Has God Indeed Said - Part 7

2 Pe 3:4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

We will continue to look at the promise of His coming.

The full text of this message and supplementary study questions can be found on our website.

Transcript

Sunday October 17th 2021
Has God Indeed Said
Part 7



1). Ge 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 

The foundational type for the way in which Satan will seek to disqualify those called to rule with Christ in the Seventh Day has been set here in Genesis Chapter 3. And although it may manifest itself in a variety of ways, it will always come through a challenge to that which God has said, ‘Has God indeed said?’ And usually with the equally destructive lie that there will be no consequence if God is not taken at His Word, ‘You will not surely die.’
a). And within a Christian context we have seen this deception coming through a slightly different question, that essentially provides the same challenge – 2 Pe 3:1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 

As Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote this, we can see his intent to, ‘stir up your pure minds by way of reminder’. That which Peter wrote was not new to his audience, they had heard it before, but he wanted them to keep this in their remembrance, to keep remembering.
b). And that which he wanted them to continually remember was ‘the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior’. In other words, then, that which God had indeed said concerning the Christ and His Kingdom. And Peter wanted that which God had said to be remembered because of the ‘scoffers’ who would come challenging that which God has clearly stated in His Word, by asking the question, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’
c). The action of the ‘scoffers’ within a ‘church’ context has a parallel with the spiritual condition that was found in Israel prior to the captivity 
Jer 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

2 Pe 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

To deny the promise of His coming is to extinguish the hope that is set before us -  Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

The blessed hope that we have is the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ – Mt 16:27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

And it is our hope that when Christ comes in the glory of His Father, that we will receive the reward of the inheritance.
d). But if that which the Lord said in Matthew Chapter 16 and Paul wrote to Titus in Chapter 2 is done away with, then so is our reward and we become hope-less. And we might remember that it is at the beginning of Matthew Chapter 17, that Peter, James, and John witnessed the very event that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 16:27. The very same event that Paul draws our attention to in Titus – Mt 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

2 Pe 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

2 Pe 3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

And all that which we have seen in these last three sets of verses are to be placed in the only context in which they can be properly understood, the six days of work and the Seventh Day of Rest established in the opening Chapter of Genesis.
e). And we had seen that the promise of the Lord’s coming had been pictured through the events of the seven days in Genesis, through the seven feasts given to Israel, and through both the types of Joseph and Moses, whom Stephen had used to illustrate this to Israel’s religious leaders in Acts Chapter 7.
f). And, as we had seen, Stephen’s call for national repentance was rejected, leaving the nation certain of a time of ‘great trouble’ that would only be brought to an end when the Jewish people look on Him who they pierced, a second time – Lk 13:35 See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ” 

But the certainty of this, promised in His coming, is assured – 
Isa 11:11 It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea.

A second deliverance for the Jewish people, greater than that from Egypt under Moses is assured – Jer 23:7 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 8 but, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.” 

However, this must wait until the dispensation of the Church, the final two thousand years, two days of work are completed - Ps 110:1 ¶ <<A Psalm of David.>> The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." 2 The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!

Ac 3:19 "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 "and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Heb 10:12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.

When that Day comes though - Joe 3:18 ¶ And it will come to pass in that day That the mountains shall drip with new wine, The hills shall flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water; A fountain shall flow from the house of the LORD And water the Valley of Acacias.

2). And if we are looking for more Scriptural evidence for the promise of His coming, we can return to the opening verse of all of Scripture –
 Ge 1:1 In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

This very simple statement at the beginning of God’s revelation to us gives us the overview, the detail must be added by comparing Scripture with Scripture - Joh 1:1 ¶ In [the] beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Eph 3:9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

At the beginning of John’s gospel, we find the Word, who became flesh, who was with God and was God, as the One through whom ‘all things’ were made and without Him nothing was made that was made.
a). The ‘all things’ that were made through Him are further opened to our understanding, providing God’s own commentary on the beginning of Genesis and John - Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

The Book of Colossians establishes the connection between the creation in Genesis 1:1 and rulership. Which is described as visible and invisible thrones, dominions, principalities, powers.
b). The visible and the invisible draw our attention to the two realms of the Kingdom, the earth, where visible rulership is seen through human governments, and invisible rulership which takes place through angels in the heavens. The same principalities and powers who are the rulers of the darkness of this age, found in Ephesians Chapter 6. Remembering –
Dan 4:26….the heavens do rule.

And according to the verses from Colossians Chapter 1, God’s creative act seen in Genesis 1:1, accomplished through and for the Word, cannot be separated from the rulership established at that time. And we are shown that, ‘all things’, pertaining to the rulership of the earth, were created through Him and for Him.
c). From ‘in beginning’ it has always been God’s purpose that God the Son, the Word made flesh, as the second Man the last Adam, would hold the scepter of rulership with respect to this one province in God’s universal Kingdom – Eph 1:10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

We can then add to this from - Mt 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

These words will be spoken to the faithful eternally saved Gentiles coming out of the Great Tribulation, at the ‘sheep and goats’ judgment, but what I would like us to see is when the Kingdom was prepared for those from mankind who will occupy it in the Seventh Day, ‘from the foundation of the world.’
d). It has then always been God’s purpose that those found worthy from mankind would rule in the Kingdom alongside God the Son, who had established rulership in beginning through and for Himself – 
Heb 2:5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.

