Messianic Perspectives

Guest (Male): Peter prophesied that in the last days scoffers will say, "Where is the promise of Christ's coming?" Is this prophecy being fulfilled in our generation?

Liz Aiello: Stay with us as Dr. Gary Hedrick focuses on prophecy and "The Promise of His Coming." Today right here on Messianic Perspectives.

Dr. Gary Hedrick: Shalom.

Liz Aiello: Shalom, and welcome to Messianic Perspectives, a daily program where we look into the scriptures from a distinctive first-century Jewish point of view. This is Liz Aiello. Today we're talking about the promise of his coming with our Bible teacher, Dr. Gary Hedrick. I'll be back later with information about a special offer. But first, here is our Bible teacher, Dr. Gary Hedrick.

Dr. Gary Hedrick: Thank you. It's good to have you with us today, listening friend, as we begin this new series on the promise of his coming. The promise of his coming. When General Douglas MacArthur was forced to leave the island fortress of Corregidor during the darkest days of World War II, February of 1942, it seemed like the end of the world. In the face of the advancing Japanese forces, he left in seeming defeat. But the parting words of the great general became historic words when he said, "I will return." And a little over two years later in 1944, he did return.

The words of General Douglas MacArthur suggest the promise of another who also in the hour of seeming defeat said, "I will come again." These words were spoken by Jesus in the last hours before the cross. From a human standpoint, his campaign had been a failure. His little army of volunteers was frustrated and discouraged. He knew that their hopes of the victorious reign of the Messiah would be shattered by the humiliation of Calvary. So before he went to the cross, Jesus Christ encouraged his disciples with the promise that he would return.

Let's look at it here in John chapter 14, beginning in verse one. Jesus is speaking and 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." Then in verse three he says, "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." Yes, Jesus Christ is coming back. He said so, and he who is God cannot lie.

Although the fact may be denied by those who call themselves Christian, and it may be ignored by unbelievers and scoffed at by the enemies of the cross, the fact remains that Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth. Coming again, not in humiliation, but in glory. Not as a helpless babe laid in a manger, but as the triumphant king of kings. Not to be rejected by men, but to be accepted by his people. Not to be spat upon and then led to a cross, but to be bowed before and then led to a throne. Not to be judged by a worldly court, but to judge the world and to rule with a rod of iron.

That is the testimony of scripture, and that is the promise of our Lord. In Acts chapter one, immediately after the ascension of Christ, two angels appeared and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven." Notice they didn't say he might come, they said he shall come. It's a statement of fact, not wishful thinking. When Jesus stood before the high priest in Matthew chapter 26, he said, "Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven."

The high priest ripped his clothing because he knew that those clouds were the Shekinah glory of God. Jesus was claiming to be God, and it was blasphemy for any mortal man to equate himself with God. What the high priest didn't realize was that in this case it wasn't blasphemy because it was true. Yes, Jesus Christ is coming back. All of the indications are that his coming may be soon. For 1,900 years, the promise of his coming has spurred on the church of God and given courage to his followers. And we know that now this very moment we are nearer to that day than we have ever been before.

Yes, Jesus Christ is coming back. Never before has this blessed hope meant more than it does today with the world in the throes of a death struggle. These are days of grave uncertainty. Many people, Christians and non-Christians alike, are wondering what lies ahead for this old world. The Middle East, the former Soviet Union, and Europe are all going through monumental changes. The problems seem insurmountable, and nobody seems to have any solutions. In the meantime, the enemy is closing in.

The flood of wickedness that is engulfing our world is alarming. Our society has degenerated to the point where it is characterized by materialism, immorality, and even the acceptance of perversions like homosexuality. Judeo-Christian values are openly ridiculed on national television. Is there no hope? The answer is yes, there is hope because Jesus Christ is coming back. And when he comes, the Messiah shall reign from the throne of his father David in Jerusalem.

When that time comes, the Bible says the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the area as the waters cover the sea. There will be no more hunger, no more injustice, no more war. Death and disease will be virtually eradicated. Yes, Jesus Christ is coming back. This hope of the reign of the prince of peace was the hope of all the saints of God from the day of Adam to this day. After sin had entered the world, it was the first promise God gave to fallen man when he said, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:15).

