Russ-03 Eternal Reward

So it seems clear that the Church is in the earth while Israel is going through its time of final tribulation. The faithful Church shares in the tribulation of Israel, but obtains an eternal reward. That raises the question about the Church's rapture, which we have traditionally thought meant before such a time of tribulation.

I am not a great authority on this subject, but it seems clear in all of the texts that we have shared. Ezekiel 37, chapter 20 of Ezekiel, Amos 9, and in many other places, that there is a people in the earth who are a key to the surviving of Israel's remnant. Ezekiel 37 is especially significant, because there it shows that God is as concerned with the Son of Man as He is with the dry bones.

The Son of Man can these bones live? It's a question that the prophet himself cannot answer. Lord, You know. This is beyond his prophetic faith.

Maybe it's even beyond his desire. And yet, despite the fact that He speaks the word to Israel, that He prophesies, those bones cannot live. The last challenge that God poses to the Son of Man is the challenge that is mentioned in this prophecy.

And I believe that this is the picture of the Church of the last days. Because if we do not rise to this, then how can we hope that we will reign with Christ? Because only those who are holy and pure can reign with Christ. And these are the qualities that are required in order to revive the dead bones of Israel in the last days.

You can see the hidden mystery. How can the Church reach this prophetic level without this challenge? It's the crisis of Israel that compels the Church to be the Church. Speaking with one voice.

In total agreement. In the faith of the Son of Man Himself. And a faith that can only work by love.

Or it will not work at all. How many of us are in that condition now? Very few, if any. What will it take to bring us to that place? From where we presently are.

That we might be of one heart and one mind. And speak that one word when it's commanded. That brings Israel from its grave.

For Paul says in Romans 11, What will their return be? But life from the dead. Do you have any idea what goes into the making of a prophet? Dealings and sufferings of a particular kind. God does not trust His words to any mouth.

In Ezekiel 37 He says, And you will know that I am the Lord. Speaking to Israel. Do you know that I am the Lord? Let me read it.

Ezekiel 37 Verse 14 Read that. Verse 13 of Ezekiel 37 Verse 14 Then shall you know that I, the Lord, have spoken it. And performed it.

Now how can God say that? It's the Son of Man who has spoken it. God commanded Him to prophesy to those boys. And yet God says, And you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it.

And yet God says, And you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it. What can we say about this? Because God makes no distinction between the prophetic statements and what He Himself says. Because the voice of the prophet is His voice.

And the mind of the prophet is His mind. Because the prophet has come to such an ultimate place in the knowledge of God that you cannot distinguish the one from the other. God has two purposes.

Israel's restoration and the Church's transfiguration. And the last only comes as a result of the crisis that Israel presents to the Church. Have you the faith to believe in this? That these bones can live? Easy to nod your head.

It's easy. When have you picked up a dry bone last? It comes apart in your hands. It turns to powder in your hands.

There's nothing more dead than dry bones. It makes the faith go out of you. You can believe that those bones can live? By a word that comes out of your mouth? By a word that will be spoken in you? Do you have the faith for that? That's ultimate faith.

And you desire to see those bones live? Won't that threaten you? Do you want Israel to be restored? Don't you want to be the only one that basks in the light of God? You want the youngest son to come back? What do you call it? The son who lost all of his fortune? The prodigal son? You want that son to come back? And to share with him in God's glory? And you have a faith that works by love? We're not talking about sentiment. We're not talking about sentiment. We're talking about a time when these people will be hated in all nations.

And you're going to love them? It's got to be the love of God. It's got to be the faith of God. And that's why he says, I have spoken and performed it.

For of him, and through him, and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. Your present ministry now, your Christian life now, is it through him or through you? Your well-meaning intention. Your ability.

Your cleverness. That's all very good. But it's not glorious.

Do you know what it means to live through him? And to serve in the power of his life? And to have his thoughts? And to speak his words? And to seek his pleasure? It's the cross. It's a dying to everything that's convenient and to what men want from you and expect from you. Today is the Sabbath.

God wants to restore it for his believing people. It's a day of rest. When we cease from our own labors, and no longer speak our own words, no seek our own pleasure, but his.

How does one live like that? What would we do? What do we speak? Can we trust his resurrection life? And what if he's not speaking? Won't we look foolish? Oh, I'm touching something so deep now that most of present Christianity will miss. Who will approve of the doctrine of the resurrection. Approve of the doctrine.

But not be living in its life. Where are you now? What's the basis of your present Christianity? Are you willing to move from the one to the other? And pass through a no-man's land? Another expression. A no-man's land.

What happens when you pull the plug out from your electrical appliance? And there's no power. And it's dead. And what happens then? Isn't it embarrassing? What do you say and do? What do you say and do? If there's no other alternative.

Like the life of Christ. The newness of life. Which broke the fetters of death.

Paul says we are dead and hid with Christ in God. Until his life is revealed. Then is our life revealed also.

Unto glory. Do you believe that? Would you live like that? At the University of Kiev? Where you have to speak to the students? In an open gospel demonstration on campus? Where you will not trust your own cleverness? And trust in the power of his life? That reveals his words? This is more the picture of our last day's experience. And it is on this basis that I've been sharing with you.

I did not come with a program. An outline of what to say. Trusting his life.

And the wisdom of it. Ceasing from my own works. That he might perform his.

You say, well, brother, these are just classes. It's not all that important. You're clever enough.

You could have gotten by. But you don't understand. This is more than a class.

This is an eternal moment that has come. Of an historic kind. That may not come again.

Which may not happen again. And who is worthy of all this? Apparently, the time will come when you will need to act on your trust. And trust in his life.

And learn it in a very painful way. And his life will not always be revealed. In the form and the expression that you would like.

That would have made you successful. Or saved you from the disappointment of failure. He will test to see how jealous you are.

For his glory. For his glory is always related to his resurrection. And not to our well-meaning Christian intention.

I could tell you such stories. Of how I have been tested. Not at the University of Kiev.

But Harvard University. Yale University. Tübingen University in Germany.

Where I went in for a cup of coffee after several days of meetings. And the leader of the communist student group met me there. He said, you are the most dangerous man that has ever come to this campus.

It was not a tribute to my cleverness. But the life of Christ. Who is bringing his own words.

With a power that arrested men and stopped them in their tracks. Israel must be resurrected again. But only through a church that is itself a resurrection people.

We cannot test that in a final moment. It begins now. All of our moments.

Must prepare us for that final moment. Everything is of him and through him. That it may be to him as glory forever.

It will require our death. From trusting our own ability. We will disappoint men.

We will disappoint ourselves. We will not always like what comes out from us. It's a humiliation.

And a dying. You can never know what the end of it will be. Are you willing for that? It's the issue of his glory forever.

And Israel's salvation.