Kingdom of God 3

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=35 BGCOLOR="#000099" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>The Kingdom of God</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id93.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vision of Transformation">Vision of Transformation</A>   |   <A HREF="id95.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Graded Holiness">Graded Holiness</A>   |   <A HREF="id100.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jerusalems priestkings">Jerusalem's priest-kings</A>   |   <A HREF="id101.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Millennial Jubilee">Millennial Jubilee</A>   |   <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Millennial Israel">Millennial Israel</A>   |   <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Millennial Purification Offering">Millennial Purification Offering</A>   |   <A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ezekiel Plan of God">Ezekiel Plan of God</A>   |   <A HREF="id114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ezekiel Plan of God 2">Ezekiel Plan of God 2</A>   |   <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kingdom of God">Kingdom of God</A>   |   <A HREF="id117.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kingdom of God 2">Kingdom of God 2</A>   |   <B>Kingdom of God 3</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=445 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <B>SAINTS AS PRIESTS</B></div> <bR> <div> "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus" (Hebrews 3:1, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "... who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man" (Hebrews 8:1-2, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises..." (Hebrews 8:3-5, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> Christ, as high priest, "exercises His priesthood IN HEAVEN, not in the earthly 'holiest place'..." (Fausset, <I>Hebrews</I>, JFB, Vol.3, p.550).</div> <bR> <div> With Christ a high priest it implies there are other priests:</div> <bR> <div> "Therefore are they [the saints] before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them" (Revelation 7:15, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "This transformation simultaneously involves the induction of blood-freed sinners into Christ's "kingdom" and priesthood. Of Israel it was said that they would be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exod 19:6; cp. Isa 61:6). The OT references as well as John's probably refer to both a "kingdom" and "priests" rather than a kingdom of priests" (Johnson, <I>Revelation</I>, p.422).</div> <bR> <div> "<B>The saints shall constitute a </B><I><B>kingdom</B></I><B> of God</B> (ch.5:10) ... <B>kings in relation to man, priests in relation to God</B>, serving day and night in His temple (ch. 5:10; 7:15)" (Fausset, <I>Revelation</I>, p.656).</div> <bR> <div> [After the wars at the return of Christ] "there will remain Israel and the heathen... These will be subjects of a general conversion (11:15). "The veil" shall be taken off Israel first, then from off "all people" (Isa 25:7). The glories attending Christ's appearing, the destruction of antichrist, transfiguration of the Church, and binding of Satan, will prepare the nations for embracing the gospel... As <I>the Church</I> begins at Christ's ascension, so the <I>kingdom</I> at His second advent... <B>If revelation is to recommence in the millennial kingdom, converted Israel must head humanity</B>. Jews and Gentiles stand on an equal footing, as both alike needing mercy; but as regards God's instrumentalities for establishing His kingdom on earth, Israel is His chosen people. <B>The Israelite priest-kings on earth are what the transfigured priest-kings are in heaven</B>... A new time of revelation will begin by the outpouring of the Spirit (Zech 12:10). Ezekiel, son of a priest, sets forth Israel's priestly character; Daniel, the statesman, its kingly; Jeremiah ... both its priestly and kingly... The Mosaic ceremonial corresponds to Israel's priestly office; the civil law to its kingly office... in the millennium both Jews and Gentiles united, under the first-born brother, Israel, walk in the light of God, realizing the full life of humanity. The human race is not an aggregate of individuals and nationalities, but <I>an organic whole</I>, laid down once for all (Gen 9:25-27; 10:1,5,18,25,32; Deut 32:8, declares that from the first the division of nations was made with relation to Israel)... The flower of Shem, the representative of <I>spiritual</I> life, is Israel: as the flower of Israel is He in whom all mankind is summed up, the second Adam (Gen 12:1-3), Israel is mediator of Divine revelations for all times... <B>Earthly and heavenly glories shall be united in the twofold election. Elect Israel in the flesh shall stand at the head of the earthly; the elect spiritual church, the Bride, in the heavenly. These elections are not merely for the good of the elect, but for whom they minister</B>. <B>The heavenly Church is elected, not merely to salvation, but to rule in love, and minister blessings over the earth, as king-priests</B>" (Fausset, <I>Revelation</I>, p.722).</div> <bR> <div> "Now a priest speaks to God on behalf of men and to men on behalf of God..." (Leon Morris, <I>Revelation</I>, TNTC, pp.49-50).</div> <bR> <div> "The transfigured elect shall with Christ judge and reign over the nations in the flesh, and Israel foremost of them: ministering blessings to them, as angels were the Lord's mediators of blessings and administrators of government in setting up His throne in Israel at Sinai" (Fausset, <I>Revelation</I>, p.671).</div> <bR> <div> "You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;... But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God..." (Hebrews 12:18, 22, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "... Christians have come to no sacred mountain that can be touched physically but to the heavenly dwelling-place of God, the true and eternal Mount Zion...</div> <bR> <div> "As the earthly Zion was the meeting point for the tribes of the old Israel, so the heavenly Zion is the meeting point for the new Israel. Their heritage, the place of their solemnities, is "the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." If the moveable tabernacle in the wilderness was constructed according to the pattern of the sanctuary on high, so the temple and the city of Jerusalem were material copies of eternal archetypes (Cf. 1 Chron. 28:11-19, where the plan of the temple given by David to Solomon is made clear "by the writing from the hand of Yahweh concerning it"" (FF. Bruce, <I>The Epistle to the Hebrews</I>, Revised, NICNT, pp.355-356).</div> <bR> <div> "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads" (Revelation 14:1, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "...it is the heavenly Zion which is here referred to. The Temple on Earth was close to Mount Zion; so the Temple in heaven is correspondingly near to the heavenly Zion" (E.W. Bullinger, <I>Revelation</I>, p.443).</div> <bR> <div> "Therefore are they [the saints] before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them" (Revelation 7:15, AV).</div> <bR> <div> The inheritance of the saints is the 'heavenly' Zion - the 'heavenlies'. The saints reward also includes access and responsibilities in the 'heavenly' temple on the 'heavenly' Mount Moriah. How may this work?</div> <bR> <div> David, in his conquest of the 'earthly' Zion, provides a type of Christ, in his conquest of the 'heavenly' Zion. David in his preparations for the building of the 'earthly' temple may also provide a type for Christ and the 'heavenly' temple.