Ken Blue Ministries

THE WARNING TO WATCH,  TALENTS FOR INVESTMENT, AND THE JUDGMENT OF GENTILE NATIONS #52

Matthew 25:1-46.

This chapter is a continuation of the instructions in the previous chapter. The word “Then” connect the two, and the time frame is at the end of the Tribulation.

The scope of the book is the Kingdom of Heaven. It has nothing to do with the body of Christ. The parable is “likened unto…” It depicts those who watch and those who ignore the Word, and the signs of Christ’s return and the coming judgments.

It is difficult to identify the meaning of the number ten.  It is a number of “completeness of order. Some think the ten virgins represent the the Gentile Bride of Christ and Although I am not certain of the significance of the number ten, if any, there is no doubt as to the meaning of the parable. It parallels the days of Noe, and the warning to watch. All, had lamps and oil, and all were warned to watch. While the bridegroom tarried, half did not adequately prepare. When the bridegroom came, those who were negligent, and indifferent, were shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven. “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” This, without a doubt, is the point Jesus is stressing. There is nothing in the parable about the church of this dispensation. The church of this dispensation is not the bride. Neither will any of the saved run out of oil or be lost. It is a warning. Those who do not watch will be deceived and shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Concerning the number ten, it’s significance must be determined according to its use. However, it need not have any other interpretation than the number itself. For instance, in the following parable, we see five talents, two talents, and one. Shall we focus on the numbers individually, and collectively, and them place significance on the number eight? All this my be overkill, and lead one into a faulty interpretation. 

The following parable is similar to the others. It differs in this fact, those who would enter the Kingdom of Heaven are expected to use the abilities and opportunities given them. One can see that all is a works salvation. Money and banking will not be important in the Tribulation, so the issue in no investment of dollars and cents. We are reminded of the laborers who were hired a different hours of the day. Faithfulness was the key. The man with the least ability was given less responsibility. However, he was wicked and lazy, and found fault with his lord.  

The moral is clear. Those who are faithful to the Lord in the Tribulation will receive abundance in the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who fall away, or are unfaithful, will forfeit what they would have received. Others will possess it. The five virgins will be “shut” out, the unprofitable servant will be “cast out.”

When Jesus returns at the end of the Tribulation, there will be a period wherein the Lord will set up His government at Jerusalem for the Kingdom of Heaven. Dake has a helpful note on these additional days.

• “3. The last period is 1,335 days, an addition of 45 days to the second period. The extra 75 days (the 30 days and 45 days) added to the 1,260 days will complete the 1,335 days of Dan. 12:7-13, the last day of which will be the actual day of the proclamation of the kingdom, when men who have lived through the tribulation will be blessed. It is the actual time when Christ will say to the sheep nations: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mt. 25:34). These extra 75 days will be taken up by certain events necessary to the actual proclamation of the kingdom.” Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible.

At that judgment, gentile nations will be judged according to their treatment of Jewish believers in the Tribulation. Those who are compassionate and merciful to the Jews will be rewarded and welcomed into the Kingdom. Those who are indifferent are judged accordingly. The promise made to Abraham comes to mind here.

Again, this is a works situation, and those who did the good works were not aware of the reward they would receive. Nor, were the nations who refused to help the Jews aware of the judgment awaiting them. These nations will be assigned their place in hell.

There is nothing in the chapter about the church, the body of Christ. Although illustrations, and applications can be made, the teacher must first give the true meaning of the text, or people be misled. Right division must always come first, if there is to be right understanding.

 

 

THE TEMPLE, THE TRIBULATION, AND TIME OF SECOND COMING OF CHRIST #51

Matthew 24:1-51

The Lord continues His instruction of the disciples. Three questions are ask, two of them are answered in Matthew’s gospel. It is noteworthy that the questions are grouped in threes. The student would be amazed to find how often that number is found in this gospel. The question as to when the temple would be destroyed has been answered, and is given great detail in the gospel of Luke. (Luke 19:41-44; 21:20-24.) The destruction of the temple happened in 70 A. D.

 

• “The Jews were crucified in such numbers before the walls during the siege that the Romans wanted more room for crosses. Multitudes in the city died of famine until the valleys outside were filled with them. Titus himself groaned and threw up his hands in horror and called God to witness that he was not responsible. No fewer than 600,000 who were thrown out the gates were counted by the Romans. Altogether 1,100,000 Jews died; 97,000 were sold as slaves for trifling prices; 40,000 were freed because no one bought them; and 347,490 more, plus multitudes not counted, perished in many other ways.” Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible

The other two questions are prefaced with a warning about deception. They might be deceived by false prophets, by wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. These are only the beginning of sorrows for the Jews. They would be afflicted, killed, and hated of all nations because they believe the Messianic promises and covenants. This would include the promise of the land to Israel, and the Kingdom given to the Son of David.

