A Boat Ride With Jesus

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Short Summary
The discourse uses the metaphor of a boat ride with Jesus to explore spiritual lessons about faith, fear, and the journey through the gospel age toward the millennial kingdom. It highlights Jesus teaching in parables, the challenges faced by his disciples amid storms symbolizing end-time trials, and the ultimate triumph through faith and divine intervention leading to restoration and peace. The message emphasizes perseverance, trust in God’s promises, and the hope of resurrection and righteousness in the coming kingdom.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Discourse: “A Boat Ride with Jesus” (Mark 4 & 5)

Introduction and Symbolism of Boats in Scripture:
– Boats symbolize safety, transition, and the journey of faith in the Christian walk.
– The Sea of Galilee was a favored place of Jesus, where He often meditated and prayed.
– The discourse focuses on a boat ride Jesus took with His disciples approximately two years into His ministry (Mark chapters 4 and 5).

Jesus Teaching from the Boat (Mark 4:1-34):
– Early morning, Jesus preached to a large crowd from a boat on the shore.
– He taught many parables about faithfulness, receptiveness, responsibility, emotions, worldly expectations, and the harvest.
– Jesus taught in parables to the crowd but explained everything privately to His disciples (Mark 4:11, KJV: “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables”).

Transition to the Boat Journey (Mark 4:35-41):
– At evening (end of the day, symbolizing the end of the Gospel Age or the harvest), Jesus tells His disciples, “Let us pass over unto the other side” (Mark 4:35).
– The Jewish day was divided into watches (1st watch: 6pm-9pm, 2nd: 9pm-midnight, 3rd: midnight-3am, 4th: 3am-sunrise), relevant to the timing of this journey.
– The “other side” represents a significant transition, possibly symbolizing going beyond the current spiritual state or era.

Leaving the Crowd and Journey Across the Sea:
– Jesus and His disciples leave the crowd behind—symbolizing separation from worldly systems (alluding to Revelation 18:4 “Come out of her, My people”).
– Jesus is in the boat with His disciples, representing safety and security in the truth during turbulent times.
– Other small boats follow, possibly representing others interested in the faith but not fully committed.

Jesus Asleep in the Boat (Mark 4:38):
– Jesus was asleep on a pillow in the stern (rear) of the boat, where guidance and steering occur.
– This symbolizes Jesus’ presence as the guiding light and foundation of faith, even when He seems inactive.
– Psalm 27:1 emphasizes the Lord as light and salvation, giving confidence despite fear.

The Storm (Mark 4:37):
– A furious squall arises; waves break into the boat, nearly swamping it.
– The storm symbolizes the great troubles at the end of the age, including spiritual and physical challenges.
– This period corresponds to the “time of trouble” and the “great storm” or “whirlwind” referenced in scripture (e.g., Revelation 7:3, Matthew 24, Luke 21).

Disciples’ Fear and Jesus’ Rebuke (Mark 4:38-41):
– Disciples wake Jesus, expressing fear: “Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?”
– Jesus questions their fear and lack of faith.
– He rebukes the wind and says, “Peace, be still,” calming the storm immediately.
– This represents the future Millennial Kingdom’s peace (Isaiah 26:3; Revelation 21:3).

The Binding of Satan and Millennial Age:
– Revelation 20:1-3 describes Satan being bound for 1,000 years.
– The “seal” mentioned represents security and protection granted by God.
– This binding ends Satan’s influence and ushers in a time of righteousness and peace.

Jesus Reaches the Region of the Gerasenes (Mark 5:1-20):
– Jesus crosses to the Gentile region of Gerasenes (Gergesa).
– Encounters a demon-possessed man bound by chains but uncontrollable.
– The man’s demons identify as “Legion,” indicating many spirits.
– Jesus casts out the demons into a herd of pigs, which rush into the sea and drown.
– This illustrates Jesus’ authority over evil and foreshadows Satan’s ultimate defeat.

