The narrow gate

Matthew 7:13-14

13Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.14For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.

We often talk about the narrow road yet we don't talk about what being on the narrow road actually means. The above passage where Jehoshua says to enter into the narrow gate is within the context of His teachings on the sermon on the mount. Many Pastor's leave this out when quoting this passage. Why is this? Because entering the narrow gate is specific to keeping Jehoshua's commandments here in the sermon on the mount. The narrow gate is not about agreeing to certain facts about who Jehoshua is but rather it is actually picking up your cross and following His teachings.

Today many Christian's don't believe that keeping the commandments of the Son of God are a requirement to remain in the faith. Why is this? Jehoshua tells us in the verse right after the above passage:

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep`s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves."

Jehoshua warns people to beware of false prophets within the context of His teachings. These prophets may look and smell like Christian's but they are actually wolves who sre trying to steer people away from the narrow gate of Jehoshua's commandments.

Matthew 16:24

"Then said Jehoshua unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

This statement by Jehoshua eliminates the false dispensaltional teaching that Paul was given a different revelation for the Gentiles that excuses them from having to follow the commandments of the Son of God. Anyone who comes after the Son of God and claims to represent Him must deny themselves, pick up their cross and follow Jehoshua. We are faced with two options, either Paul did what Jehoshua said to do here or he is one of the false prophets warned about in Matthew 7:15.

Thankfully brother Paul did indeed deny himself, pick up his cross and follow Jehoshua. Paul even warns against false prophets who do not consent to the words (doctrine) of Messiah.

1 Timothy 6:3

"If any man teacheth a different doctrine, and consenteth not to sound words, even the words of our Lord Jehoshua Messiah, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;"

The doctrine (instructions) of Jehoshua are according to godliness and Paul goes on to say if any man does not consent to the doctrine of Messiah they are proud, knowing nothing.

Matthew 10:37-38

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.38 And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.

Jehoshua demands absolute loyalty even above family relationships. Our loyalty to Jehoshua will often look like hatred towards our family members. Most professing Christian's simply don't have the stomach for this yet Jehoshua doesn't let them off the hook and even says that they are not worthy of Him because they don't take up their cross which in context is loving Jehoshua more than your children, parents and spouse.

Matthew 11:12

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force."

Entry into the narrow gate of the Kingdom is done with force and it is not a passive type intellectualism. Those who to be part of the Kingdom must step into it with violence and willingly forsake all, pickup their cross and obey the teachings of Jehoshua.

Luke 12:8-9

8 And I say unto you, Every one who shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 but he that denieth me in the presence of men shall be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

To confess Jehoshua is to obey His commandments, to deny Him is to disobey His commandments. To refuse to pick up your cross & follow the teachings of the Son of God is to deny Him.

New Jerusalem, our hope!

Hebrews 12:22-24

22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,23To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,24And to Jehoshua the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

With so much emphasis on earthly Jerusalem by much of the church including the Hebrew roots and Messianic Jews, it's often forgotten that we as new covenant believers are not to look to it at all. Infact, we are told by the author of Hebrews that we come unto the heavenly Jerusalem which is the real and only city of the living God Jehovah. Much of the book of Hebrews contrasts the old covenant worship system of earthly Jerusalem with the far better new covenant worship system which we are told is headqaurtered in New Jerusalem in heaven.

We are told in Hebrews that the true tabernacle is in heaven where the only legitimate High Priest operates His ministry. That High Priest is Jehoshua of the order of Melchizedek. The membership roll call of the church of the firstborn Son of God is in New Jerusalem. Verse 18 says "ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched" which is an obvious reference to the old covenant and earthly Jerusalem. In verse 24 we are told to look to Jehoshua who is the mediator of the new covenant which is signified by the sprinlling of His blood on the mercyseat in heaven and speaks better things than any of the sacrifices of the old testament.

Hebrews 13:12-14

12Wherefore Jehoshua also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.13Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.14For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

The author of Hebrews exhorts the believers to come forth spiritually out of earthly Jerusalem and it's outdated worship system and bear the reproach of Messiah who suffered without the gate of the Jersusalem temple. The author of Hebrews wants the brethren to leave the old covenant worship system and come unto New Jerusalem and the far superior new covenant. Infact, he says that we have no continuing city here (earthly Jerusalem) but we seek one to come (heavenly Jerusalem). The heavenly Jerusalem is what the Son of God promised the believers who overcome, He never promised them earthly Jerusalem:

Revelation 3:12

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."

It is crystal clear that Jehoshua promises us New Jerusalem which will come down out of heaven to the earth after His second advent. If earthly Jerusalem was to be the home of the saints after Jehoshua's return then why doesn't He mention that as the city they will inherit if they overcome? It's quite simple, because earthly Jerusalem has no significance for the saints as we are told we have no continuing city here on earth but we seek one to come which Jehoshua clearly says is New Jerusalem in heaven.

