Daniel's 70 Weeks

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make and end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity; to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until the Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall even in troublesome times.

And after sixty two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation which is determined is poured out on the desolate.”

-           Daniel 9:24-27

The prophet Daniel receives the answer to his prayer from the angel Gabriel. The following is what God will accomplish for Israel initially, and ultimately to all nations that believe in God.

1.       To finish the transgression – God will deal with Israel’s rebellion. He will in His timing put an end to the nation’s evil.

2.       Make and end of sins – Sin will be judged with finality by God

3.       Make reconciliation for iniquity – This is reference to Jesus dying on the cross as a perfect offering for mankind’s sins. By accomplishing this act, all those who believe in what Jesus accomplished will be forgiven of their sins forever.

4.       To bring in everlasting righteousness – Those whose sins Christ died for will receive righteousness on their accounts in this life, and will retain that righteousness for eternity.

5.       To seal up the vision and prophecy – Once the revelation of Israel’s future is complete along with the future of all mankind, there will be nothing left to disclose.

6.       To anoint the Most Holy – Some versions say the most Holy Place. Scholars have said the Most Holy makes reference to the future millennial temple described in Ezekiel chapters 40-48. Others are referencing the Messiah as the one being anointed.

The things that Gabriel is describing to Daniel are for him (i.e. Daniel) future and end time promises surrounding Israel. It was the nation Israel (his native people) Daniel was interceding for. Gabriel gives the prophet relief from his stress and anguish in prayer by answering his supplication (vs. 19-23).

Now, I want to break down the seventy weeks. They are in three intervals. Understand when the text says seventy weeks, these are seventy weeks of years; in other words seventy times seven (490 years). The word seven in the Greek is heptad. The first 7 weeks or 49 years were for the rebuilding of the walls which took only 52 days (Neh 6:15). During those 49 years the streets were repaired as well even in troublesome times (Dan 9:25). These 49 years also would have included the prophecies of the last O.T. prophet  Malachi. The sixty two weeks or 434 years are consecutive with the first 49 years or 7 weeks for a total of 483 years of 360 lunar[1] days per year equals 173,880 days. The same days compute when we use the following formula: 173,880 divide them by a solar year[2] – 365 days = 476.38356164 years. When multiplying 476.38356164 by 365 = 173,880 days. This discovery was first made by Sir Robert Anderson in his book entitled, “The Coming Prince” (1894). These 483 years began with the decree by the Persian king Artaxerxes Longimanus (465-424 B.C.) to Nehemiah to go and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince; that is when Jesus Christ rode on a donkey into Jerusalem fulfilling Zechariah 9:9. This decree occurred in Artaxerxes twentieth year of his reign (Neh 2:1-8). The Julian date was March 14, 445 B.C. The date given for Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem are 9 Nisan 32 A.D. or on our calendar April 6^th, 32 A.D. This occurred on Palm Sunday, five days before Jesus was crucified on Passover the 14^th of Nisan or April 11th (i.e. He was cut off, Dan 9:26). Nisan is the first month of the Hebrews' religious year. Nisan corresponds to our March/April months. The last week or seventieth week – that is the last seven years deals with the antichrist in the book of Revelation setting himself as the Messiah and making a false covenant of peace with Israel for seven years then breaking that covenant 3½ years into it. He then creates an image of himself and demands the world worship him or be killed. These horrific events occur in the last week of years – the Tribulation years yet future (Dan 7:25;9:26;2 Thess 2:4; Rev 13:5-7).

What is so amazing about these prophecies is the specificity of them. Daniel predicts to the very day from the decree to rebuild the walls and streets of Jerusalem until Jesus presenting Himself as the Messiah. Daniel also predicts Jesus death (Dan 9:26) and the coming of the antichrist. Contrary to the critics who claim Daniel recorded these events after they occurred, do not know their history very well. Daniel recorded his prophecies prior to the decree of King Cyrus allowing the Hebrews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple (Ezra 1:1-10). The year was 538 B.C. Daniel was dead by the time Artaxerxes issued his decree to rebuild the walls which once again was March 14^th, 445 B.C. which proves Daniel predicted the events before they happened.

