According to the generally accepted interpretation, the
brass serpent, which Moses lifted up in the desert, is a prototype of
the crucified Jesus Christ. This is not true. One of the reasons for the
misinterpretation is the synod translation, which, by distorting the
Word of God, leads a person away from the truth. The LORD told Moses to
make a FIERY serpent; this feature should already prompt a person to
look at this prototype differently. The second reason is a
misunderstanding of the prophetic meaning of the verses. To understand
this question, it is necessary to consider the context of Scripture, to
find out what time the Author of Scripture is talking about? Next, it is
necessary to find in the Scriptures the prototypes that are relevant to
this event. And only after that it will be possible to draw the right
conclusion. I remind you that we are considering only the prophetic
meaning of the verses.
According to another generally accepted interpretation,
Jesus Christ will be in Jerusalem throughout the 1000 years of peace.
This is also incorrect. People, not understanding the Word of God, do
not know anything about the second Anointed One. But He is the One who
will be King and Priest in Jerusalem in the future 1000 years of peace.
As for Jesus Christ, having ascended to the third heaven, He will sit at
the right hand of God (1Pet.3:22), “on þe right hand of the Maiestie
on high” (Heb.1:3) (KJV1611).
We will investigate some of the types from the books of
the Old Testament, and make sure of their prophetic meaning. By showing
the sequence of future events, they complement them with details in
their own way.
“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus”
To understand the prophetic meaning of the brass serpent
raised aloft, it is necessary to consider the relevant context of two
Scriptures, in the 21st chapter of the book of Numbers and in the 3rd
chapter of the book of the Gospel of John.
In the Gospel of John (with the exception of the first
chapter), we are shown the events following the marriage and accession
of Jesus Christ. In the first chapter, we are briefly shown the events
of the harvest time, and the chapter ends with the second coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus says to Nathanael, and prophetically this
Scripture addresses the people of Israel: “You shall see “heaven
open, and the Angels of God ascending, and descending vpon the sonne of
man” (John.1:51) (KJV 1611).
The prophetic meaning of the verses of the first two
chapters of the Gospel of John is set out in the work “An holy Temple in
the Lord”, chapter “A mariage in Cana of Galilee”. And the prophetic
context of the first verses of the third chapter of the Gospel of John
was considered in the same work, in the chapter “This is a great
mystery”.
In the third chapter, through the communion of Jesus with
Nicodemus, we are shown the communion of the Church of God, which
descended from heaven to Earth, with the people of Israel. Jesus in
conversation says: “We speak that we doe know, and testified that wee
haue seene” (John.3:11). And Nicodemus also expresses the opinion of
many people: “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God”
(John.3:2). Israel will be taught to understand the Word of God and
thereby receive a new birth. They will be born “of water and of the
spirit” (John.3:5) (KJV 1611). After three months, the Lord Jesus
Christ and His Church will have to return “to her owne house”
(Luke.1:56), to Heavenly Jerusalem. And so, in the words of Jesus, the
Scripture begins the story of the heavenly:
“And no man hath ascended vp to heauen, but hee that came
downe from heauen, euen the Sonne of man which is in heauen.”
(John.3:13)
The Israelites will see the whole host of heaven rising
into the sky on white horses. To indicate this event, Scripture refers
to the Old Testament episode in the words of Jesus when Moses lifted up
the serpent in the desert. Why did the Author of Scripture choose the
image of a serpent and even with the condition that it could be seen
from afar by all the people, since serpents are mysterious and
terrifying animals in the world? The Israelites, having become “eye
witnesses of his Maiestie” (2Pet.1:16) (KJV1611), will have to
proclaim to the Gentiles the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
in the new 1000 years of peace. Well, the image of a serpent indicates a
phenomenon whose power, according to physical law, is capable of lifting
into the air a multimillion-strong army consisting of horsemen on
horseback. The lifting force of the vortex will be used for ascent.
