Chapter Four - The Present Church Age
1. INTRODUCTION
So far in this course we have been learning that, while national Israel has had a great past and is also destined to have a great future, her present position is one of divine rejection and, hence, spiritual degeneracy. But God foresaw all of this and, therefore, formulated "the eternal purpose" (Ephesians 3:11) - to gather out the Church during this period.
The Old Testament prophets foresaw two great future events which concerned the Messiah, namely, the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow (Read 1 Peter 1:10-12). Their view of things-to-come seemed to be contradictory, for, while on the one hand they envisioned a Messiah Who would be rejected and ultimately crucified, they also saw that same Messiah enthroned in supreme glory as earth's last Monarch. (Contrast Psalms 22 and 69 with Psalms 72 and 45, or contrast Isaiah 53 with Isaiah 35.) How could both views be reconciled? How could He be both rejected and yet reign? Just one word solved the problem - resurrection! The Messiah Who died must rise from the dead, in order to make good the second part of the program.
2. THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS DID NOT FORESEE THIS PERIOD
But the prophets did not foresee the great interval between these two events. These have been likened to a man standing on a level plain and viewing two distant mountain peaks. From his viewpoint the two peaks seem to blend on a common horizon. But actually there is a great valley between, which the viewer does not, and cannot, see. This valley suggests the present Church age. The believer today looks back to the one peak and forward to the other.
Let us turn to Isaiah 61 and read carefully the first two verses; then read Luke 4:16-21. It will be noticed that our Lord closed the book in the middle of the second verse of Isaiah 61. Why did He not complete the passage? The answer is found in the fact that "the day of vengeance of our God" is future, and lies entirely beyond this present period, which is described as "the acceptable year of the Lord." In other words, right in the middle of Isaiah 61:2 there is a break of about 2,000 years which was not foreseen by Isaiah at all!
Another example of this break is found in Zechariah 9:9, 10. The ninth verse was fulfilled at our Lord's first coming (Matthew 21:1-9). Verse 10 had never yet been fulfilled, and will be realized only when our Lord Jesus returns to the earth in glory. If, therefore, verse 9 is past and verse 10 is future, then it is obvious that the Church age must be inserted between the two. This dispensation was unknown to these Old Testament prophets, for it was a secret locked up in the counsels of God and not revealed until after the Cross and resurrection by the Holy Spirit. A careful study of Ephesians 3:1-11 and Colossians 1:24-27 makes this clear.
3. THE PRESENT CHURCH AGE
We have learned that the Old Testament prophets did not foresee this present age that lies like a great valley between the two mountain peaks of the first and second coming of Christ. Remembering that the first peak indicates His sufferings and the Cross, while the second peak His glories and the crown, we shall now consider God's present purpose.
3.1 It is a Mystery
Throughout Paul's writings are repeated references to what he terms "the mystery." This was a special secret made known to him by the Holy Spirit, and explained as the present purpose of God to take out from the Gentiles a people for His name (Acts 15:13-18). The clock of prophecy having stopped when Jesus died, and remaining silent until God's present work among the Gentiles is completed, it is clear that the present outcalling is not the subject of Old Testament prophecy at all. In Romans 16:25, 26 Paul writes, "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel...according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets...made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." We must not assume that "the scriptures of the prophets" refers to Old Testament prophets, for such a conclusion would contradict the very thing Paul is saying that the mystery had been kept undeclared until now. The expression is more accurately "by prophetic scriptures," and refers to the current writings of Paul himself.
Just what is "the mystery"? The answer is that, consequent upon Israel's rejection of her Messiah, the grace of God has overflowed to the Gentiles. By means of His gospel of salvation to "whosoever believeth in him," an entirely new society has come into being. Paul explains "how that by revelation he (God) made known unto me the mystery...which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel; whereof I was made a minister" (Ephesians 3:3-7).
3.2 Its Charater
The first mention of the Church is found in Matthew 16:13-18. It was not until the Lord had presented His claims as King to the nation of Israel and had heard those claims officially repudiated (Matthew 11:16-24; 12:24) that He mentioned the Church. The word "church" comes from a Greek word which means "a called-out assembly." It is a selection; it is an out-calling from the masses. Notice also that it was future at this time; "I will build my church." Hence it was unknown in Old Testament times.
3.3 Its Commencement
The Church begin at the Day of Pentecost. This Church is described as "Christ's body" (Ephesians 1:23). A body demands a head! But Christ did not take His place as Head until He ascended to the Father's right hand (Colossians 1:18). The birthday of the Church, therefore, was the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit, sent by the risen Christ, formed all believers into that organism known as the body of Christ.
3.4 Its Composition
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 2:11-18). The Church is composed of all regenerated Jews and Gentiles. The moment a Jew or a Gentile receives Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit unites him to the body of Christ, where all national distinctions disappear (Colossians 3:11).
3.5 Its Characteristics
The stones for Solomon's Temple were taken out from those dark subterranean quarries and, after being prepared, were placed in Jehovah's dwelling. Even so, God is quarrying out "living stones" by means of the gospel and these stones are being "built up a spiritual house," even the spiritual temple of the Lord (Ephesians 2:21, 22).
3.6 Its Consummation
The glorious destiny of the Church is to be with and like Christ forever. At His second coming, as Bridegroom, He will present this redeemed company to Himself. The Lamb's wife (Revelation 21:9) will share Christ's glory as she reigns with Him over the redeemed creation, just as Eve shared Adam's reign before sin made its entrance into this world.
