A new government



And those who are wise -- the people of God -- shall shine as brightly as the sun's brilliance . . . .

Daniel 12:3


One day in the seared wastelands of Judea is about like any other day. The picture never changes. It's hot. It's bright. It's barren. Rocks heaped on sand. Sand heaped on rocks.

This day was a little bit different, however. This day God himself was out walking these barren acres, deep in meditation and prayer.

He was fasting as well. He ate nothing whatsoever for 40 days. A healthy, normal, working man up through the time he started his ministry, Jesus had always liked to eat and drink. He had an excellent appetite, relishing a good meal. To him, that was one of life's great pleasures. They had even called him a glutton and a winebibber.1

But the change was startling. It didn't even look like him now. He was emaciated. The veins stuck out on his arms. His ribs showed. Underneath his beard, the line along his jaw was sharp and angular. His face was creased, his cheeks a bit sunken.

But it was worth it. He was as close to God the Father as it was possible to be. Together they carefully reconfirmed plans for the next three and one-half years, step by step, detail by detail, prophecy against prophecy to be fulfilled. At that time, two things were on his mind: how hungry he was, and the kingdom of heaven that would one day transform the spot he was sitting on into a lush garden.

As he sat by a rock deep in these thoughts, he was startled by another person who had walked up to him. He recognized him at once.

It was Satan.

Jesus said nothing.

"If you are God's Son, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread." (Satan always denies that we are God's own children.)

But Jesus kept his composure. "It is written in the Scriptures, 'Other things in life are much more important than bread!'"

Satan knew he probably couldn't tempt Jesus with food. After all, Jesus had now fasted for nearly 40 days. He probably would finish it.

But then Satan took him high up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

"I will give you all these splendid kingdoms and their glory -- for they are mine to give to anyone I wish -- if you will only get down on your knees and worship me."

Jesus took it all in. He didn't debate Satan, because he knew that the unbound Satan is, indeed, the prince of this world.2 Instead, Jesus went back to the Scripture for his answer: "We must worship God, and him alone. So it is written in the Scriptures."

So Satan, in his way, acknowledged that and returned Jesus to a high roof of the Temple -- the seat of God's authority on the earth.

"So if you are who you say you are, if you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say that God will send his angels to guard you and to keep you from crashing to the pavement below!"

Going back to the Scriptures one more time, (a good strategy for all of us), Jesus said: "The Scriptures also say, 'Do not put the Lord your God to a foolish test.'"

Satan knew he wasn't getting anywhere, so he gave up. He left. He would have another chance another day, he thought.

This exchange is a fascinating one for many reasons, but most pertinently here, it's fascinating because it tells us who's in charge here -- on earth.

Satan is, the superarchangel God had put in charge of the earth, to minister to his new creation, man, more than 4,000 years before.

When first assigned, Satan (then called Lucifer before his rebellion) was told to take good care of man because God was creating this new form of life to become his very children! They would populate the earth, enjoy a close relationship with God, and live forever. As children, they would be even more like God than Lucifer himself, even as intelligent, glorious and beautiful as he was.

As this sunk in, Lucifer became sick. Then he became furious. He was already unhappy that he himself was not recognized as the consummate most High God. And now God was going to extend family privileges to millions of other beings that . . . that he made out of clay! Lucifer choked on his rage. He would not be keeper for these new human beings -- not him, the great Lucifer.

Time for action. Rebellious Lucifer collected one-third of the angels that followed him (Michael and Gabriel were the other two great archangels of God, each of whom was captain of a third of the angels), and he launched a blitzkreig on the very throne of God.

What happened?

Isaiah tells us.

"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground -- mighty though you were against the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, 'I will ascend to heaven and rule the angels. I will take the highest throne. I will preside on the Mount of Assembly far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.' But instead, you will be brought down to the pit of hell, down to its lowest depths. Everyone there will stare at you and ask, 'Can this be the one who shook the earth and the kingdoms of the world? Can this be the one who destroyed the world and made it into a shambles and demolished its greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?'

"The kings of the nations lie in stately glory in their graves, but your body is thrown out like a broken branch; it lies in an open grave, covered with the dead bodies of those slain in battle. It lies as a carcass on the road, trampled and mangled by the horses' hoofs. No monument will be given you, for you have destroyed your nation and slain your people. Your son will not succeed you as the king. Slay the children of this sinner. Do not let them rise and conquer the land nor rebuild the cities of the world."3

That latter honor belongs to Jesus Christ and him alone. When he returns to the earth, he will sit and reign on the throne of David. And he will be king over all the earth.4 There is only one person who is uniquely worthy to be king over all the earth, someone who is God, and yet someone who is man, and there is only one who fits that description, and that is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.5

In all his wisdom and insight, God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Jesus Christ. God's plan, which he will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth with Christ as head.6

Because the kingdom is the Lord's, and he is read 'will be' governor among the nations.7 The government will rest squarely on his muscular shoulders.8 He will, at long last, inherit the Davidic throne.9

Right here on the earth. Right in Jerusalem.

Few people are expecting this. People will be shocked down to the roots of their teeth. The whole earth will register shock. "Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem...."10

Zion here is the royal residence, like Buckingham Palace.