</div> <bR> <div> "These were the divisions of the sons of Aaron... With the help of Zadok a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelech a descendant of Ithamar, <B>David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering</B>" (1 Chron 24:1 & 3, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named <B>Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah</B> (NIV)... And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office <B>before God </B>in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he <B>went into the temple of the Lord </B>(AV)... <B>When his time of service was completed, he returned home</B> (NIV)" (Luke 1:5, 8-9,  23).</div> <bR> <div> "Luke ... tells of <I>Zechariah</I>, a priest from the country (39f.), who took his turn in ministering in the Temple. There were many priests, but only one Temple. So the served on a roster (1 Ch.24:1-6). The priests were divided into twenty-four divisions... Each division was on duty twice in the year, for a week on each occasion... Zechariah evidently remained at the Temple until the end of his week of service, then went home" (Morris, <I>Luke</I>, TNTC, pp.75 & 79).</div> <bR> <div> "Home" for the saints, in this typology, is the 'heavenlies'.</div> <bR> <div> It has been argued that the earth comprises two chambers - a terrestrial and a heavenly realm. It has also been argued that heaven comprises two chambers - heaven and the 'heavenlies'. The earthly and heavenly Temples also comprised two chambers - the "Most Holy Place" and the "Holy Place". The "Most Holy Place" pictures heaven and Eden, and the "Holy Place" pictures the 'heavenlies' and the 'garden of Eden' as argued in what follows. </div> <bR> <div> <B>GARDEN IN EDEN A TYPE OF THE 'HEAVENLIES'</B></div> <bR> <div> "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God" (Revelation 2:7, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south side... He asked me, Son of man, do you see this? Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me... Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing" (Ezekiel 47:1-2, 6-8,12, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "This river is similar to the rivers in the Garden of Eden and the eternal state. In Genesis 2:8-10 God provided a river that gave life to the land in that perfect environment..." (Alexander, <I>Ezekiel</I>, p.990).</div> <bR> <div> "Because the garden in Genesis was planted in a well-watered place (Eden), it took Eden as its name. But technically speaking, the garden should be understood as adjoining Eden because the waters flows <I>from</I> Eden and waters the garden (see Gen. 2:10)" (John H. Walton, <I>Genesis</I>, NIVAC, p.168).</div> <bR> <div> In Genesis, Eden is a place that contains, and adjoins, a garden - a set-subset relationship. A river, with its source in Eden, then flows into the garden to water it, which then flows out of Eden. In Ezekiel the river emanates from the temple then flows eastward and then southward into the Dead Sea. In Revelation the river emanates from the throne of God and the Lamb and flows down the middle of the street of the New Jerusalem.</div> <bR> <div> "On the <B>walls all around the temple</B>, <B>in both the inner and outer rooms</B>, he carved <B>cherubim, palm trees and open flowers</B>. He also <B>covered the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold</B>. For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood with five-sided jambs. And on the <B>two olive wood</B> <B>doors</B> he carved <B>cherubim, palm trees and open flowers</B>, and <B>overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with beaten gold</B>. In the same way he made four-sided jambs of olive wood for the entrance to the main hall. He also made <B>two pine doors</B>, each having two leaves that turned in sockets. He <B>carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers on them</B> <B>and overlaid them with gold</B> hammered evenly over the carvings" (1 Kings 6:29-35, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "... <I>palm trees and open flowers... </I>The depiction of cherubim and beautiful trees and flowers is reminiscent of the Garden of Eden, from which man had been driven as a result of sin (Ge 3:24). In a symbolic sense, readmission to the paradise of God is now to be found only by means of atonement for sin at the sanctuary" (The NIV Study Bible, note on 1Kings 6:29, Kenneth Barker, Gen. Editor, p.482).</div> <bR> <div> "... ancient near Eastern temples ... normally encompassed a large enclosure with a garden, not just a building" (Alexander, <I>Ezekiel</I>, p.883).</div> <bR> <div> "... <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>the holy place ... was also intended to mimic the Garden of Eden</B></FONT>...  the 'holy place' in the first primeval temple (e.g. the lampstand with seven lamps representing luminaries also alluded to the 'tree of life' in Eden)...</div> <bR> <div> "The Garden should be viewed as not itself the source of water but adjoining Eden because Genesis 2:10 says 'a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden'.... 'Eden is the source of the waters and [is the palatial] residence of God, and the garden adjoins God's residence'" ... <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>the areas where the source of water is located, may be comparable to the inner sanctuary of Israel's later temple and the adjoining garden to the holy place</B></FONT>..." (G.K Beale, <I>The Temple and the Church's Mission</I>, pp.56 & 74).</div> <bR> <div> "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#6000C0" FACE="Georgia" >work </FONT>it and <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#005000" FACE="Georgia" >take care of </FONT>it" (Genesis 2:15, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "They are to <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#005000" FACE="Georgia" >take care of </FONT>all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#6000C0" FACE="Georgia" >doing</FONT> the work of the tabernacle" (Numbers 3:8, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "... (1) since there are a couple of contexts in which <I>smr</I> ["take care of"] is used for Levitical service along with <I>bd</I> ["work"] (e.g., Num. 3:8-9), (2) since the context used of <I>smr</I> here favors sacred space, (3) since <I>bd</I> is as likely to refer to sacred service as to agricultural tasks, and (4) since there are other indications that the garden is being portrayed as sacred space, it is likely that the tasks given to Adam are of a priestly nature - that is caring for sacred space. In ancient thinking, caring for sacred space was a way of upholding creation. By preserving order, chaos was held at bay" (Walton, <I>Genesis</I>, p.173).</div> <bR> <div> "<B>Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God</B>... Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth;  and I have set thee so:<B> thou wast upon the holy mountain of God</B>; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee" (Ezekiel 28: 13-15, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "The second half of v. 14 locates this cherub on <I>the holy mountain of God</I>... The expression "mountain of God" is familiar from the Sinai and Zion traditions... The statement bears a closer resemblance to Isa. 14:13... But here our prophet seems again to be mixing his metaphors. How can the cherub be in the garden of God and on the mountain of God at the same time. Two possibilities exist. Either the garden is on the mountain, or the former highlights the paradisiacal aspect of his home while the latter reflects his status, viz., he had access to God, the head of the divine assembly. This privilege was necessitated by his role as anointed agent of God, guarding the garden.