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BACKGROUND
DEFINITION OF TERMS (For Serious Students)
COVENANT
LAW
LAW
I. In the Old Testament
II. In the New Testament
GRACE
GRACE, MEANS OF
KINGDOM OF GOD
KINGDOM OF GOD, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
I. In John the Baptist
II. In the teaching of Jesus
III. Kingdom and church
IV. In the rest of the New Testament
V. In theological thought
The
full background to this teaching is available online at this link
<b>DEFINITION OF TERMS</b> (For Serious Students)
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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| SPIRITUAL PATTERN OF THE AGES |
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___________THE THREE KINGDOM AGES__________
THEME______PATRIARCHS__PROPHETS___PEOPLE___
_______________Creation_____c.1500BC______c.5BC___
_______________c.1800BC_____c.432BC___Jesus Return
SOCIETY_______Nomadic_____Agrarian___Developmental
REACHING_______Family_______Nation________World
SALVATION___Righteousness____Law_________Grace
PRIESTHOOD__Melchizedek_____Aaron________Jesus
SUCCESS BY_Reproduction____Prosperity____Sacrifice
SACRIFICE______Isaac________Animals________Jesus
PROMISE_____Edenic Cvt.__Abrahamic Cvt._New Covenant
PERSONIFIED_Abraham (Seed)_Moses (Guide)_Jesus (The Way)
GOVERNED____Patriarchal___Authoritarian____Relational
TEMPTATION___Serpent___Other Nations____Humanism
THE TRIAD_____Hope_________Faith__________Love
PATTERN____Creation_____Temple_______Cross
Each kingdom age includes a spiritual highlight, a response, and a further promise for the age ahead. Let's see how God works.
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| 1. HIGHLIGHT: CREATION |
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 The spiritual highlight of the first kingdom age was the creation. Without it, none of what subsequently happened could have occurred. We simply would not exist! This remains true whether you understand the story of Genesis literally or spiritually. A beginning is necessary.
Genesis 1:31
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 So good in fact that He rested satisfied, on the seventh day and blessed it, for all He had done.
Genesis 2:1-3
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| 2. RESPONSE: REBELLION OF SINFULNESS |
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 The response to God's wonderful work was rebellion. Firstly, by Adam and Eve.
Genesis 3:8-13
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 They were to be followed by many others. So many, that God wished he had not made man to look after His creation!
Genesis 6:5-6
The Tower of Babel, Sodom and Gomorrah, to mention just two examples, followed. Yes, we humans decided to go our own way.
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| 3. PROMISE: BLESSING OF ABRAHAM'S SEED |
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 Despite of all the problems God had with us, His creation, He persisted! His "mercy triumphs over judgement!" (James 2:13b) So a new blessing was again promised through the line of the loyal, godly, Abraham.
Genesis 12:1-3
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A promise literally filled through the nation of Israel, but which also applies spiritually, to us today. The promise was remembered by succeeding generations of patriarchs. Here we have Isaac's blessing to Jacob.
Genesis 28:4
The spiritual blessing was to be fulfilled in the Promised Land.
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| 1. HIGHLIGHT: THE TEMPLE |
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 Remembering that the focus and understanding of this age was primarily in the physical realm, so the spiritual highlight of God's physical presence was seen firstly in Moses Tabernacle. But then, as the nation became established and wealthy, the focus shifted to Solomon's magnificent temple. God's Temple actually! David had wanted to build it, but God put the project in the hands of Solomon.
1 Kings 5:3-5
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God did warn him that his spiritual motivation needed to be godly, a warning neither he, nor the people, heeded for long.
1 Kings 6:11-13
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 The Queen of Sheba was impressed too!
1 Kings 10:4-5
The glory of Solomon's Temple has been legendary throughout history. It truly was, for a time, the visible spiritual highlight of the second kingdom age.
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| 2. RESPONSE: REBELLION OF IDOL WORSHIP |
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 The spiritual state of the nation throughout the remainder of the second kingdom age was reflected in what happened in and to, the Temple.
Sadly, God departed and its glory was gradually lost as succeeding kings neglected, even desecrated it, while invaders looted its treasures and finally destroyed it, all because the people rebelled and followed foreign religions.
Here is a small selection from amongst many examples. Under many kings the Temple was neglected.
2 Chronicles 34:8-11
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The Temple had also been desecrated through idol worship and even used for male prostitution.
2 Kings 23:4-7
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 And finally destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586B.C.
2 Kings 25:8-17
The occupation of the Promised Land had ended and the glorious Temple had been destroyed. All because the people rebelled against God.
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| 3. PROMISE: A NEW HOUSE, IN THE HEART |
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 It is hard to imagine the full despair of the exiles in Babylon. Both their land and their Temple had been destroyed. Even when a remnant was allowed to return to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple, the replacement was a disappointment to those who remembered the glory of the former Temple.
Haggai 2:3
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 But God encouraged them by promising a new greater house, a house of peace. One that would have sounded particularly attractive to a conquered people, who even in their approved reconstruction efforts, still faced considerable opposition.
Haggai 2:6-9
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 But the form of this new 'house' was to be different to the old. For the spiritual blessing would become an internal experience instead of an external building. It would again be through the line of David, as Solomon's Temple had been.
Jeremiah 33:14-16
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 A house built inside the hearts of people.
Jeremiah 31:33-4
God gave the promise of a new, third kingdom age to come, the age of Jesus.
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| HIGHLIGHT: THE CROSS |
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 The undoubted highlight of the New Testament age in which we now live is the Cross of Jesus. It was hugely hard for Jesus!
Matthew 26:36-39
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But without the cross, we could not and would not have been reconciled to the Father.
Colossians 1:20
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It is the death of Jesus, the one sacrificed on the cross in our place, that is to be our inspiration for living, the motivator of our life.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Yes, the Cross was and remains, at the very heart of the Christian's faith.
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| RESPONSE: THE CHOICE TO ACCEPT OR REJECT |
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The third kingdom age requires an individual response to accept or reject what Jesus did for us on the Cross. No longer does God's grace extend through a family group or nation. Each one must make his or her individual choice. Through the cross, Jesus has made the way for each one to approach the Father.
Hebrews 4:14-16
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 But the choice of whether or not to believe is an individual one.
Romans 2:6-11
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 But all will have to face God's judgement for the decision made.
Romans 2:12-16
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| 3. PROMISE: MESSIANIC KINGDOM AGE TO COME |
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 Of course, the New Covenant (Testament) is the final offer of God to man. Jesus came as the last sacrifice for sin, to enable a full and final reconciliation between man and God. So how can there be another promise? Surely we have it all now! Or do we? As we finish our study, we will take a glimpse at the glorious kingdom age yet to come.
Revelation 20:4
Let's take a closer look, shall we.
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| <i>NEXT WEEK</i> A REVELATION OF....... 3 KINGDOM AGES
THE KINGDOM FULFILLED |
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 Now is the time to look at the final fulfillment of the kingdom that all fully committed believers are looking forward to.
Let's seek it out!
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 The cross! Victory snatch out of the seeming jaws of defeat!
What a spiritual inheritance we have!
May we never deny the cross!
BRONZE MIRRORS
These polished bronze mirrors were used to reflect the face. They were made of molten bronze or copper. They were round, oval, square and most of the time they had a handle. If any rust developed it was easily polished new. Later in ancient Rome mirrors were made of tin, silver and even gold.
Source: http://www.bible-history.com
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
721. There is still no greater power working in the world today than that of the Cross of Jesus.
David Tait
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Man and women were created___