As of this writing, the truth of God is maligned by extremist/elitist thinking. This is never more evident than in the conflict between the Israeli government and the Gentiles living in Judea or what the world refers to as Palestine.
The truth of God's coming Kingdom on earth is being used as a pretext for violence against non Jews. This is advocated by some Israeli citizens, many who falsely claim to be Jews. It is always the enemies mode of operation to pretend to be someone and behave badly in order to cast those that they pretend to be in a bad light.
Since the events of Eden, our world has been governed by an unseen realm of malevolent demons who hate mankind. This helps us to see why the world is so full of evil and why demons consider the nation of Israel to be such a threat to their dominion. This demonic hatred is behind every attempt to malign both Israel and the church by attacks from within and from outside.
So, it is important for us to understand the truth that the present state of Israel is what the prophet Ezekiel described to be like a valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-2). It is remarkable that Israel is the only nation of antiquity to return to its homeland with its own language and culture after its people were scattered throughout the world.
Yet, the present regathering is but a skeleton or a scaffolding of what is to come. It is a lifeless gathering of dead bones...It is not the fulfillment of Land, Seed and Blessing promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is only a sliver of land surrounding Jerusalem that will one day be the city of the great king (Psalm 48:2) There can be no earthly kingdom until the king is on earth.
So do I not believe that God is Sovereign?
There is a universal kingdom where God sovereignly rules directly over both the physical and the spiritual, or the seen and the unseen realms of creation. These two realms (physical and spiritual) were one at creation but they were separated following the events of Eden when Adam and Eve treasonously doubted God’s goodness.
As a result of this separation between the earth and the heavens, mankind is all about forcefully regaining his dominion. Man does this by attempting to create a portal that reconnects earth with that heavenly realm.
This first attempt at world dominion was made with the tower of Babel. (Genesis 11) It became the source of all human religion. “Babylon, the mother of harlots” (Rev 17:5) God could not allow this false portal to continue without restraint, so He confounded their languages and they dispersed into different language groups.
In this way God has established sovereign national borders:
"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;" - Acts 17:26 KJV
God’s plan for an earthly Kingdom is about establishing the portal to heaven through the seed of the woman (Jesus Christ) by means of the nation of Israel. We see that developed in the covenants that God made with Israel.
In Genesis 28 God confirmed His covenant with Abraham when Abraham's grandson, Jacob, was given a vision of a ladder reaching to heaven.
"And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it."
Genesis 28:12 KJV
Jacob called this ladder the 'gate to heaven'.
Jesus related Jacob's dream to His disciples when He said, "Hereafter shall ye see the angels ascending and descending upon the son of man" (John 1:51) In this Jesus confirmed to them that He alone is that ladder, that portal or gate, to heaven.
Even though mankind is created to be a little lower than the angels, God set mankind over the works of His hands. Yet because of Adam's sin, there exists a vail separating the earthly realm from the heavenly realm. Adam's dominion was lost and there remains that unseen realm over which only Jesus as a man who overcame death can exercise dominion:
"Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing [that is] not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
Hebrews 2:8-9 KJV
The heavenly and earthly realms will be made one again through the man, Jesus Christ. This will be the answer to the prayer that we are commanded to pray: "Thy will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven."
So, Where Is Jesus Christ Now?
Previously we noted some of the scriptures that tell us that all authority has been given to the Lord Jesus after His resurrection from the dead and His ascension into glory. Notice that He is presently enthroned with the Father with sovereign authority over both the earthly and heavenly realms.
"Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him."
1 Peter 3:22 KJV
With all of that authority we rightly call Him the King who reigns. It is true that He is one with the Father in sovereign rule over the earth. Yet, there is a realm over which Jesus Christ is anointed to rule over, but He has not yet been enthroned.
This is the very earthly kingdom that God has ordained to come through the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. From their seed, Jesus is come to crush the head of the serpent and set right all that was lost in Eden. Do you think that Lucifer (Satan) is motivated to keep that from happening?
It is God and God alone that will restore God’s order through the earthly kingdom that He has promised. This will culminate when Jesus is finally acknowledged as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Shortly before his execution, the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy of this event:
"That thou keep [this] commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, [who is] the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom [be] honour and power everlasting. Amen."
1 Timothy 6:14-16 KJV
Paul indicates that it hasn’t happened yet but ‘in His times’, The Lord’s enemies in both the seen and unseen realms will be defeated. The separation between these realms will cease. God will be vindicated in the realms in which He was denied His rightful place as Lord of all.
After all is restored back to what God originally created, He will create a new heavens and a new earth.
In the Theocratic Kingdom, there is an indirect rule through a man. This is more limited than the universal kingdom. It is administered through human agency.
Notice that the Time of the Universal Kingdom is eternal;
"The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, [wherewith] he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. Thy throne [is] established of old: thou [art] from everlasting."
Psalm 93:1-2 KJV
In contrast, the prophet Daniel informs us that the Theocratic Kingdom is a future enduring kingdom...
"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever."
Daniel 2:44 KJV
The Scope of the Kingdom: The Universal Kingdom is over all time and space. This is the Kingdom over which the Lord Jesus currently reigns with the Father;
"The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all."
Psalm 103:19 KJV
Once again, Daniel reveals that the Theocratic Kingdom is not present, but will be coming to earth in the days of certain kings:
"These great beasts, which are four, [are] four kings, [which] shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever."
Daniel 7:17,18 KJV
The Rule of the Kingdom: In Daniel 4:17 and other places we see that the Universal kingdom is ruled directly by God;
"This matter [is] by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men."
Daniel 4:17 KJV
On the other hand, the Theocratic Kingdom is an earthly kingdom ruled indirectly by a man.
"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession."
Psalm 2:6-8 KJV
The Existence of the Kingdom: Finally, we learn from Psalm 93:1,2 the Universal Kingdom is independent of a human response;
"...the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved."
After the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus as Messiah, in Matthew ch. 12, The Lord Jesus declared in Matthew 23 that the Theocratic Kingdom is contingent upon a human response, in particular the obedience of the nation of Israel.
"For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord."
Matthew 23:39 KJV
The recognition of the existence of two kingdoms, one that is eternal and present, another that is temporal and future brings clarity to the present state of our world. The promise of a coming earthly kingdom administered from Jerusalem is not a political fabrication, it is an unchangeable proclamation.
It is the longing of God's heart to see His kingdom on earth realized. As Christians, can we long for anything less?
smc
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