Part 4.1 - The King, R,R,R.

The King-Raised, Returning, Reigning The Kingdom future is totally dependent on God’s Son, the King. If His Kingdom does not come, then this world is destined to be locked in time with Satan and his angels ruling in the heavenly places. If this were possible, sin and death would continue to keep man under its power and the whole world would continue in slavery to corruption (Romans 8:21). Praise God; this is not possible because God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, has overcome sin and death and has defeated all the powers and principalities, disarming the rulers and authorities and triumphing over them (Colossians 2:15). The message of the Kingdom of God’s Son, the Kingdom future, rests entirely on three essential facts-Christ was raisedfrom the dead;He is coming again; and when He comes, He will reign over this earth. The foundation of God’s purpose and plan rests on these profound facts. Without them there would be no Word of the Kingdom as presented in the Scriptures because the heart of this message centers on the Son of God’s love. It is through God’s Son and Him alone that man will be brought into the Reign of the Heavens to live in the glory of God.

If you were required to defend yourself in a court of law, you would want as much evidence as you could gather to defend your position. In fact, you would want to enter court with an abundance or a preponderance of evidence. If you were to go into court with very few facts to support your case, then the odds of convincing a jury or a judge of your position would be greatly reduced. God does not have to defend Himself; nevertheless, He has presented His case in the Scriptures in such a way that the things with which He wants to captivate our hearts are presented with a preponderance of evidence. In other words, He fully lays out His case before us. A study of the Scriptures will reveal that there are three things that God has presented in such a way that we must conclude that He has laid out a preponderance of evidence. First, Jesus was raised from the dead. Second, He is coming a second time. Third, He is coming to take the scepter of the Kingdom of Heaven to rule and reign. These three facts are unveiled in the Scriptures and reinforced over and over again, maybe not using the same words every time, but the thought is there. Every book in the New Testament is built upon this foundation. It is true that the epistles cover many teachings of the apostles, but if you search the Scriptures, you will discover that the heart of the matter is based on the return of the Lord and His Kingdom. It is based on the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the view of the early church and it was their hope. Their hope was not so much based on "going to heaven" but on eagerly expecting the One who is coming from heaven (Php 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).

Even a very cursory word search of the Scriptures centered on each of the three facts will yield a preponderance of evidence to support this view. In the New Testament, there are nearly 60 verses on Christ being raised from the dead, about 80 on His coming again and over 100 on His coming Kingdom. Most people would conclude that this is a preponderance of evidence. God’s message to us is that His Son is coming again, the One whom He raised from the dead and who was witnessed by many, last of all Paul. When He comes, He is coming first as the Judge and then as the King. God has set His King! Hallelujah! This Jesus God Raised From The Dead

