After Armageddon, The Beast and The False-Prophet are cast into the fiery pit; and Satan is bound for his appointed time (Rev. 20:1-2). Then begins the Millennial Reign—called that because of Revelation’s use of “one thousand years”; however, “a day is as a thousand years to the LORD”, so the time period could be a day, month or week (2.Pet. 3:8). Since many ordained things on earth are symbolic of what exists spiritually, some people believe that time is utilized as the traditional “Bridal Week” of the Lamb and his Bride, his faithful ones (Rev. 19:7). This period was also called “the first Resurrection”, since the “Bride” were those he chose; the ones who arose and reigned with Messiah, the “bridegroom”. The “second resurrection” occurs after the end of this time period. The “dead” arise; and one might do well to think of “the dead” as those who are “spiritually dead in their sins” (Rev. 20:6). After this, all people arise; the great and small will stand for Judgment. Revelation says it is predetermined that Satan must be released at the End of the Millennial Reign (Rev. 20:7). Indeed, and when he does he immediately goes out to the nations—deceiving once again—he gathers their kings: “Gog and Magog”. His troops surround God’s Holy City, Jerusalem (Rev. 20:9). But the war is over quickly. Revelation gives no details; however, the Dead Sea Scrolls and some Qur’anic sources do. In the latter, the Battle of Armageddon seems blended with this one, as one in the same. This seems a common concept, as the both wars do occur in the End and are influenced by Satan—and again, since Revelation is prophecy, the 1000 yrs may only be symbolic of a “week, month, day or moment” in man’s timeframe. In the latter case, using a man’s momentary timeframe, indeed the battles occur in an instant and one is the extension of the next. In any case, this last battle is also a spiritual “Light against Darkness”—however, this time “the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the Beast and the False Prophet had been thrown” (Rev. 20:7-10). Although it is Satan’s last Hoorah, it is the Savior’s eternal victory. And Satan’s permanent defeat. Hallelujah. The Day of Reckoning arrives, and all people from all time stand before the Throne of God. Daniel says, “Many who sleep in the dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt—and everyone whose name is found written in the book shall be delivered” (Dan. 12:1-2). Daniel seems to lump the first and second resurrection together, which might also be explained by the above concept of a small timeframe, rather than a literal rendering for the Millennial Reign. Revelation simply says the first Resurrection are those people who reigned with Messiah, “And the rest did not arise until the thousand years were ended” (Rev. 20:5). The resurrection of the dead is also mentioned in at least seven sections of the Qur’an; including when the “heavens will be rolled back like a scroll; a new creation” (Sura. 21:104). The latter reference sounds like the time of Judgement as written in Revelation, “Then I saw a great White Throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and Sky fled from His presence for there was no place for them…then I saw a new heaven and a New Earth” (Rev. 20:11; 21:1).
The Exalted One
Upon the Throne of Judgement sits the Judge, “And upon the Great White Throne was him who was seated upon it” (Rev. 20:11). Daniel says, “the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was white as snow..The court was seated and the books were opened…There before me was one like the son of man, coming on the clouds of heaven. And he approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13-14). had Daniel seen The Son of Man, which is a description of the Messiah Jesus? Isaiah says of the Messiah, “A child is born, a son is given…he will break the yoke and lift the burden…of the increase of his government there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9:4-7). King David wrote, “The most Elect position is bestowed upon him, “You are my son; today I have begotten you….I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”; ”Let all the angels worship him” (Psalm 2:7; 2Sam. 7:14; Deut. 32:43; Hebrews 1:5-6).
