Why Many Believers Feel Stuck

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Wait. There is a world of articles, books, and information out there when it comes to Christianity, but we are mostly stuck with rhetoric and double talk when it comes to our relationship with the Lord, our new identity as believers, and the security and finality of the work of Christ. Are you getting everything you need spiritually from your church? Or do you find yourself feeling hungry for more? Join Lenny as he unpacks what Scripture really taught about our Lord Jesus Christ in context and why this matters to you. Wake up, wake up, wake up to grace.

Moody’s Second Coming Framework

Jerusalem Surrounded As The Sign

AD 70 And Revelation Parallels

The Third Temple Problem

Escapist Theology And Its Roots

Dispensationalism’s Shock Claim

Finished Work And The True Temple

Where To Go Next

SPEAKER_01 0:32

What are your beliefs regarding Christ's return? Do world events prompt you to wonder is Jesus coming back soon? Consider what has led you to this question. Is it Scripture or is it simply what you've heard? Clarifying why you ask this is crucial to understanding your own perspective. This question is well worth exploring as we consider the origins and implications of our beliefs. Several years ago, during a conversation about global political unrest, I tried to ease the mood by saying, Well, I guess we'll be getting raptured soon, so we shouldn't have to worry too much about it. My mother in law then gently asked, Have you ever looked into the rapture for yourself? It's actually not in Scripture. I had to admit, no, I haven't. I thought everyone believed that. This moment forced me to question what I'd heard and examine my theology myself. If there's no rapture, I need to confront my fears about facing suffering during the end times, just as others do. I spoke with a man who was actively preparing for physical and mental trials because he was equally convinced of impending suffering. Does the idea of being taken up in a heavenly rapture discourage critical examination of your beliefs? Have you considered what is believed to happen after that point? Let's closely examine Moody Bible Institute, a longstanding source and major distributor of the Schofield Study Bible, for its perspective on this period. The Moody Bible Institute states We believe in the second coming of Christ. His return from heaven will be personal, visible, and glorious, a blessed hope for which we should constantly watch and pray. This is certainly a captivating view. Interestingly, there's no mention in all of Scripture that Christ will return in person or in a bodily form. Further, regarding watching for the return of Christ, the authors of our scripture, those who walked with Jesus, told their audience the same thing with urgency nearly two thousand years ago. Most scholars agree the apostles expected Jesus to return in their own generation. In truth, they did not know the exact date or time, but they did have a general sense of when. According to Jesus himself, the return was not for our current lifetime or generation, but for some who were still alive then. He gave this timeline directly to his first century audience, as seen in passages like Matthew 24 34 and Luke 21 32, where he says, Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place. Is Moody thousands of years off? The Bible Institute continues, Before he establishes his kingdom on earth, Jesus will come for his church, an event commonly referred to as the rapture. At that time the dead in Christ will be raised and living Christians will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and be with him forever. In this resurrection, those who have died in Christ will have their redeemed souls and spirits united with a body similar to Christ's glorified body. Christians living at the time of this event will not die, but will be changed to be like Christ. This expectation is a motivation for a holy living and a source of comfort. No man knows the day or the hour when this will take place. When we reevaluate the assumption of the rapture, as I previously discussed in Message sixty one, a key issue with this theology is revealed. Not knowing the day or hour doesn't mean the generation was unknown. The signs were clear. I'm surprised Moody omits these signs from their article. Are you aware of the specific sign Christ gave his followers to determine his coming? Let's explore that. Luke twenty one twenty says But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance to fulfill all that is written. So let's think about this for a minute. Don't gloss over this. Look up the history of the destruction of the Jerusalem temple. Not the first temple, whose destruction is recorded in Scripture, but the second. That second temple was the one where Jesus stood when he proclaimed, As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. You may be thinking, there's still a wall where Jews worship and where visiting politicians participate in ceremonies. However, that wall is an old Roman fortress. Josephus, who witnessed Jerusalem's destruction, recorded that nothing remained. Who do you trust? A historian that witnessed the event, along with others who share this account or today's media? Do you trust Jesus' words or your television? Josephus