Never so glorious a king

Jesus Christ can show himself in at least two ways. As we have seen earlier, when the prophets saw him in his heavenly glory, they saw him as made up of fire, glowing like bronze. A halo surrounds him, with all colors of the rainbow. He shines with the power of the sun. Jesus Christ in his heavenly glory is so powerful that we can't look at him in the face. We would die.11

But among men, as he did after his resurrection, Jesus takes on human appearance. He has a spiritual, eternal kind of flesh and bone. He can do some strange things, like walk through walls and rock. He can do some rather ordinary things, like eating.

When Jesus reigns on the earth, he will appear in his heavenly glory to his resurrected saints, but in earthly form to humans. People will be able to see him face-to-face and not die.12

What will he look like? What will he be like?

It is impossible to know exactly what his face will look like, but we can know that his face will draw people to him. It will be a face that conveys beauty, wisdom, insight, compassion, determination. It will be a charismatic face, if you will. And it will be a face familiar to every living person, by means of television, newspapers, magazines.

We know that he will still have the holes and the scars in his wrists and side.13 There will be no mistaking his identity.

He will have a regal bearing, being called Lion.14

Being called Shiloh,15 or 'the tranquilizer,' he will immediately put people at ease in his presence.

Being called Shepherd,16 he will have a nurturing, caring demeanor, hospitable to visitors, and kind.

Being called Stone,17 he will have an unparalled sense of presence, and a marvelous stability that will again cause people to stand in awe of him.

Being called Star,18 he will be charismatic, the foremost celebrity on earth. People will be fans of his in the way that they're fans of their favorite sports or film stars today.

He will put on the symbols of his office: the crown,19 the robe, the girdle or baldric, the scepter and the key.20

All kings wear crowns and royal robes. That's very much our picture of a king. Typically, the crowns are of gold. The robes are done in royal colors such as scarlet, purple, and the like. So, too, with Jesus Christ. His crown will be handworked with exquisite designs, pictures, emblems, jewels. His robes will be perfumed.21

The girdle or baldric is not quite so familiar a symbol of power to us as the crown and the robe. This is not the girdle as we know it today, the elastic device designed to hold in flabby tummies. This is a decorative belt, worn to express office, station, power. Our word belt comes from Old High German "balz" and the Old French "baldrei." The modern English is "baldric." This is not a common word, because royalty is not a common subject in the democratic West. But Webster tells us that a baldric is "a broad belt, worn over the right or left shoulder, diagonally across the body, to the waist or below it, either simply as an ornament or to suspend a sword, dagger, or horn. Some were magnificently decorated with bells and precious stones. The baldric was worn in feudal times, partly as a military and partly as a heraldic symbol, and its style served to indicate the rank of the wearer." He quotes from Pope's Iliad: "A radiant baldric o'er his shoulder tied."

The scepter,22 Webster tells us, is a "staff or rod held by sovereigns on solemn occasions, as a badge of authority." This can also be very ornate, inlaid with wrought gold, precious stones, ivory and the like.

As unfamiliar as we are with the scepter and baldric, we are even less familiar with the key. I quote from Clarke's Commentary, a long quote, but one I think worth it:

"As the robe and the baldric . . . were the ensigns of power and authority, so likewise was the key the mark of office, either sacred or civil. The priestess of Juno is said to be the key-bearer of the goddess. A female high in office under a great queen has the same title: 'Callithoe was the key-bearer of the Olympian queen.' This mark of office was likewise among the Greeks, as here in Isaiah, borne on the shoulder; the priestess of Ceres had the key on her shoulder. To comprehend how the key could be borne on the shoulder, it will be necessary to say something of the form of it: but without entering into a long disquisition, and a great deal of obscure learning, concerning the locks and keys of the ancients, it will be sufficient to observe, that one sort of keys, and that probably the most ancient, was of considerable magnitude, and as to the shape, very much bent and crooked. Aratus, to give his reader an idea of the form of the constellation Cassiopeia, compares it to a key. It must be owned that the passage is very obscure; but the learned Huetius has bestowed a great deal of pains in explaining it . . . He says the constellation Cassiopeia answers to this description; the stars to the north making the curve part, that is, the principal part of the key; the southern stars, the handle. The curve part was introduced into the key-hole; and, being properly directed by the handle, took hold of the bolts within, and moved them from their places. We may easily collect from this account, that such a key would lie very well upon the shoulder; that it must be of some considerable size and weight, and could hardly be commodiously carried otherwise. Ulysses' key was of brass, and the handle of ivory: but this was a royal key. The more common ones were probably of wood . . . . But was it not the representation of a key, either cut out in cloth and sewed on the shoulder of the garment, or embroidered on that part of the garment itself? The idea of a huge key of a gate, in any kind of metal, laid across the shoulder, is to me very ridiculous.

"In allusion to the image of the key as the ensign of power, the unlimited extent of that power is expressed with great clearness as well as force by the sole and exclusive authority to open and shut. Our Saviour, therefore, has upon a similar occasion made use of like manner of expression, Matt. 16:19, and in Rev. 3:7 has applied to himself the very words of the prophet."

Whether made of gold, or of royal cloth23 and sewed on his garment, we know from Isaiah that Jesus Christ will wear the key of the house of David. "And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder." I imagine it to be an actual key of gold, encrusted with precious stones, and worn over the shoulder, as a five-star general wears his stars on his shoulder.

When formally attired, then, the King of Kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, with royal robes, baldric and key of David, will be a breathtaking figure.

Just as the Queen of England does not always wear her royal attire, neither will the Lord. But the different pieces will hang in the royal closets for special occasions, like the holy days, when many descend on Jerusalem to see him, seek his blessing and worship him.

