THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

Dr. Jobe Martin

Biblical Discipleship Ministries
 LAND, SEED AND BLESSING
• Gen. 12:1-3: Now the Lord had said unto
Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and
from thy kindred, and from thy father’s
house, unto a land that I will show thee.
And I will make of thee a great nation,
and I will bless thee and make thy name
great; and thou shalt be a blessing: . . . And
in thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed.
 THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT:
LAND, SEED, BLESSING
• Initiated: Genesis 12:1-3
• Reiterated: Genesis 13:14-17
• Ratified: Genesis 15
• Signified: Genesis 17 (and enlarged)
• Reiterated again: Genesis 22:15-18
• Confirmed to Isaac: Gen. 26:3-5, 24; and
Jacob: Gen. 28:13-15; 35:9-12; 46:1-4; also:
2 Kings 13:23 (to Abe, Isaac, Jacob)
 THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT:
LAND, SEED, BLESSING
• LAND: The Palestinian covenant (Deut.
28-30) amplifies the land aspect of Cov.
• SEED: The Davidic covenant (2 Sam.
7:8-17) amplifies the seed aspect of Cov.
• BLESSING: The New Covenant (Jer.
31:27-37; Ezek. 36:22-32) amplifies the
blessings aspect of the Abrahamic Cov.
 THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT:
LAND, SEED, BLESSING
• The Abrahamic covenant, then, is deter-
minative for the entire outworking of
God’s program both for Israel and the
nations and is key to the understanding
of biblical eschatology (prophecy).
• The Abrahamic covenant is the corner-
stone of premillennialism. This covenant
is to be understood literally.
 THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT:
LAND, SEED, BLESSING
• A literal interpretation of the Abrahamic
covenant requires the perpetuation of
national Israel and their restoration to
the land of Israel in the last days.
• The covenant consists of:
– Personal blessings to Abram,
– National blessings to Abram’s descendants,
– Universal blessings to all nations (Messiah).
THE NATURE OF THE COVENANT

• Is the church spiritual Israel? Only if

either (1) the Abrahamic Cov. is shown to
be conditional, or (2) the promises are
spiritualized. Neither alternative is
acceptable. Israel and the church, though
both beneficiaries of the Cov., are distinct
entities with distinct promises peculiar to
each.
 THE CHURCH CANNOT BE
SPIRITUAL ISRAEL
• Paul differentiates between Jews, Gentiles and
the church = three distinct, separate entities.
• 1 Corinthians 10:32: “Give none offense,
neither to Jews, nor to the Gentiles nor to the
church of God.”
• Romans 11:23: “And they (Israel) also, if they
do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted
in for God is able to graft them in again.” If
Israel is the church, why must they be grafted in again?
 Distinctions between Israel and
the Church
•• CHURCH
ISRAEL
• 1/5 of Bible
4/5
• Earthly promises
Heavenly promisesthru
thrucovenants
Gospel
• Physical seed
Spiritual seed of
ofAbe
Abe
• Head is Abraham
Jesus Christ
• Oneallnation
Of nations
• Seen in
seen thru
present
all ages
age
 Distinctions between Israel and
the Church
•• CHURCH
ISRAEL
• Secure salvation
National salvation
inin
the
the
present
future
• Christ is Savior,
King, Ruler,
Head,Messiah
Bridegroom
• Holy Spirit came and
uponindwells
some foralltasks
always
• God’s family
servant
 Distinctions between Israel and
the Church
•• CHURCH
ISRAEL
• Governed by theMosaic
graceLaw
of our Lord
• Farewell to Church
Israel is Olivet
UpperDiscourse
Rm Discourse
• Subjects
Rulers inin
Christ’s
Christ’s
earthly
earthly
reign
reign
• Had
Is a priesthood
a priesthood
 Distinctions between Israel and
the Church
•• CHURCH
ISRAEL
• Unfaithful
Faithful bride
wife
• Kept
Must from
face God’s
God’swrath
wrathin Tribulation
• Christ’s return is
causes
a comfort
wailing
and
and
the
mourningHope”
“Blessed due toofjudgment
the church
• see: Things to Come, pp. 201,202
 THE RAPTURE: THE BLESSED HOPE

• The Doctrine of Imminence: Jesus could

come at any moment for His church!!!
End-time prophecies are signs to the
Jews and herald the second coming of
Christ to earth. No prophecy need be
fulfilled before Jesus comes for His bride.
• Jn. 14:2,3; Acts 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:51,52;
Phil. 3:20; Col. 3:4; 1Thess. 1:10, 4:16,17
 PAUL BELIEVED IN AN
IMMINENT RAPTURE
• “…that we which are alive and remain unto the
coming of our Lord….” 1Thess 4:15
• “Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up…in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air….” 1Thess 4:17
• At the end of his life Paul somehow knew that
he would not see the Rapture, but he would get
the Crown of Righteousness for loving the
Rapture. 2Timothy 4:8
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 1ST
AND 2ND COMING OF CHRIST
• SECOND
FIRST ADVENT
ADVENT
• Stable
Clouds
• Lamb
Lion
• Rejected/crucified
Welcomed/glorified
• Die
Reign
• Cross
Crown
• Humiliation
Exaltation
• Crown of triumph
thorns
 THE ALREADY BUT NOT YET
PRINCIPLE
• In Luke 4:18,19, Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2a
and, before reading the rest of verse two, He
closed the book.
• After closing the book He said, “This day is
this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Lk.4:21b.
• Isaiah 61 is prophecy. In the middle of v2
Jesus splits the prophecy into already and
not yet.
 THE ALREADY BUT NOT YET
PRINCIPLE
• Matt. 24:15: Jesus said, “When ye there-
fore shall see the abomination of
desolation, spoken of by Daniel the
prophet, stand in the holy place….”
• Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled before
Jesus’ day by Antiochus Epiphanes (the
already) but Jesus predicts a future
fulfillment (the not yet). 2 Thess. 2:3-5
 THE ALREADY BUT NOT YET
PRINCIPLE
• Matt. 12:29b: “…unless he first binds the
strong man.” If Satan is the “strong man”
then King Jesus’ personal presence binds
(restrains) him from the full unleashing of
evil (the already) until this restraining
power is removed at the Rapture (the not
yet) 2 Thess. 2:6-9; after this Satan is totally
bound for 1000 yrs. (the not yet) Rev. 20:2-3
 THE ALREADY BUT NOT YET
PRINCIPLE
• If Satan is bound from Jesus day until
today, then what does Eph. 6:11 mean to us:
“that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles (schemes NASV) of the devil.”
• Or 2 Cor. 4:4: “In whom the god of this
world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not,…”
• Or 2Cor11:14 Satan appears as an
angel of light!
 SATAN IS NOT YET
BOUND!
• Or 1 Thess. 2:18: “Wherefore we would
have come unto you, even I Paul,…but
Satan hindered us.
• Satan is restrained today (the already) and
will be totally bound for 1000 yrs. (not yet)
• “…which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a 1000
yrs. and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him
up, and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the
nations no more til the 1000yrs be fulfilled.” Rev. 20:2,3
 And by the way:
• HOW LONG IS 1000 YEARS?
• “…bound him 1000 years.”
• Gk.=Chilioi = “a thousand” in Rev.20:1-7
• Gk.=Murias = indefinite, large # Rv. 5:11
• “…cattle on 1000 hills.”Ps.50:10
• Heb.=Eleph = “a thousand” in Ps. 50:10
• Heb.=Ribbow = indefinite, large number
Matt. 12: The King Rejected!!!
• In Matt. 12 the works of Jesus are attri-
buted to the power of the devil by the
religious leaders of Israel and He is offici-
ally rejected as their Messiah and King.
• In Matt. 13 Jesus begins teaching in
parables to establish His Mystery (spiritual)
Kingdom and His physical reign on earth is
postponed until after the 7yr Trib. on Israel.
 MATT. 21:33-46:
KINGDOM TAKEN AWAY!
• “Therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of
God will be taken away from you and given
to a nation producing the fruit of it.
• “a nation” not “the nations” could be
referring to the church, see 1Peter 2:9,10
• “But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation….”
• Church is mystery kingdom til Jews restored
 Matt. 24: The disciples questions, the
Tribulation and the Second Coming
• Questions: “Tell us, when shall these things
be? and what shall be the sign of thy
coming, and of the end of the world (age)?
• Jesus answers:
• Matt. 24:29-31=signs of His Coming.(notyet)
• Matt. 24:4-28=signs of end of age.(notyet)
– Mt.24:4-14=first half of Tribulation(notyet)
– Mt.24:15-28=second half of Tribulation(ntyt)
 Compare Matt.24:32-35 with
Luke 21:29-33
• Lk. 21:29-30: “And He spake to them a
parable; Behold the fig tree and all the
trees; When they now shoot forth,..sum-
mer is nigh at hand….This generation
shall not pass away till all be fulfilled.”
• Fig tree=Israel; all trees=nations?
• Generation=People of Jesus day; Jewish
people; people of last days of this age.
 Compare Matt.24:32-35 with
Luke 21:29-33
• No one alive in Jesus’ generation saw all
of the events happen described in Mt. 24.
• Did the signs in sun, moon, stars appear?
• Did Jesus appear in sky with power,glory
• Did tribes of earth mourn? (Mt.24:30)
• Did fig tree sprout or get destroyed?
• Did heaven and earth pass away? (24:35)
 THE KINGDOM IS POSTPONED

