GOODNEWSLETTER
Number 482 July 24, 2013
Faithful Saints shall inherit the earth
THE LAND was promised by Covenant agreement to the Patriarchs and a resurrection of the faithful and unfaithful, the heirs and the subjects of the Kingdom is indispensable to its fulfillment. The Promise [Rom 8:13] to Abraham included not only that he should be the 'heir of the world,' but that faithful believers, identified with him as 'his seed' [and this is not true of all believers!], inherit the same Promise with him as it is written, "Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed IN THE EARTH" [Prov 11:31]; and again, "The righteous shall never be removed, but the wicked shall not inherit the earth" [Prov 10:30].
Isaiah also confirmed this saying [chap. 60] that the faithful "shall inherit the Land forever," because it is the "heritage of the servants of YHVH" [chap. 54], so that "He that putteth his trust in Me shall possess the Land, and shall inherit My Mountain" [Isa 57:13; see Ps. 115 -"the earth hath He given to the children of men." This very land of Canaan is called THE REST which belongs to God [Ps ;95:7; Heb 3:11, 18].
Concerning the term "entering His rest" we have God's own declaration that "the Sabbaths are a shadow of things to come" [Col 2:16-17] being typical of things future as related to Messiah when He appears the Second time [2 Thes 1:7], when the "rest" refers to the Messianic Reign begins [Heb 4:1, 3]. They are represented as the "times of refreshing" and "restitution of all things" [Ac 3:19-21] being the same as the "rest" [of 2 Thes 1:7]. The meaning of "the times of refreshing" is explained by Isaiah who spoke saying, "this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing. . ." [28:12].
Predictions of the Kingdom under Messiah indicate how "waters shall break out in the wilderness and streams in the desert," how "the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water," and "the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away" [Isa 41:17-18; 43:19-20]; how drink is given to the thirsty, and the righteous shall enjoy "a feast of fat things full of marrow" {Isa 25] with victory over death; and how they are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb [Rev 19].
Surely, the phrase "the times of refreshment" is well chosen to designate that period in time when God wipes away all tears. This 'refreshing' proceeds "from the presence [face] of the Lord personally so that the formula "Day of Consolation," "Day of Resurrection," etc., [Hos 6:2, "He will revive (vivify) us in the Days of Consolation, which shall come in the days of the vivification of the dead"], -is the time of re-animation.
Jesus Himself is the Refresher or Re-animator, the Restorer, the Mighty Deliverer. This power and honor is delegated to no one in saying, "Behold, I make all things new" (not 'all new things!) -before restitution comes Jesus must first return to earth as He promised to do. This will manifest itself in the Kingdom, the persons of the glorified saints, the judgment of the unfaithful and in the age of blessings. It will be a progressive period of restitution, dominion and Presence of God among men, for at the close of this distinctive thousand years the removal of the last vestiges of evil are removed, opening the door for the next day, the next age, the first day of the week, unto endless cycles of time, unto the ages of the ages.'
This "time of restitution" [full and perfect fulfillment of prophecy] is the consummation of that entire age when all enemies shall be subdued [1 Cor 15:25; Heb 10:12, 15, comp.. Ps 101:1] and every influence opposing a true religion is removed. Sacred writers use this time to encourage the Congregations of Messiah to diligence and hope drawn from the prospect of the Last Day [Ac 17:30; 2 Pet 3:7; 2 Thes 1:7; 2:16].
The elements of restitution further include" (a) a restoration of the hearts of the fathers to the children [Mal 4:6]; (b) the restoration of the rejected seed of Jacob to holiness and favor with God [Isa 1:25; Jer 24:7]; (c) the restoration of Israel to their own land ['passim']; (d) the establishment of Israel never again dispersed [Jer 24:6-7]; (e) the Kingdom established in power and great glory with its seat at Jerusalem --THE NEW JERUSALEM [Isa 1:25-26; (2:2-3) ; 58:12-14; Jer 23:5-8; 23:7; (f) the gathering of all nations as tributary to Messiah as King,, the glorified faithful saints as His co-rulers, the Nation of Israel as His special choice from all other nations, in short the PALIN-GENNESIA mentioned by Isaiah [11: 9-12; 65:17 cf.].