Revelation 22:5.... and they (the saints)
shall reign for ever and ever.
Daniel 7:27. And the kingdom and empire, and the
greatness of the dominion under the whole heaven, will be given to the
people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, and all empires shall serve and obey him.
The subject of
the rule of Gods saints in the world may be one of the most
misunderstood or mysterious subjects in the Bible. It could also be said
that it may be the most warred against knowledge on earth. Meaning
politically; there may not be a subject or knowledge that the spiritual
powers of wickedness behind the earthly powers of sinful men want to
keep from Gods saints and people in general than this. We'll start
with two scriptures to lay some groundwork.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of
this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants
fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom
not from hence.
Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom
of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God comes
not with observation: (visibly) 21 Neither shall
they say, See here! or, see there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is
within you.
Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom.
Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I to you, (Jesus speaking to the
nation of ancient Israel.) The kingdom of God shall be
taken from you, and given to peoples bringing forth its fruits.
What can be
ascertained by these verses is that he kingdom of God although here does
not operate in the same fashion the worlds kingdoms operate. Nor
is it visible like the worlds kingdoms or governments are. It is
something that is internal, in the hearts of people that bears fruit not
just in their own lives but culturally and in their nations. That is why
it was being removed from ancient Israel. It was not bearing fruit in
their culture and nation. "Ok," some say. "What does that have to do
with ruling though?" That is a good point because for more than a
millennia Christians were
brutally ruled over, oppressed and murdered. Bible prophecy explicitly
tells us when this age of promise was to begin though. Using that
timeline and observing what has happened since these days of promise
began is a necessary component of understanding how the saints "rule" on
earth. These two links go over that timeline.
The first one is a
short synopses of it from another verse about the New Jerusalem. This
other one is a book length article called
End Time Prophecy that goes
over it in great detail. They show how the Bible prophesied four
empires that would rule over the saints, named them and prophesied the
date they would end that began this current age of promise. The last
one, the Roman Empire ended in 1453 AD with the fall of Constantinople
which had been the capitol of the Roman Empire since 333 AD.
What changed since
then? Basically the fundamental change came when the first commercial
printing press went on line in Europe the exact same time the Roman
Empire fell.
Bibles illegally got printed and for the first time in history
(illegally also) the general public got access to them and in their own
languages to boot, (also highly illegal.) . This happened in northern
Europe. The next thing that happened, which outside of ancient Israel
was also a first in history. The powers that existed raised an army to
wipe out these northern Europeans who were in mass being influenced by
scripture but lost, or at least were fought to a stalemate. They had
been very successful over the last millennia and a half with genocides
of peoples who managed to hand write enough scripture for the general
population to be influenced by it. Hand or wood plate printed Bibles
took time though and it was quite easy for the authorities to stay ahead
and keep the public from really gaining access to the scripture.
When the public did start getting access and the scripture started to
influence cultural thought it was usually contained to a specific nation
or ethnic group. They were never a match for the kings and empires that
surrounded them. With the advent of commercial printing presses
hand written or wood plate printed material in Europe went from the tens
of thousands a year to the tens of millions within a few decades. The
thought that developed over the next few centuries in northern Europe
was imported via northern Europeans to North America and gave us the
free world so many now enjoy.
What has been
developing in the world since then, even with all the setbacks pretty
conclusively shows what the verse in question means when it says the
saints shall rule. It's their ideas, their judgments, the standards they
set up as right and wrong that become the standards for the world.
The thinking that is developed in their hearts through Gods Word and
through their Father in heavens guidance and discipline becomes the gold
standard for human thought and practice. Can you see the
difference between Gods kingdom and the kingdoms of this world in this?
Gods' kingdom is one of influence that through his grace seeks
personally developed thinking and responsibility that people may be self
governing according to what is right. To get people to walk according to
the laws of nature and natures God. The worlds kingdoms conquer people
and impose themselves on them through, coercion, force and various other
pressures to control them for their own selfish interests. For
Gods kingdom to rule a solid portion of the population must acquire Gods grace and knowledge.
Ignorance, lies, delusion, superstition, (today pseudo-science is
replacing superstition,) are the currency of the worlds kingdoms
that allow them to bear rule. Here are a few
verses that allude to this in principle.
Luke 22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of
them should be accounted the greatest. (Arguing about who should
be the head of the church, or the ruler of an institution or the
government.) 25 And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles
exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them
are called benefactors. 26 But you shall not be so: but he that is
greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as
he that doth serve. 27 For whether is greater, he that sits at meat, or
he that serves? is not he that sits at meat? but I am among you as he
that serves. 28 You are they which have continued with me in my
temptations. 29 And I appoint to you a kingdom, as my Father has
appointed to me; 30 That you may eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and
sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither
he himself would come. 2 Therefore said he to them, The harvest truly is
great, but the laborers are few: pray therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.17 And the seventy
returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto
us through thy name.18 And he said to them, I beheld Satan as lightning
fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents
and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by
any means hurt you.
So you can see in these verses, at
least in principle how the words in the previous paragraph are relevant.