“Be”, and He Was
Note: the concept of “begotten; only begotten” is often “the stumbling stone” which prevents people from believing in Jesus’ position and appointed mission of sacrifice for mankind. Easily explained, this holy “begetting” was supernatural; and is NOT, in any way, related to the Earthly concept. It must be accepted through faith alone; and ironically, it is easily explained through the “forbidden” Qur’anic verses, which speak of God simply saying ‘Be’ to create the life of Jesus. Jesus grew within a virgin, and was born as any man would be born (Suras 3:47; 19:35, etc.). God created Adam in a similar way. Adam had no earthly parents—he was formed from the dust of the ground; and he came to life as the Breath of the Holy Spirit of God (Ruach HaKodesh) entered into him. Adam “just was”; and Jesus “just was”—but Jesus grew in the womb of a virgin; a woman of the Tribe of Judah. Indeed, as Isaiah had said: “a child is born”. But he was more than a simple child. Recall what the three Magi said to King Herod when Jesus was born? “Where is the one born of the Jews? We saw his star in the East and have come to worship him” (Matt. 2:2). The star hung over Israel, and they travelled East. In fact, it was over Bethlehem; but they had to pass along THE WAY of Jerusalem. The babe was the Holy One; expected for so long, and appointed “for such a time as this”. King Solomon knew of him, as well as his father King David…yet his name had not yet been fully revealed to them. They knew only the name of the One who said “Be!” They called him El, Elohim, HaShem (In the Highest, The Name, I Am, YHWH”—He said “Be, and he was”; and Breathed into him the breath of life which comes from the Holy Spirit of God. When Moses asked God his name, He said to Moses, “‘I Am who I Am; I will BE Who I will be.’” A thousand years earlier than the birth of Jesus, a man of King Solomon’s court, lamented, “I am the most ignorant of men…I have not learned Wisdom, nor have knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down?…Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name and the name of his son, if you know? Tell me if you know!” (Proverbs 30:2-4). The Wise Men in Jesus’ day knew the prophecies and expected the Messiah, although they also did not know his name.
Wisdom For All Nations
When King Solomon wrote of Wisdom, he wrote of the Messiah: “Now then my sons, listen to me and do not ignore it…Wisdom calls out: ‘For whoever finds me find life and receives favor from the LORD. But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death’” (Proverbs 8:35-36). “Wisdom” is the only thing that Solomon asked of God once gaining his earthly kingdom. Having found understanding, he was therefore granted membership in the greatest kingdom of all. He understood the true purpose of faith: to embrace the Messiah. He who does so, gains eternal life; he who does not (or ignores truth) “loves death”. Jesus’ apostle Paul brought some understanding of Messiah, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Col.1:15). Paul, speaking of Jesus, highly implies he was there in the beginning; just as John said (John 1:1-14; 1John 1:1-10). King Solomon says he also saw Messiah there in the beginning: “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before the deeds of Old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began…then I was the craftsman by His side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind…” (Proverbs 8: 22-23, 30-31). Likewise, Job’s faith also believed his Redeemer (Messiah) is always there for him, “Even NOW my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on High. My intercessor is my friend”; “I know my Redeemer lives and in the End he will stand upon the Earth” (Job 16:19-20; 19:25). Comparably, the Qur’an also says Jesus will be there in the End; at Judgment Day, and he stands as a witness. He, whom “God raised up, exalted in power”; and “held in honor in this world and in the next”, will be there to correct those who are “in dispute”; and is “(of those) on the Right Hand, closest to God” (Suras 4:158-159; 3:45, 55; 2:253). To fully understand this, one must know “the Books which came before”, as being “on the Right Hand (of God)” was an intricate concept. It was first spoken of in David’s Book of Psalms (110): “HaShem (The Name; I Am) says to my Lord, sit at my Right Hand until I make your enemies your footstool. HaShem (The Name; I am) has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek’.” Then, David encourages us with a yet deeper, more intricate relationship concept: “The Lord is at your Right Hand; he will crush the kings on the day of his wrath. He will judge the nations. The One who grants succession will set him in authority.” Indeed, Messiah Jesus will return and crush the Nations in the End—and he told his disciples, “All authority has been given to me…for surely I am with you until the End of the Age” (Matt. 28:19-20).