Galatians 4:25-26

25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Paul says that earthly Jerusalem is in bondage along with her children who are still stuck in the old covenant which he eqautes to Hagar and is represented by mount Sinai. Paul says that New Jerusalem which is in heaven is free and is our mother. New Jerusalem represents the liberty we have in Messiah (Galatians 5;1) whereas earthly Jerusalem represents the yoke of the old covenant which tends towards bondage. Why is it that so many Christians and Hebrew roots folks are obessed and/or focused on earthly Jerusalem? Because they have been decieved !

The second advent of Jehoshua Messiah, Revelation 11:15-19

Revelation 11:15-19

15And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become [the kingdom] of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever.16And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped God,17saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast; because thou hast taken thy great power, and didst reign.18And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and [the time] to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth.19And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Verse 15, The seventh angel sounding his trumpet coincides with the kingdoms of this world becoming the Kingdoms of our God and His Messiah. This is when the eternal Kingdom of God comes to earth and He will reign forever as the Kingdom will be handed over to Him from the Son (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

Verse 16, the 24 elders who are likely angels prostrate themselves before Jehovah God and worship Him. The sounding of the seventh angel and the Kingdoms of this world becoming the Kingdoms of God is a cause for the angels to bow to the Father in reverance.

Verse 17, they praise Jehovah God Almighty who art and who wast echoing Revelation 1:4; 1:8 and 4:8 that refer to the Father as the one "who is, who was and who is to come". This shows that the 24 elders are worshipping the Father as Jehovah God Almighty. The seventh trumpet brings in the Kingdom of Jehovah God upon the earth where He will reign forever.

Verse 18, prior to the coming of Jehovah's Kingdom the nations are angry and they have taken counsel against Jehovah and His anointed one (Psalm 2:1). Jehovah will vex the nations in His sore displeasure and pour His wrath out on them. This will be the great and terrible day of Jehovah where the dead will be resurrected and then judged. All the dead will be raised up at one time as Jehoshua states in John 5:28-29.

Those who are in covenant with the Son of God and His Father will be given rewards. Those who are not in covenant with the Son of God and His Father are those who destroy the earth as sins brings death and causes the land to be defiled. It will be those that fear the name of Jehovah God that will be rewarded and to fear Him means to keep His commandments.

Verse 19, in connection with the second advent of Jehoshua Messiah and the day of Judgment is the opening of the temple in heaven in which the ark of the covenant is seen. In the ark of the covenant is the 10 commandments and this is seen in connection being poured out on the nations. This picture is seen in the prophecy of Isaiah 24:

5 The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

We see that the violation of Jehovah's commandments is what causes Him to pour fire out on the earth and it's inhabitants. Contrary to the popular belief that God's 10 commandments are abolished the 10 commandments are seen in the holy of holies in connection with the saints being rewarded and those who destroy the earth being destroyed.

Revelation 22:14-15

14Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.15For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

It is only those that keep God's commandments that enter into New Jerusalem and eat of the tree of life.

The gosple of the Kingdom vs. Hebrew Roots part 2

 

Galatians 2:1-5

1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

² And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

³ But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

⁴ And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

⁵ To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

 

It’s important to remember that there is only one gospel and this is the gospel that was preached by Paul to the Gentiles. Paul went to Jerusalem (Acts 15) and presented his gospel message to the apostles to get confirmation that what he was preaching was of apostolic tradition. Titus was not compelled to get circumcised even though false Judaizing brethren went to Antioch to spy out the brethren’s liberty and put them under the law of Moses which Paul calls being put under bondage (verse 4).

 

Paul states in verse 5 that he did not give the time of day to these Judaizers so that the real gospel would continue in the Gentile churches. The gospel of the Kingdom is a gospel of liberty in Messiah whereas to put oneself under the law of Moses is to be in a yoke of bondage under that law. These false brethren came in privily with stealth to try and rob the church of their freedom in Messiah. This is important to note also as this is usually how deception creeps into churches. Lets now go to that counsel in Acts 15 and see the clear testimony of the apostles concerning the question regarding the law of Moses.

 

Acts 15:1-11

1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

² When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

³ And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

⁴ And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

⁵ But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

⁶ And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

⁷ And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

⁸ And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

⁹ And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

¹⁰ Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

The Hebrew roots controversy is nothing new as brethren from the Jerusalem church were already telling Gentiles that unless they be circumcised according to the law of Moses they could not be saved. We see that Paul and Barnabas did not take kindly to this pervasion of the gospel and disputed with them. In verse 5 after Paul and Barnabas went to the Jerusalem church to resolve this issue, the Pharisee’s that were in the church reiterated that the Gentile brethren had to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses to be saved. Here we see the first Hebrew roots controversy take place, let’s see how it is dealt with.