Restoration and Teaching (Mark 5:21-43):
– Jesus raises Jairus’s 12-year-old daughter from the dead and heals a woman who suffered for 12 years.
– Number 12 symbolizes God’s authority, completeness, and government (the 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles).
– The healed woman’s faith is acknowledged by Jesus (Mark 5:34).
– This points to the kingdom order and restoration during the Millennial Age (Zechariah 8:23).

The Great Company and Kingdom Completion:
– Jesus leaves with His disciples, representing the completed Church (the 12 apostles symbolizing the Church’s foundation).
– The great company (ancient worthies) and Israel will follow, leading to the full establishment of God’s kingdom.
– Isaiah 25:9 promises joy and salvation when God’s kingdom is fully realized.

Lessons and Applications:
– The boat journey is a metaphor for the Christian journey through trials, faith, fear, and ultimate restoration.
– The storm represents life’s challenges and the world’s turmoil near the end of the age.
– Faith in Jesus is the antidote to fear and despair.
– Jesus’ presence assures safety and guidance, even when He seems inactive.
– The millennial kingdom will bring peace, righteousness, and restoration of all things lost since Adam’s fall.
– The resurrection and transformation of the faithful (1 Corinthians 15:53) are part of God’s plan.
– The message of hope should be shared widely, pointing people to God’s kingdom and Jesus’ redemption.

Key Bible Verses Referenced:
– Mark 4:1-34 (Parables and teaching from the boat)
– Mark 4:35-41 (Jesus calms the storm)
– Mark 5:1-20 (Healing of the demon-possessed man)
– Mark 5:21-43 (Raising Jairus’s daughter and healing the woman)
– Revelation 7:3 (Seal of God’s servants)
– Revelation 12:9 (Satan’s fall)
– Revelation 20:1-3 (Binding of Satan)
– Revelation 21:3 (Millennial peace)
– Psalm 27:1 (The Lord as light and salvation)
– Isaiah 26:3,9 (Peace and longing for righteousness)
– Zechariah 8:23 (Nations seeking God)
– John 8:12 (Jesus as the light of the world)
– 1 Corinthians 15:53 (Transformation to incorruption)
– Matthew 13:30 (Harvest and separation)
– Hebrews 13:5 (Jesus will never leave us)

Closing Reflections:
– The boat ride with Jesus is a powerful metaphor for the believer’s passage through trials towards ultimate salvation.
– The journey is marked by faith overcoming fear, divine guidance in times of trouble, and the promise of restoration.
– The discourse encourages sharing this hope and understanding the significance of the end of the Gospel Age and the coming Kingdom.

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This detailed summary captures the theological insights, scriptural references, and symbolic lessons presented in the discourse regarding the boat ride with Jesus as a metaphor for the Christian journey through the end times into the Millennial Kingdom.

Transcript

A boat ride with Jesus. Now, to me, when I started to study this, it brought out some very interesting points to me. I won’t be dogmatic on anything. I will really appreciate input later and there will be some suggestive reasoning going forward and. But I want you to know that how much I appreciated learning the lessons I learned from what our Lord was teaching his disciples.

To me, in the Scriptures, boats often symbolize three important aspects in our journey with the Lord. One is safety, the other is transition, and the other is the journey of faith, which basically is what we’re going to focus on. But if we can remember these three points, it would be very helpful in this particular study. Now, I can’t help but think that the Lord Jesus loved to be at the Sea of Galilee. That was one of his favorite places from the Scriptures.

And I think he enjoyed that very much. Being by the water, especially early in the morning. I think Jesus loved it very much. So he would sit there, meditate, maybe pray to His Father. But it wasn’t long before, you know, people started to come.

But before we begin with, with that, when you think about a wish in your mind, one of the wishes I would have liked to have had back then is to take a boat ride with Jesus. Well, come to find out, in my study, I found out that I have been and I didn’t even know it. So if I ever had a wish about doing something with Jesus, it would be that of course I’d love to be around him in any way, but that boat ride would be wonderful. So this is going to be a PowerPoint presentation. We’re going to have some suggestive reasoning.

So we want to keep that important, you know, before your minds. We’ll use various translations. I may not make a reference to them all the time, but they will be there. Some references from Brother Russell, who I appreciate immensely. Our study, if you’d like to open your Scriptures, will be in the fourth and fifth chapters of Mark.