Christians know that Christ died for their sins and because of His death on the cross they now have forgiveness of their sins. This is true and essential for eternal salvation. However, do you realize that the Lord’s death is never presented apart from His resurrection? In fact, salvation not only is dependent on His death but it is also dependent on Him being raised from the dead. His death and resurrection are inseparable components of the gospel of the grace of God. Why? Because Christ coming out of the grave was proof that His atoning death was acceptable to God, and as we will see, it is essential if anyone is to be raised on the last day. No sinner could have taken the Lord’s place on the cross. Any man that would have tried to die for the sin of the world would have remained in the grave. In Corinth during Paul’s day, some people were teaching that there is no resurrection of the dead. Paul hit this challenge head on and declared the gospel of grace to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). He unfolded all the components of the atoning work of Christ according to the Scriptures. This is an important point because Paul said that the Scriptures themselves give us the facts. Christ died for our sins; He was buried; He was raised on the third day. Now, notice that Paul added one very important proof that these events, in fact, did occur-He appeared! Christ first appeared to Peter; and after appearing to at least 582 people, He appeared to Paul last of all. Paul declared: "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14). But Paul could declare that Christ was raised from the dead because Paul met his Lord on the road to Damascus as he was going to persecute those who were of the Way, who were the Body of Christ on earth. Christ, the Head of His Body on earth, called out from His glory, "Saul, Saul why are you persecuting Me?" (Acts 9:4). From that day forward Saul, who became Paul, could declare that the One whom he tried to destroy by persecuting His Body on earth was indeed alive. The One that the Scriptures call the Christ was raised from the dead. No man ever went into the grave and overcame death except the Man, the last Adam, the second Man (1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Corinthians 15:47). As the Lord Jesus walked on earth and His face was set like flint toward Calvary, He told His disciples that He would be killed and be raised up on the third day (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22-23; Luke 9:22; Luke 24:46-47). It is important to understand that the thought of resurrection was not new to the Jews. Many of them actually believed in a general resurrection of the dead, that a day would come when all the dead, the righteous and the unrighteous, would be raised and judged. We see this in Martha’s answer to Jesus regarding the death of her brother Lazarus. "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day" (John 11:24). In other words, Martha knew that there would be a resurrection, but she and the others did not understand that there would be a resurrection not of the dead but a resurrection from the dead. Martha was not alone in this understanding because the disciples closest to the Lord were puzzled by His statement: The Son of Man should rise from the dead. When the three disciples heard Jesus say this as they were coming down from the mountain after the Lord’s transfiguration, they were puzzled and questioned what He meant (Mark 9:9-10). This was a totally new idea for these Jewish disciples and they did not understand it at the time. In fact, they did not understand it until He actually appeared to them after He was raised (John 20:9; John 20:24-29). In the account of Lazarus’ death, we discover that Jesus revealed the truth of the resurrection to Martha. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26). His resurrection from the dead is revealed in this tremendous declaration: "I am the resurrection and the life." Because death could not hold Him in the grave and He was raised from the dead, He is able to give life to all who believe in Him. Although a believer dies, he too will not be held by death because Christ is the first fruits of the resurrection and this life has been placed in every born-again child of God. Paul has given us the order of the resurrection of the dead which is Christ first, followed by those who are in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:21-23). This is the meaning of rising from the dead. Every dead person since Adam will not be raised in a general resurrection; however, a day (the last day) will come when no one will remain in the place of the dead associated with the earth we now live on (Revelation 20:11-15). [The old earth will pass away and a new earth will come in which there will be no more death and thus no one will be in the place of the dead during the eternal ages, apart from those who will be thrown into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 21:1-4).] There is a selective order, and this order starts with Christ and continues with those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. Paul the beloved apostle has given us the understanding of this resurrection from the dead. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of {the} archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).

Many people look at all of these verses as referring to what is called the "rapture," but in fact these verses also include what precedes the "rapture" which is the resurrection of all those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. Once the dead have been raised, then those who have come out of the grave along with those who are alive (who are in Christ) on the earth when He comes will be taken up in the air to meet the Lord. Of course, the disciples did not know all of this at first; but the idea of the resurrection from the dead was a tremendous new revelation to them, for they had personally witnessed that the tomb was empty and Christ was alive. On the day of Pentecost, Peter declared to the masses: "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32).

They witnessed His appearing after His death. Even John, when he wrote the gospel account of the Lord’s life, counted the number of times that He appeared. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead (John 21:14). Thus, the disciples could declare that the One who was crucified, the Christ, lives!

Jesus being raised from the dead is the proof that He is the first fruits of a resurrection for those whose lives are hidden in Christ. He is the resurrection and the life, and it is this life that will raise all those who have believed on Him.

Today, it seems that the resurrection from the dead is taken for granted, but it is essential in our proper understanding of the Word of the Kingdom. It is a building block to our understanding. Why? Christ being the first fruits of the resurrection is our hope. Because He was raised from the dead and is seated on His Father’s throne, we are assured that He is coming again. But even more than this, we are assured that He is coming to take the scepter of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord Himself revealed this fact to His disciples when He was transfigured on the mountain, which was a preview to the disciples of the coming Kingdom and Glory.

"For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." (Matthew 16:27-28)

After six days, on the seventh day, Jesus was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light (Matthew 17:1-2). Now, notice what the Lord told His disciples after they witnessed Him standing in the glory of His coming Kingdom. And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead." (Matthew 17:9)

Tell the vision to no one! What was the vision? The Son of Man coming in His Kingdom. But notice what the Lord said next. Tell no one of this glorious vision until you see the Son of Man risen from the dead. Do you see the greatness of these few words? First, the Son of Man, the King, had to die and be raised from the dead; and then at some point in the future, He must come in the glory of His Father and take the scepter of His Kingdom. In this one verse, we have the embryonic statement of the Word of the Kingdom-He died; He was raised from the dead; He is coming again; He is coming in His Kingdom and Glory.