was a Jewish Pharisee. He had many writings. Prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, he was captured by the Roman army and allowed to write a history of the events for his people. Although we wouldn't call a historical documentation made by a non Christian part of our Bible, it does affirm with clarity the fulfillment of all prophecy, exactly as proclaimed in our scripture. Is it a coincidence that Yahweh would allow the Jewish people to record their own destruction at the end of the age for future generations? You be the judge here, but I think the answer is simple. It was no coincidence. Shall we take the moody view and claim not to know the exact date or time even to this day? Is Jesus coming back in our generation? Rather than looking to fallible men, why don't we instead look to the Scripture for an answer to this great question? In describing the tribulation that would come, resulting in the destruction of the Second Temple, Jesus proclaims that He will return at this time. Luke twenty one twenty seven says, and then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near. And to make things even more certain, Jesus adds, Truly I say to you, this generation this generation this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Based on Jesus' clear statement, when was he expected to return? The argument here in context is that he has already returned. This is often missed due to false teachings. Examining the recorded events of AD seventy alongside the book of Revelation reveals strong parallels. As Josephus's history aligns with John's revelation in vivid detail, we find the truth is that prophecy has already been fulfilled. Given all this, what should we conclude? If events unfolded as Jesus described, what are believers waiting for now? Why worship at the wailing wall or try to rebuild a third temple in Israel? If Revelation doesn't support these actions, what's really happening? To understand current beliefs, let's consider Moody's ongoing narrative. After the rapture of the church, Christians will be brought before the judgment seat of Christ. He will reward them on the basis of the works they have accomplished. This is not a judgment to determine their salvation, but a reward for labor on Christ's behalf. The rapture will also inaugurate a period that the Bible characterizes as the great day of his wrath, the great tribulation and the time of Jacob's trouble. This time of unprecedented difficulty will affect Israel and all nations. Its purpose will be to prepare Israel for her Messiah. Which Israel is Moody referring to? Are today's political leaders in Israel seen as part of God's plan? Should Christians support contemporary Jewish leaders' efforts to rebuild the temple and await a Messiah? Doesn't Scripture teach that the Jewish leaders already received and rejected their Messiah? In Jewish tradition, the awaited Messiah is not Christ, whom they reject. And according to Scripture, Jesus is not returning to persuade anyone of his lordship, but to judge. We're also taught in Scripture that heavenly rewards and crowns will be received, but I don't think this will happen the way Moody is leading us to believe. But getting back to our topic, is Jesus coming back? Hypothetically, if a third temple, built by those rejecting Christ were to be built, what outcome could be expected? Here's what Moody Bible Institute teaches on the subject. At the end of the tribulation, Jesus Christ will return with the hosts of heaven as well as the church to establish the Messianic kingdom on earth. His kingdom will last for a thousand years. At this second coming, the Antichrist will be cast into the lake of fire and Satan will be bound for a thousand years. The nations and their representatives will be judged. Israel will be restored to her land, nevermore to be removed. Christ will reign with firmness and equity. His kingdom will be marked by material and spiritual blessings, since the curse upon the earth will be removed. This error filled statement contains far too much to unpack in one sitting. The main question we're concerned with here will be is Jesus coming back? Is he coming to Israel to restore her to her land? What would that look like? What should we believe about such an event? According to this view, Jesus will return for a people who have rejected him for two thousand years and help them build a third temple to replace the one that Yahweh destroyed in AD seventy. Does that make sense? According to this teaching, all the Christians who have been faithful to the Lord will be taken to heaven, while Jesus comes down to reside with the Jews who hate him for a thousand years. Where is this written in the Bible? Is Jesus going to assist a new Jewish people in making animal sacrifices for their sin and ruling by law once again for a thousand years? What in the world is going on here? Did we misunderstand Christ in his words at the cross? Did he really say, I am finished? Are we to are we to believe that his sacrifice was only temporary and his death was not intended by God? Don't call me crazy for saying this. You'll find this concept at the core of today's belief system. Hold that thought for now though, let's finish with Moody's story first. In closing, Moody says The Messianic Kingdom will close with apostasy and rebellion. God