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 “When Shall These Things?" Matthew 24: Part 11…..December 2008

“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1: 6.

It is evident that the disciples of Jesus Christ as normal, unconverted Jews looked to Jesus as their king, to set up a kingdom here on earth. At one point the people wanted to take Jesus by force and make him king. In shooting down the idea of a literal kingdom on earth, even today, many seize upon the statement Jesus made during his trial. “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that it should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” John 18: 36. Many, like I just did, have quoted the verse correctly, but seemingly, have missed one significant point---but now my kingdom is not from hence or from here. Jesus is saying in his defense that at the time of his trial, the kingdom of which he spoke was not in a developed form. Time was of the essence!

            We say legal, because God moves in ways that seemingly quite often conforms to certain human laws. For instance; Jesus at his birth came among men to succeed David upon the throne, meaning he must have the right to inherit David’s throne. How can he do this legally? First of all, he must come from the correct lineage, or from David’s family tree. Throughout the New Testament he was known as Jesus, thou son of David. In Revelation he is called “lion of the tribe of Judah.” Rev. 5: 5. All this talk about him being the son of David is only a matter of perception and legality. To put a real cliff hanger into the issue Jesus once asked the Pharisees: “What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is his son?” Matt. 22: 41-45. We don’t have fathers going around calling a son, lord. And as I stated some time ago, nowhere in scripture do we find Jesus calling Mary, mother or Joseph, father. But to do it legally according to man’s laws, Jesus had to be born within the lineage of David. In other words, God moved in this issue in a way that gave Jesus legal claim to the throne of David. But if we were to break it down to the finest point of discussion we would have to ask how Jesus could be called the Son of man, when he had no earthly father; and how could he be the Son of man and the Son of God at the same time? Here is how it worked! “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.”  So putting it in plainer terms, he was not conceived and birthed according all the other seeds of Abraham. Rather he took on him the seed of Abraham, and not the nature of angels.

            Actually, it’s like putting on an over coat to go outside; the one you put on is determined by the kind of weather outside. Paul said the following: “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” But the question was asked, “What manner of man is this that even the winds and the waves obey him?” The soldiers who were sent to bring Jesus back for questioning went back empty handed. When asked why they have not brought him, they answered, “Never man spake like this man.” Although not found in our bible, I read an account that transpired after news of the resurrection had taken Jerusalem by storm. Pilate called Luscious the chief centurion and said; “You are walking among the people: what are they saying about this man Jesus?” He replied that many believed that he was not really human at all. My Friend, He was God clothed in human form and never had a man like this man walked the earth. By him all things were created, so when he spoke to the winds and the waves, they had to obey. When he cursed the fig tree, and Peter saw it withered a few days later, it was only obeying the voice of the Creator. Die if he said so, and be resurrected from the dead if he said so! Good Lord! I feel like preaching a sermon just about now! Jesus had to place the kingdom in a legal status after he preached its gospel and showed its power.

We are told that heaven is God’s throne, and earth is his footstool, and it is a well known fact that kings and queens do not rule from their footstool, but rather from their throne. The thought of twelve million overcomers sitting with Jesus in his throne needs a little clarification. Even when the Queen of England is in Ottawa, Canada, or in Cape Town, South Africa, she is still on the throne of England. Sitting on the throne speaks of having the power to rule. A ruling monarch rules from whatever vantage point comes into play at any given moment. Revelation 5: 10 speaks of us being made unto our God, kings and priests: and we shall reign with him on the earth. This does not require a palace per se, neither does it require that a golden meter be placed upon our heads. It simply means sharing the power and authority of royalty. For instance, back in olden times, when an ambassador carried a document that was sealed with the king’s ring, he or she was actually given the power of royalty. Jesus knew that if he were to rule in the kingdom, he must first acquire documents that showed his authority, or he must be given oral authority to rule, so he offered a parable about himself.

“A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.” Luke 19: 12-13, 15. What was the nobleman going for as it related to the kingdom? After all, a kingdom is not something one can pack in crates and ship by freight train or UPS trucks. The nobleman went into the far country to receive the title to the kingdom. He returned, having received the kingdom, but he did not bring the kingdom, for the kingdom was already here. This nobleman was Jesus himself!

At the other end of the spectrum, Daniel had a vision that underscored the same truth! “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they (the cloud of escorting angels) brought him near before him. And there was given to him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Dan.7:13-14. Because the passage said that the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, just about all experts and bible expositors relegate this event to the second coming of Christ. But no other scripture that seems to describe the second coming, has Jesus and his saintly hosts being presented to the Ancient of days, there upon, receiving a kingdom as described by Daniel.

