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Section III |
Section IIThe Victory Theme in Scripture
The Promise of World-Wide Gospel Dominion The world-wide victory of the gospel and God's kingdom is no minor theme in the Bible. Below are most O.T. verses that directly state it. Dispensationalists say that these O. T. passages speaking of all nations worshiping God apply after Christ returns in the Millennium. But Jesus teaches that the conversion of all nations is the mission of the Church before He returns (Luke 24:44-47; Matt. 28:18-20). The O.T. promise of world-wide dominion of the Kingdom is, in fact, the N.T. gospel (Gal. 3:8).
Gen. 17:5-6 __________________________________________________________________________ Gen. 22:18 ___________________________________________________________________________ Gen. 49:10 ___________________________________________________________________________ Num. 14:21___________________________________________________________________________ 1 Sam. 2:10 __________________________________________________________________________ 1 Chron. 16:28-31______________________________________________________________________ Psalm 2:8 ____________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 22:27__________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 37:9-11, 22, 34 __________________________________________________________________ Psalm 47:2-3__________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 47:8-9 _________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 65:2 ___________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 117:1__________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 66:4 ___________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 68:31-32 _______________________________________________________________________ Psalm 72:8,11_________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 72:17,19 _______________________________________________________________________ Psalm 82:8 ___________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 86:9 ___________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 96:1-3 _________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 98:1-3 _________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 102:15 _________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 102:22 _________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 138:4 __________________________________________________________________________ Isaiah 2:1-4 __________________________________________________________________________ Isaiah 9:6-7 __________________________________________________________________________ Isaiah 11:9 ___________________________________________________________________________ Isaiah 19:22-24 _______________________________________________________________________ Isaiah 26:9 ___________________________________________________________________________ Isaiah 42:10-13________________________________________________________________________ Isaiah 49:6 ___________________________________________________________________________ Isaiah 49:22-23 _______________________________________________________________________ Isaiah 66:23 __________________________________________________________________________ Jer. 3:16-17 __________________________________________________________________________ Jer. 16:19 ____________________________________________________________________________ Jer. 31:31-34__________________________________________________________________________ Dan. 2:31-35__________________________________________________________________________ Dan. 7:13-14__________________________________________________________________________ Amos 9:11-15 ________________________________________________________________________ Micah 4:1-3 __________________________________________________________________________ Micah 5:2-4 __________________________________________________________________________ Micah 7:16-17 ________________________________________________________________________ Hab. 2:14-20 _________________________________________________________________________ Haggai 2:7-9 _________________________________________________________________________ Zech. 9:9-10 __________________________________________________________________________ Zech. 14:9 ___________________________________________________________________________ Malachi 1:11 _________________________________________________________________________
He Came to Redeem the World Although every every Christian soul is important to God, the Bible is clear that Christ did not come to save just one or two souls. Jesus came to redeem the world. This does not mean every single person will be saved (Jesus taught that hell is real), nor every person on earth at any point in time (cf. Matt. 13:24-30; Ezek. 47:11), but the entire world (kosmos - John 3:16), as a system of men and things, will worship Him for some time before He returns. John 1:29 ____________________________________________________________________________ John 3:16 ____________________________________________________________________________ John 3:17 ____________________________________________________________________________ 2 Cor. 5:19 ___________________________________________________________________________ Rom. 11:15___________________________________________________________________________ 1 John 2:2____________________________________________________________________________ 1 John 4:14___________________________________________________________________________
He Will Draw All Men to Himself John 12:32 ___________________________________________________________________________ 1 Tim. 2:6 ___________________________________________________________________________
Other N.T. Promises of Large Conversions by the Gospel Matt. 8:11 ___________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 28:18___________________________________________________________________________ Mark 16:15___________________________________________________________________________ Luke 24:44, 46-47 _____________________________________________________________________ Acts 1:8 _____________________________________________________________________________ Acts 2:34-35__________________________________________________________________________ Romans 4:13 _________________________________________________________________________ Gal. 3:8 _____________________________________________________________________________ Heb. 8:11 ____________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 5:9-10 __________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 7:9 _____________________________________________________________________________
A Postmillennialist's Prayer Psalm 67 God be gracious to us and bless us, Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; The earth has yielded its produce;
Christ sits on David's throne now: Dispensationalists say that the promise that the Messiah would sit on David's throne will not be fulfilled until the future Millennium. The New Testament teaches that the promise was fulfilled when Christ was resurrected and sat down at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Read Acts 2:25-36, especially verses 30 and 31.