The dates above have been debated. For instance, other dates that have been used are:

538 B.C.; this date does not work for the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem because it was the date when King Cyrus of Persia gave the declaration to the Hebrews to rebuild the temple led by Zerubbabel (Ezra 1:1-10). Another date given is 458 B.C.; this date marks the second return to Jerusalem under Ezra. To indicate the 458 B.C. date was given to rebuild the city and streets of Jerusalem would be too early of a date. The 458 B.C. was during King Artaxerxes 7^th year in the first month of Nisan to the fifth month (or March/April – July/Aug); the time Ezra returned to reinstate the law and religious reform in Jerusalem (Ezra 7). So the date that is left is the March 14^th, 445 B.C. when Nehemiah returned to rebuild the walls.

                           Why did the nation Israel have to go into captivity for seventy years?

In the book of Leviticus chapter 25 verses 1-7 God through Moses commanded the children of Israel not to till their land on the seventh year. They were to allow the land to have a Sabbath rest every seven years. For 490 years Israel failed to obey this command. Along with disobeying the Lord regarding the Sabbath rest of the land, the Hebrews refused to obey any other commands of the Lord resulting in their deportation (Jeremiah 25:11). First in 605 B.C., second in 597 B.C., and finally In 586 B.C. when  Jerusalem was sacked and the temple burned to the ground by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chronicles 36:19;Jeremiah 52:12-15).

The seventy years of captivity beginning in 605 B.C. and ending in 536 B.C. when the returning Hebrews began to rebuild the temple allowed the land of Israel to have 70 years of Sabbath rest that it did not enjoy due to Israel’s disobedience. Simply put, Israel owed God 70 years which they served in exile in Babylon.

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[1] The days it takes for the moon to orbit the earth in a year

[2] A solar year is the amount of days it takes for the earth to orbit the Sun.

Paul's Struggle in Romans Chapter Seven

The apostle Paul is explaining to his readers in vivid detail his ongoing battle between his flesh, mind and spirit. This is a struggle we all must suffer as Christians and it is a most painful struggle!

In Romans 7:15-25 we read:

“For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.                                                                                                

I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”

I want to focus on the bold texts for a moment. If one fails to read this in context, one could believe that Paul was absolving himself of personal responsibility for his sin when he says, “It is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me”

Sin as I have I mentioned before is rebelling against the commands of God; Sin is the total absence of good.  We sin by omission and commission. A sin of omission is not doing what God has commanded (e.g. forgive one another, pray, share the gospel, etc). A sin of commission is going beyond the boundaries of God’s commands (e.g. do not lie, commit adultery, worship other gods, etc). We sin by not doing what God commands as well by trespassing what He has prohibited.

The truth of the matter is sin by itself is a nameless cypher. Sin must have the opportunity to engage a willing host (i.e. our bodies) in order to bring ruin to our lives. In other words, sin has no power without humans. So no, Paul was by no means espousing dualism[1] which some may have accused him of. He was not saying that sin by itself was to blame for his sin. For if that were true, we could not be blamed for sin, for sin alone would be guilty and not the person whom sin indwelt. (I’m drawing this thought to its most logical conclusion). Paul, like us chose to sin because he wanted to even though he knew choice was wrong before he did it. We do the same thing.  Paul in these verses clearly decries his pain, and struggle to do right verses wrong. These verses are an incredible revelation of the pain of the human condition. Paul a redeemed man gives us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit why we act the way we do – even as Christians. Because of our unredeemed flesh, we will continue to war within ourselves. Our spirit man is renewed and desires to obey God, whereas our flesh – the old man desires, and serves the law of sin. This will be our struggle until we are glorified in our bodies. This obviously has not occurred yet due to sin ever being present with us. As Paul cried out, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?” We cry out to God for the same deliverance.      

If you are like me it seems sometimes I’m being torn apart inside. What do I mean? A similar passage that describes our struggle is in Galatians 5:16-17, “But I say walk and live habitually in the Holy Spirit (responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit) then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the Holy Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other (continually withstanding and in conflict with each other), so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do” (Amplified Version).               

To put this in laymen’s terms, we are in a tug-of-war with ourselves due to the flesh and Spirit battle we are constantly engaged in. We must recognize and deal with this struggle. We must be determined to walk in victory by allowing the Spirit of God to rule our spirits. How? By learning, understanding, and applying the word of God.