• After the King is rejected the earthly

kingdom is postponed. The disciples know
this and therefore, just before the King
ascends to heaven, ask Him: “Lord, wilt
thou at this time restore again the kingdom
to Israel?” Jesus replied, “It is not for you
to know the times or the seasons which the
Father has put in His own power.” Acts 1:6,7
ARE WE IN THE MILLENNIAL
KINGDOM NOW?
• If the King was leaving His kingdom
behind on earth as He ascended to
heaven it would seem reasonable that He
would answer His disciples Acts 1:6
question by saying, “Look guys,do you
still not understand? You are already in
my earthly kingdom. I am King and you
are my co-heirs and rulers?” NOT!!
ARE WE IN THE MILLENNIAL
KINGDOM NOW?
• “I charge thee therefore before God, and
the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge
the quick and the dead at His appearing
and His Kingdom; Preach the Word; be
instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:1-2
IS THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM
A FUTURE EVENT?
• Acts 3:18-21 (further qualifications
concerning the kingdom) 18. “But those
things, which God before had showed by the
mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should
suffer, He hath so fulfilled. (the Already)
• 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out, when the
times of refreshing shall come from the
presence of the Lord; (the Not Yet)
IS THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM
A FUTURE EVENT?
• 20. And He shall send Jesus Christ which
before was preached unto you:
• 21. Whom heaven must receive until the
times (period,NASV) of restitution
(restoration,NASV) of all things which
God hath spoken by the mouth of all His
holy prophets since the world began. Acts
3:20,21

• The restoration of all is still future=millennium.

PURPOSES OF THE MILLENNIUM

• “Then cometh the end, when He shall

have delivered up the kingdom to God,
even the Father; when He shall have put
down all rule and all authority and
power. For He must reign, till He hath
put all enemies under His feet. The last
enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”
• 1 Cor15:24-26
PURPOSES OF THE MILLENNIUM

• Satan is completely bound.

