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In Daniel 2 & 7 the Bible prophesied a time period of worldwide oppression and despotism measured by four empires. The first one was Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon named in Daniel 2. The 2nd and 3rd empires, Medo\Persia and Greece named in Daniel 8. Then the Roman, described as conquering the remainder of the Greek Empire in Daniel 11:40-44 and named all over the New Testament. These empires spanned a time period starting from when Babylon first conquered Judea; that occurred in 597 BC until the Roman Empire fell when what had been its capital since 333 AD, Constantinople, fell to the Turks in 1453 AD.
This is what Daniel prophesied would happen when the Roman Empire ended. Daniel 2:35 .....and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. Interpreted in this verse as: 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Then in Daniel 7's vision of the same thing: 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [the messiah's] is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Now, does that sound like losing down here?
Most that acknowledge these passages will dispute their true meaning. But since the prophecy about the four empires, who they are and the dates they existed are not disputable. We really only have a combination of two attestations to interpret the meaning of this heavenly kingdom filling the earth. One is the historical record. What has happened in the last 571 years that can be construed as this "mountain" filling the earth? What we see are two things. One, billions have\are coming to Christ. The other, a growing free world pioneered by Bible reading peoples. It is a free world that never existed in its previous 7000 years of existence. What that directly implies is this kingdom given to God's people is a kingdom of influence. Souls are being won to Christ and through that influence the world is being transformed. This, despite tremendous warfare and carnage to try to stop it.
The other attestation to an accurate understanding of these passages is the Bible's prophecy. Let's start with a passage of how and why this process of billions coming to Christ, and, a growing free world for them to live in started to come to pass aggressively right after that fourth empire fell; rather than before. The influence of God's kingdom was certainly in the earth for the better before the Roman Empire fell, but not enough to overthrow the oppression of despots. The thing that changed the dynamic was very simply, the invention of the commercial printing press. Due to this, the Bible, (illegally,) and for the first time in human history made its way into the hands of the general public. That happened in northern Europe first followed by a second first in human history outside of Ancient Israel. The people who now possessed personal Bibles and were reading them were able to fight off great armies sent against them by monarchs and emperors who's rule was threatened by the thinking that was developing among Bible reading people. That thinking developed by a Bible reading public migrated to North America where they were able to build upon what was happening in Northern Europe. Here is a prophecy about this. Isaiah 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. 19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20 For the terrible one is brought to nothing, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: ....... 24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. The "terrible ones" in this passage are the tyrants, dictators, warlords, emperors, world conquerors and oppressors. Pre 1453 AD that would mean people like the Alexander the Greats, the emperors of Rome, China and southern America. The warlords, the Atilla the Huns etc. That was what ruled the world in perpetuity. But post 1453 AD. The Napoleons, the Kaisers, the Hitlers, the Imperial Japanese, world wide Communist dictatorship under the USSR etc. They all came to nothing. Crushed, By whom? The nations that were the most influenced by the Bible and God's invisible kingdom. The free world grew in spite of the 100's of millions these terrible ones killed. Does that sound like losing down here?
Here is another prophecy of the Messiahs invisible kingdom in Psalm 72 about mankind's oppressors. 4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. 12 For he shall deliver the needy when he cries; the poor also, and him that has no helper. 13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. Notice that the blood of the poor and needy is being spilt in verse 14. This is not talking about some supernatural utopia here. It is talking about the battle Christ is conducting upon evil in the last 571 years. Look at the goal to be aimed at in the centuries ahead that Psalm prophesies: 5 They shall fear him as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. 6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. That is illustrating awakenings, revivals and missional work through the Holy Spirit about God's Word. 7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endures. 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust....11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE LOSING DOWN HERE TO YOU? But wait, there is a lot more.
Paul in Galatians 4 quoted the first verse of Isaiah 54 declaring the obvious. That it was a prophecy about the New Jerusalem. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, you barren that bear not; break forth and cry, you that travail not: for the desolate has many more children than she which has an husband. Paul is calling the married wife with many children Ancient Israel and the one who is desolate that will now bear more children than Ancient Israel. Believers and followers, both Jew and Gentile, of the Messiah. Look what Isaiah 54 goes on to prophesy. 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes; 3 For you shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your decedents shall inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4 Fear not; for you shalt not be ashamed: neither be confounded; for you shalt not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. 5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. Does that sound like us losing down here? No, what it sounds like is in the appropriate time and season, when the people have Bibles to read themselves. Billions will come to Christ and they will inherit the nations by turning them from idolatry and despotism into free republics based upon the objective truths found in the Bible. Look at that last sentence. The little tribal God of Ancient Israel. A people almost exterminated three times by the Babylonians, the Greeks and the Romans. This tribal God Jehovah so insignificant that he did not even make the Greek or Roman Pantheons of gods would someday be called the God of the whole earth. Folks, we are already half way there with that impossible to fulfill prophecy. Half the earth though not Christians; and perhaps only one billion of the 2.5 billion that claim to be are. But half the world acknowledges the God of the Bible as the one true God. That is called winning when you compare it to the way things where when this was written.