Jesus said this about His words: It is the Spirit that gives life (i.e. regeneration)…The words that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life (John 6:63). The word of God has inherent power to continue to transform us on the inside so that we can behave holy on the outside. We as Christians have to trust God and His Word! We must for it is our “get-out-of-jail-free-card” constantly, and our lifeline.  

So, when Paul is talking about our flesh dwells no good thing, he is not talking about the human body per se. Our physical bodies are not evil for God made us, and all that God made was perfect in the beginning (Genesis 1:31). When Paul mentions the flesh in this context, he is referencing our fallen sinful nature-that is the flesh.  Sin operates and takes advantage our fallen evil nature to wreak havoc in our lives and tempts us to sin. If we are not filled with the Spirit on an ongoing basis (Eph 5:18), then we are sitting ducks for the devil and his tricks (Eph 6:11), and we will sin every time.

Concluding, we cannot use the old Flip Wilson phrase, “The devil made me do it!” Yes, sin is ever present with us because of our fallen sinful nature. Sin assaults our minds and our flesh to commit evil acts. Likewise, when we yield to the Spirit, He also operates through our flesh to commit godly acts (Gal 2:20). It all boils down to which one we want to serve the most at that precise time, the law of God, or the law of sin?             

The choice is always ours.                           

                                                                                                               

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[1] Dualism was a false Greek Philosophy that taught that the human body was evil

and the spirit is good so when someone sinned, they were not personally responsible

for it because it was their flesh alone that committed the sin; it did not involve their minds

or spirits when the sin was committed. This mindset in the Greeks mind absolved

them of personal responsibility for evil.

Justification by Faith manifested by Works

It was the German Protestant Reformer Martin Luther who said, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.”

If one has been truly justified by his faith, that same saving faith is also a practical faith that manifests itself in good works. Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

When we believed the gospel of truth, we were justified (i.e. declared righteous) by faith in the propitiating work of Jesus Christ sacrifice for sin on the cross. However, we are justified by our works also proving our faith is the real thing. As James said, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). So what that means is to declare that one who says they have true faith without any works has a dead faith, or no faith at all.

If we do not have works coupled with our faith, then we have proven that not only is our faith a sham, so is our justification.  This is what Martin Luther meant when he said, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone. Good works is a natural byproduct of saving faith. If our justification is the real thing, then our faith will be realized by the fruit we bear.

It’s important to realize that we do not perform good works to obtain salvation for salvation is a gift (Eph 2:8-9). We perform good works as a result of our salvation.

                                                             What did Abraham do?

Abram (his name at the time), demonstrated his faith by taking God at His word when God promised Abram that his descendants would be enumerable (Gen 15:1-6). It was at this point God justified, or declared Abram righteous; God credited or imputed, transferred righteousness to Abram’s account.

Later on in Genesis 22, Abraham’s faith was proven to him to be real when God tested his faith (or trust) in the Lord by commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

So we see Abraham was justified by faith in the word of God. He was also justified by works in that he proved his faith was real because he was willing to kill his son Isaac as an offering to the God He loved more than his son. Abraham’s faith was real; It saved him from sin, and also it was practical, it was proven to be genuine through trial. If one’s faith is real, so is their justification. The two go hand in hand.

The faith we exhibit is the means or cause of our justification. Faith is what we do. Justification is what God does for us. Justification can never happen without first believing in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, and the salvation of our souls.

                                                How was the harlot Rahab justified?

In Joshua chapter two we read how Joshua judge and successor of Moses sent two men to spy out the land of Jericho. As they entered the city, they lodged with a woman named Rahab. The king of Jericho inquired of her where the men were. Rahab lied and said they came to her, but they had left the city, and she did not know where they went when in actuality, she hid them on her roof (Josh 2:6).

After the pursuers left her home, she declared to the two men she knew the Lord they served was the God of the heaven and earth. She knew the Lord had given Jericho into the hands of Israel before they had actually taken it. This was a testament to Rahab’s faith in a God she did not even know, but due God’s exploits, and delivering power of how He delivered Israel from the Egyptians, fear had fell on the entire city.