And this is the time about two plus years into Jesus’s ministry. So he’s reaching the end of his ministry, and this is what’s very important in this lesson that I found out in the study here. So to begin with, it’s early in the morning on a day. It’s a Gospel invitation given to the Jews as well as the Gentiles.

Early in the morning is on the sea, he’s on the shore. So many came. So he got in a boat and he went out with his disciples and he preached from there early in the morning, and it’s recorded for us in Mark 4:1 34, Jesus was teaching from the boat, whelmed by the people, and he was doing what was necessary, sowing the seed of our understanding and appreciation of the truth, and now if you were to go in Mark 4:1:34, you’re going to see a whole bunch of parables which was very important what by what Jesus was doing here.

So this sower of seed, he spoke about all kinds of different things, faithfulness, about hearers, emotions, worldly expectations, receptiveness, responsibility, and about the harvest, which is most important to our subject matter. So when you look at Mark 4:34, we’re not going to go into the parables because he spent all day doing this. But now we’re getting to a point where we want to look at the subject matter that we’re considering here in regards to what Jesus was presenting to them all day. So he did not say anything to them without a parable. But when he was alone with his disciples, you and I, he explained everything as long as you were willing to listen.

So when you look at Mark 4:11 from the King James, he said unto them, unto you, it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But unto them that are without, all things are done in parables. So I think that’s one thing that I want to focus on here specifically, brethren, that like what we’ve heard from this platform already and what the brethren know. There are so many things that we understand are so difficult for the world to see and appreciate. So looking at this same day now, Jesus, like we mentioned, think about this day, he was there early in the morning and he spoke all day long.

So it’s like when you’re at convention, at the end of the convention day, you want to go home, you want to relax. Well, if you look at the 35th verse, it says on the same day, evening had come. Now I’d like to picture this put in your mind, I’ve added the word harvest here at the end of the age, or in this particular case, at the end of this day. Now Jesus explaining so many wonderful things to them in parables, and now he’s with his disciples and he’s at the end of the day.

What do you think Jesus said? Well, I think we all would have said, it’s time to take some relaxation, let’s just relax, let’s talk with each other. But Jesus didn’t say that, and that was a little bit confusing to them, and if you’ll see on my slides, you might see reprint articles those are some places where I would look for information. You could jot those down if you’d like, in the consideration of our thoughts here.

So Jesus says, I’d like to go over to the other side.

And that was about, in the Hebrew, it’s the first watch. So when you look at the Hebrew day, it starts in the evening. So we’re looking at, to me, I believe the end of the day, or we’re looking at the harvest at the end of the age. But what was Jesus teaching them here? He’s tired, they’re exhausted.

He’s exhausted, and he said, I want to go over to the other side.

So the Jewish day ran from sunset to sunset. It was divided into eight equal parts called watches and hours, and here, here’s what they mean quickly. The first watch, sunset, 6pm to 9pm second watch, 9pm to midnight. References you can see there.

I’m not going to go into those scriptures. The third watch, midnight to 3:00am the fourth watch, 3:00am to sunrise. Now, these were important to our Lord by what he wanted to teach here in this lesson of going to the other side. So this is now the turning point, and Jesus was expressing, and he did in so many places.

This is now more. No more growing together. There has to be some separation here in Matthew 13:30. So when you read that scripture, it says in the new international version, let both grow together until the harvest, and at that time I will tell the harvesters, first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to burn them, and then gather the wheat into my barn.

Some very good thoughts in relationship to this going forward. Keep in mind the subject matter again, Jesus speaking all day. He is now wanting at the end of a day to not take a cruise and relax, but to go to the other side of the lake. That’s a long journey. So I’m looking.

Okay, what time could we be talking about the gospel age and maybe the end of the gospel age now? So we’re going to look at this particular lesson here and see what it teaches us. In Mark 4:36 through 41 from the NIV 36, leaving the crowd behind. There’s a, an interesting point there when we’re talking about our walk with the Lord and we leave the, the fellowship of the brethren and we go out into the system we’re all taught about. Come out of her, my people.

