Interlocked

We finish Lesson 48, looking at who the 144,000 sealed people are and also the countless multitudes who are worshipping Jesus. We also discuss the prophecy given to Ezekiel about Gog and Magog and the battle they lead against Israel, and we look at possible timings for this event. Thereafter, we continue with Lesson 49 and see how the seventh seal unleashes the seven trumpet judgments. These next set of judgments are far worse that the seal judgments. By the sixth trumpet judgment, another third of the world’s population has died, bringing the death toll to half of the world’s population. Truly, Jesus is judging the rebellious inhabitants of the earth. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/49-The-Trumpet-Judgments.pdf

Now we begin to see what John was shown—the future events of the Tribulation. John is brought up to God’s throne room in heaven and he witnesses Yahweh being worshipped. We go through a quick overview of how to understand what John has recorded for us. Then we head straight into the events of the first six seal judgments. John first sees from heaven’s perspective how Jesus initiates the Tribulation by breaking the first seal on the scroll. Then after seeing Jesus break open the first six seals, John is shown from the earth’s perspective what happens to the peoples of the earth. False christs, war, famine, death, martyrdom of Tribulation age believers, astrophysical signs in the heavens as well as geophysical disasters on the earth. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/48-The-Tribulation-of-Israel-Begins.pdf

We conclude this lesson by examining the question of when the events of Revelation 4–22 will occur. There are four main views of Revelation 4–22: (i) these events have already happened in the past (Preterist); (ii) these events are unfolding now in the present (Historic); (iii) these events are not real but are metaphors and timeless (Idealist); (iv) these events will happen in the future (Futurist). Which view best fits with the character of God and His revelation from Genesis to Revelation? We see the throughout Scripture, God is recording and describing real history. In addition, following the understanding of the apostles and the early church, we see they read God’s Word in a plain, straightforward way. They understood Scripture to be God describing actual history involving real people, real places, real events that happened in real historical time. In reading the Bible this way, the early church came to the understanding that Revelation was describing future events. Next, we go through an overview of the events of the Tribulation, Christ’s second coming, the Kingdom of God, the final battle, the Great White Throne Judgment and the ushering in of the new heaven and earth and the Eternal State. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/47-Overview-of-the-End.pdf

We conclude Lesson 46 by examining the consequences of believing in the premillennial, amillennial and postmillennial views of the Christ’s return to the earth. We see that what we believe about the future does impact how we live today. So it’s important to understand God’s Word correctly. Then we continue with Lesson 47: Overview of the End. In this first section, we look at what Revelation is about and we examine the letters that Jesus wanted John to deliver to the seven churches. These letters are Jesus’ evaluation, praise, complaints and encouragement for each church. There are many lessons for us to learn from Christ’s messages to the early churches. Access the notes at https://interlocked.online/s/46-Gods-Plan-for-Israel-and-the-Church-Part-2.pdf and https://interlocked.online/s/47-Overview-of-the-End.pdf

We continue to examine God’s plan for the church. We see how Israel has earthly enemies (other nations), but the church’s main enemy is Satan. That is why Paul exhorts church-age believers to put on God’s armour for spiritual warfare. The main aspect of this warfare is a battle of the mind—a battle of worldviews, philosophies and ideas. Then we go on to examine how the church will be removed and protected from the time of Israel’s Tribulation. Safe in heaven and now with resurrection bodies, Jesus will evaluate His church at the Judgment Seat of Christ and reward believers. And the New Testament reminds us again and again that the removal of the church is imminent, meaning it can occur at any time. Then finally, at the end of the Tribulation, the resurrected church will return with Christ at His second coming to start the Kingdom of God on earth. We then examine the three main views about the future (Premillennialism, Amillennialism, Postmillennialism) and how they developed. Access the notes at https://interlocked.online/s/46-Gods-Plan-for-Israel-and-the-Church-Part-2.pdf

We examine God’s plan for the church and contrast that with God’s plan for national Israel. We will see that the church and Israel are two separate peoples of God with two separate destinies. Some points we examine are: the church started on the day of Pentecost. The church on earth is united with the ascended, seated Lord Jesus in heaven. The church is called the body of Christ and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The church’s mission is to make disciples of Christ. Access the notes at https://interlocked.online/s/46-Gods-Plan-for-Israel-and-the-Church-Part-2.pdf Also access the Hebrews paper at https://interlocked.online/s/Hebrews-are-the-warnings-about-losing-justification.pdf

We continue examining God’s plan for national Israel, particularly looking at what the apostle Paul says in Romans 11. We examine closely what he says about God sovereignly directing Israel, then setting aside national Israel for a time because of its rebellion. He then focuses on using church-age believers to tell the world about the Messiah. When the church age is done, we see how God resumes His plan for Israel. Through the future Tribulation, He will cause Israel to come to national faith in the Jewish Messiah. And the Messiah will bring back the Kingdom of God. Access the notes at https://interlocked.online/s/45-Gods-Plan-for-Israel-and-the-Church-Part-1.pdf We also have an extra presentation on “Whose land is it?”, focusing on the land that God had given to Abraham and his descendants as a permanent possession. Access the extra notes at https://interlocked.online/s/Whose-land-is-it.pdf

After the Fall, Yahweh promised a Saviour who would rescue mankind. God sovereignly chose Abraham and his descendants, the nation of Israel, to work out His plan to send the Saviour. Through Israel, God intended to fulfil His plan to bless the world. But Israel rebelled to the point where God sent them into exile. Since that time, the Jewish people have been waiting eagerly for Yahweh to send His Messiah and restart the Kingdom of God on earth.

When the Messiah came, the majority of the Jews rejected Him, so Jesus the Messiah delayed the return of the Kingdom. Instead, He started a new group called the church.

Nevertheless, God had not abandoned the people of Israel. God gave prophetic literature to help believers understand His future plan for Israel, the church and the rest of the world.

In this lesson and the next, we will study God’s plan for Israel and the church. Both Israel and the church belong to God, but He has different plans for them. We need to be very clear on what God has told us He will be doing so we can have clarity, assurance and security even as we live our lives here and now. Access the notes at https://interlocked.online/s/45-Gods-Plan-for-Israel-and-the-Church-Part-1.pdf

We continue our journey through our family history, looking at key people of the Reformation and continuing to see the impact of reform in the universal church. We see also how the church was influenced by the Enlightenment, the Romantic period, then Liberalism and the response from the Fundamentalists, and then the impact of the events of the early 20th century. Through the often messy and chaotic developments, we see God’s hand at work, guiding His body to learn and cling on to His truth and helping believers walk in obedience to fulfil the mission of the church: to bring God’s salvation message to the ends of the earth. Access the notes at https://interlocked.online/s/44A-Supplement-Where-did-all-the-Christian-denominations-come-from.pdf

In this supplementary lesson, we take a closer look at 2,000 years of church history to examine where did all the Christian denominations come from. We stand in the stream of history and whether we realise it or not, the way we understand God, worship Him and “do church” has been influenced by the Christians who have come before us (the ones upstream from us). So we want to examine the lives of the brothers and sisters of the faith before us. We will examine their struggles, their failures and their faithfulness. We will see how despite mankind’s sin and the attacks of the evil one, Christ still guides His church towards the goal He has in mind. Access the notes at https://interlocked.online/s/44A-Supplement-Where-did-all-the-Christian-denominations-come-from.pdf