Rahab was justified by works in this sense, she showed the Israelite spies kindness by hiding them from their pursuers, and sent them out another way (James 2:25). Had Rahab not believed in God, she would not have received the men, or showed them kindness.

Although Rahab was a prostitute and she lied regarding the two men’s whereabouts, she was commended by James for her genuine faith. Rahab’s faith in God was proven to be real by what she did.

So we see that a genuine faith MUST always be tested to prove to the possessor of it that it is indeed the real thing; resulting in good works.

Unable To Harmonize It All

There are several commands in the Bible that on the surface that appear to contradict one another. For instance, there are verses where God makes a decree (i.e. that is something he declares that will take place whether man complies or not), and at the same time command us to do that very thing.                                                                                                                              

Let’s examine a couple.                                                                                             

In Isaiah 55:6 it says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.”     We read in John 6:44 that none can come to Jesus unless the Father God draws that person to Him. We also read in Romans 3:11 that no one seeks after God. Humanly speaking, these statements do not harmonize at all. Why would God demand we seek Him in the Isaiah passage, and then the apostles John and Paul tell us that we are unable to come to Jesus or seek after God?                                                                                                                                                  

What is going on here?                                                                                                          

Here is the clear implication. We are commanded to seek God because we are in need of forgiveness of sins and salvation, but we are unable to do this on our own. We must depend   upon the power of God to do for us what we can never accomplish on our own.       In order for us to seek God, we have to be changed from within. We have to be granted repentance, and faith to believe gospel message, then we will seek God and only then.                                                                         

We must seek God; that is a command, but we cannot do this in our own power. For we must remember, we are dead in trespasses and sins before we are made alive (regenerated) by the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:1; Col 2:13). So we see the importance of studying the scripture. If we look at a couple of passages that appear to contradict one another, we must examine the whole scripture to come to a correct conclusion.                                                                                                                       

                          

                         How do we harmonize God’s election and man’s responsibility to believe?

The concern for some who have a problem with the doctrine of sovereign election is that it somehow negates the personal responsibility of the sinner to believe in order to be saved. Their argument would be something like this, “If God is choosing in eternity past who He is going to save, what is the point of preaching the gospel? They are going to be saved anyway right?”               

It’s true God knows who He has chosen to be saved, but we do not know who will be saved until they actually believe. So preaching the gospel message is the means by which God has chosen to bring His elect to saving faith. The gospel is also the means that will condemn those who choose not to believe the truth. While it is true that God has chosen some to be saved from eternity past, they will not be saved until they receive the gospel message and believe it which will bring about their salvation. Here we see God’s sovereignty and human responsibility working in tandem to accomplish God’s purposes. God creates the means and the ends regarding salvation.                                                                                                                                                           

Admittedly God transcends the mind how he does certain things. For instance, God has chosen some for salvation, yet God’s choosing some does not negate human responsibility to believe. It was the predetermined plan of God to send Jesus to earth to die on a cross, yet men killed the son of God, and our culpable for His death. It was prophesied by God in Psalm 41:9 that Judas would betray Jesus, but that does not get Judas off the hook, because God wove Judas betrayal in His providential plan. Judas was not coerced into betraying Jesus. He acted as a free moral agent. Just because the Bible says those whom saves God will never perish does not mean we are not to persevere in faith unto the end. Just because we are sanctified positionally does not mean we are not to pursue holiness actively. Just because we have been forgiven of our sins judicially forever does not mean we are not to daily confess our sins for ongoing cleansing and removing of unrighteousness. And finally, just because a person is chosen (elect of God), does not mean we are not to pray that God grants men repentance and salvation.    All the aforementioned do not harmonize to the human mind. Here Is where we are rest our minds at:

            

Oh, the depth  of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and how inscrutable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has given to Him that it might be repaid? For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever.                                                                          

Amen (Rom 11:33-36).                                                                                                                                  

Paul's Defense In Romans Chapter Three

                                               

The Apostle Paul had to diffuse some illogical conclusions he knew he would anticipate based on his teaching on justification by faith with his Jewish readers in Rome. The corrections Paul had to make are no doubt corrections we as teachers of the Word of God must face today.                            

