When a Jew Rules the World

In one paragraph

This was the final message in Tribe's "Unbreakable" series, focused on the nation of Israel and where the biblical story is heading. Brian walked through what he called his current eschatological framework, painting a large narrative arc from Jesus's return to the establishment of his reign in Jerusalem. The message was less a verse-by-verse study and more a broad sweep of Old and New Testament...

Read together

1. Genesis 3 root of antisemitism as the serpent's fury against the nation bearing the promise of his defeat
2. Matthew 25 parable of the ten virgins, five wise and five foolish, used to warn against being unprepared
3. Acts 1:9-11 disciples watching Jesus ascend, angel saying he will return the same way he departed
4. Matthew 24 Jesus speaking about his own return
5. Revelation 1:7 reference to the return of Jesus, cited twice in the sermon
6. Philippians 2:9-11 every knee should bow, speaker notes the word is should not will
7. Isaiah 45:22-23 held in tension with Philippians 2 on every knee bowing
8. Romans 14:11 cited alongside Isaiah 45 and Philippians 2 on every knee bowing
9. Zechariah 14:3-4 Jesus landing on the Mount of Olives, shock waves, earthquake
10. Daniel 7:13-14 the cloud rider, contrasted with the pagan god Baal
11. Matthew 24:30 Jesus speaking about his return on the clouds
12. Matthew 13:26 the return of Jesus on the clouds
13. Deuteronomy 33:2 used to support Jesus returning to Mount Sinai rather than the Mount of Olives
14. Judges 5:4-5 song of Deborah, cited as prophetic language pointing toward Mount Sinai
15. Habakkuk 3:3-13 prophetic poetic language cited in connection with Jesus returning via Mount Sinai
16. Psalm 68:7-18 Jesus leading a triumphal procession sweeping across the desert
17. Isaiah 40:3-5 the king coming in procession
18. Isaiah 11:15-16 cited as part of the triumphal procession narrative
19. Isaiah 43:16-21 cited alongside other passages describing the return procession
20. Jeremiah 16:14-15 compared to God leading Israel out of bondage, applied to Jesus leading a similar procession
21. Zechariah 12:10 they will look upon the one they have pierced, Israel's recognition of Jesus
22. Ezekiel 36:24-28 cited in context of Jesus liberating Israeli refugee camps and Israel's restoration
23. Ezekiel 37:21-23 cited alongside Ezekiel 36 on the gathering and restoration of Israel
24. Isaiah 49:8-12 cited in the context of Jesus rescuing gathered Israel
25. Isaiah 61:1-2 cited as Jesus rescuing and restoring Israel
26. Zephaniah 3:15 the Lord removing judgment, dispersing enemies, the king living among Israel, troubles ending
27. Zephaniah 3:17 the Lord rejoicing over Israel with singing, calming fears, used to describe Jesus wiping away tears
28. Isaiah 25:8 cited alongside Zephaniah 3:17 on Jesus wiping away tears
29. Isaiah 30:26 cited in context of Jesus binding wounds and restoring Israel
30. Revelation 21:4 cited then retracted, speaker noted it belongs after the millennial reign
31. Romans 11:25-27 all Israel will be saved, collective national repentance
32. Zechariah 13:1 cited in context of Jews coming to salvation, cited twice
33. Ezekiel 36:25-27 cited alongside Romans 11 on the collective turning of Israel to Jesus
34. Zechariah 12:2-3 Jerusalem besieged, cited in context of the antichrist army
35. Zechariah 14:1-3 Jerusalem besieged, Jesus facing off against the army of the antichrist
36. Joel 3:2 cited alongside Zechariah 12 and 14 on the armies gathered against Israel
37. Daniel 9:27 cited in context of the antichrist and the temple
38. Daniel 11:31 cited in context of the antichrist polluting the temple
39. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 cited in context of the antichrist besieging Jerusalem and the temple
40. Matthew 24:15 cited in context of the antichrist polluting the temple
41. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Jesus destroying the antichrist
42. Revelation 19:19-21 Jesus destroying the antichrist
43. Daniel 7:11 Jesus destroying the antichrist
44. Romans 11:26 all Israel will be saved nationally and collectively
45. Zechariah 12:10-13 cited again on Israel's national turning to Jesus
46. Isaiah 2:2-4 Jesus establishing his throne in Jerusalem, influence felt around the world, cited twice
47. Micah 4:1-3 Jesus establishing his throne and rule from Jerusalem
48. Jeremiah 3:17 Jesus establishing his throne in Jerusalem
49. Zechariah 14:9 Jesus establishing his kingship from Jerusalem
50. Isaiah 11:6-9 Christians helping restore creation for a thousand years, environmental restoration
51. Isaiah 35:1-7 cited alongside Isaiah 11 on the restoration of creation
52. Zechariah 8:4-5 social restoration during the millennial reign
53. Amos 9:13-15 economic restoration, the planter overtaking the harvester, unprecedented prosperity
54. Zechariah 14:16 geopolitical restoration during the millennial reign
55. Psalm 2 kiss the son, take refuge in him, used as the closing invitation to surrender to Jesus
56. Ephesians 4 attributed to Paul encouraging believers to live a life worthy of their calling, cited by Lissa Hunter during the offering
57. Hebrews 13:8 God the same yesterday today and forever, cited in closing prayer by Lissa Hunter

Talk about it

1. Brian described a progression in his own understanding, from thinking the Christian life ends with floating in heaven singing 'holy, holy, holy,' to a more developed view of what Jesus's return actually looks like. How has your own picture of eternity or the end times changed over the years, and what shaped that change?
2. Brian used the phrase 'passenger princess' to describe someone who stays disengaged from questions about where history is heading, and he connected it to the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. Where do you think you personally land on that spectrum right now, and what would it look like to be more prepared?
3. Brian suggested that the way Jesus returns, with parallels to God descending on Mount Sinai, might be specifically designed to get the attention of Jewish people who only know the Torah and the Tanakh. What does that idea do to the way you think about how God pursues people on their own terms?
4. The sermon described a moment where Israel looks upon the one they pierced and weeps, and several people in the room offered reasons, guilt, fear, the overwhelming love of Jesus, the weight of generations of trauma. Which of those resonates most with you, and why?
5. Brian ended by drawing a parallel between Israel's eventual rescue and restoration and what Jesus offers any person today, binding wounds, opening prison doors, healing brokenness. Is there an area of your own life where you find it hard to receive that kind of care from God, and what gets in the way?