In the lower layer of the Earth's atmosphere, vortices
continuously appear and disappear. Cyclones are huge vortices, the
diameter of which can often reach several thousand kilometers. An
atmospheric vortex with low pressure in the middle and air circulation
in a spiral resembles the coils of a serpent. Its air currents rush
upward from the surface of the Earth.
The ascent of a multimillion-strong army into the sky
will look to an eyewitness like a whirlwind of flaming fire rising into
the sky. Rapidly increasing in diameter, it will be similar in size to a
cyclone. Entering the whirlwind on the periphery, riders on horses in a
fiery flame will rush towards the center until the entire host of heaven
rises into the sky. This fiery whirlwind in the sky will resemble a
moving serpent on a pole.
Why did the LORD instruct Moses to make the FIERY
serpent? The following verses explain this issue: THE LORD God
“maketh his Angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire”
(Heb.1:7), (Ps.104:4) (KJV1611).
In verse 14 of chapter 3 of the Gospel of John, we are
figuratively shown a terrible splendor - Jesus Christ and His Church
leave the Earth, from now on He and the Church are one. In this Majesty
will dwell “all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily” (Col.2:9).
Some heathen will rush to see the Lord Jesus Christ.
They, who just yesterday cursed the King, will be among the first to
come out to meet Him to beg His forgiveness. Scripture says in the words
of the Pharisees: “Behold, the world is gone after him”
(John.12:19) (KJV1611). The eyes of the whole world will be turned to
Him, and no one will worship idols. Jesus' triumphal entry into
Jerusalem (John.12) foreshadows His second coming. Scripture says in the
words of Jesus: “The houre is come, that the Sonne of man should be
glorified” (John.12:23) (KJV1611). Now it is clear what kind of
glorification we are talking about here.
Ҧ And as Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse:
euen so must the Sonne of man be lifted vp:
That whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but
haue eternall life”
(John.3:14-15)
“And I, if I be lifted vp from the earth, will draw all
men vnto me”
(John.12:3)
The prophetic meaning of verses is usually hidden from
the reader, and only a person who trusts the Word of God understands it.
“And the LORD said vnto Moses”
Now consider this type in the context of the verses of
chapter 21 of the book of Numbers. Let's start with verse 7, in which we
are shown the repentance of the people of Israel on the eve of the
second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is said:
“We haue sinned:... pray vnto the LORD.”
Ҧ Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We haue
sinned: for wee haue spoken against the Lord, and against thee: pray
vnto the Lord that hee take away the serpents from vs: and Moses prayed
for the people”
(Numbers.7:21)
And in order for them to believe Jesus Christ, they will
be given to see Him in glory.
“And the Lord said vnto Moses, Make thee a fierie
serpent, and set it vpon a pole: and it shall come to passe, that euery
one that is bitten, when hee looketh vpon it, shall liue.
And Moses made a serpent of brasse, and put it vpon a
pole, and it came to passe, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when
hee beheld the serpent of brasse, he liued.”
(Numbers.21:8-9)
In the following verses we are shown a believer in the
future 1000 years of the peace. We are shown how he, a believer in Jesus
Christ, unwittingly commits sin, but at the same time does not lose his
salvation, eternal life.
It was said, “...and it came to passe, that if a
serpent had bitten any man, when hee beheld the serpent of brasse, he
liued.” (Num.21:9) (KJV1611). And every person living in sin, that
is, “euery one that is bitten,” will receive eternal life in the
future 1000 years of the peace, if he believes in Christ (Num.21:8) and
changes accordingly. It is said: “when hee beheld the serpent of
brasse, he liued.” Scripture says in the words of Jesus: “...him
that commeth to me, I will in no wise cast out.” (John.6:37). He
will be resurrected on the last day. Here quotes can be safely taken
from the book of the Gospel of John; such statements are the doctrine of
the future 1000 years of the peace. This is the time of grace—victory
will be given to those who believe, and they will be justified freely.
Moreover, finding the path leading to life will be much easier than in
times of ignorance.
In the future 1000 years of the peace, Christians will
believe in Jesus Christ, who received power and authority, and was taken
up into heaven in glory, and not crucified on the cross.