Oh, hallelujah! This should bring excitement and joy to our hearts. The Second Coming Of Christ

Christ being raised from the dead is the promise that He is coming again, but let us not stop here; let us press on to see further proof in the Scriptures of our Lord’s Second Coming. To some people this might seem so elementary that they wonder why there is a need even to mention it. The answer is very simple; there are some who teach that the Lord is not coming back a second time. Some even teach that He has already come a second time and many other times as well. Those who hold this view wrongly assert that Christ’s appearing is an individual matter, that He appears to individuals throughout their lives. Others assert Christ comes when we die. And yet, some assert that Christ is not coming back in the flesh. John the beloved apostle warned that many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ is coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist (2 John 1:7). All of these teachings are a leavened, corrupted understanding of the Word of the Kingdom. As John wrote, those who hold such views are antichrist. This is how serious is this matter of the Second Coming. In very simple terms, we know that our Lord came the first time and we know that He has promised to come again which is a second time. The book of Hebrews clearly tells us that there is a second appearing. So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without {reference to} sin, to those who eagerly await Him. (Hebrews 9:28) In understanding the Lord’s return, it is important to understand that when He comes He first will be seen by His people in the air as the world will be asleep to His coming. Then following the Great Tribulation, He will be seen by Israel and those who have survived the great wrath of God as He literally steps foot on the earth once again (Zechariah 14:4). In other words, His coming will not be seen by all at first. He first will appear to His people who will be caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air. This will be hidden from the world. Following the great day of His wrath (Revelation 6:17), He will appear to the inhabitants of the earth. When we read the Scriptures, we must understand the context to understand to which point in time it is referring. The Revelation In the Greek, there are at least five different words that are used in reference to the Lord’s return. The first word is apokalupsis, which means "to take off the cover, disclosure." The English translation is the word revelation. The book of Revelation is the Revelation of Jesus Christ or the "disclosure of, taking the cover off" Christ. The entire Revelation is the uncovering of Jesus Christ as the Judge, coming to judge the Church, Israel and the Gentile nations (James 5:9; Revelation 1:12-16); and as the King, coming to reign over this earth (Revelation 19:16). The Revelation unveils the beginning of the Lord’s Day when He first stands as Judge and then is manifested as the King of kings when He rides out of heaven on a white horse and returns to earth for all to see Him (Revelation 19:11). The Revelation unveils the fact that Christ’s coming is literal and every eye will see Him. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen (Revelation 1:7). When the cover is fully taken off, all eyes will be glued on the One of whom God declared: "This is My Son. Hear Him!"

Now, both Paul and Peter used the word apokalupsis to speak to believers.

…So that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation [apokalupsis] of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:7-8{ea})

…That the proof of your faith, {being} more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation [apokalupsis] of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:7{ea})

Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober {in spirit,} fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation [apokalupsis] of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:13{ea})

These verses point to the Day of Christ when He returns for His people. We are to be eagerly awaiting, expecting fully His return; and our hope is to be fixed on the grace to be brought to us at His appearing. The Manifestation The next Greek word, which is used mostly by Paul, is ephaneia, which means "manifestation, appearing, brightness." At the end of his life, Paul wrote letters to Timothy and Titus. In both letters, he used this word in light of the Lord’s return and the necessity for Christians to live godly, righteous lives until His appearing.

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing [ephaneia] of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time-He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords; who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him {be} honor and eternal dominion! Amen. (1 Timothy 6:13-16{ea})

…In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing [ephaneia]. (2 Timothy 4:8{ea}) For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing [ephaneia] of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. (Titus 2:11-13{ea})

We are to be looking for the blessed hope and the manifestation or the shining forth of the glory of our Lord. What a glorious day that will be! The Rendering Apparent The third Greek word-which is used by Paul, Peter and John-is phaneroo which means "to render apparent." It is used three times and each time it is preceded by "when." To the apostles, it was not a question of if He will appear but when He will appear. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed [phaneroo], then you also will be revealed [phaneroo] with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:4{ea}) And when the Chief Shepherd appears [phaneroo], you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:4{ea}) And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears [phaneroo], we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. (1 John 2:28{ea})

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears [phaneroo], we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. (1 John 3:2{ea})

Coming into glory, receiving crowns and being like Him only come about for believers when He comes. This does not come about when a Christian falls asleep in Jesus. It only comes about when He comes. This is why Christians are exhorted to abide in Him so that they will not be ashamed but will have confidence at His coming. The Near Presence The word coming used by John introduces the fourth Greek word parousia which means "being near, advent." Parousia is used in reference to the period of time that extends from the return of Christ when the Church is raptured to be with Him, followed by His revelation and manifestation to Israel and the nations following the Great Tribulation. The beginning of His parousia is a personal time for the Lord and His people. It has been described as the near presence of the Lord, for He will be hidden from the world in the clouds as He sets up His judgment seat to judge His Church (2 Corinthians 5:10). The first mention of the word parousia is found when the Lord was asked by His disciples about the sign of His coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). The Lord answered their question not in reference to the Church but in reference to Israel and the world. First, His coming is mentioned as being like lightning, which is His physical manifestation to the world (Matthew 24:27). Then, His coming is compared to the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37; Matthew 24:39), which speaks of His near presence to the earth but not His physical manifestation to the world; thus the reference to days. It will extend over a period of time.

