A. 1d,§1-3
Book Revelation §1,2,3, Churches: John the Baptist of the End-Time
Shalom,
^ The word for angel in the New Testament I discussed already (1b§1-3, Rev. 2:1).
Miraculously, in the Hebrew Old Testament, a similar word ‘malak’ is used, which has almost two identical meanings, messenger and angel, and also its literal basic meaning is messenger. The connection is also perfectly clear when connected to each other. In both places there is talked of John the Baptist, Mal. 3:1a, <“Behold, I will send My messenger (/angel), who will prepare the way before Me. ….”>
^ And in the New Testament, Mat. 11:10, <”…. This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger (/angel) ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’ ….”>
Prayer of them who discipline their own bodies (1Cor. 9:27), Bert
¤ Already two thousand years ago, God knew that before the Second Coming of Jesus, believers would not be well prepared. He had known the same thing before the First Coming of Jesus. His own people of the kingdom tribe Judah had not been ready to welcome Him. That is why John the Baptist had to come.
In his time John the Baptist had gotten the people of Jerusalem and of the countryside of Judea on the move. It had been a special and big revival just before Jesus Christ began His life mission. Every Jew had begun to feel a sting in his heart. Even the spiritual leaders of the country, although he had criticized them sharply (e.g., Mat. 3:1-12).
¤ John’s task had been to turn the hearts of the fathers and forefathers of the Jewish people to the children, that is, to Jesus and His first apostles, Luke 1:17, <“…. And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”>
What was God’s best solution then is still His best solution. God does not change. Just as in Old Testament times He had almost always used only one great prophet at a time (cf. Eccl. 3:14-15).
¤
¤ The mission of the Elijah of our day is found in the last verses of the Old Testament. It is the same turning back of the hearts of the fathers and forefathers of the Jewish people. But beyond that, he must turn the hearts of the Christians to Jesus and His apostles, according to Mal. 4:1-6, <“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, ….” says the LORD of Hosts. …. 4. “Remember the law of My servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances I commanded him for all Israel at Horeb. 5. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD. 6. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”>
After the ages of the churches, the time period of the greater tribulation begins, at the end of which the whole earth will burn like an oven. The prophet Malachi had in his time spoken to the Jewish people. Among other things, that's why is talked about the Law of Moses. Then with the ministry of John the Baptist the Old Testament and its Law were sealed (Mat. 5:17-20; Luke 16:16-17).
¤ The bride church will soon be caught away {1The. 4:13-5:2 (2a§45)}.
Next, God’s Law Covenant with the Jewish people will be replaced by a new Heart Covenant (Jer. 30 and 31).
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¤ Many revival movements say that there are still big revivals in the Third World. In this way, it is denied that an apostasy would have already begun. It is one of the signs/conditions before the Presence of the Lord Jesus on the clouds. Thus, it would not yet be the right time for all the changes, among others the appearing of the Antichrist (the child of perdition), 2The. 2:3b-4aa, <For (that day shall not come) until the apostasy have first come, and the man of lawlessness, the child of perdition, have been revealed, 4aa. that adversary,>
Anyway, those revivals are not that big. In Korea, for example, there would have been a huge revival throughout the 20th century. Yet today all Christians in South Korea together make up less than a third of the population. Growth has almost stalled and young people have started to leave the church. And North Korea is the most horrific dictatorship in the world. For Christians and their family members it means genocide.
¤ In Europe, all Christians were a total of almost 100% of the population. Now only a couple of percent believes in the Lord Jesus and reads the Bible regularly. Also here the evolution theory was devised, which turned the elite worldwide away from the Christian culture {cf. Darwin (9j§89₁156)}.
We live very close to the rapture of the believers before the horrors of the greater tribulation time. And again, we can ask ourselves why the Elijah of our time has not yet come? As Peter, James and John suddenly noticed when Jesus was already talking about His being killed (Mat. 16:21-) 17:10b (-17:13).
¤ And that would not be our only question.
Where Jesus Christ of our day can be found? That important question had raised up the last time (Rev. 3:20a).
¤ Peace has been promised to us (cf. Rev. 3:20b).
Which only comes when we are zealous and approve God's discipline (Rev. 3:19).
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