“For the kingdom is the LORD’S, And He rules over the nations.” Psalms 22:28

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.” Psalms 45:6

“LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.” Psalms 103:19

“They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power,” Psalms 145:11

“To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” Psalms 145:12-13

HISTORICAL THOUGHTS

Over the two millennia since the resurrection of Jesus there have been many thoughts about the Kingdom of Heaven.

To the Jewish people of the time, the use of kingdom-language was bound up with the hope and expectation that Israel’s “One God” would rule over the Earth. Thus, the Kingdom of God was not an unknown phrase with some general religious aura: it was the Jewish way of talking about Israel’s God becoming a king. God’s kingdom, to the common Jew-in-the-village meant the coming vindication of Israel, through victory over the pagans, and the result would be the eventual gift of peace, justice and prosperity applied with equity everywhere.

Since that time, some have thought the Kingdom was simply a prayer relationship between man and God to keep them connected to each other. Albert Schweitzer thought the Kingdom was merely a spot in eternity, a future reality, when time is stopped and a new Heavenly order began. Augustine thought the Kingdom was the rule of the church over all forms of government on the Earth. Others have thought it was a place reserved in the afterlife for those who accepted Jesus while alive on Earth. Truth is … the Kingdom is all that and much, much, more.

ROOTED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Contrary to much historical and current thinking, the Kingdom of God is deeply rooted in the Old Testament. The primary reference to God’s Kingdom is found in the Psalms, but the coming of His reign, and man’s responsibility therein is interwoven throughout the fabric of the Old Testament, beginning with Adam and his mandate from God to subdue the earth. This Kingdom is in fact the City that all the fathers of the faith, mentioned in Hebrews 11, looked for.

After Adam and prior to the coming of Jesus the only ones who thought about the Kingdom of God were the Hebrew people. They understood that there is One Eternal, living God who would periodically reveal Himself to mankind. The Hebrew children understood that God had a purpose for the human race. They also understood that He had chosen the Hebrew people to implement and accomplish that purpose. They looked forward to the fulfillment of all that the prophets had prophesied; the coming day when mankind would live together in peace (Isa 2:4). A day when the problems of man would be solved, death, sorrow, sickness would be abolished. Even the animal kingdom would be at peace with each other (Isa. 11:6) and the Earth would respond to man’s instruction once again.

They believed this Kingdom would come on the Earth as a single event. The Kingdom would be brought about by the coming of the Messiah … and so it was, just not as they had anticipated.

INTRODUCED BY JOHN THE BAPTISER

The Kingdom is Coming … It had been over four hundred years since the people had heard anything like it, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mat. 4:17). The message was so fresh, so alive, as if it were literally breathed from Heaven. The people were asking if the rumor could be true? And the priests had to have an answer for that question.

You could almost hear the sound of the whispers of the people mounting. Thousands were now going to see and hear the baptizer, the proclaimer of this coming Kingdom. The buzz of the people must have sounded much like a breeze at first, yet, as it gained numbers, it began to sound more like a wind. But, to the sanctimonious leaders of the day it sounded more like a roar. The words echoed throughout the land, and even through the leaders heads, the Kingdom is coming, the Kingdom is coming, the Kingdom is coming - they heard it everywhere. From the very beginning they wanted to stop it, but they didn’t know how. Three and a half years later, Herod Antipas would take care of that for them.

JOHN’S SUPPOSED REBELLION

John the Baptist, the first and only son of a priest, had chosen not to go into the priesthood. In that matter alone he was judged, by the religious authority of the day, to be rebellious. Everyone knew that tradition made it clear the firstborn son of a Levite was to be a priest. They also knew the Torah commanded that the first born male was to be the Lord’s. Now, here John was, roaming the desert, clothed in Camel sin, acting like a wild man and proclaiming that everyone, including the temple and synagogue leaders must repent!

How ludicrous, how brazen, how insane they thought John was. They also believed John’s message was a heresy and must be stopped. After all, if the Kingdom was coming, then the Messiah would have to come first and if anyone would know when the Messiah was coming they would. But as God so often does, the Messiah was not revealed to the wise, instead He was revealed to the supposed insane who called those very leaders - vipers.

SEVEN - THE NUMBER OF COMPLETION AND PERFECTION

John the Baptist’s ministry lasted three and one half years, he died when he was thirty three - the same age and length of ministry that his cousin Jesus would have. The seven year total of the two ministries completed the formation of the Kingdom seed that was planted with the burial of Jesus. Today we see the Kingdom has never stopped and the prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah is still coming true.

“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:7

STOPPING THE VOICE

The leaders failed to notice the forerunner of the Light of the World, in fact their hearts were so hardened, that when they heard that Herod had imprisoned John the Baptist, they thought God had intervened on their behalf to punish John for his heresy. Herod would kill this Kingdom blasphemer -they would not have to. They would not have to risk an uprising of the people. They were finally rid of the heretic.

John would be kept in prison for eighteen months before Herod fulfilled his word to Herodias and had him beheaded. Why did Satan put beheading into the heart of Herodias - because, if his head was cut off he would never be able to speak of the Kingdom again.  Everyone thought the message of the Kingdom had been stopped, everyone but … .