Now the objection to this is Jesus or his Apostles never taught believers this. Simple answer to that is it was not going to begin to come to pass for 1400 years. But they certainly pronounced it when they proclaimed Jesus is king of kings and lord of lords. That was not some piffy saying happening at your local Starbucks where your pastor is discipling a few new Christians. That saying was high treason against the emperor and it cost them their heads. But the rest of Isaiah 54 acknowledges the time period of oppression in its prophecy. So the fact that Jesus did teach on this but didn't emphasize something 1400 years away was no big deal. 6 For the LORD has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you were refused, says your God. 7 For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you. 8 In a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, says the LORD your Redeemer...... 11 O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted..... so that is that age of oppression. Now look at what it prophesied would follow for the oppressed and seemingly forsaken New Jerusalem. ....behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12 And I will make your windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones. 13 And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children. (Those children would be us, believers in a growing free world.) 14 In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near you. 15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake. 16 Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD. So this prophesied there would be an age when this "winning down here" would begin to be fulfilled and grow in the earth. From a time of universal oppression to a time of growing freedom. A time when the saints were conquered to a time when their influence, their judgments of right and wrong, their forms of government, slowly begin to dominate the worlds thinking. Sounds like winning down here to me.
Isaiah 60, the same thing. The New Jerusalem, an illustration of God's people of all ethnicity's. 1 Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you. 3 And the nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. 4 Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. 5 Then you shall see, and flow together, and your heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea (the sea is an illustration of the nations,) shall be converted to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. Not sure I can take all this wining. I think those out there who believe we lose down here could use a little bit of fearful heart enlargement and unity by perceiving this is coming to pass in their world. 12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you (the New Jerusalem) shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 14 The sons (descendants) also of them that afflicted you shall come bending to you; and all they that despised you shall bow themselves down at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Now if you read the whole chapter which I'm not going to paste here. You can see that Revelation 21-22's New Jerusalem quotes Isaiah 60 more than any other chapter. You can also see how this comes to pass in our present world. The very people's descendants who persecuted the New Jerusalem in the ancient world and in the modern world often end up bowing before her by accepting the Messiah she served. You can also see how nations that do not "serve" the New Jerusalem fall apart. Meaning. To the degree nations adopt Biblical principle to run their affairs by is the degree of their prosperity and peace. And if they don't or actually choose to war against her. They fall apart, become failed states or are defeated in war. There we have the winners and losers.
There are dozens of other chapters that say the exact same thing as these. But now I am just going to skip to the end of the Bible. Revelation 21:9....Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife. Remember the forsaken wife in Isaiah 54? Every verse in Revelation 21-22 is a direct or indirect quote of the an Old Testament prophecy. Most of them fully explained in the OT as this article is pointing out. Chapter 22: 1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, there was the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Now just to reason with those who say we lose down here. If this is a new supernatural physical earth where there is no more sin or death. "Heaven" come down to earth so to speak. What do the nations need healed of if they are already by that definition healed? The answer should be obvious but hard to swallow for those who have dedicated their lives to teaching we lose down here. It states just a few verses later . 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie. So you see, the city still illustrates the saved, the believers in this earth. Those who are not saved and are walking in their sin are illustrated as being outside of the city and in need of "healing." To bring some more clarity to this. John 7:37 .....Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. 38 He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 But this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.... Remember what this whole article is about? We win by bringing the light to the world. The Holy Spirit is the living water that works through us to serve up the Word of God illustrated by the tree's of life, to heal the nations. I am going to skip every self professed Bible prophecy "experts" favorite chapter. Revelation 20. Why is it their favorite chapter? Because unlike the easy stuff I just pointed out. Yeah, it is pretty easy once you see it, is it not? Chapter 20 uses some pretty unique illustrations and parabolic language for its prophecy which is in fact about this present age we are living in. It is not about dead bodies turned to dust rising again but about people in the nations who are dead without Christ now getting saved because they are hearing the gospel. Its about the kingdom of God filling the earth. The truth of the Gospel going out to the peoples and slowly binding Satan, death and hell's ability to rule over the nations like they had throughout history. It is part of, coincides with, Revelation 21-22. It does not proceed them. It is happening now as we speak just like chapters 21-22 are. Chapter 19 is the end of the Roman Empire. The line of demarcation between the ancient despotic world and this promised age. Us "losing down here" is surrender to evil and in many respects the reason for the extreme danger we face politically right now. Had Christians understood the will God for the nations, put their faith in his Word as per what I have shared. It would have been as natural as breathing for millions of them to have gravitated into to politics as their service to God and their fellow man. They, had they been in the place God destined them to be would never have allowed the wicked that filled that vacuum to impose the present evil we are now being subjected too. It is a long road back to sanity.
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