Verses 6-9, the apostles confer together and after much discussion Peter takes the floor and said that God was putting no difference between the Gentiles and Jews, as both were being purified by faith. Note that Peter didn’t say that their hearts were being purified by the law of Moses. Peter cites Jehovah giving the Gentiles the holy Spirit as evidence that they were on equal footing with the Jews in terms of salvation.

Verses 10-11, this one verse is the kryptonite of the Hebrew roots movement as Peter clearly states that to command the Gentiles to keep the law of Moses is to tempt Jehovah God. They (Judaizers) are tempting God by trying to put the disciples under the yoke of the law of Moses that even the Israelites themselves could not bear. Note that Peter refers to the Gentile believers as disciples too as there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in terms of status before God. Pter says that both Jew and Gentile will be saved by the grace of the Lord Jehoshua Messiah. Grace means “divine gift and benefit, a divine influence upon the heart to lead a holy life”. Grace is God’s free gift to mankind to have relationship with Him and His Son as well as the empowerment of His Spirit to lead a holy life. This gift is given upon faith in the testimony of Jehoshua Messiah (1 John 5).

This should be enough to refute the Hebrew roots movement but just in case some are not satisfied, James the Lord’s brother gives his sentence upon the issue:

Acts 15:13-18

¹³ And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

¹⁴ Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

¹⁵ And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

¹⁶ After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

¹⁷ That the residue of men might seek after Jehovah, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

¹⁸ Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

James in verses 16-17 quotes Amos 9:11-12 which is significant as he is identifying the coming in of the Gentile’s into the church as a fulfillment of bible prophecy that the Kingdom of David is being restored. This is further evidence that there is no separate faith or church for Jew and Gentile but as Jehoshua stated in John chapter 10, they comprise one sheepfold. James makes it clear that Jehovah called out the Gentiles for His name (glory). Please take note that this is without them having been circumcised or keeping the law of Moses. The Gentiles being part of the restored Davidic Kingdom shows that they are kings and priest right along with their Jewish brethren. James said that God had predestined this inclusion of the Gentiles into the Kingdom of David.

James gives his decree:

Acts 15:19-21

 ¹⁹ Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

²⁰ But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

²¹ For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

First Peter makes his statement that to put the Gentiles under the law of Moses is to tempt God and now James the bishop of the Jerusalem church gives his sentence that the Gentiles believers are not be troubled by the Hebrew roots crowd with their attempts to put them under the law of Moses. James gives a few commandments for the gentile’s observe and these touch on elements from the decalogue (10 commandments) in terms of loving God and our neighbor. James statement that Moses is preached in the synagogue every Sabbath day has been used by the Hebrew roots crowd to suggest that James was saying that the Gentiles will learn the law of Moses as they keep gathering on the Sabbath at the synagogues and then start to keep it. However, this is making an assumption as we need to not come to that conclusion without clear testimony. James is simply stating that the law is heard every Sabbath day as these four prohibitions he is giving the Gentiles is nothing different than what the Jews learned every Sabbath as part of the law. Also, potential Gentile converts would have heard these things as they attended synagogue on the Sabbath day. Nowhere here does James say for Gentiles to go to the synagogues and learn more of the law so that they could eventually keep it all. This is absent from the text so the HR crowd have no leg to stand on here. Also, James later makes a statement that refutes their idea that the Gentiles were to learn the law progressively so that they could keep it.

Acts 21:20-21

²⁰ And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

²¹ And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

The rumor going around about Paul, that became an issue, was that he was teaching the Jews who were among the Gentiles that they did not need to keep the law of Moses. The issue here with James had nothing to do with the Gentiles as he says a few verses later (verse 25:

^”As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.”

It is crystal clear that James upholds the Jerusalem council decision in that the Gentiles are not required to observe any such thing (Moses). James restates the things that the Gentiles are required to observe. James says that they wrote and concluded that the Gentiles do not have to observe the law of Moses. The Gentiles not having to keep the law of Moses is the conclusion of the matter according to James. Nowhere in scripture do we see the decision of the Jerusalem council reversed or altered.

If Paul was not teaching Gentiles to keep the law of Moses but yet was teaching them the gospel of the Kingdom then this show that the law of Moses does not equal the gospel of the Kingdom. The Hebrew roots insistence that go back to the law of Moses puts them at odds with the gospel of the Kingdom.

Acts 28:30-31

³⁰ And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,

³¹ Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Paul received all that came to him while he was in prison. This likely included both Jew and Gentile. Verse 31 says he preached to them the Kingdom of God and things concerning the Lord Jehoshua Messiah.

Certainly Paul used the law of Moses and the prophets to prove that Jehoshua was the Messiah

 

Acts 28:23

 

^“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.”

 

If Paul was not preaching the law of Moses and was preaching the Kingdom of God then the law of Moses is not the Kingdom of God. Yet Paul was using the law of Moses to prove that Jehoshua was the Messiah as He did in Berea (Acts 17;10).

