A matter of a shift in thinking.

These two men are Christians and love God and read the same Bible and yet see things so differently? Is it because one spends a lot more time in the Bible then the other? No, Inside each of us is a (concept) which has been planted there by another. We interpret the Bible through this (concept) which has developed within us wither the information was true of false.

Our ideas are developed through these concepts over a period of time and we see life and interpret scri pture through them. Most people don't question the concepts they have been taught that were developed, by others, we all assume that they had the right concept. We all believe just because Pastor Mark went to a Theological Seminary he has the right concepts of the Bible. Not Really.

While Christians today are being taught the Bible supports a coming of a single individual called the Antichrist. The Bible evidence shown the exact opposite to be true. With the use of the original Greek words, antichrist we can clearly see that they were many in the first century. (1 John 2:18)
So before anyone today can tell us that the anitchrist is a single individual that must first show from the original languages that the world antichrist was capitalized which it was not. John clearly states that the spirit of the antichrist "was already in the world" as he wrote (1 John 4:3).

These people were former church members who had gone out into the world spreading false teachings within the Church. For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist (2 John 1:7) "In religion people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination."

Another example. At one time most of the Nation of Israel held the (concept) that the Messiah the seed of David was to be a earthly king and set up a (physical kingdom) John 6:14-16 The Jews knew the Messiah was coming, and they expected him in that generation John 12:12-16 but they had been led to look for something that was contrary to what actually came.

In this manner they were blinded to the first coming of Christ and his (spiritual kingdom) Luke 16:20-21. They did not believe it, even though they know time-wise that was when the Messiah was to come. 90% of the Jews believe the (concept), without thinking or studding it for further clarification and information (Matthew 27:15-25).

There are two another words called (paradigm shift) which means you (changed) your (way of thinking). There were more fair-minded Jews among the Nation of Israel and over time, they made a (shift) in their (concepts and thinking ) and began to believe that a (spiritual King) could reign over a (spiritual kingdom) Acts 2:29-41. 10% studied and analyzed all the details and finally made a paradigm shift to came to a conclusion.

The Bereans who Paul tells us about in Acts 17 were among the 10% of people that think. They studied their scri pture and analyzed the details and came to the right conclusion.

Acts 17:10-11 (NKJV) Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the scri ptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

The Bereans, "were more fair-minded" in that they: (1) "received the word with all readiness," (2) "searched the scri ptures daily." Apparently they had the true spirit of open-mindedness for the word of God and sought to understand "whether these things were so" which Paul had spoken.

The Bereans cry for information was "Sola scri ptura" -- the scri ptures alone! Any (concept) that contradicts scri pture must be set aside and the scri ptures must be authoritative..

Today's lesson is the (paradigm shift) about the nature of the return of Christ. We will examine the (specific nature) in scri ptures about the return of Christ which is very simple.

In Matthew chapter 26 verse 63 Jesus foretells of His return to the high priest Caiaphas And the high priest arose and said to Him. “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against you?” But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said to him. “It is as you said, Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.

Who was the (you) who would (see) Christ sitting at the right hand of Power, and (coming on the clouds) of heaven? Verse 65 holds the Biblical answer. It cannot be a yet future return of Jesus since he emphatically declared Caiaphas would see his coming on the clouds.

The primary rule of hermeneutics is to let ( scri pture interpret scri pture). This means that no part of scri pture can be interpreted in such a way as to render it in conflict with what is clearly taught elsewhere in scri pture. It is important therefore that we as Christians have a proper (concept) of the (nature) of His parousia. scri ptures never contradict, scri pture. People contradict themselfs not the Bible.

Is there any scri ptural evidence from the Old Testament that the high priest Caiaphas could have had a different concept than a physical return of Christ? Yes, but if you approach the New Testament apocalyptic language with a 20th century understanding and not recognize it for what it meant to Caiaphas who know the Old Testament prophecies, your ability to comprehend it will be doomed to what has become traditional confusion.

We must keep in mind that Jesus was a Jew who was familiar with Jewish prophetic thought. In order to understand how Caiaphas understood the manifestation of the "Son of Man" on the "clouds of heaven" one must understand the language of Israel's Old Testament prophets.

