Street-level ApologeticsStreet-level Apologetics

Armageddon It?Armageddon It?

ReviewReviewApologetics= lit. “a defense of” (Acts Apologetics= lit. “a defense of” (Acts

26:2)26:2)

Apologetics is knowing what I believe, Apologetics is knowing what I believe, why I believe it, and then being able to why I believe it, and then being able to give voice to it give voice to it

What I believe affects how I liveWhat I believe affects how I live

What’s the Next Event on God’s What’s the Next Event on God’s Calendar? Calendar? And what does that have to And what does that have to do with the Jews?do with the Jews?

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a name great, and you will be a blessing…”blessing…”

““I will bless those who bless you, and I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through peoples on earth will be blessed through you…” The LORD appeared to Abram you…” The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him- the LORD, who had appeared to him- Gen 12:1-3, 7Gen 12:1-3, 7

Abrahamic CovenantAbrahamic Covenant

– I’ll make your name greatI’ll make your name great

– You will become a blessingYou will become a blessing

– I’ll bless those who bless you and curse I’ll bless those who bless you and curse those who curse youthose who curse you

– All peoples on earth will be blessed All peoples on earth will be blessed through youthrough you

– I’ll give this land to your offspringI’ll give this land to your offspring

The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and you are and look north and south, east and west. west. All the land that you see I will give All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.to you and your offspring forever. I will I will make your offspring like the dust of the make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for of the land, for I am giving it to youI am giving it to you"- "- Genesis 13:14-17Genesis 13:14-17

Genesis 15: The CovenantGenesis 15: The Covenant

- Heifer, Goat, Ram in halfHeifer, Goat, Ram in half- Abraham falls into a deep sleepAbraham falls into a deep sleep- God alone walks through the middle, God alone walks through the middle,

sealing the Covenant in bloodsealing the Covenant in blood- The Covenant is The Covenant is ununconditionalconditional

Genesis 17- Sign of the Covenant Genesis 17- Sign of the Covenant (Circumcision)(Circumcision)

NoteNote: Obedience by Abraham and his : Obedience by Abraham and his offspring doesn’t involve the promises offspring doesn’t involve the promises of the covenant, which are of the covenant, which are unconditional, only their eunconditional, only their experiencexperience of of the promisesthe promises

Isaac, then huge tribe of peopleIsaac, then huge tribe of peopleSlavery in EgyptSlavery in EgyptExodus from EgyptExodus from EgyptLand is taken- continuous presence for Land is taken- continuous presence for

next 3,500 years (remnants during exile)next 3,500 years (remnants during exile)

- What about the inhabitants of the - What about the inhabitants of the land before it is taken?land before it is taken?

"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when "when I will make a new covenant I will make a new covenant with with the house of Israel and with the house the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because of Egypt, because they broke my they broke my covenantcovenant, though I was a husband to , though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. them," declares the LORD.

"This is the covenant I will make with the "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "the LORD. "I will put my law in their I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.minds and write it on their hearts. I will I will be their God, and they will be my be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because 'Know the LORD,' because they will all they will all know me, know me, from the least of them to the from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. greatest," declares the LORD.

"For I will forgive their wickedness and "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." This will remember their sins no more." This is what the LORD says, he who appoints is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- the LORD Almighty is his name: the LORD Almighty is his name: "Only if "Only if these decrees vanish from my sight," these decrees vanish from my sight," declares the LORD, declares the LORD, "will the "will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me"nation before me"- Jeremiah 31:31-36- Jeremiah 31:31-36

Law placed in their minds, written on their Law placed in their minds, written on their hearts= Holy Spirithearts= Holy Spirit

All Israel will All Israel will kknownow G Godod

Descendants of Israel will Descendants of Israel will never cnever ceaseease to be a to be a nationnation

In the same way, after the supper he took the In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant new covenant in in my blood, which is poured out for you- Luke my blood, which is poured out for you- Luke 22:2022:20

Pentecost- Church is bornPentecost- Church is born

AD 70- Jerusalem destroyed and Jews AD 70- Jerusalem destroyed and Jews scattered. A remnant remains in the scattered. A remnant remains in the landland

Church becomes mostly GentileChurch becomes mostly Gentile

Focus of God’s activity today- the cFocus of God’s activity today- the churchhurch

