Tag Archives: kingdom

Thy Kingdom Came

Teaching,

 

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign for ever and ever,”

Revelation 11:15 RSV. He was not speaking here of the earthly kingdoms established by men but the “kingdom of the world,” singular.

In the beginning God gave Adam, (as Mankind), dominion over all the earth, Genesis 1:26. Adam, (as Mankind), surrendered this kingdom to the devil, Satan, the serpent, Genesis chapter 3. Satan became the ‘god of this earth,’ 2 Corinthians 4:4. He offered this kingdom to Christ, but Christ overcame him, Matthew 4:8-10. Immediately, Jesus began to preach: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He was taking back the kingdom from Satan. Jesus became a man to restore the kingdom to mankind, under God. It happened, Revelation 11:15.

When Did The Kingdom Come?

Daniel foretold that the Kingdom of God would come in the time of the Roman Empire, the ‘fourth kingdom,’ Daniel 2:40, 44. This Kingdom of God was to rule over all other kingdoms and last forever, Daniel 7:18, 22, and 27. It came as foretold during the time of the Roman Empire and is recorded in the New Testament.

John the Baptist came preaching it: Matthew 3:2. Jesus preached it, Matthew 4:17, 23; 9:35.

In Matthew 12:25-28, Jesus has been accused of casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Jesus answers them that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Then He says: “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you,” verse 28. It was obvious that He had cast out devils, and so, it was equally obvious that the power of “the kingdom of God” was being manifested.

The Specific Time When Christ Took Over the Kingdom:

In Matthew 26, Jesus is celebrating the Passover supper with His disciples, teaching them of the true meaning of the Passover. The Bread was His body, and the Cup was His blood. Then He said: “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom,” verse 29.

When did He drink with them again? After His resurrection. John 21:13-14: “Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed Himself to his disciples, after that He was risen from the dead.”

Acts 10:40-41: “Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly: Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead.” So Jesus took over the Kingdom of God at His resurrection, defeating Satan and fulfilling the purpose of God that Mankind should have dominion!

He Offers the Kingdom to His Disciples:

Jesus taught His disciples to submit their will to God’s will in the prayer: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Also Luke 12:32: “Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Luke 22:29-30: “And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me: That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Colossians 1:13: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” This is in past tense: it had happened.  Read also the rest of this chapter.

Ephesians 1:19-23 and 2:6: “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all…. (2:6) And hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Jesus has been enthroned and has taken us with Him!

“Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire,” Hebrews 12:28-29.

“Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” James 2:5.

The Kingdom Was a Present Reality to John the Revelator:

“I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ…,” Revelation 1:9.

Revelation 11:15: “… ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever…. (17) We give thanks to thee, Lord God Almighty, who art and who wast, that thou hast taken thy great power and begun to reign…” RSV.  Past tense. It is done.

Revelation 22:10: “And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.” The Book of Revelation was not to be sealed for a future time, but was to be fulfilled soon, quickly. It happened! Praise the Lord!

Alive For Evermore – Part 2

Revelation Commentary, , , ,

Eternal Promises Only Fulfilled in the Eternal Spirit

The promises of an eternal nature could only be fulfilled in the eternal Spirit. Although Joshua and Solomon both declared the material promises fulfilled, they were not eternally and ultimately fulfilled until Christ came and conquered the Flesh and arose to the eternal throne:
“And these all, (the heroes of faith mentioned in the foregoing verses), having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.” (Hebrews 11:39)

Faith That Inherits The Promise

The ultimate and eternal fulfillment was of a spiritual nature, that is, by faith: Romans 4:13-16; 9:8. It is those who keep the faith that are truly the heirs. The entire remnant of the fleshly lineage who kept the faith of Abraham accepted Christ: Romans 2:28-29; Galatians 3:16-29. This remnant was elected by grace: Romans 11:5, 7.

All who did not accept Christ were blinded and cut off: Romans 11:17-19. Those broken-off branches still had hope, but only in Christ, that they might be grafted back into the vine of God’s people: Romans 11:23. Only if they were grafted back in were they eligible for the inheritance of the promises, and that only in the Spirit. They had no right to call themselves “Israel” unless they were in Christ: Romans 9:6-8, 27.

Even though God promised David that his seed would succeed him on the throne “for ever,” the Lord told Solomon that his reign depended upon his obedience, 1 Chronicles 28:9, and that if he forsook the Lord, he would be cast off “for ever.” Indeed, Psalm 37:28-9 promises that the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. It is the righteous only who will inherit the land. Indeed, the nation was taken captive to Babylon for their sins and disobedience, Nehemiah 1:5-11. Only a small remnant of faithful ones returned. The unrepentant were cast off forever.