</div> <bR> <div> "The final line depicts the cherub <I>walking back and forth among stones of fire</I>... Unlike the carved stationary cherubim that decorated ancient hallways or guarded entrances of buildings and grounds, this figure walks back and forth, expressing his freedom and especially his supervisory role within this environment..." (Block, <I>The Book of Ezekiel Chapter 25-48</I>, p.114).</div> <bR> <div> The synonymous parallelism below would suggest that the 'garden of Eden' and the 'holy mount' are the one and same place.</div> <bR> <div> Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God</div> <div> thou wast upon the holy mountain of God</div> <bR> <div> <B>REBELLION</B></div> <bR> <div> "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!... For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. <B>Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty</B>, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground..." (Ezekiel 28:16-17, AV).</div> <bR> <div> <B>ABSALOM A TYPE OF ANTICHRIST AND SATAN</B></div> <bR> <div> "But in all Israel <B>there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty</B>: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him" (2 Samuel 14:25, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision ... Absalom would say to him, "Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you." And Absalom would add, "If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that he gets justice." Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and <B>so he stole the hearts of the men of Israel</B>" (1 Sam 15:2-6, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "A messenger came and told David, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom." Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, "Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin upon us and put the city to the sword"...The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with <B>King Absalom</B>..." (2 Sam 16:13-14, 19, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> (Isaiah and Ezekiel are telescopic prophecies where the antitype is superimposed over the type. The former-type is the OT prince of Tyrus, the latter-type is the end-time Assyrian prince with Satan being the antitype of the two).</div> <bR> <div> Running through the Bible is this theme of a younger son prevailing over the older son. The elder son disqualifies himself by committing iniquity. The argument here, based on angels also being counted as sons of God (cp. Job 38:6-7) is that Lucifer and most likely, Christ's angel, mentioned in Revelation, were the two foremost angels, with Satan being first of these two. It would then follow that these two angels were the covering cherubs over the throne of God and the Word. When God created the heavens and the earth Lucifer, who became Satan, was God's anointed in the heavenly realm over the earth. Lucifer, the "first-born" angel, ruled from the "birthright" kingdom of heaven over the pre-Adamic world.</div> <bR> <div> Comparing Ezekiel and 2 Samuel Absalom is a type of Satan and the Antichrist. Lucifer stole the hearts of the angels he was over, and not content to sit on the throne of his kingdom led his angels into the upper-realm of heaven to overthrow God. He was cast from the upper-realm of heaven back to the lower-heaven, where he is still today.</div> <bR> <div> The two stage theme that runs through the "kingdom of God" has its parallel in Satan's kingdom. Satan ruled the pre-Adamic age and rules the present age. As Satan appears to have rebelled at the end of his first stage he also rebels at the end of his second. Rebellion seems to be a pattern at the end of human and (evil) spirit kingdoms.</div> <bR> <div> Satan as the ruler of this world offered Christ all the kingdoms of the world, but Christ refused. In the end-time the Antichrist accepts and he then becomes Satan's delegated ruler of the terrestrial world. In the end-time Satan once more attempts to take over the heavenly Moriah, but fails, while his delegated king succeeds in taking over the earthly Zion/Moriah - (Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,<B> </B>showing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4)).</div> <bR> <div> "You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold;... You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones" (Ezekiel 28:13-14, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God...The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst" (Revelation 21:10-11, 19-20, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> Terrestrial Eden and Jerusalem appear to be types of heaven. On the coming of the New Jerusalem Leon Morris comments that "heaven will, so to speak, come down to earth" (<I>Revelation</I>, p.237).</div> <bR> <div> A.R. Fausset points out that "Havilah, connected with Eden by the river Pison, contained (Gen 2:12) "gold, bdellium, and the onyx stone" ... [and that] the nine precious stones here mentioned answer to nine of the twelve (representing the twelve tribes) in the high priest's breastplate (Exodus 34:10-13; compare also the twelve precious stones which formed the twelve foundations of the new Jerusalem, Rev 21:14,19-21)..." (<I>Ezekiel</I>, p.310).</div> <bR> <div> "The word ... "adorned" ... if it is derived from the verbal root ... "to fence or hedge" ... then the noun would mean "hedge" or "fence" as in Mic 7:14. If this is correct, then perhaps the passage is speaking about some fence of precious stones that surrounded "Eden, the garden of God" (Alexander, <I>Revelation</I>, p.885).</div> <bR> <div> (It may be that Lucifer was also high-priest in the temple of God before he sinned and that the adornment has a dual import - one, to his priestly role, and second, to his kingly city-realm).</div> <bR> <div> C.F. Kiel defines <I>Eden</I> as "delight" and <I>garden</I> as literally "a place hedged round" (<I>Pentateuch</I>, p.50).</div> <bR> <div> "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (2 Corinthians 12:2,4, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "Paradeisos ... is of Persian origin ... akin to [the] Greek <I>peri</I>, around, and <I>teicho</I>, a wall whence it passed into Greek... The Septuagint translators used it of the garden of Eden, Gen 2:8" (Vine, "Paradise", Vol.3, p.158).</div> <bR> <div> "And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever"" (Genesis 3:22, NIV). </div> <bR> <div> "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever..." (John 6:51 NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "The tree of life symbolized Adam and Eve's continued relationship with God in maintaining obedience... the tree of life stood in the paradise of God as the symbol of blissful eternal life in the presence of God. If the Garden of Eden is a type of heaven, then <B>the tree of life is a type of Christ</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000033" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT>through whom eternal life may be gained" (Elmer B. Smick, "Tree of Knowledge; Tree of Life", <I>ISBE</I>, Vol.4, pp.901-3).</div> <bR> <div> "... the objects kept in the antechamber of the Old Testament sanctuary are intended to evoke the garden. The menorah is a symbol of the tree of life, and the table for the bread of the Presence provided food for the priests" (Walton, <I>Genesis</I>, p.182).