Contents
The framework for Cut Short and the future is found in Ephesians 1:9-11, with supporting prophecies in Acts 3:19-25 and Isaiah 40.
Ephesians 1:9-11
9He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will. (Ephesians 1 NASB)
Administration
The “Kingdom of God” was frequently preached by Jesus and his disciples. It’s even in The Lord’s Prayer:
10 Thy Kingdom come. (Matthew 6:10)
The administration of the Kingdom of God will be carried out by the faithful as His “kings” and “priests”:
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1)
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5)
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20)
The faithful are to be preparing themselves for positions of leadership after The Sign of Jesus’ Coming.
Fulness
What is meant by the “fulness of times”? The answer was stated in the verse:
…fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. (Ephesians 1 NASB)
The “fullness of times” should not be confused with The First Great Awakening, The Reformation, the restoration of the Jews to their homeland, or any other event significant to a particular denomination or nation. The “summing up” of things is not the same as a “leading-up to” type of event.
Inheritance
Who will inherit the earth? The meek:
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Psalms 37)5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5)
32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20)
Which lands will the meek inherit?
14 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
15 But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.
(Jeremiah 16)
Which lands are “our father’s”? Most of us come from a multi-cultural background, so which fathers and which lands are ours will remain a mystery until we learn what God has in store for our training and learning through The Millennium. Will we stay where we currently are? Probably not, Jesus said a prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own house:
57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. (Matthew 13)
The faithful may be assigned to a different area, which might have ties to their family roots. The faithful have been promised lands a hundredfold or more:
27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration [resurrection] when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19)
[Note: the original apostles will return and preside over the twelve tribes.]
Depending on how well we maintained our financial stewardship would determine our other inheritances:
17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. (Luke 19)
What does it mean to be faithful in the above parable? According to the Parable of the Rich man (Luke 16:19-31), if you accumulate more than you need, you are going to hell; and according to the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, if you possess more than you need, you will receive “everlasting punishment” (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus despised the accumulation of wealth:
15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12)
Predestined
Anyone who is on earth when The Sign of Jesus’ Coming arrives will have been predestined for Millennial Life. For many, their lives thus far will have been nothing but a prelude to far greater things.
God’s Will
Let’s not forget that God has a plan for every soul’s growth. For some, they are only in their infancy of development, and who is to say what plans God has in store for them once The Millennium begins:
11…according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will. (Ephesians 1 NASB)
Sum
To sum up, the framework found in Ephesians 1:9-11, supports well the Cut Short version wherein the meek and faithful remain to inherit the earth; the unrepentant and wicked are the ones removed.
It spells out thoroughly the fact that believers will be called to serve in administering the affairs of the Kingdom of God as kings and priests, and they will receive a hundredfold allotment of lands for their family’s inheritance. The particulars, although a mystery now, will no doubt reveal God’s will for our life.
Acts 3:19-25
Acts 3:19-25 is a wonderful adjunct to Ephesians 1:9-11. It confirms many teachings including “the fullness of times” by “times of refreshing,” and “the summing up of all things” by “the restitution of all things.” It adds the need to repent, and the destruction of the disobedient.
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3)
Repent
The importance of repenting cannot be stressed enough. Why? To “blot them out” so your family and friends won’t see your sins, so those transgressions won’t prevent you from receiving your inheritance:
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, (Acts 3)
What sins? Here’s a short list:
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (Ephesians 5)
Refreshing
This expression is a beautiful way to describe the season of grace The Sign of Jesus’ Coming will bring. The statement “from the presence of the Lord” confirms that it will be God’s glory coming straight from His throne. Jesus will be sent (including his gospel by the angels), he won’t descend right away, but it will be possible for some to see him.
19 …times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: (Acts 3)
Restitution
The “time of restitution” may be many things, including the restitution of the soul with the body, i.e., the resurrection:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3)
14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. (Luke 14)
Destroyed
Wickedness cannot dwell in the presence of holiness. The inhabitants of the earth will have a short period of time to embrace the revealed love of God and reform or be destroyed; it’s their choice.
23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3)
Isaiah 40
The prophecy in Isaiah 40 relates to the prophecy of Joel 2 in that the apostles claimed its fulfillment in their day. But in truth, both will be fulfilled at Jesus’ Second Coming (See the notes that follow the passage.):
1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
9 ¶ O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
10 Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
12 ¶ Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
18 ¶ To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
28 ¶ Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40)
Voice
This voice was proclaimed to be John the Baptist in Matthew 3:3. While it is true that John prepared the way for Jesus’ first coming, it’s not true that this prophecy applied to John alone, as seen in verse 5.
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40)
The “wilderness” is the expanse of space, and the voice that crieth is the Holy Spirit from the throne of God. To “prepare the way” is to get sin out of our lives and out of our records in heaven. We don’t want to be embarrassed when our secrets, thoughts, and intentions become exposed to all.
Upside Down
While there certainly are prophecies that prophesy earth changes on a broad scale, this reference may be more metaphorical and means that life as we know it will be symbolically turned upside down. Instead of life being dominated by the arrogance of man, it will become ruled by the Spirit of God with all of His attributes powerfully expressed.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: (Isaiah 40)
Glory Revealed
This passage is, of course, describing The Sign of Jesus Coming. It was not fulfilled at his first coming; in addition, this is how we also know the “voice of one crying in the wilderness” was not met in John the Baptist. But it will come to pass, according to many prophets as on the Prophecies page.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40)
Fade Away
Here we find confirmation of what the Holy Spirit cries out through the wilderness of space from the presence of God’s throne. All flesh is as grass, so whatever each person thinks is so great about themselves, our minds and bodies will fade and be replaced by truth, according God’s Spirit.
6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. (Isaiah 40)
Be Not Afraid
After The Sign of Jesus’ Coming, everyone will be allowed to safely and outwardly rejoice in God. In fact, “every knee will bow, and every tongue confess” that the sign is God, specifically, Jesus Christ. People will say, “I Behold your God Jesus Christ.”
The “strong hand” that will come with him is the Ancient of Days with his million angel army. They will prepare the world for the physical arrival of Jesus on earth. And his “arm” that shall “rule” for him is, of course, the faithful who are appointed “kings and priests” unto God and will reign with Christ during The Millennium.
Notice also that this prophecy confirms the prophecy of Matthew 16:27 that when Jesus comes, he will reward everyone:
9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
10 Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. (Isaiah 40)
Stubble
The following is a summation of what will become of man’s haughtiness when the glory of God descends with angels all around. After the half-hour of silence wherein God, Jesus, and the Twenty-Four Elders discuss the outcome of man, and if the Short Version scenario prevails, then the unrepentant wicked will be removed “in a whirlwind” which confirms how the wicked may be removed as stated in Matthew 13:41-42:
17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
18 ¶ To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. (Isaiah 40)
Rewarded
The meek will inherit the earth. Physical strength, even that of our youth, will fail in the presence of God’s glory. The only thing that will be confirmed will be the strength of the soul, which should be based on love, being kind and selfless, etc.
Do good guys always finish last? God knows human behavior. The multitude of parables that Jesus taught attest to one thing, if you, through no fault of your own, have sacrificed the glories and wealth of the world to live a Godly life, He plans on rewarding you abundantly AT THAT TIME.
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40)