Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

The Hook in Russia's Jaw
Nov 28th, 2010
Weekly CommentaryArt Sadlier
Categories: Commentary;Prophecy;Warning

In Ezekiel 38, the prophet tells us about the war that is to take place between Russia with her allies against Israel. The alliance of nations is named in verses 5-6, “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.” Basically this involves Iran, Turkey, Libya and Ethiopia and the Muslim nations that surround Israel.

The leader of this alliance will be Russia, which is identified in verses 2-3. We see the leadership role of Russia in verse 7, “Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.”

The question is often asked, what will motivate Russia to be involved in this war? The answer is found in verse 4, “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth....”  God will move Russia to come against Israel. He will do that in order to bring Russia into judgment for her antagonism against Israel and for her atheism. Russia is the only nation in history which is officially atheistic.

No doubt the Lord will set a bait; a hook, to draw Russia against Israel. This week in a news item, I believe we see what that bait may well be. The following headline suggests it, “Moscow Eyes Potential Gas Fields Off Lebanese, Israeli and Syrian Shores.” The three gas fields dubbed Tamar, Dalit, and Leviathan, which Israeli entrepreneurs struck in the past year off Israel's Mediterranean coast are currently estimated to hold reserves pegged at 25 trillion cubic feet.

The story continued, “The Mediterranean gas bonanza did not go unnoticed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin who has a sharp instinct for opportunities in the field of energy.” The stage is being set for this coming war.

The timing of this war is clearly given in the text. Verse 8, “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” Notice first, “in the latter years” that would refer to our own day. Second, it says when Israel has been regathered to the land that is also our day. Third, it says when Israel is dwelling safely, that is not the present hour. This peace factor is mentioned three times in the chapter.

The only time Israel will be dwelling safely is for a brief time after the peace treaty is signed by Antichrist. That puts this war early in the tribulation period.

As we see this alliance forming and the hook being set to draw Russia, we know that the rapture will take place first, therefore the rapture must be drawing near.

Revelation 19:7
Nov 28th, 2010
Exploring RevelationArt Sadlier
Categories: Commentary;Prophecy;The Church

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Verse 7, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come; and his wife hath made herself ready.”

The long rebellion of Satan is about to come to an end and the rightful king is about to come to the throne of the earth. The first six verses are a hallelujah chorus in anticipation of the judgment of Satan and of the return of Christ.

Verses 7-9, are a pre announcement of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb which is soon to begin. Before these events unfold, Christ must come and finish the task of judging the world at the end of the last battle, the battle of Armageddon. He must dispose of the two beasts and bind Satan in the bottomless pit.

To better understand the marriage supper of the Lamb, we must realize that what is spoken of here is the feast that follows the marriage itself.

The customs of the oriental marriage is the setting for this teaching and we need to understand the marriage customs of Israel in our Lord’s days on earth. There were three separate stages to the Jewish marriage.

1 – The Betrothal. This was a legally binding contract. This is seen clearly in Matthew 1, as we are told about the relationship of Joseph and Mary at the time of the conception of Jesus. Matthew 1:18, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” Mary had  been betrothed to Joseph though the marriage had not been consummated. We see in the next verse that the betrothal was legally binding, “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.” They were betrothed, that was the first stage of the marriage.

We have the spiritual application of this to the relationship of the Christian to Christ. “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ,” 2 Corinthians 11:2. There are two aspects of the betrothal, the one occurs when we respond in faith and obedience to Christ and are saved. The aspect which precedes that is the choosing of the Father before the foundations of the world. Ephesians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.”

 We are chosen by the Father according the foreknowledge of God, 1 Peter 1:2. God foreknows who will respond in faith and obedience to the call of Christ and He chooses on that basis.

 2 – The Presentation. When the betrothed couple become of marriageable age and the young man says to his father, “Bring me my bride to whom I am espoused and present her to me.” The girl’s father would place the girl’s hand in the hand of the boy’s father and the boy’s father would place the girl’s hand in the hand of his son. This made the marriage fully binding.

The presentation is given its’ spiritual significance in Ephesians 5:25-27. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

The Lord Jesus had to redeem the Church first, then, she is presented to Him. This presentation occurs at the time of the rapture. I Thessalonians 4:16-17, “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:
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.” That is the presentation at the time of the rapture.

3 – The Marriage Supper. This is comparable to today’s wedding reception which takes place after the marriage ceremony. The Jewish wedding feast could last from two to seven days. I believe that the marriage supper of the Lamb will take place on earth after the marriage has been consummated in heaven. It will be a time of great joy and rejoicing. I believe that, as Daniel said, the Old Testament saints will be resurrected in their glorified bodies and will be the guests of the Bridegroom at the celebration feast.

“And his wife hath made herself ready.”  This preparation for the marriage supper takes place in heaven at the judgment seat of Christ. At that time the Church has been tried by fire and her works have been purified and she has been rewarded. Remember the judgment seat of Christ is a time when the motives of service are examined. In our position, we are holy and without blame, but the practical attitudes of the heart will be exposed and cleansed or rewarded. The righteous acts of service which we have allowed the Holy Spirit to produce in our lives will be our robe of preparation for the marriage supper.

The central focus of the marriage supper will be the bridegroom and not the bride. This is emphasised by the text, “And give honour to him.” It is He who has so gloriously purchased our redemption, and that will cause us to praise Him for all of eternity. We will be to the praise of His glory.