…The choice then, as you rightly suggest, is between fullness in the sense of time, or fullness in the sense of maturity. Either would make sense, as both are true. But I agree with you that it seems more likely that Paul is referring to the same event that Jesus has in mind in Lk 21:24 where the language is remarkably similar. Paul believed with Jesus that the age ends with the day of the Lord, which accomplishes at once the end of Gentile dominion and the restoration of captive Israel (the grafting in again of the ‘natural branches’). Moreover, seeing the term ‘fulness of the Gentiles’ as a time that ends with the coming of the Deliverer out of Zion at the day of the Lord makes better sense of Paul’s much disputed phrase, “And so (‘at this time’, or ‘in this way’?) ‘ALL’ shall be saved” (Ro 11:26).
Apocalyptic Evangelism
The idea of the course was to recover the context of the apocalyptic gospel of the first century as a call to flee to Christ from the wrath to come, and thus make personal appropriation of the messianic salvation in expectation of the imminence of Jersualem’s destruction, which represented the imminent tribulation to first century Jewish expectation. Well, we are there again. We have come full circle. We stand and witness once more under the shadow of an imminent world disaster over Jerusalem. Thus the same issues that confronted first century Israel are back in the forefront.
Women and Prophecy
[…] I believe a woman’s glory, which is no less than a man’s, is to be worship-fully and willingly submitted to what God has chosen in precisely the way He has chosen it. And to bear whatever yoke that comes without complaint or chaffing in resigned trust of the perfect wisdom of His sovereign decree. Of course, it is no different for the man, since he is no less ‘under authority’. But until the final perfection, God has ordained an equality and dissolution of all distinction in one place only, namely, “in Christ” / “in the Spirit”. In the meantime, and while this creation continues through to the end of the millennium, He has chosen to leave certain distinctions and differences in the creation for the sake of His demonstration and statement to the principalities and powers. One of those distinctions is between male and female. Another is the one He has established between Jew and Gentile. Those distinctions form no barrier in Christ, but are left in the creation for the sake of a needful contrast that shows the true nature of unity through the Spirit. […]
The Nature of the Prophetic in Israel and the Church
… If there were occasions where one of the prophets would predict what would happen in an individual person’s life, this was certainly the exception and not the norm. For the larger part, the prophets were led to declare the future experience of the nation based on the law of the blessing and the curse revealed in the covenant. You might say they were the enforcers of Moses. Prophecy was a phenomenon that operated within the context and framework of the covenant. The Hebrew prophets of Israel were in continuity with the Spirit in Moses (“a prophet like unto me”) pointing on to the ultimate prophet like unto Moses, namely, Jesus. Their concern was to guard the covenant for the sake of the nation’s witness to the truth and glory of the God who elected them to that end. I think it is much the same with prophets that the Lord has given the church. Their principal concern is not to predict happenings in the personal lives of individuals, but the focus is on the spiritual health, direction, and obedience of the corporate body in their particular locality of witness. …
The Church’s Prophetic Witness As Key to Israel’s Survival
… Far from being the “Ark of Safety” (a term used by many to encourage the present ‘Aliyah’), the Land will be the first target and greatest concentration of Antichrist fury. We have this burden that it is critical that believers in the Land today understand that Jewish survival will depend on escape into surrounding wilderness locations (Isa 26:20; Dan 11:41; Mt 24:16). This message will have a direct bearing on the physical survival of the elect remnant of Israel. It is the responsibility of a prophetically instructed church (Dan 11:33) that has taken seriously the Lord’s command to pay attention to Daniel (“Let the reader understand”, Mt 24:15). Ultimately, it will be seen that many were saved alive through the words of Jesus directing His disciples (the church) to pay attention to Daniel. To Him be all the glory that a people were alerted and prepared to direct Jews not only to the urgency of flight, but also to the testimony of Jesus (“the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” Rev 19:10). …
“Purpose” and the Lamp of Prophecy
The want of purpose, particularly eternal purpose, is the world’s great crisis. We have something here that the world desperately needs. If we are debtors to all men, then it behooves us to prepare to give answer for the hope that is in us. Such basic preparation does NOT require great mastery of all the details, or solutions for every difficulty, but just sufficient competency in the prophetic scriptures to make the miracle of prophecy known and accessible to the average person. It is a powerful tool that has been too neglected in our approach to evangelism. Showing the gospel from the evidence of fulfilled prophecy was the ‘modus operandi’ of the early church. That’s my heart for a course of study that some friends are working with me to put together.
Regeneration and Indwelling in the Old Testament
…At Pentecost it became clear that the Spirit promised in connection with the coming day of the Lord had come ‘already’ in unexpected advance of that day. Now it could be seen that the Spirit and the new baptism of power and life is inextricably bound to the new revelation of Jesus as the Messiah and mediator of the everlasting righteousness. It could now be seen that only the righteousness provided through the cross of Christ can avail for an everlasting justification (But how then were Old Testament saints justified if not by same precious blood?). Hence, the Spirit becomes the sign that seals and vindicates God’s once and for all acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice, who is now shown as the exalted Servant and Lord over all. …
The Glorious Reconciliation of Arab & Jew
… After his long night of wrestling (Jacob’s trouble) with the Angel of the Lord, Jacob goes out with a limp (touched in the thigh of his strength) to meet Esau, the brother of the blood oath, who now falls on his neck with kisses and weeping. What a picture! So when Jacob has come to an end of his power (Deut 32:36; Dan 12:7), he will find the implacable hatred of his estranged and outraged brother has also come to its end in a glorious day of reconciliation and healing in the face of Jesus Christ. …
One or Two Peoples of God: Reflections on the Mystery of Israel and the Church
… It is correct to distinguish between the ‘Israel after the flesh’ and the church. But dispensationalism incorrectly divides between the seed of Abraham after the Spirit, saying that saved Jews before Pentecost and saved Jews living in the millennium do not belong to the church. In this way, there are two distinct ‘regenerate’ peoples of God belonging to two eternally distinct entities with different destinies. This constitutes a false view of the nature of the church. Hence, they fail to see that those of the natural seed of Abraham that are predestined for national salvation at Christ’s return will be as much a part of the body of Christ on earth as any living now before the Lord’s return. It is a question of what defines the church. …
Books: “An Alternative to Left Behind Eschatology”
[…] You happen to have caught me just as I am working through one of the first books I’ve had the pleasure of reading in quite a while. I think its one that you would particularly enjoy, if only for its ability to revive some of the themes of mutual interest in eschatology. Its “A Case for Historic Premillennialism; An Alternative to Left Behind Eschatology,” edited by Craig Blomberg and Sung Chung.
I’ll forward this recommendation to our larger group of friends with the caution that it is academic in character and approach, and might seem tedious to some. I suggest that any that think they might be interested first go on line to Christianbook.com, or Amazon.com, and check out the table of contents and read some excerpts before buying.
By no means is this a blanket endorsement to such a diversified collection of essays. It is only some iron that may sharpen those that have a specialized interest, or that labor and in this field. One of the essays might be of particular interest for those interested in a concise historical survey of Jewish views of the after life and the ‘messianic age’. It will inform but sadden. […]
