Category Archives: Mankind

The Kingdom of Glory is a Heavenly Country. 14 of 15

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One of the contrasts throughout all of Scripture is between this material earth and universe, and what is often called heaven.

First we need to recognize the “fall” of this creation.

Man’s part in initiating this separation, this fall, is in Genesis chapter 3. Man had been literally given a very good setup. Man is put in charge of “the garden” (which in Greek translation is paradeisos, or “paradise”, Genesis 2). This seems to almost to be a training field for man’s destiny to,

“… have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Gen 1:26

He does not have this yet! Evidently some restrictions were put on man, and one mentioned is that is he was NOT to eat of “the of the knowledge of good and evil,” Gen 2:16-17. Then man, by refusing God’s commands, joined the heavenly rebellion led by Satan, who also called the devil, and the serpent of old, Rev 12:9.

This of course has catastrophic results. Man is now to die, and death starts working in mankind. From now on there will be enmity between the seed of woman and the seed of the serpent, Gen 3:15. Specific curses are put on the woman, Gen 3:16; and then comes the curse on creation. “… cursed is the ground for your sake.” Gen 3:17. Without obedience to the Lord God, there is no more easy living for mankind.

“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Gen 3:19

Man still has a taste for that mastery of all of creation, Heb 2:6-8a; but it is not quite within his grasp, Heb 2:8b.

It is an epic tragedy, this bondage to decay which
dominates our present universe.

It is however not a permanent condition.

“that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.”
Rom 8:21-22

It goes on to say that we ourselves groan within us, thirsting for release from this bondage to decay, “waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.” Rom 8:23

This universe is now beyond redemption.

It will pass away with fire, with a roar, as the element melt with tremendous heat, on “the day of the Lord,” 2Pe 3:10-12.

But those who are willing will be redeemed.

By turning in faith to Jesus our Lord, repenting of our sins, being baptized in water for the forgiveness of our sins, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, etc.; and then living for Christ and not for ourselves.

Jesus kingdom is not from “here.”

As Jesus told Pilate,

“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here.”
Jn 18:36

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Kingdom of Glory Does Have Favored Nations on Earth. 13 of 15

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The summary verse for this contention might be:

“Let peoples serve you,
Nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
Let your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”
Gen 27:29

It does matter what the nations do, morally and ethically.

“Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to ANY people.”
Prov 14:34

Righteousness does raise up, exalt, peoples, nations. These things do come into account. Jesus in one place speaks of doing trivial deeds that are good.

“Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most assuredly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”
Mtt 10:42

This, and the KJV of this, is really paraphrase of the verse, which is a strong negative of that person having a chance of losing their reward. I don’t think it means that everyone that gives a cup of cold water to someone in need will go to heaven. He is saying that even little things count, and will bring their proper reward. God sees and knows and will bring us to account or rewards for even trivial things.

“I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”
Mtt 12:36

A scary thought to most of us. However it not just the bad things, but also the good things that are remembered and accounted for. As the Hebrews in Jerusalem were told,

“For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.”
Heb 6:10

Counting one thing as another!

Of course good works are NOT enough to deliver us from the penalty for our wrongs, but all is taken into account. Unfortunately, not all of us have the same advantage in being properly instructed. Circumcision was the sign of the covenant in the Old Testament. Even so,

“If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?”
Rom 2:26

It does not have to be every single person in a nation.

Sometimes it can be just one or two. The righteousness of one good man, Joseph, brought blessings on an entire plantation.

“It happened from the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that Yahweh blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of Yahweh was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.”
Gen 39:5

When Abraham pleaded for wicked Sodom and Gomorrah, he asked God, suppose that ten righteous men are found in Sodom and Gommorah?

“… And He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.” ”
Gen 18:32

Still, the conduct of the nations counts

“… Cursed be everyone who curses you,
Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”
Gen 27:29

So it will be!

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Kingdom of Glory: ALL Opposition Will Be Eliminated, 12 of 15

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One of the great evils of this world is the toleration of evil. That alone can bring a nation down.

These principles are solidly illustrated
in Numbers 35.

First Israel is warned that murderers should be put to death. Additionally,

“Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death.”
Num 35:31

Well, why not? If they will repent, and pay a good fee, why not? Then we given the answer.

“33 … for blood, it pollutes the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him who shed it. 34 You shall not defile the land which you inhabit,”
Num 35:33-34

If a nation does not punish wickedness, it pollutes and ruins a country. Then the guilt and the retribution falls on that country overall, instead of just on the criminals!

