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A GAP

At present, we are in a “prophecy gap,” which began with Israel’s final rejection of her King (Acts 7-28). As examples (among very many)….

A gap of centuries exists between “And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:”—gap—“But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” (Isaiah 11:3, 4). Read from verse 1 through 9, and you will see both the First and Second Advents of Jesus Christ spoken of as if having taken place without any interruption. But we know that there was indeed an interruption—a gap—between the two. Verses 4-9 have yet to be fulfilled. Do you not see why it is important to teach that there is a prophetic gap in many Old Testament passages?

Note the gap in prophetic events between “Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.”—gap—“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon thy seed,… (Isaiah 44:2, 3).

A gap in prophecy exists between “…and to make reconciliation for iniquity (the Cross of Christ),” — gap — “and to bring in everlasting righteousness,…” (Daniel 9:24).

We are living in a parenthetical period of time between “After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself” – gap – “and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city...” (Daniel 9:26).

It is a gap between “the sufferings of Christ” – gap – “and the glory that should follow” (1 Peter 1:11).

We are in a gap between “save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns” – gap – and “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation [church] will I praise thee” (Psalms 22:21, 22).

We are in a gap between “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to....proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,” – gap – and “the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;...” (Isaiah 61:1, 2; Luke 4:18-21).

It is a gap even in Satan’s attempts at destroying the work of God between “…and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” – gap – “and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God,….” (Revelation 12:5, 6).

This gap (or parentheses) will end with the removal of the Body of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; Philippians 3:21; Titus 2:13).

AN ETERNAL PROVISION FOR PROPHECY’S INTERIM

But wait! God certainly knew that Israel would falter and reject the offer of the King and of the Kingdom. So there had to be a provision in the purposes of God for this eventuality. That provision was ‘something’ hid in God from the foundation of the world (Ephesians 3:1-7; Romans 16:25), but purposed in Christ from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-14; etc.). Christ’s Body has to do with God’s eternal purposes in Christ; as eternal as the relationship between the Father and the Son (See Ephesians 3:11 and compare Proverbs chapter 8.). Neither Israel nor the local churches of the present era are spoken of in the same fashion.

The ascended Head of the Body of Christ revealed this “provision” first and directly to the Apostle Paul from Heaven. It is altogether a new thing relative to the prophetic purposes for Israel and of our Lord’s earthly ministry. Paul emphasized that there is advanced revelation to what was given during Christ’s earthly sojourn –

“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh
[regarding Christ’s earthly ministry]:….

“yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh
[Gospels, early Acts period (See Hebrews 2:3)],….

“yet now henceforth know we him no more.
[No man reading this can know Christ after the flesh]….

“Therefore if any man be in Christ
[’in Christ’ is a concept unrevealed in Matthew, Mark, Luke], ….

“he is a new creature: old things are passed away
[kingdom methods and principles, holy days, meats and drinks, new moons and sabbath days, carnal ordinances, &c. ] ….

“behold, all things are become new”
[a completely new thing, previously un-revealed] (2 Corinthians 5:16).”

This shows us also that 2 Cor. 5:17 has much more in view than an outwardly cleaned-up church member. We are certain that it includes God’s workings in the testimony of his children. Some preachers, however, are not aware that 2 Cor. 5:17 means much more than a hair cut, shave, shirt ‘n tie, and sitting on the front pew.

And that leads us to the third Church in our study.......