 

Galatians 4:21-26

²¹ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

²² For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

²³ But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

²⁴ Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

²⁵ For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

²⁶ But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

 

Paul compares the old covenant and new covenant to two women, Hagar who symbolizes the covenant made at Sinai (Mosaic) and Sarah who symbolizes the new covenant instituted by Jehoshua. The old covenant lends itself to bondage as those who put themselves under it are bound to keep all of it. The new covenant however leads to freedom in Messiah and the law is spiritual rather than by the letter. Earthly Jerusalem represents the old covenant and is currently in bondage with her children i.e. Messiah rejecting Jews who are still trying to be justified by the law of Moses. The new covenant is represented by New Jerusalem which is in heaven and is the mother of us all who are in the new covenant. This means we as believers in Messiah do not look to earthly Jerusalem for a anything but rather New Jerusalem which is where our citizenship is (Philippians 3:20). New Jerusalem is free because its citizens recognize that they are free in Messiah and in a better covenant with better promises. The law of Moses, which is Hagar, genders itself to bondage by placing oneself under a heavy yoke which even the forefathers in Israel couldn’t bear (Acts 15:10). To place oneself under the old covenant is to be outside the new covenant and to have your citizenship in earthly Jerusalem not New Jerusalem. It’s no wonder then that the Hebrew roots crowd follows closely and pins their hopes on what’s going on in earthly Jerusalem. In fact, they almost never mention New Jerusalem and downplay or even mock it’s significance.

 

The author of Hebrews actually tells believers not even to bother with earthly Jerusalem and to come out from her spiritually:

 

Hebrews 13:13-14

¹³ Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

¹⁴ For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

 

The context of this passage is to come out of the abolished Levitical system of worship with its animal sacrifices done in the temple in earthly Jerusalem. The author of Hebrews clearly says that we as believers in Messiah have NO continuing city here, specifically speaking of earthly Jerusalem. For us, we seek the city to come which Jehoshua said is New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven unto the new earth (Revelation 3:12).

 

Galatians 4:30-31

³⁰ Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

³¹ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

 

Paul says that the children of the bondwoman (Hagar) will be cast out and not have inheritance with the freewoman (Sarah). This inheritance is the Abrahamic covenant which is the land grant promised to Abraham that is fulfilled in the new heavens and new earth with New Jerusalem as its capital (Hebrews 11). Those still under the old covenant Mosaic law will not have part in the Kingdom to come because they have rejected the new covenant brought in by the Davidic King Jehoshua. They have chosen to be citizens of earthly Jerusalem and thereby be in bondage rather than citizens of New Jerusalem and thereby free in the Son of God.

 

Paul says that believers in Jehoshua are not children of Sinai i.e. the old Mosaic covenant and earthly Jersusalem but rather children of the freewoman i.e. New Jerusalem which is our mother and the much more glorious new covenant.

2nd Thessalonians 2, the man of sin

2 Thessalonians 2 

 

 1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

² That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

³ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

⁴ Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

⁵ Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

⁶ And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

⁷ For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

⁸ And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

⁹ Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

¹⁰ And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

¹¹ And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

¹² That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

¹³ But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

¹⁴ Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵ Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

¹⁶ Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

¹⁷ Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

 

This passage is key in understanding the timeline of events leading up to the second advent of Jehoshua Messiah. Let’s look at this passage verse by verse:

 

Verse 1, the coming of Jehoshua will happen at the same time as the gathering of the Church. This speaks of the second advent of Messiah and the resurrection of the dead and translation of the living saints. These all happen at the last day according to the Son of God (John chapter 6). A pre-advent rapture to the sky is unbiblical and foreign to scripture.

Verse 2, we are not to fall into the trap of speculation concerning exactly when Messiah will return nor are we to be troubled about the timing of it and let it cause us to be anxious.

Verse 3, Paul warns of deceivers who will try say that the day of Messiah is at hand prematurely. He says there will be a great falling away first before the man of sin is revealed. When did this great falling away occur? Amazingly some people say it is happening now or that it will happen in the future prior to a seven year period before the Son of God’s return to earth. However if you study church history it is clear this falling away began in the 2^nd century culminating in the 4^th century with the union of Church and State with the Roman Empire. This means that the man of sin could have been revealed at any time form the 2^nd century onwards. The man of sin is something I will touch on later in this study just remember that is defined by transgression of the law.

Verse 4, the son of perdition man of sin will oppose God and exalt himself against him and all that He (God) represents. The titles given to the man of sin show clearly that he will be against God’s law as the man of sin is against all that is worshipped. God’s law is a part of worship. In the book of Daniel the little horn is described a sone that thinks to change times and the law (Daniel 7:25). The son of perdition will also sit in the temple of God showing himself as God. Futurists claim that this will take place by a future secular political leader in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. However by this point in time the temple in Jerusalem had ceased being a legitimate place of worship and was no longer God’s temple. All throughout the new testament the temple of God is said to be the church individually and corporately. So this means that the little horn will arise out of the church not out of a secular organization such as a political party. This little horn will claim authority and tiles that only belong to God.