And I don’t need to quote that scripture to you. I don’t need to quote the context of it, because you know what I’m talking about, and I think Jesus was making A reference to that at this time, because all of us know what’s going on in the world today. So we’re looking at leaving the crowd behind. The disciples took him along just as he was.

So they didn’t tell him, oh, you can go now. Wash your face, relax a little bit, put your feet up, and then we’ll get you just as he was, and Jesus knew exactly what he was doing, just like he always does, and there were also, if you read the account, there were also other little boats.

What did they need? Who did they belong to? Keep those points in mind as we go forward. Mark 4, 36, 3 points, and leaving the crowd, which is in Revelations 18:4.

Come out of her, my people. Number two. He took Jesus with him in the boat. So now the disciples, the brethren, us, his disciples, are in the safety of the boat with him. So they’re out of the system.

They’re upon the water and they’re going to be traveling. Now Jesus is with us as always, like his disciples, in the security of his realm at the end of the gospel age with the real truth. So now we’re on the system with the real truth. But, you know, as you can see from this slide and what we’re trying to present here, there’s also an adversarial picture that’s at the end of the age. So the adversary comes into the picture and wants to cause problems in this whole particular understanding of what Jesus was trying to present here to his disciples.

So number three, we looked at the other boats.

Who were they? Where’d they come from? I’d like to think that those other little boats, now you got Jesus, his disciples, the church in the boat, in the safety of it, and those other little boats may represent a great company of people. They’re saying, we’re interested, we want to know. We want to follow along as well.

Can we do that? Jesus didn’t say they couldn’t. So could this be a reference to those who want to follow our Lord but at a distance? And when the time gets difficult, maybe not to stay with them foreign. Let’s take a look at the boat.

Anybody know where Jesus was in the boat?

So Jesus supposedly was tired. All right, this is what the scriptures say. Jesus is now tired and needed rest. Mark 4, 38. Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow.

So when we looked at the account, if you see on the screen, the stern of the boat where the rudder is, is where Jesus would be. That’s a good point. That’s. That’s in Reference to guidance. When we want guidance, we would naturally want our Lord.

Even if he is not in our presence, we still want him to guide and direct us, and then the keel, he’s in the bottom or the area, the foundation, which is most important of understanding truth, and then he’s the guiding light that he puts there, the, the sentinel that anybody can see, and that’s maybe what the little boats are looking at and trying to see if they can be a part of this as well. Well, in Psalms 27 and the first verse that David is bringing forth here, he said, in regards to this light, the Lord is my light and my salvation.

Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? So when we think of the day we’re living in, harvest, the end of the age today, what do you see in the world? What do you see? People saying, what do you see?

The system going under, not only in the United States, but around the globe, foreign.

Even though Jesus is seemingly asleep, he is still with us in the gospel age journey, as Paul brings out in Hebrews 13:5, I will never leave you and I will never forsake you, no matter what may happen. Now let’s take a look. Because Jesus wanted to go across the Sea of Galilee. Do you know how long the Sea of Galilee is? Well, the Sea of galilee is approximately 13 miles long and 7.5 miles wide.

You could probably get cross there pretty quickly. But remember, they are in a sailboat. So the time it takes to cross the Sea of Galilee by a boat depends on various factors, specifically weather, because it can change very rapidly. So now we’re looking at the second and third watch that this is taking place, and that’s getting to be more in the dark, and you can’t help but think that why is this going on by his disciples?

Why are we going across the sea?

I’d like to suggest a specific route in regards to that. We will see why as we go forward, and if you’d like to know a little bit more about that, Brother Russell Suggests in reprint 50 58. Reprint 50 58. So the sea of Galilee’s conditions has been known to change rather quickly.

And we have good experience with that because we were there, and this can make it very difficult to navigate. Very similar to our lives today. In this present time that we’re living at the end of the age, things can change very rapidly, as you know, they have. So where was Jesus going and why?