“While ye haue light, beleeue in the light, that ye may
bee the children of light. These things spake Iesus, and departed, and
did hide himselfe from them”
(John.12:36) (KJV1611).
Knowing the prophetic meaning of the verse, I would like
to supplement it with the statement: he departed, and did hide himself
from them in a fiery whirlwind.
Let me remind you that at present the Great Victory has
not been achieved, because there was no war in heaven - the devil and
his angels still feel free in heaven (Rev.12:7,8), and there is no
victory without a battle. Let me also remind you that Jesus Christ has
not yet reigned and achieved perfection in marriage, and the barrier
between God and man has not yet been destroyed.
So, the Church will gain the ability to fight and win
when she destroys this barrier, and having won the Victory, she will
receive the righteousness of the Saints.
The DAY of Pentecost (December 28, 2069) will be the most
important event in the history of mankind - Christ, “being made
perfect,” will become “the authour of eternall saluation vnto all
them that obey him” (Heb.5:9) (KJV1611). Currently, there are
exactly 46 years left until this Great Victory.
Having understood this type, we now know what that brass
serpent looked like on Moses' pole in the desert. There are many
different pictures on this topic on the Internet, but there is only one,
or two correct images of the serpent that Moses lifted up in the desert.
The reason is ignorance of the Word of God.
Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will begin
with the Battle of Armageddon (Rev.16:16). By that time, the devil and
his angels will be thrown to Earth. It is said, “Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth, and of the sea” (Rev.12:12) (KJV1611). To
establish peace on earth, the beast and the false prophet will be
destroyed, and all the rebel people who gathered for battle in Israel
will be destroyed as well. Only very unhappy, weak and poor people will
remain on earth (Zeph.3:12) (KJV1611).
The last to be eliminated is the devil. He will be
eliminated temporarily - this “textbook” will be needed in a thousand
years to test those living on earth for the last time (Rev.20). But the
unclean spirits that come out of the deep to earth on the eve of the
second coming of the Lord will remain on earth to harm people.
Concerning the host of the beast, which will be gathered
together for battle from all the world, Scripture says, “Hee that
sitteth in the heauens shal laugh: the LORD shall haue them in derision”
(Ps.2:4). The rebels will be located in the Armageddon Valley. The
LORD God will allow them to gather and go forth to show His power, and
so that His Name may be proclaimed in all the earth (Rom.9:17).
They will be crushed by the great Prince Michael. For
this, a small part of the heavenly army will be enough for Him. After
all, the entire army of heaven (the Church of God) will form an army of
many millions. It is said, “...his campe is very great”
(Joel.2:11). Scripture allows us to estimate the relationship of these
quantities: “the stone was cut out of the mountaine” (Dan.2:45).
A clear prototype of this battle is Gideon’s attack on
the Midianite camp. All of Gideon’s soldiers were to sound the trumpets
at a signal, then break the earthen jars so that the light of the lamps
could be seen, and shout, “The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon”
(Judges.7:20).
The great Prince Michael will come in a descending fiery
whirlwind - “a great whirlewinde shall be raised vp from the coasts
of the earth” (Jer.25:32). Its size and destructive power will be
like that of a giant tornado. One can imagine how suddenly, at night, a
huge fiery “trunk” will appear from the open sky, like a tornado from a
black cloud. Now we see how it approaches the Earth and darkness sets in
everywhere. “The LORD shall roare from an high... against all the
inhabitants of the earth” (Jer. 25:30). From these thunderous words,
heaven and earth will shake, and in the camp of the rebels there will
begin “a great tumult from the LORD” (Zech.14:13) - all of them,
losing their minds, will begin to fiercely fight each other. And so,
when they are still standing on their feet, fighting, a fiery whirlwind
will overtake them - all people and animals will instantly freeze in
motion in their places, turning into mummies.
Ҧ And this shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will
smite all the people, that haue fought against Ierusalem: their flesh
shall consume away, while they stand vpon their feete, and their eyes
shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away
in their mouth.