Verses 5-7, Paul identified a restrainer that was holding back this anti-messiah power. The early church believed this to be the Roman emperor/empire. They understood that the little horn had to arise out of the church and that it was unlikely to be revealed until the imperial Roman Empire was taken out of the way since it was an anti-Christian power. The early church posited that this anti-messiah would be one to claim to be the bishop over the whole church. Because the church was held in check by the imperial Roman empire it prevented any bishop from gaining a foothold over the whole church.

Verse 8, It will be the Lord Jehoshua Messiah who will destroy the anti-messiah at His second advent. The bible says the Lord will come in flaming fire with a sword to dash the nations to pieces and cast the anti-messiah into the lake of fire.

 

Verses 9-10, The arrival of the anti-messiah and his coming into power is a work of Satan and signs, wonders and miracles will accompany his rise to power and thereafter. These signs and wonders are done with all deceivableness of unrighteousness meaning they are convincing and alluring. Everything but the kitchen sink will be used to deceive men and women. However, these lying wonders only deceive those who are not begotten above by the Spirit of Jehovah. To be begotten from above by God is to be sealed with His name and protects one from the anti-messiah’s deception that is part and parcel with unrighteousness. These lying sings will be used to promote unrighteousness which is the breaking of God’s commandments (lawlessness).

This is why it is an error to make the anti-messiah future because the very function of the anti-messiah will be lawlessness and this could only relate to God’s commandments because civil laws change all the time and every country has laws so a future political anti-messiah could not be lawless because civil governments aren’t expected to institute biblical law as the law of the land. The lawless factor in terms of prophecy and specifically in this text relates to God’s law not man’s law so the anti-messiah has to be someone who attempts to change God’s commandments. This could not possibly a future anti-messiah as God’s commandments have already been abrogated within the church and theoretically there is no more law of God to change or alter as the Church has said that the law is done away with. If the anit-messaih were future then he could not fulfill the lawless prophecy of attempting to change God’s times and law because this has already been done centuries ago and there is no more law in the church especially the Sabbath which is a law based on time.

Verse 11, it is because the unrighteous deceived ones receive not the truth, which is that God’s commandments still stand, that they are then sent a strong delusion which is the lie that the law is done away with.

Verse 12, the ones that are perishing spiritually believe not the truth and therefore they are damned, meaning they will be cast into the lake of fire. Again, the truth is the opposite of the lie. The lie is that God’s law is done away with and there is no law in the new covenant. The truth is that God’s 10 commandments are eternal and that the Messiah gave us His law in which entrance into the Kingdom will be based on.

Verses 13-15, contrary to the lies of the anti-messiah and those who believe those lies Paul thanks Jehovah God for those who do believe the truth and are sanctified (set apart) by it. It is the Holy Spirit that leads us to all truth and we are called of God when we hear the gospel and receive it by faith. The obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jehoshua is by remaining steadfast in the truth until the last day. The truths that Paul exhorts the brethren to keep are the ones taught by the apostles. We are not to rely on the church fathers, the reformers or anyone else for truth as all truth is found in the doctrine of the 1^st century apostolic church. Paul’s epistle to the Thessalonians seems to be warning of those who would come after and try to change the traditions of the apostles.

Verses 16-17, Paul now gives a benediction from Jehoshua Messiah and God who Paul identifies as the Father. Paul says that the Father and Son have given the church consolation and hope via grace. This hope and consolation finds its ultimate fulfillment in the resurrection at the last day.

 

So what does this tell us about bible prophecy and what the church needs to look out for? I have shown that the man of sin will arise within the temple of God, which in the new testament is identified as the church. I have also proven that the man of sin will bring in lawlessness to the church and do this by the power of Stan through lying signs and wonders. As states this had to have happened in the past because the church has done away with God’s law so there is no more law’s to change. The early church identified the Roman emperor as the restrainer that was holding the revealing of the anti-messiah back. If the Roman empire is no more in existence then that means the anti-messiah has already been revealed. Ask yourself this, who has risen in the church that has attempted to change God’s times and law and claimed titles that are only for God?

The answer is obvious, the Roman Papacy. It was when the Roman empire adopted Christianity as the state religion that the Roman Papacy grew into a continent wide power. However, even long before that the Bishop of Rome was already exercising authority over the western churches and trying to strong arm the eastern churches into following their manmade customs. I will do a study soon on the specifics of how the Roman papacy attempted to change God’s times and law.

The gospel of the Kingdom vs. Hebrew Roots Part 1

 

Luke 16:16

 

^“The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”

 

There is a growing movement out there called “Hebrew Roots”. This movement in effect calls believers to go back to the law of Moses and keep it. There are also other similar movements that do not call themselves Hebrew Roots but have similar beliefs, these would be various forms the Messianic movement including Messianic Judaism.

