Here we are on the last day of Sukkot…the Last Great Day (Shemini Atzeret)…the Feast that represents the millennial kingdom. I’d love to share some thoughts about the stunning prophetic pictures that YHWH has drawn for us in the Feasts. Today, though, I’m really struck by how the enemy takes advantage of prophecy and YHWH’s own Word in order to deceive even the elect (“if possible”…I’m still not sure exactly what Yeshua meant in Matthew 24:24 and Luke 13:22…can the true remnant actually be deceived?).
I see this deception clearly in the “blood moons” hype (I’ll post later to explain why I don’t follow the Hebraic Roots bandwagon on this one), the “seven mountains” teaching of dominionism, and so on. But only recently did I start to see it in the teaching of a literal millennial kingdom of Messiah.
Now, I still believe there is a literal millennial kingdom of Messiah, when Yeshua (YHWH in flesh) comes to judge the earth and all words of the prophets are fulfilled. (As I read it, Hosea and Isaiah show that He has not yet returned His people to the Land. I’ll explain in a future post.) But if there must come first the anti-Messiah, why wouldn’t he set up his own anti-Kingdom?
Bible Believer over at Galatians Four Blog drew my attention to this issue with her most recent post on the millennial kingdom hype among dispensationalists, Hebraic Roots, et al. (plus a few older posts). She believes the restoration of animal sacrifices, Levites, the Temple, etc. is deception; I’m not sure about that (these things are described by the prophets, so why would they not literally come to pass?). But she points out that those who are pushing the rebuilt (Third) Temple and all that goes along with it are the dispensationalist and/or dominionist Christian “prophecy” teachers who walk hand in hand with (1) the world system and (2) the Zionist state. In addition to the CZ^ types (link to FanaticforJesus blog*), such prophecy teachers include many MJ^^ and HR^^^ ministry leaders of the same stripe as those promoting the blood moons (link to Olivet Journal blog*).
BB notes that Christians eager for a millennial kingdom centered in Jerusalem are erroneously looking for a kingdom “of this world,” rather than a kingdom “from above.” I agree, but disagree. The danger is not in expecting a kingdom on earth per se. Rather, it is in expecting the wrong messiah to usher it in! If someone comes in Messiah’s name, claiming to be King of the Jews, and ensures that Jews (Zionists) get hegemony in the Land…what diligent Bible “prophecy” student wouldn’t follow him??
I may be getting ahead of myself, as this is not something I have studied in any depth; I am throwing out ideas to see where they stick. We know the anti-Messiah will set himself up as a counterfeit of the True One. Why not also set up a kingdom that parallels Messiah’s kingdom – even to the installation of Levites in a rebuilt Temple (cf. Malachi 3:3)? What better strategy than this to deceive “the very elect” – e.g. those who are awaiting a kingdom on earth as our Savior promised (Revelation 21:3)?
That is, IF it’s “possible.” Again, I don’t know. Surely Yeshua will keep those who are His, and His sheep will not listen to the voice of a stranger. But then the question becomes: Who are His?
I hope to return to this question in future posts.
* Please Note: Links are not endorsements!
^ Christian Zionist
^^ Messianic Jewish
^^^ Hebraic Roots
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