Wednesday, August 16, 2006
THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH
The parables center around the word mysteries – musterion – defined as truth that is now revealed that had been previously hidden. These new concepts describe God’s kingdom, not in its nature, but in its time of manifestation. This is the interlude or gap between Daniel’s 69th and 70th weeks. Dan. 9:24-27 "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place. 25. "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26. "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27. "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate." This is the mystery of the church age that was unknown before the cross.
The parables teach that this time of the church will end and that the kingdom will climax in a separating judgment. Matt. 13:41-43 "The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42. and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43. "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
The parables teach that this time of the church will end and that the kingdom will climax in a separating judgment. Matt. 13:41-43 "The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42. and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43. "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
# posted by Castusfumus : 6:50 PM
