Jonathan Bernis - When Will Jesus Return?
Jonathan Bernis: Shalom and welcome to Jewish Voice, I'm Jonathan Bernis, joined again by my co-host, Ezra Benjamin. And we wanna thank you for joining us today. Many are looking at everything going on around us and seeing times of confusion. People are looking for clarity, looking for purpose in their lives, looking for purpose for their children and their grandchildren, but they only see a world of problems and chaos. Ezra, the question that we wanna talk about today, will give us insight into the days that the Bible speaks about are ahead. And perhaps give us insight into the days we're living in now.
Ezra Benjamin: That's right.
Jonathan Bernis: So, the question is, when will Jesus return? Are we near the return of Jesus to this earth?
Ezra Benjamin: Right, such an important question and so much speculation around it, Jonathan. You know, all of us as believers in Jesus, it's fundamentally, it's a part of the bedrock of our world view and our hope and expectation, right? That we believe Jesus will come again to rule as the King of kings. To judge wickedness on the earth. To reign with the righteous, who will be resurrected from the dead. With those who have put their hope and their faith in him. And yet, I think Jonathan, I see two errors perhaps in how we deal with this subject of return of Jesus and the last days. One is to just stay in ignorance. To say, "Oh, it doesn't matter, you know, the Lord will work it all out. I don't need to understand anything". And so, we're ignorant of the times and seasons. And then on the other end of the spectrum we can be speculative, right. And you know, you and I have seen, I'm sure you at home have seen. You know, "Jesus is coming back in 1984. Jesus is coming back on this date in 2012". And none of those things happened.
Jonathan Bernis: Right.
Ezra Benjamin: It was all speculation. And so, the question we're gonna...
Jonathan Bernis: No man knows the day. No man knows the hour. And when we try to state with any sort of certainty that he's coming back on a specific date, it's always wrong. And the result is that people lose their faith.
Ezra Benjamin: Exactly, and yet the Lord, it actually says a number of times in the scriptures the writer of the scripture says, or the writer says, "I don't want you to be ignorant brothers and sisters. I want you to understand the times and seasons you're living in". And so, what we wanna unpack today Jonathan, is what are the scriptural anchors that we all can hold in to, so we can understand the times and seasons we're in.
Jonathan Bernis: Yeah, so, while we don't date, this is the day, this is the month or this is the hour. The Bible's very clear, "Pay attention to the season. Pay attention to the surroundings". Or you'll be indifferent. You'll grow into a state of apathy, and you'll actually get sucked into a world system that will pull you further and further away from even caring about that. And it is important. Let me make that statement. It is important to live each day as if he's returning, and to know the seasons. Men of Issachar, the Bible tells us, were wise because they understood the times.
Ezra Benjamin: That's right. That's right.
Jonathan Bernis: So, we need to understand the times.
Ezra Benjamin: You wanna be wise, understand the times and seasons. And Jonathan, people may be saying, "Well, how do you know no one can know," or "How do you know we're supposed to understand the seasons"? We see both of those principles in Matthew 24. This is Jesus, this is Yahshua, we say in Hebrew, his name means, salvation. Teaching his disciples about the times yet to come. Between the day that they were living in and when he would come again. "When the Son of Man would come," it says, "To rule and reign on earth". And Matthew 24:36 says, "But", Yahshua's saying, "But about the day or the hour no one knows", listen to this, "Not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father". Isn't that interesting?
Jonathan Bernis: It is.
Ezra Benjamin: The Father doesn't even know the time when the Father's gonna say, "Go get your bride, go rule and reign. You've earned it by your death and your resurrection". Isn't that interesting? And am thinking of in Acts 1, the disciple say, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel"? Right, this is it, you're gonna rule and reign. And he says, "It's not for you to know. It's not for you to know the times that only the Father has set in his authority". So, even in heaven, in the wisdom of the triunity of God, the Father has reserved knowledge about when he's gonna send Jesus back, so that Jesus doesn't even know it.
Jonathan Bernis: It is so interesting. Certainly, the disciples thought the time was now. "We're gonna get our reward".
Ezra Benjamin: This is it.
Jonathan Bernis: "We're gonna have our mansion along with the Sea of Galilee along kinneret". But it wasn't the time.
Ezra Benjamin: Exactly.
Jonathan Bernis: Far from it.