Most of Israel reject their own Scriptures, and do not believe the promises of God. Thus, the secular and atheistic Jews will betray and hate those of their own nation. “Nevertheless… it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. “Luke 13:33.

The Tribulation will center on the destruction of the Jewish nation. The Antichrist, Satan, and the false prophet will target them. Two thirds of the nation will be destroyed. One third will remain to fight the Antichrist, and a new nation will be born again. (“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” Zechariah 13:9.) These who endure to the end of the Tribulation will be saved, physically, to enter the Kingdom.

The fourth sowing of the gospel of the Kingdom will be preached by the remnant in all the world. The content will be that the return of Jesus, the Messiah and King is imminent. Then the end of this age will end.

The Lord now gives added details to the Tribulation. Concerning the signs of His coming, none is more evident than that which was spoken by Daniel the prophet. This is none other than the Antichrist who will set up his headquarters at Jerusalem in the last half of the Tribulation. His goal is the final solution, he thinks,to rid the world of the Jewish problem. He will enter the temple and desecrate it. Whatever it is, the Lord warns the Jews to get out of Jerusalem when they witness this abomination. These are probably the Jews who flee as recorded in Revelation 12:6. “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” Revelation 12:6.

Satan returns to Jerusalem to pour his wrath on those who failed to flee. Jesus says, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” The elect are righteous Jews.

One should never believe sighs and wonders unless they are validated by Scripture, and confirmed by the dispensation in which they appear. The only thing that will keep the informed Jews from deception is a knowledge of the Scriptures. One can understand why the masses will be deluded. Most are ignorant of the Bible and right divisions.

We are not sure what this sign is. It may be the appearing itself. Once Jesus comes to Jerusalem, He send his angels to gather His elect throughout the earth back to Israel. The signs mentioned are their clear warning of His coming. The generation at that time will witness all until all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth will ultimately pass away, but the words of Christ will never fail.

As man, Jesus deprived Himself of the knowledge of the day and hour. This is a mystery. He was very God, and very man. Only His Father knew the exact time of His coming.

Jesus did know the conditions that would exist. The world attitude will be exactly as it was in the days Noe entered the ark. They were indifferent to the preaching of Noe, and were ignorant of the time and signs. Such is it today. Most of the world refuses to believe the Scriptures, or the moral condition of the times. They are busy with their plans, their families, and their comfort. “And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

The ones taken are taken in judgment, as the flood waters took away the wicked. Those left, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The parable in Matthew 13 clarifies this event. The tares are gathered into bundles and burned. The wheat is gathered into the barn. The bad fish are gathered up and cast away, the good are kept. This has nothing to do with the rapture of the church. It will have been raptured long before this event. “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Matthew 13:43. After the wicked are taken in judgment, the righteous will enjoy the thousand year Kingdom of Heaven.

The reward and warning is for that generation. Those who are wise will not be negligent nor taken by surprise at His coming. This is a works salvation. The faithful will be rewarded. Those who begin to doubt His coming and mistreat his brethren, and backslide into the world will be cut asunder and appointed a portion with the hypocrites.

A right division of the Word, will help anyone see that the church, the body of Christ, is not the subject of Matthew. The theme is the Kingdom of Heaven. It is earthly, literal, and conditional. The church of this dispensation is heavenly, has not earthly promises, and unconditional.

 

WARNINGS AND WOE’S AGAINST ISRAEL’S RELIGIOUS HYPOCRITES #50

Matthew 23:1-39

If anyone thought Jesus was effeminate or a coward, they have not read this chapter. Jesus is as bold as a lion in His attack on the religious leaders. Although, a multitude is present, He primarily speaks to His disciples about observing the Law, and not to be as the hypocrites, who say and fail to do.

There is no doubt that the four gospels are still in the dispensation of the Law. Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20.

Those who have the church beginning with John the Baptist, must strain ant a gnat in order to end the law at the coming of John. It will not work.

Jesus told His disciple to do whatsoever the religious leaders bid them do. Only, do not after their manner. The Pharisees taught the Law, but through tradition and deceit, they did not obey it. They say, but they did not do what they taught.

A hypocrite is an actor or performer. A mask was placed on the two ends of a stick. Each mask represented two different persons. One mask was held over the actors face as he played one person, then the other mask was placed over the face to represent someone else. The Pharisees were actors. The taught one thing and did another.

Not only were they hypocritical in their teaching, they were hypocritical in appearance and status. All they did, was for the praise and admiration of men.