That’s the question that I asked. Well, when you look at the Sea of Galilee. This is how it looks. Okay, and we think from Capernaum Gennesaret Magdala, Tiberius Hamath is where Jesus may have gone to cross.

So in our study we found maybe Magdala was the place that he crossed, and where was he going to go? Gisa. Why would he want to do that? Well, when we found out we’re looking at.

They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes, that’s in Gergisa. So now we found out that. That the Gerasenes, those people in that area, means those who come from pilgrimage or flight, Jew or Gentile, because that’s what was there, and we found out later in our studies that Jesus did perform some miracles here. So why does Jesus want to go here?

Well, first of all, as we said, he wants us as brethren. We’re with him in the ship. He wants us to go over to the other side. What would that mean to you, in your mind and heart, that you’ve made a covenant to do what? Go to the other side.

You want to finish your course and you want to be found faithful. But along that way it can get to be very difficult because this is the second and third watch of the night. So when we look at the 37th verse. But as they travel, which we suggest is a journey in this gospel age, like we mentioned, things can change rather quickly, and it did.

A furious squall came up and the waves break again the boat so that it was nearly swamped. So now the system is coming into the boat all around us, and we see it today. All the system in your life is coming into your realm. It’s coming into your life. What do you do with it?

How. How do you navigate through all of this?

Keeping the corruptness of the ship, what was happening? When we think of our own lives, suggesting the great time of trouble. Now into third and fourth watch.

Something is coming from. Because the church is gone. It’s with our Lord in the ship. They’re going to the other side and, and they have completed what they needed to do, but they haven’t finished.

So right at the end of the age becomes a very difficult time, especially for the church. But they’re in the ship and they’re navigating the best they can. So in Matthew 24, which is Lord, great prophecy. In Luke 21, men’s hearts will fail them like we see for fear, because there will be wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, earthquakes in diverse places. People will say and be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

Is that what we see today. So what will happen? And what do you hear about and what do you talk about? Maybe in your studies? Let’s look at the 38th verse.

Fear sets in. So I’d like to make a quote from Brother Russell here, and it’s in regard to mark 4:36. So we’ll back up just a little bit. But keeping in mind this is where we are now. Now they’re trying to navigate to get across these many miles, and it’s just not easy.

So a quote from Brother Russell, the text, Mark 4:36, it draws to our attention another storm. It pictures the great storm of trouble, which is in the close of this age, will suddenly burst upon the whole world of mankind, in which Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots, like a great millstone, will be cast into the midst of the sea. The same time of trouble in some scriptures is spoken of as a whirlwind. So there were. There was much of that.

The result of letting loose the four winds of heaven that will be held until that time, until the church is complete. It’s my understanding. So the church is gone. They’re in the boat. Revelations 7:3 comes to point.

Do not harm the Lord, the land, or the sea or the trees, until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God, and that’s remembering the little boats, they were trying to follow along, and it became in Mark 4, 4:36, they were washing their robes, doing the best they could to try and keep up, but Salad turned around, went back, even though the light was there, but it was getting dimmer and dimmer, losing sight of, losing interest at the end of the age. So when we look at John 8:32, Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness.

Will. Will have the light of life. So now they’re in this boat and they’re trying to get across to the other side, and they’re following. They’re with our Lord, but he’s not with them.

He’s down sleeping, supposedly. Now, I’m going to tell you from this picture, tell me. Jesus wasn’t getting wet. He was down in a big ship. Brethren, they didn’t have big ships.

They had boats. Jesus knew exactly what he was teaching and what he was wanting to bring forth to them.

So now this is happening and they’re, and all of the system around them is coming in to this, into this boat. It’s a horrible time for the church. But they are being found faithful, especially the feet members keep Those in mind, and never take your eyes off the Lord, as Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 4, 6.

But they did so when we read Isaiah 57:20. But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. When you look at the 37th verse of Mark 4, it says a great windstorm arose and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling and they didn’t know what to do. Now a great wind may suggest Satan, a prince, the power of the air. I’d like to think it was not only in the doctrine, but in the physical destructive elements as well.