In Daniel 7: 13, the Son of man was brought to the Ancient of days, but in verse 22 of the same chapter, we read: “Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” It should be understood, however, that the judgment mentioned in verse 22 is not the “great white throne judgment” nor is it the judgment of the whole world. It was a judgment against the eleventh horn that grew out of the fourth beast, that is commonly known as “the little horn” and known by many as the anti-christ, called by Paul, “the man of sin” that made war with the saints and spoke great words, and even changed times and laws. However, the judgment sat, and his dominion was taken away to consume and destroy it unto the end. Verses 25-26.

Peter must have been one of the active ones who asked Jesus if he would restore the kingdom to Israel about this time. He had spent forty days after his resurrection, speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Acts 1: 3. O, how we wish we had a record of what kingdom truths he taught them during those forty days. Perhaps it was because of those truths he taught why the disciples were prompted to ask if he is going to restore the kingdom to Israel now. But in his reply Jesus side-stepped the issue of Israel receiving the kingdom. Basically, Jesus was saying, “Don’t worry about the times and the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But wait until you receive the Holy Ghost, for after that, you are going to be witnesses to kingdom truths, the very truths you presently don’t understand. Please note carefully, that after he had spoken these things to his disciples, he was taken up into the clouds and out of their sight. They went back to the upper room and continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. God was moving in a timely fashion in accordance with the Jewish feasts. Passover saw Jesus Crucified! He spent forty days with the disciples, and now, they had another ten days to wait until the feast of Pentecost that came fifty days after the Passover. Acts 2: 1 opens up with the declaration: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come.” We are told the following in Acts 4: 13; “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.”  This did not imply that they could not read and write even on an elementary level. It is thought that Peter spoke both Hebrew and Greek, and they were successful fishermen. It meant that they were not trained in religious matters as were the high priests and others who received such training. The N. E. B. (New English Bible) renders the verse this way: “Now as they observed the boldness of Peter and John, and noted that they were untrained laymen, they began to wonder, then recognized them as former companions of Jesus.”

Peter was about to take up the trumpet and announce the arrival of God’s kingdom. Remember, Jesus did not address their question about restoring the kingdom to Israel directly, but indicated that when the Holy Ghost came, they would have power to witness; and again, he did not indicate what they would be witnessing to. Peter did not seek out a quiet corner in the upper room, where he could write his sermon for the day. If so, I guess he would write one on the importance of the Day of Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. Of course, he would place the death and resurrection of Jesus in his opening remarks. No body had a sermon planned! No body knew what to expect! But the Holy Ghost fell on everyone in the room, and as it were, pandemonium broke out and the crowds came rushing forward to behold this new event that seized Jerusalem by the scruff of the neck. Like everything else, people quickly began to draw their own conclusions, and seemingly, the most pronounced was that these men are drunk.

Peter, who ten days ago was among those asking about the kingdom being restored to Israel, got to his feet to answer the critics who thought they were drunk. The Holy Ghost pulled back the veil from off his eyes and his mind, and this little fisherman who had denied the Lord, and even went back to his fishing business after Jesus was resurrected, yes, this same man, reached back into Old Testament prophecies and preached one of the greatest sermons on the kingdom that one could wish for. His sermon has never failed to give me goose bumps, because of the truth he expressed that day. He pulled no punches! He clearly put David where he belonged, and he placed Jesus the resurrected Lord and Christ where he belonged! When he was through, no one needed to ask about the kingdom being restored to Israel. Listen to the master spokesman elaborating on kingdom issues that were kept secret even from the trained clergy of his day. Yes, they knew the “letter of the word” but had no clue of what the Holy Spirit signified at any given time. Truly, they were blind leaders of the blind! I can Picture standing up with the eleven, and beckoning with his hands for the crowds to listen for a moment. When they did, he began to deliver his sermon by saying:

“Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ: (not his second coming—but his resurrection) For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2: 29-36. We often speak of the major and minor prophets, but we seldom include David and Jesus among them, and seldom do we mention that Moses said; “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.” Deut. 18:15. The most vital points Peter made showed us that David knew that God would raise up Christ from the dead to sit on his throne, and Peter gave no indication that this event will transpire at the second coming that we hear so much about. In Luke, the angel said that God would give unto Jesus the throne of his father David, but once again, no mention of a second coming. If putting Christ on David’s throne is yet a future event, then God has failed for more than 2000 years to have a man upon the throne, of which he said there would always be a man on that throne. “If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel. 1 KI: 2; 4. But we should understand that David’s throne on earth, was only an outward expression of God’s throne in the heavens. Listen to the narrative! “Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord (notice it did not say that Solomon sat on David his father’s throne, but on the throne of the Lord) as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.” 1 Chro. 29:23. And again! “Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore he made thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.” 2 Chro.9: 8. We have another example of how earthly things are used to express heavenly truths as shown in Hebrews 9: 7-9. “But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while the first tabernacle was yet standing: which was a figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect.”