</div> <bR> <div> The physical "garden in Eden", "Mount Zion", and/or "non-temple Jerusalem" are all types of the heavenly-earth, the lower-realm of heaven - the 'heavenlies'.</div> <bR> <div> <B>POURING OUT OF THE SPIRIT</B></div> <bR> <div> "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy... And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:17-18, 21, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "The last days" refer,  primarily, to the time just prior to, at, and after Christ's second coming. The literal fulfilment of Joel's prophecy occurs at that time. "The last days" primarily refer to the time of the <I>temple </I>new covenant with the "house of Israel and Judah" (Jeremiah 31:31) in the flesh. The dawn of the "last days" begins the <I>temple</I> new covenant.</div> <bR> <div> But superimposed on the nation of Israel is the "Israel of God". So that the literal events of the last days have their type in the <I>tabernacle</I> "kingdom of God" in the flesh. So that the events prior to, at after Christ's first coming are the "last days" for the church in that respect. The dawn of the "last days", for the church, begins the <I>tabernacle</I> phase of their new covenant.</div> <bR> <div> So that the pouring out of the spirit at Pentecost is only a type of the great pouring out of the Spirit in the days of the <I>temple</I> new covenant. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is only the first-fruits of the great spiritual harvest.</div> <bR> <div> This great pouring out of the Spirit occurs when the great demon spirit is bound.</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT OF SATAN</B></div> <bR> <div> "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others" (Ephesians 2:2-3, AV).</div> <bR> <div>      "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph 2:2, AV).</div> <div>      "God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil 2:13, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "... to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me" (Acts 26:18, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "A further phrase is <I>the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience</I>... 'the ruler of the kingdom of the air' is also '<B>the ruler of the spirit which works in disobedient people</B>'. 'Spirit' then becomes an impersonal force or mood which is actively at work in non-Christian people. Since Scripture identifies the devil not only as the source of temptations to sin, but also as a 'lion' and a 'murderer', we may safely trace all evil, error and violence back to him in the end. When he and the mood he inspires are said to be at work in human beings, the verb (<I>energeo</I>) is the same as that used of God's power (1:20) which raised Jesus from the dead" (Stott, <I>Ephesians</I>, p.74).</div> <bR> <div> "Which he wrought [<I>energeo</I>] in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:20).</div> <bR> <div> "... Paul speaks of the authority of <I>the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.</I> In this phrase there is another grammatical difficulty, but whether <I>spirit</I> depends as a genitive on <I>prince</I> or <I>power</I>, the essential meaning is clear. The old life, without the energizing of God (see 1:11 and 20) is subject to the energizing of (Gk. <I>energountos</I>) the powers of evil, controlled by the spirit which has the evil one as its source. For man's inner life must be surrendered to the working of God or to that of the powers of evil (cp. Lk 22:3; Jn 13:2,27; Acts 5:4; and especially Lk 11:24-26). And if men are surrendered to the power of evil, they become those whose habit of life is contrary to the living God, and so there rightly called <I>the children of disobedience</I> (cp. 5:8)" (Foulkes, <I>Ephesians</I>, pp.69-70).</div> <bR> <div> (There is no grammatical difficulty in intent. It appears to be a typical Biblical construct that requires a dual interpretation).</div> <bR> <div> "Satan is the unholy spirit ... who apes the operations of his divine counterpart by being constantly at work. The verb (<I>energountos, "</I>operating"; NIV, "at work") is deliberately chosen to imply rivalry with the Holy Spirit (cp. Eph 1:19, 20)" (Wood, <I>Ephesians</I>, p.34).</div> <bR> <div> We see this in operation in the OT:</div> <bR> <div> "... the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing..." (Ezra 1:1, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel" (1 Chronicles 21:1, AV).</div> <bR> <div> With the heavenly-earth being over the terrestrial-earth Satan, who is spirit, projects his own spirit to influence or govern the earth. When he sinned his spirit power became an unholy force. Still in office he wields his evil-spirit exerting his ungodly influence over life on the earth. This spirit is symbolised by "the tree of knowledge of good and evil".</div> <bR> <div> With Satan being bound during the Millennium the <I>firstfruits</I> "kingdom of God" will flourish over the earth. When Satan is destroyed  the "kingdom of God", when God comes to this earth, will flourish over the universe. Satan sin was a postponement to the realization.</div> <bR> <div> "He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape... It held two thousand baths... He then made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths... one basin to go on each of the ten stands. He placed five of the stands on the south side of the temple and five on the north. He placed the Sea on the south side, at the southeast corner of the temple" (1 Kings 7:23, 26, 38-39, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "The great tank represents either the cosmic waters or the "waters of life" that emanate from the Garden of Eden. Divine forces subdue the waters of chaos ("sea") so that they provide life-giving nourishment for plant, animal and human life..." (August H. Konkel, <I>1 & 2 Kings</I>, NIVAC, p.142).</div> <bR> <div> "The large reservoir that constituted the Sea then supplied the "ten" smaller "basins"..." (J. Barton Payne, <I>1,2 Chronicles</I>, EBC, Vol.4, p.453).</div> <bR> <div> "In the pride of your heart you say, "I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in <B>the heart of the seas</B>"" (Ezekiel 28:2, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> The operating harmony of the two realms of heaven for the blessing of the earth is also typed in Genesis.</div> <bR> <div> "A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters" (Genesis 2:10).</div> <bR> <div> "The picture presented is of a mighty spring that gushes out from Eden and is channelled through the garden for irrigation purposes. All of these channels thus serve as headwaters, for the four rivers flow out in various directions as the waters exit the garden.</div> <bR> <div> "... the geography used here is not a topographical geography, but a cosmic geography. Though the four rivers were real bodies of water, their description concerns their cosmic role. The river of Eden was the place of God's abode and the source of life-giving water for the earth that flowed through the rivers" (Walton, <I>Genesis</I>, pp. 168-169).</div> <bR> <div> The 'garden of heaven' - the 'heavenlies' - is the conduit or medium by which God blesses the earth. Harmony in the heavenly and earthly temples 'gushes' out blessing for the earth and mankind.