Study Paper: The Gospel Goes to All the World
A short video on this subject is available on our Blip and YouTube channels: Episode 2
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Article: What is the True Gospel?
What would be the sign of His coming?
Some of the disciples asked Christ what the sign of His coming would be. Amongst the detail was an instruction that “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come”. Matt 24:14 (see also Mark 13:10)
Clarification of what is meant by ‘this gospel of the kingdom’ is the first point to be considered.
Christ from the early stages of His ministry came preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom… Matt 4:23
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom… Matt 9:35
Christ continued with this message of the Gospel until the end of His ministry.
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God… Mark 1:14
However none of the disciples would have heard about what is currently thought of as the ‘gospel of the kingdom’ in modern terms. Such was the lack of understanding of Christ’s purpose and position it is obvious that the gospel Christ was preaching to the public was not about Himself. Right to the very end of His life those around Him and listening to Him were still expecting a literal physical kingdom to be established. They had no idea that He was going die, which came as a dreadful shock to the disciples.
The ‘kingdom’ to them even after years of hearing Christ speaking on the subject was still one that concerned a literal kingdom down at ‘ground level’.
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. Luke 19:11
Just as the people during the Old Testament period were yearning for the coming of the Messiah, so are we. It is the whole thrust of our calling. Yet just as the former ‘Church’ lacked some understanding of the fine detail we also have lost sight of just what our ‘blessed hope’ is.
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11.
Our eternal future is on hold until Christ returns and the resurrection takes place.
In Christ’s time what was their understanding of the Kingdom of God? Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream sums that up:
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. Dan 2:44
The message from one end of the bible to the other is centred on the fact that Christ will come and rule all nations. Armageddon is the turning point where any nation that resists Christ will be ‘broken and consumed’. This message that Christ will come to rule the earth accompanied by all the Saints, the disciples, King David and all the other bible heroes that will be assisting: is the ‘everlasting gospel’.
The warning in Rev 14 is a continuation of the theme from Dan 2 to submit to God, ‘give glory to God, or be swept away in the process of breaking the nations in pieces and consuming them’.
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Rev 14:6
This brings us back to the original question ‘what will be the sign of His coming’? A part of the answer was before the ‘end’ does occur; the gospel will go to every nation.
Joel expands on this theme. The subject of his book is the day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. Joel 2:28
As we just read these verses, it is clear that Christ will do something that will involve ‘all flesh’ before the day of the Lord occurs.
However there are some who would dispute that verse 28 is associated with this ‘end time’ section and should be placed with the preceding verses that are very much a millennial theme. They reason that the millennium is the more likely scenario for God’s spirit to be poured out on ‘all flesh’.
To resolve this issue we will need to check the original Hebrew. Is there a natural break that places verse 28 either in the millennial section or definitively in the ‘end time’ section? For a start my King James Version has the ¶ mark at v 28 denoting that there was a natural break from the previous verse in the original Hebrew. What about the original Hebrew? Does it in fact have a break between the two sections? Depending on which section of scripture the reference is to, the millennium or the Day of the Lord will greatly affect its meaning.
Luckily for me my wife reads Hebrew so a quick check in her ‘Tanach’ (Old Testament) showed a surprise. Not only is there a break that firmly puts the ‘spirit being poured out on all flesh’ distinctly with the ‘Day of the Lord’ section, there is in fact the equivalent of a whole new and separate chapter that is not marked as such in our modern bibles. Whereas we have only three chapters in Joel, the original Hebrew has the equivalent of four. A quick look at a reference such as Jay P. Green’s Hebrew Interlinear Translation will be confirm this conclusively.
In Joel, chapter two should end at verse 27. This completes a more positive section on how Christ will restore all the imbalances in this world and life will be as He always intended it to be. Chapter three is comprised of our verses 28 to 32 a separate section continuing to discuss the end time, the overriding theme of Joel. Next, what is our chapter three becomes chapter four.
Beyond any doubt, the dreams and visions belong to the Day of the Lord. We will get a further biblical confirmation of that from Peter on the day of Pentecost shortly.
What are we being taught in Joel? Before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, God will cause his spirit to be poured out on all flesh (the Hebrew meaning is very specific: every man woman and child on earth) and in a widespread phenomenon people will have ‘dreams and visions’ of something. As a consequence those that call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.
This is a warning. Something very profound is going to happen, a response is required in order to come out of the situation successfully. This is very much a repeat of the concept in the Rev 14:6 scripture we quoted earlier.
Can we elaborate any further on this view?
The remarkable events that happened on the day of Pentecost shortly after Christ’s ascension fills in the rest of the story.
In Acts 2 we are told the disciples conducted their Pentecost service, which turned out to be very exciting. More was to come. When news spread of what had happened a crowd gathered, ‘devout men from every nation under heaven’. Now God is neither a liar nor silly. There was no one from China, nor were there any Incas from Peru and not one Eskimo in sight. What is God getting at?
As Peter and the disciples are talking their lips are moving but the sound emanating was out-of-synch with their lips. Everyone heard in his head what was being said in his own native language. With specific reference to what will involve all nations, (every kindred and tongue, all flesh: Rev 14) what is being described is a demonstration of God’s spirit being poured out as a ‘pattern’ of an event that will happen far in the future, as Peter goes on to explain. That makes this section of scripture purely prophetic.