will crush this uprising in the last battle of the ages, and Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire. All those who rejected the word of God will be resurrected, they will be judged by Christ and cast into the lake of fire, the place where they will suffer final and everlasting punishment. After this judgment there will be a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness is the norm. There will be a new Jerusalem and the everlasting presence of God among all the redeemed. As we read earlier in Scripture, our Lord Jesus taught that the final judgment occurred in parallel with his second coming during the tribulation, culminating the destruction of Jerusalem. If this is true, then what are Christians waiting for? Is Jesus coming back as Moody has led so many to believe? What will the end result of a false expectation lead to? If you were to hear on the news that the Jews long awaited Messiah has come, what would you think? If your Jesus doesn't show up, but a Messiah to the Jews shows up instead, which Messiah will you follow? Do you believe that today's Jews are God's holy people? Will you convert to Judaism if a third temple is built and join those who reject your Jesus and their worship? How far would you be willing to go if today's Israel should gain power in the world today? Will you lose faith in Jesus? I ask this question as if you might be there during these times, but what place do Christians have in all this to begin with? According to Moody, which represents the views of most Christians today, you'll be peacefully swept away before this time. According to a view like this, the apostles and their churches would have to be swept away before any tribulation occurred. Yet Jesus taught his audience to flee into the mountains, and most of the apostles were brutally martyred. What part do you play in the establishment of this new Israel if you're not raptured? The rapture we're taught in Scripture looks like this Luke seventeen thirty four. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed, one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together, one will be taken, and the other left. And they said to him, Where, Lord? He said to them, Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. Notice that these people were not taken away peacefully to heaven. They were taken away and killed, probably by soldiers. Today's escapist theology is more recent than many assume, and its origins deserve further examination. Ideas we have inherited lack deep roots in scripture or early Christian tradition. Many sincere believers, myself included, have embraced teachings without verifying their foundations. Yet it's never too late to honor the Lord and seek the truth. In today's narrative, taking place in the Rothschild's Israel run by Netanyahu, we can see an interesting parallel taking place. Alongside their narrative, we find a strange loyalty from nearly all of our Christian denominations to these political leaders. In the first century, when Lord Jesus was operating his ministry and sending out his chosen apostles, the Jewish leaders were in full opposition to the gospel. The only Messiah they were going to accept was one that would bring them back to a status of world power. They wanted to bask in the glory of their past that was enjoyed by their ancestors, such as King David and King Solomon. Salvation from sin was the least of their concerns. Their attitude was that simply having the law was being in God's favor. They were not truly interested in glorifying Yahweh, they wanted worldly glory for themselves. Even the disciples shared this view of a heroic Messiah prior to understanding the true nature of Jesus. Peter went as far as to take Jesus aside and rebuke him for proclaiming that he would suffer and die for his people under the chief priests and scribes. This is plainly recorded in Mark 8 31 and Matthew 16 21. World domination, however, was not the final plan that Yahweh had for Israel. He had a much better plan, but they despised it. They killed their Messiah because he was a threat to their worldly status. He wasn't there to build them a worldly kingdom. Jesus came to establish himself as the true Israel, and establish the new covenant age on earth, ending the old covenant age once and for all time. My question for you is what difference do we see in those leading the Israel first narrative today? What is the goal in building a third temple? What purpose is there for bringing this small nation into a position of power and authority? Do our modern day Pharisees seek world power? Is it to glorify the God of Christianity? If Christ dealt with sin once and for all, then why would a temple be needed to glorify God? Is this not the most insulting thing one could ever attempt to do in the face of our Lord? What return should they expect from Yahweh for this great investment? How great of a price will be paid for such blasphemy? Is Jesus coming back soon to dwell among those who insult his finished work by attempting to pick up where those who crucified him left off? I remember the first time I saw the inner workings of the dispensation belief system. I was under the Jesus' coming back spell with everyone else, and like most, I never once questioned it. In a meeting with a man which my wife and I connected with on God's