And it shall come to passe in that day, that a great
tumult from the Lord shalbe among them, and they shall lay holde euery
one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise vp against the
hand of his neighbour”
(Zech.14:12-13)
The army of the rebels will be broken “in pieces like
a potters vessell” (Ps.2:9), and in the place where they just stood
there will be scorched earth. The entire valley will be filled with a
great many decayed corpses of people and animals. Birds will flock from
everywhere and devour their flesh (Rev.19:21).
“For behold, the Lord wil come with fire, and with his
charets like a whirlewinde, to render his anger with furie, and his
rebuke with flames of fire.
For by fire and by his sword, will the Lord plead with
all flesh: and the slaine of the Lord shalbe many”
(Is.66:15-16)
Scripture says that “his wrath is kindled but a
little” (Ps.2:12).
In the coming millennium of peace, all people will be
coming to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts
(Zech.14:16-19). And every time, returning from Jerusalem, they will
pass by one vile place with the remains of people. They “shall not be
lamented, neither gathered nor buried, they shall be doung vpon the
ground” (Jer.25:33). This will be the very place where the people
who rebel “against the LORD, and against his Anoynted” will one
day camp (Ps.2:2).
“And they shall goe foorth, and looke vpon the carkeises
of the men that haue transgressed against me: for their worme shall not
die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an
abhorring vnto all flesh”
(Is.66:24)
Eternal fire was primarily prepared for the devil and his
angels. But the first visitors to the lake of fire, burning with
brimstone, will be the beast and the false prophet. And after them will
come those who will gather together “to make warre against him that
sate on the horse, and against his armie” (Rev.19:19). It is said:
“...for their worme shall not die, neither shall their fire be
quenched.” This will be the second death.
The “peaceful” inhabitants of the earth who cursed the
King and threatened Him would deserve death. Understanding this, they
will be the first to come out to meet Him, begging Him for forgiveness,
and will be pardoned. But they, for the most part, “vnto the day of
their death” will not hear His voice and will not open the door to
Him (Rev.3:20). It is said that He “... fed them, but went not in
vnto them” (2Sam.20:3). They will live only on one condition: that
they will never go against Jerusalem again.
The gigantic panorama of countless people, “frozen” in
their madness, will serve for many years as a silent warning: “Take care
of yourself so that this fate does not befall you.” The picture of
terrible punishment, frightening them, will restrain them from evil, but
subsequently loses its power.
“for he is strong that executeth his word”
In the book of the prophet Joel, the second coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ is supplemented with some details. His Army consists
of riders on horses, arrayed in battle formation. Their appearance is
that of flaming fire.
“A fire deuoureth before them, and behind them a flame
burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them
a desolate wildernes, yea and nothing shall escape them.”
(Joel.2:3)
“And the LORD shall vtter his voyce before his armie, for
his campe is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for
the day of the LORD is great and very terrible, and who can abide it?”
(Joel.2:11)
Notice that Joel's vision and John's vision in the book
of Revelation complement each other. The Lord, who give up His voice
before His army, stands in the Sun. The Sun is a prototype of the Church
of God, which is His Body.
“And I saw an Angel standing in the Sunne, and hee cried
with a lowd voyce, saying to all the foules that flie in the midst of
heauen, Come and gather your selues together vnto the supper of the
great God”
(Rev.19:17)
The mighty “that executeth” His word is shown to
us sitting on a white horse, “hee doth iudge and make warre”
(Rev.19:11). This is the great Prince Michael (Dan.10:21), the armies of
heaven will follow Him. He will “smite the nations,” and in the
future 1000 years of the peace, “he shal rule them with a rod of
yron” (Rev.19:15). Why such severity towards the heathen? The era of
degeneration will reach its culmination. By that time God will have
raptured the best: called, & chosen, and faithfull. People who saved
their lives will remain on earth, but at what cost? Initially, fearing
to leave their comfort zone, they will compromise with their conscience,
and then more. Only a person who voluntarily renounces his rights and
freedoms and comes to terms with this will be able to survive “the
power of darkenesse” (2066-2069), having actually become a slave of
the beast, deprived of sanity and prudence. This kind of worthless
society, the prototype of which is Shimei (2Sam.19:23), will enter the
future 1000 years of the peace. But “they shall trust in the Name of
the LORD” (Zeph.3:12).