Have the Jews been cast aside? Have the Jews been cast aside? Abrahamic Covenant- UnconditionalAbrahamic Covenant- Unconditional

And so And so all Israel will be savedall Israel will be saved, as it is , as it is written...for God's gifts and his call are written...for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable- Romans 11:26, 29irrevocable- Romans 11:26, 29

Israel= God’s wifeIsrael= God’s wifeChurch= Christ’s brideChurch= Christ’s bride

The Future: The Quick SkinnyThe Future: The Quick Skinny

- Cataclysmic EventCataclysmic Event- Focus of God’s Activity= IsraelFocus of God’s Activity= Israel- Peace Agreement for 7 YearsPeace Agreement for 7 Years- 3.5 Years- anti-Christ Attacks Israel 3.5 Years- anti-Christ Attacks Israel

(Daniel (Daniel 9:27)9:27)

The Future: The Quick SkinnyThe Future: The Quick Skinny

- Jesus Returns, Armageddon, Defeats the Jesus Returns, Armageddon, Defeats the EnemyEnemy

- Millennial ReignMillennial Reign

The Cataclysmic EventThe Cataclysmic Event

Brothers, we do not want you to be Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him…fallen asleep in him…

The Cataclysmic EventThe Cataclysmic Event

According to the Lord's own word, we tell According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and God, and the dead in Christ will rise the dead in Christ will rise first… first…

The Cataclysmic EventThe Cataclysmic Event

After that, we who are still alive and are After that, we who are still alive and are left will be left will be caught up together caught up together with with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore forever. Therefore encourage each encourage each other with these wordsother with these words- 1 Thessalonians - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-184:13-18

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– in a flashwe will all be changed– in a flash, in the twinkling , in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed- 1 Corinthians 15:51-52will be changed- 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Two men will be in the field; Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the one will be taken and the other leftother left. Two women will be grinding with a hand . Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore Therefore keep watchkeep watch, because you do not know on what day , because you do not know on what day your Lord will come- Matthew 24:40-42your Lord will come- Matthew 24:40-42

2 Returns2 Returns

The RaptureThe Rapture= = forfor his church, in the his church, in the air, air, invisibleinvisible

The ReignThe Reign= = withwith his church, on the his church, on the earth, earth, visiblevisible

2 Returns2 ReturnsThe RaptureThe Rapture

- The church is taken up from the earth. The church is taken up from the earth. The dead are given new, resurrected The dead are given new, resurrected bodies. Those alive are changed bodies. Those alive are changed instantlyinstantly

- With the church gone, the anti-Christ is - With the church gone, the anti-Christ is freed to reignfreed to reign

2 Returns2 ReturnsThe ReignThe Reign

- Christ comes down and takes out all - Christ comes down and takes out all those against Israelthose against Israel

- He begins to rule for 1,000 years- He begins to rule for 1,000 years

God has not forgotten Israel- he will God has not forgotten Israel- he will restore and reign over herrestore and reign over her

- Blessings and Cursings- Blessings and Cursings- 1917- Scofield- “Israel will become a nation again”- 1917- Scofield- “Israel will become a nation again”- 1948- Israel becomes a nation- 1948- Israel becomes a nation- 1967- 6-Day War- 1967- 6-Day War

Dispersed 2,000 years ago- come back to Dispersed 2,000 years ago- come back to their ancient tribal landstheir ancient tribal lands

- Reconstituted nation- Reconstituted nation- Reconstituted culture- Reconstituted culture- Revival of ancient language- Revival of ancient language- Revival of ancient religion- Revival of ancient religion

- Every nation and people who existed at the - Every nation and people who existed at the time of Israel’s start as a nation 3,500 years time of Israel’s start as a nation 3,500 years ago are goneago are gone

The New Covenant has yet to be fulfilled The New Covenant has yet to be fulfilled in Israelin Israel

- National Restoration- National Restoration

- Spiritual Restoration When Jesus - Spiritual Restoration When Jesus ComesComes

The rThe raptureapture is the next event on God’s is the next event on God’s calendar- imminent calendar- imminent

"Therefore keep watch, because you do "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will not know on what day your Lord will come...So you also must be ready, come...So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him- hour when you do not expect him- Matthew 24:42, 44Matthew 24:42, 44