Ezra Benjamin: And yet, this passage also says, actually, it's a few verses before Jesus says something that sound contradictory to that, no one knows the day or the hour, but he says, "Now, learn this lesson from the fig tree:" okay, "As soon as it's twigs get tender and the leaves come out, you know that summer is near". Even so, when you see all these things, and this whole chapter and so many other passages and the gospels are Jesus saying, "Here's the things you're gonna see". And just like when you see the evidence on the fig tree, you understand the season you're about to enter when you see these things happen on earth, you understand the season we're entering.
Jonathan Bernis: Right.
Ezra Benjamin: The Son of Man is coming.
Jonathan Bernis: And again, the exhortation, pay attention to these things. These things do matter and if you wanna walk with God, you should be alert, awake and participating. So, Ezra, give us just a breakdown, there's some good, really, some good things and some not so good things in the seasons.
Ezra Benjamin: Lets go with the good first, okay.
Jonathan Bernis: I'm with ya.
Ezra Benjamin: So, one of the best things, is this idea, it's a scriptural promise. Jesus said to his disciples, "This gospel of the kingdom,'" okay? And lets pause right there. The gospel, "Evangelion" in Greek is, it literally means "The proclamation of the good news of the Messiah". So, the proclamation of the good news that we have a Savior, we have a Messiah, will be preached to all nations. And again, in the Greek there, it's all ethnos. It's not necessarily all the political nations that make up the nations of the world today. It's to every people, tribe and tongue. And it says, "And then the end will come". So, the promise Jesus is making is, "You wanna see me come back. Here's something that has to happen first. The gospel will go forth to every people, tribe and tongue on earth".
Jonathan Bernis: So, it answers a question that we're asked often, that I'm asked often. Which is, "What about all these people that have never heard before"?
Ezra Benjamin: Exactly.
Jonathan Bernis: There is a clear statement in that verse that before he returns, everyone will have the opportunity to hear in their own language.
Ezra Benjamin: Exactly, no one will be without excuse.
Jonathan Bernis: So, Ezra, there's been a lot of headway made in this area. So the gospel, so this is fulfilled or so this will be fulfilled. And the reason that this verse is so important to me personally, is because it expresses the heart of God for the lost that none should perish. That everyone should have an opportunity to embrace the gospel. And it also makes the gospel the most relevant message in the last days.
Ezra Benjamin: Exactly, and I'm thinking of the verse that says, "God isn't slow in keeping his promises". As some understand slowness, because he's not willing that any should perish but that all should come to everlasting life. "Jesus, why haven't you come back by now? Look at the world, it's going nuts". "It's because I'm not willing that any should perish. I'm giving everyone a chance". And part of that giving everyone a chance is that the good news of the Messiah, of Jesus, would come to them in a language they can understand. We're partnering with so many Bible translation and Bible scripture proclamation ministries around the world, Jonathan, and we keep hearing within a year or two the same number. People are estimating, missions experts, Bible translation experts are estimating that by the year 2033 the scriptures, gospel proclamation will exist in every language on the face of the earth. It's only a few years away. For two millennia, no one's been able to say that and yet here we are.
Jonathan Bernis: It's an amazing undertake. So this will be the first time in world history when the gospel will be available in every known tongue.
Ezra Benjamin: Exactly, and so Jesus promise begins to become 3d, doesn't it? "Lord, how could all these people on earth who speak all these different languages ever hear? We can't travel that much, we can't run that fast". And yet, here we are, we've arrived at the day.
Jonathan Bernis: Ezra, I've shared this quite a bit, but the motivation for me, the call, actually, for me to move to Russia came about on a flight home from Russia. Where the Lord spoke to me through Matthew 24:14 and he said, "The gospel must be proclaimed to every nation, to every people group". And I thought of the statement that we read in Romans 1:16, where Paul says that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to everyone who believes but it's first for the Jew. And I believe that there's a linkage with the gospel going to every nation and the gospel going to the Jew first in every nation.
Ezra Benjamin: "It's the power of God to salvation for all who believe". Romans 1:16 says. "First for the Jew," the word in Greek we know is proton. Not necessarily sequentially first, it's necessarily first. There's something in the providence of God that says, "If the good news of the Messiah goes to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, something's gonna be catalyzed among every nation in reach".
