Austin Bible Church
The Five Cycles of Discipline are national judgment for disobedience to God’s Word. God’s justice must judge nations with increasingly severe punitive measures against apostasy, reversionism, and evil. As the nation accumulates disobedience and rejects the Word, the judgment or divine discipline increases. The fifth cycle of divine discipline is the most severe form that ends with the destruction of the nation. Hosea 4:1-6. See category on the Five Cycles of Discipline.
“Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel, For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land. There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns, And everyone who lives in it languishes Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky, And also the fish of the sea disappear. Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof; For your people are like those who contend with the priest. So you will stumble by day, And the prophet also will stumble with you by night; And I will destroy your mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” (Hosea 4:1-6, NASB)
The prophecy of the gift of tongues was a sign of the nearness of the fifth cycle of discipline. Isaiah 28:11.
“Indeed, He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue,” (Isaiah 28:11, NASB)
The spiritual gift of tongues was only bonafide between Acts 2 and 70 AD or roughly 40 years. It was a warning that the fifth cycle of discipline was coming to Israel. The function of the temporary spiritual gift of tongues was to evangelize the Jews with Gentile languages. When Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman armies in 70 AD, there was no longer a need for the spiritual gift of tongues. Further, the later completion of the written Canon of Scripture in about 96 AD was the end of bonafide function of tongues. In 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, “the perfect” refers to the completion of the written Canon of Scripture. The “partial” refers to temporary spiritual gifts.
“Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-10, NASB)
The coming of the Messiah was a sign of the nearness of the fifth cycle of discipline. The virgin birth of Christ was a sign to the Jews. Isaiah 7:14.
“"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14, NASB)
Betrayal of the Messiah by Judas Iscariot was a sign of the fifth cycle of discipline. The uniqueness of the death of the Messiah was also a sign of the fifth cycle of discipline. That Christ was crucified was not unique. Crucifixion was common in the Roman world. What was unique was Isaiah 53:9, “His death” is really the intensive plural “deaths” in the Hebrew. Christ died spiritually when He bore our sins, and died physically when His atoning work was finished. See category on Seven Deaths. See category on Two Deaths of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
“His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9, NASB)
The resurrection of the Messiah was a sign of the fifth cycle of discipline. Isaiah 52:13; Isaiah 53:10-11.
“Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.” (Isaiah 52:13, NASB)
“But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:10-11, NASB)
The 40 years of evangelism to Israel from 30-70 AD before the final blow of the fall of Jerusalem was a sign of the fifth cycle of discipline. Compare Malachi 1:5 with the book of Acts. The Book of Acts is an expansion of Malachi 1:5.
“Your eyes will see this and you will say, "The LORD be magnified beyond the border of Israel!"” (Malachi 1:5, NASB)
Jesus Christ warned and prophesied about the impending siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Luke 21:20-24.
“"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. "Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city; because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. "Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people; and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:20-24, NASB)