Paul used the word parousia most, for a total of seven times. In a verse that we have already looked at, Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the resurrection of Christ. Christ is the first fruits, and afterward those who are His will be resurrected at His coming, His parousia (1 Corinthians 15:23). To the Thessalonians, Paul presented the full range of the presence of the Lord. It is clear from these verses that Paul had one thing in view, and that was when the Lord comes to gather His people unto Himself. For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming [parousia]? (1 Thessalonians 2:19{ea})

…May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also {do} for you; so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming [parousia] of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13{ea}) For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming [parousia] of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:15{ea})

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming [parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23{ea})

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming [parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him. (2 Thessalonians 2:1{ea}) The last verse deals with the end of the Great Tribulation when the Lord will come and literally bring an end to the lawless one, the antichrist, by His very appearance or, as some versions of the Bible translate, the brightness of His coming. In this verse, Paul used ephaneia and parousia in reference to the Lord’s Second Coming. When our beloved Lord returns to this earth, His majestic glory will be manifested and He will sit on the throne of His glory (Matthew 16:27; Matthew 25:31; Revelation 19:11-16), judging all unrighteousness. In that day, the lawless one will not be able to stand against the glory of the Lord. Hallelujah! And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance [ephaneia, brightness] of His coming [parousia]. (2 Thessalonians 2:8{ea})

However, Paul was not alone in the use of parousia, for James and Peter used it in the same context. James wrote of waiting for the Lord’s return like a farmer waiting for crops to come to harvest. Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming [parousia] of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming [parousia] of the Lord is at hand. (James 5:7-8{ea}) In recalling the day that he stood on the mountain with the Lord and saw Him transfigured, which pointed to the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom, Peter reminded the saints that he had made known to them the coming of the Lord. For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming [parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. (2 Peter 1:16{ea}) At the end of his life, Peter left a warning for the last days. Mockers will come, denying the return of the Lord. The evidence in the Scriptures is abundant and clear that the Lord is coming back, but there will be those who will deny what the Word says is a fact.

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with {their} mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming [parousia]? For {ever} since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4{ea}) Where is the promise of His coming? It is in the Word of God. The Lord Himself made the promise and He is Faithful and True. He is coming! The Coming

Finally, the most common word used for coming is erchomai, which means "to come and go." It has many applications in the New Testament, but it is often used for His coming again in a literal and visible sense. A thorough review of all these Scriptures is not necessary; however, there are several parables spoken by the Lord that speak of His coming and clearly add another dimension to the evidence (Matthew 24:44; Matthew 24:46; Matthew 24:48; Matthew 25:6; Matthew 25:13; Matthew 25:19; Matthew 25:27; Mark 13:35-37; 43,45). The parable of the minas best sums up all these verses, for it deals with the faithfulness of the Lord’s servants while He is gone.

He said therefore, "A certain nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and {then} return. And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas, and said to them, ’Do business {with this} until I come {back.} … "And it came about that when he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him in order that he might know what business they had done." … ‘Then why did you not put the money in the bank, and having come [erchomai], I would have collected it with interest?’ (Luke 19:12-13; Luke 19:15; Luke 19:23{ea}) The Lord Jesus was speaking a parable about Himself. He was about to depart this life and return to the Father who would give Him the Kingdom. While He is gone, He has left His business on earth in the hands of His servants and commands them to do business until He comes back. When He returns, He will reward His servants for faithfulness for what they have done with His goods in His absence. This parable and others are clear presentations of His leaving and returning, which leads us into the third fact that is presented by a preponderance of evidence-the coming Kingdom and the reign of Christ. The Kingdom Is Preached

We know, without any doubt, that Christ is coming back a second time, but for what purpose? Yes, He is coming for His people, but why? What is Christ going to do for 1,000 years? To answer this question, let us ask some other questions. What was the view of our Lord when He came the first time? Some might say the cross, but that was only a means to bring about an end. It was the essential means, but it was not the end. Let us form the question differently. What was the message that the Lord preached when He came the first time? If we know His message, then we will know what His view was or what He saw that was set before Him after the cross. When Jesus walked on this earth, the Kingdom was in view and this is what He preached. He declared that He was sent by God for a purpose.