Blessings,

John Paul

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“The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.”     Matthew 13:38

The Truth of The Kingdom is no small topic. It has a profoundly simple mission statement, “God rules over all things.” But then why don’t we see more of that rule? When will we see more of it? Is there a process to it finally flourishing? Has the Kingdom of God always been or is this merely a teaching of Jesus? Yes, the Topic of the Kingdom is simple and as complex as you want to make it. Yet, you will find out that this truth, no matter how simple it is made, is far deeper and higher than the intellect of man can understand. You must learn the basic principles of the Kingdom before you can apply the more complex principles.

Many who will be reading this blog and the Topic of The Truth of the Kingdom know little about the Kingdom. Some have never even heard of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, which, as we will find out, are close to each other but not specifically the same.

So for those of you who are more familiar with the Kingdom than others be patient. For those of you who are more of a novice to this truth, read the Scriptures, especially the ones I note in each post. To come to know the truth of the Kingdom is worth any effort one can put forth to discover it.

You are about to go on the most important journey of your life. It will change you from the inside out. It will change the way you perceive matters of the Earth. It will change how you view the political system, it will change the way you work and the way you do business. There is nothing in or about your life that the understanding of the Kingdom will not change.

Jesus and the salvation He brought through His sinless life, freely giving Himself to be crucified on the cross, descending into Sheol and taking the keys of authority, being raised from the dead, being seen again on Earth - as attested to by over 500 people, and ascending to the Father, did more for you than just offer you everlasting life. He placed responsibility for the Kingdom back into your hands. Truly, truly the Earth is groaning for you to believe this truth.

REIMPLEMENTING THE KINGDOM

What Jesus did justified the broad spread advancement of the Kingdom and with that advancement comes everything pertaining to the Kingdom. This includes regeneration and restoration of all things visible and invisible, above the Earth, on the Earth, and beneath the Earth. Everything can be regenerated, except those spiritual beings that were once in Heaven and subsequently tried to overthrow that Kingdom thinking they could become like God. Those beings cannot be touched, regenerated, and restored to their original purpose through the manifestation of the Kingdom - all else can.

The highest manifestation of the Kingdom happens through mankind. That could not happen without Jesus coming fully as man. He could not come spiritually as man and claim to have overcome what the first Adam failed to overcome. He had to fully take the form or body of man to make this all happen. That is why the prophets who prophesied of His coming called Him “the Son of Man.” In taking the body of a man, and being born as any man is born, Jesus restored God’s original plan for mankind on the Earth and the ripple effect on creation is enormous and unending.

SIMPLE TRUTH

Simply said, the Truth of the Kingdom is this; “The Kingdom is the righteous power and authority of God to justifiably rule over all He created.” He has chosen humanity as His ruling agents or ambassadors on Earth. More so, all of Creation was and is created to function at its highest, optimal level, through individual human beings being submitted to God through belief in His Son. These believers are holy beings, spiritual giants, who are not squatters in the Kingdom, but conquers of evil and even more than conquers through Christ Jesus. Who are these great people who will do wonderful exploits? They are you!

SPIRITUAL GIANTS

These holy believers will seek to overcome and destroy all that seek to stop this Kingdom. Sin, at its base form, is that which seeks to stop the Kingdom of God. By this I am not advocating violence against humans, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,” but we wrestle against spiritual wickedness that seeks to rule through humanity. That is why the elementary principles of the faith (Hebrews 6:1-3), repentance, the laying on of hands, and water baptism, as well as praying for the sick, and giving to the poor, all destroy evil.

CREATION AWAITS YOU

Therefore, all of creation awaits these individuals who are not simply content to resurrect and go to Heaven, making it in the gates just prior to the gates slamming shut. These are those who long to display, in this life, the power and authority now given to them by the Father. They long for their life to be a living witness to God’s Existence. They believe that power and authority is dispersed to those who believe, so they can destroy the works of the evil one.

In light of man’s early failure to overcome darkness the chances of mankind getting back the power and authority he lost was zero. Yet, then came Jesus who longed for mankind to rule this Earth. He also knew, from before the Earth was created, that in order for mankind to have this power and authority given to mankind, a human had to not only destroy and overcome the works of evil, but that human would also have to imprison or take captive that which held mankind - you captive.

GROWTH OF THE KINGDOM

As with the advancement of any army of any Kingdom, the fullness or completeness of the Kingdom grows as evil is eradicated throughout the land. You are an agent in that army. You were created to destroy this evil. The coming posts on this blog are designed to help you to know, understand and believe this essential truth. To the degree your spirit accepts and ingests this truth - that is the degree to which you will be able to overcome darkness or evil. Creation’s purpose hinges on you and until you manifest this truth the full purpose of the Earth and the rest of creation will dangle in futility.

You were not just created; you were specifically designed for such a time as this (Acts 17:26-2). You were given unique abilities by the Creator to aid you in the accomplishment of this task and it will take your whole life on Earth to do it.

It is time to get started.

Blessings,

John Paul

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Coming Monday, November 1, 2010.

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