science itself.”

Having said that, let us now examine the several lines of evidence which favor of the resurrection.

The First Line of Evidence for Christ's resurrection

To begin with, we have demonstrably sincere eyewitness testimony. Early Christian apologists cited hundreds of eyewitnesses, some of whom documented their own alleged experiences. Many of these eyewitnesses willfully and resolutely endured prolonged torture and death rather than repudiate their testimony. This fact attests to their sincerity, ruling out deception on their part. According to the historical record (The Book of Acts 4:1-17; Pliny’s Letters to Trajan X, 96, etc) most Christians could end their suffering simply by renouncing the faith. Instead, it seems that most opted to endure the suffering and proclaim Christ’s resurrection unto death.

Granted, while martyrdom is remarkable, it is not necessarily compelling. It does not validate a belief so much as it authenticates a believer (by demonstrating his or her sincerity in a tangible way). What makes the earliest Christian martyrs remarkable is that they knew whether or not what they were professing was true. They either saw Jesus Christ alive-and-well after His death or they did not. This is extraordinary. If it was all just a lie, why would so many perpetuate it given their circumstances? Why would they all knowingly cling to such an unprofitable lie in the face of persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death?

While the September 11, 2001, suicide hijackers undoubtedly believed what they professed (as evidenced by their willingness to die for it), they could not and did not know if it was true. They put their faith in traditions passed down to them over many generations. In contrast, the early Christian martyrs were the first generation. Either they saw what they claimed to see, or they did not.

Among the most illustrious of the professed eyewitnesses were the Apostles. They collectively underwent an undeniable change following the alleged post-resurrection appearances of Christ. Immediately following His crucifixion, they hid in fear for their lives. Following the resurrection they took to the streets, boldly proclaiming the resurrection despite intensifying persecution. What accounts for their sudden and dramatic change? It certainly was not financial gain. The Apostles gave up everything they had to preach the resurrection, including their lives.

The Second Line of Evidence for Christ's resurrection

A second line of evidence concerns the conversion of certain key skeptics, most notably Paul and James. Paul was of his own admission a violent persecutor of the early Church. After what he described as an encounter with the resurrected Christ, Paul underwent an immediate and drastic change from a vicious persecutor of the Church to one of its most prolific and selfless defenders. Like many early Christians, Paul suffered impoverishment, persecution, beatings, imprisonment, and execution for his steadfast commitment to Christ’s resurrection.

James was skeptical, though not as hostile as Paul. A purported post-resurrection encounter with Christ turned him into an inimitable believer, a leader of the Church in Jerusalem. We still have what scholars generally accept to be one of his letters to the early Church. Like Paul, James willingly suffered and died for his testimony, a fact which attests to the sincerity of his belief (see The Book of Acts and Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews XX, ix, 1).

The Third and Fourth Lines of Evidence for Christ's resurrection

A third line and fourth line of evidence concern enemy attestation to the empty tomb and the fact that faith in the resurrection took root in Jerusalem. Jesus was publicly executed and buried in Jerusalem. It would have been impossible for faith in His resurrection to take root in Jerusalem while His body was still in the tomb where the Sanhedrin could exhume it, put it on public display, and thereby expose the hoax. Instead, the Sanhedrin accused the disciples of stealing the body, apparently in an effort to explain its disappearance (and therefore an empty tomb). How do we explain the fact of the empty tomb? Here are the three most common explanations:

First, the disciples stole the body. If this were the case, they would have known the resurrection was a hoax. They would not therefore have been so willing to suffer and die for it. (See the first line of evidence concerning demonstrably sincere eyewitness testimony.) All of the professed eyewitnesses would have known that they hadn’t really seen Christ and were therefore lying. With so many conspirators, surely someone would have confessed, if not to end his own suffering then at least to end the suffering of his friends and family. The first generation of Christians were absolutely brutalized, especially following the conflagration in Rome in A.D. 64 (a fire which Nero allegedly ordered to make room for the expansion of his palace, but which he blamed on the Christians in Rome in an effort to exculpate himself). As the Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus recounted in his Annals of Imperial Rome (published just a generation after the fire):

“Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.” (Annals, XV, 44)

Nero illuminated his garden parties with Christians whom he burnt alive. Surely someone would have confessed the truth under the threat of such terrible pain. The fact is, however, we have no record of any early Christian denouncing the faith to end his suffering. Instead, we have multiple accounts of post-resurrection appearances and hundreds of eyewitnesses willing to suffer and die for it.

If the disciples didn’t steal the body, how else do we explain the empty tomb? Some have suggested that Christ faked His death and later escaped from the tomb. This is patently absurd. According to the eyewitness testimony, Christ was beaten, tortured, lacerated, and stabbed. He suffered internal damage, massive blood loss, asphyxiation, and a spear through His heart. There is no good reason to believe that Jesus Christ (or any other man for that matter) could survive such an ordeal, fake His death, sit in a tomb for three days and nights without medical attention, food or water, remove the massive stone which sealed His tomb, escape undetected (without leaving behind a trail of blood), convince hundreds of eyewitnesses that He was resurrected from the death and in good health, and then disappear without a trace. Such a notion is ridiculous.

The Fifth Line of Evidence for Christ's resurrection

Finally, a fifth line of evidence concerns a peculiarity of the eyewitness testimony. In all of the major resurrection narratives, women are credited as the first and primary eyewitnesses. This would be an odd invention since in both the ancient Jewish and Roman cultures women were severely disesteemed. Their testimony was regarded as insubstantial and dismissible. Given this fact, it is highly unlikely that any perpetrators of a hoax in 1st Century Judea would elect women to be their primary witnesses. Of all the male disciples who claimed to see Jesus resurrected, if they all were lying and the resurrection was a scam, why did they pick the most ill-perceived, distrusted witnesses they could find?

Dr. William Lane Craig explains, “When you understand the role of women in first-century Jewish society, what's really extraordinary is that this empty tomb story should feature women as the discoverers of the empty tomb in the first place. Women were on a very low rung of the social ladder in first-century Palestine. There are old rabbinical sayings that said, 'Let the words of Law be burned rather than delivered to women' and 'blessed is he whose children are male, but woe to him whose children are female.' Women's testimony was regarded as so worthless that they weren't even allowed to serve as legal witnesses in a Jewish court of Law. In light of this, it's absolutely remarkable that the chief witnesses to the empty tomb are these women... Any later legendary account would have certainly portrayed male disciples as discovering the tomb - Peter or John, for example. The fact that women are the first witnesses to the empty tomb is most plausibly explained by the reality that - like it or not - they were the discoverers of the empty tomb! This shows that the Gospel writers faithfully recorded what happened, even if it was embarrassing. This bespeaks the historicity of this tradition rather than its legendary status." (Dr. William Lane Craig, quoted by Lee Strobel, The Case For Christ, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998, p. 293)

In Summary

These lines of evidence: the demonstrable sincerity of the eyewitnesses (and in the Apostles’ case, compelling, inexplicable change), the conversion and demonstrable sincerity of key antagonists- and skeptics-turned-martyrs, the fact of the empty tomb, enemy attestation to the empty tomb, the fact that all of this took place in Jerusalem where faith in the resurrection began and thrived, the testimony of the women, the significance of such testimony given the historical context; all of these strongly attest to the historicity of the resurrection. We encourage our readers to thoughtfully consider these evidences. What do they suggest to you? Having pondered them ourselves, we resolutely affirm Sir Lionel’s declaration:

“The evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

Recommended Resource: The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas.