Lesson 1

How and Why the Savior Will Return

   The following questions concern the Messiah's return and what it should mean to the followers of the Redeemer.

   Read and study each Scripture carefully. Write down the entire verse or a brief summary of each Scripture as you go through the questions. The more thorough your notes, the more valuable they will be to you when you review the lessons later. Get into good study habits. In the long run, you'll benefit many times over for the extra time you put into each lesson.  Now - LET'S BEGIN:

1. What is the Bible's teaching on the Messiah's return? Can He come to this earth tonight? Or are there certain events that must first occur before He can return? Acts 3:19-21. Note especially verse 21, "whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things."
   
      NOTE:  According to the Anchor Bible notes on these verses, the Jews maintained that Israel must first be converted before the Messianic age could occur. The New Testament itself contends that before the new age is ushered in, the Good News must be preached to all peoples, Acts 1:8, Matthew 24:14. From this preaching of the Good News of the coming Kingdom in which the Savior will rule, there will come converts to True Worship. From this nucleus will emerge a group who will continue preaching truth and righteousness, preparing others to receive the returning Messiah. They will be dedicated, sincere people in spreading the Glad Tidings and will also be in constant danger, Daniel 11:33. Before the return of the Messiah, then, there must come a restoration of the proper way of worship, Isaiah 58:12-14.
    

2. Did the Messiah Himself speak of a preparation before He could begin His ministry? Matthew 3:3; 11:10.
   
      NOTE:  Yahshua foretold of the coming of an individual who would establish righteousness in preparation for His coming. It would not be the Old Testament EliYah (Elijah), but that a prophet would come in the spirit and power of EliYah to make ready a people to accept the Messiah. See Luke 1:16-17 and verses 76-79. John the Baptist was to preach repentance and a turning to the ways of Yahweh, in preparing the hearts of people to return to pure worship. Most of the Jews of the day looked for a physical Kingdom that would rid them of the yoke of Roman bondage and give them material goods and physical pleasures. Yahshua taught to change the hearts and minds of people from within. It was to completely reconstruct their attitudes and philosophy of life to perceive the spiritual aspect of Yahweh's truth. Only a few were converted during the Messiah's lifetime.
    

3. Although John the Baptist came in power and spirit of EliYah and preached a message of repentance, of returning to proper worship of Yahweh, the people did not as a whole accept his teaching. The Messiah said that as they rejected John who was summarily put to death, so the Messiah would also be rejected and be put to death by the people. Had they accepted the words of John the Baptist, the Messiah could have established the Kingdom then and there. See Matthew 17:10-13.
   
   When John the Baptist was put in prison and began to be troubled by doubts, he sent two of his disciples to Yahshua and was reassured by certain signs. Read Matthew 11:1-4. Did the Messiah offer the Kingdom then if the people would accept John as the "preparer of the way" of Yahshua? verse 14. Note the challenge "if you will receive it."
    

4. Where did the prophet Malachi say the "messenger of the covenant" would appear? Malachi 3:1. A messenger is promised who will come and prepare the way before the returning Messiah by removing obstacles in the way of pure worship so the people would better know Him and His program for this event. While it may be thought that this applied to John the Baptist, notice Malachi 3:2. Certainly Yahshua did not come as a cleansing fire when He came to Bethlehem. This is speaking of His return in wrath and fury to put down the rebellion against Yahweh and His government. Read Revelation 19:11 to the end of the chapter, as well as all of Zechariah 14. It is clear that another "EliYah" must precede the time before Yahshua comes back, Malachi 4:5-6.
    

5. Will the Messiah's return be a day of joyful bliss, or awesome judgment? Revelation 6:17. Zephaniah 1:15 says of this day: "A day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness." Continuing in verse 16 we find: "A day of trumpets and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers." It is called the "great and dreadful day of Yahweh" in Malachi 4:5.
   
      NOTE:  Instead of a day of joy and gladness for the wicked, it will be a time when, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Yahweh." Joel 2:31. It is called a day of destruction, wrought by the Almighty, Isaiah 13:6. Verse 9 says the day shall be "cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
   
   Revelation 11:17 shows the 24 elders bowing in obeisance to Yahshua and announcing that Yahshua has at last taken power and will reign over the earth. Now is a time for judging the dead and rewarding the servants that stand in awe of Yahshua's Name.
    

6. Many accept the fact that Yahshua will return to Jerusalem and begin His reign from there (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-4). To assume that the only meaning is that He will return just to His physical temple is overlooking one of the prime teachings of the New Testament. Yahshua spoke of the Father seeking those who would worship Him in Spirit and truth, John 4:24. What does Peter say about the spiritual temple Yahweh is building? 1 Peter 2:5. Other references to this temple are found in Hebrews 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:15 and Ephesians 2:20-22.
   