This verse in Genesis 3:15 is more than a promise of a coming redeemer. It includes two comings. The first, when the savior would appear to be defeated. And the second, when he ultimately triumphs. Notice that there are two conflicts here in this verse. The first in which the seed of the serpent bruises the heel of the seed of the woman. And then the conflict when the seed of the woman shall crush the head of the serpent or Satan. The first conflict is history. It occurred 1,900 years ago when the Messiah hung on the cross and Satan bruised his heel.

But that was not the end, my friend. That same Jesus is coming again and will crush the serpent's head and put an end to his reign forever. That's the promise. When the first child ever born into the world lay in the first mother's arms, she claimed that promise and called his name Cain. Now in your Bible you read that when Eve gave birth to her firstborn, she called his name Cain. Why? Because she said, "I have gotten a man from the Lord." (Genesis 4:1). But there could be another meaning in the Hebrew text of that verse.

In the Hebrew it says "vatahar vatalad et-kayin vatomer kaniti ish et-Yahweh" or "Yahovah." Literally, it can be translated: She conceived and bore Cain and said, "I have acquired a man even the Lord." The question is the translation of the Hebrew preposition "et," which can have the sense of "even the Lord." I have begotten a man even the Lord. Do you understand what this means? It means that as Eve looked upon that little bundle of life, the first baby, and recognized her seed, she supposed him to be the promised seed of Genesis 3:15. She cried out, "I have given birth to a man even Jehovah himself."

Isn't that interesting? Adam and Eve must have understood far more about the Messianic promise than we give them credit for. But Eve was wrong. Cain was not the Messiah. Cain was not the promised seed. That seed was not to come for another 4,000 years. But the hope never went out during all those years. Enoch looked for the coming of the Lord in power. That man who is the great type of the rapture in the Old Testament, we are told in Jude, prophesied concerning our Lord's coming.

Here's what Enoch said: "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (Jude 14 and 15). Job, who lived even before Abraham, looked for the coming of the Lord and said, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." (Job chapter 19 verses 25 and 26).

David looked for the coming again of the Lord in glory. For he cries out in Psalm 2, "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." (Psalm 2 verses four through six). The prophet Isaiah looked for the Lord's glorious coming. Listen to what he said: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever." (Isaiah chapter 9 verses 6 and 7).

Then after 4,000 years he came. The Jewish people thought that when the Messiah came, he would immediately establish the kingdom. The secret of this present age of his rejection by Israel and the calling out of a bride to reign with him at his second coming was unknown to the Jewish sages. So when the savior came in humiliation as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief instead of as a triumphant conquering king, and when he went to the cross instead of to his throne, they could not understand it and they rejected him.

And little wonder. After all, the Old Testament prophecies had given far more attention to his glorious reign (still future) than to his humiliation and crucifixion. That's why when he began to reveal to his disciples that it was God's plan for him to die, they were greatly confused. How can the Messiah die? That wasn't what the rabbis taught would happen. The rabbis said the Messiah would come and sweep his enemies away before him.

So when Jesus set his face to the cross, the disciples wanted to know, what about the prophecies of the kingdom? So the Lord reassured them that although he was going to die and go back to heaven for a period of time, he was coming back again. And then every single one of his promises concerning his reign on the earth will be fulfilled. Well, we're out of time. Thanks for being with us today, listening friend. We're just getting started, so I hope you'll join us next time as we continue looking at the promise of his coming. Until then, this is Gary Hedrick saying God bless you. Take care. Bye-bye.

Liz Aiello: Thank you, Gary. Well listening friend, if you're interested in Bible prophecy, you will be pleased to know we've taken all of the programs in this series and placed them on one convenient CD entitled "The Promise of His Coming." It's available for your contribution of just six dollars or more to Messianic Perspectives. Just visit our secure online store at messianicspecialties.com to place your order.

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This is Liz Aiello. Join us next time, won't you, as Dr. Gary Hedrick continues our series of prophetic studies on "The Promise of His Coming." Right here on Messianic Perspectives.