The
Controversy of Zion
The Times of The Gentiles and Zion
Bible 1611.Com / Sluice Box Adventures.com / Old Paths Baptist Mission © 2014
We are at the end of the present age … the Church Age. [1 Thessalonians 4:16-17]
The time is just a few minutes before midnight when no man can work.
The night cometh!
Jesus said this very thing while He was on this earth nearly two thousand years ago. [John 9:4]: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
Now, the Son of God was pointing to a future time, [fast forward two thousand years] to the present time of our day!
My friend, look around you and try to perceive the coming darkness by the present dimness of light.
We are now in the twilight. Look around you and understand the time you are living in.
The darkness is indeed coming upon us all.
We are very near the prophesied Great Tribulation which is coincident with the end of the “times of the Gentiles”. See Luke 21:24: “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” [Luke 21:24]
Men have had the last six thousand years to build their kingdom [without Jesus Christ] and they have failed very miserably.
All that has come from this kingdom-building effort is, war, destruction, death, havoc and ruin. Psalm 22 has aptly summarized what has happened behind the scenes [to our hurt] during “the times of the Gentiles”. “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” [Psalm 2:2-3]
Soon men’s hearts will fail … they will fail for fear.
All this is coming … according to the Gospel of Luke: “Men's hearts failing them for fear,” … [Luke 21:26].
We are at the point of “the beginning of sorrows.” The thing is almost upon us! “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” [Matthew 24:8]
Now, how did we [the people] come to these sorrows? Let me summarize here. There are really only two classifications of people in this world that matter [according to God] and both of these classifications of people exhibit the very same fatal condition or problem [according to God].
Now, what are these two classifications, and just what is this problem that all men have in common together? The only real answers to both of these questions [that amount to basic truths] comes from God [from His BOOK].
Now, for something else you need to realize: what man thinks of these matters does not amount to a hill of beans to God. It is only God’s opinion that will prevail in the end. Amen!
God, by the Holy Ghost through the BIBLE, reveals to us [and this very clearly] who these two groups of people are, and HE also, identifies what the fatal condition of man is, which thing is common to us all.
Now, [if you really want to … if your heart is in it] you can see this thing for yourself in the BOOK of GOD [which is the 1611 King James Bible or any of its editions] in Romans chapter three, verse nine: “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;” [Romans 3:9].
Therein, [in verse nine] is identified the two classifications of people [according to God]:
1. The Gentiles
2. The Jews
Now, we have also this. The answer to what man’s fatal problem is … is also revealed here … in this very same verse, which condition afflicts us all … who live under the sun.
The fatal problem identified … is SIN. All of us are sinners. YOU and ME!!!
Now, why is “sin” fatal? It is … because when “sin” is done with us … it only brings “forth death”. This is exactly what the BOOK says about “sin” in Romans chapter six, verse twenty-three: “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” [James 1:15] “For the wages of sin is death;” [Romans 6:23]
Now, when “sin” came into the world almost six thousand years ago, it came because of our first parent’s transgression. It was Adam who transgressed the commandment of God, [he deliberately disobeyed God]. “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.” [Romans 5:14]
Now, [with reference to the two classifications of peoples] who are the Gentiles?
Answer: the Gentiles … are the nations of this world. The first mention of the Gentiles is found in Genesis chapter ten in verse five: “By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.” [Genesis 10:5] Do you see the word “divided”? This is important.
The formation of the nations of this earth came as a direct result from the confounding of the language of the people gathered at the Tower of Babel. See the book of Genesis chapter eleven: “Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” [Genesis 11:9] God saw that all the people living together in a one-world system would only result in all manner of evil.
Now, who are the Jews?
Answer: the Jews are a people [or a nation] who have been separated by God from all the other nations [the Gentiles] … to be a peculiar or a special people to God above all the other people of the earth. The Scripture tells us this, in the book of Deuteronomy chapter seven, verse six: “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” [Deuteronomy 7:6]
Furthermore, they are a chosen nation “above all the nations that are upon the earth” according to Deuteronomy chapter fourteen, verse two: “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.” [Deuteronomy 14:2]
We are now in the 21st century, and the clock is still ticking and is counting down to “the end of all things”. The believer in Jesus Christ is told in the First Epistle of Peter this: “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” [1 Peter 4:7]
Therefore, the believer in Jesus Christ is to spend his or her time in being “sober” and watching “unto prayer” while this great countdown is going on. Time is moving on, and may I remind you my friend, that time will not wait for you and me. We will most certainly come to our end!
Now when the times of the Gentiles end, the nations, and the head of all the nations, [Deuteronomy 28:13] Israel will see “the times of restitution of all things.” [Acts 3:21] “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
This thing is coming! This something that is coming is concerning future things, and is proclaimed in the word of God as if it was already done … somewhere in the past. It is … as they would say … as good as DONE!!! [Psalm 2:6] “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”
Now, the love of Zion is called Zionism. And Zionism involves believing in the coming of a future KING … and in the coming of a MILLENNIAL KINGDOM!
Now, there two places in the BIBLE called Zion. They are in two different locations. One is located in “the sides of the north” which is in the third Heaven. “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” [Psalm 48:2]
The second Zion is the earthly Zion located in Jerusalem where in the Kingdom of Heaven [or the one-thousand-year year kingdom] the people from over the whole Earth [the Gentiles] [the nations] will come to worship the Son of God … even Jesus Christ … this is all according to the prophet Isaiah: “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” [Isaiah 2:3]
Now, Zionism brings a great controversy [and not a little] to the inhabitants of this old world. Why? The Bible tells you why. Are you ready for this? It gives them the stomach cramps … for it involves “the day of the Lord’s vengeance”. It is the Scripture [the King James Bible] that flatly nails it on the head: “For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.” [Isaiah 34:8]
After “the day of the Lord's vengeance” then Jesus Christ will reign from Zion [Jerusalem] and the whole earth will enjoy a thousand year rest after six thousands of nothing but trouble.
Now, envision this scene through the eyes of faith: “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.” [Isaiah 35:10]
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” [Isaiah 52:7]
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” [John 1:12]
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” [Romans 10:13]