The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy by Tim LaHaye & Ed Hindson

Author:Tim LaHaye & Ed Hindson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

MATTHEW, ESCHATOLOGY OF

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW serves several purposes. It proves Jesus is the Messiah and King in fulfillment of the Old Testament, it explains why the promised kingdom has not yet arrived, and it teaches the church regarding righteous living and the role of the church in this age. The kingdom foreseen in the Old Testament is a major theme of Matthew, so this Gospel contains much prophecy.

THE INCARNATION AND INTRODUCTION TO THE LORD’S MINISTRY (1:1–4:25)

The first allusion to yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecies is found in 1:21, where an angel of the Lord tells Joseph to name the child conceived by the Holy Spirit “Jesus” (“Jehovah saves”) because He would “save His people from their sins.” This is an allusion to the Old Testament promise of a son of David who would deliver Israel from its sins and consequent calamities (see Isaiah 9:3-7; 16:5; 22:22; 55:3-4,12-13; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:14-16; see especially Psalm 130:8). As the book of Matthew progresses, “Messiah’s people” are enlarged to be more than Israel, but the context of Matthew 1:21 describes the Lord’s people as the Jews. In the future, God will deliver Israel and make it a great nation.

The name “Immanuel” (1:23) means “God with us.” Throughout history, God’s desire has been to dwell with mankind. He will accomplish this in the coming kingdom (see Exodus 15:17-18; Psalm 68:16; 132:14). In eternity, the New Jerusalem will have no Temple, for God Himself will be present. The Lord Himself will dwell in the millennial Temple (see Ezekiel 43:1-9). Matthew 1:23 anticipates the coming kingdom. In the meantime, the Lord Jesus, by means of the Holy Spirit, has three present-day temples—the human body (1 Corinthians 6:19), the local church (1 Corinthians 3:16), and the universal church (Ephesians 2:21-22).

The reference in Matthew 2:6 to Micah 5:2 looks ahead to the time when Israel, who will have known only false shepherds, will be governed by the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus. This again anticipates the millennium. Even the worship of the magi anticipates the future day when all Gentiles shall acknowledge His dominion.

The eschatological outlook comes into full view in Matthew 3 with John the Baptist’s proclamation, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (verse 2). Matthew has much to say about “the kingdom,” a term he uses some 53 times. The clearest and simplest way to explain the terms kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God is to say they always look ahead to the coming millennial kingdom and eternity.

John the Baptist proclaimed that the promised kingdom was near. For it to come, Israel needed to repent (see Zechariah 12:10-14). God will not grant entrance to an unrepentant soul. Judgment must precede the coming of the kingdom. The axe was already lying (present tense in the Greek text) at the base of the tree, so the kingdom was near (Matthew 3:10).

The Father’s divine pronouncement on the Son (Matthew 3:17) also has prophetic significance. “This is My beloved Son” comes from Psalm 2:7, a psalm that anticipates the Lord’s future reign.

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