      NOTE:  While many understand that Yahshua will return to a physical temple, more significant is the Bible's teaching that Yahshua will return suddenly (Malachi 3:1) and meet the saints (the spiritual temple) in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) and return to this earth with His saints, 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Jude 14. These firstfruits (resurrected people) follow Yahshua wherever He goes, Revelation 14:4. This is the temple that Yahshua is building--a spiritual temple--that will rise to meet Him in the air upon His return. This temple is being built now and will be completed just before the Messiah's return, 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
    

7. What is the purpose of salvation, of building a spiritual temple? Christianity in general correctly teaches that salvation is through the Son of Yahweh. But it usually stops there, as if salvation is an end in itself. The goal of salvation is certainly what we should be striving to attain. But we must not lose sight of the purpose Yahweh has behind the plan of salvation.
   
   The same message that EliYah was preaching to the worshippers of Baal will again be preached just before the return of the Messiah. That message will "turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers, before the great and dreadful day of Yahweh," Malachi 4:5-6. We can see at least two results of this prophecy:
   
   -    There will be a message of repentance sent forth before Messiah's return.
   -    There will be a number of people who will heed this warning before the end, become converted, and receive Yahweh's protection and sealing. Revelation 7:1-4.  These are the overcomers mentioned in Revelation who will: eat of the tree of life (2:7; not be hurt of the second death (2:11); eat of hidden manna (2:17); be given power over the nations (2:26); be clothed in white raiment (3:5); be made a pillar in His temple (3:12); sit with Yahshua on His throne (3:21).
    

8. Positions of rulership and authority in the coming in the coming government of Yahweh are promised to those who overcome the world, the adversary and their own carnality. Twice in Revelation we read that those who overcome will be given power over the nations, ruling them with a rod of iron, Revelation 2:26-27. Also note verse 3:21. They will be set down with Yahshua on His throne just as He overcame and is set down with His Father in His throne, Revelation 3:21. Peter wondered what would be the reward of those who had given up all they had to follow the Messiah and His disciples. What did the Messiah say was necessary? Matthew 19:28. What price must His followers pay? verse 29. Eating and drinking with the Messiah is symbolic of a close, personal relationship, being able to commune and discuss with Him the most personal and intimate of problems and questions.
   
      NOTE:  The mother of Zebedee's children knew of the coming Kingdom, though she expected it to be set up in her lifetime. Notice her request in Matthew 20:20-23. "Eating and drinking" with Yahshua portrays a much deeper meaning to those who keep the three annual "Feast days" of Deuteronomy 16:16. Not only is this a physical feasting on food, but also feasting on His Word in preparation for the Kingdom.
    

9. Paul is discouraged with the Corinthians and their carnality. He upbraids them for tolerating the sin among them (1 Corinthians 5) in which a man has his father's wife (probably his stepmother). Paul chides them for their pride in being so tolerant and allowing sin to prevail in their numbers. He summarizes the chapter by stating in verse 12 that believers are to judge other believers and be concerned about those in the Body of Messiah. This will sharpen their discernment of properly keeping Yahweh's law among those who are committed to the true way of life. Are lawsuits among believers right? 1 Corinthians 6. Paul rebukes the Corinthians for allowing a heathen court to decide righteousness when it should be the believers themselves making the decision.
   
      NOTE:  We are in training to judge the world and even angels. Being unable to settle disputes among believers reveals a pitiful failure in our training to be judges.
    

10. What does Paul say is the task of the saints in the Kingdom? 1 Corinthians 6:2-3.
    
       NOTE:  Not only will the saints judge the world as they rule it with the Messiah (Daniel 7:22, 27), but they will also be charged with judging the angels of Yahweh, spirit beings. Now we are given the opportunity to judge and ascertain whether those in the Body of Messiah are living up to the way of life prescribed by Yahweh. This will sharpen their sense of discernment in the proper way to keep Yahweh's law as they have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good and evil, Hebrews 5:14. This will also prepare the saints for the time when all will be required to keep the laws of the Kingdom.
     

11. To prepare for the tasks and positions ahead of us, it is necessary to know what will be done during the Kingdom reign. Just as an army goes on maneuvers to prepare for real combat, or as a future physician learns through internships, the saints should prepare for their role in the Kingdom by experiencing the way of life that will be lived during that time.
    
    We are in a sense "kings and priests" right now (1 Peter 2:9), in training to learn the laws that will govern the Kingdom.  What does Isaiah 2:2-4 say will occur in the latter days? Will it be a different set of rules than presently in the bible? Micah 4:1-3. Does Yahweh change His standards? Malachi 3:6. Will the Sabbath be kept in the millennial Kingdom? Isaiah 66:23. Will the Feast of Tabernacles be observed then? Zechariah 14:16-18; Ezekiel 45:25. Will the Passover be kept? Ezekiel 45:21; Luke 22:15-16.
     

12. A number of Scriptures point out that we are to keep Yahweh's law in mind and refresh ourselves of the goodness of His way of life in preparation for the Kingdom. Isaiah 58:12 speaks of those who are the repairers of the breach, the restorers of the paths to dwell in. What do the last four verses of Malachi warn us of as the book ends the Old Testament? Malachi 4:4-6. The law required that the entire Book of Deuteronomy be read every Sabbatical year at the Feast of Tabernacles, Deuteronomy 31:10-13. What was the purpose for this?Verse 13. This brings us back to Acts 3:19-21. Why cannot the Messiah return at any time? Verse 21. What is meant by "restitution"? Same verse.

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