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This World, a Life Without Justice

This World, a Life Without Justice

Index

  1. Planet earth, where Satan rules
  2. A dark kingdom that pursues, thrives and grows with every injustice
  3. Man’s Adamic nature, a reflection of the prince of this world
  4. Man, the devil’s vehicle to build his kingdom of darkness
  5. Man, the receiver and sufferer of the devil’s ambitions for this world
  6. Jesus Christ, God’s messenger, the light of the world
  7. The kingdom of Christ, a kingdom of righteousness without end

Preface

This booklet will help the reader understand the nature of Satan and his work as well as his purpose. It is not all inclusive of his work and manifestations but it will show why the world is in such an ungodly state. It will show the power that he has in this world. And it will show what people can do to thwart Satan’s work. In Scripture he is called an “angel of light.” The devil’s offers seem to be fulfilling to many people and bring them the desires of their heart. Mother Eve was such a person, and the first person to believe his lies.

The battle between light and darkness in this world is shown as well. All people on the earth are involved in this conflict, even when they are not aware of the entities at work to destroy them.

1. Planet earth, where Satan rules

The Genesis Account

The first verse in the Bible states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1; 2:4). God has given man an account of the creation of the heavens and the earth. Scripture tells us that He created everything in six days. On the sixth day he made the man (Adam) and the woman (Eve). God created them to live forever. He put them in a garden and called it the Garden of Eden. In this garden, there were many trees of all types, but two trees of great eternal importance, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life (Genesis 2:9, 16-17). God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because in the day he ate of it he would die. Adam and his wife were in a place of total innocence. They did not know what sin, disobedience, evil, or wrath of the Creator was – or even what death was. They did not know anything about the evils that we see daily in the world. Adam and Eve were both living in the state in which they were created. “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25).

God gave Adam dominion over all the earth and every living herb, fish and creature (Genesis 1:26, 28-30; 2:19.20). Adam was the ruler and caretaker of all God‘s creation and he was in fellowship with the Creator. As a created and dependent man, God created him to live by every word that He told him (Deuteronomy 8:3). Adam was a sinless, perfect man, created from the dust of the earth; he would be the only perfect, natural man this world would ever produce.

Then a day came when Satan approached the woman; he came to tempt her to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He put doubt in her mind about God’s prohibition of eating of the fruit of the tree (Genesis 3:1). Satan told her that she would not die by eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:4-5). Eve then made a decision based on independence. “…the woman saw the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise; she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:6-7).

When their eyes were opened, they understood the difference between good and evil. They looked at their nakedness with different eyes and covered themselves. They both had died to innocence from evil – and died to uninhibited fellowship with God. Adam and his wife had changed from perfection to corruption. Their new corrupted nature would now live by their decisions which would be based on good and evil instead of living by the Creator’s every word.

The heavens and the earth also had become corrupted (Romans 8:20; 2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12). The dominion over the earth that God gave Adam was now totally changed. It had been a perfect creation; after the sixth day, God said it was good (Genesis 1:31). Now it became a fallen and cursed world; sin and death would now reign in all aspects of life. In this new dispensation that Adam and his wife had thrust upon the planet, Adam would no longer reign supreme upon the earth. Satan would now take dominion over mankind and the entire planet, and his kingdom of darkness would reign unchallenged (Ephesians 2:2; 6:12; 1 John 5:19). Satan was now the undisputed prince of this world and would rule and expand his kingdom into the offspring of Adam and Eve (Psalms 14:2-3; Romans 3:11-18; Ephesians 2:2).

The extent of Satan’s dominion and power is seen in what he offered to give Jesus if He would fall down and worship him (follow him rather than the voice of His Father in heaven). “Again, the devil took Him (Jesus) up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, all these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:8-9).

2. A dark kingdom that pursues, thrives and grows with every injustice

“Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain” (Revelation 16:10).

One thing in this world is sure, wickedness increases with every evil action that is committed by man. Scripture tells us that, at the end of this age, wickedness will increase (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:1, 13). This means Satan will use men to deceive, and men will follow the darkness because they love darkness more than the light of Christ (John 1: 4-5).