Isaiah prophesies of a time when God’s people will be all righteous, chapter 60:21. Daniel prophesied that “the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever,” (7:18). These are only fulfilled in the ultimate, eternal kingdom of Christ.

Luke 1:33, 54-55:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end…. 54. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy… 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

Revelation sums it up thus:
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

“And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 22:5)

The same things that are true of the promises of the land and the kingdom are also true of the promises concerning the Temple, or “House,” and the city, Jerusalem. Joel prophesied: “Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation,” (3:20).

Jeremiah also said that the Temple and the city would “remain for ever,” (7:1-7). But this was conditional, see also Jeremiah 17:21-27. In this context it is clear that the temporal city would be destroyed if it fell into sin, idolatry and disobedience. The subsequent history confirms that God did indeed fulfill His promise both of good and of bad.

In the time of Christ’s ministry in His fleshly body, the Pharisees were teaching that the material city, and land were an irrevocable promise to the fleshly descendants of Abraham. Christ refuted this teaching: John 8:33-59. Paul refuted the teaching that the earthly, material city was eternal: Galatians 4:22-31.

The writer to the Hebrews says also:
“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. (Hebrews 12)

We are admonished to leave the earthly city of destruction:
“Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” (Hebrews 13:13)

The eternal City that can never be destroyed was revealed to John the Revelator:
“And 1 John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2)

Those who refused to accept Christ but rather trusted in fleshly lineage, legal practices, the material land and city, were destroyed in the wars and captivity of the AD 70 era. Let us be warned by their example that the geographical land called “Israel” and those pretending a fleshly lineage are doomed to a similar destruction. Only Christ and those in Him are “alive forevermore”.

This lesson is an edited excerpt from my book, Revelation in Context, available locally at the Living Word Bookstore in Shawnee, Oklahoma or www.Amazon.com, or www.XulonPress.com.
Free downloads are also available at www.revelationincontext.sermon.net.

Behold He Cometh – Part 1

Revelation Commentary, , ,

Revelation 1:7: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth, shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”

This verse has two direct referents; (a) the phrase “coming with clouds” is found in Daniel 7:13 and (b) the phrase “look on him whom they have pierced” is from Zechariah 12:10. Other passages in the Scriptures also give us more context for interpreting Christ’s “coming”.[1]

Coming With Clouds

Daniel 7:13 speaks of the “Son of Man… coming with the clouds of heaven”. Jesus spoke of Himself as the “Son of Man,” a title used of the Messiah, (Matthew 26: 64 and Luke 19:9-10). In the context of His predictions of the destruction of Jerusalem, He clearly foretells that the “Son of Man” will be seen “coming in a cloud with power and great glory,” (Luke 21:27; Matthew 24:30.) The use of the terms “Son of Man” and “coming with clouds” brings to mind Daniel chapter 7, which so often serves as a referent to passages throughout the book of Revelation. The Revelation, “coming, appearance,” of Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:7, is a record of the fulfillment of Daniel’s vision, and the establishment of Christ’s kingdom, Daniel 7:13, 14, 22, 27.

Daniel 7:27 was fulfilled when Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70. The old, fallen kingdom of Israel ceased to exist and the Kingdom was given to Christ and His Body, “the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them,” Daniel 7:27. This completed the translation of the kingdom from an earthly kingdom to a heavenly one as foretold by Daniel.

Revelation 1:7 refers directly to the words of Christ in Matthew 26:64:
“Jesus saith unto him, Thou [the High Priest, singular] hast said: nevertheless I say unto you [plural, the chief priests and scribes], Hereafter shall ye [plural] see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

When Jesus said: “ye shall see,” He was referring to Zechariah 12:10, “They shall look on Me whom they have pierced”

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zech. 12:10)

This prophecy has been literally fulfilled according to John 19:37; it does not await a future fulfillment:
“36 For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37 And again another Scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.” (John 19:36-37)

The phrase “they which pierced Him” refers directly to the men who pierced His side when they crucified Him, especially the chief priests and scribes to whom Jesus was speaking in Matthew 26:64. This verse requires that Christ’s coming in the clouds be fulfilled in the generation which crucified Him. It requires that some of these men should be alive when He “comes with clouds” in order to witness, in the flesh, His appearance or revelation.

The referent Scripture in Zechariah 12:10 foretells that “they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born.”