In biblical language "clouds" are symbolic of God's wrath and judgment against the enemies of His people. David said that the Lord delivered him from his enemies while descending on clouds (Daniel 18:3-15). Of course, clouds also speak of God's divine "presence" and power.

The Lord said that He would ride into Egypt on a cloud to punish them: "Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud, and is about to come to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them" (Isaiah 19:1). In these verse, the Lord did not literally ride on a clouds however, Egypt did receive this judgment at the hands of the Assyrians (Isaiah 20:1-6).

When God used the means of a nation or people to carry out his judgment, his “presence or parousia” was said to have come in the clouds. "This type of apocalyptic language was well known to all in the Jewish communities. This language was studied by all the congregation of Israel on the Sabbath and in the synagogue. It was passed down and spoken in homes from generation to generation. That is why Jesus chose to use apocalyptic language as He described His soon return in judgment on the people of His day.

Jesus promised Caiaphas, that he would "see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.” This prophecy is cut from the same cloth as Daniel which speaks of a "appearing" or “parousia” of the Son of Man. By this statement Jesus was claiming to be divine, Israel's Messiah, the Son of God, as stated by the prophet Daniel.

"I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel.7:13-14).

Caiaphas understood Jesus was quoting Daniel that is why Caiaphas accused Jesus of blaspheme. (Matthew 26:65) Only the God of Israel could ride the clouds of heave in judgment (Psalm 104:1-3; Isa. 19:1-3; Joel 2:1-2; Nah. 1-3) The inspired apostle John stated that the Jew sought the more to kill Jesus because He was making himself equal to God (John 5:18, 8:58).

As a ruler and High Priest of Israel and fleshly seed of Abraham who rejected his Messiah, he would see Jesus return in judgment. A fleshly concept of Jesus coming on the clouds was contrary to the nature of Caiaphas' understanding of the Old Testament prophets.

Many today claim Acts 1:11 predicts a literally physical return of Christ. However the angels told the disciples Jesus would return in the same manner (nature). What was the manner? Verse 9 holds the answer. And a clouds received him out of their sight. scri ptures never contradict, scri pture.

There are other scri ptures from the Old Testament that shows the Israelites had a different concept of the (Parousia or Coming) then a physical return of Christ? Clouds are depicted as the"chariots of God" and indicative of his MAJESTY. In Job 22:12ff Job exalts Jehovah as the one who is in the height of heaven and covered with thick clouds.

In Zephaniah 1:14-16 we are told the "great day of the Lord is near;" and that it would be a day of "wrath," "distress," and a "day of clouds," when the Lord would come. We know this is a prediction of the impending judgment on Jerusalem, 1:4ff.

This judgment came in 606-586 BC. Similar language is found in Nahum in the prediction of Nineveh's fall. Jehovah "has his way in the whirlwind...and the clouds are the dust of his feet."

El Shaddai would come, the mountains would melt, the earth would be destroyed at his presence when he came on the clouds. We know that Nineveh was destroyed, not by a literal coming of Jehovah out of heaven on the clouds, but by the invading armies of the Chaldeans and Medes in approximately 612 BC. Homer Hailey's book, A Commentary on the Minor Prophets, is a good commentary to study.

In Psalm 18 which is a highly apocalyptic de scri ption of David's deliverance from Saul the former shepherd tells how Jehovah "bowed the heavens...and came down with darkness under his feet, he rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies."

Jehovah had acted to deliver his servant and thus he had come. He had acted and his actions had vindicated his righteousness, thus he was depicted as coming in majesty in the clouds. Psalm 68:32-35 also speaks of God who "rides on the heaven of heavens" and "his strength is in the clouds." Again the concept is his majesty and sovereignty. Psalms 104:3 tells us God "makes the clouds his chariots" and "walks on the wings of the wind."

The association of Jesus coming in the clouds then was a way for the Biblical writers to IDENTIFY Jesus, in a manner well known to those familiar with Jewish prophetic thought, and symbolism, as God, as God's Messiah, as the Judge, worthy of majesty and honor.