The president of any nation, government, business or organization sets the tone for that entity. But he's still just one person. He cannot undertake every task, make every decision, do all the work himself. How will 'the Stone become a great mountain prophetic language for government] and fill the whole earth'?24

He will turn to his family for help, just as he turned to his disciples the first time he lived on the earth. The government of the next era, in fact, will be a 'family business.'

Elijah and Moses: Church and State

It was an incredible thing to say. The disciples of the man Jesus were astonished. They heard him right: "Some of you standing right here now will certainly live to see me coming in my Kingdom."25

It won't be long now, they thought. Just a period of months, maybe years, we'll work hard, we'll preach the good news to our countrymen . . . we'll overthrow the Romans . . . .

But that's not what Jesus had in mind.

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James and his brother John to the top of a high and lonely hill, and as they watched, his appearance changed so that his face shone like the sun and his clothing became dazzling white.

Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with him. Somehow they knew exactly who it was. What a miracle!

Peter blurted out: "Sir, it's wonderful that we can be here! If you want me to, I'll make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah."

But even as he said it, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, and I am wonderfully pleased with him. Obey him."

Jesus had said six days earlier that some would see him coming in his kingdom.

Here was Elijah, perhaps the most spiritual man who ever lived. A man who could shut heaven, multiply the oil, resurrect the dead, bring fire or rain down from heaven, and strike the Jordan River with his coat and have it split in two so he could cross it on dry ground.

And Moses, the highly educated man, who forsook all the pleasures of Egypt to become head of the state of Israel.

In these two individuals, we have church and state. We have a priest and a king.

Jesus Christ himself is both our King,26 and our High Priest.27 When it comes time to divide the responsibilities of government in the new world, however, it may be that Jesus will call upon the resurrected Elijah to be in charge of things religious, and Moses to be in charge of things political.

It's entirely likely that that was one of the meanings of the transfiguration.

David: king of Israel

Who else will help Jesus Christ govern in the new world?

David. The man after God's own heart.

God will raise up David to be King of Israel. "For they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their King, whom I will raise up for them, says the Lord. Written concerning Israel and Judah.28

The disciples: kings of the twelve tribes

The Bible is just as specific about what the disciples will do. We have it on the authority of Jesus Christ himself:

"When I, the Messiah, shall sit upon my glorious throne in the Kingdom, you my disciples shall certainly sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

And:

"Nevertheless, because you have stood true to me in these terrible days, and because my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I, here and now, grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in that Kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."29

This was not an airy abstraction to these men. They believed it straightaway, because they even argued, like men, who would enjoy the highest rank in that kingdom.

Paul, similarly, looked forward to a government position, as did the twelve. "Don't you know that some day we Christians are going to judge and govern the world? . . . Don't you realize that we Christians will judge and reward the very angels in heaven?"30 This is how he encouraged Timothy: "And if we think that our present service for him is hard, just remember that some day we are going to sit with him and rule with him."31

What about the rest of us (believers)?

All other believers will receive positions in the new government as well. When Jesus told the twelve about their assignments in the world to come, he also said: "And anyone who gives up his home, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, or property, to follow me, shall receive a hundred times as much in return, and shall have eternal life. But many who are first now will be last then; and some who are last now will be first then."32

And, as the Lord reveals to John again in the Revelation:

"Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those who had been given the right to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the Word of God, and who had not worshipped the Creature or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They had come to life again and now they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the First Resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no terrors, for they will be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."33

And:

"To every one who overcomes -- who to the very end keeps on doing things that please me -- I will give power over the nations. You will rule them with a rod of iron just as my Father gave me the authority to rule them."34

And:

"I will let every one who conquers sit beside me on my throne, just as I took my place with my Father on his throne when I had conquered."35

And:

"And you have gathered them into a kingdom and made them priests of our God; they shall reign upon the earth."36

Paul explains it this way:

"For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him -- and all along he knew who would -- should become like his Son, so that his Son would be the First, with many brothers. And having chosen us, he called us to come to him; and when we came, he declared us 'not guilty,' filled us with Christ's goodness, gave us right standing with himself, and promised us his glory."37

And he further explains:

"Before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his in Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him. Because of his love, God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would bring us to himself as his sons -- this was his pleasure and his purpose."38

Paul fully expected to rule with Christ on the earth.39 This was basic, common knowledge to Paul, and he expected everyone else to take it as a matter of course: "Don't you know that some day we Christians are going to judge and govern the world?" he asked the Corinthians. "Don't you realize that we Christians will judge and reward the very angels in heaven?"40 And to Timothy: "If we continue to endure, we shall also rule with him."41

The ones who rule are the ones who enter in at the narrow gate and find life.42 The ones who are crucifying the old man,43 overcoming the life of the flesh.44 The ones who are close to God, pray to him, know him, pray for others, forgive others, intercede. As Jesus said: "Not all who sound religious are really godly people. They may refer to me as 'Lord,' but still won't get to heaven. For the decisive question is whether they obey my Father in heaven. At the Judgment many will tell me, 'Lord, Lord, we told others about you and used your name to cast out demons and to do many other great miracles.' But I will reply, 'You have never been mine. Go away, for your deeds are evil.'"45

We can only attain this status if we are led by the Holy Spirit, and indeed, all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.46

And all those brothers (and sisters) will be put to work in the family business, sharing the rule of the new world, in one life with Jesus Christ. The 'family' nature of this organization was emphasized by Jesus himself: "Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will have a great reward and you will be sons of the Most High God."47 And: "Jesus answered: 'Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?' He looked at the people sitting around him and said, 'Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does what God wants him to do is my brother, my sister, my mother.'"48 This was not new knowledge either. The writer of Psalm 82 put it this way: "I have said, You are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High."