The Word of God was committed to the Jewish people to bring forth into
the world. That is how the twelve apostles are to rule. The Word, their
words, the Bible, their part of it anyway that they bring into the
earth. Then in Luke 10 we see how Satan and his rule of evil is brought
down. The publishing of the Word, especially when accompanied by
miracles.
Here are some passages that say all this
a lot clearer. John 5: (Jesus
speaking to the religious leaders of his day) 45
Do not suppose that I will accuse you before the Father. The one who
accuses you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. John 12:47 And
if any man hear my (Jesus's) words,
and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but
to save the world. 48 He that rejects me, and receives not my words, has
one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day. You
see it is the word of truth that judges mankind. The Word that Moses
(and the prophets) spoke and the word that Jesus is speaking is saving
and judging all generations. This word though has been given to others
to deliver. Romans
3:1 What advantage then has the Jew? ....... 2 Much every way: chiefly,
because that to them were committed the oracles of God. 2 Corinthians
5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses to them; and
has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
That is by far the main aspect of the saints judging the world and
reigning. It is their word which in reality is Gods word from their lips
that both bring salvation and judgment, both temporal and eternal. This
is why all saints are included in this rather than just those who are
alive at any given time and place.
Now here is the
same thing being said using illustrations. Ephesians
6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the Word of God: Revelation 19:15
And out of his mouth goes a sharp
sword, that with it he should strike the nations: and he shall rule them
with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and
wrath of Almighty God. Revelation 19:21 And the remainder were
slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse,
which sword proceeded out of his mouth:
and all the vultures were filled with their flesh. Revelation 2:16
Repent; or else I will come to you quickly, and will fight against them
with the sword of my mouth. So
it can be seen that the main reason the saints are judging the world is
because the Word of God is coming through them into the world. That the
nature of this word is not just eternal but temporal. It will govern the
earth. It will govern what is right and what is wrong. It will pass
sentence on what is right and what is wrong and it will reward right and
punish wrong. This is how the saints reign. Let me ask you dear reader.
Do believers need to run a country if unbelievers who hold the same
principles and standards the Bible lays out for personal conduct, human
relationships and government run it instead? The answer to that
would be it would be better generally if they were believers but not
absolutely necessary. This is what we have seen in the USA for example. About
a third of the population who are not believers but still hold Christian
principles for life as basic truth. This is the saints reigning. You
would be totally deceived if you think it was like this in the ancient
world. Someone might object about how bad it is. Well, look at yourself
and start the change for the better there.
Here is a promise
attached to this for those who overcome sin and by extension to nations
that overcome sin. Revelation 2:26 And he that overcomes, and
keeps my works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations: This
in a practical way is in accordance with many prophecies we have looked
at in this article already. It has also been a fact on planet earth
since the fall of the Roman Empire in 1453 A.D. that the nations most
influenced by the Gospel are the nations that have been dominate in the
world, economically and militarily.
Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, (the messiah) whom I
uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit on him:
he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the
street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall
he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment
to truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be
discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall
wait for his law. ....49:8 Thus said the LORD, In an acceptable
time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and
I will preserve you, and
give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to
cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
This
is the good news about the prophesied Kingdom of God
that was to come into the earth. In fact the only way these prophesies
can be fulfilled is if Gods saints full of knowledge and
righteousness have a say, the main say in how nations run their affairs.
Which is exactly what Daniel and many other scriptures say would begin
to happen once that fourth empire, the Roman ones ends.
Daniel 7:7 After this I looked in the night visions,
and saw a fourth animal, (The Roman empire,) dreadful
and terrible, and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth: it
devoured and crushed, and trampled what was left with its feet: and it
was different from all the animals that were before it; and it had ten
horns. ..... 9. I looked until the thrones were set up, and the ancient
of days sat, whose robe was white as snow, and the hair of his head like
the pure wool: his throne was like the flames of fire, and its wheels
were burning fire..... 11..... I looked until the animal was killed, and
his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12. As concerning
the rest of the animals, they had their empires taken away: yet their
lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13. I saw in the night
visions, and look, one like the Son of man (the messiah)
came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and
they brought him near before him. 14. And
there was given him an empire, and glory, and dominion, that all people,
nations, and languages, should serve him: his empire is an everlasting
empire, which shall not pass away, and his dominion that which shall not
be destroyed. 15. I Daniel was distressed in my spirit in the
midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16. I came
near to one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this.
So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17.
These great animals, which are four, are four kings,(empires) which
shall arise out of the earth. 18. But the
saints of the most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the
kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. .......22. 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........
27. And the kingdom and empire, and the
greatness of the dominion under the whole heaven, will be given to the
people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, and all empires shall serve and obey him.
Imagine a world
with billions of Christians who actually believe they are here for what
could amount to thousands of more years. If they understand it was
Gods will to found and maintaining nations on Biblical principle and
worked with him to do so. What would it be like of Christians
today like the founders of the United States expected the whole world to
eventfully adopt the Bible based Christianity that enabled the founding
of their nation and for them to model their nations in the same way? It is easy to see what happens when they don't believe this.
A very motivated and wicked minority that do believe they here for the
long haul are ruling over them and the believers are blaming what
amounts to a failure of doctrine and a scriptural vision for the future
on it being "the end times." Take heart though: Isaiah 9: 7 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.
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