Acts 2:30-31__________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Acts 13:32-37 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 3:7______________________________________________________________________________ Isa. 22:22____________________________________________________________________________ Acts 4:25-31 (with Psalm 2)______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Heb. 12:22-24 (Church is Zion)___________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Ezek. 37:24-25 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Gary North comments on Ezek. 37:24-25: "David is dead. He will not be back before the final resurrection. So, this passage must be interpreted figuratively. The David spoken of is the son of David, Jesus Christ.[1]
Even Dispensationalist John F. Walvoord says, "By the term 'throne' it is clear that no reference is made to a material throne, but rather the dignity and power which was sovereign and supreme in David as King. The right to rule always belonged to David's seed.[2]
Who owns the earthly throne? Dispensational literalism on the horns of a dilemma: If Christ now sits on David's throne, then the Dispensationalist argument for the necessity of a future Millennium collapses. The popular Dispensational view is that, to literally fulfill the Old Testament expectations of the Messiah's kingdom, during the Millennium Jesus will physically sit on a physical throne in earthly Jerusalem as the heir to David's throne[3] (Psalm 89:3-4, 132:11; Isa. 9:7; Luke 1:32; Acts 2:30). Christ's throne will sit on the earthly Mount Zion (Psalm 2:6, 110:2). But the Old Testament also promises that "My servant David will be king over them" (Ezek. 37:24; cf. Jer. 30:9). In order to literally interpret both prophecies, Jesus and David would have to sit on the same throne. That's one crowded throne! To avoid the absurdity of Jesus and David elbowing one another for a thousand years, one of the prophecies must be interpreted non-literally. Leading Dispensationalists John Walvoord and Dwight Pentecost argue that the prophecies of Christ's throne need not be interpreted literally, as the boxed quote above indicates (even while Pentecost contradicts himself and argues in another place that David's Son, Jesus, must sit on an earthly throne).[4] They place Christ's Millennial throne in the heavenly (floating) Jerusalem. But to interpret the Old Testament prophecies non-literally, and say that Christ will rule the earth "indirectly through a regent"[5] from a throne in the heavenly Jerusalem, eliminates any basis for denying that Jesus has already fulfilled the Davidic Covenant by ruling over the earth through His saints from the right hand of the Father in heaven - especially since the New Testament expressly says that Jesus has fulfilled the Davidic Covenant.
Is Converting the Earth's Kingdoms a Satanic Deception? Dispensationalists have claimed that winning the nations to Christ is an offer that Christ rejected in the wilderness (Matt. 4:8). But the issue was bowing to Satan to win the kingdoms of the earth. By resisting Satan and obeying the Father, even unto death, Christ became King of the world (Matt. 28:18, Phil. 2:5-8). Satan often tempts us to take ungodly short-cuts to legitimate, godly blessings (Gal. 4:22-23). The liar never fully delivers on his promises. Only God does. Satan was, in fact, offering stolen goods (John 10:10). The Creator has rightful ownership to the earth and its inhabitants (Psalm 24:1). Christ gained possession of the stolen goods from Satan by lawful means (Rom. 3:26, Heb. 8:26-28).
Christ's Long Distance Power Dispensationalists argue that Christ must return to earth and be bodily present in order to effectively rule the earth and bring it universal blessing. However, Christ's ascension was to a coronation, not an exile.[6] Christ's power on earth is greater because He is in heaven rather than physically present on earth (John 16:7). He is present through His Spirit. Even on earth Christ's power extended beyond His bodily presence (John 4:46-54; Matt. 8:5-13).