• King Jesus rules the world from Jerusalem.
• Eph. 2=our sin due to world, flesh and devil
• The Satanic and worldly enticements to sin
are not present during the 1000 yr. reign.
• People will still choose to sin, but can not
blame sin on anything but their own sinful
flesh. Proof that we need the Redeemer!
IS THE MILLENNIUM DIFFERENT
FROM OUR PRESENT AGE?
• King Jesus is on earth as supreme Ruler
• AND
• Curse removed: “The wolf also shall dwell
with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie
down with the kid, and the calf and the
young lion, etc.,etc., Isaiah 11:6f.
• “The lion shall eat straw like the bull….”
Isaiah 65:25 This situation is not yet!!
IS THE MILLENNIUM DIFFERENT
THAN THE “ALREADY/NOW”?
• Sickness is removed: “And the inhabi-
tant shall not say, I am sick….” Is. 33:24
also: Jeremiah 30:17; Ezekiel 34:16
• Deformity is healed: “And in that day
shall the deaf hear…and the eyes of the
blind shall see….” Isaiah 29:18
• Protection is Supernatural: Is. 41:8-14;
62:8,8; Jer. 32:27;Ezek. 34:27;Amos 9:15
IS THE MILLENNIUM DIFFERENT
THAN THE “ALREADY/NOW”?
• Freedom from Oppression: “The whole
earth is at rest and is quiet, they break forth
into singing.” Isaiah 14:3-7; 42:6,7; 49:8,9;
Zechariah 9:11,12.
• People have Babies: “Their children also
shall be as aforetime (formerly)….” Jer.
30:20a; 31:29; Ezekiel 47:22; Zech 47:22
• The suckling child plays on the hole of the asp.
Isaiah 11:8f
THE NEXT EVENT….

•THE RAPTURE
OF THE
CHURCH
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
RAPTURE AND THE SECOND COMING
• SECOND
• RAPTURECOMING
• Jesus comes toin air,
earth
• for believers
with believers
• beforeGt.
after Gt.Trib.
Trib.
• Saints move from heaven
earth totoheaven
earth with
Lord.
• Secret disappearance
Public appearance
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
RAPTURE AND THE SECOND COMING
• SECOND
• RAPTURECOMING
• Christ returns
comes towith
claim
HisHis
bride
bride
• Could
Is preceded
happenby at
a multitude
any time since
of signs
Pentecost
• Is a message of judgment
comfort and hope
• Is for Israel
the Church
+ world
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
RAPTURE AND THE SECOND COMING
• SECOND
• RAPTURE
COMING
• Is O.T.
a N.T.prophecy
mystery
• Believersand
Gentiles are Jews
judged
areafter
judged
rapture
(Matt. 25)
• (Bema)
Major changes occur with creation
•• Leaves creation
Abrahamic unchanged
covenant fulfilled in 1000 yrs
• Abrahamic covenant remains unfulfilled
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
RAPTURE AND THE SECOND COMING
• SECOND
• RAPTURE
COMING
• Takes place after
beforeGod’s
God’swrathwrathcomes
comesonon
earth (Rev.
(1 Thess
19:11)
5:9)
• The expectation of Israel
the churchis “The
is “The
King-
Lordisisat
dom athand.”
hand.” (Matt.
(Phil.24:14)
4:5)
 THE RAPTURE: THE BLESSED HOPE

• The Rapture was unknown until the H.S.

revealed it through the apostles.
• All who are in Christ (believers) when the
Rapture occurs will never experience
death.
• The Rapture will occur suddenly, without
specific warning, and will be over and
done in a flash (twinkling of an eye).
 THE RAPTURE: THE BLESSED HOPE

• At the Rapture all living believers will be

changed from mortal to immortal,
glorified bodies (like resurrected Jesus).
• At the Rapture living and dead believers
will be caught up to meet the Lord in the
air
• The Rapture is to be a blessed comfort to
believers. 1Thess. 4:18, Titus 2:13-15
THE JEWISH MARRIAGE CEREMONY

• Betrothal involved the groom traveling

from his fathers house to the home of his
bride (betrothed, fiancee), paying the
purchase price and, thus, establishing the
marriage covenant. (Matthew 27:46)
• The groom then returned to his father’s
house and remained separate from his
betrothed for 12 months. (John 14:1-3)
THE JEWISH MARRIAGE CEREMONY

• During the 12 months of separation the groom

prepared the living accommodations back at
his father’s house for his wife. (John 14:1-3)
• After the new living accommodations are ready
the groom comes back for his bride at a time
not exactly known to her. (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
• He returns to his father’s house with his bride
to consummate the marriage and celebrate the
7-day marriage feast. (Revelation 19:7-9)
THE JEWISH MARRIAGE CEREMONY

• In Rev. 19:7-9 the wedding feast is

announced. If the Hebrew marriage anal-
ogy is right, then the wedding had
already happened in the Father’s house.
• Today the church is described as a virgin
waiting for her bridegroom, 2 Cor. 11:2.
In Rev. 21 she is described as the wife of
the Lamb. She had previously been
 taken to the Groom’s Father’s house for the
wedding. (Raptured to and Bema in Heaven).