The fact will become obvious - the heathen are a public
that will need to be kept with a tight rein. Therefore, the peoples will
be under supervision and in severity - they allowed themselves to be
deceived, they allowed the beast to seize power, and therefore they were
unable to maintain peace.
When David returned to his home in Jerusalem, and he took
ten concubines, whom Absalom had defiled, and “put them in ward, and
fed them, but went not in vnto them: so they were shut vp vnto the day
of their death, liuing in widowhood.” Scripture, on behalf of the
Lord, speaks reproachfully about all the nations living on earth, whom
He “had left to keep the house” (2Sam.20:3), but they worshiped
the beast and his image, and received the mark of his name.
The people of Israel will see the greatness and divinity
of the Lord Jesus Christ, not at His coming, but when He is lifted up
from them in glory. After all, He will come to teach them understanding,
and they will turn to Him as a Teacher, and not as a Lord. They won't
know Him at first, but He will appear and heal them, just as Ananias
appeared to Saul so that he could receive his sight and be filled with
the holy Ghost (Acts.9:10-22).
“And straightway hee preached Christ in the Synagogues,
that hee is the Sonne of God”
(Acts.9:20)
“there appeared a charet of fire, and horses of fire”
In the book of 2 Kings, chapter 2, we are figuratively
shown the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to Heavenly Jerusalem in a
fiery whirlwind and the beginning of the ministry in Jerusalem of the
great Prince Michael - God promised to give the earth as an inheritance
to Him and His descendants.
“And it came to passe when the Lord would take vp Elijah
into heauen by a whirlewinde, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal”
(2Kings.2:1)
In this prototype we are shown the Lord Jesus Christ and
the great Prince Michael, who, knowing about the imminent separation
from Him, does not want to leave Him. But for what reason should the
LORD God separate Them?
In the 13th chapter of the book of Genesis we are shown a
type that, while complementing the overall picture of events, allows us
to understand some details. Scripture shows us the second coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ (He, His wife and with Them the great Prince Michael):
“And Abram went vp out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all
that he had, and Lot with him, into the South”
(Gen.13:1)
The Lord will first visit the places where He had already
been in the beginning (verses 1-4) and the great Prince Michael will
follow Him everywhere. As time passes, the ministry of the Lord Jesus
Christ will begin to eclipse the ministry of the great Prince Michael.
Scripture explains: Abram was VERY rich.
Ҧ And Lot also which went with Abram, had flocks and
heards, & tents.
And the land was not able to beare them, that they might
dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not
dwell together”
(Gen.13:5-6)
The wealth of the Lord is His Church -- called, & chosen,
and faithfull. Their residence is in heaven. From there they will have
to manage “ouer the affaires of the prouince of Babylon”
(Dan.2:49). The wealth of the great Prince Michael will be the people of
Israel and a vast battlefield (the nations of the world). They will
fight on earth against the rulers of the darkness of this world
(Ex.17:10). Therefore, the joint ministry on earth of two Anointed Ones
will have problems. Scripture prophetically says:
“And there was a strife betweene the heardmen of Abrams
cattell, and the heardmen of Lots cattell: And the Canaanite, and the
Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
And Abram said vnto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray
thee, betweene mee and thee, and betweene my heardmen and thy heardmen:
for wee bee brethren”
(Gen.13:7-8)
This dispute is shown in the Gospel of John
(John.3:22-36), (John.4:1-3). The first verse of the new paragraph shows
us the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ:
Ҧ After these things, came Iesus and his disciples into
the land of Iudea, and there hee taried with them, and baptized.”
(John.3:22)
Ҧ And Iohn also was baptizing in Aenon, neere to Salim,
because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.”
(John.3:23)
Baptism with water is baptism with the Word of God. It is
clear that the Church will succeed in this ministry. But because of zeal
for the Word of God, “betweene the heardmen of Abrams cattell, and
the heardmen of Lots cattell,” a strife will arise (Gen.13:7) about
who is better at preaching the gospel and teaching in the Word of God.
