The Redemption of our Bodies

[Retrobyter]

Shabbat shalom, to any and all who love YHWH Elohiym and His Son, Yeshua` haMashiyach (Jesus the Messiah or the Christ).

Finishing the parables of Matthew 13, Yeshua` presented the last parables after His explanation of the second parable:

Matthew 13:44-52 (KJV)

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

51 Jesus saith unto them,

Have ye understood all these things?

They say unto him,

Yea, Lord. 

52 Then said he unto them,

Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

If I haven't explained it well enough, it's important to understand that "of heaven" here means "of/from the skies," being the plural. It's the Greek words "toon ouranoon," stemming from "ouranos": Strong's gives us...

3772 ouranos (oo-ran-os'). Perhaps from the same as oros (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity) -- air, heaven(-ly), sky.

The words "toon ouranoon," again plural, are either in the genitive case or the ablative case.

In The Beginner's Grammar of the Greek New Testament (Wipf and Stock Publishers, Eugene, OR, 1999), William Hersey Davis said, "The genitive is the specifying case, expressed in English by the possessive or the objective with of. The ablative is the whence case (origin or separation), expressed in English by off, out, from, away, etc."

Much of the time, the case is ASSUMED to be the genitive case in translation from the Koinee Greek, but it also has the same form as the ablative case. Thus, although it is frequently translated as "of the heavens," or in this occurrence, "of heaven," it can also be translated as "from the heavens." In Classical Greek, they are one and the same.

If one investigates how Yeshua`s words were translated and treated in Matthew 16:1-4, one can conclude that the word "ouranos" is more about the "sky" than it is about some off-world, supposed place called "Heaven." Look at how the word was treated:

Matthew 16:1-4 (KJV)

1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven (Greek: ek tou ouranou = "out/from the sky"). 2 He answered and said unto them,

When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky (Greek: ho ouranos = "the sky") is red. 
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky (Greek: ho ouranos = "the sky") is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky (Greek: tou ouranou = "of-the sky"); but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.

And he left them, and departed.

So, while the Pharisees and Sadducees used it one way (or so the translators assumed), Yeshua` brought the usage of the word back to the description of "the sky." (Actually, it could be argued that the Pharisees and Sadducees also thought of the word as "the sky," and that they were expecting some sign in the weather, the clouds, the sun, moon, or stars they could see.)

Therefore, the words "toon ouranoon" could (and I believe "should") be translated as "from the skies." This makes it the phrase, "the kingdom from the skies," which would certainly be true since the realm or its people would not be a kingdom until they have the presence of the King, and the King will return from the skies, as He left them.

Acts 1:6-11 (KJV)

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying,

Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 

7 And he said unto them,

It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven (the sky) as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said,

Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven (the sky)? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven (the sky), shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven (the sky).

So, in Matthew 13:44, Yeshua` likens the Kingdom from the skies to a buried treasure in a field. People are going to treat the Kingdom like the greatest secret a man could discover! They will keep the secret secure and do anything they can to secure the Kingdom for themselves!

In Matthew 13:45-46, Yeshua` likens the Kingdom from the skies to a merchant man - a broker (not a "pearl of great price")! The Kingdom, i.e., the King, will be seeking "goodly pearls" or good business opportunities, and when He has found a particularly valuable investment, He won't be afraid to liquidate all that He owns to secure that good investment. The Kingdom a.k.a. the King will be a shrewd businessman!

In Matthew 13:47-48, Yeshua` likens the Kingdom to a seining net that catches everything within its reach. When it is pulled ashore (at the same "end of the age" that the second parable was talking about), His messengers ("angels") will divide the "keepers" - the kosher - from the ones that have to be thrown away. Yeshua` doesn't delay on this one but immediately gives the interpretation of the parable in verses 49-50, again mentioning the same "furnace of fire" that John called the "Lake of Fire and Sulfur."

In Matthew 13:51, Yeshua` asks His students (disciples), "Have ye understood all these things?" They answered simply, "Yes, Lord." as if to say, "Sure!" I remember J. Vernon McGee once saying something like, "I wish they had answered 'no'; maybe He would have gone into detail about it a little better." No more detail is necessary IF one starts with the proper thinking about this coming Kingdom!

Finally, Yeshua` gives one more parable: He likens a scribe (a transcriber of the Scriptures and therefore one who studies the Scriptures) who is instructed about the Kingdom from the skies to a homeowner who, going through his keepsakes, finds new, shiny valuables as well as valuable antiques!

***

There are many other passages that reveal truths about this coming Kingdom over which Yeshua` shall be its King. One such passage is the second psalm. This psalm of David, who is one of God's prophets, talks about the future Messiah in a position of power. It also has embedded quotations - that is, quotations within quotations. I will use quotation marks like this: " ' << ... >> ' ". I will also use colors to distinguish the various speakers: purple will be for God the Father, red will be for Yeshua` the Messiah, and blue will be for the "kings and rulers of the earth." I will also use green for narration. Part of God's quotation contains another quotation from God, thus, I will use two shades of purple, the lighter shade within the darker.

