Messianic Perspectives

Liz Aiello: Shalom and welcome to Messianic Perspectives, a daily program where we look into the scriptures from a distinct first-century Jewish point of view. This is Liz Aiello. One of the longest-running television series of all time was Star Trek, created by producer Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s. It made William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy famous.

Then there was Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and Deep Space Nine. But did you know the Bible talks about a spectacular series of Star Treks that began many thousands of years ago? And now to tell us more about it, here is our Bible teacher, Dr. Gary Hedrick.

Dr. Gary Hedrick: Thank you and welcome, listening friend, to another edition of the program. It's good to have you with us today as we continue these studies on Star Trek: The Original Series. And what we're talking about is that long before Star Trek or Star Wars, the Bible records a series of voyages into outer space by human beings. In fact, there's a future Star Trek, a future intergalactic voyage that will be more spectacular than anything this world has ever seen because it will involve not just one individual but millions.

It will be a mass launching of millions of us into outer space all at the same time. It's an event so monumental and of such vast proportions it will cause a major disruption of life on planet Earth. It's an event we call the Rapture. You say, "Does the Bible really teach that?" Well, let's see if it does. Turn with me to John chapter 14, beginning in verse one. This is Jesus speaking and here's what he says.

"Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." Verse three, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also." So there's the promise. Notice what he said. Three things. First, he said he would have to leave this world and return to heaven. Second, he said that while he was gone, he would be preparing a place for us. And third, he said he would return someday and receive us unto himself.

Now when you think about the fact that he created this whole universe in six days and he's been in heaven now preparing a place for us for 2,000 years, he must be preparing something pretty spectacular. You know, there's a lot of creativity that goes into a science fiction production like Star Trek or Star Wars. I mean, that Starship Enterprise is outfitted with all sorts of neat gadgets. Of course, none of them are real.

But you can't help wondering if the mind of man can conceive of such things, how much more magnificent and glorious will heaven be? Listen to this: 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him." Just think about that. So Jesus said three things. First, he said he would go away for a period of time. Second, while he's gone, he will be preparing a place for his people in the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city.

And third, when the time is right, he will come back for us. It's the imagery of the ancient Jewish wedding. Remember, we talked about this a few months ago? The ancient Jewish wedding took place in two stages. First, there was the betrothal. And second, there was the actual wedding. What would happen was that after the bride and the groom were betrothed, the groom would leave his bride and return to his father's house to prepare a place for his bride.

And finally, when everything was ready, the groom would come for his bride and snatch her away to take her to his father's house. And when they got there, there was a huge celebration. It was called a marriage supper or a wedding feast. That's where we get the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. That's when Jesus snatches us out of this world and takes us to his Father's house, where he's been preparing a place for us for the past 2,000 years.

So that's the imagery of the ancient Jewish wedding and how it corresponds with the order of end-time events. And the next item on God's prophetic calendar is the Rapture, the catching away of the bride to take her to the Father's house. That's what Jesus was talking about when he said, "I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." Can you visualize that dramatic event when Jesus shall come back to call all the believers in one great company to meet him in the air?

The Apostle Paul gives us more details in 1 Thessalonians chapter four. Here's what he says in verse 16: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first." Verse 17: "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

So in this case, there's not just one space traveler, but multitudes, tens of thousands, even millions of us, freed from the limitations of our mortal bodies, with spiritual immortal bodies rising into the air in a vast cloud of millions of the redeemed making the journey to meet the Lord to be brought to his house of many mansions. This is the most certain event of the future. It's not fantasy. It's not speculation. It's not wishful thinking. It's a fact just as certain as if it had already happened.

And to emphasize the absolute certainty of this glorious future event, it's included in both the last promise of the Bible and in the last prayer of the Bible. Both in Revelation 22:20. Look what it says. First, the last promise: "He which testifieth these things saith, 'Surely I come quickly.'" Amen. That's the last promise of the Bible. And then the last prayer: "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20.

So the last promise of the Bible is a promise of his second coming and the last prayer in the Bible is a prayer for his second coming. Now let's move on. According to our Lord Jesus, the days of Noah, or the days before the flood, are a picture of the conditions which will prevail on the Earth in the last days just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. Therefore, anyone who wants to know the signs of the times can avail himself of the record as given in Genesis chapters four, five, and six.