Government without God – evil made law

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

The result of Satan’s work is observable throughout the world today. In the last 150 years, evil has found a cunning and ever-widening entrance into society in many countries in the world. This is especially true in western societies where the light of God in times past had kept it restrained. One place this can be seen is in the judiciary system. This evil has increased with the legislative laws and court rulings which support the one perpetrating the evil. This can be seen in domestic court rulings whereby a Christian mother may lose custody of her children to a divorcing husband and his homosexual partner. In the last few years courts have commonly ruled that two men or two women can marry according to state law, and it will be a valid marriage. Fathers or mothers who love their children may discipline them with a stick or a paddle. (“He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly”) (Proverbs 13:24). If the parents are reported, they risk losing their children. With these types of court rulings (made into precedent law), the laws of God and nature are set aside and made invalid; and the people of the land suffer. Courts have made holy and sacred those things that the Creator of man has called an abomination.

For the last 35 years or more, judgments in the courts have changed course and favored an evil path in their rulings. For example, in a domestic court a young woman with a husband and children may decide she no longer wants her husband, or her marriage, and files for divorce (she believes they are limiting her ambitions to pursue a career, a life of independence, freedom from male authority, or other things). Many times this happens in a family where the husband loves his wife and children and supports them well. In such cases, the divorce decree (in states with a no-fault divorce decree) will give the woman the home and most of the assets, and the husband will have to pay her for years to come. Research has shown that of all divorces filed, approximately 75% are filed by women.

The web-site with research on divorce http://fathersforlife.org/divorce/divmen.htm states that, “in North American history wives have filed for divorce twice as often as husbands.” Margaret Brinig of George Mason University (Arlington, Virginia) and Douglas Allen (Simon Fraser University, Vancouver), doing research on marriage break up, found that “In addition to women filing twice as often, the researchers found, they are more likely to instigate separations and marriage break ups. The Brinig-Allen study also explodes the myth of the brutish husband, finding, for instance, that cruelty is cited in only 6% of divorce applications…”

The devil has deceived many a lustful and foolish woman (2 Timothy 3:6) into thinking that being free of her husband and or children, is great gain, not realizing that demonic forces have made great inroads into her soul. The children will be without the protection of their father; and demonic powers will have freedom to destroy these innocent ones, physically and spiritually. When the enemy destroys a marriage, he enlarges his dark kingdom by undermining God’s most primary and foundational government on the earth.

When unjust decrees by the court are handed down, spiritual violence in the moving party and the offended party abound – the moving party because they have come under the control or influence of dark powers, the offended party because of the injustice perpetrated upon him or her. This injustice may spark his or her Adamic nature to do vengeance in one form or another, giving way to even more dark powers. This opens up a further place where demonic entities can find inroads into the heart of all those involved. Unjust rulings give power to demonic forces and the kingdom of darkness expands.

Mankind

“Thus says Jehovah, It is I that have made the earth, and created man on it. It is I, My hands, that have stretched out the heavens, and all their host I have commanded” (Isaiah 45:11-12 JND).

The order of God for man on the earth is found in His laws. The God of the entire universe chose Israel to be His people, the sheep of His pasture. He would lead them as their Shepherd. However, they rebelled against Him, so He gave them 613 laws (the Law of Moses) to follow. Because man’s heart is evil (Genesis 6:5, 8:21), God gave him these laws for his own good and protection. These laws are found in the first 5 books of the Bible. These laws do not bring man into fellowship with his Creator. They serve the purpose of showing man he is a sinner because he violates God’s standard for man on the earth, with impunity. They also show man his fallen state and his need of a divine Savior. “…Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved…” (Isaiah 43:10-12).