What do you see today? What do you see at the end, the harvest, at the end of the age, if it’s not things like this that are being transpired here and brought forth in Matthew in Mark the fourth chapter. So this passage can be seen as three lessons. It’s about a storm we’re going through. It’s about fear that can set in.

And it’s about faith in life. Now, fear we know in Mark 4:38, his disciples woke Jesus and said to him, this teacher, don’t you care if we drown? Now they are with our Lord and they’re making statements like this. I kind of think it was basically those who were the feet members because some of them are already gone. In Mark 4:40, he said to his disciples, why are you so afraid?

Do you have no faith? So when you look at today, is this what our Lord is saying to you and I at the harvest here at the end of the age, we have no faith, even though the things around you are just seem to be falling apart everywhere. Jesus is bigger than the hardships. He’s bigger than the struggles. He’s bigger than this world.

And he offers a way to overcome. We just have to listen. So when we look at the point of fear, Jesus doesn’t just do things haphazardly like we mentioned, especially with his disciples, which were the 12, keep that number in mind because it’s very important, and if he wanted to be alone, which he did, like so many times, Jesus would speak to his brethren, then he would go away. Same thing here.

He wanted to be alone, which he did on many occasions. He would go off by himself, and this seemed to be the case to take a nice nap. But was he real? So what are we to see here in this context? Jesus seems to be teaching fear.

What is the meaning of fear? An unpleasant, often struggle at this time that we’re living. A strong emotion, anxious, concern, Reason for alarm. Remember, he said, I will never leave you nor forsake you, and have you ever heard the word unprecedented?

This is all we’ve been hearing, brother, and that’s where fear can set in. If you want to be a part of that, if you want, if your mind and heart go to that particular area. Jesus said, focus on me. So faith over fear is the concept here.

The difference between fear and faith in the scriptures is that fear is a tool of the enemy, Satan, to control and paralyze. Faith is a gift from God to liberate and empower people. So fear makes people focus on the negative circumstances and lose hope. That’s what we do every day. Are you focusing on the negative?

Faith makes people trust in the heavenly fulfillment, Father’s promises, and you know what they are, regardless of the outcomes. So fear is the Christian’s enemy, while faith is the Christian’s walk with our Lord. Keeping that in mind, faith is the foundation on which all our hopes for now, in the future are built. It is a gift from God.

That’s a wonderful gift. So now what takes place in this travel? Boy? They’re on this restless masses of mankind. It’s all around them, it’s swamping them.

At this end of the age, church is gone. What do we deal with? Mark 4:39, they wake up Jesus, and you know what Jesus did? He rebuked the wind.

All the doctrines, all the system, everything that’s out there, and it said, quiet, be still. This is what Jesus said. Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. A picture of a millennial morning.

All this is going to go away. Perfect peace is going to come into the picture. The calming of the millennial age. Thou will keep him in perfect peace. Whose mind is stayed on me, is said in Isaiah 26:3.

Satan has now no more control. He’s bound. He was the part of all this, and in Revelations 21:10 that’s what’s brought forth at this period of time as well, and there is this process that will take place when you look in Revelations and the Revelation chronicles, Satan’s power being diminished.

Revelations 12:9 them eliminated entirely. In Revelations 21:3, his status was reduced when he warred and lost to Michael and his angels, resulting in him being banished from heaven. Now Satan is thrown into the abyss and will lose access not only to heaven, but to wandering upon the face of the earth. Now the angel is able to bind him with a chain, a seal for a thousand years, and there’s references to that if you’d like to look them up from brother Russell.

You know what a seal is, brethren? It represents ceiling in the Scripture signifies security and it signifies protection. The key takeaways Seals in the Bible represent confirmation, security, identification. They played a crucial role in ancient civilization and were adopted by the Hebrews. Seals in olden times were used for various purposes.

A signet or signature, a mark of attestation or acknowledgment. The New Testament continues the most metaphoric use of the seal. For example, Satan’s ineffectiveness is secured by the Lord God’s seal sealing the abyss. But he’s not going to bother us, and there we believe now that Satan is bound.