 

The above verse is very revealing in that the law and the prophets were until the time of John who then started announcing the arrival of the gospel of the Kingdom. There seems to be a distinction made between the dispensation (administration) of the law and the prophets and the gospel of the Kingdom. This is because there is. While the law of Moses is not abolished, as Messiah states shortly after this verse, we as believers in the dispensation of the gospel of the Kingdom are not under its administration.

Luke 16:17

^“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.”

 

What the Messiah is saying in Luke 16:16-17 is that the law and the prophets are brought to their fulfillment with the arrival of the gospel of the Kingdom. The gospel of the Kingdom is indeed a different administration than the law and prophets. Jehoshua fulfills the law in how He lived it out and how He wants us to live it out as taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Jehoshua is the fulfillment of the prophets being the eternal Davidic King promised to his father David. This is why Jehoshua is called the spirit of prophecy in the book of Revelation. Jehoshua is the final revelation of God’s will as the true and final authoritative prophet:

 

Hebrews 1:1-2

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

² Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

 

In effect, what Jehoshua is saying above is that the law and the prophets must now be filtered through Him and His commandments i.e. the Sermon on the Mount and His whole ministry in general. The law of Moses is now filtered through the law of Messiah and the prophets are now understood in light of Jehoshua. The Son of God is fulfilling not nullifying these things. The gospel of the kingdom has arrived in the ministry of the Son of God and its adherents are pressing into it.

 

John 1:17

 

^”For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

 

Moses gave us the law of God but the grace and truth of the law of God was given through Messiah. There is no contradiction here but rather a revelation of the intent of the law by the Son of God. As Paul says the law was our school master to bring us to Messiah:

 

Galatians 3:23-26

 

²³ But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. ²⁴ So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor. ²⁶ For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.

 

The Hebrew roots and parts of the Messianic movement want to bring people back under the tutor that was the Mosaic Law. Paul says that the law was our tutor to bring us to the faith that was hidden in times past but is now revealed in the manifestation of the Messiah onto the scene of Israel as the eternal Davidic King. This is in agreement with what John says above, that the law was under the administration of Moses but now that Messiah has been manifested we are brought into the administration of the grace and truth of that law and thereby according to Paul graduate to sonship.

 

The law of Moses was the guardian of the Israelite nation and then when the faith of the Messiah came that was fulfilled in terms of its administrative authority. We graduate from being servants under the law of Moses to being sons and daughters of Jehovah God. To go back under the law of Moses is to go from being a son or daughter of God to being a servant. Paul even states that the goal of the law is Messiah:

Romans 10:4

^“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

 

This should be understood that Messiah is the goal not end of the law. The law has not been ended in terms of the moral law of Moses. but rather the law pointed to Messiah who lived out the law showing us it’s intent. The law of Moses had its place but now that faith has come in Messiah, who showed us how to live out the law, we are no longer under the tutorship of the law. This would be akin to our secular schooling all throughout K-12, in which once we graduate high school we then are no longer under the school system but we indeed use what we learned in our post schooling life. We will use those things we learned in school for our now post graduate career. We have graduated to a higher plane of society and will need that K-12 schooling as we navigate life but we are no longer under its stringent rules. In fact, now that we are graduated from that system we may not even need to use everything we learned but what we learned will be summed up and at our disposal for life’s situations.

 

The Hebrew roots movement is trying to put people back under the law of Moses yet Paul himself said he is not under the law of Moses but rather under the law of God and Messiah:

 

1 Corinthians 9

 

 ²¹ to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men that I may by all means save some.

 

Paul makes it clear that even though we nor him are under the law of Moses, we are indeed under the law of God and Messiah. This statement is interesting in that Paul now equates the law of God with the law of Messiah. This shows that the law of God is now to be understood within the context of the Messiah most notably His teachings. Paul is not teaching a lawless gospel but rather saying that the law of God is now under the administration of the Son of God not Moses. The law of Messiah entails all that He taught summed up in the Sermon on the Mount. Why is it important to understand this? Because the Sermon on the Mount is essential to the gospel of the Kingdom as it is the constitution of the Kingdom. To put yourself under the law of Moses will then lead to false conclusions regarding what is required of Kingdom Messianics and also it is to inadvertently place Moses above Messiah when the new testament writers say the opposite:

 

Hebrews 3

 

1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus; ² who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house. ³ For he hath been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by so much as he that built the house hath more honor than the house. ⁴ For every house is builded by some one; but he that built all things is God. ⁵ And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken; ⁶ but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.

