Thursday, June 30, 2011

Advance of the Gospel (2) - Eternal Gospel

After the sealing of Israel (Rev 7:1-8), John saw great multitudes being saved by the gospel.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb (Rev 7:9-10).
Those who see Revelation as a book of doom and gloom often miss these verses. The number of people saved by the gospel will be a multitude so large that no one can count them. When the Times of the Gentiles are complete, and the Jews join the team, the fulfilment of this promise will be possible.

A vision of the 144,000, representing the Fullness of Israel (Rev 14:1-4), is followed by the eternal gospel going to the nations.
Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people (Rev 14:6).
When Israel has received the gospel, the church that includes Israel will proclaim the gospel of Jesus to every tribe, language and nation on earth.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think I take some things in the scriptures more literal than you. When Paul says that Israel's blindness resulted in the salvation of the Gentiles, he also said that their acceptance of Messiah would result in life from the dead. I take this quite literally, and expect a physical resurrection at this point...long before the passing away of heaven and earth and the new creation. We already know that receiving Yeshua Messiah, knowing Him, IS LIFE ITSELF...so Paul is pointing out that the physical condition will follow the spiritual.