My hope is that all this addition to the KJV will help people see what's going on in this prophecy.

Psalm 2:1-12 (KJV with quotation marks, some punctuation changes, and colors)

1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD (God the Father), and against his anointed (His Messiah), saying,

3 "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us."

4 He that sitteth in the heavens (G0d the Father) shall laugh: the Lord (the Messiah) shall have them in derision. ("Oh, boo hoo hoo!") 5 Then shall he (God the Father) speak unto them in his wrath, and vex (trouble) them in his sore displeasure.

6 "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion! 7 I will declare the decree:

'the LORD hath said unto me, <<Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen (Gentiles) for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.>>'

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth!
11 Serve the LORD (God the Father) with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son (the Messiah Yeshua`), lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him!"

This is a United Nations meeting! The Messiah has grown in His influence and control to the point where He is having more and more rule over other nations. He is becoming a King over other kings, the "King of kings," a World Emperor! They bring this up at their meeting and decide it's time to throw off the tyranny of King Yeshua`, whose Kingdom was once only Israel and then grew, nation by nation, as His Kingdom subdued more and more of the nations of the world, some by benevolence, others by conquest.

All of a sudden in the middle of their meeting, they hear this LAUGHTER in the air all around them! Then, God SPEAKS to them as His Messiah - God's Anointed - God's CHOICE - comes walking into their "secret" meeting. They fall to the ground in dread terror! What else are they going to do? There's NO retaliation against the Creator God of the Universe or against the One whom that God has chosen to be THEIR King! They will either submit, or they will die! Their positions of power can be easily filled by someone else; they are NOT indispensible!

Therefore, this psalm reflects what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28.

[Retrobyter]

Shalom, to any and all who love YHWH Elohiym and His Son, Yeshua` haMashiyach (Jesus the Messiah or the Christ).

Okay, so some of you are probably wondering, "What does all of this have to do with 'The Redemption of our Bodies'?" MUCH! Because Paul told us that the LAST enemy that is subdued is death (1 Cor. 15:26), people will still be dying during the Millennium. That's a thought most do NOT put together.

There will still be hurts and accidents, disease and pain during the Millennium. Don't think for one moment that everything will be forever blissful during the Millennium! That's a THOUSAND YEARS of pain and suffering!

HOWEVER, the Messiah Yeshua` will have returned, and even more than during His first advent, the Scriptures will come to pass:

Matthew 11:1-15 (KJV)

1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ (the Messiah), he sent two of his disciples, 
3 And said unto him,

Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 

4 Jesus answered and said unto them,

Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,

What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. 15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Verse 5 contains quotations from Isaiah:

Isaiah 35:1-10 (KJV)

1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons (lizards), where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
10 And the ransomed (the ones bought back) 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.

When Yeshua` returns, He shall heal others as He did during His first advent. In fact, the healing in His first advent was a sign that Yeshua` shall be the King of Israel as prophesied. As J. R. R. Tolkien put it, "the hands of the King are the hands of a healer." If Yeshua` raised people back to life from the dead in the First Century, then He shall do the same thing when He returns as Israel's King. While there shall be a general Resurrection at the beginning of the Millennium, Yeshua` told Martha,

John 11:25-27 (KJV)

25 Jesus said unto her,

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 

27 She saith unto him,

Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ (the Messiah), the Son of God, which should come into the world.

He shall be resurrecting individuals throughout the Millennium as well as healing people of their illnesses and disabilities! Furthermore, many of those healings will be delegated to His subordinates. Like His disciples in Israel of the First Century, in the future, others will be given power to heal as well.

[Retrobyter]

Shalom, to any and all who love YHWH Elohiym and His Son, Yeshua` haMashiyach (Jesus the Messiah or the Christ).

The Millennium is NOT a time to rest; it's a time to work. To reign with the Messiah is a JOB! It may be an honor, but it is still a responsibility! Under the Messiah shall be David His ancestor, and under the Messiah and David will be all of the other rulers that the Messiah establishes, one step at a time, until the whole world is being ruled and influenced by the Messiah's reign.

Look at the prophecies of the TANAKH (T-N-K = Torah-Navi'iym-Ktuviym = Penteteuch-Prophets-Writings, the OT):

In every prophecy book where one finds individual prophecies fulfilled by the First Advent of the Messiah, one will also find more individual prophecies which will be fulfilled by the SECOND Advent of the Messiah.

Yesha`yahuw (Isaiah) gives us this information:

Isaiah 59:16-21 (KJV)

16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.
19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

This naturally flows into chapter 60 (since originally there were no chapter divisions):

Isaiah 60:1-22 (KJV)

1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto (serve) thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.
12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending (bowing) unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow (prostrate) themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.

Indeed, we could keep going throughout the final chapters of Isaiah, and each new prophetic statement introduces more information about the Millennium and the Eternal State to follow.