Please notice what the word just expressed! The tabernacle with its several divisions and compartments and the sacrifices being offered were for that day—back in those olden times, signifying or depicting a type of the Holy Ghost because the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest. With the coming of the Holy Ghost, and with Christ tearing down the veil from top to bottom, all the symbols are passed and we now have access to the reality of what people in times past saw only in types and shadows. Peter made a point that we often miss, or it is taken very lightly as we read and pass on to other aspects of the sermon. The apostle said in his sermon, “David is not ascended into heaven, but he himself said, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool.” The writer of Hebrews said: “When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. To the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Heb. 1: 3b, 8. “We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” Heb.8: 1. “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.” Heb. 10: 12-13.

Remember that I said a king does not rule from his footstool, but from his throne. So is Christ on his throne right now? Is he ruling and reigning as we speak? Or must we wait for what is called his earthly rule from David’s throne in our current earthly Jerusalem? The scriptures we just quoted seem to suggest in no uncertain terms that Jesus the Christ is now both Lord and Christ, and King. Like Peter said in his sermon, David did not make it to heaven to occupy the throne, but Jesus did! To dispel all doubts as to the kingship and Majesty of Christ today, Paul wrote: “For he must reign (not coming to reign, but reigning right now from where he is sitting) till he hath put all things under his feet, including death, the last enemy to be destroyed. 1 Cor. 15: 25-26. Please, let us get this right! Let us accept what the bible actually said and not cut and splice the lessons with man’s vague and distorted beliefs that have no foundation in scripture. The disciples had asked if the kingdom would be restored to Israel about now. Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to us? But after the Holy Ghost came and they turned Jerusalem upside down, persecution drove them out of town. Everywhere they went they spread the word of the kingdom and people were brought into the kingdom in great numbers. Let us look again at some major points that lend authority and muscle to our subject.

The angel Gabriel was sent to Nazareth with a specific message for Mary: “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1: 26-33. One would be hard pressed to take this episode away from the birth of Jesus and place it at some time in the future when he comes again. After John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1: 14-15. This is the same kingdom of which Gabriel announced that there would be no end. As we said before, wise men came asking, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” Zechariah declared back in B. C. 487; “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation, and riding upon an ass.” Zec. 9: 9.

Jesus, as the nobleman came back to administer kingdom statues and to install those who should share in his rule. “And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom (that is being given full possession of the full title or Deed to the kingdom) then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. Luke 19: 15-17. The second servant gained five pounds and was given authority over five cities. It does not matter how differently each of us care to apply the moral of this parable. The essence of what Jesus taught shows certain of his people as having authority in a real sense.  

St. Luke was not the only one to record this concept. Listen to John in exile as he records some  profound words uttered by Jesus the exalted Lord and King. “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. (The return of the nobleman) And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.” Rev. 2: 25-27. Jesus in this candid revelation had more to say on the subject. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev.3: 21. Notice that the word IN is used instead of ON! We have to get away from our vision of people sitting with Jesus on the largest throne one could ever imagine. No, it is not a peacock throne! We sit IN his throne, meaning we share his authority and right to rule.

These several scriptures tell us that the ultimate fulfillment of the kingdom of God will not remain an inward experience motivated by the power of the Holy Ghost. John added another slice of truth to the lesson. “And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign with him on the earth.” Rev.5: 10. We read that the law will go forth out of Zion and his word out of Jerusalem. “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Mi. 4: 2. This fits in perfectly with the fact that we will reign with him on the earth as kings and priests, because it speaks of a king-priest ministry. The king, representing the law, lived and ruled from Mount Zion, just outside Jerusalem, and the priests ministered the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Thus, both aspects will be incorporated into one. It’s like merging two branches of government into one to be more economic and more effective.

While I for one gives enormous importance to the kingdom within us, I find great fulfillment in understanding how God has dealt with world governments and empires, leading up to a greater unfolding for the children of God. I believe very strongly in the “language of scripture” for by this technique we can learn to follow the silver thread of divine truths. It is like being led through a narrow door, and is left to explore uncharted regions simply by instinct. Let us take another look at the language Daniel used to describe the place and rank of the saints in God’s predestined plan. When you read, decide for yourself as you understand the language used, if the prophet was speaking merely of an inward experience called “the kingdom within”, or was he describing an outward possession of authority. “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.” Dan. 7: 27.

My Friend, I don’t know about you, but when I read that verse, no matter how many times I read it, I get a rush of excitement and joy, because I begin to look at something that is bigger than you and I; that is bigger than any mega church in the world today. I see much more than a meeting at a local hotel, where speaker after speaker tell us how grand it is to have the kingdom within. I believe that the kingdom within is for personal edification, but the kingdom without that shall emerge with power and great glory is to sweep creation forward into union with the Creator, and indeed, the trees shall clap their hands for joy, and the brooks and water falls shall echo his praises from the rising of the sun, until the going down of the same. A minister was in a meeting in which God took over, and as he and the local pastor stood by as spectators, unable to restore calm or normalcy, the Father said: “Son, you haven’t seen anything yet.” Yes! We haven’t seen anything yet!