This is our twelfth study. Please click HERE for an intro to this study. Today we will focus on the meaning of the parable of the landowner.
Matthew 21:33-46
33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
Observations
This parable speaks to the Jews as nation and particularity to the Jewish leaders, the Pharisees who killed the prophets (the servants) and would kill Jesus (the Son). The verdict given by the Pharisees upon the vine-growers (vs. 41) was a verdict made upon themselves. Yes, they who were the vine-growers in the parable convicted themselves. The other tenants who would be given the vineyard (or the kingdom) would be the church (v. 41, 43). So, this parable speaks prophetically about the end of the Jewish program and the beginning of the church (Rom. 11). The stone whom the builders rejected would be Christ (v. 42). The Pharisees were not stupid. They understood that Jesus was speaking about them and they wanted to kill Him.
Applications
The obvious application for me that I see is in verse 43. I am part of the church and my purpose is to produce fruit.
First, I will define what I mean byThe Evil Powers. Chiefly, it is Satan, the devil. Under him it is all the demons—the evil fallen angels. Then under them it is the evil people that follow and are controlled by Satan. They call themselves the “elite.” Most of them are billionaires. And they are always pushing for more money and more power. They are that group that is calling for the “Great Reset,” which will ultimately develop into world control by one leader.
Also, the reason why my title is on “America” instead of the world is because America is now the focus. And that is because they (the evil powers) reason that in order to control the world they will have to reduce the power of all nations; and that means that America will have to be knocked down a few notches—reduced in power and influence, until they are ready to be controlled.
Now here is what inspired me to write this post. I have been seeing so much evidence lately of things happening that would suggest that evil powers are at work to destroy our freedoms and our strength as Americans. Here are a few.
All things related to Covid-19
Oh, The Evil Powers were all over this. And if they didn’t cause Covid-19, they certainly knew how to use it to their advantage. We have seen how Dr. Fauci and others have set the Covid rules and put us all under a cloud of fear. And most of our governors have fell right in line with it, some telling us that mask wearing will be a permanent thing. And many are using their position of power to close small businesses—while the large businesses are allowed to remain open. And the most tragic thing is that churches have been forced to restrict the size of their congregation; and some have had to close.
The thing that bothers me most is how the media keeps advertising all the Covid deaths every day on TV. This is all for a purpose: to keep us under a cloud of fear, and to condition us to be controlled, so that we will be more and more submissive—submissive to a future dictator!
The Chauvin trial
I constantly ask myself the question: why is this so news worthy? It is always on the front page of the newspaper. And now the trial is on every major TV channel. Ironically, I don’t think that most people are that interested in watching it. Most people are sick of it. So why is it advertised so much? It is because The Evil Powers want it on. They are pushing it. They want Americans to watch it. Why? Because they know that it is inspiring racism and a hatred for the police—which will ultimately break down America’s power structure and morality.
Books
Americans have always been readers of books. And the Evil Powers know that. I like to browse the book stores in search of books I would like to read. And I have been noticing lately that many of the good books of truth are disappearing off the shelves and are being replaced by books that are lying to us.
Let me give you one example of this. Just a few months ago during the Trump administration I would see so many good, truthful books about the good side of Donald Trump and also books on the “Hoax.” Now all that is reversed. You will see almost none of those books, but instead the shelves are packed with books telling lies about Trump and also so many books on the Obama’s and the smiling Harris. So, you get the point. And it is interesting that whenever you see an Obama book or a Harris book or a _____ book on the shelves, it’s not just one or two of them. The book stores will put out a dozen or more. Why? Do they think the public really wants to read that book that much? Well, it is my guess that they put out the books they want you to read, not because they think you are interested in reading them. Conversely, they are removing the books they don’t want you to read—the books that are true.
But the book store people—the owners and the managers—are controlled by The Evil Powers. And they control what books they want you to read. And don’t you know that they don’t want you to know the truth. They want you to believe a lie. They want to deceive you and control you. And one of the best ways to do it is through what you read.
Be on your guard Americans.Look and see what is happening. Be on your guard against what is false and what is true. And the best book to read for truth is the Bible. Don’t let the devil fool you. Be filled with the Spirit—He is the Spirit of Truth.
We have been talking about what will go on on earth in the millennial kingdom of God. Things will be very different then than they are now. God’s people the Jews will be totally in charge and, strangely, you will see worship somewhat like it was back in Old Testament times. And the Jews (and some Gentiles) in Jerusalem will worship in the millennial temple. There are several items that have always been in the former temples and that were part of the Mosaic system of worship that will no longer be used in the millennial temple and system of worship. And this is understandable, for some of the former things such as the ark and the veil were designed to shut out people and protect them from the wrath of God against sins; but now (and forever), since we are under the new covenant, we may approach the throne of…
The land will be divided into three portions. In the northern section the land will be allotted to the tribes of Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Judah, in that order from north to south (Ezek. 48:1-7). In the southern section the land will be allotted to Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun and Gad, in that order (Ezek. 48:23-27).
The section in the middle will be known as the holy district. As you see on the map below
in the center of this area will be a square shaped parcel of land, 25,000 cubits square (or 8 1/3 miles square). This area, as you see, is divided into three sections. …
Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was very content during a trip to Turkey on Friday. He said it was productive and smiled alongside his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. He said it was a “wonderful” trip where he spoke with his “brother Cavusoglu.”
