31 Oct The Prophecy Passages – A Powerful Motivation for Mission
Did you know that 16% of the Scriptures are writings concerning events that have not yet been fulfilled? These events are things such as the Second Coming of Christ, the Rapture,
the 70th Week of Daniel, the Great Tribulation, and God’s plan to complete his redemptive work with the nation of Israel. Many churches choose not to teach from these passages because they deem it too controversial, however, I believe these passages provide some of the most compelling and motivating Scriptures for the mobilization of the church toward mission.
I’d like to review just one of these prophetic events and examine how it can be a very powerful motivation for the church to complete its mission. Consider the Second Coming of Christ, or the Millennial rule of Christ. Hebrews 10:25 comes immediately to mind, “Let us not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” The use of the word, “Day” in this context refers to the Day of the coming of the Lord. So we have an explicit command to encourage one another based on this future prophetic event.
The late Dwight J. Pentecost, professor of Biblical Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary made the point that the Millennium, the one-thousand-year period in the future when Christ will rule from Jerusalem, is written about more than any other time-period in Scripture. No other time-period in human history receives more attention from the Scriptures than the Millennium. He writes:
A larger body of prophetic Scripture is devoted to the subject of the millennium, developing its character and conditions, than any other one subject. The millennial age, in which the purposes of God are fully realized on the earth, demands considerable attention. An attempt will be made to deduce from the Scriptures themselves the essential facts and features of this theocratic kingdom. While much has been written on the subject of the millennium, that which is clearly revealed in the Word can be our only true guide as to the nature and character of that period. (Things to Come, Dunham Press, 1959, p. 476)
Since the Scriptures focus so heavily on this time-period, shouldn’t this be a more frequent topic of Christian meditation? How might a clearer understanding of the thousand-year reign of Christ, more adequately equip and motivate the church to fulfill its mission today?
The Scriptures teach us that human history is moving toward the crescendo of Christs millennial rule. Regardless of the difficulties and setbacks the church faces today, this reality is just over the horizon. To disregard this is like a wanderer who sets out on a journey with no clear vision of where he’s going. The weary, rain-soaked traveler, is strengthened by the promise of warmth and rest at the Inn. Likewise, the Christian gains strength and encouragement knowing that Christ, our King is coming soon.
One on the obvious obstacles is that most of the church today does not prescribe to a literal thousand-year reign of Christ. To many the millennium is an allegory, or a metaphor of how Christ reigns through his people on the earth during the church age. The problem with this view is that in the Old Testament we see a very real Israel in real world history. All through the Old Testament we see that in the prophetic writings a King would come who would both suffer and rule. It requires an exegetical leap to say that the suffering Messiah was real in history while the coming reign of Christ is an allegory. Consider the following text from Isaiah.
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations and rebuke man
y people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isa. 2:2-4).
The storyline of biblical history includes an epoch where Christ will reign upon the earth bringing fulfillment to all the prophecies related to his coming as King.
How thrilling it is to participate in the mission of the church considering this wonderful future! The church is hard pressed on every side, persecuted, and demoralized by the Prince of Darkness who rules this present world. The work of the Great Commission may seem like an incredibly difficult task today. But one day soon this struggle will end, and Jesus will secure the victory against Satan and usher in his Millennial Kingdom. Christians today are in an incredible moment in redemptive history.