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Because All God’s Holy Prophets Said So God's Word presents two glorious and powerful central themes. Among all the beauties of Biblical teaching, these two themes are the only ones acknowledged as having been "spoken by the mouth of ALL God's prophets." The first is openly and generally taught, sung in hymns and appreciated in virtually every corner of the Christian world. The other, amazingly, barely raises a "blip on the radar." Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian church, witnessed the pouring out of the holy Spirit and a grand public witness on these two themes. "Those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled." Acts 3:18 The first great theme of the Bible is Christ's ransom. It was shortly after Christ's resurrection that he approached two disciples on their journey to Emmaus. As they shared their grief over the crucifixion of Jesus He gave them the assurance, "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and ALL the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." Luke 24:26-27 Christ's Suffering Prophesied" For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me." John 5:46 Moses did write of the sufferings of Christ. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14, 15 Again, Moses foreshadowed Jesus' sufferings in the allegorical drama of the Day of Atonement sacrifices. Jesus' sacrifice was prefigured in the offering of a bullock for a sin-offering. Lev. 16 All the other prophets wrote of the sufferings of Christ. For example, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isa. 53:4, 5 "For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet." Psa. 22:16 The Divine inspiration of the Bible is confirmed by the unified testimony of the prophets regarding Christ's death. This surely is a marvelous theme, but what is the other? The Neglected Second Theme -Restitution!The second great theme of the Bible is related to the first as cause and effect. The great cause for which our Lord first came, to give himself a ransom for all (1 Tim 2:5, 6), will result in the effect of his second coming- the blessing of all the families of the earth. The Bible refers to this as Restitution (Acts 3:21) which will be fostered by God's Kingdom. How could it be that the second major theme of the Bible was so neglected? In large measure the blame may be placed on an erroneous doctrine. Part of the great falling away after the death of the Apostles (2 Thess. 2:3) was the Church of Rome's assertion that it was the fulfillment of Daniel's fifth universal empire -God's kingdom. In a less politically correct time, the period of that church's dominance was referred to as "The Dark Ages" - and with good cause. Superstition, pestilence, ignorance of the masses and ecclesiastically sanctioned murder, war and political intrigue were the hallmarks of that era. Its brutality has been glossed over by modern revisionist history. The church claimed to be the Kingdom of Christ - Christendom. It was merely a shoddy counterfeit. All God's prophets have spoken of His true kingdom. Peter's public sermon on the day of Pentecost identifies it as "the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets." Acts 3:21 Who Are Blessed By Restitution?Restitution is the only other Bible theme the scriptures recognize to be spoken of by ALL God's prophets. "Restitution" comes from a Greek word meaning " the restoration not only of the true theocracy but also of that more perfect state of (even physical) things which existed before the fall" of man.[1] The human family and their home, the earth, will be restored to Edenic conditions. The cause and effect relationship of Christ's ransom and the consequent restitution is beautifully portrayed in scripture. "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him." Heb. 2:6-8 In other words, God made man to have dominion over the earth, putting all the earth under man's dominion. The Apostle rightly observes that, at present, we do not see all things put under man. The original dominion of man and his subjects has deteriorated under the curse of sin. The world reels from one ecological disaster to another. One war to another. One economic crisis to another. We do not see Earth under the loving and just rule of man as God originally made it to be. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Heb. 2:9 The cause of Christ's redemptive work, tasting death for EVERY man, will effect the restitution (restoration) of the human race and the world upon which they dwell! Man's original dominion will be restored. The prophet Isaiah is rightly known as the kingdom prophet. Listen to
God's message delivered through him. "And in this mountain [Bible symbol for a
kingdom] shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of
wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he
will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail
that is spread over all nations." Further, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes." "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:" "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Isa. 35:5-10 How Long O Lord?The glorious restoration of earth and the human family is dear to our hearts. When will it come? James gives us a clue in his address to the elders' conference at Jerusalem, "God for the first time did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name." Acts 15:14 The Christian age has been to select a people for God's name. These Christians are the Body of Christ, His beloved Bride, who join together with Him in blessing all the families of earth. (Gal. 3:29) "And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the REMAINDER of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things." Acts 15:15-17 When Christ has gathered sufficient people for God's name, when the "fullness of the Gentiles" has come in, then the great restitution of earth's nations will be made apparent to all. Seated together with Christ in the throne of his power his Bride will join in saying, "Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Rev. 22:17 The great effect of Christ's ransoming work will bring the blessing of all nations. It will come to pass - because ALL God's holy prophets said so Endnotes |
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