Zechariah and Malachi
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Let’s conclude with two final prophets, beginning with Zechariah: “…and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with you…And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And theLORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and His name one” (Zechariah 14:5, 8-9).
The kingdom of God arrives at the same time Christ comes with the saints. This passage highlights one of the first things God does and describes the entire earth under His authority.
Let’s conclude by examining from Malachi one final familiar passage, perhaps quoted by Mr. Armstrong as many as any other near the end of his life: “Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, He shall come, says the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appears? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness” (Malachi 3:1-3).
No question this prophecy speaks of events at Christ’s Return.
All the “Minor” Prophets
With the exceptions of Jonah and Nahum (who both would have preached the gospel outside of their books, which were both directed against Assyria), it can be easily demonstrated that every one of the Minor Prophets preached the kingdom of God in one way or another.
Of course, we have seen that the phrase “gospel of the kingdom of God” is not the only way of describing this message, as Genesis 12:3, Galatians 3:8 and quotes like Habakkuk’s demonstrate. But each of these Old Testament servants preached what the New Testament describes as “the gospel.”
Taking the time to read from all these prophets should deepen your conviction about the Great Commission of which so many have at least partially lost sight.
Peter Was Correct!
The apostle Peter knew what he was talking about: “God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). Other prophets referenced in Scripture (and apparently all others God may have used) would have announced the kingdom of God.
Another point arises from Acts 3 ALL. Recall it stated, “God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets…” The gospel is a message from God through whatever human servant He is using—prophet, patriarch, judge, preacher of righteousness, king or apostle. God always spoke the SAME MESSAGE through whomever He used!
Now take a moment to internalize the big picture. Meditate on what you have learned from the Old Testament. God’s servants ALL do the SAME THING, and we will see this means Old Testament and New. They describe the coming of a world-ruling supergovernment under Jesus Christ and the resurrected, Spirit-born saints.
Yet, before going to the New Testament, we must at least briefly pause and recognize that a fundamental change occurred with the arrival of Christ’s Church, as per the kingdom of God. Notice that God’s servants emphasized in their personal teaching something else: “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it” (Luke 16:16).
The responsibility to formally announce God’s kingdom to the whole world, including preaching about it, did not begin until Christ and the apostles came on the scene. Prior to their arrival, the emphasis was always on the meaning of the law and the prophets, with God’s coming government emphasized within that framework.
Christ and the Apostles
So then we arrive at the New Testament. Obviously, and this is included for the record, Jesus preached the kingdom of God throughout His ministry. No true Christian doubts this. Mark 1:14-15 states, “Now after that John [the Baptist] was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the GOSPEL of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the GOSPEL.”
These very first recorded New Testament words describing Jesus’ message—and ministry!—and what was the gospel!—firmly establish His personal commission—“Jesus…came preaching…the kingdom of God.”
There is not space here to demonstrate that the theme of Christ’s ministry never wavered! Other materials referenced do this.
Luke 10:1, 9 record that Jesus sent 70 men (not apostles, and not even converted) to preach the kingdom of God. In other words, He allowed at least 82 unconverted disciples—including the 12 who went on to become apostles—to preach the gospel! (It is at least worth stating that Jesus had previously made it clear these menwere apostles.) Of course, the book of Acts records throughout that the then converted apostles continued preaching the kingdom of God after the Church was built.
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