The purpose of this 10-lesson series on The Great Commission, is that we know & can explain that The Great Commission that is recorded in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20, and Acts 1, was given exclusively to the nation of Israel, & NOT the Church, Body of Christ.
We know that the word “Gentile” has been “a stumbling block” in the minds of believers. Because of erroneous teaching, everywhere we see “Gentile,” it is assumed to be associated with the dispensation of Gentile grace. WRONG!!! Israel’s program has Gentile salvation in view, but not until the “last days,” “Ages to Come,” when God shall establish His Kingdom on this earth.
Jesus was preparing the 12 apostles in the climactic stage (turning point), the 40 days between His resurrection and His ascension. He was preparing them for “The Blessing (salvation) of the Gentiles” in the “last day’s”(FUTURE) in the accordance with Abrahamic covenant {Gen. 12: 1-3).
But we, who “rightly divide the word of truth,” know that this Dispensation of Gentile Grace in which we now live, and move, and have our being, is the program God commissioned to Apostle Paul when God interrupted, (put on hold, suspended), Israel’s program, and started forming the “one new man,” CBOC, made up of Jew and Gentile. The Dispensation of Gentile Grace is NOT the same as “The Blessing (salvation) of the Gentiles” in the last days when Christ gives the Kingdom to Israel, and Gentiles shall be saved! So please, NEVER confuse the two progams!! (Acts 9:1-6; Eph. 2:15; Rom. 11:26).
Apostle Paul makes this crystal clear in Romans chapters 9, 10, and 11 (in the third cornerstone of dispensational change). Paul wrote these chapters because he did not want members of the church, body of Christ to be ignorant of what God is doing today in the dispensation of grace. Paul wants us members of B.O.C. to understand and appreciate what God has done with Israel. God’s program with Israel is temporarily in Abeyance (postponed,) set aside), and we live in a new and different dispensation formerly kept secret, a mystery
God is dealing with us Gentiles today in the Dispensation of Gentile Grace due to Israel’s fall (Romans 11:11). And in spite of Israel’s defiance, and unbelief. God is forming the one new man, CBOC, so making peace between Jew and Gentile, by a different gospel than the gospel of the Kingdom. God is saving all believing Gentiles and believing Jews by the gospel of the grace of God, the death burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, plus nothing, today! We need to keep straight in our minds the distinction, the difference of God dealing (saving) Gentiles in Israel’s program in connection with establishing the Kingdom on earth in the last days, from God turning to us Gentiles today in the Dispensation of Gentile Grace, in spite of Israel’s defiance & unbelief. Now, who will be the fulfillers of Israel’s program?
The 144,000 Jews mentioned in Revelations 7:4-9, from the 12 tribes of Israel. They will be sealed, which means they have the special protection of God. They will be kept safe from the divine judgments and from the wrath of the Antichrist, they will be the fulfillers of the Great Commission in the ages to come. And they will be preaching, Jesus is the Christ, and He has already come. We the members of the church the body of Christ, ARE NOT the fulfillers of the Great Commission! Our Commission is found in. Paul’s epistles: (1) The ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5), and (2) the ministry of “making all men see what the fellowship of the mystery,” impacting the principalities and powers in heavenly places (Eph. 3:10).
There are five (5) Critical Issues that we are admonished to recognize in this study.
#1. Recognize The Gospel that Jesus commissioned the 12 to proclaim is still “the gospel of the Kingdom.” Ex. Mark 16: 15; “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” This is clearly Israel’s gospel only. The gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to Israel, NOT to the CBOC. The gospel of the Kingdom is the gospel that John the Baptist, Lord Jesus Christ, and the 12 have been preaching: the Kingdom is at hand (right around the corner). In Matthew 10: 5-7; the beginning of Jesus Christ earthly ministry. Jesus commissioned the 12 to preach the gospel (kingdom) and these signs shall follow: heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils, but go exclusively to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. The Gentiles and Samaritans were NOT even included. You can’t get a clearer picture than that!
#2. Recognize the Time Frame in which these Great Commissions are to take place: the time frame is the last days of Israel’s program. Beginning in Acts, chp. 1- 8 and is fulfilled in the last seven years, in the “Day of the Lord’s Avenging & Purging Wrath.” That is the time frame for the fulfillment of these commissions. There is NO Disp. of Gentile Grace, nor the long-suffering of God in view in these commissions. Rather the exact opposite is in view. The last stages of Israel program, and the Day of the Lord’s Wrath, and the preaching to these Gentiles once they respond to the gospel in the Day of the Lord’s Wrath, then the Kingdom is established on this earth.
# 3. Recognize that these Great Commissions, after the Gentiles have been dealt with, teach Gentiles to be submissive to Israel and her program. Jew and Gentile are NOT on the same level at all. Unlike the D.O.G.G. where the middle wall of partition (circumcision) has been torn down, and grace and peace is enjoyed by every believing Jew and Gentile alike TODAY.
#4. Recognize that under these Great Commissions, the Blessings (salvation) of the Gentiles is a result of their positive response to the gospel of the Kingdom. That is the issue of being blessed in Israel’s earthly Kingdom. It is NOT being made a new creature in the CBOC nor having their citizenship & vocation in heavenly places (that’s the promises to us MCBOC). The Great Commission is the issue of Gentiles being blessed (saved) in Israel’s earthly Kingdom according to the Abrahamic covenant. (Gen. 12:1-3)
#5. Recognize that these Great Commissions fulfill passages back in the Old Testament concerning what will take place in the last stages of Israel program. When we understand the commissions were a part of the prophets & prophecy, we will see clearly, they couldn’t be part of the mystery program revealed to Apostle Paul, who the prophets knew nothing about. The point is, we as Ambassadors for Christ need to know how, where & when, the Great Commissions fit in.
I will conclude by repeating the words Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5: 9-11:
(9) “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (11) Wherefore comfort yourselves, and edify (build up) one another, even as also you do.”
Colman J. Gilliland 