Desmond Ford

& THE LAST D1\~vary: Preview of the End of the World" 4

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through theprophets at many times and in various ways, but in theselast days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom heappointed heir of all things, and through whom he madethe universe. (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Jfre is my thesis for thiswhole series on "Jesusand the Last Days":

The events at the close ofthe Old Testament era-the Gospel record of theevents of Passion Weekculminating in Christ'sdeath and resurrection-prefigure,foreshado~,predict, and areemblematic of thelast events of earth'shistory.

The Gospel events thatmarked the end of the OldTestament era foreshadow theevents that will mark the end ofthis dispensation.

This series is not a typicalpresentation on the last days.Thank Godl

End-time began at CalvaryLet me give you an illustration:

The thesis of this series is thatthe closing events of Christ's

life prefigure the closing eventsof earth's history. The New

Testament portrays Calvary asushering in end-times. Christ's

cry on the cross, "It is finished!"is a theme throughout the

Bible. Christ's PassionWeekpictures beforehand the finishing

of God's work on earth athistory's end.

antichrists have come. This ishow we know it is the lasthour. 0 John 2:18)

And do this, under-standing the present time.The hour has come for you towake up from your slumber,because our salvation isnearer now than when wefirst believed. The night isnearly over; the day is almosthere. So let us put aside thedeeds of darkness and put onthe armor of light. (Romans13:11-12)

These things happened tothem as examples and werewritten down as warnings forus, on whom the fulfillmentof the ages has come.o Corinthians 10: 11)

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and sothat the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I amthirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked asponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssopplant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had receivedthe drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, hebowed his head and gave up his spirit."Oohn 19:28-30 NIV)

"It is finished!" The time of the end began at the crossof Christ.

"These last days." The time of the end began at Calvary.

Creation and CalvaryWhen Jesus, the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), cried, "It isfinished I" he was looking back to the creation of the worldwhen another naked Adam, by another Tree of Life and Tree ofthe Knowledge of Good and Evil, fell asleep.

That first Adam had his side opened so he could have abride, Eve, on the sixth day of the week.

But now he has appeared once for all at the end of theages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.(Hebrews 9:26)

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you haveheard that the antichrist is coming, even now many

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in alltheir vast array. By the seventh day God had finishedthe work he had been doing; so on the seventh dayhe rested from all his work. And God blessed theseventh day and made it holy, because on it he restedfrom all the work of creating that he had done.(Genesis 21-3)

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At the time Jesus cried out, "It is finishedl" the Sabbath wasapproaching. In synagogues all around Palestine the words ofGenesis were being read. The words "finished" and"completed" are used over and over.

In the Gospels, Jesus-the second, or last Adam-is put tosleep on the sixth day He is on a tree (Acts 5:30)-the cross isthe Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good andEvil. His side is opened (by a spear). He has a bride-thechurch, you and me.

"It is finished!" Jesus says.

"Finished" in Exodus"Finished" is a key word in the Bible.

In the last chapter of Exodus, we read again and again thatMoses did all that the Lord commanded-over and over.

Then we read:

And so Moses finished the work.Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the

glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.(Exodus 40:33-34)

"Finished" in RuthLater, in the sweet little book called Ruth, the last verse ofchapter two says that Ruth sta~d until the work was finishedin the fields. At the end of the next chapter, her mother-in-lawsaid to her:

Then said she [Naomi], "Sit still, my daughter, untilthou know how the matter will fall: for the man will notbe in rest, until he have finished the thing this day"(Ruth 3:18)

You know the rest of the story of Ruth.Ruth, condemned by the law, and exiled because she was a

heathen, was accepted by the grace of the lord of the harvest.That man was Boaz, whose name means "in Him strength."

Boaz spoke to Ruth tenderly. He spread the corner of hisgarment over her in marriage (Ruth 3:9), so that she mightbring forth fruit.

The contract was made at Passover time, while he wassleeping amid the harvest stacks in the fields. "The man willnot be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day"(Ruth 3:18 KJV).

"Finished" in RevelationWhen you arrive at the last book of the Bible, you read:

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air,and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne,saying, "It is donel" (Revelation 16:17 NlV)

He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and theOmega, the Beginning and the End. To him who isthirsty I will give to drink without cost from the springof the water of life." (Revelation 21 :6)

Events surrounding Christ's finished workLet me remind you of the things that led up to Christ'sfinishing of his work on the cross.

On the Sunday before Good Friday, there was Christ'striumphal entry into Jerusalem.

The religious world was polarized. Opposing religions-Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians-prepared to join with the

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Roman state to get rid of their mutual enemy, Christ. So theyplotted to kill him.

Jesus had challenged and questioned the multitudinousreligious traditions. To avoid giving an answer to Christ thereligious leaders decided, "It is easier to kill him."

It's a procedure that's often been followed.Here we have the loud cry, the polarization, the union of

church and state, the death decree, a little time of trouble inGethsemane, a bigger time of trouble on the cross.

Christ's cross judges the worldJesus declared his cross to be the judgment of this world. Thecross divides the world into the saved and the lost, and thusprefigured the world's last day.

We are not saved by whether we have been good, or lost bywhether we have been bad. I'm saved by whether I'm in Christor not. In Christ I'm saved; out of Christ I'm lost. That's themeaning of the cross.

Christ was crucified between two thieves. He was also thedivider between one thief and the other-one called uponhim, the other cursed him.

We are all thieves. "There is no difference, for all havesinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:22-23).What makes the difference is my attitude towards the Man onthe central cross. It is not the sin question that makes thedifference; it's the Son question.

The darkness that engulfed the cross prefigured the lastgreat day of judgment. The earthquake at the moment ofChrist's death when the dead were raised (Matthew 27:52)prefigured the calling message to the multitudes to cometo the judgment seat.

And there was the King-Judge high and lifted up.

Passion Week prefigures end·time eventsBecause the events at the end of the Old Testament eraprefigure the events at the end of the New Testament era, ourbrief outline of Passion Week tells us what will happen in thelast days.

The gospel is to have its final, triumphant proclamationunder the power of the Spirit. The gospel will go to everynation, kindred, tongue, and people, as Matthew 24: 14predicted.

The day will come when the church really takes hold of thegospel. Not the "gospel" of our own subjective feelings that welove so much; but the genuine, historical, objective gospel ofScripture.

The result will be a polarized world. Some will hate thegospel and some will love it; but those who present it to theworld will be called troublers of the world.

The world is desperately trying to conserve itself. It isperilously balanced, as the fragile globe contracts everand ever smaller, becoming a neighborhood but nevera brotherhood. And in that tremulous, fearful condition,the governments of earth will be afraid of those who donot conform.

True gospel Christians will be outlawed because they refuseto bow to the king of this world (Revelation 17: 14). They haveanother king: King Jesus. Christians will be proscribed,outlawed, and threatened with death.

They will have a time of trouble such as never was, andmany will be killed. Many will be beheaded (Revelation 204)

But then will come the great day of resurrection. Then theKing of kings and Lord of lords will return. The balances ofjudgment will be adjusted. ~