It is said:
“And they came vnto Iohn, and said vnto him, Rabbi, he
that was with thee beyond Iordane, to whom thou barest witnesse, behold,
the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.”
(John.3:26)
As soon as the Church begins to acquire and baptize more
disciples than the people of Israel, the LORD God will take up the Lord
Jesus Christ “by a whirlewind into heauen.”
“When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard
that Iesus made and baptized moe disciples then Iohn,
(Though Iesus himselfe baptized not, but his disciples:)
He left Iudea, and departed againe into Galile”
(John.4:1-3)
It is said: “When therefore the Lord knew…” Jesus
“left Iudea, and departed againe” to heavenly Jerusalem.
“And it came to passe as they still went on and talked,
that beholde, there appeared a charet of fire, and horses of fire, and
parted them both asunder, and Elijah went vp by a whirlewind into
heauen”
(2Kings.2:11)
The Lord Jesus Christ will ascend into the sky on a fiery
chariot, and the Great Prince Michael will sit “in the King's gate”
in Jerusalem. He will be Israel's captain and judge. Scripture says,
“after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest”
(Heb.7:15). The name by which He shall be called: THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer.23:5-6). This is discussed in detail in the work
“A righteous branch,” part two.
“And Iacobs heart fainted, for he beleeued them not”
In the last paragraph of chapter 45 of the book of
Genesis, in four verses, we are briefly shown the second birth of the
people of Israel. When Joseph's brothers came to the land of Canaan to
their father and told him that “Ioseph is yet aliue, and he is
gouernour ouer all the land of Egypt,” he did not believe them. But
when he heard “all the words of Ioseph” and saw the chariots,
then “the spirit of Iacob” revived.
Ҧ And they went vp out of Egypt, and came into the land
of Canaan vnto Iacob their father,
And told him, saying, Ioseph is yet aliue, and he is
gouernour ouer all the land of Egypt. And Iacobs heart fainted, for he
beleeued them not.
And they told him all the words of Ioseph, which hee had
saide vnto them: and when hee saw the wagons which Ioseph had sent to
carie him, the spirit of Iacob their father reuiued.
And Israel said, It is enough; Ioseph my sonne is yet
aliue: I will goe and see him before I die.”
(Gen.45:25-28)
Notice how the two types in Scripture: the communication
of Jesus with Nicodemus and the communication of Joseph's brothers with
their father, complement each other. The Saints and faithful in Christ
Jesus will leave Heavenly Jerusalem in 2070 and come to the land of
Canaan to the people of Israel to teach them understanding:
“Uerely, verely I say vnto thee, We speake that we doe
know, and testifie that wee haue seene; and yee receiue not our
witnesse.
If I haue tolde you earthly things, and ye beleeue not:
how shall ye beleeue if I tell you of heauenly things?”
(John.3:11-12)
But the people will not accept their testimony of what
they saw: “How can these things be?” (John.3:9). But when all the
people begin to carefully read “in the booke, in the Law of God,”
and they are given an explanation of what they read (Neh.8:1-8), and
after that they also see a fire chariot in a whirlwind of fire, they
believe - they will be born “of water and of the spirit”
(John.3:5). In the future 1000 years of the peace they will preach to
the heathen:
“That which wee haue seene and heard, declare we vnto
you, that ye also may haue felowship with vs; and truely our fellowship
is with the Father, and with his Sonne Iesus Christ”
(1John.1:3)
The theme of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
concerns every book of the Bible in one way or another. The most
striking prototypes of the second birth of the people of Israel can be
found in the books: Daniel 9-10, Job 38-42, Nehemiah 8-9.
“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision”
At the end of the 1000 years of the peace, people will be
“wicked, and sinners before the LORD exceedingly” (Gen.13:13).
And they will again come out against Jerusalem (Rev.20:7), forgetting
what happened a thousand years ago in the Valley of Armageddon. This
lapse in their memory will occur after “Satan shall be loosed out of
his prison, And shall goe out to deceiue the nations” (Rev.20:7-8).