John 16:7 ____________________________________________________________________________ John 4:50 ____________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 8:8-13 __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Matthew declares Jesus King of the Earth[7] What we read in the closing words of Matthew's gospel and the closing days of Christ's earthly ministry are anticipated in the opening of the Gospel and the beginning of Christ's work and ministry. The King who comes (Matt. 1-4) receives sovereignty (Matt. 28) over a kingdom. This is contrary to Dispensational teaching that because of the opposition that Christ received, in Matthew 12 He decides to withdraw the offer of the kingdom and postpone it until His Second Coming when He will set up His Millennial Kingdom. On this view the Triumphal Entry (Matt. 21:1-11) should be called Christ's Last-Ditch Failed Coup Attempt!
1. Jesus as "Immanuel" A. Matt. 1:32 ______________________________________________________________________ B. Matt. 28:20_____________________________________________________________________ 2. The Royalty of Jesus A. Matt. 1:1 - royal genealogy of "Jesus the Messiah, Son of David." B. Matt. 28:18 - Christ has "all authority in heaven and earth." 3. Gentiles and the King A. Gentile magi come to worship "King of the Jews" - Matt. 2:1-2 ___________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ B. Christ sends disciples to gentiles - Matt. 28:18 _________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Christ attacked because of threat to earthly kings A. By Herod - Matt. 2:13 ____________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ B. Through crucifixion - Matt. 27 ______________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Mountain and Kingdom Offer A. Satan took Jesus to mountain to offer kingdom - Matt. 4:8 ________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ B. Jesus takes disciples to mountain to offer kingdom - Matt.28:16 ___________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
6. Kingdom Given A. Satan will give Jesus all earthly kingdoms if submit to him - Matt. 4:8-9 ____________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ B. Christ given all authority in heaven and on earth because submitted to God - Matt. 28:18-19 _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Worship A. Satan seeks Christ's worship for kingdom - Matt. 4:8 ____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ B. Jesus receives worship from disciples - Matt. 28:17 _____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Christ is Simultaneously a Priest and King Heb. 6:20-7:1-2 _______________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 110 ___________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Dispensationalists say that Christ serves as a priest in the Church Age, but then becomes a king in the Millennium, ruling over the nations. On the postmil view, Christ holds both offices at the same time, as Melchizedek did. The Second Coming is the culmination of the saving process (Heb. 9:28). At His return Christ leaves the His priestly function of intercession in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb. 6:19-20, 7:25; Rom. 8:34); marriage, birth, and death cease (Luke 20:35-36); and the Final Judgment occurs in which every member of humanity is accepted into their eternal abode of heavenly blessing or damnation (Matt. 25:31-46; 1 Cor. 15:23-28; Rev. 20:11-15).[8]
Dispensationalists say that Christ's kingdom will not come until the Millennium. But Christ announced that His kingdom was near and that He successfully inaugurated it through His earthly ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension. The Church, His body, reigns with Him. The events between His first and second comings are a mopping-up operation from the victory of Christ over Satan at His first coming. The fullness of the kingdom does not come all at once, but gradually grows, with various times of growth spurts and pruning, until the Last Judgment. Just like the individual Christian life includes three aspects of salvation: justification, sanctification, and glorification (Phil. 1:6, 2:12; Rom. 8:30; 2 Cor. 3:18); so does the Church and the Kingdom of God in history have a definitive, progressive, and consummate victory.[9]
Definitive: The Kingdom is near Matt. 3:2 ____________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 4:17,23 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 11:2-6 (with Isa. 35) _______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Mark 1:14-15 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Luke 4:16-21,43 _______________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Luke 8:1 _____________________________________________________________________________ Acts 1:3 (cf. Acts 28:31) ________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Is Established Matt. 11:2-6 (with Isa. 35) _______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 17:2 (with v. 4) ___________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ John 18:37 ___________________________________________________________________________ Luke 4:18-21 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Luke 17:20-21 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Acts 28:31 ___________________________________________________________________________ Acts 2:34-36 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Acts 4:25-31 (with Psalm 2) _____________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Eph. 1:20 ____________________________________________________________________________ Phil. 2:9 _____________________________________________________________________________ 1 Tim. 1:17 __________________________________________________________________________ 1 Tim. 6:15 __________________________________________________________________________ 1 Peter 3:22 __________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 1:5 _____________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 3:21 ____________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 5:5 _____________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 14:14 (cf. Dan. 7:13-14) ____________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 11:15 ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 19:6 ____________________________________________________________________________