This, then, is the reward of the believer. Not sitting around all day on a cloud, playing the harp. But helping Christ make the new world a reality for all the earth's people, working together with other members of the family.

And our assignment in the new world is what we'll receive at the Judgment Seat of Christ.49 Some scholars believe this happens during the seven-year period that the church is in heaven during the great tribulation. Others think it will take place shortly after Christ returns to the earth, for example, 1335 days after the start of the great tribulation, which is 75 days after the return of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem. "Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days."50 Or, as the Hebrew accent suggests: "Blessed is he that expecteth and shall reach the goal: he shall reach today, 1335."

In either case, we will stand before Jesus Christ. And, in either, case, he'll have the time for each one of us, since he has the ability to suspend time, since a thousand years is as a day with him, and a day as a thousand years.51

What will take place when we stand before the Lord?

In a newly resurrected body, every believer will receive in judgment "the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it is good or bad."52

Paul writes further to explain:

"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."53

What are these 'good works . . . gold, silver, precious stones?'

And 'bad works . . . wood, hay, straw?'

Anything done in the Spirit for Jesus Christ is the former. This includes witnessing, worshipping, giving, teaching, interceding for others in prayer, and so on.

The latter is anything done in the flesh for selfish purposes.

The Lord will be looking for both quantity and quality of works, as shown in the parables of the nobleman54 and the talents.55

You can see people who witness to others or go to church. But at the judgment, Jesus Christ will also make manifest the counsels of the heart.56 All the secret sins that are buried in the heart.

What to do about these?

We must confess our sin

Sin is what gets between us and God.

Paul wrote: "But if you carefully examine yourselves before eating (taking the Lord's Supper) you will not need to be judged and punished."57

Isaiah wrote: "Listen now! The Lord isn't too weak to save you. And he isn't getting deaf! He can hear you when you call! But the trouble is that your sins have cut you off from God. Because of sin he has turned his face away from you and will not listen anymore."58

I try not to sin, you say, I really do, but I get angry, or I just give in, or . . . .

So, too, with Paul. "It seems to be a fact of life," he wrote, "that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love to do God's will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God's willing servant but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.

"So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I'm in! (In the King James version, Paul cries out: "O wretched man!") Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free."59

All we have to do is confess our sin to him, and the pathway is free and clear again.

"But if we confess our sins to him," John wrote, "he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong."60

Sin must be confessed, so that God can forgive us, and wipe the slate clean.

If every Christian would read that scripture, understand it, drink it in and digest it, nothing would stand between him or her and God. He or she would have the very power of God to draw on whether to preach, teach, witness, heal, prosper. In short, he or she would have all the gifts and blessings God wants us to have -- now and in the future.

A crown for you

The Lord especially wants to give us authority in the kingdom age. We are now in the process -- whether we're aware of it or not -- of earning our position of service for Christ during the coming kingdom. We will fill various positions in the new government. Some over five cities, some over 10, some over entire nations, some over certain aspects of the government for a certain nation.

But all princes and princesses in the new world.

He has outlined in the Word, five different symbols of that authority, and how these positions are earned:

Crown of righteousness. "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day; and not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing."61 There are two thoughts here. One is righteousness, or purifying oneself, as we've just learned, by confession. The other is the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, and those who are looking forward to it. One seems to enhance the other, and in fact, this special crown is reserved for those Christians who, inspired by the imminent return of Christ, live a clean and holy life.

The incorruptible crown. "And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."62 This is sometimes called the "victor's crown." It's for those who stretch themselves and reach for higher levels of Christian service, just as an athlete pushes himself or herself harder and harder for greater athletic glory.

The crown of life. "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him."63 Sometimes called the "martyr's crown" or the "sufferer's crown," this crown is for those who have borne temptation, pain or hurt, and remained faithful to Jesus, even "faithful unto death."64

Crown of rejoicing. "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?"65 This crown is for the soul winner, whether a soul winner who planted, cultivated, or was there for the final harvest. These individuals, whether working in the spotlight or behind the scenes, the evangelist or the intercessory prayer maker, will have this very special crown awarded to them. Daniel said: "those who turn many to righteousness will glitter like stars forever."66

Crown of glory. "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."67 This is sometimes called the "shepherd's crown" or the pastor's crown. This crown is for all who shepherd and teach the flock, all the pastors, teachers, Bible study group leaders, Sunday school leaders, and so on.

These crowns are all very real, in keeping with the literalness of the rest of God's promises. You will be able to touch them, see them, feel and wear them. Rulers of the kingdom age won't wear them all the time, but rather only on special occasions, such as holy days, just as the Queen of England or the King of Sweden do now. Whether worn on the head, or sitting neatly on display in your palace, they symbolize the authority, power, royalty and rulership that believers will enjoy in their kingdom.

Following the judgment we will be actually coronated with these crowns. This will take place either in heaven, or on the earth in Jerusalem. This event is described in minute detail in Psalm 45 addressed to Jesus Christ:

"My heart is overflowing with a beautiful thought!