 

As much glory as was bestowed upon Moses, far greater glory is given to the Messiah Jehoshua as He is the only begotten whereas Moses was a servant in the house of God. Jehoshua as prophesied of the Davidic Branch was to build the new covenant house of God (Zechariah 6:9-15). The author of Hebrews states emphatically that Jehoshua is counted worthy of more glory than Moses, which is in step with what Paul says in 2^nd Corinthians 3 that the old covenant under the administration of Moses was glorious but the new covenant under Messiah far exceeds it in glory.

 

Moses was a servant but the Son of God exceeds that title and is the only begotten Son of God due to Him being the prophesied seed of David. Thereby as a King He has the right to give law which was also prophesied of Him in Isaiah 42:4

 

“He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.”

 

The Davidic King has authority over heaven and earth and to think that He was simply here as a Moses revivalist preacher is to diminish His ministry and who He is as the long awaited Davidic King. Jehoshua gave His law in the Sermon on the Mount and it is this law that the nations wait for. Jehoshua is the banner (ensign) of God’s new covenant house which is the church:

 

Zechariah 6:13

 

“even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

 

Jehoshua will not only build the new covenant temple but He will also bear the glory and be a King-Priest of the temple. This far exceeds Moses.

 

Hebrews 7:11-12

¹¹ If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

¹² For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

 

The cold hard fact is that there has been a change in the law and this change is specific to the Levitical priesthood, animal sacrifices and temple system of worship. With the Levitical priesthood being abolished the law has changed, which affects many aspects of the law of Moses. The feast days come to mind as they were to be held in Jerusalem within the context of the Levitical system of worship and the temple. These two things no longer exist so obviously this affects the requirement to keep the feasts. Certainly, we can celebrate the festivals of Jehovah and their meaning but to require it is outside the new covenant law. Yet this what the Hebrew roots folks do, they command believers in Messiah to keep these days but they absolutely do not have the authority to do so. They are tempting Jehovah God by doing so as Peter stated in Acts 15 regarding the Law of Moses. With no Levitical priesthood it is nearly impossible to determine what would be required to keep the feast without a physical temple. Since neither are around anymore then not one single person living today has the authority to require believers to keep the feast as they themselves wouldn’t know how and where to keep them.

Part 2 of the nature of Christ –Hebrews 1

Now let’s deal with the phrase “the express image of his person”. This phrase has led many to think that Jesus is part of a triune God or at the very least a literal offspring of God in the semi arian sense. I will show here that this phrase has nothing to do with either of the above preexistent views. Again we must remember the context of Hebrews chapter 1, which is about the exaltation of the risen Christ. This is a post resurrection statement about Jesus and is not about some divine nature that He had with the Father from eternity. It’s actually very easy to understand this verse, let’s go back to the book of Genesis chapter 1:

²⁶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 

We as men and women are made in the image of God yet we ourselves are not God nor literal offspring’s of God. God directly created Adam without the normal human birth process but he made Adam from the ground not from His own divine substance. God is Spirit and we as human beings are physical so us being made in His image obviously has to do with moral characteristics. We are also said to be conformed to the image of the Son of God. Let’s look at scripture:

 

Romans 8:29

 

^“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

 

To be conformed to the image of the Son of God obviously has to with character not physical likeness. Earlier in Romans 8 we see this truth of what it means to be a son of God

 

Romans 8:12-14

¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

¹³ For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

 

It is being led by the Spirit and not after the flesh that makes one a son of God, a few verses later is the verse quoted above where Paul says we were predestinated to be conformed to the image of the Son of God. When we live after the Spirit we are called sons of God and conformed to the image of the firstborn Son Jehoshua. By being led by the Spirit we will be the many brethren of Jehoshua. If this is the manner in which we become conformed to the image of Messiah then it also stands that this is how the Messiah is the express image of God in that He lived after the Spirit and not the flesh. Just as we are being conformed to the image of the Son of God daily the Messiah was being conformed daily to the image of God the Father. We see in the book of Hebrews the daily fight that Messiah warred against the flesh.

 

Hebrews 2:10

 

“ For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

 

Jehoshua is the captain of our salvation, what made Him perfect (God’s express image)? Sufferings conformed Him to perfection. This is the same process that purifies us.

 

Hebrews 2:18

 

“For in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succor those who are tempted.”

 

Jehoshua was tempted, which caused suffering in that that He had to deny Himself and submit His will to the Father. This is the same thing we must do i.e. pick up our cross.

 

Hebrews 4:15

 

 ^“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

 

Jehoshua was tempted in all points just like us, proving He was not God who cannot be tempted. These temptations caused suffering in that He had to deny Himself. However, Jehoshua resisted all temptations during His ministry and was without sin. This is how He became the express image of God, because He lived according to the Spirit and not the flesh. The end result of Him resisting temptation was sinless perfection and God is without sin, hence Jehoshua is the express image of God.

 

Did you know that Jehoshua also tells us to be perfect like the Father in heaven?

