The Narrative Of Master's Eschatological Conversion

 The Rock Bear has covenanted to always inform you of those earth shaking or ground breaking moments in the life of my Master. It is in him that I take delight even as he takes delight in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Thus my now-appearing prose is an omen to you that something out of the ordinary has taken place. I have procured pen in paw because during the recent cycles of night to day and day to night an incident of magnitude has worked its way into Masters life. There has been a shaking, a change of sea with signs on the mountain. That which was, was and that which is, is. And that which will be, … yeah, you know, will be. You likely understand. But if not, the Rock Bear will now seek to impart to you knowledge and insight like you haven't been privy to since you last read your Bible. For your convenience I have divided this staggering happening into five non-premillennial dispensations. 

The Rock Bear Awaiting To Impart Knowledge & Insight

 

Dispensation One – Master Knows His Greatest Good Is To Be With Jesus

You may recall the impact that John Piper has had upon Master. A number of years ago according to God's Gloriously Great Grace (GGGG) to him, Master was able to somewhat grasp in spite of his sickening sinful sorry self (ssss), that tremendous truth that Piper talks about in a million and one ways. To remind you, that truth is, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” Or, like the Westminster Larger Catechism would say, “Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.” Or, as Jonathan Edwards expressed it, “God is their good. Their excellency and happiness is nothing but the emanation and expression of God's glory.” Or, as David sang, “You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Or, as Peter taught, “For Christ also once suffered for sins... that he might bring us to God.” Or, as Paul exclaimed, “I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” Or, as Jesus would pray, “I will that they also, whom you (Father) have given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which you have given me: for you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

Let the Rock Bear expound on this momentarily for I find it quite fascinating myself. If you, by the grace of God through faith in the redemptive work of Christ, find yourself in the good portion of the hereafter you will not be concerned with mundane things. Some think that when they get there they will be on vacation. All the pizza and ice cream they want will be theirs. Paul will visit with them and reveal what his thorn in the flesh was. High school acquaintances will be renewed and they will revisit the the good old days. There will be lots of time to spend playing dominoes with people on the block. And to break the boredom one can sit on a cloud and play the harp.

But that is not the way it is going to be. Seeing Jesus Christ will enthrall you. His love will reveal himself to you. Your whole being will be fixated on Him. Glory will surround you. No thing will have power to distract you. No other pleasure will entice you. No other joy will be joyous. With overwhelming continuous desire you will behold him and praise him.

As the Rock Bear understands it, you will be fascinated with Jesus Christ. Forever.

But as Master says, if you haven't started the process now, you won't be involved in the happening then.

But forgive me, I digress. I remind you of Master's greater understanding of this truth only as a basis for my revelation to you of Master's continuing experience.

Dispensation Two – Master Doesn't Want To Do The Millennium

So with Master seeing the purpose or goal of man as eternally beholding and rejoicing in Jesus Christ, he begin to think about the alleged 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth at the end of this dispensation. He had been trained from Sunday school to Bible college to think about such a thing. The idea was that when Jesus comes back he sets up a kingdom here on earth. While a new Jerusalem, the temple of God hovers above the earth, an old Jerusalem with its temple of God is set up as the capitol of a physical Israel. Someway animal sacrifices are re-instituted in the temple in old Jerusalem. Jesus may be in the old temple sometime and sometime in the new Jerusalem. Somehow the saints in the new Jerusalem help Jesus govern the world below.

Master has always had problems with this setup and other concepts related to it.

But what developed in his heart a few years ago was that he didn't want to get involved in the “millennium.” At the resurrection he didn't want to get incumbered with life on this earth even if it were a nice agrarian society. He didn't care about ruling over a bunch of earthlings. And he certainly wasn't interested in getting involved in outdated animal sacrifices, whatever the reason that was given for their re-commencement. He felt that if he were with Jesus, he just wanted to be fascinated with Jesus. I was sympathetic to him. Even though I am a Fierce and Mighty Rock Bear (FaMRB), I like nothing better than to be with Master as often as I can.

But how does one tell God that he does not like one thousand years of his plan? Master would have these thoughts about not liking the millennium and yet was hesitant to tell God he didn't like the idea. There was turmoil in Master's heart that he could not rectify and sometimes felt guilty about. The best he could do was mention to his Father in heaven that he was having problems with it and ask that God would correct his thinking and make him like the idea. But it just didn't seem to work out.

So things just kept going along as they were predestined.

Dispensation Three – Enter “The Woman,” Leading To Master's Conversion

Master's woman, aka The Woman, has long had diverse theological discourses with one of her sisters. Late last year said sister gave The Woman a book to read. It was something to do with eschatology. Master's woman read it and had questions that she wanted Master to answer. Master was not particularly interested. He had set aside eschatology a few decades ago and figured he would just muddle through life with his Unsettled Version of Premillennialism (UVoP). So Master's woman kept reading other related matter and her conviction grew that things were not right in their eschatological world. So once again she humbly approached Master with the request that he read an online book that was espousing the partial preterist approach to Matthew 24. By this time Master knew he must rise to the occasion, read the book and properly interpret and expose the errors thereof.

