Basic HTML Version
HOW has He used me, since bringing me back from total heart failure
and death? Recently I asked myself this question. Although Christ has
made me His Apostle to carry HIS GOSPEL around the world, He has used me
since my recovery primarily in SETTING HIS CHURCH AND HIS COLLEGE BACK
ON GOD'S TRACK! GREAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE! But the job is not yet
complete.
I know I have been chosen to carry the true Gospel around the world
as a witness before Christ returns. BUT HE ALSO HAS COMMISSIONED ME WITH
SOMETHING MORE--and VITALLY--IMPORTANT.
Let me explain. When I was in England a few years ago, some of us
were wondering how the temple was to be built in Jerusalem to which Christ
shall come at His imminent SECOND COMING in supreme POWER and GLORY. Would
the Israelis dare to demolish the Islamic "Dome of the Rock" that now
stands on the site of the temple to which Christ came over 1900 years ago?
Would they build a new temple on that spot?
But since then God has revealed additional prophecies. Let's begin
in the Book of Haggai. In Ezra 1:1-2, you'll read of how God influenced
King Cyrus to issue a proclamation sending a colony of Jews back to
Jerusalem to build the second temple--70 years after the destruction of
Solomon's temple.
The Governor and head of this colony was Zerubbabel, who was sent as
the builder of this second temple to which Christ came at His first coming,
more than 1900 years ago.
You read of this in Haggai 2. In reference to the temple, God said
through Haggai, "For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little
while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the
dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations
shall come [till the treasures of all nations are brought hither (Moffat
translation)]: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of
hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the
Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts"
(Haggai 2:6-9).
Notice! This is a PROPHECY--for the future. The TIME? The present
and immediate future.
The theme at the beginning of chapter 1 has been the building of the
second temple. Then, in the verses above quoted, it becomes a PROPHECY--
no longer a history of Zerubbabel building the temple over 500 years before
Jesus came, yet the same temple to which He came at His first coming. But
suddenly the HISTORY changes to PROPHECY of our time now, and it speaks
of the temple--this "latter-house"--having glory far greater than that
of Solomon's temple. Now what temple is it talking about? The one
Zerubbabel built was no where near as glorious as Solomon's temple!
But THIS IS NOW PROPHECY--no longer HISTORY! It is speaking of OUR
TIME, late in the 20th century! Thls "latter house" is the temple to which
the GLORIFIED CHRIST shall come at His second coming--soon now, in our
lifetime. It is speaking about the temple to which the GLORIFIED Christ
shall come in our day!