God Wins - How the Beast is Destroyed

God Wins - How the Beast is Destroyed

The Heart of God's Plan: Inclusion of All Nations

This Bible teaching from Founded in Truth Fellowship, delivered by Matthew Vander Els, explores the overarching narrative of the Bible, emphasizing that God's intention has always been to include all nations in His family, a concept that finds its roots in the Old Testament and culminates in the New Testament through Jesus Christ. The teaching highlights a series called "The Missed Connection Series," which examines the intentional connections between Old and New Testament writings, revealing that the New Testament authors deliberately built upon the foundations laid in the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings of the Old Testament.

The core idea presented is that the Old Testament story depicts God raising a people, Israel, giving them the Torah, but they ultimately failed due to the weakness of their hearts, leading to exile. The Old Testament concludes with God's promise of a Redeemer who would not only restore but also embody God's kingdom perfectly, correcting humanity's inability to reflect God's image through a new heart aligned with God's true principles.

The teaching delves into specific Old Testament passages, particularly from the Psalms, to demonstrate this theme of Gentile inclusion. It cites Dr. Robert D. Miller II's article, "The Gentiles in the Zion Hymns, Canaanite Myth and Christian Mission," which argues that the Psalms are an often overlooked resource showing a more positive view of Gentiles compared to other parts of the Old Testament. According to this article, the Psalms focus on the Gentiles coming to Zion, God's holy mountain.

Zion Hymns and the Gathering of Nations

The teaching examines Psalm 68 as a prime example of a Zion hymn, psalms that exalt God's ultimate victory, often with battle themes where God establishes His throne in Zion. While the psalm begins with the imagery of God's wrath on His enemies, it progresses to the gathering of nations to worship Him. Verse 31 specifically mentions nobles from Egypt and Cush hastening to stretch out their hands to God, indicating the inclusion of formerly adversarial nations in the worship of Yahweh. This imagery of kingdoms of the earth singing praises to the Lord and acknowledging Him as the "Cloud Rider," a title also associated with the Canaanite god Baal, suggests a polemic where Yahweh's ultimate authority is being asserted over all. This concept of the "Cloud Rider" is also connected to the Son of Man figure in Daniel 7, who triumphs over the "beast" representing the selfish and oppressive earthly kingdoms and establishes a kingdom made up of all nations and languages that will last forever.

Psalm 86 is also explored, particularly verses 8-13, which speak of all nations God has made coming to worship before Him and glorify His name. This is presented as a future trajectory where all nations will be brought into the family of Yahweh. The teaching emphasizes that while the covenant with Israel at Sinai highlighted their distinctiveness, the foundational covenant with Abraham promised that all nations would be blessed through his seed. Therefore, the salvation of all nations will come through Israel, not in isolation from them.

Psalm 87: Adoption into Zion

Psalm 87 is highlighted as a powerful depiction of this inclusion. It speaks of the city God founded on the holy mount, Zion, which He loves more than any other dwelling place of Jacob. The psalm declares, "Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God." Notably, it mentions Rahab (another name for Egypt), Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush, stating that "This one was born there," referring to Zion. The teaching explains that Rahab is also a term for the chaos monsters in ancient Near Eastern theology, like the Tanin (sea serpent) in Genesis 1 and Leviathan, representing the forces of chaos and deconstruction. Here, Egypt is symbolically called the Rahab beast, representing the nations collectively in contrast to Zion.

The speaker quotes Dr. Miller, explaining that these nations, including the enemies of Israel, are brought into Zion, where God declares, "This one was born here." The Hebrew verb "yeled" used here is the same verb used in Psalm 2:7, which speaks of adoption. Dr. Goldingay, an Old Testament scholar, is quoted as saying that Yahweh declares these nations as having been fathered or adopted in Jerusalem, making them true citizens of the city. This concept challenges the expectation of violent annihilation of nations opposing Israel, suggesting a different kind of victory through adoption and inclusion.

Jesus' Victory and the Mission of Forgiveness

The teaching emphasizes that Jesus fought the "beast" on the cross, allowing it to do its worst. However, instead of calling down destruction, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." He defeated death and resurrected, offering a spirit of life, love, and unity that connects all nations. In the Psalms, this is seen as a legal adoption of nations into God's family.

This concept is echoed in Jesus' words in Matthew 8:11, where He says that many will come from the east and west to take their place at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while those expected to be there will be cast out. This highlights that it is not just Israel but all people who need atonement. Revelation also speaks of a new Jerusalem coming down from heaven and the absence of the sea, which represents the forces of chaos, signifying God's complete unity and victory. The song of Moses and the Lamb in Revelation 15:3-4 quotes Psalm 86, declaring that all nations will come and worship before the Lord, underscoring the consistent mission of God to reclaim all humanity.

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Application for Everyday Life

• Embrace a Mission of Inclusion: Recognize that God's plan extends to all people, and actively seek to include and love those around you, regardless of their background or beliefs.
• Prioritize Love and Forgiveness: Emulate Jesus' response to His enemies by practicing forgiveness and extending love, even to those you disagree with or who have wronged you.
• See Fellow Believers as Allies: Recognize the unity of the body of Christ, looking beyond differences in traditions or backgrounds to see other believers as partners in the same mission.
• Be Ambassadors of Zion: Let your life reflect the values of God's kingdom – love, justice, and reconciliation – showing the world what God's life and love truly look like.
• Focus on God's Victory: Remember that victory over the forces of chaos and division has already been won through Jesus Christ, and live with the confidence and hope that this brings.
• Actively Participate in God's Mission: Don't be content with simply following commandments; actively engage in the mission of reclaiming people back to God through love and service.
• Examine Your Heart: Reflect on whether your actions and attitudes represent the inclusive love of Zion or the divisive forces of the "beast."

References

Bible Verses:

• Genesis 1
• Psalm 2
• Psalm 68
• Revelation 15

Books and Resources Mentioned:

• Echoes of the Scriptures by Dr. Richard Hayes

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