4. THE SEVENTY WEEKS PROPHECY OF DANIEL IS NOT RELATED TO THE CHURCH
The famous "seventy weeks" prophecy of Daniel 9:20-27 is all-important. In this passage the prophets knows that the seventy years of the Babylonian captivity have almost expired. In these verses, however, Gabriel gives an outline of the entire history of Israel from the conclusion of the captivity until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in glory.
4.1 The Word "Week" Means Seven Years
"Seventy weeks (or sevens) are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city." The word "weeks" simply means "sevens." It might mean seven days, months, etc., but the context makes it clear that these events must refer to years; otherwise, the whole prophecy is void of sense. Then notice the word "determine." The expression is literally "cut off," which simply means that these 490 years are cut out from the entire period of time. Moreover, they exclusively concern Daniel's people and Daniel's city - the Jews and Jerusalem. Hence, they have no application to the Church, which is chiefly Gentile. If we fail to recognize that these 490 years affect only the Jews and Jerusalem and run their course only during Israel's establishment in the land, our thinking will be confused indeed.
4.2 Purpose of the Seventy Weeks
Notice also that six great events are to happen to Daniel's people within the 490-year period:
"To finish the transgression," i.e., Israel's great sin in rejecting Christ.
"To make an end of sins," i.e., to expiate Israel's other iniquities.
"To make reconciliation for iniquity," i.e., the Cross.
"To bring in everlasting righteousness." This does not mean merely that righteousness has been made available, but that Israel will possess it through the Messiah. This will be fulfilled in the Millennium.
"To seal up the vision and prophecy," i.e., all prophecy will eventually be fulfilled and faith will give place to sight.
"To anoint the most Holy," or the Holy of Holies. This, I take it, refers to the restoration of the Shekinah glory to the nation.
Have all these things already been fulfilled in relation to Daniel's people and city? Certainly not. Several of them lie in the future.
4.3 Meaning of Daniel 9:25
Verse 25 gives us the starting point of the prophecy; it was from the time that the command should go forth that Jerusalem should be rebuilt. It seems clear that the permission granted to Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2) to build the wall, streets and city at Jerusalem is the correct starting point, and from that date (about 445 BC) until the Lord Jesus Christ publicly presented Himself to Israel as their King was exactly 483 years, or 7 weeks plus 62 weeks (i.e. total = 69 weeks). It has been demonstrated that this was the precise time-period from the decree of Nehemiah 2 until the day that the Lord Jesus rode triumphantly into the city as the King of Israel.
You will notice that these 69 weeks are divided into two unequal portions - 7 weeks and 62 weeks. The 7 weeks, or 49 years, covered the period of the rebuilding of the city and the re-establishment of Jewish worship. The "troublous times" are described in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
4.4 Meaning of Daniel 9:26
"After threescore and two weeks (62 weeks) shall Messiah be cut off, shall have nothing". It is understood that to these 62 weeks we must add the aforementioned 7, making 69 in all, or 69 x 7 = 483 years. These are prophetic years of 360 days each (Note: Bible prophecies are figured in years of 360 days is the comparison.of the equivalent time units of three and a half years in Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; and 13:4. The three and a half years equals 1260 days or 360 days per year). Since a calendar year is 365 + 1/4 days, it follows that in 483 prophetic years we lose 483 ( 5 + 1/4 )days = 2536 days, just under 7 years. Therefore, 483 prophetic years equal approximately 476 calendar years. From the beginning of 445 BC to the end of 31 AD would be 476 years. There is, of course, no year numbered zero. This is a rough calculation, but it shows how amazing the prophecy is. The 69 weeks reach to the time of the death of Christ (v. 26).
Not only that, but the people of the coming prince would destroy the city and the sanctuary (v. 26). This brings us down to AD 70, when the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem. Hence, the 483 years ran out on the day of Christ's "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem, and at some indefinite time after that we have the Cross and the destruction of the city.
This present age is not referred to in the prophecy, except in a very indirect way. It is briefly condensed in the last few lines of verse 26: "Even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined." This is exactly what our Lord predicted in Matthew 24. Hence, this Christian era comes in parenthetically at the end of verse 26 and the beginning of verse 27.
4.5 Meaning of Daniel 9:27
The last verse of the chapter is full of significance, "He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week." The "he" does not refer to the Messiah, but rather to "the prince that shall come." Who is this coming prince? He is the prince of very people who destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70. These were the Romans. Hence, it is clear that the coming prince will also be a Roman. To whom does "the many" refer? We believe that this refers to the mass of Jewry who will be re-established in Palestine, and who, in order to protect themselves against the threats of the Assyrian, or "little horn" of Daniel 8, will make a seven-year treaty with the Roman Beast (i.e the Anti-Christ - political beast). This covenant will guarantee to Israel political, territorial, and religious protection for seven years. However, "in the midst of the week," that is, after the covenant has run for three and a half years, the emperor will break that covenant, treating it as a mere "scrap of paper," particularly the clauses that have to do with the religious question.
He suddenly prohibits all the Jewish sacrifices and recognition of God in order that he himself may become the only object of worship. The "abomination of desolation" referred to by Jesus in Matthew 24:15 is set up in the Holy Place, and all are commanded to worship this idol on pain of death. Compare Revelation 13:5-8.
The last sentence of the chapter is quite significant: "Because of the protection of abominations there shall be a desolator." The meaning of this seems to be that because Israel as a whole accepts this flagrant idolatry, worshipping the man who is the devil's masterpiece, God will raise up a desolator who will be the rod of His anger to punish His professed, but rebellious, people.