Not being used to poor quality U Tube videos this all took them by surprise. They asked the obvious question:
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Acts 2:12
I.e. What is this business of hearing things in our head in our own language got to do with?
Peter answered:
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them… 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:14-21
Firstly it should be noted that Peter quotes the ‘whole chapter’ as he knew it and guided by the Holy Spirit he would have got the context correct.
This is the explanation Peter gave for us, for our benefit so long ago.
We will hear/see something in our own heads, universally across the world, in our own language, before the end time, a warning that Christ is going to act.
The first seal (the first end time event) in Revelation pictures a rider on a horse with a bow going forth to conquer. There are a few explanations mostly centred on the assumption that this is not Christ but an impostor or a false gospel.
However, there is a very good match for this rider found in Habakkuk.
He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? 9 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. 10 The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high. 11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear. Hab 3:9
Here is Christ on a horse with a bow in His hand (the reference to ‘naked’ means the bow is out of it’s cover, ready for action) in the end time. The reference to the ‘oaths to the tribes’ and ‘thy word’ would be concerning all the promises that God has made relating to the twelve tribes, the nations of Israel. (Once again Habakkuk is about the return of Christ see context of Ch. 2 e.g. Hab 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.)
The first seal is Christ stepping back onto the stage. From here on He will be running the course of events.
When taken as a whole, the references to the gospel going to ‘every kindred, nation and tongue’ before the end, before the day of the Lord, added to the fact that it is to be a warning requires it to be the very first event. You can’t effectively warn someone after the event; once the horse has bolted it is pointless to shut the gate. That is a pattern throughout the whole bible, God always gives adequate warning.
Revelation 14 from verse 6 onwards is one of the timelines we are given outlining the events of the end time. Here the gospel is the first event to happen. (For details on this 'timeline' see charts...)
We can take great comfort from this. It means we do not have to risk ‘jumping the gun’ or speculate on worldly machinations. When the time comes for the angel to go forth with this message it will be absolutely unmistakable for those that were prepared for it. There is quite a lot of instruction to perform for God’s people in the end time. Such is God’s love and care for us there will be no doubting when it is time to act. It will be the signal that prompts the cry ‘Behold the Lord is coming’ in Matt 25:6. Many will be caught totally unprepared. Paul indicates that despite the complete surprise as the end time events get underway there is a degree of ‘perfect understanding’ required on our part.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 1 Thess 5:2
Here Paul is being quite emphatic that the day of the Lord will get underway as explained elsewhere (sixteen times) in the same way as ‘in the days of Noah, as in the days of Lot’ one day life is normal, the next it is far from it. The end time has a very distinct starting point. The gospel going to the entire world in miraculous style to every man woman and child is that starting point.
Paul is also making clear that what he is referring to as the ‘day of the Lord’ is the overall end time. The date of this starting point will remain completely withheld from us. We are to understand that ‘perfectly’. This concept of a ‘package’ is very important to recognize which is why Paul is so dogmatic. On the other hand, the resurrection of the saints will be no surprise at all. Paul is equally emphatic on that point. This is because so many end time events will have transpired, with all true ‘brethren’ well and truly in the thick of it, that it would be impossible for us not to know the resurrection is imminent.
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 2 Thess 2:1
When the gospel does go to the entire world, it will seem an inexplicable occurrence to most people. Different religions and nations will react in different ways. If past precedence is any guide, despite the frenzied media speculation it will quickly be forgotten and pushed aside.
Sadly, this event is misappropriated from within the Christian nations where full recognition will take place. The gospel message being delivered in this miraculous way makes it obvious that Christ is about to return. However, remember there is a lot of difference to understanding this in hindsight compared to proclaiming and explaining it in advance. Once the gospel has gone out, then the warnings not to be deceived will take precedence. Every man and his dog, that is every different version, the wild, the wacky and plane inaccurate will jump on the bandwagon saying ‘Jesus is the Christ’ and ‘The Time is near’ (Luke 21:8). Their message will be ‘He will be here with us in ‘our’ rooms or He will be there ‘with us’ in the desert. Do not follow them Christ says.
Who do you follow? Those that correctly foretold what would happen.
And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. Ezek 33:33
NB. To have any credibility at all in the mass confusion that will occur after the gospel message has been delivered, God's true ministers will need to be well aware of what is to happen and be teaching it in advance. See Seminars
Have you ever wondered?
Have you ever wondered about the crowds that gathered around Christ to hear Him speak? On a recent trip in the less traditional areas of the Middle East my wife and I found that it was the common practice for crowds to gather around speakers in public places in the early evening. These speakers will be providing anything from dental advice, financial advice, how to use a calculator all the way through to pure entertainment and story telling. In the absence of TV and even radio, the locals gather in the public places to hear and look at what ever is on offer. Communicating verbally with each other is very much a way of life. It struck me that this would have been how it was in Christ's time. It would have been perfectly normal for anyone to stand up and talk about anything at all. From there on nothing was 'normal' about what and how Christ spoke. He had His crowd absolutely spellbound with His wonderful detail of the coming Kingdom. He was telling them about a new world without disease or food shortages. Without political or religious persecution. Without storms, tempest or violence. A perfect world. He spoke with authority and as 'no one ever spoke before'. Add to that the miracles to back up what He said and the crowds soon grew to become thousands in size.
In the evening the public places would quickly fill up with many groups gathered around a speaker or entertainer.
The more interesting the speaker, the bigger the crowd.