~~ by James Fire
Bible scholars and theologians study with a methodology known as Systematic Theology. This is a study that organizes biblical subjects and topics into categories that makes it more accessible and easier to study and understand.
Some of the subjects in Systematic Theology are such as follows:
Soteriology - the study of salvation.
Pneumatology - the study of the Holy Spirit
Ecclesiology - the study of the church.
Christology - the study of the Person of Jesus Christ.
Eschatology - the study of prophetic last things and events.
And many others subjects...
One subject however is missing in any version of Systematic Theology you might look at:
Take your Bible and find Genesis chapter 12 and place your thumb there; now find Acts chapter 2 and place your finger there and pick up your Bible holding it in between these two chapters.
There are a lot of pages there between your two digits! What primary (among hundreds of secondary others) subject that this section deals with? ISRAEL!
Do you suppose that Israel is important to God?
You would sure think so, judging by how much Scripture He has given that deals with this nation (and there is a lot more said about Israel well past Acts chapter 2 as we shall soon see)!
Read more!
~ By James Fire
Once again we shall delve into the Scriptures and learn what we may, by the grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, our Teacher (EPH 4: 20-21) concerning the nation of Israel and God’s plan for them, a glorious plan which shall be revealed (I believe) quite soon and for which the Gentile nations shall (in that Day) glorify “God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward [all] men” (LUKE 2:14).
Israel Replaced?
As mentioned previously, the false doctrine of Replacement Theology has produced a rather skewed view of Scripture and often muddies its clarity with the distinctions between Israel and the church – these two entities have different origins, different missions and different destinies.
Read more!
~ By James Fire
Attitude is Everything –
A very dangerous attitude to hold is esteeming our own seemingly immediate and urgent priorities to usurp those priorities esteemed by God.
During the days of Jesus, Israel wanted their Messiah to come as the Lion of Judah and deliver them from the oppressive enslavement to Rome.
Yet God’s priority was far more important – to deliver them from the oppressive enslavement to sin and death and their inevitable consequence: eternal damnation.
And so the Messiah came not as the Lion of Judah but as the Lamb of God to die for the sin of the world (JOHN 1:29); He did not arrive as the Avenger of Blood, the kinsman Goel and the warrior Messiah as was prophesied and desired by the Jews, but as a lowly carpenter rabbi who spoke of love, even loving one’s enemies, and admonishing his followers to turn the other cheek, bless them that curse them and to pick up their crosses (instruments of capital punishment in those days, right?) and follow Him.
Scripture prophesies both aspects of the Messiah – He is both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God, but are only revealed in accord to God’s priorities, not man’s. The LORD Jesus was all about the kingdom of God, not subjecting earthly kingdoms to His rule – not yet (DAN 2:34-35, 44-45)! Likewise we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (MATT 6:33) and conduct ourselves properly as its citizens.
Read more!
~~ By James Fire
In this fifth (and also a final sixth) article in this series, I will examine the book of Revelation and see if I can spot the church in any duration of time contained within Daniel's 70th week, and further take a look at passages in the New Testament that would seem to encourage the church to expect Christ's return (for His bride) at ANY MOMENT! And why, if the rapture is biblical, hasn't the church taught it for the majority of its existence?
I have provided in this article, a couple of links that I have found useful in understanding various aspects of the rapture of the church, one of these from Dave Hunt and Tom McMahon, the other from Chuck Missler.
Read more!
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