March 11th - Age Five - The Formation of the Body of Christ - Romans through Philemon

After the leaders of Israel had rejected Jesus as the Messiah for the second time, it was revealed to the Apostle Paul that the body of Christ (church/ecclesia)would include people from all nations. 

"...to the ecclesia of God which is in Corinth, hallowed in Christ Jesus, called saints, together with all in every place who are invoking the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 1:2)

"Now you are the body of Christ..." (1 Corinthians 12:27)

"...Christ is the Head of the ecclesia." (Ephesians 5:23)

This joint and united group of believers from all nations, the body of Christ, had been kept secret until revealed to the Apostle Paul. The Greek word for church is "ecclesia" and simply means "called out".
  
"On this behalf I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you, the nations since you surely hear of the administration of the grace of God that is given to me for you, for by revelation THE SECRET is made known to me (according as I write before, in brief, by which you who are reading are able to apprehend my understanding in THE SECRET of the Christ, which, in other generations, is not made known to the sons of humanity as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets): in spirit the nations are to be joint enjoyers of an allotment, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus, through the good news of which I became the dispenser, in accord with the gratuity of the grace of God, which is granted to me in accord with His powerful operation." (Ephesians 1:1-7)

The Apostle Paul had the primary responsibility of delivering this good news to all nations of the world and refers to himself as the apostle to the nations.

"To me, less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the good news of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of THE SECRET which has been concealed from the past eons in God." (Ephesians 3:8-9)

The body of Christ is made up of people of all ethnic backgrounds and genders. The members do not join anything, but are placed in the body by God when they hear and believe the good new of what Jesus has done for them. 

"Yet now God placed the members, each one of them, in the body according as He wills." (1 Corinthians 12:18)

Members of the body can be identified by what they believe about Jesus. All in the body believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for the sins of the world, and was raised to life.

“Now I am making known to you, brethren, the good news which I bring to you, which also you accepted, in which also you stand, through which also you are saved, if you are retaining what I said in bringing the good news to you, outside and except you only pretended to believe. For I give over to you among the first what also I accepted, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He has been roused the third day according to the scriptures.”  (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

The destiny of the body of Christ is to be a display of God's love, mercy and grace in saving humanity, all having fallen short of the glory of God. 

"God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!) and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus, that, in the oncoming ages, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting." (Ephesians 2:4-9)

That sinful humanity would become "holy and flawless" was determined by God before the world was created. God will transform all sinners into believing saints. Doing so magnifies His love and grace.

"...He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight, in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, for the laud of the glory of His grace..." (Ephesians 1:4-6)

Membership in the body of Christ has nothing to do with obedience to the things required in the law given Israel, or the things required in the institutional churches of our modern era. Membership is solely the achievement of God apart from any works of humanity.

"For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God makes ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

Again, God had kept this a "secret" from humanity until it was revealed to the Apostle Paul almost two thousand years ago. 

"I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you, the nations - since surely you hear of the administration of the grace of God that is given me for you, for by revelation THE SECRET is made know to me...which, in other generations, is not made known to the sons of humanity." (Ephesians 3:1-5)

March 10th - The Ascension of Jesus and the Hardening of Israel - Acts 1:4 through Acts 28

When Jesus came the first time He presented Himself to Israel as their Messiah and was rejected. The leaders had Him crucified by the Roman government but God raised Him from the dead. Forty days later Jesus ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God. 

"And saying these things, while they are looking, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him up from their eyes." (Acts 1:9)

"This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven."  (Acts 1:11)

Ten days later, on the Jewish festival day of Pentecost, the disciples received power from God to boldly go tell all Israel that the resurrected and crucified Jesus is their Lord and Messiah (Christ). The Apostle Peter told them...

"This Jesus God raises, of Whom we all are witnesses. Being, then, to the right hand of God exalted...Let all the house of Israel know certainly, then, that God makes Him Lord as well as Christ - this Jesus Whom you crucify!" (Acts 2:32-33)

Peter then told them to repent and be baptized. If the people of Israel did so, God would send Jesus back to complete the restoration of the kingdom of Israel on earth... 

