Part Eight

10 Jewish Expectations of the end times and how they relate to the ekklesia:

1. Final ordeal and confusion - (Jacob’s Trouble) - The time of the tribulation.

2. Elijah as a precursor reappears - One of the two witnesses of Revelation.

3. Coming of Messiah - does not mean everything ends, but final wars are fought (Armageddon).

4. Last Assault on the hostile powers - Armageddon.

5. Through Messiah the destruction of hostile powers - The second coming. Revelation 19.11-20

6. Renewal of Jerusalem - Jerusalem established as the millennial capital.

7. Gathering of the dispersed - God’s people re-gathered.

8. Kingdom of Glory established in the Holy Land - Millennial Kingdom, Ezekiel’s Temple.

9. Renewal of the whole world - Teaching the nations during the millennium.

10. General Resurrection of the dead - What we would call the first resurrection when Yeshua returns.

It is all about the Land - As we are grafted in we also share an inheritance. The land is the current modern day issue. Ezekiel 40 - 48 describes the millennial temple and future boundaries of the land of Israel.
* Jeremiah 16.18 God says it is His land.

* It is given unconditionally. Gen 15. God can bring His people back whenever He decides: Ps 105.8-11

* Sin against the land leads to exile. Numbers 35 bloodshed pollutes. Lev 18 Land vomits out.
2 Chronicles 36.20-21 fulfill word until the land fulfills it’s Sabbaths.

* Ps 137 Exile from land is spiritual death. Ps 126

* Messianic promises are land based. No concept of a blessed future for Israel outside of the land.
The fate of the land and the people are tied together.

* Replacement Theology is false teaching. Tribes will return. Deut 29.28. Nations will come to Jerusalem Isaiah 2.

Isaiah 11 peace between nations.

* Current state of affairs until the restoration of all things. Act 3.19

* Isaiah 60.10 foreigners build the walls of Jerusalem. Isaiah 62.4 married (espoused) to the land.
The return to the land is for a wedding ceremony! No longer a widow Is 62.5

* Ezekiel 40-48 speaks of a future temple in Jerusalem.

* Israel in the world is a sign spoken against. Zech 12-14 world wide hostility towards Jerusalem.
God’s Kingdom will advance--it will be physical, not just spiritual.

* A temple is in the earthly kingdom--Ezek 43.7 It is an earthly and heavenly temple that will never be destroyed.

* In Jewish rabbinic tradition sin deprived Adam of the glory of God. What was the world like before sin?

* There is a tangible world coming when Messiah will rule. This life is not about going to heaven and
 playing harps-- it is about functioning in a new world.

* Amos 3.1-3 Judgment goes along with temporal blessings.

As we can see there are striking similarities between Judaism and Christianity concerning the end of the age. There is nothing in Jewish eshcatology that talks about special treatment or a "rapture" of any people group. John's view of the end of the age in the Book of Revelation parallels Jewish beliefs in the world to come. That is because John was a Jew and understood eschatology from a Judaic understanding.

My contention and challenge to the "church" is that if we are grafted into Israel then we also share in the promises to physical Israel. That is exactly what scripture indicates. Jewish eshatology is what John is sharing in his vision in Revelation.

If you understand the fall feasts; Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles (along with the meaning of the month of Elul and the ten days of Awe) you see that the Book of Revelation chronologically follows this order. (Review the December 2013 postings on this blog of the book of Revelation)

God is calling His people out. He is calling them out of Judaism (to rebirth in Yeshua as Messiah is what I mean) and out of the apostate church as He creates "one new man" under one Rabbi--Yeshua! Our rabbinic authority will be under our Elohim thru Rabbi Yeshua. There is only unity when we understand what is truth. Jews are coming to Yeshua and Christians are coming back to understanding Hebraic roots--this is the one new man. We are coming to this understanding of who we are.

God is bringing us together in this hour. We both will need to evaluate our current pet beliefs and doctrines allowing Yeshua to bring us together under His Headship. He is the Head of the "called out" and He is building His Temple. It is exciting to see how we will come together. I know one thing for sure--it will not be easy and many will stand against it--but it will be.

Tommorrow: Part 9 - Tribulation Outline and final thoughts