The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others. -Timothy Keller 

“The time is coming when there shall be a general and national calling and conversion of the Jews. . .The Jews, who are scattered abroad, shall be gathered again; they shall be brought again to their own land, and have a temple and worship, as of old.” -  John Bunyan, Of Antichrist and His Ruin, 1662. 

Via BA Purtle

Of course the New Testament never says that such a redemption of the world has come—only that a greater sacrifice has been made before eschatological salvation (Heb. 9:28), that messianic suffering has come before messianic glory (Luke 24:26), that a propitiation has been put forward before the wrath to come (Rom. 3:25; 1 John 4:10), that justification has been secured in anticipation of the final judgment (Rom. 5:9; Titus 3:7), that a ransom has been offered before the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30; 1 Tim. 2:6). Such a message, devoid of realized eschatology, was readily received by multitudes of first-century Jews. The same cannot be said after the church rejected the Jewish apocalyptic hope in place of an ersatz Hellenistic gospel.  - John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.189

The idea that Jesus realized the hope of the Tanakh without actually doing it is simply ludicrous. All such hermeneutical gymnastics are both unbiblical and unrealistic. Tell any orthodox Jew that the kingdom of God has been inaugurated, and he/she will laugh at you and point to the temple mount as proof of your Gentile ignorance. The world is obviously as broken and depraved as ever. Truly, it takes a mountain of inaugurational indoctrination to believe that the new heavens and new earth are already happening. - John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.188

Jesus is identified with Israel and He is the true and ultimate Israelite. But this identification serves as the basis for national Israel's restoration, not Israel's non-significance in God's plans. - Micheal Vlach

The Bible does not speak about Israel with rose-colored glasses. It is not shy about Israel's sin. But it does speak about Israel in Gospel-saturated terms, and if we Gentiles are unwilling to do the same, we may find ourselves "cut off" in the end. Paul is clear on this in Romans 11. - BA Purtle

Israel is not just the Messiah's birthplace.

It's his eternal home.

And once you understand that, all of history, and so many current events, make perfect sense. - Travis M. Snow

One of the biggest misconceptions within premillennial eschatology is the idea that after the Messiah’s millennial reign in Israel, a completely new heavens and earth will be created after this earth (including Israel) is annihilated.

But this is neither biblical nor logical. The “New Earth” is this earth after it has been fully set free from corruption (Rom. 8.21) and purged of sin and death (2 Pet. 3.7-16).

People have gotten confused over this because a lot of the language associated with the New Earth speaks of the old “passing away” and being “destroyed.” But if you look more closely at all of these passages, they are more about the renewal and regeneration of something that already exists, not something that is made from scratch.

Therefore, this earth will exist forever. God’s creation of the world in Genesis 1 was an eternal act. He never just throws it away.

And this, in turn, means that Israel as a geographic place will always exist as well, and the Messiah will dwell there forever, for eternity, in the New Jerusalem, which comes down from heaven and lands on the same spot as the current Jerusalem.

You really need to understand God’s eternal commitment to His creation and His eternal commitment to Israel if you want to have the right perspective on eschatology and everything happening in our world.

You think the dark forces are so hell-bent on Israel’s destruction because they think Israel will eventually be destroyed, after the millennium? Or because God finished with Israel 2,000 years ago? Wrong. They are hell-bent on Israel’s destruction because it's the site of the Messiah’s eternal throne, and Jewish presence in the Land is the constant reminder that the King of the Jews is on his way. - Travis M. Snow

Grace is a power you cannot create; you can only reflect it to others if you have received it. - Timothy Keller

“The temple shall be rebuilt in Jerusalem… and the Antichrist shall sit therein, endeavoring to show himself as Christ” - Irenaeus (Against Heresies 5.25.4). 

It’s not the strong but the sifted who strengthen their brethren. Luke 22:32 -Bob Sorge

My teaching from Luke 7 about Jesus, John the Baptist, and the "children in the marketplace" parable. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

“But we do confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon the earth… during the resurrection for a thousand years in the divinely built city of Jerusalem” - Tertullian - (Against Marcion 3.24). 

As the forgiveness of sins and the reconciliation to God is central to the gospel and connected to the cross, so also is our future bodily resurrection and entrance into the kingdom at his second coming is equally essential to the gospel. 

These two things should be tied together as "the gospel". The first coming which accomplishes the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the second coming, in which he raises me from the dead and gives me entrance into the glorious kingdom. 

- Chad Brewer, sermon: The Kingdom of God and Suffering. 

Instead of theorizing and speculating about what God might be like, fix your eyes on Jesus.

He is the full revelation of God, in the flesh, all for you. - Chad Bird

"The Lord is at Your right hand;

He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.

He will judge among the nations,

He will fill them with corpses,

He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.

He will drink from the brook by the wayside;

Therefore He will lift up His head." (Psalm 110:5-7)

image via Joel Richardson

"In 2 Thessalonians 2 Paul is unpacking the prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 24... and I think we can be sure he's not referencing 70 AD." -John Piper

Love defines what it means

to act lawfully (see the two Great Commandments),

and law defines what it means

to act lovingly. (John 14:15: 1 John 5)

-Timothy Keller

“Let us not hesitate to await the Lord’s coming, not only with longing, but also with groaning and sighs, as the happiest thing of all. He will come to us as Redeemer” -John Calvin (Institutes 3.9.5)

When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head. ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Matthew's Jesus alludes to the common Jewish practice of whitewashing tombs to set them apart from their surroundings so that people would not unwillingly walk among or upon them, thereby unknowingly becoming corpse impure. He denounces his opponents for not being what they seem. They appear pure and righteous on the outside--white as snow-- yet they are actually full of impurities due to their lawlessness --that is their moral impurity (Matt. 23:28).  He does not criticize the Pharisees for being punctilious observers of the law, or "legalists" as Protestant theology often calls them; rather, he censures their hypocrisy and their lack of lawful, righteous living. The Pharisees simply are not righteous enough according to Jesus. -Matthew Thiessen, Jesus and the Forces of Death, p111

Did Jesus Go to Heaven to Build Us Mansions? 

