Introduction to Mysteries of the Everlasting Kingdom

Mysteries of the Everlasting Kingdom

Mysteries of the Everlasting Kingdom

Mysteries of the Everlasting Kingdom is the title of a book that has been years in the making. I could no longer remain silent about some Biblical misconceptions in 1998 when I wrote my first thesis and sent it to my Church (off site) hierarchy. That thesis is now “Chapter One”. The “CHAPTERS” buttons connect to individual chapters of my book. You need not read them consecutively. They are numbered in the order that I wrote them based on my own personal interests and later on issues of interest to my friends.

INDEX

The first five chapters of this book all deal with a one year long time span known as “the Day of the Lord”, which happens to fall on the 120th Jubilee year, closing the first 6000 years since Adam. It also “just happens” to be what is commonly called Judgment Day (described by Daniel below). Each of these five chapters deal with a different facet of this “awesome” year. In addition to The Great Judgment Day, these five chapters will explore The Time After Jacob’s Trouble, which deals with what follows the Great Tribulation. Then we’ll consider what “The Great and Awesome Day of the Lord” is all about. In Jubilee 2027 AD we’ll see why I believe that “the time of the end” is in plain sight for “the wise,” as Daniel predicted. Then in The Called, the Culled, and the Excused we’ll look into the most controversial, amazing and wonderful aspect of Judgment Day! From a totally different perspective, Chapter 20 shows that most of these concepts, and more, were woven into the very fabric of Israel’s Holy Days—step by wonderful step! Hopefully you shall endure unto the end.

In expository writing, one could opt to cram books into articles, and articles into sound bites-but at what expense? Reading a book is a much bigger investment of time, but carefully chosen books yield dividends of proportionately higher value. There are so many delights along the journey where it would be plesant to stop and savor the surroundings. There are fascinating side trips that may never be experienced, at any other time, except while passing by on this particular journey. Most travelers never see the small treasures because they are in a hurry to arrive at the next destination or the end of the trail. Yet there is only one road worth traveling and only one destination that ends on golden streets. Hopefully this book will help you chart your course. Why not see if there are a few surprises lurking at this crossroad, before moving on. Perhaps you’ll change your course. I hope that you spend some time with me, while there is still time. One thing is certain-you aint never seen anything quite like this!

I grew up in a very conservative Protestant denomination. But as a teenager I began to study the Bible and realized that I needed to make some drastic changes in my views concerning the Bible. At age 21 I became a Sabbatarian, to the great displeasure of my widowed mother. However, once a few adjustments were made I settled down again to taking the easy route of reading very little from the Bible itself but reading very much of what others said which was supposed to be based upon the Scriptures. After years of mental stagnation, painful circumstances caused me to examine virtually every belief that I had come to assume was the truth.

This book is the result of my topical Bible studies. That’s why so many scriptures are quoted. I have been endeavoring to unravel as many of God’s mysteries as I can. This book is actually a scriptural commentary of sorts. The Bereans had the right approach. With unfurled scrolls they challenged the assumptions of others, if not for others at least for themselves. While studying the “Word of Truth” is not the only requirement for being “APPROVED by God” it is certainly of tremendous importance and its value is amazingly under appreciated.

2 Timothy 2:15 Give diligence to present yourself ‘APPROVED’ [dokimos] by God, a workman who doesnt need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth. WEB[The New Scriptures were not yet written.]

What did Paul mean when he told Timothy to be “dokimos”? There is an interesting explanation!

In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into molds and allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens, to stop the practice of shaving down the coins then in circulation. But some money changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money. They were men of honour who put only genuine full weighted money into circulation. Such men were called “dokimos” or “approved”. (Donald Barnhouse)

Paul was saying, in essence, that if you do not study the scriptures then you are not a dokimos Christian, you are a counterfeit!

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Dont quench the Spirit. 20 Dont despise prophesies. 21 TEST ALL THINGS, and hold firmly that which is good. WEB

You simply dare not assume that your teachers are correct about anything! Dont simply test the things that seem to make sense when a teacher explains them. False teachings and cleaver arguments have been polished for millennia. Understand the truths and understand the falsehoods that you are exposed to as well.

The scriptures are put together in such a way that you literally must take the time to put the pieces together—topically—to get the picture, otherwise you will be “snared and caught”.

Isaiah 28:13 But the word of the LORD was to them, “precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little,” that they might go and fall backward, and be broken and snared and caught.

I once believed that my church leaders knew almost everything of value that could be found in the Bible. However, in recent years—once I began laying out all of the scriptures on a given topic—first from a Strong’s Concordance and now with my computer, I have drastically changed many preconceptions and some of my beliefs have been adjusted more than once.

In a world with hundreds of Denominations, all claiming to be the best, I have come to believe that none of them correctly represents all of the teachings of Jesus. Most have some things right but none have even all of the “basics” right. Yet God did say that He would build Seven Assemblies in the end time (see Revelation 2 & 3). As you read about them, these Seven Assemblies are plagued with heresies and factions and lukewarm people. Nevertheless, God is choosing at least minimally open minded people—people salted all over the earth, to make up His Ecclesia or Congregation or Assembly (off site) that He said that He would build. (Those no longer learning new things may be spiritually brain dead!) This collective Assembly is composed of those willing to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12)—people “who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12) Some have already been rejected by the “churches”. As Jesus said:

John 16:2-3 They will put you out of the ‘synagogues’ [local congregations]; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

When I began writing this book, I did not intend for it to be a book, in fact it was not until it was 300+ pages long before I realized that “hey, this is a book!”

It began as a series of articles that I sent to “my church” with the hope that the ministry would consider them, and at least be willing to try to prove them wrong. “Surprisingly”, I began wearing out my welcome, so I rather quietly just moved on. This time I quit before they threw me out.

Tho I had no master plan as to which topics to write on first, the flow of topics, generally reflects the order in which my own curiosity has led me and seems fitting enough to leave as is, for the purposes of a book. Whenever I want to understand a topic or prove its validity I begin to accumulate scriptures on it. By the time I finish, I have a chapter. As often as not, the conclusions are not what I had expected, or even desired. Of course, like everyone else, I attribute the coincidences and circumstances to God.

I decided that I wanted to make this information available to anyone who might happen upon these topics via the Web. More chapters may be added as time permits.