• Pretribulationists say this requires an

interval of time between

the Rapture and the Second Coming
(7 years would do).
• The “Bema Seat” judgment 2Cor 5:10, 1Cor
3:10f takes place in Heaven (for Christians)
while the 7-yr Trib. unfolds down on earth.
 DANIEL’S 70TH WEEK =
GOD’S WRATH
• This 7 yrs pertains to Jewish Israel and is
divided into two parts of 3 1/2 yrs each.
• Daniel 9:27
• Matthew 24:15
• Revelation 13
• God’s wrath extends throughout the 7 year
period upon Jews and Gentiles (earth-dwell-
ers) who choose earth instead of heaven.
THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE
SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL
• Nature:
• Wrath (Rev. 6:16,17; Zeph.1:15)
• Judgment: (Rev. 14:7; 16:5-7; 19:2)
• Punishment: (Isa. 24:20-21)
• Darkness: (Joel 2:2; Zeph 1:14-18 Amos5:18
• Scope
• Time of Jacob’s Trouble:(Jer. 30:7; Is 34:1f
 IS THE CHURCH IN THE 70TH
WEEK OF DANIEL’S PROPHECY?
• The church was not known to Daniel.
• Ephesians 3:1-6 = The church as the body of
Christ to include Gentiles = a mystery.
• Colossians 1:25-27 = “…to whom God
would make known…this mystery among
Gentiles which is Christ in you, the hope of
glory.”
• Dan.’s 70 wks for Jews and Jerusalem!!!
 THE CHURCH IS NOT IN
DANIEL’S 70TH WEEK!
• Since Daniel’s prophecy of 490 years of
the history of Israel and Jerusalem does
not foresee or include the church, the
church must not be there for that 7 yrs.
• The church was definitely there in 70 a.d.
when Titus destroyed Jerusalem so that
could not have been the 70th week of
Daniel’s prophecy (the Tribulation).
GOD’S WRATH!!!
• The Tribulation (last 7 yrs of Daniel’s
prophecy) is the venting of God’s wrath:
• REVELATION 6:16b-17:
• “…hide us from the face of Him that
sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath
of the Lamb: For the great day of His
wrath is come; and who shall be able to
stand?”
INDICATIONS THAT THE CHURCH IS
NOT TO SUFFER GOD’S WRATH
• A Greek formula addressed to the church:
• “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches.”
• Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22.
• Formula repeated in the midst of the Trib.
• “If any man hath an ear, let him hear.”Rv13:9
• The church is not mentioned in the formula!
 THE SEVEN CHURCHES
• Four views:
• Seven historical churches
• Seven periods of church history
• Seven churches of the last days
• Some hold all three views
simultaneously
INDICATIONS THAT THE CHURCH IS
NOT TO SUFFER GOD’S WRATH
• If the 7th church (Laodicea) is the last
days church (LUKEWARM) then it may
well be significant that Heaven opens in
Revelation.4:1 and John is caught up into
Heaven.
• John’s “catching up”in Revelation.4:1
may represent the church being raptured
before the Tribulation of Rev. 6-19:11.
 INDICATIONS THAT THE CHURCH IS
NOT TO SUFFER GOD’S WRATH
• If all the 7 church types are present in the last
days then Philadelphia may represent the
raptured church: “…I also will keep thee from
the hour of temptation (testing,NASV) which
shall come upon all the world….” (Rev. 3:10)
• Christians kept completely out and away from
(Gk=ek) the time of the testing. THE RAPTURE?
• “Tereo ek”= “to keep out from” see:LXX
Prov. 21:23; Acts 15:29; Jn. 12:27, 17:15
 WILL THE CHURCH BE IN THE
TRIBULATION?
• The 7 year Tribulation is the last 7 years of
God’s dealing with Israel according to Daniel’s
prophecy of the 70 weeks of years.
• The Church is not mentioned after John is
caught up in Rev. 4:1 until Rev. 22:16 when the
Tribulation judgments on earth are over.
• God’s Jewish time clock is reactivated and the
Gospel of the Kingdom is spread by 144,000
young Jewish men, not the church, for 7 years.
 WILL THE CHURCH BE IN THE
TRIBULATION?
• Matt. 24:37: “But as the days of Noah
were, so shall also the coming of the son
of man be.”
• Why did Jesus call attention to Noah?
• Why the parallel?
• God is preparing to judge the world (flood)
• Noah’s family only believers on earth.
 WHY THE PARALLEL WITH THE
DAYS OF NOAH?
• Tribulation
Flood judgment
judgment
comingcoming
• Enoch “raptured”
Church raptured before
beforejudgment
judgment
• God preserves some
Noah thru
thru Trib.
flood judgment
judgment
• Noah repopulates
Some repopulate after
afterTrib.
floodjudgment
judgment
ONE MORE PARALLEL WITH THE
DAYS OF NOAH!
• All unbelievers perished in the flood. Only
believers left to repopulate the earth.
• All unbelievers who survive the Tribula-
tion will be judged and cast into eternal
punishment at the Second Coming. (Mt 25:31-46)
• Only believers left to repopulate the earth
during the 1000 year reign of King Jesus
Christ on earth after the Second Coming
 WHAT ABOUT THE MOUNT OF
TRANSFIGURATION EPISODE?
• Luke 9:27f: “But I tell you of a truth, there
be some standing here, which shall not taste
of death till they see the kingdom of God.”
• Peter, James and John saw all the elements
of the kingdom. 1. The Glorified Lord. 2.
The OT saints=Moses. 3. The Raptured Be-
lievers=Elijah. 4. The flesh and blood believ-
ers who enter 1000 yr kingdom = P,J,+J
POINT OF CONSIDERATION
• If you do not believe in a Pretribulation
Rapture, then you do not believe that
Christ can come for you at any moment.
• If you do not believe that Jesus could
come at any moment (Pretrib.) then you
are looking for the Antichrist and his
establishing the seven year treaty with
Israel (Dan. 9:27) [Postmill. exception?]
POINT OF CONSIDERATION
• If Satan was bound by Jesus and is still
bound, then who possessed the Antichrist
(Nero,as in Pret. view) in the middle of
the 70 a.d. Tribulation?
• If the Time of Jacob’s Trouble (Trib.) is
over (70 a.d.) and we are in the indefinite
period of time called the Millennium
which will deliver an evangelized,
Christianized world to King Jesus at His
Second Coming to earth, then what about