</div> <bR> <div> "Genesis 2 reflects the concept of sacred space and the sacred compass, and it served as the model for the tabernacle and later the temple. Israel's sanctuary ideology can therefore be seen as a restoration of Eden... God's presence again dwelt among people. The priests and Levites were once more able to take up the mandate given to Adam and Eve, to serve and preserve <I>sacred space</I> as they performed their duties in the temple complex, though the presence of sin required elements not necessary in the garden..." (Walton, <I>Genesis</I>, p.193).</div> <bR> <div> "The ministry of the Levitival priesthood was vital to the health of the community because through their instruction and ritual actions the people were led into righteousness and away from sin (Mal. 2:5-9; cf. Deut 33:10). In this way, covenant relationship with Yahweh was maintained and the community of God's people enjoyed peace and the prosperity of his blessings" (Andrew E. Hill, <I>1 & 2 Chronicles</I>, NIVAC, p.421).</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE MISTAKE OF THE PREMILLENNIALISTS</B></div> <bR> <div> "... God had sworn with an oath to him [David], that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne" (Acts 2:30, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:10, AV).</div> <bR> <div> Unfortunately the Premillennialists, formerly known as Chiliasts, misunderstand the import of the above scriptures and argue that in the future Christ and the saints will  'literally' be on the earth, in the physical realm, reigning over the peoples of the earth.</div> <bR> <div> This booklet has argued against this interpretation and will now look in more detail at the principles behind the understanding of these Scripture.</div> <bR> <div> There are two related ways of understanding Acts 2:30, Revelation 5:10 and other scriptures. These are the principles of (1) Delegated Authority and, (2) the Absolute and Dynamic Interpretation of Scripture.</div> <bR> <div> <B>DELEGATED AUTHORITY</B></div> <bR> <div> "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15, AV).</div> <bR> <div> Revelation 11:15 has this typical Biblical construct where "he" is to be a dual interpretation. He refers to God and Christ. God will reign on the earth but He won't be present in person for at least another thousand years.</div> <bR> <div> God reigns on the earth through delegated authority. God will rule through Jesus Christ and the saints. Christ and the saints, in the heavenly-realm, will reign on the earth through their earthly-counterparts. For example:</div> <bR> <div> Christ will reign through the "prince of Israel" and the twelve apostles will rule through the human leaders of the twelve tribes.</div> <bR> <div> Christ will sit on His throne in the <I>heavenlies</I> and He will reign on the throne of David in Israel through the delegated Davidic leader, following the example of the OT 'temple' kingdom of God.</div> <bR> <div> The 'prince' (Hebrew <I>sar</I>) that oversees Ezekiel's temple follows the example of another '<I>sar'</I> who oversaw a temple:</div> <bR> <div> "Praise be to the LORD your <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>God, who has delighted in you [Solomon] and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God</B></FONT>" (2 Chronicles 9:8, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> God and Christ were God in the Old Covenant Kingdom of God. The throne of David was Christ's throne in Israel as He was the 'Word of God'. The throne of David will be Christ's throne in the New Covenant Kingdom of God as the 'Son of God'.</div> <bR> <div> <B>MODERN EXAMPLE OF DELEGATED AUTHORITY</B></div> <bR> <div> "Australia is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II reigning as 'Queen of Australia'" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia).</div> <bR> <div> "<I>Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia</I>..." (http://en.wikipedia.org).</div> <bR> <div> "... <B>the Queen does not play a day-to-day role in the [Australian] Commonwealth Government</B>" (http://www.ags.gov.au/publications/auslegal).</div> <bR> <div> "...<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT>the Executive power of the Commonwealth [of Australia] shall be vested in The Queen and exercisable by the Governor-General as The Queen's representative" (http://www.aph.gov.au).</div> <bR> <div> "<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>The Governor-General </B></FONT>of the Commonwealth of Australia <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>is the representative in Australia of Australia's head of state</B>,<B> Queen Elizabeth II</B></FONT>, <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Queen of Australia</B></FONT>, <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>who lives in the United Kingdom</B></FONT>. The functions and roles of the Governor-General include appointing ministers and judges, dissolving Parliament, giving Royal Assent to legislation, issuing writs for elections and bestowing honours. The Governor-General is President of the Executive Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Forces. <B>All these things are done and all these posts are held </B>under the authority of the Australian Constitution <B>and carried out in the name of the Queen</B>...</div> <bR> <div> "The main official residence of the Governor-General is Government House, Canberra [the capital city of Australia]" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor-General_of_Australia).</div> <bR> <div> Just as Queen Elizabeth II is the reigning 'Queen of Australia', who does not dwell in Australia, but is represented by the Governor-General who does, Jesus Christ will not be dwelling on the earth during the Millennium, though his 'glory' will dwell in the Temple (Ezekiel 43:4-7), but will be represented by the prince(s) of Israel who will dwell on the earth.</div> <bR> <div> George VI would have been able to say to his daughter Elizabeth that she would "inherit" Australia, as part of her realm (cp. Matthew 5:5), and that she would "reign" as Queen of Australia (cp. Revelation 5:10), knowing that Elizabeth would not 'dwell' in Australia.</div> <bR> <div> <B>THRONES, REIGNING AND DWELLING</B></div> <bR> <div> "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and<B> we shall reign on the earth</B>" (Revelation 5:10, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Georgia" ><B>And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them</B></FONT>, and judgment was given unto them: and <I>I saw </I>the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received <I>his </I>mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; <B>and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years</B>" (Revelation 20:4, AV).</div> <bR> <div> It may be argued that if you are going to be consistent in interpretation then the above scriptures should be understood in a similar sense to the below scriptures.</div> <bR> <div> "I know ... <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><B>where thou dwellest</B></FONT>, <I>even</I> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Georgia" ><B>where Satan's seat </B><I><B>is</B></I></FONT>... <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><B>where Satan dwelleth</B></FONT>" (Revelation 2:13, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "I know <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><B>where you live</B></FONT> - <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Georgia" ><B>where Satan has his throne</B></FONT>... <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><B>where Satan lives</B></FONT>" (Revelation 2:13, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "The risen Christ knows where they live (<I>katoikeis </I>suggest permanent residence): it is "where Satan sits enthroned" (Moffat, <I>The NT: A New Translation</I>)... It was here that Satan had established his official seat or chair of state. <B>As Rome had become the centre of Satan's activity in the West</B> (cf. 13:2; 16:10) [sic], <B>so Pergamum had become his "throne" in the East</B>.