An ambassador will be sent among the heathen, “Arise yee, and let vs
rise vp against her in battell” (Obadiah.1:1). The LORD God will
allow them to gather and march this time too - the tares must be bound
in bundles “to burne them,” and the wheat must be put into His
barn (Matt.13:30). The Lord Jesus Christ with His heavenly army will
return to earth in rage to save the people of Israel and the Anointed of
God (Hab.3:13). This is what This “Fiery Serpent” descending to Earth
looked like in the eyes of the prophet Habakkuk:
“His glory couered the heauens and the earth was full of
his praise.
And his brightnesse was as the light: he had hornes
comming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his power:
Before him went the pestilence, and burning coales went
forth at his feete”
(Habb.3:3-5)
And again fire will fall from heaven from God and devour
all the men of war gathered around Jerusalem (Rev.20:9). After this, the
Lord will execute judgment on the nations in the valley of Jehoshaphat.
It is said: “...for there will I sit to iudge all the heathen round
about” (Joel.3:12). The judgment of the nations is shown to us in
the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. This three-paragraph chapter
shows us the most important events in chronological order:
1. The rapture of those called on the eve of the DAY of
Pentecost, verses 1-13.
2. The ministry of the Israelites in the future 1000
years of the peace, and their report on the results of the ministry,
verses 14-30.
3. Judgment of the nations, verses 31-46.
“After a long time, the lord of those seruants commeth,
and reckoneth with them”
(Matt.25:19)
The people of Israel in the future 1000 year of peace
will be the chosen vessel of the LORD to bear His Name before the
Gentiles (Acts.9:15). But at the end of this time, everything will
change greatly: the minds of the heathen will become clouded, and the
people of Israel will no longer be completely devoted to the LORD, they
will lose their power to be light and salt for the heathen nations.
Israel in this period of time is typified by the sons of Eli, “sonnes
of Belial” (1Sam.2:12), “they hearkened not vnto the voice of
their father” (1Sam.2:25).
“After a long time”
the Lord will come with tens of thousands of His Saints and will settle
accounts with them (Jude.1:14-15)
In difficult time, the LORD God will test EVERYONE living
on earth; will reveal the hidden characteristics, the true essence of
each person. The good and faithful servant will continue to preach the
Gospel to the heathen even when they go to war against him and lead him
into captivity. He, having once received “power to tread on serpents
and scorpions” (Luke.10:19), will save them until the last moment by
fear, “pulling them out of the fire” (Jude.1:23). The Lord will
say to him: “Well done, thou good and faithfull seruant, thou hast
been faithfull ouer a few things, I wil make thee ruler ouer many
things: enter thou into the ioy of thy lord” (Matt.25:21). The
useless servant, who did not love the LORD, considering Him cruel, will
be thrown “into outer darkenesse, there shall be weeping and gnashing
of teeth” (Matt.25:30). The parable of the talents warns them of
such an outcome. The Epistle of Jude warns them about this - the last
word of admonition to people before “heaven and
earth shall pass away”.
“I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once
knew this, how that the Lord hauing saued the people out of the land of
Egypt afterward destroied them that beleeued not”
(Jude.1:1-5)
The heathen, in turn, will be judged depending on how
they treated the Jews in their time of need. In a difficult test, each
person will show himself to be either a good person or, conversely, a
villain. True Christians will be raptured by this time. It is said,
“¶ He that beleeueth on him, is not condemned” (John.3:18). God will
preserve them “from the houre of temptation, which shall come vpon
all the world” (Rev.3:10). Formal Christians, not much different
from heathen, will remain on earth. They, being spiritually blind, will
be exposed and punished. Scripture, addressing them, calls their
assembly: the Church of Laodicea (Rev.3:14-22). The people of Israel
will be left alone with the heathen nations. And they will be with them
until the last moment of time. After all, their purpose, their mission
in the future millennium is to care for and patronize the heathen, with
the goal of opening “their eyes, and to turne them from darknesse to
light, and from the power of Satan vnto God” (Acts.26:18). For this
reason, the faithful Israelites will be saved at the last moment like a
brand from the fire.