• Revelation 19:19?
• “And I saw the beast, and the
kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to
make war against Him that sat
on the horse, and against His
army.”
 THE WORLD IS NOT GETTING
BETTER!
• “For when they shall say, Peace and
safety, then sudden destruction cometh
upon them,…” 1 Thessalonians 5:3
• “…in the last days perilous times will
come….But evil men and seducers shall
wax worse and worse, deceiving and
being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:1,13
ISRAEL IN THE LAST DAYS
• Zechariah 12-14: In the last days Jewish
people (Abraham’s Seed) will be back in the
Promised Land (Isa. 11:11) and Jewish
Israel will be invaded by many nations.
• Jewish Israel will not be conquered and our
Heavenly Father will rescue His chosen
people and restore them and their land.
• This did not happen in 70 a.d.!!!!
 AS THE RAPTURE APPROCHES,
HOW SHOULD WE LIVE?
• “For this is the will of God, even your
sanctification, that ye should abstain
from fornication.” 1 Thess. 4:3
• “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do
your own business, and to work with
your own hands, as we commanded you;
that ye may walk honestly toward them
that are without….” 1 Thess. 4:11-12a
 Philippians 3:10-11, 21a
• “That I may know him, and the power of
his resurrection, and the fellowship of his
sufferings, being made conformable unto
his death; if by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead…. For
our conversation (citizenship) is in
heaven; from whence also we look for the
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
 LOOK UP!!!!
• “Even so you, too, when you
see these things happening,
recognize that the kingdom of
God is near.”
• Matthew 24:31