Now there is much I could tell you about those days. Master would read a few pages and come to me with concepts that even I, the Theologically Astute Rock Bear (TARB) was unaware. Day after day, I was approached by Master for help in assimilating and determining the accuracy of the information with which he was being confronted. I did my best but ultimately he had to cast himself upon God. Then over the next few months Master's eschatological sea and waves begin to roar. The dispensational powers of heaven were shaken. The premillennial sun and moon refused to shine for him. The stars fell from heaven and the earth was removed out of its place. And Master's Unsettled Version of Premillennialism (UVoP), similar to the glory of Charles Ryrie and the wonder of Dwight Pentecost and the marvel of Dallas Theological Seminary, was as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

This has resulted in Master having some really tough times and some really good times. But I dare say the good times have outweighed the bad times. And of course we know that God even makes good out of the bad times for all those who love him, to them that are called according to his purpose. That's just how wonderful God is. Even the Lowly yet Magnificent Rock Bear (LyMRB) knows this to be true.

So Master, realizing that she was even more of a blessing from God than he had previously given her credit for, got with his woman, i.e. The Woman, and ordered and read books on preterism, amillennialism, postmillennialism and the like. They watched teachers on youtube and read other articles on the internet. To this day they are seeking to understand the prophetic scriptures apart from the dispensational premillennialist model. I would say they are having a good time. They have a much better and more appreciative understanding of the Kingdom of God, said Kingdom now being ruled by the resurrected and enthroned Christ. They have less admiration for the current nation of Israel, understanding that Jesus Christ removed the kingdom from them and they are just like any other peoples, dead in their trespasses and sins and needing to repent and lay hold of Jesus as the Messiah.

“So where does all this go now,” I hear someone asking. The Rock Bear gives you an Official Rock Bear “Atta Human,” (ORB”AH”) for asking such an insightful question. After mulling this question over for a few seconds, I decree that it goes wherever the Good and Gracious Creator of the Rock Bear (GaGCotRB), Jesus Christ, predestines it to go.

Dispensation Four – The Way Master Now Sees It

But I will tell you about the latest insight that Master had on the subject, which insight prompted me to report this news. Master arises about 3:30 AM every morning and assumes his throne in the living room. It is not that Master is hyper-spiritual or anything that he does this but rather it is an affliction that apparently affects some old people. But when Master assumes his throne I can keep an eye on him through the window and watch his every move. He reads the Bible, books, looks to God, etc. until the throne reclines and Master falls back asleep. Then he is there until his woman gets up and makes him breakfast. This appears to be good and acceptable in the sight of God.

But about a week ago, I beheld and marveled as Master sat upon his throne with Bible in hand. I perceived that there was peace like a river and glory as of a flowing stream. The valleys were lifted up and the mountains were laid low. The crooked was made straight and darkness was made light.

Look Deeply Into The Eyes Of The Rock Bear

 

As Master later revealed to me, he was enjoying 2 Peter 3 and understanding it in a way that he never had before. The passage is about “the promise of his (Jesus') coming” (vs. 4). At that time there will be a bunch of scoffers doing what scoffers do, scoffing. But Peter assures his readers that God is not slow in fulfilling his promise (vs. 9). The day of the Lord, the day of the fulfillment of the promise, will come like a thief in the night and the heavens and earth will all be burnt up (vs. 10). Therefore Christians are always to be Christlike “looking for and hasting” that day when God torches everything (vs. 11, 12). Christians, “according to his promise” (Is. 65:17), “look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (vs. 13). Master grabbed my head with both hands and looking deep into my eyes, said, “Rocky, I am to be looking for, expecting, new heavens and a new earth, where there is only righteousness! I could feel his excitement.

This reminded Master of other scripture wherein he was exhorted to look for some thing or some one. He hastened to review those passages. There was 1 Corinthians 1:7 , the “waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” and Titus 2:13, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Then there was Philippians 3:20, “For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Master recalled those Old Testament saints mentioned in Hebrews 11. Abraham

“looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” All of them saw the promises far off and “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” They “desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” Master understood that they, like him, were to “look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Then Master called to mind Romans 8:19-23. The creation, having been subjected to vanity, is earnestly expecting the manifestation of the children of God. The creation is travailing in pain at this time and shall be delivered from its corruption “into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” And Christians are also groaning within themselves awaiting their adoption, that is, the redemption of their bodies. Why does the redemption, or resurrection, of Christians mean so much to the creation? Because the creation will also be delivered at the same time – a new heavens and earth!