Paul at the end of Romans chapter two is discussing circumcision. Paul explains to his readers that those are who are physically circumcised have no essential advantage over those who are not circumcised if those circumcised (the Jews) are disobedient to the law of God. Paul also indicates those who are not circumcised (the Gentiles) are blessed if they keep the law. In addition this makes them circumcised by the Spirit (Rom 2:29). This is the real circumcision, spiritual circumcision for this is equivalent to salvation.                                                                                

Paul then asks himself a hypothetical question at the beginning of chapter three, “Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?” Paul replies that the Jews have an advantage because to the Jews came the oracles of God (i.e. the OT scriptures). Paul then asks a second hypothetical question, “What if some are unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?” (vs. 3). Paul I imagine hearing the absurdity of this question emphatically replies, “By no means”, or in today’s vernacular, “No way!” Here is where the plot thickens. Paul says, “Let God be true, and every man a liar!” (vs. 4a).                                                  

There was no doubt that Paul’s words were misunderstood when he said let every man be a liar. Paul was by no means advocating that men should lie so that God could be glorified through their lying. Paul I believe here was using hyperbolic language saying that if there is anyone who is to be true it is God, and by comparison, all men are liars.        

To put it another way, God’s plans are never neutralized because of the disobedience of men. What God has decreed will always come to pass no matter what man does.                                                                                                         

God cannot lie. Men always lie.                                                                                            

Paul continues in verse 5, “But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (Paul speaking in human terms) By no means! For then how could God judge the world?” But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to His glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come? – as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.” (vs. 5-8).                                                                                                                          

Paul continues asking himself hypothetical questions – questions he knows his readers would eventually ask him regarding his doctrine.

Q1. If our unrighteousness displays the righteousness of God why would God afflict            us?                                                                                                                                                   

A1. Man’s wickedness never propels or displays the righteousness of God. Rather, the wickedness of men dishonors God, and that is what incurs God’s righteous judgment. It is absolutely ridiculous to assume that God would get glory through man’s disobedience and then punish him for it. This type of thinking clearly shows the ignorance of some of Paul’s audience.

Q2. There were those that were slandering Paul saying he was advocating evil so that good may come.

This ridiculous conclusion hinged on the absurd belief that Paul was teaching that lying or doing evil was good because somehow it glorified God. So why not do more evil so more good can come as a result? Laymen’s terms: evil is good because it honors God. This was the lie that some said Paul was teaching. Notice Paul says in verse 8 that their condemnation or judgment is just.

                           Why did Paul’s opponents say he condoned unrighteousness?

The reason Paul’s opponents believed that is because they were accusing him of Antinomianism. It means against the law. In this context, against the Law of Moses. There were those that were saying Paul’s teaching of the Law of Grace or justification by faith advocated ignoring God’s moral code in the OT law such as, you shall not commit adultery. You are not to steal, you are not to bear false witness, etc. Their misunderstanding of Paul’s teaching was declaring since we are saved by grace, we are free to do whatever we want – even commit sin since our sins have been forgiven right? Paul deals with an almost identical issue later in this letter. Let’s take a look at it.             

In Romans 5:20 – 6:2 we read, “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more. So that sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ.”  “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!” “How shall we who died to in sin live any longer in it?”                                                                                                                                              

Here Paul makes it unequivocally clear that he is by no means advocating that we sin on purpose. Paul’s teaching on justification by faith does not abolish the law, rather fulfils it Rom 3:31).                                                                                                                                                            

 Concluding, the purpose of God’s holy law was designed to amplify our sin, not to save us. If man does not have a standard on which to compare his sin against the righteousness of God, then man will not have a correct view of his sin, and therefore will not regard his sin as sinful (Romans 7:13b). The Law of God is good because it condemns us when we realize we are unable to meet its rigid requirements. The law of God exists so that when we fail to meet it perfectly, we will feel ashamed and cry out for deliverance from under its heavy yoke (Acts 15:10). This is where the beauty of Jesus Christ’s loving invitation comes in:

           

“Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).                                                     

The life of the Christian verses that of one who is trying to keep all the commandments of the law is definitely and easier yoke and a lighter burden by comparison.                                              

Continuationism vs. Cessationism

The noun form of these two words would be Continuationist  and Cessationist. What do these words mean? In Biblical terms it is dealing with certain gifts of the Holy Spirit such as: Apostles, prophets gifts of healings[i], miracles, tongues,  (I Cor 12:28-29).

