Lesson 7.5 of Bible Interpretation.

Rule 7.5:  Distinguish Between the Two-Fold Nature of Christ’s Return…

This lesson is borrowed from the booklet “Seven rules for Bible Interpretation”, written by REV. M. L. LOWE, D.D. with supplemental material by David W. Holden.

      There have always been those who have thought that the Lord was not able to keep His own redeemed children “from the hour of temptation” (Revelation 3:10).  This, spoken to the church of Philadelphia, is clearly a promise that the church will be taken out of the world—“Come up hither!”  (Revelation 4:1)—at the very moment the Tribulation breaks forth upon the earth.  This is what is termed “the Rapture” and it is clearly detailed in: 

1Thess. 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: ¹⁷Then 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.”

But when the seven years of Great Tribulation draw to a close, the Lord shall return in might and glory to bring judgment which had been withheld by His longsuffering:

2Thess. 1:7-8 “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, ⁸In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

The distinction is increasingly important as this present age draws to its close, and “the mystery of iniquity doth already work” (II Thess. 2:7) trying to persuade even Bible-taught believer to look for the Anti-Christ and the Great Tribulation rather than for “that blessed hope” of the return of our Lord in Person!  The Lord has clearly revealed His “time-table” and the distinct order of events.  Let each believer fix his attention on the coming Lord Jesus Christ—NOT Anti-Christ!

Lesson 7.4 of Bible Interpretation.

Rule 7.4:  Distinguish Between the Two Advents of Christ

This lesson is borrowed from the booklet “Seven rules for Bible Interpretation”, written by REV. M. L. LOWE, D.D. with supplemental material by David W. Holden.

(Words in Bright red, mine)

 

      To his class, Dr. Lowe graphically portrayed “The Mountain Peaks of Prophecy”, making this passage “come alive” to our young minds and hearts:

1Peter 1:11  [The prophets…]“Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it [He] testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”

            From their distant viewpoint, the prophets could see two mountain peaks!  They could see Mount Calvary, and readily identify that as “the sufferings of Christ” as portrayed in such passages as ISAIAH 53.  They also saw the high peak of the coming Messiah to establish His kingdom!  But from their distant point of view, the prophets saw both peaks as one, and though they did not understand how it could be, they wrote as The Holy Spirit dictated.  It was not revealed to them that between these two magnificent “peaks” there was the “valley” of this present Church Age, a Dispensation of which nothing was revealed to them!  But we, from the “valley” look back at Calvary, and look forward to Christ’s return, “the glory that should follow”!  The dictation continued:

            See also the distinction made by Christ Himself, recorded in Luke 4:18-21.  Reading from Isaiah 61, He ended His reading at a comma, and plainly stated: “This day is THIS Scripture fulfilled in your ears”!  That which follows the comma in Isaiah is yet to be fulfilled at His second coming!  If the Lord Jesus made such a distinction, we will do well not to disrupt His plan by disregarding verse 19!

         Our Lord “came unto His own, and His own received Him not” –and the kingdom He would have established for Israel then was “postponed”.  It shall yet be established; but for now, we who are believers, have but one message to proclaim: the Gospel of the Grace of God!

Lesson 7.3 of Bible interpretation

This lesson is borrowed from the booklet “Seven rules for Bible Interpretation”, written by REV. M. L. LOWE, D.D. with supplemental material by David W. Holden.

Rule 7.3:  Distinguish Between the Different Gospels, Especially The Gospel of the Kingdom and The Gospel of the Grace of God!...

          The Bible Record is so clear, we wonder how anyone can miss the fact of this distinction:  At the beginning of His earthly ministry, what did Jesus preach?

Matt. 4:23 “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom…”

            When He sent His disciples out on their first missionary tour, where did He send them?  And with what message?

Matt. 10:5-7 “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

            Does anyone have the right to take “The Gospel of The Kingdom” and preach it to the heathen Gentile? Or to the Church of the Redeemed?  The Gospel of the Kingdom can do nothing for the souls of lost men and women!  That’s why we now have “The Gospel of the Grace of God”!  The Gospel of the Kingdom is for the Jewish nation—it is good news that they shall yet have their kingdom, when Christ returns in His glory to set up that kingdom.  But for now—for the believer—there is:

Acts 20:24 “…the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

      Don’t ever be guilty of mixing the Gospel of Grace with any other “gospel”, even the gospel of the kingdom!  See Galations 1:3-9.  Think of the curse of God which rests on whole denominations for ignoring this truth! 

Lesson 7.2 of Bible Interpretation.

Lesson 7.2 of Bible Interpretation.

This lesson is borrowed from the booklet “Seven rules for Bible Interpretation”, written by REV. M. L. LOWE, D.D. with supplemental material by David W. Holden.

(Words in Bright red, mine)

Rule 7.2:  Distinguish Ethinic or Racial Divisions…

It is not popular these days to discriminate about (we did not say “against”) people of certain categories. However, God places all men one of three specific classes!  The Bible is very discriminating:

1 Corinthians 10:32 “…the Jews,…the Gentiles,…and the church of God.”

As this was studied, all questions about races and classes of nationalities ended, and we rejoiced as the Bible truth settled in our hearts!  These are the notes we took:

That God has established three different groups of mankind in (“and” perhaps?) His dealing will clear up much understanding. 

God chose Israel out of all the nations of the earth, and He chooses to deal with them as a nation differently than any or all other races, nations, peoples or tongues.  As for the unsaved, they are either Jew or Gentile, both in need in redemption.  God will yet bring a national regeneration to Israel for the purpose of proving His tender care for His chosen people during the Kingdom Age.  But now, during this Age of Grace, as always, He provides one way of salvation to “whosoever will”, Jew or Gentile.  From both Jew and Gentile, however, He is now calling out a people for His Name, and these are His Church, which He recognizes and deals with in an entirely different manner than either Jew or Gentile.