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About The Banner In 8 Parts Part 1: The Title Part 3: The Icon - General Perspective Part 4: The Icon - Historic Perspective Part 5: The Eagle - Jesus in Matthew and Mark Part 6: The Eagle - Jesus in Luke Part 7: The Eagle - Jesus in John
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About the Banner |
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Part 1: The Title |
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...seek first his kingdom and his righteousness... Matthew 6:33 This is a direct command from the Lord. A very high priority it seems, to seek these things, since they come from our Commander and Chief Himself so early in the New Testament testimony. And this command is not merely to seek anything, but something very particular. There are two things to be sought, one being His kingdom and the other being His righteousness. Thence, since it bears such solemn weight as a high, heavenly standard to follow, then the people of God who have been so commanded would do well in abiding by it. And that is precisely what these Chronicles have set out to do and to help facilitate the Church in doing, hence the title of them, The Kingdom Chronicles. Most of us have an ethereal view of heaven. The picture that has been painted in most of our minds is a throne set in the midst of clouds. And this view is only natural, since individually we are given only vague hints as to what awaits us when we cross the threshold from this physical life and enter into His presence. And since the dawn of the New Covenant until this time in history this picture has been adequate. We have only been able to see it from afar. We know, more in a subconscious way, that it is a return to our roots, and return to the center of the wellspring of life, the source and substance of all life. We know that it is a place for which we were designed and for which we are destined. We have inklings of the pure, unadulterated love, peace and bliss, the majestic atmosphere of this eternal place. However, as we come to the end of the age, as we approach the climax of history culminating in that grand day for which all of creation has been waiting, the Day of the Lord, our understanding of our destiny and the place where our Lord dwells and administrates His authority will require an adjustment. Heaven, as we envision it, is not really our ultimate destination, but a temporary residence. We abide there, in the presence of our Lord, awaiting the climactic permeation of His kingdom throughout the earth. Heaven for us, though certainly in His presence, is not our ultimate end or final resting place. A transition is about to be made of our understanding of the dwelling place of God. This transition is from heaven to earth. There is a millennial reign that is soon to commence and it will take place upon terra firma. The soil beneath our feet, this planet soon will be our home, the Promised Land of which all others are types, under the sovereign authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever." Revelation 11:15 This transition of understanding requires a people with a kingdom view. God is looking for these transitional people. Joseph was a transitional man, having been sent to Egypt ahead of his family and through tribulation prepared for the transition of Jacob's posterity. Moses likewise was a transitional man, prepared in the wilderness for forty years to be the leader of Israel as they made the transition from Egypt to the Promised Land. Samuel too was a transitional man. He was the last of the ruling judges whose job it was to prepare for the new form of monarchial government. David, in a way, was a transitional man. He subdued and subjected the surrounding nations, which allowed for the glorious reign of his son Solomon, his sovereign rule being a type of the transition that we are about to make, when the kingdom of this world, on a day that is not far off, becomes the kingdom of the one true King, Jesus Christ. God is looking and desiring to prepare a people with a kingdom view, who are not overly distracted by the kingdom of this world, but who are preparing for the future and envisioning this great day for which we all have been longing. Most of these transitional people were, within their time and among their race, the best representatives of misfits known to man. They did not fit into the social and/or religious order of the time. They were out of sync with the rest of humanity. Joseph was a misfit. He did not fit with his family and particularly with his brothers. Moses was a misfit. He fit with neither the Jewish people nor the Egyptian aristocracy, and was ostracized into the wilderness (not to mention being launched away from his family in a basket when he was a mere infant). Samuel was a misfit. He was given up by his mother to be raised by a licentious priest, and as a child in the care of this priest, had a most peculiar and seemingly ostentatious sleeping chamber: the Holy of Holies. David was a misfit. He, like Joseph, was held in disdain by his brothers, went completely against the grain of military strategy with his individualistic assault upon Goliath, and was hiding in a cave isolated from everyone, later to be surrounded by the