"Repent and be baptized, each of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the pardon of your sins"..."the Inaugurator of Life you kill, Whom God rouses from among the dead, of which we are witnesses...And now, brethren, I am aware that in ignorance you commit it, even as your chiefs also. Yet what God announces before through the mouth of all the prophets - the suffering of Christ - He thus fulfills.  Repent, then, and turn about for the erasure of your sins, so that the seasons of refreshing should be coming from the face of the Lord, and He should dispatch the One fixed upon before you, Christ Jesus, Whom heaven must indeed receive until the times of restoration of all which God speaks through the mouth of His holy prophets who are from the age." (Acts 2:38; 3:15-21)

The book of Acts records that Israel again rejected Peter's message and the result is that the nation of Israel is now in a state of unbelief until Jesus returns. Paul would later explain...

"For I am not willing for you to be ignorant of this secret, brethren, lest you may be passing for prudent among yourselves, that callousness, in part, on Israel has come, until the complement of the nations may be entering. And thus all Israel shall be saved, according as it is written, arriving out of Zion shall be the Rescuer. He will be turning away irreverence from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them whenever I should be eliminating their sins." (Romans 11:25-27)

Paul further explained that until Israel repented and embraced Jesus as the Messiah, the gospel of salvation would be taken to the other nations of the world.This has been going on for almost two thousand years.

"Let it be known to you, then, that to the nations was dispatched this salvation of God, and they will hear."  (Acts 28:28)

Even though Israel as a nation has rejected Jesus for now, God has always reserved for Himself a remnant of faithful believers among the Jews.

"Yet I will let remain in Israel 7,000, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal." (1 Kings 19:18)

"Thus, then, in the current era also, there has come to be a remnant according to the choice of grace." (Romans 11:5) 

When Jesus returns He will restore the kingdom of Israel on this Earth. The nation of Israel will again be established and Jesus will reign over this Earth for 1,000 years. The believers of Israel will be the priests of God during this time with Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords.

"And I perceived heaven open, and lo! a white horse. And He Who is sitting on it is called "Faithful and True," and in righteousness is He judging and battling. Now His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, having names written of which no one except Himself is aware, and He is clothed in a cloak dipped in blood, and His name is called "The Word of God." And the armies in heaven, dressed in cambric, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. And out of His mouth a sharp blade is issuing, that with it He should be smiting the nations. And He will be shepherding them with an iron club. And He is treading the wine trough of the "fury of the indignation of God, the Almighty. And on His cloak and on His thigh He has a name written: "King of kings and Lord of lords." (Revelation 19:11-16)

"Happy and holy is he who is having part in the former resurrection! Over these the second death has no jurisdiction, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will be reigning with Him the thousand years." (Revelation 20:6)

March 9th - Age Five From the Birth of Jesus to His Crucifixtion and Resurrection

"The scroll of the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham...from the Babylonian exile till the Christ are fourteen generations..." (Matthew 1:1-17)

Anno Domini (AD) means "in the year of the incarnation of our Lord" according to its inventor. So, AD begins in the year that Jesus, the Son of God, was born to save Israel and the whole world from its sin.  To do so, the Son of God became a Man.  

"The Father has dispatched His Son, the Savior of the world." (1 John 4:14-15)

He was born of a young virgin of Israel who had been miraculously impregnated by the power of God. 

"Lo! the virgin shall be pregnant and shall be bringing forth a Son, and they shall be calling His name Emmanuel, which is, being construed, God with us" (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23) 

"At the espousal of His mother, Mary, to Joseph, ere their coming together, she was found pregnant by holy spirit." (Matthew 1:18)

An angel appeared to her fiancee Joseph and instructed him to name the child Jesus which means "Yahweh our salvation".

"...that which is being generated in her is of holy spirit. Now she shall be bringing forth a Son, and you shall be calling his name Jesus, for He shall be saving His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the whole world. He was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Nazareth, both small towns in the land of Israel. After reaching the age of thirty He begin His ministry to announce the restoration of the kingdom of Israel on Earth which was and still is held in the heavens for them. His message to Israel was one of repentance and preparation.

"Thenceforth begins Jesus to be heralding and saying, Repent! for near is the kingdom of the heavens."  (Matthew 4:17)

He chose twelve Jewish men to follow him and for several years they traveled around the land of Israel, confirming that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah by performing many miracles among the people of Israel. In spite of that, the Jewish religious leaders - called the Sanhedrin - rejected Him, arrested him, and sentenced Him to death for the blasphemy of claiming to be the Son of God.