• Dake says, “A small square box containing a parchment or skin (about 1 1/2 x 18 inches) on which were written Ex. 13:1-10; Dt. 6:4-9; 11:13-21. Worn on the arm and forehead by men only. Common people wore them only during prayers, but they were worn continually by the Pharisees who sought to enlarge the boxes so as to attract attention. Jesus did not condemn the wearing of them but the show made of them in public. They became badges of vanity and hypocrisy and amulets to drive away evil spirits.”Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible.

They sought the chief seats, and greetings of “Rabbi, Rabbi” in public. The wickedness was not in the respect, but in the loving and seeking of religious titles. This rebuke is also applied to the Roman Catholic Church; including the Pope. The disciples are forbidden to seek titles, or to call any man father, in the religious sense. Any Catholic who does not understand this, or seeks to justify their religious titles, is blind or is a hypocrite, just as the Pharisees.

Now begins a series of eight woes or condemnations against these religious leaders. The first: The first and second deal with spiritual ambition. People who sought light from them about the Kingdom of Heaven were shut out by their false teaching and traditions. They were the blind, leading the blind. In addition, they took advantage of the grieving widows, and charged them for prayers and religious services. Thus, they are assured greater damnation.

The third woe: that of proselytism. This was not soul-winning, but soul-ruiners.  They sought to find men and women who would follow them and their teachings. The finished product was more a child of hell, then themselves.

The fourth woe: externalism. Not only were they blind, they were also stupid. Jesus gave a warning, in His sermon on the mountain, about swearing or making oaths. The religious leaders did not hold a person accountable who swore by the temple. However, if one swore by the gold in the temple, he was a debtor. The same was said of the altar and the sacrifice on the altar. The altar was nothing without the sacrifice, and the sacrifice was nothing without the altar. In every case, the two were inseparably connected.  They were blind fools, and could not see the connection between the two.

The fifth woe: the sins of omission. The tithe is a tenth. These hypocrites paid the tithe on the most minute and insignificant things. Mint was a sweet smelling plant. Amise was dill. Cummin was a plant for seasoning food. While they were meticulous about these, they omitted the most important matters of the Law. These were righteous judgment, mercy and faith. Thus, they were blind guides who strained out the gnats, and swallowed a camel.

So it is with many today. They are quick to condemn those whose sideburns are longer than their own. They condemn those who ware cowboy boots, wire rimmed glasses, or have facial hair. One pastor ask a missionary if his wife wore pajamas to bed at night. His reason was, pajamas have leg, and are a man’s attire. These fools, with their gnat straining standards, are fools, and would not think twice of running your reputation or ministry.

The sixth woe: empty formalism. Jesus was judged because He ate without washing His hands. (Luke 11:38). It is true today. Most people are far more concerned about external appearance, than godly character within. Some think manners and spirituality are the same. Who in his right mind would knowingly eat from a vessel that was spotless on the outside, and foul within? This was the condition of all empty formalism.

The seventh and eighth woe: false appearances, and murders of the prophets.  Years ago, our family took a vacation from Washing to Florida. On our return home, we stopped in New Orleans. It was All Saints Day, and for some reason we found ourselves near a cemetery. There was more activity there than at any circus. The tombs were above ground, and hundreds of people had stayed the night. They painted the tombs, burnt candles, and applied ashes to themselves. I spite of the attempted beatification of the tombs, each one was full of dead bones. Sadly, this was a Roman Catholic cemetery, and those who garnished the tombs were as dead inside as those in the tombs.

All the wealth, glitter and pomp in Rome, cannot hid the deceit, and corruption within that church. We have only seen the tip of the iceberg in the matter of corruption within her.

It is incredible and inconceivable that the nation of Israel, the apostate nation, should have been so blind and so far from God. Such is it today. There is no reason to believe that the religious leaders have improved. John, the apostle, called Jerusalem Sodom and Egypt. (Rev. 11:8).

The love and compassion for Jerusalem is demonstrated in His willingness to save and protect them. Another gospel tells us that He wept on the city. Oh, such compassion for sinners! But, every man is given a free will, and God will let him choose his own destruction if he is determined to go his own way.

Their city and nation was left desolate. As the glory departed in the days of Ezekiel the prophet, so the glory was departing again. They had Him for over three years. They tasted of the age to come, the Kingdom of Heaven. But, now they will be without God or the Messiah until the Tribulation, is which, they will pray for, and welcome His coming.

 

 

GREATER OPPOSITION TO THE KING AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN #49

Matthew 22:1-46.

 This chapter continues to the opposition toward the Lord by the various leaders at Jerusalem. As was our Lord’s manner, He rebuked them by parables, and trapped them in their on craftiness.