I will write a lovely poem to the King, for I am as full of words as the speediest writer pouring out his story.

You are the fairest of all;

Your words are filled with grace;

God himself is blessing you forever.

Arm yourself, O Mighty One,

So glorious, so majestic!

And in your majesty

Go on to victory,

Defending truth, humility, and justice.

Go forth to awe-inspiring deeds!

Your arrows are sharp

In your enemies' hearts;

They fall before you.

Your throne, O God, endures forever.

Justice is your royal scepter.

You love what is good

And hate what is wrong.

Therefore God, your God,

Has given you more gladness

Than anyone else.

Your robes are perfumed with myrrh, aloes and cassia.

In your inlaid palaces of ivory, lovely music is being played for enjoyment.

Kings' daughters are among your concubines.

Standing beside you is the queen (the church), wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir.

"I advise you, O daughter, not to fret about your parents in your homeland far away in the world.

Your royal husband [Jesus Christ] delights in your beauty.

Reverence him, for he is your lord.

The people of Tyre, the richest people of our day, will shower you with gifts and entreat your favors."

The bride, [literally, the king's daughter, or the church], a princess, waits within her chamber, robed in beautiful clothing woven with gold.

Lovely she is, led beside her maids of honor to the king!

What a joyful, glad procession as they enter in the palace gates!

(And then switching back to the King James for a clearer meaning) . . .

Instead of thy fathers [Abraham, David, etc.] shall be thy children [the born-into-the-kingdom, resurrected saints],

whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.

"I will cause your name to be honored in all generations; the nations of the earth will praise you forever."

Whether to occur in heaven or in Jerusalem, this is a remarkable scene, the nuptials of the King, and certainly something worth sacrificing for to attend. When we're standing there, bedecked with the same kind of regalia as Jesus Christ, crowns, baldrics, robes, and scepters, sitting beside him on the throne, we will get the full meaning of this from Isaiah:

"I am the Lord, your God, which teaches you to profit."68

We will say:

"Let the Lord be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant."69

And:

"Humble men are very fortunate . . . for the kingdom of heaven is given to them. Those who mourn are fortunate! for they shall be comforted. The meek and lowly are fortunate! for the whole wide world belongs to them.

"Happy are those who long to be just and good, for they shall be completely satisfied. Happy are the kind and merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. Happy are those whose hearts are pure, for they shall see God. Happy are those who strive for peace -- they shall be called the sons of God. Happy are those who are persecuted because they are good, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

"When you are reviled and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers -- wonderful! Be happy about it! Be very glad! for a tremendous reward awaits you up in heaven."70

Now we can see why the Psalmist advised us to delight in the Lord and he shall give us the desires of our heart.71 And that the inheritance of the upright, upright via Christ, shall be forever.72

Now we can understand what it means to "wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt you to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it."73

As part of the government that is given to Christ, all the land, all the nations are held in a sort of fiduciary trust by that government, and hence, the believer does inherit the land, in fact, the whole earth, just as physical Israel inherits the actual land of Palestine. Believers, rulers in the next world, will hold all the nations in trust.

Some Christians wonder today why God brings this hurt or that pain upon them, why he gives a little child and then takes the child away. But God is only a good God. He sees us as his sons and daughters, princes and princesses of the kingdom. Satan is the one who is trying to hurt us; God never does. Sometimes Christians say they don't know God's will in a certain health matter, or financial matter, or spiritual matter. But God is consistent. He never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.74 He always wants us to prosper, to be in health, to abound. Jesus said that he came so that we would have life, and have it more abundantly.75

We may not always know God's thoughts, but he does: "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."76

He has gathered us into his kingdom and made us priests of God his Father.77

The saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever.78 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.79

What does this really mean -- "all dominions shall serve . . . "? The Bible is amazingly specific.

Isaiah 60, 61 and 62 talks about blessings in the millennial age. Much of it seems to be aimed at Israel, but many of those blessings are equally applicable to resurrected saints, since we are the true descendants of Abraham.80 Former kings and business magnates of this world will be dazzled by the glory of the new regime. They will come seeking favor, they will come as servants. They will contribute tithes and offerings -- gold converted from the seas81 -- with which to build Jerusalem and fund the new government.

"Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee."82

And:

"And he shall live; and to him will be given the gold of Sheba, and there will be constant praise for him."83 This, speaking of Jesus.

Though Jesus could turn all the clay of the earth into gold, he will accept these offerings from the nations because it is their expression of solidarity with the new government. He will accept the offerings because it's good for them, not because he needs the money. The gates of Jerusalem will have to stay open around the clock to receive the shipments of precious metals.84 These offerings will be used to decorate the new Temple, and the other buildings of official Jerusalem.85

Besides gold, the oceans also are rich in copper, zinc, tin, silver, platinum, and interestingly, phosphate ores which produce fertilizer for agriculture. Scientists estimate that the Red Sea alone contains some $3.4 billion worth of gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc.

This has not escaped the attention of the multi-national corporations. Several groups of companies are preparing to mine the oceans on a vast scale in the coming decade. One such group links no less than 23 Japanese companies plus a West German group called AMR, and the U.S. subsidiary of Canada's International Nickel. Another ties the Union Miniere of Belgium with U.S. Steel, and the Sun Company (U.S.). Yet another unites the Noranda of Canada with Mitsubishi of Japan, Rio Tinto Zinc, and Consolidated Gold Fields of the United Kingdom. Yet another is a collaboration between Lockheed and the Royal Dutch/Shell group. The Financial Times of London expects these joint efforts to "revolutionize world mining activities for selected minerals."

