MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH AND MYSTERY OF CHRIST

As the Endtime draws near, should there be any distinction between Messianic Jews and the Church? When Paul says there is neither Jew nor Gentile in the Church, does he mean Jewish believers must merge into Gentile patterns of worship and practice in the Body of Christ? Some help for the answers recognizes the difference between the Mystery of Christ and the Mystery of the Church. Endtime Jews, no less than Old Testament Saints, belong to a Building greater than the Church.

Some say the Church is the "New Israel." When Israel enters into the "New Covenant" according to Heb.8:8-12, that will be the New Israel. It will take two stages to "restore all things" before that happens. (See "Times and Seasons" under GLOSSARY; See KINGDOM).

The Mystery of Christ deals with Gentile believers being incorporated in a New Building that began at the Cross instead of Pentecost. This Mystery supersedes the oneness of Jews and Gentiles in the Church. Their oneness in the Church was revealed and accepted in Acts 15. Oneness in the New Building concerns the unity of all the Saints. The Church is part of this New Building; not the whole.

To begin with, the Mystery of Christ unites Gentiles in the "same body" with Saints under the Old Covenant.

"You Gentiles are no more strangers and sojourners; but fellow-citizens with the Saints and members of God's family" (Eph.2:19). Here the Saints and God's family include those who were given the "covenants of promise." The Cross abolished the barrier between the Saints who were near and Gentiles who were far off so that Old and New Testament Saints might be joined in the same body. This "one body" includes Gentiles in the Church on the basis of faith in the New Covenant.

The Cross is central to the New Covenant. It includes Gentiles during the present Church Age and it will come to include all Israel when Messiah returns (Heb.8:8-12). This New Covenant was established at the Cross; not at Pentecost (Eph.2:16).

A problem arises with some Messianic Jews when relating the blessings of the New Covenant to retaining elements of their Jewish worship. Many of the 144,000 Firstfruit to God and the Lamb (Rev.14:4) may already be saved. They have received the blessings of the New Covenant. In that sense, there is neither Jew nor Gentile; for the essential fact sees the Saints of all time members of one super Building. The Mystery of Christ envisions all of them in one Holy Temple, the New Jerusalem, the "Bride of the Lamb" (Rev.21:2,9).

But as the "Firstfruits to God and the Lamb," they realize their special relationship to God and the Lamb. They are the Firstfruit of the living as Christ was the Firstfruit of the dead. They will "follow the Lamb wherever He goes." They alone will learn the Song of the Lamb and be taken to heaven prior to the gathering of the Elect...prior even to the "gathering above" of those who survive until Christ appears.

Therefore, believers in the Church are not the total "family of God." As part of the Elect, the 144,000 will be "gathered together above" before the Last Trump. They are taken up before the main harvest because they are the harvest "Firstfruit to God and the Lamb." They will present the Lamb, the Son of Man, to the Ancient of Days on the Lastday. The Court of Daniel Seven and Seal Seven will sit and the books will open (Dan.7:13; Rev.8:1-5).

At Messiah's return, all Israelis will embrace the New Covenant to demonstrate God's grace, wisdom and power. If anything, this promise adds to the evidence for greater authority given to Jews than to the Church in the Holy Temple of the age to come. "All nations will come to worship in Jerusalem" (Rev.15:4).

But after the Millennium, the gates of the New Jerusalem are named after the Twelve Tribes and its foundations after the Apostles. Then there is equality. " No Temple will exist in the New Jerusalem (Rev.21:22).

The New Building which Paul presents as the Mystery of Christ now unites New Testament Saints with Saints under the Old Covenant in the same body of joint membership, fellowship and heritage  (Eph.3:4-6). Twelve Jewish Apostles reign over Israel's Tribes during the Millennium (Matt.19:28). That will be God's Holy Temple. Rewards are different for the martyrs and special for the Apostles. But the Holy Temple constitutes one people of God.

At the end of this age, the 144,000 "purchased bodily from earth" in advance of all other Saints (including the dead in Christ), will present the Lamb to God for heaven's Lastday Drama. The 144,000 physically accompany the Lamb to sing the Song of the Lamb before the Drama begins. Then they join the Martyrs in Act One of the Temple Drama to praise God and the Lamb, by name (Rev.14:3,4; Rev.15: 1-4; Rev.7:15-17). 

THE CHURCH AND OLD COVENANT SAINTS IN THE "NEW BUILDING"

The Church is part of the New Building which is still "growing unto a holy temple in the Lord." Members of the 144,000, if already saved, are part of the Church. The equality of Jews and Gentiles in the Church was anticipated at the Cross to embrace Old Testament Saints. Paul states the "mystery is that Church Gentiles are joint members and joint heirs and in joint fellowship with the Saints" of the Old Covenant (Eph.3:6).

