Who Are the Saints?

Dr. Couch, are we saints today?

Answer: Yes, we positionally saints "in Christ." In almost all of Paul's letters he starts out addressing the believers as saints. Paul means that positionally we are "holy" because we are related to Him. In our walk and experience we are to live as saints. The Bible says "Be holy for I am holy." That means to be walking sanctified. While we will never become perfect, PERFECT, we are still to do what He asks.

The church is not the kingdom, though we will live with Christ in the kingdom when He returns to establish the Davidic rule on earth. The Bible almost 100% calls the kingdom the millennial reign, though sometimes it speaks of the universal kingdom rule of the Lord over His creation, but this is really just a few times in Scripture.

Christ is presently seated on His Father's throne in heaven (Psa. 110:1-2). But He says: "He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne" (Rev. 3:21). It was told Mary, "[Jesus] will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever; and His kingdom will have no end" (Luke 1:32-33).

Thanks for asking. --Dr. Mal Couch (2/12)

Progressive Revelation, Covenant Theologians, and Dispensationalists

Dr. Couch, what does Progressive Revelation have to do with the differences between Covenant theologians and dispensationalists? They see the covenant blessings promised to Israel as given to the church whereby we are heirs of those prophecies.

ANSWER: The word heir or inheritance are two Greek words put together meaning: "to legally call," "to legally designate." Almost all the verses using the word is referring to salvation not to all the covenant promises to Israel. I know of no NT verses that say the church is inheriting the land promises. It is true that the church will be in the millennium but the church today is not the kingdom, the millennium!

Dispensationalist are correct: Christ is not today reigning over the world through Israel in the Holy Land, there is not a restored earthly temple today, as Ezekiel indicates in chapters 40-48.

We premillennialists are in the right camp. We hold what the early church held to and what the pious orthodox Jews believed (and still believe); they still hold to Israel as being restored (as prophesied). The Jews are coming to Christ (as prophesied), a world war is near (as prophesied).

There is nothing that we "spiritualize" but the Covenant theologians must spiritualize (the kingdom) which we do not. We then do not have two phases of interpretation. We are consistent with literal interpretation. In fact, I believe it was Ladd who said, "If we held to literal interpretation as the premillennialists do, we would hold to their same position." Right on!

The issue is not about Progressive Revelation or about the word "heir." The issue is about being consistent with interpretation. And it is about seeing the clear distinction between Israel and the Church! The church is not Israel. Some of the covenant guys say "the church is in Israel in the OT." This is clearly not so!

Those of you who have my Hermeneutics book need to read the long quotes on pages 12-13, and pages 182 through the middle of 189.

My Hermeneutic book answers all of these issues. The book is used in many Bible colleges and seminaries. Several Covenant men reviewed my book and could not answer my charges against their views. I believe it answers all their errors about interpretation.

Thanks for asking.
—Dr. Mal Couch (7/11)

Size of the Temple Area

Dr. Couch, what is the size of the temple area as described in Ezekiel 45:1-6?

ANSWER: I'm rather bad with math figures but using the Jewish Soncino commentary on Ezekiel, and Dr. Merrill Unger's calculations, the temple area seems to be about 8 miles square. It is described by cubits which are still calculated at 18 inches a cubit, or 25,000 x 10,000 cubits. This is the "sacred area" for the temple plus the area for the priests, its personnel. A similar area designated, on the south, a rectangle, for [a large company of] the Levites is 25,000 x 5,000 cubits. Unger says this is for the city of Jerusalem itself. Unger writes: "The apportionment will be an 'oblation unto the Lord' (a lifting up), an offering in which the offerer raises his hand to present the gift [a sacrificial gift] to God."

All of this is for worship in the Kingdom! Unger concludes: "The Lord's temple and the priestly service are to be given top priority" in the Kingdom! And he says, "In the millennial day of the triumph of righteousness, it must be remembered that all blessing and salvation flow from the death of Christ, which makes the Kingdom age possible."

Thanks for asking.
—Dr. Mal Couch (5/11)

Christ the King

Dr. Couch, is Christ the "king" over the church, as might be hinted at in Revelation 1:6? ANSWER: This passages says that the church believers are "a kingdom, priests to [Christ's] God and Father." We are "a" kingdom but not "the" kingdom, i.e., the Millennial earthly reign of Christ over the nation of Israel! As priests, we represent God to others, and others to God. But this does not make Christ our King as He will be when He rules and reigns over the kingdom of His earthly father David. This idea leads some to say "He is king in our hearts," a concept the Bible does not bring forth. I have practiced in my interpretative life to try to speak only where the Bible speaks and not to make a leap to something that it does not put forward. Where the Bible speaks, I speak; where it does not speak, I don't speak! Over domestic relations Christ is the head of the husband, and the husband is the head of the woman (1 Cor. 11:3). Christ is said in several places to be Head of "all things" (Co. 2:10; Eph. 1:22) and He is head of the church (4:15; Col. 1:18). But the Bible does not say He is the king over the church. The idea of a king has a specific picture in mind. It implies a certain kingship rule that is not seen in the idea of "the body of Christ" with Him as its Head! I care less what the Covenant theologians think; I am not out to impress or to placate them. I am not out to compromise with them on their view of the kingdom. I will not do what they do, and that is, leap to an idea where the Word of God does not leap! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (11/10)

