Sunday, October 4, 2015

The Mystery and the Kingdom

Scroll of Isaiah1

One morning some time ago a man in our fellowship, not a pastor, took the much needed initiative to refresh our memory regarding the "Kingdom of God" in this present dispensation of grace: "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit" (cf. Rom 14:17).

Jesus in his epistles to the seven churches concludes each with the refrain "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches." Regardless of the leadership of the assembly, all "that hath an ear" shall give account for "what the Spirit saith to the churches"!

During this age of the "mystery" "kept secret since the world began" (Rom_16:25), the Kingdom of God is "not" an earthly kingdom, for the Father "has raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6).

However, when the "final facet" of the mystery is consummated in "the twinkling of an eye", the age of grace will be no more and the long in abeyance "earthly" "Commonwealth of Israel Kingdom of God" will through the fires of tribulation, "Jacob's trouble", and Armageddon, find consummation, as the kingdoms of this earth are transformed into the Kingdom of God.

"For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this" (Isa 9:5-7).


By Pete unseth - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8620804

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