Jonathan Bernis: That was enough to draw me to actually relocate to Russia. And I believe it's a distinction of our ministry, that we go to many, many different nations, scattered nations in remote parts of the world. With the first requirement of proclaiming the gospel but we're always looking to go to the Jew first. And I think you may not know Jewish people, you may not have Jewish people in your neighborhood, or that you work with. But the gospel priority to the Jew first is part of the last days scenario of the gospel going to all nations. What happens when the Jewish people hear the gospel and respond? It brings life from the dead, it releases something for the other nations. So, I'm glad we started with this, this is first and for most, the proclamation of the gospel to every nation, everyone has an opportunity to hear the good news of eternal life before Jesus returns to this earth. We've only just started this conversation, but we need to step away for a minute. As we discuss when Jesus will return it reminds me of how urgent it is for us to continue to share the gospel with scattered Jewish communities around the world. God wants his people to return to embrace their Messiah and we wanna ask you to consider partnering with us to share Yahshua, Jesus, with these people around the world. So take a look and see how you can help us today.
Jonathan Bernis: Welcome back to the program. We're talking today about the return of Jesus. No man knows the hour. No man knows the date. In fact, Ezra's as you were saying, only the Father knows, not even the Son knows. But we should know the seasons. We don't know the time or the hour, we should be alert and aware and participating in the work of the kingdom as the season grows closer.
Ezra Benjamin: Absolutely.
Jonathan Bernis: And we talked about one specific area, which is the gospel, the good news.
Ezra Benjamin: The good news is.
Jonathan Bernis: We began with the good news, must be proclaimed to every nation, to every ethnic group, to every tongue, to every language before the end takes place. Before Jesus can return, and that's in process. You gave us a date of 2033, which in one sense is right around the corner, right.
Ezra Benjamin: Absolutely. In the scope of, in the sweep of history, right, for millennia, people passionate about seeing Jesus return. Really couldn't say with any confidence when all the people groups on the face of the earth would have heard the proclamation of the good news that Jesus is Lord and Savior. And yet, now, we can see it coming in just a few years from now. What an exciting time to be alive.
Jonathan Bernis: I think it's the clearer statement concerning the last days that exists that this gospel must be proclaimed to every people. Before the end will come. That's the clearer statement, but there's others. Take us into a couple of others.
Ezra Benjamin: And there's some not so good news, okay. In as much as the Kingdom of God is being proclaimed and there's this remnant of people from every tribe, tongue and nation being redeemed by the blood of the lamb, coming into the kingdom. Jonathan, here's also dark times coming before the last days. There's some not so good news. I'm looking here at 2 Timothy 3, and I'll just begin in verse 1 okay. Here's the not so good news, "But mark this:" Paul says to Timothy, "There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to parents," we could do a whole show on that, "Ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good," it goes on. "Treacherous, rash, conceited, lover of pleasure, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of Godliness but denying its power". And then he goes on warning Timothy, "Have nothing to do with these people". But it's specifically says, "In the last days," in essence, as we get closer to the return of Jesus to rule and reign on earth from Jerusalem, this is the condition of men, to tun further and further away from any kind of allegiance or obedience to God. I mean, it's almost, if you read this, it's a Godless society. And Jonathan many might say, "I feel like everyday in the news it's more and more of a Godless society that we live in".
Jonathan Bernis: Yeah, I think it's obvious, just about anywhere in the world you go, especially the western world. That the condition of the world is growing more evil. And there's so many examples of this. I don't know if the U.S. Is under judgement, I'm asked this a lot. But certainly, we're under some rebuke of sorts, we really have each turned our own way, to our own way. The question Ezra though, is if you look at the scope of history, is this worse than other times? Is it worst than the time of Noah?
Ezra Benjamin: Sure.
Jonathan Bernis: Is it worst than the time Abraham, where God ended up destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. And it's vile, when they arrive, when God himself arrives in the city they demand to bring out the visitor so they can actually engage in sexual activity, that's pretty disgusting. And then, of course in the time of Noah, God grieved that he had created man because the intent of man was evil all the time. So, we have a history, look at the Roman Empire, the different empires of history what's different about those periods of history than today?
Ezra Benjamin: Yah, great question, before I give you one example, I'm thinking about theses days, you know. I'm just picking up on what you shared. That same idea about the days of Noah, is also in Matthew 24, that we were teaching on just a few minutes ago, right? Jesus says, "No one knows the day or the hour but I'll tell you what it's gonna be like. It's gonna be like the days of Noah". What does Jesus mean when he says that? It says, "Men are gonna be marrying and giving in marriage". Society is gonna be going on, unaware, and yet it's a Godless society, right? As you said, God was grieve that he created man because life is going on before, while Noah's building the ark, everybody thinks things are fine, but it's a Godless society.
Jonathan Bernis: It's Godless, it's evil and it's violent.