Many think John 14:2–3 means Jesus is in heaven now building us luxury homes in heaven. What does the Bible say?

 1. “Mansions” is actually a mistranslation.

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places…”

(John 14:2, NASB)

The Greek word (monē) means “room” or “dwelling”—not a mansion.

 2. “My Father’s House” = The Temple, not heaven.

“Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business!”

(John 2:16)

“Did you not know I had to be in My Father’s house?”

(Luke 2:49)

To Jewish ears, this always meant the Temple—not heaven.

3. The hope of the gospel is resurrection, not escape to heaven.

“An hour is coming… all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth…”

(John 5:28–29)

“You will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

(Matt. 19:28)

“You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your forefathers.”

(Ezek. 36:28)

God's promise is a resurrected body, a restored Kingdom, and reign with Jesus on earth.

4. Jesus went to prepare the way through His blood—not build mansions.

“He entered the holy place once for all… having obtained eternal redemption.”

(Heb. 9:12)

He went as our High Priest to establish the New Covenant, not start a construction project in heaven.

5. Jesus is coming back to earth—not just to take us to heaven.

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself…”

(John 14:3)

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory… then He will sit on His glorious throne.”

(Matt. 25:31)

His return means reign in Jerusalem, not a 7-year stay in heavenly condos.

In conclusion:

Jesus didn’t promise to take us away forever. He promised to return and dwell with us—in His Father’s House—the Messianic Temple, on a renewed earth.

Let Scripture, not the traditions of man, shape our hope. - Joel Richardson 

Christ loves His church, and He will love it to the end.

You will not regret a life spent doing the same. - BA Purtle

"Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet." (1 Cor 15:51-52)

The suddenness of the day of the Lord taken to its ultimate end, "the twinkling of an eye." Maranatha. - John P. Harrigan 

“If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell [Gk gehenna], ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’” (Mark 9:47-48)

The messianic kingdom is clearly antipodal to the lake of fire/gehenna in the age to come (cf. Mt 8:12; 13:42; 25:34, 46, etc). So if the kingdom is "already not yet," what’s up with Gehenna? Why isn't it also being "spiritually" realized? - John P Harrigan 

Jesus was wounded for our transgressions (Isa 53:5), but He resurrected with no wounds, only scars. Nobody wants someone on their team with open wounds, but everyone wants someone with scars. - Bob Sorge

Israel was Israel when Jews were banned from Jerusalem by Hadrian in 131.

Israel was Israel when the main population moved north to the Galilee.

Israel was Israel when the Sanhedrin was established in Tiberias ~193-358.

Israel was Israel when upward of 13 synagogues and multiple yeshivas located in Tiberias produced the Mishnah (c. 200) and Jerusalem Talmud (c. 400).

Israel was Israel when Heraclius decimated the Jewish population in the Galilee in 629.

Israel was Israel when Umar ibn al-Khattab allowed 70 Jewish families from Tiberias to return to Jerusalem in 638.

Israel was Israel when the Masoretic community flourished (based primarily out of Tiberias and Jerusalem) well into the 10th century.

Israel was Israel when Omar Abd al-Aziz banned the Jews from worshipping on the Temple Mount in 720 (a policy which remained in place for the next 1000yrs).

Israel was Israel when Christian Crusaders mercilessly slaughtered Jews throughout Palestine (and Europe!), thus leading to the Jews often fighting alongside Muslims against the Crusaders.

Israel was Israel when Saladin issued a proclamation inviting all Jews to return and settle in Jerusalem after the Battle of Hattin in 1187.

Israel was Israel when over 300 rabbis from France and England emigrated to the land of Israel in 1211.

Israel was Israel when the Jewish population dwindled for almost 300 years under the severe oppression of the Mamluks.

Israel was Israel when mass Jewish immigration began immediately after the Turks conquered the region in 1517.

Israel was Israel when Safed became the center of Jewish mysticism and saw the installation of the first Hebrew printing press in 1577.

Israel was Israel when ~1000 European Jews under the leadership of Judah HeHasid immigrated to the land of Israel and settled in Jerusalem in 1700.

Israel was Israel when tens of thousand Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe and Sephardi Jews from Turkey, Bulgaria, and North Africa immigrated to the land of Israel throughout the 1800s.

Israel was Israel when ~35,000 Jews (mostly from Russia and Yemen) immigrated to the land of Israel from 1904-14.

Israel was Israel when ~350,000 Jews immigrated to the land of Israel between WWI and WWII.

Israel was Israel when Jews declared independence from Gentile subjugation on 14 May 1948.

Israel was Israel when ~850,000 Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews fled or were expelled from Muslim countries in the years following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War (most of which settled in Israel).

Israel was Israel when ~380,000 (in 1990–91 alone!) Jews immigrated after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Israel is Israel today. - John P. Harrigan

My teaching on Jesus and John the Baptist from Luke 7. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

(Heb 11:1)

By which he means the assurance of eschatology (cf. 10:34-39). Conviction concerning the coming reward (11:6, 26), the coming city (v. 10, 16), the coming homeland (v. 14), and the better resurrection (v. 35).

Jewish eschatology thus creates hope which is how the saints "preserve their souls" (10:39). - John P Harrigan 

There are two times in the Bible when God spoke to Moses from within the cloud—His face shining like the sun. Both the pre-incarnate Son of God and the incarnate. Once was at Mount Sinai at the tent of meeting, and the other was at the mountain of transfiguration. - Joel Richardson