It is in my heart to share about 2 things today. One is that this extended lockdown is getting on the nerves of many who have lost jobs, many who are struggling to even get their daily necessities.
Much like in the days of Noah, it seems as if there is destruction all around, while there are few who have found refuge in the ark – the cross of Jesus Christ. We hear of wars and rumors of war, there are famines and earthquakes, men rise up against his fellow countrymen and deliver them up for (unfair) judgment.
And When these rains turn into floods, it will only lift the ark, a picture of rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ – the eternal King of Kings. The signs are all in place for such an HISTORICAL EVENT to take place; when Jesus comes we will be CAUGHT UP to heaven to meet the Lord IN THE AIR!
The second thought I want to share with you is that of the Kingdom. It does not come with observation as some saying, “Here it is!” or “There it is!” for the kingdom of God is within you. It is not somewhere far, that one should say Who will ascend into heaven to bring it down or descend to the depths to bring it up. Righteousness (received as a gift), the peace of God (received as a gift) and joy in the Holy Spirit (received as a gift again) – this is the kingdom of God!
In the history, we read about this great king of Chaldean dynasty – Nebuchadnezzar, who conquered Jerusalem, killing the princes of Judah before their father and king Zedekiah, Jehoiakim’s brother; and then he put out both the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in bronze fetters and carried him away captive to Babylon, along with many of the children of Israel. Later, his captain burnt down with fire the Solomon’s temple, the King’s palace and all the houses of the entire city, (2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36). Indeed, a very cruel king!
But we also read that one night he had a dream that would shake him up so much, that he called for all the wise men in Chaldea to tell the dream as well as its interpretation. When it was pointed out to him that it is next to impossible for the wise men to say what the King saw in the dream, Nebuchadnezzar coolly took it upon himself to wipe out and kill all the wise men in Babylon. Daniel was there!
And God revealed to Daniel about the king’s dream and its interpretation. He tells the king these words: There is a God in heaven Who reveals secrets; ”You. O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. This image’s head was of fine gold, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out WITHOUT HANDS, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were CRUSHED together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that NO TRACE OF THEM was found. And THE STONE THAT STRUCK THE IMAGE BECAME A GREAT MOUNTAIN AND FILLED THE WHOLE EARTH.” (Daniel 2: 31-35)
Daniel also made the interpretation, about 4 kingdoms that will come and go. The Chaldean dynasty (gold – Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar), the Mede-Persian dynasty (silver – Darius, Cyrus, Ahasuerus), the Greek dynasty (Alexander, Ptolemaic) and finally the Roman kingdom (Herod). The FIFTH kingdom was about to blast away the previous 4 kingdoms. Jesus, the King was born in Bethlehem. There was turmoil in the palace during His birth; and there was turmoil in the governor Pilate’s palace during His death and resurrection!
One of the accusations against King Jesus before His crucifixion was this: We heard Him say, “I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I WILL BUILD ANOTHER MADE WITHOUT HANDS.” (Mark 14:58).
An everlasting kingdom has been established by King Jesus. Of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be NO END. And Jesus Himself says: Upon this rock, I will build MY CHURCH and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. A kingdom made without hands – just like the stone cut away without human hands!
We ARE the Church that Jesus is building; we are the kingdom citizens (holy nation) – called out and separated out; we are the kingdom priests (royal priesthood) to declare, decree and build.
In the Old Covenant, for every male child, the sign of circumcision– a permanent mark, was given. But now in the New Covenant with the blood of Jesus, we are OF THE CIRCUMCISION who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3; see also Romans 2: 29). In Him (Jesus) you were also circumcised with a circumcision MADE WITHOUT HANDS (Colossians 2:11).
The great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The DREAM IS CERTAIN, and ITS INTERPRETATION IS SURE. (Daniel 2: 45).
The earth shall be full / filled with of the knowledge of the (glory of the) LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11: 9 and Habakkuk 2: 14). In Jesus name, Amen