Surrendering Man’s Sovereignty

Unbeknown to man, when he violates the God-given law in his conscience and follows his mind, emotions or will, he weakens his ability to withstand being taken into the devil’s dark kingdom. Man’s sovereignty has been compromised to dark powers. Satan then has access to supply his vision, purposes and direction for that person’s future. The person may succeed in acquiring fame, wealth and power, which may fulfill demonic inspired goals. These things are what Satan said he would give Jesus if He would give Himself over to his authority (by following his leading). “And he said to Him, All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). This would have entailed giving His sovereignty as the Son of God over to the world, the flesh and to

The end result for man following Satan’s voice or promptings, is deception in man’s heart, – and thus Satan’s dark kingdom is enlarged. The end result of giving heed to the devil’s promptings is always the same. It may take a short time, or even years, for results to befall the person. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). His ultimate purpose is always the same, even though his methods are different with each person.

3. Man’s Adamic nature, a reflection of the prince of this world

The Children of the First Adam

“For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but to perform what is good I do not find” (Romans 7:18).

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13).

The Flesh, the World, the Devil

Adam was created in the image and likeness of God, but he became an incomplete and fallen man through his disobedience to the Creator. Through this act of disobedience, sin came into his nature; and it was passed on to all of his offspring. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

The Flesh: All human beings have a sin nature; Scripture calls their nature the flesh. Its’ works are seen here. “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries (boisterous festivity), and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-20); therefore sin has become a natural way of life for all men. The natural man is a sinner by following his nature; he has no other nature. He is the son of his father, Adam.

The World: Man (his nature) can only respond to things of this world as his complete way of living. As he is led by his nature, he believes he is satisfied and complete. In his natural state, man can know nothing but this world, no matter how corrupt and evil it becomes or how morally upright he lives. The following verses show what the world is and demonstrates the danger in following after it. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world —— the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life —— is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). These three temptations listed above came to mother Eve, and she succumbed to them (Genesis 3:6).

The Devil: Scripture teaches that the devil is the prince of this world. The Apostle John writes to Christians, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). His power is in his deceptions through appealing to man’s nature (flesh). Man’s nature is totally responsive to the devil. Scripture shows that Satan is not only able to perform the natural, but the supernatural as well. “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deceptions among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

The devil’s power is great in this world but God has given man a conscience to protect him from the devil’s enticements and deception. The devil uses his power to accomplish his end and keep his dominion. This is seen in his offering Jesus all the kingdoms of this world (Matthew 4:8-9).

4. Man, The devil’s vehicle to build his kingdom of darkness

“Jesus said to them, if God were your Father you would love me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent me” (John 8:42).

“You are of your Father the devil, and the desires of your Father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he

Man is the main tool Satan uses to bring forth his kingdom on the earth. The heart of man is the primary place where Satan’s voice, ideas, promptings, and direction of life are directed. One might think that people are too intelligent to respond to his dark kingdom. However, this is not a matter of the mind of man, but of the heart of man responding to darkness. One might ask the question: “How do we know this is true?” The answer to that question is found in what the Creator has told us in Scripture. “The heart is deceitful above all things and incurable; who can know it?” (Jeremiah

In other words, everything needed to respond to and do the devil’s works, is found in the heart of man. However, God reveals the end result for those who will follow along with the devil and his kingdom. “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (emotions and affections), even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doing” (Jeremiah 17:10).

Every man is unrighteous before God because of his Adamic nature. “The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no not one” (Psalms 14:2-3).

As stated earlier, the Creator has given man a natural protection against the promoting of the demonic entities that entice the sons of Adam. When Adam ate of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he received something (the conscience) he did not need or have before he ate of it. He would from that time forward, live in a fallen world with a fallen nature, under the ruler-ship of the devil, the prince of this world (Ephesians 2:2; 1 John 5:19). The conscience that God has given man for his protection against the devil’s power of deception is a barrier, if one would listen to it. The devil is the world’s power, but would be greatly limited if man would follow his God given barrier (conscience) in this age of darkness. For the devil to ever expand his dark kingdom, he needs the sons of Adam to hear him and do his works.

5. Man, the receiver and sufferer of Satan’s ambitions for this world

“And the Lord God commanded the man (Adam) saying, of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17).

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6).