Victory over Satan through Death and Resurrection Genesis 3:15 (cf. Gal.3:16) ______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Col. 2:15 ____________________________________________________________________________ Heb. 2:15 ____________________________________________________________________________ 1 John 3:8 ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 1:18 ____________________________________________________________________________ John 10:10 ___________________________________________________________________________ Luke 10:17-20 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Luke 11:20-21 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ John 12:31 ___________________________________________________________________________
We now reign with Christ Eph. 1:18-19 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Eph. 2:6 _____________________________________________________________________________ Phil. 4:13,19 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Col. 1:12-13 __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Col. 4:11 ____________________________________________________________________________ 1 Cor. 3:21-22 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Rom. 5:17 ___________________________________________________________________________ Acts 1:8 _____________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 28:20 __________________________________________________________________________ Luke 10:19 ___________________________________________________________________________ Luke 22:29-30 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 19:28 __________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 5:3 ____________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 5:5 ____________________________________________________________________________ 2 Tim. 2:12 __________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 1:6,9 ____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 5:10 ____________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 3:21 ____________________________________________________________________________
Progressive: Heb. 2:8 _____________________________________________________________________________ Heb. 10:12,13 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Rom. 16:20 (with Gen. 3:15) _____________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 13:31-33 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Mark 4:28 ___________________________________________________________________________ Dan. 2:35 ____________________________________________________________________________ Isa. 9:6-7 ____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 6:10 ___________________________________________________________________________ Deut. 7:22 ___________________________________________________________________________ Ezekiel 47:3-12 _______________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 4:18 ___________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 24:16 __________________________________________________________________________
Final: 1 Cor. 15:22-28 _______________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 20:10ff. _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 25:31-46 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 2 Peter 2:4,9 __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 2 Peter 3:7 ___________________________________________________________________________
God's Kingdom Not In This World? Some Christians claim that the church should not try to redeem society as a whole (especially civil government) because Christ's kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). This view is in keeping with the Dispensational division between the "Age of Law" and the "Age of Grace" or "Church Age." But they confuse the words "in" and "of." For Christ's kingdom not to be of this world means that its power, authority, and ethics are not derived from this world. But the kingdom is in this world. Jesus prays that Christians would be in the world (not raptured out to escape the Devil) but not of it (John 17:14-17). We are not to be conformed to this world, but rather transform ourselves
and the world by God's transcendent standards and power (Rom. 12:1-3).[10] Jesus has Begun the New Creation The new creation was definitively (judicially) established at Christ's resurrection and will be progressively manifest as history progresses until the End when the new creation will become fully manifest (Rom. 8:18-25). It begins with our hearts being transformed by His grace, and as we work out our salvation, the world is transformed and renewed. Blessing replaces cursing as God confirms His covenant to His redeemed (Deut. 8:18; Isa. 61:4).
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have past away; behold, all things have become new!" - 2 Cor. 5:17
All Creation New[11] - 2 Cor. 5:17; Rev. 21:5 1. New Covenant - Luke 22:20 ___________________________________________________________ 2. New way - Heb. 10:20 _______________________________________________________________ 3. New Jerusalem (the Church) - Gal. 4:25-26 _______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Heb. 12:22 ________________________________________________________________________ 4. New bride (the Church) - Gal. 4:21-31 __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Rev. 21:9 _________________________________________________________________________ 5. New nation (the Church) - Matt. 21:43 __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 6. New name ("Christian") - Rev. 2:17 ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ ("know" in the sense of possess. cf. Rev. 19:12,16) 7. New song (redemption of the world by the Lamb) - Rev. 5:9 _________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 8. New wine - Matt. 9:17 _______________________________________________________________ 9. New spirit - Romans 7:6 ______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Eze. 11:19-20 _____________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 10. New life - Romans 6:4 _______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 11. New birth - John 3 __________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 12. New tongues - Mark 16:17 ___________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 13. New lump - 1 Cor.5:6-8 ______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Matt.13:33 ________________________________________________________________________ Lev.23:15-17 ______________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ (Old leaven is sin. Holy Spirit at Feast of Pentacost is new leaven.) 