The technology exists to mine the oceans, and they will be mined, but few people know that this wealth ultimately will be used to build Jerusalem.

Furthermore, people will not only send gold and silver, they will actually come to Jerusalem to build it, working together with the Israelis. "And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, and the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers."86

Jerusalem will be a very rich and ornate capital for the new government. It will be called "The Land of Desire" and "The City God Has Blessed."

Securing your position

This all sounds pretty fantastic, you might think: 'I didn't know about all these things that Christ has in store for me. I guess I heard about it, but I didn't really realize that I was going to have a position in government in the new world.

'But how can I make sure I achieve my full potential?

'How can I make certain I get my full reward?'

The best way to start is to analyze your spiritual gifts.

Read 1 Corinthians 12 in its entirety, and 13 and 14 as well. Paul writes:

"Now here is what I am trying to say: All of you together are the one body of Christ and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. Here is a list of some of the parts he has placed in his church, which is his body:

"Apostles.

"Prophets -- those who preach God's Word.

"Teachers,

"Those who do miracles,

"Those who have the gift of healing,

"Those who can help others,

"Those who can get others to work together,

"Those who speak in languages they have never learned.

"Is everyone an apostle? Of course not. Is everyone a preacher? No. Are all teachers? Does everyone have the power to do miracles? Can everyone heal the sick? Of course not. Does God give all of us the ability to speak in languages we've never learned? Can just anyone understand and translate what those are saying who have that gift of foreign speech? No, but try your best to have the more important of these gifts."

And then Paul goes on to say that love is the most important gift of all.

Every believer has at least one gift of the Holy Spirit, some have more. Discern what yours is, and then go to work to develop it.87 Become a profitable servant for the Lord.

Five short stories: Two business briefs, three love stories

The nobleman. A nobleman living in a certain province was called away to the distant capital of the empire to be crowned king of his province. Before he left he called together ten assistants and gave them each $2,000 gifts of the Holy Spirit to invest while he was gone. But some of his people hated him and sent him their declaration of independence, stating that they had rebelled and would not acknowledge him as their king. Upon his return he called in the men to whom he had given the money, to find out what they had done with it service], and what their profits were.

The first man reported a tremendous gain -- ten times as much as the original amount!

"Fine!" the king exclaimed. "You are a good man. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, and as your reward, you shall be governor of ten cities."

The next man also reported a splendid gain -- five times the original amount.

"All right!" his master said. "You can be governor over five cities."

But the third man brought back only the money he had started with. "I've kept it safe," he said, "because I was afraid you would demand my profits, for you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't yours and even confiscating the crops that others plant."

"You vile and wicked slave," the king roared. "Hard, am I? that's exactly how I'll be toward you! If you knew so much about me and how tough I am, then why didn't you deposit the money in the bank so that I could at least get some interest on it?"

Then turning to the others standing by he ordered, "Take the money away from him and give it to the man who earned the most."

"But sir," they said, "he has enough already!"

"Yes," the king replied, "but it is always true that those who have, get more, and those who have little, soon lose even that. And now about these enemies of mine who revolted -- bring them in and execute them before me."88

The second story:

The man going into another country. Again, the kingdom of heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going into another country, who called together his servants and loaned them money to invest for him while he was gone.

He gave $5,000 to one, $2,000 to another, and $1,000 to the last -- dividing it in proportion to their abilities -- and then left on his trip. The man who received the $5,000 began immediately to buy and sell with it and soon earned another $5,000. The man with $2,000 went right to work, too, and earned another $2,000.

But the man who received the $1,000 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping.

After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to him to account for his money. The man to whom he had entrusted the $5,000 brought him $10,000.

His master praised him for good work.

"You have been faithful in handling this small amount," he told him, "so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Begin the joyous tasks I have assigned to you."

Next came the man who had received the $2,000, with the report, "Sir, You gave me $2,000 to use, and I have doubled it."

"Good work," his master said. "You are a good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over this small amount, so now I will give you much more."

Then the man with the $1,000 came and said, "Sir, I knew you were a hard man, and I was afraid you would rob me of what I earned, so I hid your money in the earth and here it is!"

But his master replied, "Wicked man! Lazy slave! Since you knew I would demand your profit, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. Take the money from this man and give it to the man with the $10,000. For the man who uses well what he is given shall be given more, and he shall have abundance. But from the man who is unfaithful, even what little responsibility he has shall be taken from him. And throw this useless servant out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."89

A love story:

The meaning of the Song of Solomon.90 "There was a family living at Shulem, consisting of a widowed mother, several sons, and one daughter, who maintained themselves by farming and pasturage. The brothers were particularly fond of their sister, (the church) and took her under their special care, promising that her prudence and virtue should be greatly rewarded by them.

"In the course of time, while tending the flock, and, according to the custom of the shepherds, resorting at noon beneath a tree for shelter against the meridian sun, she met with a graceful shepherd youth (Jesus Christ) to whom she afterward became espoused.

"One morning, in the spring, this youth invited her to accompany him into the field; but the brothers, overhearing the invitation, and anxious for the reputation of their sister, sent her (in order to prevent their meeting) to take care of the vineyards.

"The damsel, however, consoled her beloved and herself with the assurance that, though separated bodily, indissoluble ties subsisted between them, over which her brothers had no control.

