JUST THINKING: From Tribulation to Jubilation
Biblical truths cannot be denied. Among those are that Jesus is God’s Son, that God’s plan of redemption is still being carried out and that God’s covenant with Abraham is an everlasting covenant.
The blessing of the Gentiles who are in the Lord’s church is that we have been grafted into Israel. As a result, the love God has for His wife, Israel, He has for those of us who have placed our lives — our future — in Jesus Christ.
The Day of the Lord Approaches
Jesus is coming again! However, He will rescue (lift us out) prior to a time of judgment on Israel for departing from God’s will. That is a time of Jacob’s (Israel) trouble. It will take place to reveal to the Israelites living then that Jesus, the Jew they have rejected, is the true Messiah and the conquering King.
Zechariah wrote: “A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped…” (Zech. 14:1-2 NIV1984). So, does that mean God hates Israel? Not at all! When Jesus comes at the end of the Great Tribulation, some things that have never happened before will occur. “Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south” (Zech. 14:3-5 NIV1984).
None of those occurrences has taken place before. But the last portion of verse 5 says something exciting. “Then the Lord will come, and all the holy ones with him.” Compare that with the promise of God penned by John describing that very event: “The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations… On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev. 19:14-16 NIV1984). That will bring to an end the time of tribulation for Israel!
From Tribulation to Jubilation
The distress, anguish and troublesome times will be past for Israel. Looking again to Zechariah 14, we see how God’s blessings will become abundant when King Jesus fulfills the covenant God made with Abraham by way of the Millennial Kingdom. That will be a time of jubilation! “On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem… On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name” (Zech. 14:8-9 NIV1984).
God’s Promises are True
This is the everlasting covenant between God and Abraham. It must be completed before believers can enjoy the new creation, the New Heaven and the New Earth. “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you” (Gen. 17:7 NIV1984).
The jubilation of the Millennial Kingdom is described by Isaiah: “The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isa. 35:10 NIV1984). Even so, come Lord Jesus!
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Dr. Tom Mitchell
Dr. Tom Mitchell pens a column titled, Just Thinking, in which he addresses many topics relative to the Baptist Missionary Association. His Trailblazers series provides biographies of many BMA trailblazers from the past.
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