Ezra Benjamin: Right, and one of the examples, Jonathan, is of the widespread, I'm gonna say, pressure, even demand for acceptance. That if somebody wants to change their gender that that's perfectly fine. Change your body. Make yourself from a man to a woman, a woman to a man. And why is that kind of a new level of Godlessness in society? Because I think it's a direct attack on the very nature of us as created beings. Genesis 1:27, right, God made man in his own image. In the image of God he created them, male and female, he created them. And I think that the pinnacle of evil in society is in essence to raise our fist to God and say, "You won't rule over me". And this issue of accepting changes in gender, Jonathan, is just an example of saying, it's an attack at the very bedrock of who we are.
Jonathan Bernis: Yeah, I think so too, Ezra. I think that the world's become a smaller place. And so that the condition of the world is changing more uniformly, because of media. I think the attack against the family, I think the attack against morality, biblical morality. May very well have reached the highest level and certainly in my lifetime. And I would venture to say in the history of the world with the exception of the destruction of the world. So, when we talk about seasons, again, we don't know the hour, we don't know if this is in a year of five years or ten years or whenever. But we know the season is upon us.
Ezra Benjamin: That's right. That's right. And the challenge is not to be deceived.
Jonathan Bernis: Ezra, there's a verse that, a chapter, actually, of scripture that's been going around in my head for a few months now. And I think it directly relates to this topic and it's Psalm 2, which is clearly a Messianic Psalm. And it says, "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain"? The kings of the earth. So, this is the rulers of the earth, this is the people in authority, some of them that are in the dark shadows. You hear about the illuminati and the different groups, right, there's all kinds of conspiracies. But there's no doubt that there are power brokers that are rising up against the things of God and they're plotting. "The kings of the earth rise up the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed," which of course is the Messiah.
Ezra Benjamin: Sure.
Jonathan Bernis: And the return of the Messiah and the ruling reign of Messiah. "'Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles'. The one enthroned in heaven laughs: the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 'I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain'. I will proclaim the Lord's decree: 'You are my Son: today I have become your Father'". This is a statement of fact that will come to pass. God is outside the realm of before, during or after, he's outside the realm of time. And there are evil men and women, and forces, principalities and powers that are scheming against the things of God. And I think we're seeing this, this is part of the condition of the earth. And not that it hasn't existed in history but I think there is a collaboration that is probably reached a new level of plotting against the things of God.
Ezra Benjamin: And yet the Lord laughs, 'cause he will be victorious.
Jonathan Bernis: Anew reset. Well, God has his own reset button and guess who wins? Well, Ezra and I are going to pray for your needs in just a minute. But our announcer is first gonna come on to share some incredible opportunities on how you can support Jewish Voice medical outreaches. Your giving today will allow our ministry to continue to share the gospel to scattered tribe throughout the world, the scattered tribes of Israel. So please consider partnering with us today, so we can keep these important humanitarian outreaches going. Listen to this short message and Ezra and I will be right back to pray with you.
Jonathan Bernis: You know, the closer we get to the return of the Messiah, the more evil, the more deception, the grace. So, yes, there's a lot of warfare going on, there's a lot of warfare going on right now. We're seeing it in the letters and emails we're receiving from you. A lot of challenges, the good news is, God is still on the throne, he answers prayer, he's a God who meets every need according to his riches and glory in the Messiah, and he cares about you. He cares about your family, and if you call out to him, he is there to hear. His ear is not too dull that he won't listen and he made promises in his word that he is faithful to keep. And so, we wanna agree in prayer with you. The hardest times, during the hardest times, the greatest grace abounds. Listen to what I'm just saying, okay? Listen to what I just said, the greatest grace abounds. So, we just wanna pray over you right now. We're gonna join our faith with your and declare over you salvation for your household in the name of Yahshua, in Jesus' name. Divine provision for you and your household in Jesus name. Healing, health, wholeness for your physical body. Health and wholeness for your emotions. Health and wholeness for your spiritual condition. Restoration of faith and hope and zeal for the things of God. Fight the good fight of faith, I declare it over you, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Because in the end if you persevere, you will win. You will win, in Jesus' name, in the name of Yahshua. Now, if you'd like more information about our ministry, you can log on to our website, it's jewishvoice.tv. You can also send us your prayer request right on our website. Our team her at Jewish Voice is committed to reading your prayer request, praying for you by name and we believe in the power of prayer. We care about you, but more importantly, God cares about you. As we close our program today, Ezra and I wanna remind you to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, this is something we're all called to do. The Lord exhorts us, pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the declares, "May the prosper who love thee". So, please, pray for Israel and the Jewish people today they're tied to your redemption. Until next time this Jonathan Bernis and Ezra Benjamin saying shalom and God bless you