In the Gospel of Luke, we are figuratively shown the last
ministry of a faithful servant of the LORD - at the cost of his life he
saves a heathen from the flames of eternal fire a few hours before the
end of the world. The malefactor on the cross received his sight and
changed his mind when he saw Jesus' unjust condemnation, “...this man
hath done nothing amisse” (Luke.23:41). Jesus answered him:
“Uerily, I say vnto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise”
(Luke.23:43). Even perishing, a faithful servant of the LORD will do the
work to which the LORD called him - to reconcile people with God.
Instructing Peter, Jesus asked him the same question
three times: “...louest thou me?”, “Feed my sheepe”
(John.21:15-17). Prophetically, it means, that the LORD God who declares
His will to the people of Israel, saying to them, “If you love Me, feed
My sheep.” We can already now appreciate in advance their ministry among
the heathen nations by reading Psalm 34. They will have to suffer
unjustly for the sake of the Name of the LORD (Acts.9:16) from heathen's
slander, hypocrisy and gloating. And now, if any of the heathen, in this
time of trouble for Israel, shows at least compassion for them, gives at
least a cup of cold water to one of His least brothers, then he will no
longer lose his reward. The heathen will take the test of humanity. God
warns all heathen of that time:
Ҧ For thy violence against thy brother Iacob shame shall
couer thee, and thou shalt be cut off for euer”
(Obadiah.1:10)
Extermination will be not only for violence, but even if
“thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers
caried away captiue his forces” (Obadiah.1:11) and did not show
compassion. Or when he “haue reioyced ouer the children of Iudah in
the day of their destruction,” or “haue spoken proudly in the day
of distresse” (Obadiah.1:12). Or he “haue entred into the gate of
my people in the day of their calamitie” and touched their substance
“in the day of their calamitie” (Obadiah.1:13).
“For the day of the Lord is neere vpon all the heathen:
as thou hast done, it shall bee done vnto thee, thy reward shall returne
vpon thine owne head”
(Obadiah.1:15)
Jesus crucified on the cross and two malefactors with Him
(Luke.23:33), this is also a prototype of the judgment of the nations.
The malefactor who was on the left hand of Jesus mocked Him. The
malefactor at His right hand repented of what he had done.
Ҧ When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory, and all
the holy Angels with him, then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his
glory:
And before him shall be gathered all nations, and he
shall separate them one from another, as a shepheard diuideth his sheepe
from the goats.
And he shall set the sheepe on his right hand, but the
goats on the left”
(Matt.25:31-33)
The heathen will be judged according to their deeds. A
good man will inherit the Kingdom, but the malefactor will be left on
earth and burn with it. His fate is in the lake, burning with fire and
brimstone. This is the second death (Rev.21:8).
If His second coming will be for the purpose “not to
iudge the world, but to saue the world” (John.12:47), then after His
third coming He will fold up the earth and the heavens like unfit
garments (Heb.1:12). All matter will melt from the blazing heat, “the
earth also and the works that are therin shalbe burnt vp”
(2Pet.3:10).
Afterword
Scripture has a dual authorship, and therefore it is
necessary to distinguish between the “word of men,” which has
discrepancies and contradictions, and the “word of God” (1 Thess.
2:13). It is this word that should work in those who believe. A verse
from the last chapter of the book of Revelation echoes this idea.
“Beholde, I come quickly: Blessed is he that keepeth the
sayings of the prophecie of this booke”
(Rev.22:7)
The prophetic meaning of the verses is hidden from the
reader; therefore the Word of God needs interpretation, an explanation
of what is read. This interpretation is what the verse is talking about.
It is written: “the sayings of the prophecie.” Please note:
Blessed is the person who is able to understand the prophetic meaning of
the verses - “the word of God.” Because he, by paying attention
to himself and the doctrine, will save himself and those who hear to him
(1Tim.4:16). He does the will of God.
