What does the Old Testament say about Jesus' Church? [Discovering the Treasure of OT Church Prophecy]
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- Written by Tim Harris
What is the first verse in your Bible that includes the word “church”?
For most English translations, the answer is Matthew 16:18.
In this passage, Jesus tells the apostles—for the first time EVER in the Gospel accounts!—that He’s going to build His church.
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Think about the vast impact that Jesus' church has had upon human history:
- Christianity has had the greatest impact upon human history of any idea or “invention” (for lack of a better descriptor), period.
- The apostles, to whom Jesus seemingly revealed this plan on this occasion, played the biggest role in that greatest “invention.”
And in Matthew 16, this is the first time one of the Gospel accounts mention this truth that Jesus was going to build His church.
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It's kind of a big deal for the reader.
Now, look at what Matthew says regarding the apostles’ reaction to this seemingly bombshell of an announcement from their Leader:
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.
21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
(Matt. 16:13-21 NASB)
What reaction does Matthew report from the apostles at this “revelation” from Jesus?!?!?
Rethinking the Kingdom of Heaven (What is the kingdom of heaven? When did the kingdom come? Why does the kingdom matter?)
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- Written by Tim Harris
What exactly is the kingdom of heaven? When will it come—or, when did it come? And what does the kingdom of heaven mean for Christians today?
The kingdom of heaven is the primary theme of the New Testament Scriptures.
John the Baptist came preaching a baptism of repentance for the Jews, teaching that the kingdom of heaven was near.
Jesus picked up right where John left off and proclaimed that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for the kingdom to come. And yet, in other places, Jesus warned the Jewish religious leaders that GOD was going to weed out all the wicked from the kingdom, indicating that the kingdom was already present at that time.
So which is it?
Was the kingdom already present or not?
How are we to make sense of Jesus' teachings which seem, at first glance, to contradict one another?
After Jesus ascended to heaven, the evangelists and apostles went everywhere preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
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The kingdom of heaven is a subject that needs a lot of clarification. We've badly misunderstood it and I'm hoping to help.
It's time to take a fresh look. It's time to re-think the kingdom of heaven.
Let me show you:
Rethinking GOD's purpose for Israel (Who is Israel today? Should Christians Support Israel?)
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- Written by Tim Harris
What is GOD's eternal purpose for Israel?
Who is Israel today?
Does Israel still matter to GOD today? Are Jews still GOD's special people? Why hasn't the Jerusalem temple been rebuilt?
What should be the Christian's attitude towards the modern country of Israel? Should Christians support Israel for religious reasons?
Are there yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecies for physical Israel?
It's time for us to re-think what Scripture reveals about Israel. Will you join me? Let's do it!
Rethinking the Spiritual Creation, Rebellion & Judgment (Satan, gods, angels & demons)
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- Written by Tim Harris
Did you know that the Bible:
- Actually affirms the existence of other "gods" besides Jehovah?
- Describes the creation of spiritual beings during the Genesis creation account?
- Explains how the spiritual rebellion unfolded, and that it wasn't a single event?
- Gives significant insight into how the spiritual realm was/is governed?
- Prophesies a great deal regarding the judgment of spiritual beings who rebelled against GOD?
It's time for us to rethink the spiritual creation, rebellion and judgment.
Why You Should Use the Septuagint (LXX)
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- Written by Tim Harris
In early 2009, I began a personal Bible study regarding the practices of the early church.
At the time, I was inspired to begin this study by perceived differences between what I read in the New Testament and what I saw being practiced at the time—primarily in the church where I was meeting, but also on a broader scale.
I felt I wasn’t benefitting from our church assemblies at the time, so, from the pew, I began to use the sermon time for my private studies.
My initial focus was on what the Bible said about church meetings in the first century.
That topic didn’t take long to complete because the Bible says surprisingly little about the assemblies of the first Christians. (Download my findings here.)
At the time, I knew that there were extra-biblical Christian writings from the first few centuries. However, my focus was elsewhere, so I “filed away” a decision to return to this topic of early church practices when possible.
(The events of 2009 and Q1 2010—which I discussed in this e-book—led to our decision to begin hosting church meetings in our home.)
In 2011, I began reading the early Christian writings. I started by reading a copy of David Bercot’s fantastic book, Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up—the top book I recommend besides the Bible—which discusses differences between modern common beliefs with the views of the first Christians.
I observed that Bercot studied from Philip Schaff’s Ante-Nicene Fathers series as the source for the early Christian writings, so I got a copy. (Here’s a link to vol 1 on Kindle to vol 1 on Kindle, but you can also read the series online starting here.)
In that first volume, I read the following quote from an early Christian called Justin Martyr around 160 A.D. (while speaking with an unbelieving Jew named Trypho):
But I am far from putting reliance in your teachers, who refuse to admit that the interpretation made by the seventy elders who were with Ptolemy [king] of the Egyptians is a correct one; and they attempt to frame another. And I wish you to observe, that they have altogether taken away many Scriptures from the translations effected by those seventy elders… For you assent to those which I have brought before your attention, except that you contradict the statement, ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive,’ and say it ought to be read, ‘Behold, the young woman shall conceive.’ And I promised to prove that the prophecy referred, not, as you were taught, to Hezekiah, but to this Christ of mine: and now I shall go to the proof.
Say what?!?!
