THE AWAKENING OF EPHRAIM
PART 20 — THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
The Message That Must Be Proclaimed Before the End Comes
One of the most important questions in all of Scripture is this:
What is the Gospel of the Kingdom?
The answer may seem obvious.
Yet if ten believers were asked to define the Gospel, many would give ten different answers.
Some would speak only of forgiveness.
Some would speak only of grace.
Some would speak only of salvation.
Some would speak only of the cross.
Some would speak only of going to heaven.
While all of those subjects may contain elements of truth, none of them by themselves fully define the Gospel of the Kingdom.
The Gospel preached by Yahusha was not primarily a message about escaping earth.
It was not primarily a message about dying and going to heaven.
It was not primarily a message about joining a religion.
It was not primarily a message about becoming part of a denomination.
The message Yahusha proclaimed was the Gospel of the Kingdom.
From the very beginning of His ministry we read:
“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near.” (Matthew 4:17)
Notice what comes first.
Repentance.
Then Kingdom.
Not Kingdom without repentance.
Not grace without repentance.
Not salvation without repentance.
The Kingdom message begins with repentance.
This should not surprise us.
Every prophet proclaimed repentance.
John the Immerser proclaimed repentance.
Yahusha proclaimed repentance.
The apostles proclaimed repentance.
The Gospel begins with a call to return.
A call to turn.
A call to change direction.
A call to leave rebellion.
A call to abandon lawlessness.
A call to return to covenant relationship with our Creator.
This is where many modern presentations of the Gospel fall short.
They offer salvation without repentance.
Grace without obedience.
Forgiveness without transformation.
Kingdom without a King.
Citizenship without submission.
Yet Scripture presents a very different picture.
The Gospel begins with repentance because humanity has departed from the ways of Elohim.
Sin separates.
Rebellion separates.
Lawlessness separates.
The first step toward restoration is repentance.
The prodigal must return.
The scattered must return.
The lost sheep must return.
The covenant people must return.
The nations must return.
Repentance is therefore the doorway into the Gospel of the Kingdom.
But repentance alone is not the Gospel.
Repentance creates the need for redemption.
This brings us to the second pillar of the Gospel.
Redemption.
Throughout Scripture redemption is connected to the Kinsman Redeemer.
The one with the legal right to redeem.
The one with the ability to redeem.
The one willing to redeem.
The Torah establishes the pattern.
The prophets expand the pattern.
The writings illuminate the pattern.
The Apostolic Witnesses reveal the fulfillment of the pattern.
Yahusha becomes the Kinsman Redeemer.
The one who redeems what was lost.
The one who restores what was broken.
The one who purchases what had fallen into bondage.
The one who restores inheritance.
The one who restores relationship.
The one who restores covenant.
Without redemption there can be no restoration.
Without a Redeemer there can be no Kingdom.
Without a sacrifice there can be no reconciliation.
The Gospel therefore moves from repentance to redemption.
Yet redemption is not the final destination.
Redemption leads to salvation.
Salvation is not merely rescue from judgment.
Salvation is restoration to relationship.
Salvation is restoration to covenant.
Salvation is restoration to purpose.
Salvation is restoration to citizenship within the Kingdom of Elohim.
This is why Paul writes that we are saved by grace through faith.
Grace is the provision.
Faith is the response.
Obedience becomes the evidence.
The Gospel never teaches that obedience earns salvation.
The Gospel teaches that salvation produces obedience.
A citizen of the Kingdom learns the ways of the King.
A disciple learns to walk as the Master walked.
A servant learns the will of his Master.
A covenant people learn the instructions of their Elohim.
This is why the Gospel cannot stop at salvation.
The Gospel moves toward restoration.
The restoration of relationship.
The restoration of identity.
The restoration of purpose.
The restoration of covenant.
The restoration of the Kingdom.
Yet even here many people stop too soon.
They understand repentance.
They understand redemption.
They understand salvation.
They understand covenant.
But they never fully understand the Kingdom itself.
The Kingdom is not merely the backdrop of the Gospel.
The Kingdom is the destination of the Gospel.
The Kingdom is the objective of the Gospel.
The Kingdom is the fulfillment of the Gospel.
The Gospel is not simply about getting people saved.
The Gospel is about preparing a people for a King.
Preparing a people for a Kingdom.
Preparing a people for a government.
Preparing a people for the restoration of the rule of Elohim upon the earth.
This is why Yahusha spoke more about the Kingdom than any other single subject.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like…
The Kingdom of Elohim is like…
The Kingdom is compared to seed.
The Kingdom is compared to leaven.