The New Covenant takes the place of the Old; but its features apply to those under the Old; and to those in the Millennium Holy Temple. "Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant. With His death occurring for the redemption of those under the first Covenant, they were set free (at the Cross) from their transgressions to receive the promise of the eternal inheritance" (Heb.9:15).  

The final Holy Temple is called the Bride of the Lamb, His Wife. It is identified as the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven upon or over the new earth. Who can deny that all the Saints of all the ages are part of the Bride in Rev.21:9,10? Messianic Jews are part of the Bride. But they are unique in producing 144,000 blameless Firstfruits unto God and the Lamb. They are unique in their future role of fulfilling the Prophets for the knowledge of the Lord to cover all the earth.

Messianic Jews may differ over how much liturgy should be continued while they are members of the Body of Christ today and still not be bound by the traditions of men. For Jewish elements will prevail during the Millennium. There will be a new order of worship in which "Levitical priests  never lack a man before the Lord to offer burnt offerings, burn grain offerings and prepare sacrifices continually... God restore the fortunes of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" to fulfill His purpose when David's Son sits on His throne (Jer.33:14-26).

The sacrifices may take on a commemorative aspect of worship just as the holy communion does until Christ comes at the end of this age. During the Millennium, Gentiles must come to Jerusalem annually to worship the Lord at the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths). Else "nations will be punished" by the absence of rain for their crops (Zech.14:16-19).

Based on these facts, Messianic Jews cannot subscribe to Pre-Trib Rapture teaching and still be true to the revelation concerning 144,000 of their number. If any of these chosen belong to Christ before Daniel's 70th Week begins...to even qualify for a Pre-Trib Rapture under that teaching...they cannot meet the Lamb on Mt. Zion on the Lastday and be taken to heaven to sing the Song of the Lamb. All 144,000 escape death for 1260 days and are rescued from Mt. Zion on the last day. "Purchased from earth, they sing the new song of the Lamb to God, heaven's Temple opens and they behold the Ark of the Covenant" (Rev.11:19).

Levitical priests of the New Covenant will bring the Ark with them from heaven's Temple for the Millennial Temple described by Ezekiel. The second Temple did not have the Ark. Nor will the Tribulation Temple. When "faithless Israel returns to Zion from the north and confesses her sins, they will get knowledge and understanding and, being increased in the land (prior to the Millennial Temple), they will say no more, "the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord." It shall not come to mind (for only the 144,000 see it in heaven's Temple on the Lastday) nor shall they remember it or miss it; nor shall it be made again" (Jer.3:14-16). There can be only one Ark of the Covenant!   

Before the Ark is seen, the 144,000 survive as celibates, undefiled with women, to qualify as Firstfruits to God and the Lamb on the Day and just before the Hour He appears in glory. And though they rise up before all other Saints, "by the word of the Lord, those who are alive and remain, if they believe Yeshua died and rose again, will be caught up at the Hour of His Presence...to the Synagogue in the Sky" (I Thess.4:14,17; 2 Thess.2:1).

The Firstfruit are taken to heaven from Mt. Zion before those who "sleep in Jesus rise up to meet their brethren and fellow-servants" who have been martyred. For only the Firstfruit "follow the Lamb wherever He goes" (Rev.6:11; Rev.14:4). If any were saved and caught up to heaven prior to midweek of Week #70, how could they remain alive and survive more than 1260 days to meet the Lamb on Mt. Zion?!

The Mystery of Christ culminates in "New Jerusalem as the Lamb's Bride, His wife" (Rev.21:9,10). The wedding does not occur in heaven prior to His descent with "the Saints to give His Kingdom to the people of the Saints of the Most High" (Dan.7:22-27). The people of the Saints are guests at the wedding supper. The announcement and preparation for the wedding takes place moments before heaven opens and Christ descends (Rev.19:7,10). The Mystery of Christ requires all Saints be changed and appear with Him in glory to climax this age. At His coming in glory, He "brings His rewards with Him to give to everyone according to their works" (Matt.16:27; Rev.22:12).   

The Holy Temple to which the Mystery of Christ points will grow during the Millennial Kingdom until "the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven prepared as a Bride for her husband so that God dwells with men and they see His face. Then there will be no more temple; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its (Holy) Temple" (Eph.2:21; Rev.21:1-3; Rev.22:4; Rev.21:22).