</div> <bR> <div> "The verse concludes with a repeated emphasis on Pergamum as the place "where Satan lives." A contrast is intended with the first clause ("were you live") - <B>both the believers and their ultimate adversary live in the same locality</B>..." (Mounce, <I>The Book of Revelation</I>, pp.78-80).</div> <bR> <div> It could be argued that if the saints are literally to reign on the 'physical' earth in the Millennium then it would follow that Satan was literally reigning and dwelling on the earth when John wrote the Book of Revelation.</div> <bR> <div> The true intent is that Satan did not and Christ will not in the Millennium, reign on literal earthly thrones in earthly cities.</div> <bR> <div> Revelation 13 was mentioned earlier concerning Christ's temptation by the Devil. Christ refused the devil but the Antichrist accepts him. A related principle is illustrated there.</div> <bR> <div> "Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"" (Revelation 13:4, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "Deification of secular power [i.e. emperor worship] is in fact the worship of Satan" (Mounce, <I>The Book of Revelation</I>, p.249).</div> <bR> <div> When "Men" worship the Antichrist they are in fact worshipping Satan, though they do not realise it.</div> <bR> <div> This principle may be illustrated by the apostle Paul.</div> <bR> <div> "... Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison... Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples... As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied" (Acts 8:3, 9:1, 3-5, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "... when the voice went on to ask the question "Why do you persecute me?" Saul was without doubt thoroughly confused. He was not persecuting God! Rather, he was defending God And his laws!...</div> <bR> <div> "Saul came to realize something of the organic and indissoluble unity that exists between Christ and his own. For though he believed he was only persecuting the followers of Jesus,<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF6000" FACE="Verdana" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>the heavenly interpretation</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF6000" FACE="Verdana" ><B> </B></FONT>of his action was that he was persecuting the risen Christ himself" (Richard N. Longenecker, <I>Acts</I>, EBC, Vol. 9, p.371).</div> <bR> <div> "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me" (Luke 10:16, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "... but above all that in persecuting Jesus he was persecuting One who had attained a heavenly status and was shown to be vindicated and upheld by God. Paul's zeal for the cause of God had turned into an attack on the God who raised Jesus from the dead" (I. Howard Marshall, <I>Acts</I>, TNTC, p.170).</div> <bR> <div> The 'heavenly interpretation' relates to the absolute and dynamic interpretation of scripture. In the 'dynamic' sense Paul was persecuting 'the church' but in the absolute sense he was persecuting Christ and God.</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE HEAVENLY INTERPRETATION</B></div> <bR> <div> "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire..." (John 8:44, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men"" (Matthew 16:23, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "I know ... <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><B>where thou dwellest</B></FONT>, <I>even</I> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Georgia" ><B>where Satan's seat </B><I><B>is</B></I></FONT>... <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><B>where Satan dwelleth</B></FONT>" (Revelation 2:13, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "The phrase "where Satan dwells" means either that someone representing Satan lives in Pergamon or that evil is present in a particular potent way in Pergamon" (David E. Aune, <I>Rev. 1-5</I>, WBC, p.185).</div> <bR> <div> Satan wasn't personally in Pergamon but the rule and conduct of the city so reflected Satan that it could be said that Satan ruled and dwelt there.</div> <bR> <div> Earlier in regard to "... and the name of the city from <I>that </I>day <I>shall be</I>, The LORD <I>is </I>there" (Ezekiel 48:35, AV) it was noted that in the future the "prince", a descendant of David, will represent God and Christ in Jerusalem, exercising godly rule; and "good" will be "present in a particular potent way", so reflecting God, that it may be said 'God is there'.</div> <bR> <div> While the saints will reign in the 'heavenly' realm of the earth it may also be said, in the heavenly sense, that they reign in the 'earthly' realm of the earth.</div> <bR> <div> "Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. <B>I have surely built thee</B> <B>an house [in Jerusalem] to dwell in</B>, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever" (1 Kings 8:12-13, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in <B>heaven thy dwellingplace</B>: and when thou hearest, forgive" (1 Kings 8:30, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "... almost the first words of Solomon at the temple's dedication ceremony are to the effect that God is in this building... it is not quite as simple as it looks to explain what sense the statement is, and is not, true. The temple is intended to be a place for God 'to dwell in for ever' (6:2), and if we are ask a reason for the curious linking of this verse with the previous one, the Lord's own declaration 'that he would dwell in thick darkness', it may not be altogether frivolous - in fact it may be the truest answer - to point to the windowless room at the heart of the temple... Solomon is perfectly aware of the ambiguity about the darkness where God is. <B>While this preface to the ceremony calls the temple God's dwelling-place, his prayer states eight times over that God actually dwells in heaven </B>(6:21, 23, 25, 27, 33, 35, 39)" (Michael Wilcock, <I>The Message of Chronicles</I>, BST, p.143).</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE ABSOLUTE AND DYNAMIC INTERPRETATION</B></div> <bR> <div> "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8, AV).</div> <bR> <div> "God himself speaks and, with his own signature, vouches for the faithfulness of the coming of Christ... Only the Book of Revelation refers to God as the "Alpha and the Omega". <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>God is the absolute source of all creation and history</B></FONT>..." (Johnson, <I>Revelation</I>, p.423).</div> <bR> <div> "... yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live" (1 Corinthians 8:6, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> "God the Father is the ultimate source of creation<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><B> </B></FONT>(Ac 4:24). <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>God the Son is the dynamic one</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>through</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>whom</B></FONT>, with the Father, <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>all things came into existence</B></FONT> (Jn 1:3; Col 1:16)" (New International Study Bible, p.1744, note on 1 Corinthians 8:6).