14. New man - Eph. 2:15 ________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 15. New heart - Eze. 11:19-20; Heb. 8:10 ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 16. New mind: Rom.12:2 _______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 17. New commandment - John 13:34; 1 John 2:8 _____________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 18. New age dawns - 1 John 2:8 __________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 1:78-79 _____________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ John 1:9 __________________________________________________________________________ John 3:19 ________________________________________________________________________ Rom. 13:12-13 ____________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Luke 1:78-79 ______________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Eph. 5:14 ________________________________________________________________________ 2 Peter 1:19 _______________________________________________________________________ Isa. 60:1-3 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Mal. 4:2 __________________________________________________________________________ Col. 1:26 _________________________________________________________________________ Heb. 2:5 __________________________________________________________________________
Does Leaven Always Represent Evil? Christ's parables in Matt. 13:31-33 are interpreted in two totally opposite ways by Christians, depending on their eschatology. Some see these parables as pointing to the increasing number of wicked people in the Church as history progresses. Postmils interpret the parables as teaching the gradual yet overwhelming growth of the God's kingdom through history. The first group points to the previous parable in which the evil one spreads tares (unbelievers) among the wheat (believers). The abnormal growth of the mustard seed into a tree represents evil, they say. And they claim that leaven always represents evil in the Bible. But abnormal growth (a hundredfold) characterizes believers in the parable of the sower, which Jesus also tells in this chapter.[12] Leaven was not allowed in the Passover feast, where it represents the evil of Egypt. But in the Feast of Pentecost, fifty days later, leavened bread is offered to the Lord (Lev. 23:15-17). In the same way, Christ did away with old leaven of sin on the Passover; and He poured out the good leaven of the Holy Spirit fifty days later on the day of Pentecost so that the gospel would be taken to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), until the glory of the Lord covers the earth (Isa. 11:9) as leaven permeates a loaf of bread. Also, saying that leaven represents evil here would mean that Christ is saying "The kingdom of heaven is like evil." As the parable of the wheat and tares teaches, Church will never be perfect before the last judgement, but it will be a wheat field, not a tare field. The nations will flock to the Kingdom of God (Matt. 13:32; cf. Ezek. 17:22-24, Isa. 2:2-4).
Creation Mandate and New Creation Mandate[13] The Great Commission is a renewal of the original Creation Mandate for the godly to rule over the earth under God.
1. a. Gen. 1:26-28 b. Matt. 28:18-20 Mark 16:15 _____________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 2 Cor. 5:17 _____________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
2. Common basis of creation: a. Gen. 1:1 ________________________________________________________________________ b. John 1:1 ________________________________________________________________________ (John is most evangelistic of Gospels - John 20:31).
3. "It is finished": a. Gen. 2:1-3 ______________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ b. John 19:30 _______________________________________________________________________
4. Both mandates based on authority of triune God: a. Gen. 1:26 _____________________________________________________________________ b. Matt. 28:19 ___________________________________________________________________
5. Both mandates given to representative heads of humanity: a. Romans 5:14-19________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ b. 1 Cor. 15:22,45 _______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
6. Both mandates engage the same task - subduing the earth for the glory of God. a. The Creation Mandate was to begin at Eden (Gen. 2:15), _________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ and gradually spread throughout the earth (Gen. 1:28): _____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ b. The New Creation Mandate was to begin at Jerusalem: Luke 24:47 _______________________________________________________________________ Acts 1:8 _________________________________________________________________________
7. Both mandates were originally given to small groups: a. Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:27) _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ b. then Noah and his sons (Gen. 9:1) ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ c. the disciples to "every creature" (Mark 16:15). _________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
8. Image of God essential to godly dominion drive. Restoration to image of God restores godly dominion drive. a. Col. 3:9-11 __________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ b. Eph. 4:22-24 _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
On the sixth day, God created Dominion Man! From Dominion Mandate of Creation to the Great Commission - The Continuity of a Covenant The dominion mandate was given to Adam, but the Fall undermined his ability to fulfill it. The command and promise is a covenant granted by God to His redeemed people and fulfilled through Christ.