In the Order of Melchizedek
The writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls were clear about the Messiah—although they did not seem to understood, fully, the scope of his duties. In the scroll, The Coming of Melchizedek (11Q13), they wrote of a King reigning eternal; the supreme High Priest—and then they describe him just as the Gospels say of Jesus; he is “the mediator of a New Covenant”. The Qumran Community of the Dead Sea called him the “Messiah of David” since he was a king who would “reign upon the throne of David forever”. In other scrolls they speak of him as the “Messiah of Aaron”, which clearly points to his priestly duties: worship, sacrifices, forgiveness of sins, and blessings; leading us back to the concept of Melchizedek and this scroll. Ironically, within his two duties—King and Priest—are the essence of original Melchizedek; appearing first in the writings of Moses (Gen. 14:18-20). Abram (Abraham) had gone to Salem’s king following a victory. The king of Salem (pre-Jerusalem) was Melchizedek; who gave Abram a blessing, AND THEN Abram gave him a tithe. His title means “righteous king”; “priestly-King”; and since he ruled Salem (salaam, shalom) his title translates as: “righteous Priest and King of peace.” Uniquely, Isaiah called the Messiah “the King of Kings; and Peaceable Prince of Peace”; saying those who stay in him, stay in peace (Isa. 9:6; 26:3). Jesus told his followers, “My peace I give to you; my peace I leave with you; abide in peace” (John 14:27). Paul, a follower, but once persecutor of Christians, said of Jesus: he is “liken unto the order of Melchizedek”. Paul was quoting King David’s Psalm (110:4). Paul wrote that Melchizedek was just as Jesus: “Without father or mother, without genealogy” (Hebrews 7:2:3). Jesus came with a Supreme Purpose—to save mankind; the mediator of a New Covenant— and he was a prophet and messenger. The ending of the Dead Sea scroll, The Coming of Melchizedek, contains a character who sounds to be a second person—they call him the “Messenger”. The Messenger (prophet) dies, but then returns to reign eternal. Due to the second “person” concept many people have often read that scroll (11Q13) believing it relates two Messiahs; but in comparison to the Gospels and some of their other scrolls; they related the complex two-fold (plus) nature of Messiah.
Complexity As a Many-Faceted Jewel
The titles of Jesus and those of Melchizedek’s contain concepts of his many natures, appearing in Scripture and in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Still, many people do not fully understand that the Messiah has these natures; distinct from one another, yet so closely interwoven that they are one. Another nature, also attested-to and interwoven is the Breath-of-Life; The Holy Spirit of God (Ruach Ha’Kodesh), which breathed life into all living things—the very Breath that created the Son of Man, Jesus, in the womb of a virgin. Interestingly, the Dead Sea Scroll writers referenced the coming Melchizedek as “El” and “Elohim”—terms that are reserved only for God! A few lines later, that same Dead Sea Scroll (11Q13) says “the Messenger” dies; and indeed so did Jesus “the Anointed of God”. The scroll then refers one back to Daniel, which says the “Anointed One” will be cut off—and soon comes the End Times, which was described in this entire blog series of prophecy thus far (Dan. 9:26). The Messiah Jesus, of his own free will, chose to be for us the perfect sacrifice; the “Lamb of God”. In this sense he is the supreme sacrifice, yet also the High Priest making the sacrifice for us! In this way, he brought to mankind “a peace that surpasses understanding”, lifting the yoke, removing the sin burden. And he was the very witness of Job’s faith; the one he awaited, his advocate on High. Jesus is Messenger, the Priest of a New Covenant, Supreme Sacrifice, Warrior, and the eternal King of Peace. He is also the appointed king, ruling with supreme righteousness in an eternal kingdom. Jesus’ sacrifice saves completely, once and for all, those who come to him—since he is the holy son (Hebrews 7:24-27).