"I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." (Luke 4:43) The Kingdom was the message that Jesus carried from city to city. Even after His death on the cross but before His final ascension to the throne, Jesus spoke of one thing: He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over {a period of} forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).

After the Lord went to the cross and ascended back into heaven, His apostles continued preaching the Kingdom. Paul the apostle, who laid down his life to bring the good news to the Gentiles, had one central message. As his days on earth were quickly coming to an end, Paul spoke of one thing.

Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him. (Acts 28:30-31NKJ; also Acts 20:25; Acts 20:27) The Kingdom and things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ are one and the same gospel, for the Lord is the King of the coming Kingdom. Paul’s last written word to his beloved son in the faith, Timothy, was the assurance that the Lord would deliver him (Paul) from every evil work and preserve him for His Heavenly Kingdom (2 Timothy 4:18). The writer of the book of Hebrews had the Kingdom in view. For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. (Hebrews 2:5NKJ) The world to come is the millennial reign of Christ.

James wrote of being rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom, which He promised to those who love Him (James 2:5). He exhorted the saints who were scattered abroad: "Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!" (James 5:8 b,9b NKJ). At the end of his life, Peter exhorted the saints to "be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal (age-lasting) kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you (2 Peter 1:10-11{ea}).

Jude wrote of the apostasy that had come into the church and has existed throughout the last 2,000 years. He exhorted the saints to contend for the faith, which refers to the coming Kingdom (see chapter 15). He declared that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied: "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all" (Jude 1:14-15 a NKJ). Enoch, the seventh from Adam, speaks of the seventh day that is coming, the Sabbath rest, the millennial Kingdom.

John, the apostle whom the Lord loved and who leaned on His breast, was caught up to the throne of God and saw the Kingdom in victory and the Victor triumphantly returning to this earth. He heard the loud voices in heaven declaring: "The kingdom of the world has become {the kingdom} of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15). But what does the Kingdom truly mean? The word kingdom in the Greek is basileia, which means "reign," "rule" or "sovereignty, royal power, dominion." Thus, the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ refers to the rule or reign of God’s Son. The Kingdom is not some static term that implies some institutional bureaucracy with stodgy, unyielding people sitting at desks with rubber stamps processing paperwork. Never! The Kingdom speaks mightily of the dynamic, glorious reign of Christ. It speaks of the Reign of the Heavens.

He Must Reign When the Lord Jesus stood before the Gentile ruler Pilate, He made the good confession of the very purpose of His birth as a Man.

Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You up to me; what have You done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm." Pilate therefore said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say {correctly} that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." (John 18:33-37)

Jesus declared that He was a king and it was for this purpose that He was born. Not only is He a king but He is the King, for there will be only one King with a capital K. When He was born, it was declared: "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end" (Luke 1:32-33). A day will come when all of heaven will sound forth the triumphant declaration that His Kingdom has come. And the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become {the kingdom} of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, "We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign." (Revelation 11:15-17)

What is the purpose of His reign? Paul tells us that He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). In other words, His reign is to take the kingdom of this world, which was brought into ruin, corruption and chaos, and restore it to glory, beauty and order. First, the kingdom of this world was brought into ruin by Satan and restored by God. Then it was brought into ruin a second time by Adam. There will be enemies of God’s power and authority that will remain in this world even after the King ascends the throne. Sin will not run wild as it does today; nevertheless, sin will remain for there will be those who will be born on the earth during the millennial reign. The wages of sin is death and death will continue. "No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for the child shall die one hundred years old, but the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed" (Isaiah 65:20NKJ). The day is coming when His reign will begin and it will continue for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6) until He subdues all enemies, even death itself. Hallelujah! The Lord declared that the gates of Hades (death) shall not prevail (Matthew 16:18) and He will destroy these gates forever at the close of His Kingdom (Revelation 20:14). The Kingdom, the reign of Christ, is the central message of the prophetic Scriptures, and it is revealed in the Son of God’s love. God’s love is manifested in His Son who died for our sins, was buried, was raised from the dead and appeared to many. He is coming back a second time to take the scepter of the Kingdom. He is theResurrection and the Life, our hope for the Kingdom and Glory. When He comes, He will raise up all those who are asleep in Jesus. Then He will catch up into the air those who are resurrected from the dead along with those who are alive and remain when He comes. This one event, the Second Coming of Christ, is our hope and expectation for it ushers in the reign of Christ. God’s promises are true. His Son will come a second time for salvation.

"I am going away and coming back to you." (John 14:28NKJ)

Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)