First Adam: Gen. 1:26-28 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Gen. 3:15,21 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Noah: Gen. 8:20-22 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Gen. 9:1-17 __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Abraham: Gen. 12:1-3 __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Gen. 17:1-8 __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Three distinct aspects of the plan of God for Abraham's seed (Christ and His church - see below) Gen. 22:17a (fantastic growth) ___________________________________________________________ Gen. 22:17b (triumph over enemies) ______________________________________________________ Gen. 22:18 (blessing to all nations) _______________________________________________________ Rom. 4:13 ___________________________________________________________________________ Gal. 3:8,16 ___________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Moses: Num. 14:21 __________________________________________________________________________ Josh. 1:3-9 ___________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Heb. 3:5-6 ___________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Deut. 28:1-14 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
David: Psalm 2 _____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 110 ___________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Last Adam: 1 Cor. 15:21-22, 45-49 _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Rom. 5:14-19 _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 28:18-20 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ The Church inherits the promises to Abraham and Israel!: Gal. 3:16 ____________________________________________________________________________ Gal. 3:29 ____________________________________________________________________________ Gal. 6:16 ____________________________________________________________________________ Eph. 2:12 ____________________________________________________________________________ Eph. 2:19 ____________________________________________________________________________ Eph. 3:6 _____________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 8:11 ___________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 21:43 __________________________________________________________________________ Heb. 8:10 ___________________________________________________________________________ Heb. 10:12-13 (from Psalm 110) _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Peter 2:9 ___________________________________________________________________________
Material blessings are for the Church! Dispensationalists and amillennialists claim that Christians are promised only spiritual blessings, not material prosperity. Material prosperity was the promise to saints in the Old Testament, not to New Testament Christians. But the New Testament does not support this view. It promises both. Although not every Christian should expect to be rich, God does promise to meet our material needs. And as the world seeks God's kingdom in greater numbers, we should expect greater outpourings of God's material blessings. Christ came to renew creation!
Mark 10:30 __________________________________________________________________________ 2 Cor. 8:9 ____________________________________________________________________________ 2 Cor. 9:8 ____________________________________________________________________________ 2 Cor. 9:11 ___________________________________________________________________________ Phil. 4:19 ____________________________________________________________________________ 3 John 2 _____________________________________________________________________________ 1 Tim. 4:8 ___________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 5:5 ____________________________________________________________________________ Matt. 6:33 ___________________________________________________________________________ Luke 4:18 ____________________________________________________________________________ Luke 7:22 ____________________________________________________________________________ James 1:17 ___________________________________________________________________________ James 5:13-15 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
Proverbs of Prosperity The book of Proverbs gives street knowledge, not a spirituality that is so heavenly minded that it's no earthly good. The wisdom of Proverbs "calls aloud in the street" and "raises her voice in the marketplace" (1:20). Does it teach that you have to cheat to be wealthy and politically powerful? Does it teach that godly people can't remain godly and still have earthly success? No. It teaches just the opposite. Proverbs says that the wicked may prosper for a short time, but over the historical long-run, obedience to God brings good health, financial prosperity, and political security. Machiavelli was wrong.
Wealth Prov. 8:18,21 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 13:21 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 13:22 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 13:25 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 15:6 ___________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 15:25 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 17:2 ___________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 22:4 ___________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 22:16 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 22:9 ___________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 24:3 ___________________________________________________________________________
Life and Health Prov. 10:25 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 12:13 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 13:14 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 13:40 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 16:18 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 18:21 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 19:23 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 21:16 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 28:18 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 29:16 __________________________________________________________________________
Political Security Prov. 8:15-16 ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 11:11 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 14:34 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 20:28 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 28:17 __________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 29:4 ___________________________________________________________________________ Prov. 29:14 __________________________________________________________________________
For some reason, many Christians do not grasp the implications of Christ's statement that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against" the Church (Matt. 16:18). Do gates attack? Don't they defend against invaders? Jesus was saying that the Church is on the offensive and taking ground from the Devil, and the Devil cannot prevent it.