</div> <bR> <div> God the Father is the absolute God-being and Creator while God the Son is the dynamic God-being and Creator. God creates through Jesus Christ.</div> <bR> <div> "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and<B> we shall reign on the earth</B>" (Revelation 5:10, AV).</div> <bR> <div> Based on this principle we can say that <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Christ and the saints will reign on the physical earth in the absolute sense</B></FONT> but <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Verdana" ><B>the nation of Israel will reign in the dynamic sense</B></FONT>.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Summary: Questions and Answers concerning the "kingdom of Heaven"</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What?</B> </div> <bR> <div> A spirit-kingdom of "kings in relation to man, priests in relation to God".</div> <bR> <div> <B>Where?</B> </div> <bR> <div> In the "heavenlies", also referred to as "high <I>places"</I>, "heavenly <I>places</I>" or "heavenly-earth".</div> <bR> <div> <B>When?</B> </div> <bR> <div> "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever" (Daniel 2:44, NIV).</div> <bR> <div> That is, after the destruction of the Antichrist's kingdom of "iron and clay" and the binding of Satan.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Will the saints dwell on the earth?</B> </div> <bR> <div> Yes. In the invisible-realm of the earth.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Will the saints dwell in heaven?</B></div> <bR> <div> Yes. In the lower-realm of heaven.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Will the saints dwell on the earth and in heaven at the same time?</B></div> <bR> <div> Yes. In the invisible realm of the earth which is also the lower-realm of heaven.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Will the saints be at times on the earth and at times in heaven?</B></div> <bR> <div> Yes. In relation to man they will be kings in the heavenly-earth; in relation to God they will be priests, serving in courses, in the upper-realm of heaven.</div> <bR> <div> <B>CONCLUSION</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The good news of the Kingdom of God is that Christ and the saints are going to replace Satan and the demons in the 'heavenlies'</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" >.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> This was the focus of the first three and a half years of Christ's seven year ministry.</div> <bR> <div> The focus of the second three and a half years is the establishment of the Twelve-tribes of Jacob (Israel the Nation) as the Kingdom of God on the earth.</div> <bR> <div> <B>NOTE</B></div> <bR> <div> The Upper Kingdom of God may be smaller, in a sense, than the Lower Kingdom of God. The saints - a little flock (Luke 12:32) - as a ruling kingdom of kings will have the inhabitants of the earth as their "subjects". This would parallel the Senate, with 100 senators, which acts as a "check" on the House of Representatives, with its 435 members.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Abbreviations:</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>AV</B> = Authorised Version </div> <div> <B>BST</B> = Bible Speaks Today </div> <div> <B>DBI</B> = Dictionary of Biblical Imagery </div> <div> <B>EB</B> = Encyclopaedia Britannica </div> <div> <B>EBC</B> = Expositor’s Bible Commentary </div> <div> <B>ISBE</B> = International Standard Bible Encyclopedia </div> <div> <B>JFB</B> = Jamison, Robert; Fausset, A.R; and Brown, David </div> <div> <B>KD</B> = Keil, C.F. and Delitzsch, F. </div> <div> <B>NBC</B> = New Bible Commentary </div> <div> <B>NBD</B> = New Bible Dictionary</div> <div> <B>NIB</B> = New Interpreter’s Bible</div> <div> <B>NIV</B> = New International Version</div> <div> <B>NIVAC</B> = NIV Application Commentary</div> <div> <B>NICNT  =  </B>New International Commentary on the New Testament</div> <div> <B>RV</B> = Revised Version </div> <div> <B>TNTC</B> = Tyndale New Testament Commentaries </div> <div> <B>TOTC</B> = Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries </div> <div> <B>TWOT</B> = Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament</div> <bR> <div> <B>Reference:</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Chambers English Dictionary</B>, [Cambridge: W & R Chambers and Cambridge University Press, 1988]. </div> <div> <B>Encyclopaedia Britannica,</B> CD, '99 Multimedia Edition, [Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 1999]. </div> <div> <B>Merriam-Wester's Collegiate Dictionary</B>, packaged with EB.</div> <bR> <div> Bibliography:</div> <bR> <div> <B>Alexander</B>, Ralph H., <I>Ezekiel</I>, EBC, Vol.6, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994].</div> <div> <B>Archer</B>,<B> Jr</B>., Gleason L.,<I> Daniel</I>, EBC, Vol.7, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992].</div> <div> <B>Aune</B>, David E, <I>Revelation 1-5</I>, WBC, Metzger, Bruce M., Gen. Editor, [Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997].</div> <div> <B>Aune</B>, David E, <I>Revelation 6-16</I>, WBC, Metzger, Bruce M., Gen. Editor, [Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998].</div> <div> <B>Austel</B>, Herman, J., "Heaven", TWOT, Vol.2, Harris, R. Laird, Editor, [Chicago: Moody Press, 1992].</div> <div> <B>Baldwin</B>, Joyce G., <I>Daniel</I>, TOTC, Wiseman, D.J., Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1987].</div> <div> <B>Bandstra</B>, A.J., "Principalities and Powers", <I>ISBE</I>, Vol.3, Fully Revised, Bromiley, G.W., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman's Publishing Company, 1987].</div> <div> <B>Barker</B>, Kenneth, Gen. Editor, <I>The NIV Study Bible</I>, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1985].</div> <div> <B>Beale</B>, G.K., <I>The Temple and the Church's Mission</I>, [Downers Grove, Inter Varsity Press, 2004].</div> <div> <B>Block</B>, Daniel I., <I>The Book of Ezekiel Chapter 25-48</I>, NICOT, Hubbard, Jr., Robert L. Gen. Editor [Grand Rapids, William. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1998].</div> <div> <B>Boring</B>, M. Eugene, <I>The Gospel of Matthew</I>, NIB, Vol.8, Keck, Leander E., Senior NT Editor,  [Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994].</div> <div> <B>Bright</B>, John <I>The Kingdom of God</I>, Revised Edition [Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1957].</div> <div> <B>Bruce</B>, FF., <I>The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians</I>, NICNT, Fee, Gordon D., et al., Gen. Editors, [Grand Rapids: William B Eerdman's Publishing Company, 1984].</div> <div> <B>Bruce</B>, FF., <I>The Epistle to the Hebrews</I>, Revised, NICNT, Fee, Gordon D., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdman's Publishing Company, 1990].</div> <div> <B>Bullinger</B>, Ethelbert W., <I>Companion Bible</I>, [London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott, 1986].</div> <div> <B>Bullinger</B>, E.W., <I>Commentary on Revelation</I>, [Grand Rapids: Kregal Publications, 1984].</div> <div> <B>Carroll</B>, Lewis, <I>Alice in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass</I>, Abridged Edition, (London: Dean & Son Ltd, no date).</div> <div> <B>Carson</B>, D.A., <I>Matthew</I>, EBC, Vol.8, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993].</div> <div> <B>Culpepper</B>, R. Alan, <I>The Gospel of Luke</I>, NIB, Vol.8, Keck, Leander E., Senior NT Editor, [Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995].</div> <div> <B>Delitzsch</B>, F., <I>Isaiah</I>, Commentary on the Old Testament, KD, [Peabody: Hendrikson Publishers, 1996].