The Hebrew word ‘die, to die’ is ‘mut’: it means, “to lose one’s life,” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary). In Genesis 2:17, the recorded Hebrew word “mut” is used as a warning to Adam that the place of death awaited him if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When Adam and his wife ate of the tree, they both died spiritually (they no longer had fellowship with God). Man experiences death in two ways – spiritually and physically. Scripture records that Adam (who was to live forever on the earth) died physically at the age of 930 years. It further tells us that, “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23) and it comes upon all men. “For this (cause), even as by one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death; and thus death passed upon all men, for all have sinned” (Romans 5:12 JND).

These passages show us how and why we (all people) are in this world of sin and death. There is one common denominator throughout this planet. It falls upon all oceanic life, all plant life, and all mammals – it is death. Everything is living in a state of dying. In other words, at this present time, this world is nothing more than one big cemetery.

All people living in their natural state as sons of Adam are the living dead. Jesus clearly stated this in Matthew 8:22; 23:27 and John 5:21, 25. Scripture further tells us that those who are living and breathing, yet are without faith in Jesus Christ, are dead people in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1, 5).

Dead men do not have fellowship with God nor the faith that brings them into nearness with God. Looking at the world, with all the suffering, wars, crime, false religion, selfishness, unforgiveness, idolatry, adulteries, sorceries (drugs), drunkenness, homosexuality, hatred, violence, fornication, and living without the fellowship or knowledge of the Creator, is ample evidence of the nature of man. The evidence is without dispute. Man is a sinner and a destroyer who suffers not only from his own ways and sins, but also from the sins of others who walk after the flesh and live in death.

This planet emanates the signs of death everywhere. There is no place where a person is free from its deadly effects – dead people, living in death, doing acts of death. Satan’s kingdom of darkness rules on this planet, and man’s nature is Satan’s willing instrument to put into action the acts of his kingdom. Satan’s ruler-ship in this world has willing subjects without number. Scripture states these three enemies of God and man are: the world, the flesh (in man), and the devil. These three enemies have man hopelessly bound in a fallen world. The nature in man is dead (to God), and the ruler of this world has one purpose for man; “…your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

The following Scripture makes plain the present condition of the creation (this world). “For the creation was subjected to futility (hopelessness), not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope” (Romans 8:20).

This verse means God’s decree of death (a curse) came on the planet by Adam’s disobedience – thus it became a cursed planet.

The man in Romans 7 has come to the place of seeing his own condition through his fallen nature as he stands before his Creator and he cries out, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

In the following Scripture, Satan’s perfectly cunning condition is shown to us as the Apostle Paul uncovers Satan’s methods and shows how he makes religionists out of his followers. Satan’s purpose is to keep them from following the light of Christ: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). These people who follow Satan’s doctrines are his ministers; Satan is exposed in the teaching of their doctrines, “Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Timothy 3:5). These false messengers of Satan deny Jesus is God in human form (John 1:1, 14), that his blood alone is sufficient to cleanse a believer from all sin (unrighteousness) (1 John 1:9), and that Jesus rose from the grave bodily (John 20:24-29).

Through false teaching of the very nature of God and His kingdom, people are falsely led and follow in the doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1). Gaining freedom in the Holy Spirit and a new life in Christ is far from them.

God has made known, right from the beginning of creation, what the devil’s works are and what his end would be. This verse reveals the purpose of Jesus Christ, coming as the light of God into the world. “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

This prophetic verse shows us the end of Satan’s rule on this planet and his final end. “The devil who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelations 20:10).

In the next chapter we will see what the Creator has done to recover man and His creation from this cursed and fallen world.

6. God’s messenger to this world, Jesus Christ the light of the world

“Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

Prophets of God have prophesied of the Messiah to come. A few of these prophecies are given here along with their fulfillment. They show that the intention of the Creator was to break the devil’s power of darkness over the world, and to show the divine hand of God by sending his Son into the world. He comes into the world as the man from heaven, the light of the world, for the deliverance (salvation) of all people by bringing them into His kingdom – a kingdom of light.

“’Behold, the former things have come to pass and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them” (Isaiah 42:9).

“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven…” (l Peter 1:10-12).

Prophecy: When Adam fell from the place of fellowship with his Creator, God promised to give him a redeemer who would crush Satan’s head and destroy his power “So the Lord God said to the serpent He shall crush thy head…” (Genesis 3:15).