At this time in the journey, they are at the comfort of the millennial age. No problems, no more uncertainties, true love, joy of peace. While in the order of things going forward. Will that be in the order of things going forward? We’re taught Isaiah 26 in the New International Version.

My soul yearns for you in the night, the morning. My spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people will learn righteousness. That hasn’t happened yet. Why?

We now reach the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Remember where he was going? To the Gerasenes. Now remember, Satan’s bound. Everything’s okay.

What’s going on when he gets there, when they reach the other side. In Mark 5:1, they went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. The new International version. In Mark 5:3 it says there was a man in the tombs and no one could bind him anymore, not even with chains. The key points, chains.

And any more as to suggest that he was bound for some time? I’d like to consider a thought from John the Revelator, and I think that’s very important, which deals with that and we talked about it in Revelations 20, being found. Okay. I’d like to suggest it relates to this scripture in Mark 5:33 through 5. But also it brings out a point in Mark the fifth chapter, fifth chapter, seventh verse.

This man who was bound in chains, he shouted at the top of his voice, what do you want with me, Jesus, son of the highest God, in God’s name, don’t torture me. For Jesus had said unto him, come out of this man, you impure spirit. So now Jesus is taking control. Then Jesus asked him, what is your name? My name is Legion.

Name is Legion, he replied, for we are many, and he begged Jesus again and again to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs were there. It’s feeding on the Nearby hillside. So now Satan comes into this picture.

This man who is being confronted and abducted by our Lord and with Satan’s minions is there and he’s begging, asking the Lord for help, also the church. What happened next is quite unusual. In Mark 5:13, and forthwith Jesus gave them leave, and the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep slope, the deep place, into the sea. There were about 2,000, 1/3 of a legion that were choked in the sea.

Now pigs are ravenous scavengers and will eat any kind of food and even their offspring. Why pigs while they’re unclean to the Jewish people? And this who were in this area, not only Gentiles. So now Jesus takes this out of the man, takes Satan out and throws and throws this particular situation of uncleanness in the end of the millennial age, when he came forth and gets rid of Satan. So now Satan and his realm is finally destroyed, done away with.

The lesion can range from 3,000 to 6,000. In Matthew by 26:53, 12 legions bring out certain specific points into 36,000 or 72,000. There’s some significant considerations there, and it goes into this picture. Although most appreciated, what had happened, some didn’t.

They would possibly be called the incorrigible. Romans 9:29. You’ve heard of these things in Matthew 5, 17 and 18, the New International Version. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region, and Jesus was getting into the boat with his head.

He had his brethren with him, church complete. So the man who had been demonized, possessed begged to go with them.

In First Corinthians 15:53, it says in the King James Version, for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Now here’s a picture of change in this millennial picture here. Now, what did Jesus say to the man? The man wanted to go with Jesus in the 16th verse of that fifth chapter of Mark, tell the people what had happened to the demon possessed man, and talk about the pigs as well. Satan in his realm gone.

A picture of the millennial age, what will take place.

I think this is a wonderful picture of how now restitution will transpire. That which was lost in Adam, communication with God will eventually come back. So when I look at this point in First Corinthians 15:2, which says, all that are under grace will come forth, and the Abrahamic promise will be a reality, as was taught for us in Genesis 22:18 and what happened when we look at Mark 5:20 in the King James Version, and he departed this person that Jesus said to stay and teach and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him, and all men did marvel the teaching of the new things in the new way. Do you know what Decapolis stands for?

It means 10 cities. So 10 is seen in a symbol of a new beginning and a fresh start. When you think about, remember in the book of Joshua when he crossed over and took over Jericho. Afterwards he took out 10 cities. The first one he took out was AI.

So keeping these things in mind, this message has to go forward in the kingdom and has to be considered and appreciated. Then Jesus, after all this, Jesus left now with his disciples and he goes back over to the other side. Why? Well, the work isn’t done.

Christ in the 12, the Christ head and body brought peace through the ancient worthies which we believe came on the scene. So the next thing that happened was also a kingdom picture. When you look at Mark 5:2143, when Jesus had again crossed over in the boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Again, a large crowd. Well, we’re still not complete with the picture of the kingdom until he reached this large crowd back on the other side.