The same is true of other sins.

Leviticus, especially chapters 18 20 gives some lists of detestable things which bring judgements on nations, and warns,

“Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled.”
Lev 18:24

We can ruin ourselves with these things!

The ancient church at Thyatira had
a problem with toleration.

“But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.”
Rev 2:20

So some woman at this church, who is symbolically called Jezebel, is teaching sexual immorality as actually alright, and the church is tolerating this, and the church is being condemned for the tolerating.

It is good to not tolerate evil things.

Of the church at Ephesus Jesus says,

““I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can’t tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.”
Rev 2:2

David as King said,

“I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor.
I won’t tolerate one who is haughty and conceited.”
Psa 101.5

America has been way too tolerant.

Abortion has been tolerated and encouraged by law, and now the blood of over 60 million babies are on America’s hands.

We tolerated homosexuals and transvestites and even a great deal of Sodomy, so as our reward for our tolerant attitudes, the Left wants us now to worship at the altar of homosexuality and unhealthy habits, and demands that all children be trained from grade school in those things which destroy men and nations.

And the Left for sure has no room to lecture us on toleration, as intolerant as they are of righteousness and every good thing!

In heaven, all of those who really do not want
to do what is right, will have been
eliminated from being there!

They really would not be happy there!

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Kingdom of Glory Overrules Even Satan’s Power, 11 of 15

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The Kingdom of God is NOT a Revolutionary Power. Instead it is really THE power. As the apostle John said,

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.”
Jn 4:4

If we are truly Christians, God has translated us out of Satan’s power into God’s kingdom.

“who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love”
Col 1:13

God is in control

Yes, Satan is allowed some power here to reward his servants. He tells Jesus,

“5 The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 The devil said to him, “I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want. 7 If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.” ”
Lk 4:5-7

Jesus does not deny this power, but says it only appropriate to worship the Lord our God!

Satan’s power and rule is only by permission. Indeed, of the governments of our world it says,

“1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.”
Rom 13:1

God overrules all.

There has been a hand off to the Son

In Psalm 2 it speaks of giving “my son,” verse 7, rule over the nations, Psa 2:8-9. The judges and rulers of the earth (Psa 2:10) are allowed a measure of liberty, as is Satan and you and I, but they are warned,

“Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
For his wrath will soon be kindled.
Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.”
Psa 2:12

Peter was an outstanding apostle,

both before and after Christ’s death, but though very aggressive in nature, was at times perhaps had a little too much confidence in himself as a man.

“The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat,”
Lk 22:31

Satan can only do what he is allowed to do.

Satan’s power is all by permission!

Satan cannot even tempt the Christian beyond individually set limits,

“No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. ”
1Cor 10:13

There will even be a period in history when Satan, “that he should deceive the nations no more,” Rev 20:3, and the world is able to see through the Satanic designs.

Finally “… he must be freed for a short time,” Rev 20:3

For a short period of testing, just before the end of our universe.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Kingdom of Glory: Satan is allowed a little power for a little while, 10 of 15

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Evidently Satan was originally one of the most powerful creatures that was ever made by God. Angels in themselves are powerful creatures. Peter tells us that angels are “greater in might and power,” than men, 2Pe 2:11. When Paul speaks of Christ coming on the last day, it will be “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,” 2Thes 1:7. Story after story speaks of them having power far beyond that which a man personally can wield.

And Satan’s power?

At first it seems Satan was both good and glorious. Evidently the King of Tyre in Ezekiel 28 is a type, symbolic, of Satan. As is common when there are types or symbols in Scripture, part of Ezekiel 28 applies to the ancient King of Tyre, and part applies to Satan himself. It says that he was in the garden of Eden, Ezek 28:13. However, the King of Tyre was further away from the garden of Eden than we are from the birth of Christ! It says of Satan,

“14 You were the anointed cherub who covers: and I set you, so that you were on the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.”
Ezek 28:14-15

So Satan was originally good and pure, as indeed you and I were before sin seized us. Satan originally one of the covering cherub that surrounded the very throne of God Himself in heaven, as pictured in Ezekiel 1, and Rev 4:6-8. That is to say that Satan was one of the most powerful creatures ever created! It says of him,

“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”
1Jn 5:19

Or again it describes Satan,

“in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.”
2Cor 4:4

So Satan is described as “the god of this world,” or a better translation would be “the god of this age,” which is still quite a description. Further Satan is clearly described here as being able to influence the minds of mere men, and is able to even blind us at times

In Job 1 Satan is able,

to make fire fall from heaven, influence groups of men to steal and kill, cause mighty winds to blow. In Job 2 Satan is able to cause debilitating diseases, and on and on it goes.