The writer of Hebrews, drawing from Psalm Eight, also makes clear that the sons of Adam will have all things in subjection under their feet in the Seventh Day. This cannot be changed. But we don’t see it yet as that seen here awaits the time when ‘the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels and then He will reward each according to his works.’ And here once again, we find the promise of His coming.

3). Re 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him [Antichrist], whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

As we have previously seen, the Kingdom was prepared from the foundation of the world. And here we see that the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, was slain from the foundation of the world, and these two accounts must go hand in hand together.
a). We could then add - Heb 4:3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,'" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world

So, how does this fit together?
b). Well, as we would expect, we must go back to the foundation to find our answer – Ge 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

This, as we know, is God’s sovereign act on behalf of the fallen Man and Woman, that demonstrates from the foundation that the redemption of God’s ruined creation, Man in this instance, must involve death and shed blood. A substitutionary death that God has provided, and God will accept.
c). Now, we also know that the death and shed blood in Genesis Chapter 3 corresponds to the light shining in the darkness in Genesis Chapter1. The point of beginning for the restoration of that which is in view there, the ruined material creation.
d). The restoration of the ruined material creation through the six days of work in Genesis Chapter 1, provides the type for the restoration of ruined Man who was made from the dust of the restored creation: six days, six thousand years of work. And if the restoration of Man had to begin with death and shed blood, so did the restoration of the ruined material creation. Redemption/restoration, for that which is ruined, whether the earth or Man, must always follow the exact same pattern.
e). This means that between the events seen in Genesis 1:2a and those which began in Genesis 1:2b, the Lamb was slain. He had to be, because death and shed blood were necessary to make possible the restoration of the ruined material creation that would follow. And as we saw in Hebrews Chapter 4, the slaying of the Lamb from the foundation of the world finished the works that would bring about a complete restoration and make entrance into the Seventh Day for redeemed Man possible.
f). Ex 12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb.

The Jewish people were the only people on the earth to whom the Passover lambs were given, and they were the only ones who could slay these lambs.
g). And as we know, Jesus was identified as the Lamb that God had provided for the Jewish people to kill – Jn 1:36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

Therefore, when Jesus as the Lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the world, it had to be at the hands of the Jewish people, the only ones to whom that privilege was given and manifested in time nearly four thousand years later.
h). So, how do we begin to explain how a people who did not exist at that time, killed the Lamb of God prior to man’s creation? Well as with so many things in Scripture we are not required to come up with an explanation, but to simply believe that which God has indeed said – 
Ecc 3:15 That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past.

Our finite minds can see time as only a linear progression and everything around us perpetuates this idea. But time as we know it only exists to provide the framework for the six days of work and the Seventh Day of Rest that is the purpose for God’s revelation to us.
i). God in His omniscience must transcend time as He cannot be restrained by it. And because of this it is possible for Him to take individuals outside of the confines of time to witness exactly that which we saw in the verse from Ecclesiastes, ‘what is to be has already been’.
j). This was the experience of Peter, James and, John on the mount of transfiguration. What they saw there was not a vision or a dream, but the Christ coming in His Kingdom. An event not yet manifested within the boundaries of time and yet from God’s omniscient perspective ‘has already been’.
k). And the same is seen with John again, while he was on the Isle of Patmos – Re 1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet…………….. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

And what John saw and what he recorded was the revelation of Jesus Christ, all the events that we would encompass in the phrase, the second coming of Christ bringing to conclusion all that has been written about Him from Genesis onwards. He also wrote of the events of the Millennial Kingdom itself and a glimpse into the first of the endless ages. And again, as with the mount of transfiguration, this was neither a vision nor a dream but the actual events themselves. Events that have already taken place that we are still waiting to see.
l). And so, as the ‘scoffers’ asked their question, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’ We can be certain that the promise has already been fulfilled and will be manifested in time as God has determined –
1Pe 1:20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you………

Heb 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

And we might be greatly encouraged - Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love……

The Lord knows which of us will receive the reward of the inheritance, and He has known it from before the foundation of the world. And even though the events of the Judgment Seat have already been seen and recorded by the Apostle John, we still find ourselves in the present working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, faced with the minute-by-minute choice to put to death the old man and walk in the Spirit.
m). The privilege we have been given to do so is beyond words to describe. The evidence of Scripture concerning what awaits us is overwhelming - Eph 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

The promise of His coming is beyond doubt. I don’t think any of us would say otherwise, and yet the Scriptures are also replete with warnings that all that we have might be lost when He does appear – Heb 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great  salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

Let us choose to continue to see with the eyes of faith and embrace the hope of our calling above all else – Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

If we remain and the Lord is willing, and we have prayed, we will continue next time.