Spiritual Kingdom

Dr. Couch, Paul says that God has delivered us out of this present evil age because of what Christ did on the cross (Gal. 1:4)? Does this mean that we could currently be living in this way? And, are we living in a spiritual kingdom now? ANSWER:  "To deliver" is an Aorist Middle Subjunctive in the Greek. The Greek Lexicon says it could read: He "Himself might take [us] away out of a place, that is, out of this evil age." "He Himself might remove, deliver us out of this evil age." Paul is speaking about the influence of this evil age on us now, today. This is happening "according to the will of our God and Father."    I wrote in my Galatians commentary with Dr. John Witmer, "There is a past benefit with Christ's death. He took the judgment that was placed on all humanity. He also died that believers might be presently liberated from the power and clutch [the influence] of sin. But eternal salvation also awaits believers after death." The Greek word used here for "age" is "aion." Each period of history is a specific age that we are walking through in time.    We know we are not now in the physical and literal messianic earthly kingdom. The church is not that Jewish, Davidic kingdom over which Christ will someday rule for one thousand years. Paul says that we are on our way to that kingdom. Though the Jews are the key earthly people, the church will be there co-ruling with the Lord and enjoying His worldwide reign. Therefore Paul writes that "He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son" (Col. 1:13). "Delivered" is an Aorist Tense of "ruomai" which should be translated "to cause us to escape, to be rescue, to be delivered." This again carries the idea of "to be influenced by." We still see the workings of "the domain of darkness" all around us! And yet we are headed for His earthly kingdom that has not yet arrived.    In my commentary series on Colossians, Gromacki points out that this "transfer" is like taking people from one country to another. In terms of influence we have been transferred from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of Christ, that is, its influence on us, as to where we are headed—someday into Christ's earthly domain! Thanks for asking, Dr. Mal Couch  (6-10)

John the Baptist Replaces Elijah

Dr. Couch, does John the Baptist "replace" the coming of Elijah? Elijah is supposed to come before the arrival of the Messiah to establish the earthly Davidic Kingdom. The amillennialists say that John fulfills the prediction of Elijah, and therefore, the Kingdom has come already! ANSWER:  Of course, they are wrong, and they do not read carefully. There are two predictions about the arrival of heralds (1) to announce the first coming of Christ, and (2) to announce His second coming. Isaiah 40:3-5 and Malachi 3:1-3 announce the coming of John the Baptist. Isaiah 40:3-5 is directly applied to John in Luke 3:4-6. He is the voice "in the wilderness."    The Angel of the Lord made it clear to John's father, Zecharias, that John came in the "spirit and power" of Elijah (Luke 1:17). That is, John came announcing the first coming of Christ, with the same spirit and purpose that Elijah will have when he comes to announce the Lord's second coming.    Malachi 4:5-6 tells Israel that Elijah will come to announce Christ's second coming. The passage reads "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, …" Here, the "great and terrible day" is not the Tribulation period, but is describing the judgment brought on the Gentiles, and upon Israel, when the Messiah arrives to establish the kingdom. He comes with fury and judges the wayward Gentiles and the rebellious Jews.    The Jewish people, and Christ's disciples, understood that there was no confusion about the coming of John the Baptist (to announce the Lord's first coming) and the arrival of Elijah (to announce the Lord's second coming). Matthew 16:28-17:13 is an important section of verses on this issue:    Christ told His disciples that the Son of Man, the Messiah, would someday come in His messianic, Davidic Kingdom (16:28). This is the one thousand year reign of Christ! Then Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, that is, He suddenly appeared in His glorified form, as He will be seen, when the Kingdom arrives and is established. Elijah and Moses appear with the Lord and began talking to Him. Moses was used of God to establish the nation of Israel following the liberation of the Jews from Egypt. Elijah announces the Lord's first coming.    Christ's disciples said to Him, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" (v. 10), that is, come first to establish the earthly Kingdom rule. Christ then confirmed: "Elijah is coming and will restore all things" (v. 11). The "restore all things" refers to Malachi 4:5-6. But then Christ added, "But I say to you, that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him …" (v. 12). With these words, "The disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist" (v. 13).    To clarify what Christ is saying, one must look carefully at Matthew 17:11. Jesus uses the Present Tense, and the Future Tense: "Elijah IS COMING and He WILL RESTORE all things." Was John the Baptist coming back "to restore in the future all things?" No, the disciples understood that John was a type of Elijah who signaled the Lord's First Coming, as Elijah would signal the Lord's Second Coming. The transfiguration of Christ was a presentation and preview of His future appearance as "the Son of Man (strong messianic term)" who will someday come to inaugurate His earthly one thousand year Davidic Kingdom (16:28).    The disciples were not confused. They got it. We are the ones who are confused because we are not reading carefully enough! Unger well explains:    "Just as God sent John the Baptist to be the Messiahs' herald at His first advent, so He will send before Christ's second advent 'Elijah the prophet,' … as a great prophetic witness in Elijah's 'official, not his personal capacity,' in the sense that John the Baptist was an Elijah in spirit (Luke 1:16-17)."    I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Christian from Canada

Hello sir, I am a Christian from Canada. It is refreshing to find someone so bold about Bible prophecy. Not too many people today in our churches talk about prophecy, and especially about the book of Revelation. Thank you so much. 

 

    In my opinion it is a satanic ploy to retard the truths revealed in Bible prophecy. Satan hates the idea of the return of Christ to reign and rule in this world on His Davidic throne. It must be remembered that Satan attempted to short circuit the reign of Christ by bypassing the cross. He offered Him the kingdoms of the world and all their glory (Matt. 4:8). All Christ had to do was to fall down and worship "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4) and the Lord's death on the cross would be forfeited (Matt. 4:9). 

    This is why amillennial theology is so deceptive. It removes the concept of the millennial and literal reign of Christ on earth for a thousand years. I am not saying that amillennialists are demon possessed but I do say they are demonically deceived. 

    Most pastors today do not take the time to find out the truth. They are poor readers and students of the Word. They are too busy trying to build church monuments, be cheer leaders, coaches, etc. To study and to teach Bible prophecy, and the full council of God, is low on their priority list. Thank you for your observations and for your kind comments. 

   Thanks for asking,

   Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.