"...the chief priest said to Him, I exorcise you by the living God that you may tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.  Saying to him is Jesus, You say it! Moreover I am saying to you, Henceforth you shall be seeing the Son of Humanity sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the chief priest tears his garments, saying that He blasphemes!" (Matthew 26:63-65)

The Sanhedrin handed Him over to the Romans to be crucified. This occurred on the preparation day for the annual Jewish Passover festival. He died on the cross around 3:00 PM as the final sacrifice for the sins of Israel and the "whole world".

"...yet now, once, at the conclusion of the eons, for the repudiation of sin through His sacrifice, is He manifest." (Hebrews 9:26)

"Lo! I am arriving to do Thy will, O God!...This One, when offering one sacrifice for sins, is seated to a finality at the right hand of God, waiting furthermore until His enemies may be placed as a footstool for His feet. For by one approach present He has perfected to a finality those who are hallowed." (Hebrews 10:9, 12-14)

"And He is the propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins, yet not concerned with ours only, but concerned with the whole world also." (1 John 2:2)

On Saturday at sunset, the third day after Jesus died, having been in the tomb three days and three nights, God brought Him back to life.

"Now, answering, the messenger said to the women, "Fear you not! For I am aware that you are seeking Jesus, the Crucified. He is not here, for He was roused, according as He said. Hither! Perceive the place where the Lord lay. And, swiftly going, say to His disciples that He was roused from the dead." (Matthew 28:5-7)

He spent another 40 days among the Jewish believers speaking to them about the Kingdom of God. 

"He presents Himself alive after His suffering, with many tokens, during forty days, being visualized to them and telling them that which concerns the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:3)

March 8th - Age Five from Moses to the birth of Jesus - Exodus through Malachi

After Israel became slaves in Egypt God prepared a plan to deliver them. Moses was born in a time when the Egyptian Pharaoh had ordered all male Israelite children be killed at birth. He was delivered from death by the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh and raised in the palace. When he was about 40 years old he tried to help the slaves, and in the process killed an Egyptian. To avoid the wrath of Pharaoh he fled to the land of Midian where he became a shepherd of the flocks of a man named Jethro, who became his father-in-law.

"As for Moses, he had become a shepherd of the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian." (Exodus 3:1)

At the age of 80, God appeared to him and told Him to return to Egypt and tell the new Pharaoh to release  Israel from their slavery. Moses was to bring them to Mount Sinai to meet with Yahweh. Moses argued that he was not a good speaker so God sent Aaron, Moses's brother, to help do the talking.

"Is there not Aaron, the Levite, your brother? I know that he can speak, yea speak...You will speak to him and place the words in his mouth. And I shall come to be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will direct both of you as to what you shall do." (Exodus 4:14-15)

After many plagues from Yahweh upon the Egyptians, Pharaoh let Israel leave Egypt. Shortly after they left, Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his army to bring them back. God parted the Red Sea to allow Israel to cross over to the other side, and then destroyed the Egyptian army when they tried to follow.

"When the horses of Pharaoh had entered with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, then Yahweh returned the waters of the sea over them. Yet the sons of Israel, they had gone on dry ground in the midst of the sea!" (Exodus 15:19)

When Israel arrived at Mount Sinai Yahweh gave them ten commandments. Yahweh promised He would bless them if they obeyed those commandments and they all agreed to obey.

"So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and he placed before them all these words which Yahweh had instructed him. Now all the people responded together and said: All that Yahweh speaks we shall do." (Exodus 19:7-8)

Despite their promise, Israel disobeyed the first commandment in less than 40 days. Yahweh then gave Moses more laws for them to obey including the laws regarding how disobedience was to be dealt with. Jewish rabbis identify 613 laws given Moses for Israel to obey which included animal sacrifice to atone for their sins. Aaron and his sons were made priests to administer the law.

After Moses died, Joshua became the leader of Israel. Under his leadership Israel took possession of some of the land Yahweh had promised and divided it among twelve tribes. 

Yahweh raised up Samuel as both a judge and prophet to speak for Him. In time Israel demanded that Samuel appoint a King to rule over them. Their first King was Saul but because of his sin Yahweh took the kingdom away from Saul and Yahweh Himself chose a young sheperd named David to be king.