 This parable extends from the time of Christ and His disciples to the end of the Tribulation. There had been a previous announcement to the guest that there was going to be a wedding for a certain king’s son. The time had arrived, and servants were sent to those who had been invited, but they would not come. This, we believe represents the ministry of Jesus and the Twelve.

The second attempt ended in ridicule, indifference and hostility. These servants were persecuted and slain. These represent the disciples in the Acts period. Their ministry was to Israel, and like their Lord, they too were rejected.

 It is significant that at verse seven there is an interruption in the parable. Dr. Dave Reese says in his commentary on Matthew, “The church age occurs after verse 7 and before verse 8 and is not mentioned anywhere in the four gospels” (Matthew P. 197).There is little doubt that this is a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 A. D. After that, the command by the king was to send his servants out and invites anyone who is willing to come. Thus, there is a gap between verse seven and verse eight of over two thousand years. There is nothing in the parable about the church of this dispensation. There are too many doctrinal difficulties to put the church, which was a mystery, in it.

 This last commission is given to those who will preach the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven in the tribulation. If the last half of the parable is about the church, how did a man get into heaven wearing the wrong wedding garment? It won’t work, and must be forced into the parable to make others think the Lord is talking of the church.

 This event takes place on earth and this man without a proper garment represents those who will attempt to enter the Kingdom of Heaven without repentance, or submitting to the gospel for the Kingdom. In Revelation 19:7, 8; the wife had made herself ready, and was dressed in fine line, which is the righteousness of the saints. These are the ones who believed the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, and came out of the great tribulation. It was a works and faith gospel. There is no doubt that this man went to hell. The Lord says, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

In the following, various leaders in Jerusalem come and attempt to create problems that would put Jesus in jeopardy. The first of these are the Herodians.

• “International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HERODIANS A party twice mentioned in the Gospels (Matthew 22:16 parallel Mark 12:13; Mark 3:6) as acting with the Pharisees in opposition to Jesus. They were not a religious sect, but, as the name implies, a court or political party, supporters of the dynasty of Herod. Nothing is known of them beyond what the Gospels state. Whatever their political aims, they early perceived that Christ’s pure and spiritual teaching on the kingdom of God was irreconcilable with these, and that Christ’s influence with the people was antagonistic to their interests. Hence, in Galilee, on the occasion of the healing of the man with the withered hand, they readily joined with the more powerful party of the Pharisees in plots to crush Jesus (Mark 3:6); and again, in Jerusalem, in the last week of Christ’s life, they renewed this alliance in the attempt to entrap Jesus on the question of the tribute money (Matthew 22:16). The warning of Jesus to His disciples to “beware of the leaven of Herod” (Mark 8:15) may have had reference to the insidious spirit of this party. James Orr”

 The hypocrisy of this group is too evident. If they really believed He taught the truth, why then did they attempt to trap Him? Why not accept Him? Such is deceit. It is usually preceded by flattery. Jesus knew them and caught them in their own craftiness, and silenced them. 

 The Sadducees were the liberals of Jesus’s day. They did not believe in the resurrection, angels or the Scriptures. Yet, they used the Scriptures to create a dilemma for Christ. The Law allowed Levirate marriage. (Deut. 25:5-10). A levirate marriage was a marriage of a widow capable of bearing children to a brother-in-law if her husband died childless. Its purpose was to continue a man’s family line. The Sadducees give a supposed case where a woman had seven such marriages. All her husbands died, and eventually she died also. Their question was, in the resurrection, whose wife is she. 

 Jesus countered with a condemnation of their ignorance of Scripture, and the power of God. In the resurrection, none will be husbands or wives, as the Mormons falsely teach, nor will there be marriages in heaven. Although angels are all male, there are no marriages between them. They have appeared as men and had intercourse with women. (Gen. 6).

 Concerning the resurrection, God has power to resurrect all. Nor have those who died in faith ceased to exist. They are with God in heaven, as is Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

 These ambassadors of Satan now join forces to temp and entrap Jesus. Again, as at the beginning, the Devil used the question method to confuse and deceive Eve. A lawyer ask Jesus which is the greatest commandment in the Law. Jesus tells him that the two greatest commandments are to love God with all ones heart, and to love his neighbor as himself. It is obvious that on these two all the Law and Prophets hung. The nation did neither. They did not love God, and they hated their Gentile neighbors.

 While they were still gathered together, Jesus ask them whose son the Messiah would be. They said he would be the son of David. Jesus ask how he could be David’s son since David called him his Lord. The only possible way was for him to be Deity, to be David’s son and his Lord. They could not answer Him, and refrained from asking anymore questions.