</div> <div> <B>Dennison</B>, <B>Jr</B>., J.T., "Air",<I> ISBE</I>, Vol.2, Fully Revised, Bromiley, G.W., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1980].</div> <div> <B>Duguid</B>, Iain M., <I>Ezekiel</I>, NIVAC, Muck, Terry, Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999].</div> <div> <B>Ellison</B>, H.L., "Judah", NBD, Second Edition, Douglas J.D., et al., Editors, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1985].</div> <div> <B>Fausset</B>, A.R., <I>Psalms</I>,  JFB, A Commentary: Critical, Experimental and Practical on the Old and New Testaments, Vol.2, [Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1993].</div> <div> <B>Fausett</B>, A.R., <I>Isaiah</I>,  JFB, Vol.2, ibid.</div> <div> <B>Fausset</B>, A.R., <I>Daniel</I>,  JFB, Vol.2, ibid.</div> <div> <B>Fausset</B>, A.R., <I>1 Corinthians</I>, JFB, Vol.3, ibid.</div> <div> <B>Fausset</B>, <I>Hebrews</I>, JFB, Vol.3, ibid.</div> <div> <B>Fausset</B>, A.R., <I>Revelation</I>, JFB, Vol.3, ibid.</div> <div> <B>Foulkes</B>, Francis, <I>Ephesians</I>, TNTC,Tasker, R.V.G., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1988].</div> <div> <B>Foulkes</B>, Francis, <I>Philippians</I>, NBC, Third Edition, Guthrie D., et al., Editors, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1985].</div> <div> <B>France</B>, F.T., <I>Matthew</I>, TNTC, Morris, Leon, Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1987].</div> <div> <B>Fuller</B>, D.P., "Satan", <I>ISBE</I>, Vol.4, Fully Revised, Bromiley, G.W., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1988].</div> <div> <B>Green</B>, Joel B., <I>The Gospel of Luke</I>, NICNT, Fee, Gordon D., et al.,  Gen. Editors, [Grand Rapids: William B Eerdman's Publishing Company, 1997].</div> <div> <B>Guthrie</B>, Donald, <I>Hebrews</I>, TNTC, Morris, Leon, Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988].</div> <div> <B>Hiebert</B>, D. Emmond, <I>Titus</I>, EBC, Vol.11, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992].</div> <div> <B>Hamilton</B>, Victor P., "Egypt", TWOT, Vol.1, Harris, R. Laird, Editor, [Chicago: Moody Press, 1992].</div> <div> <B>Harris</B>, R., Laird,  <I>Leviticus</I>, EBC, Vol.2, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1990].</div> <div> <B>Harrison</B>, Everett, F., <I>Romans</I>, EBC, Vol.10, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993].</div> <div> <B>Hill</B>, Andrew E.,  <I>1 & 2 Chronicles</I>, NIVAC, Muck, Terry, Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 2003].</div> <div> <B>Jarvie</B>, Gordon, <I>Grammar Guide</I>, [London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 1994].</div> <div> <B>Johnson</B>, Alan F., <I>Revelation</I>, EBC, Vol.12, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992].</div> <div> <B>Kaiser</B>, Walter C., "<I>nasi"</I> [prince], TWOT, Vol.2, Harris, R. Laird, Editor, [Chicago: Moody Press, 1992].</div> <div> <B>Kaiser</B>, <B>Jr</B>., Walter C., <I>Exodus</I>, EBC, Vol.2, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995].</div> <div> <B>Kelly</B>, Page H., <I>Biblical Hebrew: An Introductory Grammar</I>, [Grand Rapids: William B Eerdman's Publishing Company, 1992].</div> <div> <B>Kiel</B>, C.F., <I>Daniel</I>, Commentary on the Old Testament, KD, [Peabody: Hendrikson Publishers, 1996].</div> <div> <B>Kiel</B>, C.F., <I>Hosea</I>, Commentary on the Old Testament, KD, [Peabody: Hendrikson Publishers, 1996]. </div> <div> <B>Kiel</B>, C.F. <I>The Pentateuch</I>, Commentary on the Old Testament, KD, [Peabody: Hendrikson Publishers, 1996].</div> <div> <B>Konkel</B>, August H., <I>1 & 2 Kings</I>, NIVAC, [ Muck, Terry, Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing House, 2006].</div> <div> <B>Lasor</B>, W.S., "Jerusalem", <I>ISBE</I>, Vol.2, Fully Revised, Bromiley, G.W., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publisng Company, 1987].</div> <div> <B>Longenecker</B>, Richard N., <I>Acts</I>, EBC, Vol.9, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981].</div> <div> <B>Marshall</B>, I. Howard, <I>Acts</I>, TNTC, Tasker R.V.G., Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1987].</div> <div> <B>Martin</B>, Ralph P., <I>Philippians</I>, Revised Edition, TNTC, Morris, Leon, Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988].</div> <div> <B>Morris</B>, Leon, <I>Luke</I>, Revised Edition, TNTC,  Morris, Leon, Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988].</div> <div> <B>Morris</B>, Leon, <I>Revelation</I>, Revised Edition, TNTC, Morris, Leon, Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988]. </div> <div> <B>Motyer</B>, Alec, <I>Isaiah</I>, TOTC, Wiseman, D.J., Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1999].</div> <div> <B>Motyer</B>, Alec, <I>The Message of Philippians</I>, BST, Stott, John R.W., NT Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1991].</div> <div> <B>Mounce</B>, Robert H., <I>The Book of Revelation</I>, Revised Edition, NICNT, Fee, Gordon D., et al., Gen. Editors, [Grand Rapids: William B Eerdman's Publishing Company, 1998].</div> <div> <B>Payne</B>, J. Barton, <I>1,2 Chronicles</I>, EBC, [Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, EBC, Vol.4, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988].</div> <div> <B>Ramsay</B>, A.F., "Zion", <I>ISBE</I>, Vol.4, Fully Revised, Bromiley, G.W., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1988].</div> <div> <B>Ryken</B>, Leland; <B>Wilhot</B>, James C;<B> Longman III</B>, Tremper; Gen. Editors, "Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven", DBI, [Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1998].</div> <div> <B>Schroeder</B>, Richard C., <I>An Outline of American Government</I>, United States Information Agency.</div> <div> <B>Stott</B>, John R.W., <I>The Message of Ephesians</I>, Second Edition, BST, Stott, J.R.W., NT Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1991].</div> <div> <B>Tasker</B>, R.V.G., <I>John</I>, TNTC, Tasker, R.V.G., Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988].</div> <div> <B>Taylor</B>, John B., <I>Ezekiel</I>, TOTC, Wiseman, D.J., Gen. Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1987].</div> <div> <B>Tenney</B>, Merrill C., <I>John</I>, EBC, Vol.9, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1990].</div> <div> <B>Wood</B>, A. Skevington, <I>Ephesians</I>, EBC, Vol.11, Gaebelein, Frank E., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992].</div> <div> <B>Wright</B>, N.T., <I>Colossians and Philemon</I>, TNTC, Morris, Leon, General Editor, [Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988]. </div> <div> <B>Vangemeren</B>, W.A., "Shekinah", <I>ISBE</I>, Vol.4, Fully Revised, Bromiley, G.W., Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1988].</div> <div> <B>Vine</B>, W.E., Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, [Iowa Falls, Word Bible Publishers, 1981].</div> <div> <B>Walton</B>, John H., <I>Genesis</I>, NIVAC, Muck, Terry, Gen. Editor, [Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House, 2001].</div> <div> <B>Wilcox</B>, Michael, <I>The Message of Revelation</I>, Second Edition, BST, Stott, John R.W., NT, Editor, (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1991).</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id117.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kingdom of God 2">Previous Page</A>               <A HREF="id118_m.htm" TITLE="Kingdom of God 3">Top of Page</A>               <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Future Watch">Home Page</A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>