"And he sends, and brings him in (David), and he is ruddy, with beauty of eyes, and of good appearance; and Yahweh said, `Rise, anoint him, for this is he. And Samuel takes the horn of oil, and anoints him in the midst of his brethren, and prosper over David does the Spirit of Yahweh from that day and onwards." (1 Samuel 16:12-13)

King David made Jerusalem the capital of the united tribes of Israel. His son Solomon became King after David and built a Temple for God in Jerusalem. There was 480 years from the exodus from Egypt to the building of the Temple.

After the death Solomon, Israel split up and became two nations, ten of the tribes if Israel retained the name Israel (sometimes called Ephraim) and the other two tribes were called Judah 

During the reign of their Kings God raised up prophets to speak the word of God to the people. but the people rarely did what they were instructed. Over and over their enemies would enslave them because of their disobedience to the laws given Moses. Then they would cry out to Yahweh and in His mercy He would deliverer them.

The kings of Israel and Judah reigned over the promised land for a total 419 years from the start of the construction of the Temple, but because of their continued unfaithfulness God allowed the Assyrians to conquer the ten tribes of Israel, and some years later the Babylonians attacked Judah, and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. The Assyrians and the Babylonians removed most of the people out of the promised land, scattering them across their empires. 

The Babylonian captivity lasted 70 years. During the later part of that 70 years the prophet Daniel lamented their unfaithfulness to Yahweh while he was in Babylon reading from the words of the prophets...

"We have sinned, and we have been depraved: we have acted wickedly and have revolted; we have withdrawn from your instructions and from Your ordinances, and we have not hearkened to your servants the prophets...all the people of Israel, the near and the far, in all the lands where you have expelled them for their offenses with which they offend You. With You, O Yahweh, is righteousness, yet with us is shame of face: with our kings, with our chiefs, with our fathers, since we have sinned against you." (Daniel 9:5-7)

After his prayer, Yahweh told Daniel that there would come a time when He would put an end to Israel's sin and give them a faithful leader. Daniel was told that it would happen over a period of seventy sevens beginning when they were allowed to return to Jerusalem. After those seventy sevens their sin would come to an end and their Messiah would be anointed.

"Seventy sevens are segregated for your people and for your holy city: to detain transgression, to make sin come to an end, to make a propitiatory shelter for depravity; to bring the righteousness of the eons, to seal the vision and the prophetic word, to anoint the holy of holies." (Daniel 9:24)

Many people today believe the seventy sevens are 490 years which began with the end of the Babylonian captivity when a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem and its Temple. Daniel was told that after sixty-nine of those sevens (483 years) the Messiah would be born and rejected.

"Now you should know and be intelligent: From the going forth of the word to cause a return and to rebuild Jerusalem - from then until Messiah the Governor is seven sevens, and sixty-two sevens...After the sixty-two sevens, Messiah shall be cut off, and there will be no adjudication for Him." (Daniel 9:25-26)

The final seven is yet to be fulfilled. Daniel was told that it would begin with a covenant negotiated by a world leader between many nations, most likely including an agreement between Israel and its enemies.

"Then he will master a covenant with many for one seven..." (Daniel 9:27)

When the final seven years of Daniel's prophecy ends it will bring Age Five to a close.

March 7th - Age Five from Jacob to Egyptian slavery - Genesis 25 through Genesis 50

Isaac had twin sons named Esau and Jacob. God chose Isaac’s son Jacob to confirm the covenant He had made with Abraham and Isaac in a dream.

"He dreamed, and behold, there was a stairway set earthward, with its top touching the heavens...And behold, Yahweh was standing up over him and said: I am Yahweh Elohim of your Father Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac...the land on which you are lying down, to you I shall give it and to your seed. And your seed will become like the soil grains of the land...All the families of the ground will be blessed in you and in your seed." (Genesis 28:12-14) 

God later changed Jacob's name to Israel.

"Elohim appeared to Jacob again...and Elohim blessed him.  Elohim said  to him: Your name is Jacob; yet your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but rather Israel, it shall be your name." (Genesis 35:9-10)

Jacob's sons became the leaders of twelve tribes who together form the nation of Israel. Their names, in the order of their age, are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. 

Joseph was Jacob's favorite. That angered his older brothers so they sold him into slavery and Joseph was taken to Egypt. However, God blessed him there, and in time he became second in line to the Egyptian Pharaoh after interpreting a dream Pharaoh had about a great famine that was coming upon the land.