 

Matthew 5:48

 

“Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

 

In context this is about loving our enemies and overall about Jehoshua’s commandments in the Sermon on the Mount. Jehoshua says that if we do these commandments of His we will be perfect like our heavenly Father which comes us to His image. If doing the commandments of the Son of God makes us perfect like the Father i.e. in His image, then it stands to reason that Jehoshua keeping the commandments of the Father made Him perfect like the Father and hence in the Father’s express image.

 

So being in the image of God has nothing to do with physical characteristics nor visible appearance but rather moral characteristics. Now visibly the Son of God does appear with the glory of God clothing Him but this is because He is now resurrected and on the Father’s right hand as noted previously in part 1 of this study. But guess what, we also will be as the Son of God currently is once we resurrect to glory:

 

1 John 3:2

 

“Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.”

John is saying that one day we will see the resurrected Messiah in His glory (“even as He is”) and we shall even be as He is because we will then be resurrected to immortality just as He had been. At that time we will truly be conformed to the express image of the Son of God, not only in character but in some sense appearance (resurrected glory). The same is true with Messiah as the express image statement is primarily one of character but He also has visible glory that the Father has, yet the Father is that very glory whereas the Son is filled with the Father’s glory. The Son gets His glory from the Father and we will get our resurrection glory from the Son but the Father is the source of both.

 

Let’s touch on a passage that says the Father’s majesty (Godhead) dwells fully in the Son because that passage is used to support the trinity understanding of Hebrews 1:3.

 

Strong's G2320 – theotēs

 

Colossians 2:9

 

“Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the ^[f]rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: ⁹ for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily”

 

The strongs definition of “Godhead” Theotes in the Greek means “divinity”. Paul says that the fulnes of divinity dwells in the body of Messiah. What’s does this mean? Notice that it doesn’t say that Jehoshua is God but that the divinity dwells in Him. We must remember that this is a post resurrection statement. Our Messiah was glorified at His resurrection into an immortal human being. He currently sits at the Father’s right hand on the throne of David dwelling in the unapproachable light of the Father. Also, even during His earthly life, Jehoshua said that the Father dwelt in Him. If the Father dwelt in Him during His earthly life, how much more so in His post resurrected state? The “Godhead” (divinity) is the Father’s divine nature and it dwells fully in the resurrected and glorified Messiah. To say that the verse above supports the trinity doctrine is a wild leap.

 

John 14:10

 

^“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”

 

Jehoshua said that the Father dwelt in Him. Divinity dwelled in the Son of God during His earthly ministry.  The great thing is that we are not excluded from this as Peter says that we are partakers of the divine nature:

 

2 Peter 1:4

 

^“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

 

We as begotten sons and daughters of God are partakers whereas Jehoshua is fully indwelled by the divine (Godhead) nature. Jehoshua obtained this fullness of the divine nature by way of resurrection not by being the second member of the trinity.

 

Colossians 1:18-19

¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstbegotten from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

 

Notice the connection Paul makes with Jehoshua being the firstbegotten from the dead with the Father being pleased that all fullness should dwell in Him. This fullness is the same fullness talked about just a few verses later in chapter 2 which is the fullness of divinity (Godhead). The resurrection is the precise reason that Jehoshua now has the fullness of divinity in Him and not because of some preexistent divine nature whether in the Trinitarian or Semi-Arian sense.

 

Back to John 14, just before Jehoshua said that the Father dwelt in Him in verse 10, He told Thomas in verse that if you have seen me you have seen the Father:

 

“Jehoshua saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?”

 

If Jehoshua was not the Father how could He have told Thomas this? Because He was doing the works of the Father which were possible due to the Father dwelling in Him and hence He was the express image of God.  Being the express image of God was not really due to outwardly looking like God for God is Spirit and Jehoshua is a human being but rather it is because Jehoshua perfectly displayed the Father’s character. Jehoshua was keeping the Father’s commandments and doing the good works of the Father and loving like the Father, so in Jehoshua people saw the express image of Jehovah God.

 

Hebrews 1:4

 

“having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they.”

 

Verse 4 in context is talking about the resurrection of the Messiah as verse 3 states. Verse 3 is what this study is about. The son of God becoming so much better than the angels is in context referring to His resurrection.  Becoming better than the angels is not about the Messiah’s birth because chapter 2 says that Jehoshua was made lower than the angels when He was born.

 

Hebrews 1:9

 ^“But we behold him who hath been made ^[f]a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man.”

If Jehoshua was made lower than the angles at His birth then Him being made better than the angels was at His resurrection as the context of Hebrews 1 dictates.

 

Verse 4 that states Jehoshua was made better than the angels by way of resurrection per the context comes right after Him being described as being the express image of the Father. Again, it is crystal clear that these are both said to be in regards to the resurrection and exaltation of the Messiah to the right hand of God thereby these phrases have nothing to do with preexistence or the trinity.