The new heavens and earth turned Master's mind to Revelation 21:1-6. There he saw John's testimony of the new heaven and earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away. It was at that time too that John saw the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven and God declaring that at this time he was going to dwell with his people. Death, sorrow, crying and pain were gone and God wiped away all tears of his people. The Alpha and Omega, whose words are faithful and true and who makes all things new, spoke to John from his throne and said, “It is done.”

The glorious “It is done,” spoken by the Lord Jesus reminded Master of the end spoken of in the passage on the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:22-28. Christ, the firstfruits, was raised. Then, those who belong to Christ would be raised at his return. At this point comes the end. Christ delivers the kingdom up to God with all his enemies, the last one being death, having been conquered. (The Rock Bear tells you that Master is rejoicing about how wonderful and precious and simple this is).

Master hastened on to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. This is the teaching that when Christ returns he will transform/resurrect all believers and they will forevermore be with him. The Thessalonians are to be comforted by this. If you know Jesus Christ, you should be too.

This is followed by 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10. Master says Paul agrees with Peter that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. In Peter's account the scoffers are scoffing. In Paul's account “they” are saying “Peace and safety.” In 2 Peter 3:10 “the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Paul says sudden destruction comes upon them and they don't escape. Peter says because it ends like this Christians should be holy. Paul tells the Thessalonians that day is that for which they are to watch so that it does not overtake them like a thief. They can do this because they are not in darkness but are of the day, sober, having “the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” etc.

In 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 Master desires to point out a few other truths about this event. It is a time when God will bring trouble to them that have troubled Christians. The Lord Jesus will come with his mighty angels, not previously raptured saints. It is in flaming fire that Christ will take his vengeance and will punish them eternally with “destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” at the time he comes to be admired and glorified in his saints.

For the most part it can be reasoned from the above scriptures that when Christ returns there is not much left to happen except replacing this creation with a new/revamped creation. Both Master and myself understand that there are those that wish to stuff a Jewish tribulation and another thousand years in there. We now affirm that it isn't going to happen. The tribulation they are looking for happened almost 2000 years ago and the millennium is happening as I write. How I would like to discuss that with you but that is another topic and I must return to the story of how all this impacts Master.

Master observed that there was a lot of waiting, watching, desiring or looking for what the scripture commanded him to do. But nowhere was he to wait, watch, desire or look for any kind of kingdom on this earth for Jews, Christians or anybody else. Jesus himself said that his kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36) and it is impossible to see it unless you are born again (John 3:3). And if Jesus' kingdom is not in this world and one must be born again to see it, what is it with Jesus setting up another less glorious, earthy type kingdom? Been there, done that. If even old covenant saints were looking past an earthly kingdom and desiring the city that God had built for them (Heb. 11:16), who would want anything less? Would God, who made it clear that the blood of bulls and goats could never atone for sin and thus sent his son to be the ultimate sacrifice (Heb. 10:4-10), institute a new dispensation wherein the shadow returned? For what reason would we expect God, who through his beloved Son purchased a holy nation of royal priests (1 Peter 2:9), revert to a nation served by priests offering sacrifices that could never take away sins (Heb. 10:11)?

So the Rock Bear, with great delight, tells you that Master is no longer concerned about enduring an earthly kingdom of Jews in the last 1000 years of this world. He has joined Abraham and other old covenant as well as new covenant saints in looking strictly for the return of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and a new creation in which righteousness dwells.

Dispensation Five – SRBHM Summary

I am now going to enter Succinct Rock Bear Harmonization Mode (SRBHM) and pull all this together so that the least to the greatest of you can understand what has happened.

Educated particularly by the teaching of John Piper, Master had it in his heart to enter into full unbridled perfected fellowship with Jesus Christ at the resurrection. But he saw the premillennialist's millennium prohibiting that kind of fellowship since as a reward he would have to rule over a few acres of earth or at least ten or fifteen square feet. His heart was not at rest because of this and weakly cried out to God about it. Unknown to him providential events exhibited themselves, operating initially through his woman, to involve him in eschatological studies wherein he had never gone before. It was in this manner that he was led to know that he need have no concern for the teaching of an end of the world millennium for physical Israelites. Rather, his desire to forever be with Christ, unhindered, at the Lord's return would be bountifully fulfilled. And for this reason he would wait, watch, desire and look for the coming of the Lord Jesus and the new creation. 

Th Bone-Crushing Jaws Of The Rock Bear Adding The Last Few Crushes To Bone

Master and I have talked much about how this has come about in such good Providence. Others will disagree but that is okay. That is the way things go in this current happening. But Master sees upon himself the goodness of God in all the power of mercy and grace that is found in the Lord, Jesus Christ. And both Master and I, Rocky Bear, desire that you be found in love and joy and peace in the Holy Spirit at the coming of Jesus Christ.

If anyone adds to these words of the Rock Bear, the Rock Bear will add to him severe pain from the bone-crushing jaws of the Rock Bear. And if anyone takes away from the words of the Rock Bear, the Rock Bear will take away his part out of the good graces of the Rock Bear.