The Book of Heaven
In the Dead Sea Scroll of the returning “Messenger” they also referenced Isaiah’s exalted Messenger, “The Holy One, Anointed of the Spirit”—indeed, now we are sure he is one in the same Messiah (Isa. 61:1,2). Amazingly, that particular section of Isaiah is the very section of the Tanakh that Jesus read in a Nazareth synagogue, “The Spirit of God is upon me because He has anointed me…to set the captives free and a proclaim the year of the Lord’s deliverance” (Isa. 61:1-2a). Yet, note that Jesus is not reported to have finished the whole section, “and the Day of vengeance of out God”, which occurs at the time of the End (Isa. 61:2b). The Prophet Zechariah, in speaking of preparation of the final Judgement said: “On that Day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem…and they will look upon me, the one they pierced; and mourn for him as a first-born son…On that day there will be weeping in Jerusalem, like Hadad Rimmon on the plain of Megiddo (when) Judah will be besieged, as well as Jerusalem” (Zech. 12:10-11). “In that Day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, splitting it from east to west…and all the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up and worship the King, the LORD Almighty” (Zech. 14:4). Revelation describes the moment following as this: “And (then) I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the Books were opened. Another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Rev. 20: 11-12). Again it says, “and death and Hades gave up the dead that was in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done (Rev. 20:13). Daniel also describes the scene of the opening of the books: “A river of fire was coming out from before (the throne of the Ancient of Days)…ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated and the books were opened” Dan. 7:10). One might ask: who sits upon the judgement seat? In The Coming of Melchizedek scroll, Messiah’s complex nature is of Melchizedek and the Messenger; and since they are so intertwined, it is they that reign upon the throne as one. King David does the same thing in writing of the Messenger and the One bestowed the honor, saying: “‘Take your seat in the highest heaven; A divine being will judge the peoples”; “how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the Messenger who announces peace, who brings good news and announces to Zion, ‘Your divine Being reigns’” (also see Ps.7:7-8; Isa. 52:7). Often in scripture one reads of the “The Angel of the Lord”—even Jacob wrestled with him, and would not let go until he received his blessing. Later, Jacob clearly identified his Angel as God, Himself; naming the place where it happened: “I have seen the face of God” (Gen. 32:22-30). In the Dead Sea scroll Priestly Blessing for the Latter Days, the people gave their blessing to the Messianic High Priest, “For God has chosen you as head of the Holy Ones…He ordained you to the never-ending priesthood with all the ages of eternity…as the “Greater Light” (Gen. 1:16) to illuminate the world; to shine on many with your Wisdom…may you forever abide as the Angel of His Presence.” The Essenes called him as they had in the earlier scroll; he is “The Divine Being”; “The Holy One of God”; “Anointed of God”; “appointed by God”—even here they interchange the terms reserved for God alone “El; Elohim.”
The New Jerusalem
Jesus has also been known in Tanakh scripture as the Root and the Branch. ‘’In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious…Those who are left in Zion who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem…he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Fire…(but) woe to those who rejected the Law of the Lord God Almighty and spurred the word of the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 4: 2-4; 5:21, 24). Note how he specifies “in Jerusalem”—this is in reference to the righteous, the only beings remaining are those who abide in the Root, Messiah. The dwellers of Jerusalem then, are those who dwell in the “New Jerusalem” of Revelation. It is this new place which comes down from heaven after the earth and heavens are re-created (Rev. 21:1). Heaven for the Believer is the supreme Sabbath rest. “For six days shalt thou labor, but the seventh is a Sabbath rest unto you”; set apart for your devotion to God” (Ex. 23:12). Everything on earth that is good is ordained to reflect the things of Heaven; so, just as a Mikva contains “living water”, and cleanses, “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity” (Zech. 13:1). “And the name of the city from that time on will be ‘THE LORD IS THERE’” (Eze. 48:35).
The people will say, “The LORD is there; there is The LORD!” In Hebrew, the phrase “there is” is “yesh”. And “the LORD” is “YHWH”. Is it possible to put these together, since Hebrew is the “sacred language of God”? If so, “Yesh-YHWH” might sound as if “Yeshu’a”—our Messiah. Coincidence? @achadpeace
سلام، שלום. Peace
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