This contradicts the pessimism of amil and premil views. Edmund Burke reflected Christ's teaching when he made the famous statement that "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." So let's stop helplessly whining about the evil of our age and get to work plundering hell to populate heaven. Adherents to all four millennial views agree that God's law plays a central role during the millennium, whenever and wherever the Millennium may be, because verses that everyone agrees are speaking of the millennium also clearly speak of God's law playing an important role at that time (cf. Isa. 2:2-4; Mic. 4:1-4; Eze. 37:24). God's law and justice are established by "My Servant" Jesus Christ (Isa. 42:1-4). God's law is a means that God uses to bring the Gentiles to faith in Him (Isa. 42:6, 51:4-5). When unbelievers see God's people living by God's law, they see the blessings that result and recognize the law's wisdom (Deut. 4:5-8).[14]
The Great Commission, God's Law, and the Millennial Blessings In the Great Commission Jesus commanded: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, . . . teaching them to obey everything I commanded you" (Matthew 28:19,20). Just like the above millennial verses, the Great Commission shows Jesus ("My Servant" cf. Acts 3:25-26) ruling over the nations of the earth, bringing salvation and obedience to God's law to the Gentiles. Jesus' commandments are not limited to the "words of Christ in red." He commanded us to obey every "jot and tittle" of all of God's law (Matt. 5:17-20). Also, remember, Jesus is God. Every command spoken by God in the Old Testament is a command spoken by Jesus Christ. The New Testament did not change gods.[15] One God, one fundamental law. (Obedience to all of God's law does not mean obedience to the ceremonial laws today because the law itself has annulled these earlier laws. But since God's word is the ultimate authority, only He can annul His law. We should assume the validity of God's previous commands unless He himself annuls them at a later time. We should not assume, as Dispensationalists do, that Old Testament commands are annulled unless repeated in the New Testament.) Salvation plays an essential role in the coming of the millennial blessings. People cannot maintain consistent obedience to God and His law unless their heart is renewed by the Holy Spirit. Once a person has been inwardly renewed, he will become outwardly obedient. The law of God written on tablets of stone cannot bring obedience to itself, but the Spirit empowers the law by bringing obedience to it (Rom.8:3-10; Heb.8:8-12). God rewards outward obedience with outward blessing. Throughout the Bible God promises blessings will be poured forth onto nations that consistently obey His law (Deut. 28:1-14; Josh. 1:8; Mal. 3:10; Matt. 5:5 ), and nations that disobey God are brought low, economically, politically, militarily, and every other way (Deut. 28:15-68; Prov. 11:11). Blessing reinforces obedience to God's law, and cursing motivates against disobedience - the carrot and the stick (Matt. 25:14-30). Greater obedience brings greater blessing, which brings greater obedience, which brings greater blessing, etc., etc. (Deut. 8:18). This results in a gradual transfer of wealth from the wicked to the righteous over successive generations (Prov. 13:22). Of course, wealth can also lure people away from God if they begin to worship the blessing rather than the Blesser. Cotton Mather said of the demise of the Puritans: "Religion begat prosperity, and the daughter devoured the mother." A generation of believers is often followed by a generation that continues many of the outward practices taught to them by their parents, and thus continue to reap the outward blessing, but is without inward faith in God (Deut. 8:11-14). Without inward, spiritual regeneration the outward obedience will eventually cease, resulting in outward economic cursing. Outward disobedience and cursing reaches its fullness by the third or fourth generation after the obedient generation (Gen. 15:16). God's cursing of the disobedient can enrage them into cursing God back, if grace is not present (Rev. 16:1 1). But God promises that after three or four generations God, in His grace, puts an end to disobedience and cursing and raises up an obedient generation (Deut. 5:9-10). Under the New Covenant, God's Spirit and grace is poured out with greater measure than under the Older Covenant; therefore there is greater obedience (all nations) and greater blessing for longer periods of time under the New Covenant than before (Rom. 5:17,20; Heb. 8:8-11).