The continuationist believe all of these gifts are in operation today whereas the cessationist believe they have ceased at the end of the apostolic era – the end of the first century. In the writer’s opinion, the continuationist (not all) assume since these gifts are in the Bible and God does not revoke His gifts, then they continue. Furthermore, they would say they have either witnessed these gifts in action, or they have operated the gifts themselves; tongues, prophecy (in the predictive or foretelling since), a word of knowledge. Continuationists also believe in what is called a “latter rain” blessing where the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh just as or even more so than Pentecost. This phenomenon began in the early 1900’s. Some of the “latter rain” blessings include:

a        The laying on of hands to receive the gift of tongues

b       The restoration of the office of the apostle and prophet in the church

c        Receive divine healing through the laying on of hands

d        Women having equal authority with men in the church

In  their worldview, God has us re-living the past in the present. The continuationist  has us traveling back in time 2,000 years to the foundations of the church in the first century. They believe everything that occurred during the era of the apostles and prophets is happening today. This stems from a misinterpretation of Joel 2:23. It reads, "be glad then you children of Zion and rejoice in the Lord your God. For He has given you the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month."

The continuationist (i.e. the Charismatic/Pentacostalist) believes this is making reference to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (i.e. the latter rain) which is untrue. The Lord is talking about actual rainfall in this verse. The Israelites were an agrarian people. They needed the rain to fall on their soil in the fall and spring for them to have a bountiful harvest. The former rains in Autumn (Oct – Dec) prepared the seed, and latter rains (Mar – May) filled the crops for harvest. God was promising a restoration of their land so that it could yield it’s rich wheat, grain and produce blessings.

It is tragic how one verse can be so grossly misinterpreted and a false theology develop around it. This unfortunately has occurred with the Latter Rain Movement which the continuationist beliefs hinge upon.

The position of the cessationist is that miracles, gifts of healings, tongues, new revelation are a thing of the past. I guess some would call cessationists naturalists; meaning they do not believe in the supernatural at all. This would be an extreme case. In the area of tongues, history tells us the gift has already ceased. Many in the Church disagree. The early church fathers such as Justin Martyr, Origen, Chrysostom, Augustine considered the temporary sign gift of tongues as a thing that passed with the passing away of the apostles.

                                                              What did tongues signify?  

Paul in I Corinthians 14:21-22 said, with men of other tongues and other lips will I speak to this people, and yet for all that they will not hear Me says the Lord. Therefore tongues are for a sign, not those who believe but to unbelievers, but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.

To understand what the apostle is talking about, we have to travel back to the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The prophet had to rebuke the prophets and priests for their drunkenness. As a result of their inebriation they could not provide counsel, proper worship or leadership of the people. They were abusing the privileges God gave them. Because of their persistent wickedness God warns them of impending doom. These foolish leaders mocked Isaiah for his oracles saying he’s talking nonsense to us as if he is talking to babies, that is “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little” (Isa 28:13).  According to the Bible commentator Matthew Henry (18 October 1662 – 22 June 1714), the transliteration of these words in Hebrew are “Tsau latsau, kau lakau." The drunken mockers syllables in completion read like this: “Saw lesaw saw lesaw, qaw leqaw qaw leqaw, ze’ir sham ze’ir sham.” What the mockers were doing was making a sort of a nursery rhyme out of Isaiah’s words. These were the words they were singing in their drunken stupor. It lets you know how apostate they had become. They were mocking the words of God as if it was baby talk, gibberish!  God’s word was supposed to bring about hope and refreshment, but instead they ridiculed the prophet and God’s words (Isa 28:12).

As a result of them refusing to hear the word of the Lord in their own language, God would send a nation against them with stammering lips and a language they could not understand as a sign of judgment on the northern kingdom (the 10 tribes). The Assyrians invaded the northern kingdom of Israel called Ephraim in 722 B.C. Later the southern kingdom (tribes of Judah & Benjamin) would be destroyed and taken captive by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. leaving the nation Israel a desolate wilderness.

                This started the diaspora of the Hebrews.