"She requested him to meet her in the evening; and, as he did not come, she feared that some accident had befallen him on the way, and went in search of him, and found him.

"The evening now was the only time in which they could enjoy each other's companionship, as, during the day, the damsel was occupied in the vineyards.

"On one occasion, when entering a garden, she accidentally came into the presence of the King, (here representing Satan), who happened to be on a summer visit to that neighborhood.

"Struck with the beauty of the damsel, the King conducted her into his royal tent and there, assisted by his court-ladies, endeavoured with alluring flatteries and promises, to gain her affection, but without effect.

"Released from the King's presence, the damsel soon sought an interview with her beloved shepherd.

"The King, however, took her with him to his capital in great pomp, in the hope of dazzling her with his splendour; but neither did this prevail; for while even there, she told her beloved shepherd, who had followed her into the capital, and obtained an interview with her, that she was anxious to quit the gaudy scene for her own home.

"The shepherd, on hearing this, praised her constancy; and such a manifestation of their mutual attachment took place, that several of the court-ladies were greatly affected by it.

"The King, still determined if possible to win her affections, watched for another favourable opportunity; and with flatteries and allurements, surpassing all that he had used before, tried to obtain his purpose.

"He promised to elevate her to the highest rank, and to raise her above all his concubines and queens, if she would comply with his wishes; but faithful to her espousals, she refused all his overtures, on the plea that her affections were pledged to another.

"The King, convinced at last that he could not possibly prevail, was obliged to dismiss her; and the shepherdess, in company with her beloved shepherd, returned to her native place.

"On their way home, they visited the tree under which they had first met, and there renewed their vows of fidelity to each other.

"On her arrival in safety at her home, her brothers, according to their promise, rewarded her greatly for her virtuous conduct."

Bullinger says:91 The above is an Interpretation. The Application is an incentive to loyalty and fidelity to the One "Who loved us and gave Himself for us"; and to stand fast, in our love and loyalty to Him, in the face of the fiercest temptations and severest trials.

To Israel this would be expressed: "Be thou faithful unto death."92

To the Church of God this would be expressed in such passages as Gal. 5:1, Eph. 4:14; 6:13, 18, Phil. 1:6, 4:1, Col. 1:10, 22, 25, 2:7, 2, Tim. 3:14, Tit. 1:9, Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26.

Love story explained. The Song of Solomon expresses the freshness of the feeling, the passion, between the young shepherd and maiden, figures for Jesus and the Church. It also represents some of the trials of the relationship and its ultimate success. But it leaves off before telling several more fascinating details of the love reality that Christ himself enacted while here on the earth, and is now enacting. These reinforce the love bonds that bind the believer to Christ. These include the price to be paid, the cup to be drunk, the place to be prepared and the sudden return.

When a young man in ancient Israel saw the girl he wanted, or the girl his father had picked out for him, he would approach her with a marriage contract. There was really no romantic dating or courtship as we know it at that time; marriage was more a legal agreement with business ramifications. Now this marriage contract gave the terms under which he would propose. The most important part was the price he would pay for the wife he wanted.

How archaic! How insulting all this may seem to the modern mind. But in this "first wave" agricultural civilization, a male was worth more as a worker than a female. So a father had sustained some economic losses in raising his daughter up to become the wife of a stranger. His receiving a price was a way of recouping some of the loss. It was the common practice. Accepted. Everybody did it this way.

This was no token price, either. It purposefully was set very high. A wife was worth a lot. A young man had to sacrifice to have one.

Now if the price and terms were suitable, the bride and groom would seal the contract by drinking a cup of wine together.

After that, the groom would leave. He would make a little speech to his bride, saying, "I go to prepare a place for you."93 He would go to his father's house. Back there, he would build her a bridal chamber, a mini-mansion, where they would one day honeymoon.

This was a big job. It usually took more than a year. The father of the groom would be the one to advise on the construction, give assistance along the way, and then finally determine when the structure was complete, inside and out. The honeymoon house was not only to be beautiful and well-decorated, but it was to be well-stocked with provisions. The bride and groom would stay in their honeymoon house for seven days.

Meanwhile the bride would be waiting. She was "consecrated," "set apart," "bought with a price." Whenever she went out of the house, she would wear a veil to communicate to other would-be covenanters that she was already in contract with another.

She would wait, and wait, and wait. It seemed like an awfully long time. Towards the end of the year, she would sleep in her wedding dress, expecting her husband to come any night.

Finally, the chamber would, in fact, pass the father's inspection, and the bridegroom would round up his friends to accompany him to claim his bride. They would set out in the night, making every effort to surprise the bride.

That was the romantic part. All Jewish brides were "stolen," "abducted" and carried off into the night, by one who loved her and wanted her so much that he had paid a very high price for her!

Then off to the honeymoon house. The marriage was consummated. Then the celebration would begin outside . . . and last for an entire week. At the end of the week, the bride and groom would appear to the crowd of well-wishers. Then would follow a joyous meal, a marriage supper, or to us, a wedding reception, a tremendous conclusion to a week of celebration. After the marriage supper, the bride and groom would depart to their own house.

The meanings to us:

The contract: the new covenant.

The cup: communion.

The honeymoon house: mansions or apartments in heavenly palaces.

The stealing of the bride: the rapture.

The week-long celebration: the seven years in heaven during the tribulation.