If a man has a particular weakness,
Satan is quick to exploit it.

With Judas it was evidently money.

Satan can influence or even enter us!

Jesus says to Peter, “” Get behind me, Satan!” Mtt 16:23

“Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered with the twelve.”
Lk 22:3

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Kingdom of Glory: Jesus Decides the Boundaries of Nations, to what purpose? 9 of 15

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We should always remember the general statements God makes about nations and sin and righteousness.

“Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.”
Prov 14:34

“Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh,
The people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.”
Psa 33:12

Yes, the Son does rule the nations

“7 I will tell of the decree.
Yahweh said to me, “You are my son.
Today I have become your father. …
8 Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,
The uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron.
You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Psa 2:7-9

And the purpose … what is the purpose?

“that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”
Acts 17:27

God raises up nations and lowers nations, seeking for His eternal purpose that as many men as possible might be delivered from their sins! Paul does treat this as if it should be natural thing, seeking God and drawing close to Him.

“‘For in him we live, and move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’”
Acts 17:28

You see, God really desires that we repent of our sins and turn to Him.

God Himself has said it.

“For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord Yahweh: therefore turn yourselves, and live.” Ezek 18:32

There are three wrong ideas
we may fall into here.

Sometime we are willfully blind. Our distorted theology may blind us to God working in history to both help the righteous and punish the wicked. Some are so focused on God’s love that they cannot see that God both can and does punish men in history. Often even US !

“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”
Heb 12:8 KJV

On the other hand many have so distorted the message of Scripture the other way, that all that they can see is vengeful, wrathful, God. This also is a misconception.

Then comes the third distortion. Sometimes we see all the evil in the world and do not understand that God IS working in the world, and we wonder why God does not do something?

So why doesn’t God do something about all the wickedness in the world?

“The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient WITH US, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
2Pe 3:9

This is a short period of amnesty.

God is going to bring both us and them to account for our sins. In between God is giving both us and them time to think through our situation, and repent, before it is eternally too late.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

The Kingdom of Glory: Jesus Decides the Boundaries of Nations, Using Whom He Pleases, 8 of 15

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The prophet Amos makes some general statements of how God operates.

“Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to me, children of Israel?” says Yahweh. “Haven’t I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?”
Amos 9:7

David calls on God to punish wicked nations.

“You, Yahweh God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Rouse yourself to punish the nations.
Show no mercy to the wicked traitors.”
Psa 59:9

Further, if you look at the context in Psalm 59, David included the wicked among God’s people to also be destroyed for they are plotting to murder David for no valid reason. In this psalm the wicked among God’s people are counted as among the nations (Psalm 59 introduction, and verse 5, etc.

God uses even the wicked, to wipe out evil nations

God’s very own people had sinned against Him, and turned to wickedness, deceit, adultery and blood shed. God’s own people now deserve judgement and punishment. So how does God act in these things.

“For, behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs.”
Hab 1:6

The Lord speaks at length about the strength and wickedness of the Chaldeans / Babylonians.

“9 All of them come for violence. … 10 Yes, he scoffs at kings, and princes are a derision to him. He laughs at every stronghold, for he builds up an earthen ramp, and takes it. 11 Then he sweeps by like the wind, and goes on. He is indeed guilty, whose strength is his god.”
Hab 1:8-11

When mankind deserves to have nothing
but an animal rule over them,
how will God act?

God Himself will raise up the “beast” Revelation. God Himself will give this animal authority.

“It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.”
Rev 13:7.

God helps this monster deceive the entire world, because they reject the truth of God.

“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:”
2Thes 2:11.

And when the prophet Zechariah speaks of this “beast,” calling him “the foolish shepherd,” or “the idol shepherd,” he specifically says that God is the one who will raise him up.

