Following through my previous blog last week, I would like to share from Scripture what this coming Kingdom of God is all about. Genesis 1:1 tells us God created the heavens and the earth. But in verse 2, 'the earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep'. The Hebrew word for 'was' in Gen 1:2 may also be translated as 'became'. This is consistent with Isaiah 45:18 that God did not create the earth 'in vain'. The Hebrew word 'tohu' is the same word used in Gen 1:2 'without form'. This would indicate the passing of time (though we don't know how long) between creation in verse 1 and the condition stated in verse 2. God did not create the original state of the earth in chaos!
The condition stated in Gen 1:2 was probably due to the rebellion of Lucifer (later known as Satan) and his fallen angels. Lucifer was in a position of rulership, probably including rulership on planet earth (Isaiah 14:12-15; Rev12:4). So Gen 1:1 refers to the creation of earth and verse 2 is a process to re-create the earth (Psalm 104:30) to make it habitable for mankind.
When God created man, He desires mankind to have dominion over all the earth (Gen 1:26). But man sinned against God and by default Satan became the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4), until now....but thankfully not for long! For the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back to planet earth to reclaim His throne with the title deed of the whole earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords.
When He first came, He started His ministry to proclaim the gospel (good news) of the Kingdom of God to the Jews with John the Baptist paving the way. But the Jews rejected His offer of His message of the Kingdom of God, and the Lord tells us that it is then given to the church (Matthew 21:43; 1 Pet 2: 9-10). Before His Second Coming He will send Elijah (Matthew 17:11 probably points to the prophet with the spirit of Elijah as following verse in Matthew 17:13 refers to John the Baptist at His First Coming) to restore all truths lost due to the deception of the devil (Rev 12: 9-10). Once this is accomplished, the gospel of the Kingdom of God will be preached in all the world as a witness to ALL the nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).
God's plan for mankind is to have six thousand years of dominion on planet earth and then come the Sabbath - the seventh day of rest pointing to the seventh Millennium - the period when the Kingdom of God will be established on earth. This is affirmed in Scripture that for prophecy one day is as one thousand years (Numbers 14:34; Ezek 4:6; 2 Peter 3:8). That is why the writer of Hebrews 4:11 admonishes us to 'strive to enter that rest'. Similarly, in Acts 14:22, the Apostle Paul taught his disciples that 'We must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom of God', right after he was stoned for preaching the gospel. This is because to enter the Kingdom of God (the Sabbath day of rest) is not automatic for all believers. They must work for their rights and bear fruits worthy ( Luke 19:17-19; John 15:14-16; 2 Tim 2:12) to become rulers, priests and teachers in order to inherit the Kingdom of God. Such reward is conferred on all faithful servants of God ('well done good and faithful servant'), regardless of their status and station in this life.
Folks, the very purpose why you and I were born is so that God can beget us into His spiritual family with the Lord Jesus Christ as the First Born among many brethren (Romans 8:29), to be adopted as sons of God - to rule and reign in His soon coming Kingdom and then into the age of eternity to govern the universe! God has a wonderful plan for our lives, but it calls forth our understanding and obedience. His plan cannot be thwarted and He will reclaim the Kingdom back for His Son- the Lord Jesus Christ - who will rule the whole earth for one thousand years to restore, reclaim, refresh, redeem, return, renew, reconcile, recharge, revive, reform, repay and reward all the injustices and inequality that mankind has suffered for six millennia! (1 Cor 15: 23-28)
The wonderful world to come will be very different from what we are experiencing today. There will be righteousness, peace and abundance for ALL the peoples and nations of the world who will gladly bow their knees to King Jesus. For when there is righteousness, there will be peace - the former is the root and the latter is the fruit. The faithful saints throughout the ages will be resurrected with spirit bodies (1 Cor 15:50-54) empowered by the Spirit of God to rule and reign in God's Government in the Millennial Kingdom. Then and only then will all wars be done away with and weaponry be turned into plough-shares and miracles will be the norm (Isaiah 35:1, 5-7). It will also be the time when God's promise to patriarch Abraham in Genesis 12:3b be fulfilled 'that ALL the families of the earth shall be blessed' through him.The faithfuls will then sing the song 'What a Wonderful World this has been' - Amen.
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