Dominion Through Servanthood Philippians 2:3-11 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
How to Conquer the World: Revolution or Regeneration? According to promoters of Liberation Theology, Christ was a Marxist guerilla; and the Christian way to conquer the world is political revolution. The truth is that Marx hated God and that Christ prohibited political revolution (Matt. 5:41, 22:21; cf. Rom. 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-17). When Israel was liberated from Egypt, it was not by armed revolution, but by the supernatural power of God. Many Jews did not even want to go! (Exodus 5:20-21). They had to be bribed by the Egyptians to leave (Exodus 12:35-36).[16] Marxism claims to create a new man by creating a new environment. Human nature is changed from the outside in, by impersonal environmental determinism of political revolution. Christ creates a new man from the inside out (2 Cor. 5:17-20). This internal change causes increasing change in outward circumstances as Christians work out the implications of salvation in every area of their life (Phil. 2:12-13, Eph. 2:10). Marx stole and secularized the idea of the historical progress of civilization from the postmillennial Christianity of earlier America.[17] Marxism is a Satanic imitation of the truth, parading as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:13-15). But Marx died and now burns in hell. Jesus lives and reigns over the nations from heaven. Christ is the Great Liberator. He sets the captives free (Luke 4:18-19) from communist slave-states and all other false, man-made religions. Indeed, He will set all creation free (Rom. 8:18-22). The Roman Empire was conquered by the power of the gospel (Rev. 19:15), and Jesus smashed the Soviet Empire with His rod of iron (Psalm 2). He will continue to reign until He puts all His enemies under His feet (Psalm 110, Acts 2:35). Unfortunately, Marxists have been successful at portraying orthodox Christianity as an escapist religion. Christians in this century have largely agreed. But real Christianity is not a power religion or an escapist religion. It is dominion religion. It has world-transforming power, but through faith and obedience to God, not physical strength (2 Cor. 10:3-5). It is strength through ethics, not weapons. It's dominion through charity and constructive answers to societies problems, not by violent political chaos. Yes, our goal is world dominion; but "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 4:6). The Church reigns with Christ as He subdues kingdoms. "Or do you not know that the saints will judge (rule) the world?" (1 Cor. 6:2). Civil government is one institution in God's kingdom (Rom. 13), but should have limited power. Even a 10% tax rate is tyrannical (1 Sam. 8:10-18). It's purpose is only to restrain evil. Only the Gospel can advance the kingdom of God. Christians will gain dominance in the civil government by the democratic process,[18] and this can only happen after the hearts of the voters are transformed by the gospel to love the King of kings and His law (1 Tim. 6:15). Let's pray that God's heavenly kingdom come on earth (Matt. 6:10). If Christians do not work for heaven on earth, the God-haters will surely create a hell on earth. Let it never be said again, "The worker must one day seize power, in order to erect the new organization of labor; . . . if he does not want to suffer the loss of heaven on earth, as did the old Christians who neglected and despised it" - Karl Marx.[19]
Defeated 'Til Christ Comes?Why Historic Premillennialism and Amillennialism are Wrong
1. Denies the prevalent theme of the earthly victory of the Church resulting from Christ's first advent.[20] An argument often used by amils against postmil optimism is that the human heart is sinful, therefore God's kingdom could not achieve world-wide dominance. But did not Jesus come to give people a new heart? Is not God's grace more powerful than sin? (Rom. 5:17-21) Regardless, the amil's lack of faith in God to overcome sin must face the plethora of verses already cited that directly state that God's kingdom will one day rule over all the earth before Christ's Second Coming. (See Appendix 1, Question 2)
2. How long will He stay seated up there? "Sit at My right hand until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet" - Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:34-35; Heb. 10:12-13. Christ will not return until His enemies are defeated. And as Ephesians 1:22-23 says, the Church is Christ's body; so to be under Christ's feet is to be under the Church. The rule of Christ over His enemies is manifested by the Church.
3. Isaiah: Longer life, but still death: If no victory on earth, how does the amil account for Isaiah 32:1-8 and 65:17-25? (Without allegorizing all referenced to material blessings, see Sect. I, Continued) People still die (65:20), so this can't be after the Last Judgment. Premil's say it occurs after Christ returns and during the Millennium, but 1 Cor. 15:23-28, 50-57 says that death is destroyed at His coming and no enemies remain whatsoever; and Luke 20:35-36 says marriage and death do not occur after the resurrection of the righteous. (Also see Sect. III, "The Resurrection Question" and "The Proper Translation of Revelation 20:4")
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Section III |