The trip signals the growing alliance that Turkey and Iran have in the region.
Zarif said: “As before, constructive engagement on bilateral and regional issues. Ultimate aim: Apply Iran and Turkey’s experience of 400 years of peace to our region. Together, anything is possible.”
In the above article on Koening’s World Watch Daily, originally from The Jerusalem Post, the picture above tells much more than most people would think. It is a sign of the coming Ezekiel 38-39 war against Israel. As the map below shows, this war will be an invasion of Israel from the three countries mentioned, Russia, Turkey and Iran, plus three other countries further south: Libya, Sudan and Ethiopia.
Many think that this war\invasion will happen just before or after the Rapture of the church—but more likely after it. Read Ezekiel 38-39 (below) to get the full impact of the dramatic event. And notice the outcome: God gets a glorious victory and Israel is not harmed.
Ezekiel 38-39
The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him 3 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army — your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. 5 Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops — the many nations with you.
7 “‘Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. 8 After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. 9 You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.
10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. 11 You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people — all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. 12 I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.” 13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?” ‘
14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? 15 You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. 16 You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.
17 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Are you not the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel? At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. 18 This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord. 19 In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 20 The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22 I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. 23 And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’
Chapter 39
“Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 2 I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. 3 Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. 4 On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. 5 You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. 6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the Lord.
7 “‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel. 8 It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. This is the day I have spoken of.
9 “‘Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up — the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel. 10 They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign Lord.
11 “‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east toward the Sea. It will block the way of travelers, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon Gog.
12 “‘For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. 13 All the people of the land will bury them, and the day I am glorified will be a memorable day for them, declares the Sovereign Lord.
14 “‘Men will be regularly employed to cleanse the land. Some will go throughout the land and, in addition to them, others will bury those that remain on the ground. At the end of the seven months they will begin their search. 15 As they go through the land and one of them sees a human bone, he will set up a marker beside it until the gravediggers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. 16 (Also a town called Hamonah will be there.) And so they will cleanse the land.’
17 “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Call out to every kind of bird and all the wild animals: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrifice I am preparing for you, the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. 18 You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls — all of them fattened animals from Bashan. 19 At the sacrifice I am preparing for you, you will eat fat till you are glutted and drink blood till you are drunk. 20 At my table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,’ declares the Sovereign Lord.
21 “I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them. 22 From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. 23 And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. 24 I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.
25 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. 26 They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. 27 When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations. 28 Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. 29 I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
The government in the millennium will be a theocracy—a government ruled by God. But as with all things on the earth, God the Father delegates His rulership to God the Son. Daniel 7:13-14 shows us this delegation.
“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14 “And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.
Whether Jesus Christ will actually occupy a throne on the earth in Palestine, some believe that, though Christ will reign over the earth as our King, the resurrected and glorified…
This is our ninth study on this topic. Please click HERE for an intro to this study. Today we will focus on how Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for not being able in interpret the signs of the times, and how many of us can’t do it either.
Matthew 16:1-4
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.
Observations
The Pharisees seemed to be obsessed with miracles—that Jesus had to prove Himself by miracles. This was the second time they asked Jesus to show them a sign. The first time was in Matthew 12:38.
Jesus rebuked them for being so concerned with miracles, that they should first be able to read the signs of the times all around them. That is, to know who He was, to understand how people were rejecting Him, and how prophecy was being fulfilled right in front of their eyes.
Jesus again, as in Matthew 12, gives them the sign of Jonah, which was through Jonah a foretelling of and the miracle of His resurrection on the third day.
Applications
So many people today can’t read the signs of the times. So many have no idea what is happening or what will happen. It comes only to those who study bible prophecy. Many don’t even realize their own sin; they don’t read in the bible about sin and how sin begins and grows like a cancer (read Romans 1:24-32). Then they don’t realize how world events are falling into place, telling us that His coming is very soon. Of course, they don’t realize it because they don’t read the prophetical books in the bible. Some people don’t even bother to watch the world news on TV, or read the paper. They maybe don’t want to know what’s going on. They just want to be left along with their games and entertainment and pleasing themselves.
We should look around more and see all the transvestites and the queers, etc., and so to discern our times. We should also look at some of our politicians and see all the corruption and lying, and then to discern how things will end.
God wants us to be aware of things going on, and He wants us to know something of the future—both good and bad—which He has written out for us in His word.
We don’t know exactly how the millennial kingdom will be set up—by what method and how long it will take. But we do have some details in the scriptures of some key parts of the kingdom and what that kingdom will look like. Here are five stages to the set up of the kingdom:
1. The government will be installed. The government in the millennium will be a theocracy—a government ruled by God. But as with all things on the earth, God the Father delegates His rulership to God the Son. Daniel 7:13-14 shows us this delegation.
“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14 “And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples…
Just after the seven years of tribulation are completed, Christ will come to the earth, to a place called Armageddon where all the armies of the worlds will come together for war. Here is how the book of Revelation describes what will happen.
Revelation 19:11-21
And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.
Just at the time that Christ comes to this earth to set up His kingdom, at the crucial time when all the nations of the earth are gathered together for war at a place called Armageddon (Rev. 16:16), He will gather together all the elect—all those who will be a part of the coming kingdom.
Matthew 24:29-31
But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, 30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a…
Stephen Nielsen 