"Pharaoh further said to Joseph: See! I have set you today over all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 41:41)

Eventually, Jacob moved to Egypt with his family because of the great famine. There were about seventy of them at that time. They were welcomed by Pharaoh and given some of Pharaoh's best land to live on and tend to his livestock. Joseph forgave his older brothers when he realized that what they had done was part of Elohim's plan to save them from the famine.

"Then Joseph said to his brothers...I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold to Egypt.  And now do not be grieved nor let it be hot in your eyes that you sold me hither...Elohim sent me on before you to set up for you a remnant on earth and to preserve lives for you in a great deliverance...So  now, not you sent me here, but the One Elohim..." (Genesis 45:4-8)

During their time in Egypt their numbers increased greatly until they had become a great nation of more than a million people. Because of their great numbers, another Egyptian Pharaoh feared them and made them his slaves.

"Then a new king rose over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph...Hence they placed over them chiefs of tributary service that they might humiliate them with their burdens." (Exodus 1:8-11)

March 6th - Age Five From Babel to Abraham and Isaac - Genesis 7:25 to Genesis 21:2-3

Age Five began with God scattering humanity over the Earth and we are still living in Age Five today.

Although the bible gives the genealogical records of the three sons of Noah - Ham, Shem and Japheth - most of the Old Testament is the history of only one family from the line of Shem, the family of Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob. Twelve sons of Jacob became the nation of Israel.

Abraham was born in a place called Ur, east of the modern land of Israel in modern day Iraq. After his father Terah died, Abraham moved into the land called Canaan where God told him he would become a great nation and be a blessing to all other nations.

"Then Terah died in Charan.  Yahweh said to Abram: Go by yourself from your land, from your kindred and from your Father's house to the land that I shall show you.  I shall make you into a great nation, and I will bless you...In you shall all the families of the ground will be blessed." (Genesis 11:32-12:3)

Abraham and Sarah had their son Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarai was 90 years old.

"So Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which Elohim had spoken to him.  And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore for him, Isaac." (Genesis 21:2-3)

Because Abraham believed God could do the impossible, Abraham is referred to as the father of everyone who has faith in what God says. 

"Abraham believes God, and it is reckoned to him for righteousness. Know, consequently, that those of faith, these are sons of Abraham. Now the scripture, perceiving before that God is justifying the nations by faith, brings before an evangel to Abraham, that in you shall all the nations be blessed." (Galatians 3:6-9)

Jesus is the descendent who blesses all people by taking away the sin of the world.

"The scroll of the lineage of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham." (Matthew 1:1)

"Lo! the Lamb of God Which is taking away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

"For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and mankind, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for all..."  (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

March 5th - Age Four - From the Ark to Babel - Genesis 8:15 to Genesis 11:9

After the waters of the flood subsided, Noah, his family, and the animals came off the boat to begin Age Four.  

"All flesh that had been moving on the earth had deceased, of the flyer, of the domestic beast, of the wild animal, of every swarming thing swarming on the earth, and every human."  (Genesis 7:21)

God promised Noah He would never again destroy the earth by a flood of water, even though the heart of humanity would continue to be evil. Rainbows are a reminder of that promise.

"Yahweh Elohim said in His heart: Not anymore will I maledict again the ground on account of humanity, for the bent of the human heart is evil from its youth. And not anymore will I smite again every living flesh, just as I have done. In the future, for all the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, cold and warmth, summer and winter, day and night, they shall not cease." (Genesis 8:21-22)

"My rainbow have I set in the a cloud, and it will be for a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth." (Genesis 9:13)

The names of the three sons of Noah on the boat with him are Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

"...the sons of Noah who came forth from the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth...These three were Noah's sons, and from these the entire earth became inhabited." (Genesis 9:18-19)

God told Noah and his sons to fill the earth. They disobeyed and stayed in the area where the Ark came to rest (modern day Turkey). Eventually a man named Nimrod built the first cities and established the first government and religion of humanity in the city known as Babel. He began to build a great tower into heaven instead of spreading over the Earth. So God forced them to spread over the earth by confusing their language.

"And Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So Yahweh dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth." (Genesis 11:6-9)

The distribution over the whole earth began in the days of a man named Peleg. 

"Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means “division”), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups..."(Genesis 10:25; 1 Chronicles 1:19)

"From one human He made every nation of humanity, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands." (Acts 17:26)

The judgment from God upon Babel and the spreading of humans over the earth according to their separate languages ended Age Four