There is a chronology of events from creation to the eternal kingdom of God, which is distinctively presented to us within the scriptures. Like a three-dimensional picture, the more intently we focus on God's word, the more clearly we begin to see the complete picture emerge.
The literal Word of God is the pure milk fed to us as newborns in faith, immature in understanding. The simple to understand Bible stories we learned as children and the principles and precepts we derived from them, furnishing us with a solid base of human compassion and integrity, provide this milk. Digesting the milk is accepting the literal Word of God.
Those who accept and believe the literal Word of God also accept the literal ministry of Christ. Understanding His fundamental teachings - that He is the Son of God, His ministry of repentance, baptism and His future kingdom - is digesting the bread dimension of God's word. Those too weak to receive the milk of God's word, whose systems reject its literal teachings, are not capable of digesting the bread. Christ is the Bread of Life.
The third dimension of this three-dimensional view allows us to see that every literal event relayed through the scriptures is also prophetic of events that will yet take place during the final days prior to the return of Christ. This prophetic application is the meat dimension of God's word.
The most graphic illustrations of this third dimensional view are the circumstances by which Christ was accused and killed. They are direct, prophetic allegories to the events Israel is and will yet endure as a nation during this, her third and final era as a nation.
Those who cannot accept and digest the literal ministry of Christ, the bread, are most assuredly unable to digest the meat, the third dimension of God's word. Only those matured in understanding the fundamentals of basic truth can comprehend the end-time prophecies that are revealed in the underlying message of the scriptures.
On the first level of understanding, the milk dimension, the bloodshed described as the Children of Israel entered the Promised Land, is the literal description of the physical conflict between men resulting from man's wickedness and evil intentions on the earth. These are the literal events of history. They constitute the past.
In a deeper level of understanding, the bread dimension, we perceive the concept of baptism as being buried with Christ, raised with Him to newness of life, and obtaining eternal life in the kingdom, which Christ taught. Those who are "buried" in baptism must first "die" to their former ways of life. Being slain with the sword, the Word of God, causes this "death." This application represents the present.
All enemies will ultimately be put under the soles of Christ's feet. The last enemy to be destroyed will be death itself. These yet unseen events prophesied in God's word constitute the meat dimension of understanding. They are our future.
The Bible is a book of God's love and the ultimate victory of truth and justice prevailing over all evil. It has a very happy ending for those who believe and there is a great irony described within its pages that is yet to be revealed to those who do not. Judaism will conquer the entire earth with the Sword, the Word of God, proudly proclaiming Christ as their Messiah as they prepare to enter the yet future Promised Land of the Kingdom of God.
The Word of God primarily focuses on one hundred major events from this earth's creation to the presentation of a new heaven and new earth:
1. Creation
2. The Sabbath Day Is Hallowed
3. Sin Enters
4. Men Began To Call Upon The Name Of The Lord
5. Destruction Of The Earth With Water
6. The Rainbow: God's Covenant With Mankind
7. God's Covenant With Abraham
8. God's Covenant With Isaac
9. God's Covenant With Jacob
10. The 12 Sons Of Jacob
11. Israel Arrives In Egypt
12. 430 Year Egyptian Affliction
13. The First Segment Of Moses' Life
14. The Second Segment Of Moses' Life In Desolation
15. The Passover
16. Crossing The Red Sea
17. The Revelation At Mt. Sinai
18. Twelve Spies Sent Into The Promised Land
19. Israel's 40 Year Wilderness Journey
20. Israel's Original Entrance Into The Promised Land
21. The Line Of Kings Is Established
22. Jerusalem Is Chosen As The City Of God
23. The Original Temple Of God Is Built And Dedicated
24. The New Nation Flourishes
25. The Division Of Israel And Judah
26. The House Of Israel Breaks Their Covenant With God
27. The House Of Israel Dispersed Into The Nations In 721 B.C.
28. The House Of Judah Breaks Their Covenant With God
29. The House Of Judah Destroyed By Babylon In 587 B.C.
30. Israel Of Era #2
31. Temple #2 Is Built And Dedicated
32. Christ Is Born
33. Ministry And Miracles Of Christ
34. Suffering Of Christ
35. Death Of Christ
36. Baptism Is Introduced
37. Resurrection Of Christ
38. Christ's Ministry Continues 40 Days
39. Ascension Of Christ To The Right Hand Of The Father
40. The Work Of Christ Continues Today
41. The Spirit Of God Sent Into The Upper Room
42. Overturning Of The Nation By Rome In 70 A.D.
43. The Bible Is Published
44. The Holocaust
45. Restoration Of Israel In 1948
46. The PLO Is Formed
47. Jerusalem Is Renamed As Israel's Capital City
48. Israel's Seven-Year Agreement
49. Temple #3 To Be Built And Dedicated
50. Trumpet #1: The Spirit Of God Poured Out On Jerusalem
51. Watch #1 Of The Rapture To Occur
52. Seal #1: The 144,000 Are Sealed
53. Seal #2: Wickedness In High Places
54. The Beast Rises To Popularity
55. Trumpet #2: The Name Of Christ Made Illegal In Israel
56. Trumpet #3: Israel Is Given The Bitter Waters Of God's Jealousy
57. Israel's Economic Success During The First Half Of The Final Seven Years
58. The Word Of God Flourishes On The Earth
59. Israel's Enemies Find his "Secret Strength"
60. The Image To The Beast
61. The Mark Of The Beast Becomes International Law
62. The 30-Day "Hour" Of Temptation
63. The Abomination Of Desolation To Be Placed In God's Temple
64. Trumpet #4: Israel's Tribulation Begins
65. Two Witnesses To Prophesy In Jerusalem
66. Seal #3: The Flood Cast Out Of The Serpent's Mouth/Christian Persecution Begins With An International Terror Campaign
67. Seal #4: The Four Sore Judgments On Israel
68. Seal #5: Watch #2 Of The Rapture To Occur
69. Three Horns Plucked Up By The Beast
70. Israel To Be Pronounced Dead As A Nation For The Third Time
71. Trumpet #5: Locusts Darken The Earth
72. Trumpet #6: 200 Million Horsemen
73. Two Witnesses Killed In Jerusalem
74. Two Witnesses Ascend To Heaven
75. Israel's Remnant Accepts Christ
76. Israel's Atonement
77. The Gospel Preached To All Nations
78. Trumpet #7: Part A - Israel's Rapture - Watch #3
79. Trumpet #7: Part B - The Vials Of Wrath
80. Christ Is Reunited With His Brethren
81. Seal #6: Wickedness Cast Out Of Heaven Onto The Earth
82. Seal #7: Circumcision Of All Hearts Takes Place In Heaven
83. The Coronation Ceremony Of Christ Takes Place
84. The Long-Awaited Communion Service With Christ
85. Ten Kings Destroy Babylon The Great
86. The Marriage Feast
87. The Armies Of Earth Gather At Armageddon
88. Christ And His Army Descend
89. Armageddon
90. The Beast And False Prophet Are Destroyed
91. The Devil To Be Chained And Sealed
92. The Earth To Be Cleansed With Fire
93. Those Raptured Return To The Earth
94. The Thousand Year Reign Of Christ
95. Judgment Day
96. Lake Of Fire
97. Satan Destroyed - Death And Hell To Be Cast Into The Lake Of Fire
98. New Jerusalem Descends
99. Time Ends And Eternity Begins
100. The New Heaven And New Earth
All things are to be done decently and in order. This is the way God likes his business to be conducted and he has given us his word in this very manner.
God's word is truth. We are welcomed to hop, skip, jump and do cartwheels down the straight path of God's word, but we are warned not to venture off its path by open-mindedness to any distortion of the facts contained within it. The Bible contains neither discrepancies, nor contradictions, allowing its readers to see the spectacular three-dimensional picture, which emerges from within its pages - a picture framed in love and hung on the wall of truth.
Terri Emmett has three FREE ONLINE COURSES: THE ORGANIZED HOUSEKEEPER'S HOUSEBOOK; THE ORGANIZED HOUSEKEEPER'S SIX-WEEK CHARM COURSE; 100 STEPS TO ETERNITY, and has an armchair tourist site for those limited in their ability to travel but would like to see America's beauty and the world's cultural treasures. Please visit any time at:
http://www.charmcourse.com
http://www.americansr.com
http://www.prophecyguide.net