These are the ones who grieved for the demise of their fleshly kingship and priesthood. The slaughter of the babes of Bethlehem: “Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted, for they were not,” marked the end of the fleshly lineage of David’s heirs to the throne. Jesus’ miraculous escape marked Him as the last and only survivor for David’s dynasty, “an only child,” a “first-born.” When He was “pierced,” crucified, those who hoped for the fleshly fulfillment of the promises “mourned for Him as one would mourn for an only Son, and were in bitterness for Him as one that is in bitterness for his Firstborn, (or Heir).”

The people mourned not only their kingship but also their priesthood. The legitimate priesthood, descended from Aaron, had ceased to exist because the office had become merely a political appointment by Rome instead of the God ordained line of succession. The change of person in the pronouns in Zechariah 12:10: “look upon me” and “mourn for him” may indicate that they looked upon Christ, the One Who was pierced, and mourned for David whose dynasty and promises seemed to be ending in defeat.

In one sense of the word, the entire nation participated in and was judged for the crime of their leaders, for the nation ceased to exist as a fleshly nation. In this sense, they were all guilty of having “pierced” Him. Yet, those who would accept His grace were forgiven, even as He prayed for them while on the cross. His shed blood became the genetic blood of the New Israel.
[1] See WS at 1:7: “Coming”.

 

Hear, Deliverance Promised, End Of The Age

Revelation Commentary, , , , ,

1:3: Hear: “Blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein,” (RSV).

Just as God does not speak without results, so in Biblical thought, man does not truly hear without keeping, or observing, what has been heard. To “keep” that which was heard requires an appropriate response. In Biblical communication, if the response is lacking, one has not completed the act of hearing. The Hebrew meaning of “hear” is more like our word “heed;” that is, you become a doer of the word.

The hearing of the ears initiates a challenge to the will. The will then must either assent or dissent. To assent is to accept or comply passively. This is the first step toward “keeping” or “doing” the Word. However, according to opportunity there must also be, not only the readiness to will, but also a performance of the deeds. Only with the performance is the act of “hearing” complete.

The great shema to Israel was not only an admonition to “hear” but also to “do”: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might,” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

The controversy concerning faith versus works is due to the lack of understanding, amongst the Christians from gentile backgrounds, of the Biblical meaning of “hearing.” James taught the true sense of the word, declaring that “…faith without works is dead,” (James 2:26). And: “Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves,” (James 1:22).

Blessing Of Deliverance Promised

The message of Revelation gives the blessed assurance of Christ’s deliverance, reminiscent of Christ’s words in Luke 21:28: “Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near,” (RSV).

The passage in Luke 17:34-37 seems to indicate that deliverance is not to be merely a matter of one’s own volition, or watchfulness, but that some “will be taken” while others “will be left.” In reading Josephus’ account it seems that indeed there were people who did escape the City and others who could not. These passages themselves would have been sufficient to warn the Christians to avoid the City, or flee from it where possible.

The End Of The Age For The Whole Earth? Objections

Some will object that the “end of the age” does not pertain only to the fall of Judea and Jerusalem but to the whole earth. For example, “for it (that day) will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth,” (Luke 21:35 RSV). There are two things that must be pointed out in this regard:
(l) the word ‘earth,’ in the Hebrew is ’eretz which is sometimes translated “earth” and sometimes “land.” It could therefore refer to the whole land of Judea, or to the whole planet earth.
(2) It may in fact refer to both in their proper time and order; that is, first to the whole land of Judea in the first century, then to the whole planet after the Gospel has gone to the whole world. This is according to the pattern: “The Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile),” (Rom. 2:9-10).

A further objection is that, at His “coming,” Christ is to establish His Kingdom in the earth. This may be answered by pointing out that, at the destruction of the fleshly nation, Christ’s Kingdom fully replaced it in the earth. After that time, there was no other nation of Israel, no other heirs to the promises. We find in Revelation chapter 22 that the New Jerusalem has come down to the earth and God is again dwelling in the midst of His people.

But just as the physical nation had occupied a limited space in the world, so Christ’s kingdom at that time was not all-pervasive of the world systems. His kingdom has, however, like the little stone cut out by no human hands that broke in pieces the great kingdoms of the earth in Daniel 2:34, continually increased and will ultimately fill all the earth and replace every kingdom of this world, the Blessed Kingdom of those who hear the message of Revelation.

“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this,” Isaiah 9:7.

Revelation in Context is available locally at the Living Word Bookstore in Shawnee, Oklahoma or www.Amazon.com, or www.XulonPress.com.
Free downloads are also available at www.revelationincontext.sermon.net.