The Apacolypse of Joel Part 2

Talk to someone

while on the phone.

No idea of discussion.

Part 1

Call the church

to repentance.

Blow the Trumpet

Seek Repentance

organize corporate repentance

Because end is here.

Key verse from last week:

Joel 2:15–17 (ESV)

Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people.

--

Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants.

--

Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people,

--

O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

Joel describes

details of last day

Judgment

Trials

Tribulation

Shaking and Sifting

Outpouring of Holy Spirit

Persecution

Last Plagues

Second Coming

All prefigured in Joel!

Message of Joel:

Blow the Trumpet

wake up

last days

is upon us.

What can we do?

Joel 2:32 ESV

And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

God will have mercy

even through Tribulation.

What is our part?

call on His name.

trust Him.

Some will escape

some will make it

through Tribulation alive.

others will be martyred.

Speaking of Tribulation

Joel has more

apocalyptic language.

Final Crisis

Joel 3:9–10 (ESV)

Proclaim this among the nations: Consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men.

--

Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.”

Dual fulfillment

current crisis

future crisis

Hardship

Trials

Tribulation

Trials of last days.

prediction of coming

trails

conflict

danger

war

Everyone sees it coming.

Prophets and Kings Section 5—In the Lands of the Heathen

The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy positions of trust and authority, thinking men and women of all classes, have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element, and they recognize that something great and decisive is about to take place—that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis.

The Bible, and the Bible only, gives a correct view of these things. Here are revealed the great final scenes in the history of our world, events that already are casting their shadows before, the sound of their approach causing the earth to tremble and men’s hearts to fail them for fear.

People see it coming

weather crisis

economic crisis

meteor

People see it

just don’t see accurately.

We have truth

our community need

to hear it.

Final Harvest

What happens after

the tribulation?

Final Harvest.

Joel 3:13 (ESV)

Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great.

I think

John, in Revelation

alluding to this verse.

Revelation 14:17–20 (ESV)

Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire,

--

and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

--

And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

Destruction during

7 last plagues

and

second coming

Great Controversy (Chapter 39—The Time of Trouble)

These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals.

--

All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy.

It will seem

everyone will die

but God is protecting

His people.

No more martyrs

after close of probation.

No purpose.

God protects.

Millennium in Heaven

God bring people

to heaven

Joel 3:16–17 (ESV)

The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake.

--

But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.

--

And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it.

This is prefiguring

how God protects

His people

after close

of probation.

Literal Israel vs. Prophetic Israel

All of this may

make you think

current

literal war

in literal Israel.

But let us not

get confused

between literal Israel

and Spiritual/Prophetic

Crisis in Israel

current war

US support of Israel

political reasons

theological reasons

both are false.

Many people believe

Millennium earthly

God reigns from Jerusalem.

No...

During Millennium

we are...

Peace in heaven

no wicked.

Not earth

Not Jerusalem

Not Modern Israel

One morning a farmer told his wife that he was going out to pluck the ripen fruits from his field.

He got off to an early start so he could warm up the truck. He needed more petrol, so he went to the store to get it. On the way to the store he noticed the pigs weren’t fed. So he proceeded to the corn crib, where he found some sacks of feed. Beside the sacks were potatoes that were sprouting. Then when he started for the potato pit, he passed the wood pile and remembered that his wife wanted wood in the house. As he picked up a few sticks, an ailing chicken passed by. He dropped the wood and picked up the chicken.

When noon arrived, the frustrated farmer had not even gotten to the truck, let alone to the field. By now, it is very hot. Some ripen fruits have dropped.

Babylonian Confusion

As in the 1st Coming,

so in the 2nd Coming.

Great confusion

most unprepared.

Why?

Looking for wrong

fulfillment of prophecy.

Both Errors

Thinking to Physically.

Thinking of this world.

1st Coming

Expected a Physical King

to Rule Jerusalem

Didn’t happen.

Jesus came as

suffering servant

died on cross

no earthly prosperity

mixed with sinful

mastery in this world.

2nd Coming

Expect Physical King

to Rule Jerusalem

Won’t happen.

Not physical Israel

spiritual Israel

Not physical Jerusalem

spiritual Jerusalem

No Physical Temple

Heavenly Temple

cleansing of heart.

Majority of those

confused at 1st coming

refused to change

were lost.

Let’s not be

foolish as they.

3rd Coming

The true triumphal entry

Revelation 21:1–3 (ESV)

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

--

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

This is the fulfillment

of prophecy from

Zech.

Zechariah 14:3–5 (ESV)

Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east,

--

and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.

--

And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

Notice,

holy ones come with him.

not just angels.

Holy People.

Coming in City

NEW JERUSALEM.

Don’t be fooled.

have nothing to do

with hype about

modern Israel.

Modern Israel

has nothing to do

with last day events

Babylonian Theology!

Confusion from Satan!

Literal Israel

lost Biblical significance

at end of Covenant.

End of 70 weeks

in AD 34.

Daniel 9:24 (NKJV)

“Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression,

To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness,

To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

Purpose of 70 Weeks Prophecy

Probation Closes On Israelite Covenant

Proclamation of Messiah

Opening of Gospel to All

Paul repeatedly

describes Israel’s

current standing:

Galatians 3:26–29 (ESV)

for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

--

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

There is no

such thing as

special nation

covenant with God

in the NT era.

If you are believer

you are Israel.

Political entity of Israel

no longer means

anything to God.

They do matter

as all human beings

just like

Americans

Africans

Palestinians

Filipinos

All others!

Should not have

special prayer time

for Israel

(instead of Palestine)

or Zimbabwe

If you choose to be

political about it

should de-emphasize

Holy Israel.

Do not promote

Babylonian Confusion.

Israel in Revelation

144000

Revelation 7:4–8 (NKJV)

And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:

of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

Not literal

Dispensationalism

OT - for Israel

NT - for Christian Church

End Times - for Isreal

Based on Zech

and 144,000

and promises in OT

Conditional Prophecy

Numerous Promises

in the OT

eternal covenant

word “forever”

Evangelical Support

for Israel Conflict

“God gave them

land forever”

“Have to help them

get land back”

They believe

must rebuild temple

start sacrifices there

before end of world!

Examples of Conditional Prophecy

Jonah and Nineveh

Jeremiah 18:5–10 (ESV)

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

--

If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it.

--

And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.

Let us be clear:

Prophecy is conditional

Prophecy of

blessings

cursings

against person/nation

change based on

sin/repentance.

So it is with Israel

God promised them

many things

that will never

come to pass.

Eternal Covenant

Land given them forever

Protection and Blessing

Covenant People

Holy Temple

Dwell Among Them.

Israel in Rom 11

God has ended

His covenant with them

as a nation.

But as individuals

as people

they can be grafted

back into the covenant.

Words of Jesus

Jesus describes

God’s relationship to Israel:

Matthew 21:33–44 (NKJV)

“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.

--

Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying,

--

‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

--

“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

--

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

--

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

Conclusion?

God cut off

Israel as covenant people.

No future significance.

Don’t get distracted

by false ideas.

If you saw the movie Chariots of Fire, then maybe you remember the great runner Abraham. He had won so many races. His coach held up such discipline. But he finally lost one of the races because he looked to the side. Just as he was about to finish the race he looked to see where the competitor was. His coach said to him, that look cost you the race. He was not single minded on the finish and the prize that lay ahead.

Appeal

Do not focus on Israel

If it happens

If it doesn’t

Looking wrong way.

Focus on Christ

Early Rain

Latter Rain

Revival

Corporate Reformation

Character Development

Gospel Witness

Spiritual Gifts.

These are the issues

of the last days.