Departing to their own house: returning to earth to claim the government of the new world.94

Now, having read this . . . one last story.

The imperative story of the ten bridesmaids. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. But only five of them were wise enough to fill their lamps with oil the Holy Spirit, while the other five were foolish and forgot.

So, when the bridegroom was delayed, they lay down to rest until midnight, when they were roused by the shout, 'The bridegroom is coming! Come out and welcome him!'

All the girls jumped up and trimmed their lamps. Then the five who hadn't any oil begged the others to share with them, for their lamps were going out.

But the other replied, "We haven't enough. Go instead to the shops and buy some for yourselves."

But while they were gone, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.

Later, when the other five returned, they stood outside, calling "Sir, open the door for us!"

But he called back, "Go away! It is too late."

Right now it's not too late to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour, to worship God, to witness, to begin a Bible study group. It's not too late to take on a new position in your local church.

Most important of all, if you're reading this in the old world, it's not too late to be filled up with the oil of the Holy Spirit.

But someday it will be.

This is a highly leveraged proposition. You win; you win big. You lose; you lose big. There's nothing in the middle.

Without the Holy Spirit leading you in confession, in power, in service, you wind up with a loss. All the money you might have made, all the achievements in this earth you might have won, all the struggle and effort of living will seem like a waste. Having been called out by God as a follower of Christ, you will have missed the whole purpose of your new life.

With the Spirit in you invested in genuine service, however, you wind up with one or more crowns, and a fulfilling position in the world to come. One that you'd like, one that you'd choose yourself, one that's just right for you. You wind up with glory, honor, wealth, fame, peace and power.

If you've put off becoming a Bible school teacher, now's the time to take it up.

If you've put off telling your family and friends about Jesus Christ, now's the time to do it.

If you haven't confessed your sins in a long, long time, there will never be a better time to look God up and do it -- than now.

And then you'll be wise, and the day will come when you will shine as brightly as the sun's brilliance. Just as Jesus Christ intends you to.

 

FOOTNOTES
Chapter 12
A NEW GOVERNMENT
1. Matt. 11:19
2. John 12:31; l4:30; 16:11; Eph. 2:2
3. Is. 14:12-21 LB
4. Zech. 14:9
5. Rev. 5:5
6. Eph. 1:9,10 Good News for Modern Man translation
7. Psalm 22:28
8. Is. 9:6
9. Luke 1:31
10. Is. 24:23
11. Ex. 33:20
12. Zech. 12:10
13. John 20:27,28, Zech.12
14. Rev. 5:5
15. Gen. 49:10
16. Gen. 49:24
17. Gen. 49:24; Dan. 2:28
18. Num. 24:17
19. Rev. 14:16; Ps. 21:3
20. Is. 22:21, 22
21. Psalm 45
22. Gen. 49:10
23. Adam Clarke, Clarke's Commentary, (Abingdon/Nashville) Vol. III, p. 105
24. Dan. 2:35
25. Matt. 16:28
26. Zech. 14
27. Heb. 2,3,4
28. Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 34:23-24; 37:24-25
29. Luke 22:30 LB
30. 1 Cor. 6:2,3 LB
31. 2 Tim. 2:12 LB
32. Matt. 19:30
33. Rev. 20:4-6
34. Rev. 2:26,27
35. Rev. 3:21 LB
36. Rev. 5:10 LB
37. Rom. 8:29
38. Eph. 1:4,5 Good News for Modern Man
39. Eph. 2:5,6
40. 1 Cor. 6:2,3 LB
41. 2 Tim. 2:12 Good News for Modern Man
42. Matt. 7:13
43. Rom. 6:6
44. Rev. 2:17
45. Matt. 7:21-23 LB
46. Rom. 8:14
47. Luke 6:35
48. Mark 3:33
49. Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10
50. Dan. 12:12
51. 2 Peter 3:8
52. 2 Cor. 5:10
53. 1 Cor. 3:9-15
54. Luke 19
55. Matt. 25
56. 1 Cor. 4:5
57. 1 Cor. 11:31
58. Is. 59:1,2 LB
59. Rom. 7:21-25 LB
60. 1 John 1:9 LB
61. 2 Tim. 4:8
62. 1 Cor. 9:25-27
63. James 1:12
64. Rev. 2:10
65. 1 Thess. 2:19
66. Dan. 12:3 LB
67. 1 Peter 5:1, 4
68. Is. 48:17
69. Psalm 35:27
70. Matt. 5:11,12 LB
71. Psalm 37:4
72. Psalm 37:18
73. Psalm 37:34
74. Heb. 13:8
75. John 10:10
76. Jer. 29:11 LB
77. Rev. 1:6
78. Dan. 7:18
79. Dan. 7:27
80. Gal. 3:29
81. Is. 60:5
82. Is. 60:5
83. Psalm 72:15 LB
84. Is. 60:11
85. Is. 60:7
86. Is. 61:4,5
87. I Tim. 4:14, 15
88. Luke 19
89. Matt. 25
90. Commentary, Dr. C.D. Ginsbury; London, 1857, p. 4-6
91. The Bullinger Publications Trust, Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1964, p. 921
92. James. 1:3
93. John 14:2
94. A Christian Love Story, Zola Levitt, Dallas, TX



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Friday March 29 2024 CHICAGO Last modified: Friday February 19 2016
After Armageddon © 1983, 1996 John A. Sarkett All rights reserved. Portions may be quoted with proper attribution and credit.