So we see that when Paul says that tongues (or better interpreted languages) are for unbelievers, it meant in particular unbelieving Israel. In the NT the tongues was a judicial sign against Israel, that they would be set aside by God to make room for the Gentiles due to their unbelief (i.e. the pagans, heathen, non Jewish peoples) to be saved, and enjoy the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant.

Let’s look at a couple of verses to amplify this point.

Acts 13:46-48 reads, on the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. When the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and contradicting and blaspheming they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first, but since you reject it (italics mine), and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold we turn to the Gentiles. For the Lord has commanded us:

“I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to
                                                       Ends the of the earth.”

                                                                                    

                                                              Quoted from Isaiah 49:6

Now when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed unto eternal life believed (vs. 48).

We see here the Jews rejecting God’s word which began the judgment of  them being temporarily set aside to due to their unbelief, and the grafting in of the Gentiles into God’s olive tree (Read the entire chapter of Romans 11 for Israel’s current status and their future).

We also read where Peter preached the gospel to Cornelius’ house in Acts 10. The Holy Spirit fell on them as they believed and spoke with languages (vs. 44-48). These too were Gentile converts.

In Acts 8 we read of Philip preaching to the Samaritans who were Israel’s Gentile mortal enemies. So at the beginning of the Church we see that God was fulfilling his promise of including all nations in His kingdom.

This new nation was and is the Church. We are now in the “Time of the Gentiles” (Rom 11:25).

Once the judgment fell on NT Israel which some cessationists believe occurred with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D., the sign was fulfilled and the gift of tongues ceased. What is interesting to note is tongues is not mentioned in the latter writings of the NT. I Corinthians one of the earlier writings was written around 55 A.D. Neither Paul or the other apostles mentioned tongues after this date. Paul’s prison epistles were in the 60’s with his last book written to Timothy around 68 A.D. Peter’s epistles were around 64-65, and 67-68 A.D. John’s books were around 90-96 A.D. What we are hearing today as tongues is not the Biblical gift, but a dangerous counterfeit. Please remember, tongues was never a non-language, unintelligible gibberish or babbling to build someone up. Biblical tongues were known human languages supernaturally spoken by people who never learned the dialect. It was an endowment sovereignly bestowed by the Holy Spirit (I Cor 12:11).

The main point of contention between the continuatioinist and cessationist is the issue of tongues. The first group insist the gift is operative, but the gift they are promoting isn’t the Biblical gift; it’s a counterfeit with a bunch of unintelligible syllables that do not make sense. In extreme cases, the practice could be demonic. The second group (at least some), insist the real gift of languages was a temporary sign gift of judgment to Israel in two ways. 1) It signified them being set aside because of their unbelief. 2) It also signified the Gentiles being grafted into God’s olive tree (Romans 11). Once the sign was fulfilled, Israel’s judgment of unbelief punished, and the gospel being made available to the rest of the world, the gift ceased to operate. As mentioned earlier, the early church fathers wrote on this; the gift ceasing with the death of the apostles.

In conclusion, it is the writer’s opinion that whatever position one holds, we MUST put our personal influences and biases aside, and run to the scriptures for our answers to these crucial matters. There are those that will say they have seen the genuine gift of tongues in operation in modern times; that is someone in the church speak in a real language they never learned and interpret that language (i.e. prophesy) speaking the wonderful works of God with unbelievers in the assembly who knew the language natively and was convicted of sin due to God’s power in operation and became saved. Why? Because the person who spoke the language never learned it. It was a supernatural manifestation of God (I Cor 14:24).

To the cessationist this is more hypothetical than actual. The cessationist is more to the letter of the law in that where it says in I Corinthians 13:8 that tongues will cease, they insist tongues did cease and do not continue now so no event such as a real languages manifestation in the church can occur today whether actual or even hypothetical. In their mind God is not going to resuscitate tongues or any of the other gifts such miracles, healings, predictive prophecy, the apostle and prophet.

What gifts we know abide today are the teacher, prophecy (expository preaching and teaching), the evangelist and Pastor.

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[i] This gift the writer believes is not in operation today. For if it were,

Why aren’t people being instantaneously healed by these so called “faith healers”

Like in the days of Christ and the apostles? If this gift is operative, the cemeteries,

And hospitals, convalescent homes should be empty. Organic terminal diseases should

Be cured.