“For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces.”
Zech 11:16 KJV

The word “land” here is the Hebrew word eretz and can mean either a land, or the earth (as in Genesis 1), and probably should be translated “earth” here. This foolish shepherd will be killed, but not by men, but will have some sort of resurrection, by God’s allowance.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB),
a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

The Kingdom of Glory has Territory, 5 of 15

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“38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the kingdom; and the darnel are the children of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.”
Mtt 13:38-39

The owner of this “field” is the man who sowed good seed “in his field,” Mtt 13:24. Jesus said plainly that He was that man, Mtt 13:37 Further it is more than this present world, for once again Jesus said,

… “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.”
Mtt 28:18

For Jesus is source of ALL things

“For by him were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.”
Col 1:16

Everything is “for him.” If we serve Him we have only fulfilled our original purpose, and He is the only source of life.

“3 All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.”
Jn 1:3

You see, sin is not just an earthly thing.

In fact it started in the spiritual world before it started in the material world. It was a powerful renegade from the spiritual world who first seduced mankind into sin. I am speaking of Satan himself. The angels are not perfect, as has been noted repeatedly in these blogs and in my books.

“Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones;
Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight:”
Job 15:15

Or again,

“Behold, he puts no trust in his servants.
He charges his angels with error.”
Job 4:18

The angels, although much more powerful than men 2Pe 3:11, are moral being like us. Evidently most of the angels are still faithful to God. When Revelation describing the war in heaven in symbolic terms, it puts it this way.

“3 Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns. 4 His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth.”
Rev 12:3-4

We are told clearly that this great red dragon is “… is called the devil and Satan,. …” Rev 12:9. So Rev 12:3-4 is telling us that Satan was able to draw a third of the angels in all creation into his revolt. That means that two-thirds of them are still faithful to God.

Faithful … but not perfect beings!

And Jesus is not just reconciling mankind to himself.

“19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him; 20 and through him to reconcile ALL things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.”
Col 1:19-20

Jesus is the true Master of the Universe.

His territory includes ALL that exists, Mtt 28:18, both this universe and the one to come.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt 1 of 5

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An audio lesson.

How the end of the world is many ways like when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt. They were going to the earthly promised land of Canaan, and we are going a heavenly promised land in the New Heavens and the New Earth, Isa 65:17, and Isa 66:22, and 2Pe 3:13.

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, 1 of 5

Listen to this audio lesson here, or click on the Audio Player to download as an MP3 file.

The basics of how Bible prophecy works is discussed in detail in Prophecy Principles.Available from you bookseller.

Psalm 22 makes an excellent example of how prophecy works, and it is more fully discussed in “Prophecy Principles” in the section “Time and Image in Prophecy,” and in “Revealing the Christian Age” in the section “Balking at the Symbolism.”

The Kingdom of Glory: Everyone MUST Submit to Jesus of Nazareth, 2 of 15

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All powers, all individuals, must submit to Him.

Psalm 22 describes in detail Jesus death.

It was written about a thousand years before Christ by the prophet David, written in the first person of a Roman style crucifixion which happened centuries later. Only very subtly does it deal with His resurrection. Psalm 22 also says.

The book Prophecy Principles gives a detailed study of Psalm 22 and how Bible prophecy actually works. Avaialble from your bookseller.

“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.”
Psa 22:27 KJV

But in our day of course, we are still sending out missionaries, and have by no means reached the “ends of the world.” Then it says of this one who dies and yet lives, whom all the world will remember,

“All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship.
All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him,
Even he who can’t keep his soul alive.”
Psa 22:29

Who will bow down before this One? Even the rich (the KJV says “All they that be fat upon earth”). And “All those who go down to the dust”? That would be everyone who has to die! And all of us have to die.

“Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,”
Heb 9:27

So that means all of mankind, and that is also emphasized in the final phrase in Psa 22:29: “Even he who can’t keep his soul alive.”

Paul gives an even wider statement of these things.

He says in Philippians chapter two that we should also the mind of Christ, who was willing to humble Himself all the way to death on the cross, Phil 2:5-8.

“Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;”
Phil 2:9

How so Paul, how wide is to be Jesus power and dominance?

“10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ”
Phil 2:10-11

So it is just those on earth who have bow
and worship Jesus the Christ?

It is also everyone who is heaven, and everyone that is under the earth. We are not really fighting against other people.

“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Eph 6:12

We are actually fighting “the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Some of them are presently under the earth, although they will be released for short time just before the end of the age (Revelation 9, Rev 16:14, Rev 20:7, etc.).

But every king, every ruler, every spiritual power good or bad will have to bow before Jesus the Christ, and admit He is the supreme Lord to the glory of God the Father.

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripures are from the WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901