Fulfillment: Jesus at Calvary shed His blood for the sins of all mankind. When He was on the cross about to die, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30) and gave up His spirit. In His completed work as the Savior and the Lamb of God, His blood was shed as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). The power of Satan was broken in the Lord’s final work of redemption.

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself (Jesus) likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Prophecy: 1800 B. C. – Abraham received a prophecy from God 3800 years ago. He told Abraham that the Messiah would come through his seed (offspring) (Genesis 22:18).

Fulfillment: The fulfillment of this prophecy is seen 1800 years later when Jesus Christ was born as the offspring of Abraham (Matthew 1:1-17).

Prophecy: 1680 B. C. – The Spirit of God prophesied through Jacob (Abraham’s son), that the Messiah would come through the lineage of his son Judah. And He would be a King; “the scepter shall not depart from Judah – and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (Genesis 49:10).

Fulfillment: Jesus Christ was born from the lineage of the tribe of Judah. (Luke 3:33; Hebrews 7:14). The scepter speaks of His kingly position as King David’s Son (Luke 1:26-33; John 18:33-37; 19:18-20).

Prophecy: 1400 B. C. – Moses prophesied that God would raise up a prophet like himself (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18). God would put His words in the prophet’s mouth.

Fulfillment: Jesus prophesied to the Samaritan woman who acknowledged Him as the fulfillment of the prophecy in Deuteronomy (John 4:16-19, 25-26). The Jewish people acknowledged Him as the prophet (Matthew 21:11; John 6:14; 7:40). Jesus prophesied His death and His resurrection (Matthew 16:21), and the giving of the Holy Spirit at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (Luke 24:49).

Prophecy: 700 B. C. – When the Messiah comes, He will come through the birth of a woman who is still a virgin (Isaiah 7:14).

Fulfillment: The Angel Gabriel announces to Mary, a virgin; she will deliver a Son, the Messiah. He is to be called the Son of the Highest (God) (Luke 1:26-31).

Prophecy: 710 B, C, – The Prophet Micah prophesies that the Messiah would be born in Israel in the town of Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2).

Fulfillment: Jesus is born of Mary in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7).

Prophecy: 770 B. C. – Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will be born through the lineage of King David (1000 B.C.) (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Fulfillment: Jesus is born in the lineage of King David (Matthew 1:1).

Prophecy: 740 B. C. – Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will be a great light to the nations (Isaiah 9:1-2; 42:1-7; 49:5-6; 60:1-3).

Fulfillment: When Jesus is 30 years old, He starts His ministry of preaching the kingdom of God to Israel. He is rejected by the leaders of Israel. However, He is received by the nations (Gentiles) as a great light (Luke 2:25-32; Acts 13:47-48; Romans 9:24-30; l5:9-12).

Prophecy: 540 B. C. – The Prophet Daniel, prophesies that Artaxerxes, the Persian King, would give a decree to allow the Jews living in Persia to go back to Israel to rebuild the wall and city of Jerusalem. After that decree was given, there would be 483 years of time, and at the end of and within 483 years, Messiah would be born and die “but not for Himself” (Daniel 9:26). Messiah would die for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). After that a prince shall come and destroy the city of Jerusalem (Daniel 9:26).

Fulfillment: Jesus is born and dies at the end of the 483 years (to the day or within days of its completion; time computations by Sir Robert T.Anderson). Then in 70 A. D., the Roman prince Titus, son of the Roman Emperor Vespian, comes to Jerusalem and destroys the city.

Prophecy: 712 B. C. – Isaiah prophecies that the Messiah will suffer and die for the sins of all men (Isaiah 52:13; 53:1-12).

Fulfillment: Jesus suffered the agony of torture and being nailed to a cross till He was dead. Right before He died, He said “It is finished”, meaning He had fulfilled the prophecies written of Him and made complete a free and finished salvation for all who would believe Him and follow Him (John 19:30; Acts 2:36-38; 10:43; Hebrews 10:10,12, 14; 1 John 2:2).