Again, Jewish believers are very prominent. Their Apostles and Prophets are the foundation of the New Building even now. And their twelve tribes' names are on the gates of the New Jerusalem, the Lamb's Bride and Wife (Rev.21:12,14).

After the Millennial Kingdom, only "sheep nations will enter the Holy City depending on their treatment of Israel. Goat nations will be cast into hell" (Rev.21:24,26). The Son of Man does not separate the sheep and goat nations before He begins His reign on earth or before His Bride becomes His Wife in the New Jerusalem (Rev.21:9,10).

Jesus did not mean He would reveal Himself as King during this age when He said "Now is (present tense) the judgment of this world's ruler. Now, Satan will be cast out (future passive) outside." A 1000 years passes between these two clauses. He meant He will cast goat nations into Hell when Satan meets his doom in Hell at a final "last day" 1000 years after Satan ends up in the Abyss. That's also when the "rest of the dead rise up, are judged and cast into Hell" (John 12:31,48; Rev.14:10,11; Rev.20:1-3,5,7; Rev.20:10  and Matt.25:31,32,41).

Posted to lastday.net July 15. Edited Aug.23, 1999.  

MYSTERY/Summary
Concepts:

Church, Lamb, Covenant, Saints, temple, Gentiles, mystery, God, Jews, holy temple, Israel, Firstfruit, Millennium, Bride, Jerusalem.

As the Endtime draws near, should there be any distinction between Messianic Jews and the Church?

When Paul says there is neither Jew nor Gentile in the Church, does he mean Jewish believers must merge into Gentile patterns of worship and practice in the Body of Christ?

Some help for the answers recognizes the difference between the Mystery of Christ and the Mystery of the Church.

Endtime Jews, no less than Old Testament Saints, belong to a Building greater than the Church.

Some say the Church is the "New Israel."

When Israel enters into the "New Covenant" according to Heb.8:8-12, that will be the New Israel.

The Mystery of Christ deals with Gentile believers being incorporated in a New Building that began at the Cross instead of Pentecost.

This Mystery supersedes the oneness of Jews and Gentiles in the Church.

Their oneness in the Church was revealed and accepted in Acts 15.

Oneness in the New Building concerns the unity of all the Saints.

The Church is part of this New Building; not the whole.

To begin with, the Mystery of Christ unites Gentiles in the "same body" with Saints under the Old Covenant.

"You Gentiles are no more strangers and sojourners; but fellow-citizens with the Saints and members of God's family." Eph.2:19.

The Cross abolished the barrier between the Saints who were near and Gentiles who were far off so that Old and New Testament Saints might be joined in the same body.

A problem arises with some Messianic Jews when relating the blessings of the New Covenant to retaining elements of their Jewish worship.

Many of the 144,000 Firstfruit to God and the Lamb (Rev.14:4) may already be saved.

In that sense, there is neither Jew nor Gentile; for the essential fact sees the Saints of all time members of one super Building.

The Mystery of Christ envisions all of them in one Holy Temple, the New Jerusalem, the "Bride of the Lamb." Rev.21:2,9.

But as the "Firstfruit to God and the Lamb," they realize their special relationship to God with respect to the rest of those who survive to the End and to the remnant of Israel who will be saved on the Day Christ comes out of Zion with all the Saints.

If anything, this promise adds to the evidence for greater authority given to Jews than to the Church in the Holy Temple of the age to come.

"All nations will come to worship in Jerusalem." Rev.15:4. "Ten out of every language group will request a Jew to take them to Jerusalem to worship God. Zech.8:20-23.

After the Millennium, the gates of the New Jerusalem are named after the Twelve Tribes and its foundations after the Apostles.

The New Building which Paul presents as the Mystery of Christ now unites New Testament Saints with Saints under the Old Covenant in the same body of joint membership, fellowship and heritage. Eph.3:4-6.

At the end of this age, the 144,000 "purchased bodily from earth" in advance of all other Saints (including the dead in Christ), will present the Lamb to God for heaven's Lastday Drama.

The final Holy Temple is called the Bride of the Lamb, His Wife.

They are unique in their future role of fulfilling the Prophets for the knowledge of the Lord to cover all the earth.

During the Millennium, Gentiles must come to Jerusalem annually to worship the Lord at the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths).

Else "nations will be punished" by the absence of rain for their crops. Zech.14:16-19.

"Purchased from earth, the Firstfruit sing the new song of the Lamb to God, heaven's Temple opens and they behold the Ark of the Covenant." Rev.11:19.

The wedding occurs on earth after Christ descends with "the Saints to give His Kingdom to the people of the Saints of the Most High." Dan.7:22-27.

© Copyright by Mel Miller,  1999 - 2008. All rights reserved.
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