They not only give us the industrial picture in chapter four and the moral picture in chapter six, but chapter five gives a most enlightening dispensational picture of this age. In this chapter, we meet two remarkable men: Enoch and Noah. While more details are recorded about Noah than about Enoch, there seems to be far more information packed into the few brief verses devoted to Enoch than any other of the pre-flood individuals. Jude in his mention of Enoch and his ministry tells us that he was the seventh generation from Adam.

Here's what it says in Jude verse 14. It says, "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, 'Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.'" So he tells us very clearly that Enoch represented the seventh generation from Adam. And remember, the lifespans were much longer in those days, so it wasn't unusual for a man to live to see six or seven generations of his descendants. It's very possible that Enoch actually knew Adam.

But you can't help wondering why does Jude make it a point to tell us that Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam? Since we believe in the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, we believe that even the smallest details are included in the record for a definite reason. But in this case, what is the reason? What difference does it make whether he was the fifth or the sixth or the eighth from Adam? Well, when we examine carefully the record of Adam's descendants, we find the answer.

Now watch this. Six generations had preceded Enoch, all of whom had died. But Enoch the seventh became a notable exception because he did not die, but was translated. The first six generations died, but the seventh was translated. The expression "and he died" occurs no fewer than eight times in this one chapter, Genesis chapter five. It is the record of the generations of Adam and the first verse of Genesis five gives us the key when it says, "This is the book of the generations of Adam."

In other words, it's a genealogical table of the descendants of Adam down to Noah, 10 generations in all. In this line of the descendants of Adam, Enoch was the seventh, and he stands out above all the rest for a number of reasons. Number one, he was the first recorded preacher in history. Number two, he was the first man of whom it is said that he walked with God. Number three, he was the first man who did not die but was transported or translated directly to heaven.

And number four, he was the seventh generation. Jude makes special mention of this fact. Some commentators have called Genesis chapter five the obituary column of the Bible because with wearying monotony the phrase "and he died" occurs over and over again. Of Adam, it is said, "and he died." Of his son Seth, it is said, "and he died." Of Enos, the same thing is said. Then Cainan, Mahalalel, and Jared the father of Enoch, of each it is recorded, "and he died."

Six generations of men who died. And then suddenly the pattern is broken. Genesis 5:24: "And Enoch walked with God and he was not, for he died." No, it says, "for God took him." Six generations of death and then the rapture of Enoch. Now hold on to your seat because I want to show you how this is a picture of the dispensational plan of God for man on this earth. And remember what we said at the outset, that Jesus compared the days before the flood with the last days just before his return.

As it was then, so shall it be again. The meaning, we believe, is clear. The six generations of death are a picture of the six prophetic days of man's failure and rebellion to be followed by the Rapture, judgment, and God's seventh day of millennial rest. Remember, one day is with the Lord as a thousand years according to 2 Peter 3:8. So it's the same pattern: six days followed by one day, six generations followed by one generation.

Well, we've got a lot more to say about this but we're out of time. Hold your place and we'll start right here on the next program. Until then, this is Gary Hedrick. God bless you. Take care. Bye-bye.

Liz Aiello: Thank you, Gary. And thank you, listening friend, for tuning in today. Today, we've been listening to our Bible teacher, Dr. Gary Hedrick, talking about Star Trek: The Original Series. By the way, if you enjoy today's study, you'll be glad to know that we've placed all seven of these programs on one convenient CD. The title is Star Trek: The Original Series and it shows that space travel originated not in recent times but thousands of years ago.

In fact, many instances of human space travel both in the distant past and also in the future are mentioned in the Bible. It's available for your gift of just six dollars or more to help us keep this program here on your station. Just ask for the program GT-25 entitled Star Trek: The Original Series. Visit our secure online store at MessianicSpecialties.com to place your order. If you would prefer to order by mail, just address your request to Messianic Perspectives, PO Box 345, San Antonio, Texas, 78292.

To order by phone, use our toll-free order line. The number is 1-800-926-5397. And as always, when you're in touch with us, please mention the call letters of this station. If you're listening to our webcast or podcast, we need to know that too. I'm Liz Aiello. Join us next time, won't you? As Dr. Gary Hedrick continues our series of studies on Star Trek: The Original Series. Right here on Messianic Perspectives.

Messianic Perspectives is sponsored by CJF Ministries of San Antonio, Texas, and is made possible on this station by the free-will contributions of our listeners in this area.