Pastor Shaun Marksbury

Someone sent me this question: "Who are the sons of God in Job 1:6?"  The term "son of" speaks of both generation and creation.  God indeed has only one Son (Psalm 2:7; John 3:16), because only Jesus bears exact likeness of God (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:3).  However, special creation also speaks of sonship.  For instance, Adam is called a son of God (Luke 3:35) because God made him.  Israel is also called God's "son" (Deuteronomy 14:1) because God created the nation.  It speaks of God as direct Creator. None of these are referenced in Job here.  This is another group of beings specially created by God known as angels.  Because God created them directly, they get to bear the honorable term "sons of God." What we've skipped in all this is one key other usage, though it's not applicable to Job 1:6.  In the New Testament, Christians who repent and trust in Christ as their Lord and Savior are also called "sons of God" (...

In the parallel to what we're studying in Mark 13, we read this: So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near (Lk 21:31). This parallels Mark 13:29 specifically, which the NASB translates, “Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”  The “He” can just as easily be translated “it” (as noted in the NASB); based on the parallel, “it” is correct. With that in mind, both Mark 13:29 / Luke 21:31 plainly mean that the kingdom of God is only “near” in arrival after the abomination of desolation and return of Christ.  Why is that important?  Remember that some Christians read the events of Mark 13 as referring exclusively to AD 70.  Let's grant that for a moment.  That means that the kingdom was only “near” and therefore hadn’t started on Pentecost or by the end of Acts.  The church started before the kingdom began. Moreover, since the Book of R...