And who did he leave? He left his Jewish brethren. He left those who wanted to be a part of it a great company. Christ and the church are there with him, giving them an instructions, telling them what to do, and a significant part of that is in the number 12.

You know what happened in Mark 5:21? Jesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick woman.

Sounds like restitution to me.

They both had very serious problems which dealt with the number 12. Jairus’s daughter was 12 years old, and the woman’s physical problem was for 12 years. Do you know what the number 12 means? Is a perfect number that symbolizes God’s power and authority as well as serving as a perfect governmental foundation. So now there’s a new governmental foundation.

It can also symbolize completeness, completeness in God’s plan, or the nation of Israel as a whole. Because what had happened is in Mark 5:33 and 34 in the new international version, when the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and felt at his feet, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth, and Mark 5:34 says, from the King James, and he said unto her, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. Go in peace and behold of thy plague.

In Zechariah 8:23, it says, this is what the Lord Almighty says. In those days 10 people from all languages and nations will take the firm fold of one of one Jew by the hem of his garment, just like this dear sister did there.

Let’s go. Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you. The word of the Lord will come from Jerusalem. So faith and obedience will be the kingdom order for a thousand years and beyond. So when we look at the closing points here in this discussion, you can look at reprint 5059 or brother Russell makes a reference.

The world will come forth. Jesus said, they that have a resurrection or a rising up to perfection, to all that was lost in Eden and all that was redeemed at Calvary. So the awakening will be but a preparatory step. It will be accomplished instantaneously. But the further rising up to mental, moral, and physical perfection will be a gradual work for a thousand years has been proportioned that way and apportioned to all, and in which the individual will be obliged to cooperate for his advancement and instruction in righteousness.

So when we read Isaiah 26:9, when we talk about that, my soul cerns for you in the night, in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people will learn righteousness. Has that happened, brethren?

So Brother Russell said in reprint 58 19, at 19:15. The angelic message was a prophecy of good things to be accomplished for the church and the world during the millennial age. The Church is to have the first blessing, the first resurrection is to be composed not only of the blessed and holy, who shall live and reign with Christ a thousand years, but. But then Satan shall be bound, and the good influence of truth and righteousness shall enlighten the whole earth. Revelations 21:6, which we made reference to.

So the declaration of the Scriptures is that the deliverance of the church will come early in the morning of the millennial day, as the prophet declares God will help her early in the morning. Isaiah 46, 5. So what is the only remedy, brethren? We who know that the King of glory, Brother Russell says, at the end of his life 109 years ago. Reprint 59, 16.

We who know that the King of glory and his blessed kingdom are the only remedy for the wrong symbols that are happening. Therefore we should be pointing the groaning creation to this kingdom, rather than to the bandages of their own contriving, which can do no real good. Tell them the meaning of the present worldwide conditions, and how beyond the trouble now Overspreading the world will come the glorious time of restitution foretold by all the holy prophets since the world began. Tell them that the death of Jesus was the redemption price for the entire race of Adam, and that his return is for the purpose not only of 1 delivering His Church, 2 but binding Satan and setting free his brethren, including all who are in their graves, giving all who will an opportunity to come into the liberty of the sons of God under the terms of the new covenant soon to be established, and remember, he wrote that 109 years ago.

So we’ll close with this. We’ve all seen the pyramid on the chart. Remember, it’s talked about in Isaiah 19, 19 and 20. But at the top of that pyramid is our Lord with the church that has to be complete brethren. Then the great company, and I think in that area, will be the ancient worthies then Israel and the world of mankind in Isaiah 25:9.

And it shall be said in that day, lo, this is our God. We have waited for him, and he will save us. This is our Lord. We have waited for Him. We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

And that will be to the nation of Israel, to the world of mankind. But the church will be gone. This is a boat ride with Jesus. These boat rides can represent the passage from one state of being to another, whether it is a physical journey across water or a metaphorical journey of faith, which we just covered. To God be the glory.

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