Prophecy: 1000 B. C. – The psalmist prophesied how the Messiah would die. He gives a complete description of Messiah dying from crucifixion and all the agony of it. (Psalms 22:1-21).

Fulfillment: The gospels give the same account, a vivid and complete corresponding account of the crucifixion of Jesus (Matthew chapters 26 and 27).

Prophecy: 1000 B. C. and 487 B. C. – A prophecy is given of a man who will betray the Messiah for 30 pieces of silver (Psalms 41:9; 55:12-14; Zechariah 11:12-13).

Fulfillment: Judas was the man who fulfilled this prophecy. He sold the Lord Jesus to the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16, 47-50).

Prophecy: 1000 B. C. King David prophesied of the resurrection of the Messiah rising from among the dead (Psalms 16:8-10).

Fulfillment: Three days after Jesus died, He was raised from among the dead (John 20:1-21).

Prophecy: 710 B. C. The Messiah was prophesied to come as God, yet come in human form (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2).

Fulfillment: Jesus Christ was the man from heaven as the Scriptures reveal (John 1:1-5; 2:18-22; 3:13; 8:58; 10:25-38; 14:9; Revelation 1:8, 10-18). He was God who took on human form (John 1:1, 14).

The prophecies and their fulfillment show that God intended to redeem man from the kingdom of darkness from the time of Adam’s disobedience. Jesus Christ is that Redeemer who said, “…I am the light of the world…” (John 8:12). This light that emanates from His person is heaven’s light; he that has seen Jesus has seen God (John 14:9).

7. The Kingdom of Christ, a kingdom of righteousness

“Jesus answered; my kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but My kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36).

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

Anyone living in this life, for any length of time, knows that anything that has great value is kept. No one gives away great wealth to strangers, much less to enemies. Scripture shows us that God the Father values His Son above anything and everything that has come into this world (Psalms chapter 2; Matthew 3:17; 17:1-5).

Jesus is One with his Father and has always been from eternity past (Psalms chapter 2; Daniel 3:19-25; Micah 5:2; John 10:30).

Through Adam’s sin, death came into the world and upon all men (Romans 5:12, 19). Scripture teaches us that all men by nature and deed are violators of the kingdom of God. Therefore, all are sinners, enemies of God and children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). These actions of man result in everyone being far from God and without eternal hope. This does not mean that many people do not have hope. Many do have hope, however, it is built on such things as their religion, good intentions, good works, becoming a church person, keeping all the laws of the land or trying to keep the Ten Commandments. According to God’s word, none of these offer anyone any hope of an eternal existence with God. The hope of eternal life can only be attained from the One who can give it, and on His terms.

Jesus Christ said He is the only One who can give Eternal life to anyone, “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). “My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one” (John 10:27-30).

In John 10:7-8, Jesus said that He was the door of the sheep (for eternal life); anyone following any other way or person is following a thief (of that person’s soul) and a robber (robbing them of following Jesus Christ and gaining eternal life). The Apostle Peter said to the Jews, “…for there is no other name (Jesus Christ) under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

God sent His Son into the world to bring all who would follow Him into the kingdom of God, and receive the riches of the kingdom of God by becoming His sheep. In fact, Scripture shows that Jesus left the riches of heaven to come and live in the poverty of this world so that He could make His sheep rich. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

His kingdom is a kingdom of righteousness, light and life. When a person follows Jesus Christ, that person has entered into His kingdom.

Righteousness because Jesus Christ was without sin. He was totally righteous before God; but He took the sins of us all upon Himself while on the cross of Calvary and suffered the judgment of God in our place. For all who believe and follow Jesus Christ, their sins are totally gone. His righteousness is given to the believer in place of his sins. When a person follows Jesus, God reckons that person as in Christ. And that person becomes the righteousness of God; God’s righteousness is fully in him. “For He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). By faith the believer has entered into fellowship with God in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9).

Light because in Jesus Christ there is no darkness at all, God has delivered the follower of Jesus from darkness. “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:12-13). When a person turns from the darkness of this world and follows Jesus Christ, Scripture teaches us that God comes to live in that person by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the light of God in him to direct him and lead him into the pathway of the knowledge of God. This He does through Scripture and that person listening to the Holy Spirit within him.