The Kingdom is compared to a treasure.
The Kingdom is compared to a pearl.
The Kingdom is compared to a net.
Again and again He taught the Kingdom.
Why?
Because that is where history is moving.
That is where prophecy is moving.
That is where redemption is moving.
That is where restoration is moving.
Everything moves toward the Kingdom.
The Kingdom was lost in Eden.
The Kingdom is restored through Messiah.
The Kingdom was rejected by men.
The Kingdom will be established by the King.
The Kingdom was hidden.
The Kingdom will fill the earth.
This is why the Gospel of the Kingdom is inseparable from the coming reign of Yahusha.
The Gospel is not merely about what happened at the stake.
The Gospel includes what happened at the stake.
But it also includes what happens at His return.
The Gospel includes the King.
The Gospel includes the throne.
The Gospel includes the government.
The Gospel includes the inheritance.
The Gospel includes the restoration of all things.
This is why Scripture repeatedly points toward the coming Kingdom age.
Isaiah saw it.
Jeremiah saw it.
Ezekiel saw it.
Daniel saw it.
Zechariah saw it.
The apostles saw it.
John saw it.
They all looked beyond the kingdoms of men.
They all looked beyond the governments of men.
They all looked beyond the systems of Babylon.
They all looked toward the reign of Messiah.
The day when the Kingdom of this world becomes the Kingdom of our Elohim and of His Messiah.
The day when Torah goes forth from Zion.
The day when the nations learn war no more.
The day when righteousness fills the earth.
The day when justice fills the earth.
The day when the knowledge of Yahuah covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.
The day when the King reigns from Jerusalem.
The day when the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and the prophets reach their fulfillment.
This is why the Gospel of the Kingdom is inseparable from prophecy.
The Gospel is the announcement that the King is coming.
The Gospel is the announcement that the Kingdom is coming.
The Gospel is the announcement that Babylon’s days are numbered.
The Gospel is the announcement that the governments of men are temporary.
The Gospel is the announcement that the rightful King is returning.
The Gospel is the announcement that the Kingdom of Elohim will be established.
This is also why the awakening of Ephraim matters.
The awakening is not about identity alone.
The awakening is about assignment.
The awakening is about purpose.
The awakening is about proclamation.
The scattered awaken so they can proclaim the Kingdom.
The remnant awakens so they can proclaim the Kingdom.
The watchmen awaken so they can proclaim the Kingdom.
The covenant people awaken so they can proclaim the Kingdom.
The witness goes forth so the Kingdom can be proclaimed.
This brings us directly to one of the most important end-time prophecies spoken by Yahusha.
“And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.” (Matthew 24:14)
Notice what Yahusha did not say.
He did not say the end comes when everyone agrees.
He did not say the end comes when every denomination unites.
He did not say the end comes when every prophecy teacher reaches consensus.
He said the Gospel of the Kingdom must be proclaimed.
The witness must go forth.
The testimony must be given.
The nations must hear.
Then the end comes.
This is why the Gospel remains central to everything we have discussed throughout this series.
The dry bones awaken because of the Gospel.
The scattered gather because of the Gospel.
The remnant responds because of the Gospel.
The Kingdom advances because of the Gospel.
The Two Witnesses proclaim the Gospel.
The watchmen proclaim the Gospel.
The restoration advances through the Gospel.
Everything ultimately points back to the Gospel of the Kingdom.
This is also why we must understand the season in which we live.
While no man knows the day or the hour, Scripture repeatedly teaches that the faithful should recognize the season.
We are watching prophetic convergence.
We are watching the awakening of the remnant.
We are watching the restoration of covenant understanding.
We are watching the gathering begin.
We are watching the Kingdom message spread.
We are watching the preparation day draw toward its conclusion.
The Gospel therefore becomes more urgent, not less urgent.
The Kingdom message becomes more urgent, not less urgent.
The call to repentance becomes more urgent, not less urgent.
The call to covenant becomes more urgent, not less urgent.
The King is coming.
The Kingdom is coming.
The restoration is coming.
The inheritance is coming.
The reign of Messiah is coming.
The message has never changed.
Repent.
Return.
Be redeemed.
Be restored.
Walk in covenant.
Proclaim the Kingdom.
Prepare for the King.
Prepare for the Kingdom.
The King is gathering His people.
The Kingdom is drawing near.
The Gospel is going forth.
The remnant is awakening.
The witness is spreading.
The restoration is unfolding.
And the nations are being called to prepare for the return of the King.
Greg Witter | Ephraim’s Cry Hebraic Mindset Study Series
Study • Learn • Apply • Grow • Share • Repeat
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