What is the effectual Call?

The word call in the Greek is Kaléō. The Hebrew word is qārā. Both words mean a general call. In relation to salvation, its meaning is referring to those God has chosen to be recipients of His saving grace.

The calling of God is an invitation to repent of sins; that means forsaking of your sins and turning to Him for salvation through Jesus Christ. There is what is called and outward call. This is where the gospel is preached to all people. The outward call of God is resisted and rejected by men when they hear the gospel message and are commanded to repent of their sins that they may have life. An illustration of this is in the parable of Matthew 22 which is the parable of the wedding banquet. In this parable the king prepares a banquet for his son. The king sends out his servants to bid those invited to come, but all of them make excuses for not coming. In addition, those who refuse kills the king’s servants [(i.e. the believers (vs 6)]. When the kings receives this news, he is furious, and sends his armies to destroy those who killed his servants (vs 7).

Those that refuse to come to the wedding feast are non-believers.

The king then commands more servants to go to everyplace and bring whomever they can to the wedding feast. They do so, and at last the marriage feast is filled with guests (vs 8-10).

                

These represent the called, true believers.

But, there is one guest who came to the supper with improper clothing. The king questions the stranger because he was not wearing the proper attire (vs 12). The guest was dumbfounded, because he knew he was not properly dressed. As a result, the intruder is thrown out of the marriage celebration and is cast into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (vs 13).

What is Jesus trying to explain to us in this parable?

The king is the Father God. The Son is Jesus Christ. The servants are the prophets. Those bidden to come that make excuses and refuse are unbelieving, apostate Israel initially, and eventually all unbelievers. As mentioned the guests are the redeemed. The one not wearing proper attire is an unbeliever masquerading as a true one. Several places in the Bible white robes are symbolic of righteous deeds and holiness.

Revelation 3:5a says, “He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment…”

When the fifth seal is opened, the apostle John saw under the altar the souls of those who were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony they held. And they cried with a loud voice saying, “How long O Lord, holy and true do you judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”

And white robes were given unto every one of them (Rev 6:9-11a).

We read in Revelation 7:14 that there is an innumerable multitude in heaven wearing white robes because they washed them in the blood of the Lamb.

In Revelation 19:7-8 we read, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white – for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”

Just like the parable in Matthew 22 with the supper for the king’s son where everyone had to be properly attired. The Lamb’s bride (the church and Israel) had to wear the right clothing.

Romans 13:14 commands us to put on (italics mine) the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lust thereof.

     All the redeemed wear the proper clothing.

Scholars believe that when the one that entered the wedding banquet without proper clothing in Matthew 22, he was showing contempt for the king. Spiritually speaking by wearing wrong clothing which represented deeds, he was trying to establish his own righteousness and gain acceptance by God which is what the world does everyday.

In the natural sense to wear improper clothing when the king supplied you the right attire is dishonoring, and puts one in harms way before the king. Its even more horrific to dishonor the Father God by showing up to the Son’s marriage feast with filthy rags, and expect the Father to accept such.              

                  

These are the ones that despise the outward call of God to repent.

The effectual call is that inward calling where God draws the elect to His Son (John 6:37,44,65). Scholars and contemporary theologians say this call of God is different from the general outward call which can be resisted. The inward call of God ultimately CANNOT be resisted by the stubborn will of man. In order for the inward call to be effective, God has to overcome the evil, stubborn resistance of man; love on him in such a supernatural way so that all he wants is what God wants for him which is rebirth, repentance, faith, and salvation. When one is effectually called by God, this process is guaranteed to occur.

Why? Because God determined that it would happen before the world was ever created (Eph 1:4).

Listen to God’s word, “Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called (italics mine), and whom He called, them He also justified, and whom He justified, them He also glorified" (Rom 8:30).

When God predestines someone, the rest of the blessings automatically follow: called, justified, glorified. All past tense verbs.

God’s plans never fail so all of those whom He effectually calls will or even more emphatically 

HAVE to repent, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved.                

This is a blessed promise and command of the Lord. We cannot alter it by complicity or noncompliance.

Concluding, we see here the sovereignty of God and the sovereignty of man. The former leads to everlasting life and peace. The latter leads to everlasting damnation and torment.