Life because God has put His Holy Spirit within the believer; he now has a new life. He was dead because of indwelling sin; now he is alive unto God. “And you He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1-2). This new life that comes into the believer is found through the Scriptures. The believer’s faith in what God has told us (in Scripture), opens up his understanding and directs him to walk after the truths in Christ. The believer is a new creation of God, formed and developed into the image of the second Adam, Jesus Christ, the man from heaven who is a life-giving spirit (John 6:63; 1 Corinthians 15:45).

The Kingdom of God

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

Everyone living has only first hand knowledge of what they have experienced in this world. None of us knows anything about what comes after we leave this world. However, the Creator does know. He has told us exactly what is going to happen to every person, what will happen to this world and what will happen to the heavens. He has told us that all men are born in Adam, therefore all men will die (1 Corinthians 15:22). Scripture instructs us that this world and the heavens will be burnt up (2 Peter 3:10.12).

God has told us that all men who receive the Lord Jesus are given eternal life (John 3:16, 35-36). He has also told us that He is going to create a new heavens and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1).

Some would ask why a new heaven and earth? Scripture tells us, because of Adam’s disobedience (sin), the whole creation became corrupted. The whole creation must be made new. The reason given to us is, “…God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Since no one on this planet has ever seen a place where there is no darkness, we cannot relate to this by our own experience.

A person who has believed God, and has followed the Lord Jesus, has become a new creation before the coming Day of Judgment. That person will not come into the judgment that is coming on the whole world (John 5:24). All people who do not receive God’s gift for man, Jesus Christ, will not have their names written in the Book of Life. Instead they will go into a fiery judgment (Hebrews 10:26-31; Jude 14-15; Revelation 20:11-15), along with the heavens and the earth (2 Peter 3:12).

In deference to the coming judgment of God, the Christian is admonished to hear God’s word, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 20-21). For all others who have not believed and do not follow the Lord Jesus, a believer should attempt to bring them the words of life which will deliver them from the fiery and fearful judgment to come, “but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (Jude 23).

In the kingdom of God there is only light. In this light the believer who is following after the Lord Jesus is learning and experiencing it now (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). The fruit of this is seen in the person who sets his life to walk after the Lord Jesus. God’s Spirit will produce fruit in his walk, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

“…God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love is the very essence of the kingdom of God. The proof of this is that God sent the best that heaven had to offer to come into this world of darkness. This darkness is ruled by the devil, where all of his subjects are children of God’s wrath and enemies of God (Ephesians 2:2). In this dark world, Jesus came in the love of God and made visible to us the kingdom of God. He came for the purpose of dying for God’s enemies, to free them from the kingdom of darkness; He gave his life to bring all the subjects of darkness into His light, to become friends of God just as Abraham had become (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23).

We are taught a believer is a new person of God’s creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). He now has a new life. The power of darkness over him has been broken and he has a new Master. This new Master will bring him into the kingdom of God in this life, and into the presence of God forever.

We are told that Scripture has been written for our sake (believers), that we might know that God has made us righteous in Jesus Christ. “Now it was not written for his sake (Abraham) alone that it was imputed to him (righteousness), but also for us, it shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:23-25).

Every prayer Jesus prayed to his Father was answered by his Father. Jesus prayed this prayer to his Father right before He was crucified, for all those who belong to Him and those who would become His through the Apostles teaching in the Scriptures, “I do not pray for these only (His disciples) but also for those who believe on me through their word” (John 17:20). “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am…” (John 17:24). Jesus prayed for all those who would receive Him in the Church Age. This request is the hope of the Christian, and the direction of his faith, to have his complete desire and hope in the Lord Jesus and to be with Him forever. This hope that the Christian has been given in Jesus Christ is seen in this verse, “Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

The beginning of time (eternity), as told forth in Scripture, is fully revealed on the following page.

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, Behold I make all things new…” (Revelation 21:1-5).

“…Thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

D. Neely

4-2-11

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