grace and forgiveness of sins, I found myself having conversation that I had never engaged in before. I was left with a large book on how to rightly divide scripture. This concept of rightly dividing scripture in itself isn't wrong, but I learned very quickly that there are many ways to divide scripture that are considered right. I wanted to quickly get to the core of what this guy believes, so I scanned the handbook for something that would really stand out. What I found literally blew my hair back. I discovered in that moment the truth about what we're being taught regarding the future return of our Lord. This handbook revealed the fullness of what we only understand on the surface today with our blinders on. The Lord used this information to prep me for the moment that fulfilled eschatology was presented to me. In the text it was explained that Jesus was not supposed to be crucified. This was not God's plan at all. Jesus was supposed to reign with his people in Jerusalem and restore the nation of Israel on earth to its powerful status. Being that the Jews decided to kill their Messiah, God had to change his plan. He sent Paul to proclaim a temporary dispensation of grace to the Gentiles, and once a certain number of Gentiles would come to faith through steadfast evangelism, Jesus would return to be with his people in Israel the way God intended it to be. God's plan failed, and he had to think fast on his feet. Is that the Jesus you're waiting for? Well, of course not, because in this storybook, you're just a temporary second class citizen in God's failed plan. You get swept out of the way by a rapture, because you don't really deserve to be part of God's coming kingdom on earth. You might be so lucky as to hang out in the courtyard someday, similar to the first century Gentile proselytes. According to the dispensational belief system, temple worship will be reinstated and the Messiah is coming to help bring all this into action. If your church doesn't teach that, then what do they believe? Are they even studying the doctrines in which they proclaim to their audience? Or are they simply enjoying the ride on the popular train where we find financial abundance? Did your Jesus die at tragic and accidental death? Question your theology, or be deceived. Whatever's going on in today's nation of Israel is very real and very violent, but does not fulfill anything in our scripture. Nothing happening now will finish what Jesus started, because Jesus finished everything. We'll never have another Levite priesthood to operate a temple built by Yahweh. The required lineage was destroyed in AD seventy and the temple was burned to the ground by Yahweh in final judgment. There's no third temple in Scripture, no coming back from final judgment, and there's no longer a true Jewish religion. Judaism has not been practiced for almost two thousand years and will never be practiced again according to Scripture. There's no possible way to restore Jewish temple worship and the Mosaic Law without rewriting the Bible. And without Christ, there's no longer any sacrifice for sin. Have you ever considered how today's Jews atone for their sin? The reality is that they don't. But that's only if you actually believe Jesus is who he said he was. If he's not the way, the truth, and the life, then of course I stand corrected. But Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. To this point Jesus told the Jewish leaders of the first century, have you never read in the scriptures, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone? This was the Lord's doing and is marvelous to our eyes. Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone it will crush him. When the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. Did this not take place almost two thousand years ago? What are we expecting to happen today? A role playing game? Is this some kind of spectacular political theater playing out at the cost of human life? If you continue to ask, is Jesus coming back, prepare yourself for disappointment. But don't expect Yahweh to disappoint. If this is in fact political theater, which it is, a price will be paid. First Corinthians three sixteen reads Do you not know that you are God's temple, and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him, for God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. However crazy things might get out there, we know that God works out all things for good for those who love him. Just think, if this false narrative does take place, what will the outcome be in the end? Might we stop asking, is Jesus coming back? Once and for all, and embrace the finished work that our apostles laid down their lives to establish? To that end, I hope you'll join me in saying, Amen. Glory be to Yahweh, and our Lord Christ Yeshua. The content of this message can be found on my blog post at wakingup to grace.com. My writings include linked references and visual aids, which will give even more valuable insight, and it's always free of charge. The comment section below each message is a place where we can share mutual encouragement and insight with one another outside of the social media madness. My blog post is always a click away, linked right in the description section of each episode in your podcast app. And don't forget to support us by leaving a review.