scum of the earth, the dregs of Israeli society, a motley crew and the epitome of the term "misfits." Indeed it was with this band of misfits that David conquered, making possible the full potential for his son's reign, which for us is the millennial reign just ahead. Now as then the transitional people are seen as being odd both to their Christian siblings and to the world at large. They are out of sync with the rest of humanity, being more in sync with another realm. They carry this reproach, incapable of fitting in with either the current religious order of Christianity, or with the immoral and idolatrous nature of society, marching to the step of a different drum, one not heard by most. They bear a two-edged sword, being true to their nature, true to the Spirit of Christ, having been designed by the hand of God, not for this world, but to prepare this world for the next. Up until now they have existed within a quandary. They do not fit or meld into the current world, yet the world for which they are fitted has not yet arrived. Though they themselves may not understand it, they were born for such a time as this, for the great transition, prepared before the foundation of the world to help usher in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the inexorable desire of their hearts. This group currently is relatively small and unknown, but as the day draws near they will be the central core, equivalent to David's misfits, and will grow in quality and quantity, in spiritual stature and in numbers. Their message and their mission will come to the fore. The ranks of Christianity will be awakened by their war-cry. Their passion will stir even the most heartless Christian, and most will join in the preparation for the triumph of the ages, making ready for the advent of Jesus Christ our Lord. These Chronicles are intended primarily for this group, to give them encouragement, to let them know that they are not alone, that their hope has not been in vain. And secondarily it is to the Christian community at large, to answer once again (or with some for the first time) the quintessential, existential question borne in every heart, "why am I here?", or "What is my purpose?" We all are here, not by chance, but by a sovereign plan. We all are here for such a time as this, with prearranged destinies and parts to play in the fast approaching climax of the ages. We all have a stake in the unfolding of God's end-time strategy, as He raises us up in spiritual strength and stature, making us ready for the age of Glory. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. [Italics are mine] Matthew 6:9 & 10 So the title was chosen, based upon the Lord's command and upon His prayer, with the millennial reign in view, and for the purpose of aiding the people who currently envision that reign, who are called to implement it. However, there is more to it than simply the next age, particularly since the time of commencement of that age is unknown to us and could easily be several decades and possibly centuries away yet. (And these Chronicles will not attempt to guess at that time.) Before we can even prepare for the kingdom to come we must understand what a kingdom is, how "his kingdom" differs from "the kingdom" currently in existence in this world, or the world around us, and most of all begin thinking in kingdom terms and praying with a Kingdom objective. This will require an adjustment in perspective. Up until now our perspective has been more upon Church than Kingdom. The Church is inclusive in the Kingdom, but the Kingdom is not inclusive in the Church. In other words, in reference to "kingdom" much more is included than merely the Church, while referencing the "Church" targets only one particular part of the Kingdom. So our understanding will need adjusting. And the hope is that as these Chronicles progress that divine revelation will enlighten us to this, making clear precisely what is to be sought. In following the directive, as the search begins for "His Kingdom" and for "His righteousness," by necessity we encounter Jesus Christ, the King of His Kingdom and the only source of righteousness for mankind. And really the search ends here; it begins and ends with Jesus Christ, who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. And we come to see the longing within the heart of every person, the yearning for a habitation, the desire to build a city; all the attempts of mankind to establish a civilization, a government, a rule of authority, a kingdom of their own; all attempts from the beginning of time until now, from the Tower of Babel to this current world system; this desperate need, this craving within every heart for a kingdom is only satisfied as each heart finds its eternal rest in the bosom of the Lord. He alone satisfies this quest, and is Himself the satisfaction of this quest and all quests of the human psyche. So our directive to search for "His Kingdom" and "His righteousness" is immediately adjusted and becomes a pursuit after the Lord Jesus Christ. Our vision is honed. What at first seemed broad and wide now becomes a "narrow way." Our search is for "the way, the truth and the life." This is the eternal "path of the righteous." We disembark from the broad, worldly way of license, and in this journey to full stature we willingly submit to the constraining truth of the narrow way, the one and only way to God, being stripped of all preconceived notions of "Kingdom" and "righteousness" as we behold the epitome and source of both, Jesus our Lord. Our vision is honed, and our eyes become dove's eyes with only one focus, with only one object, not distracted by peripheral vision. I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure bride to her one husband. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11: 2 & 3 Jesus is our aim. Jesus is our greatest pursuit. Everything else is a distraction. And one of the notable distractions used by the enemy to lead our thoughts astray is an underlying, almost subconscious deception which equates "His Kingdom" with the current government of the United States. His Kingdom is a rule and an authority far above the politics of this world and particularly this country. God has indeed greatly blessed this nation. We all should be extremely thankful that we have been given the privilege of working out our salvation in such a place. God certainly was involved in the inauguration of this nation and has been a guiding hand throughout her short history. However, this country is not synonymous with the Kingdom of God. This nation is but one of many nations that make up this world system; that make up "the kingdom" that will become "His Kingdom." And also, in light of the Lord's very clear command to "seek first," anything else that is sought which renders the seeking of His Kingdom and His righteousness as secondary, whether it be politics or anything else, obviously brings one into disobedience. To "seek first" means this: that it is the foremost priority in ones life; the main objective; the primary mission. Everything we do, everything we say, all our plans and purposes, all our day to day activities are to rally around and support this edict from Jesus Christ, the very desire in the heart of God for us, spoken very clearly and articulately within the pages of scripture. And of course this is speaking directly toward the motivation of the heart in all of us, the foundation of our lives and the very core of our being. That is where our course is set and this is where this command is obeyed and fulfilled. It can only have a corporate fulfillment to the degree that it is fulfilled individually. For too long the Church has been distracted by the politics of this nation and has allowed a slow erosion of Her faith and confidence in God, having it displaced by reliance and hope upon political parties and political agendas, all of which are earthly, carnal and temporal. In 1992 many within the Church were crestfallen because of the election of a president from the Democratic Party. And what was the result? Then being seemingly without political help, the Church turned to God and in 1993 began to pray in earnest. And what was the result? What happened when She turned from what She thought was Her hope and the answer to Her dilemma; what happened when She inadvertently though divinely orchestrated turned toward God as His people, called by His name and humbled herself and prayed? What was the result of this seeming defeat for the Church in America? The answer: RENEWAL! In 1994 a renewal began. She was forced to turn away from Her failed attempts at bringing in the Kingdom of God through earthly, political means. She was forced to refocus and She turned to God for help after what appeared to Her as a devastating blow. And the result was a renewal called the "Laughing Revival," and the "Toronto Blessing" that completed changed Her countenance and renewed Her hope. It was a "time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord." It was God hearing Her prayer and healing Her land. Have we learned this historical lesson? Is our individual and corporate hope locked solidly upon Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God? Are we seeing through Godly eyes with His Kingdom vision? Do we have our priorities in order? Or has the passing of time and the ever changing political climate distracted us once again? Of course the Church in this nation is to have an extreme social and political impact. She is to have a profound effect upon the social order and upon the government of this nation. But these are secondary byproducts of Her "sincere and pure devotion" to Her Lord. When Her eyes are "dove's eyes" and no one or anything else has Her attention except Her Bridegroom and Lover, then it should matter little to Her what transpires socially or politically. Whether the Emperor is Nero or Constantine, whether the president is a republican or a democrat, whether the society around Her is Philistine, Babylonian, or American, moral or immoral; these make no difference. These are Her environment. These are Her field of labor. These are tools in the hands of God, used to form Christ within her. These are used to prepare the Bride of Jesus Christ for Her wedding day. So we can rejoice even when the political horizon looks bleak, because our sights are set higher. We see the heavenly Jerusalem coming down from above, the perfect Bride prepared for Her Husband. We see the Kingdom of God coming. We see the great Day of the Lord and the earthly kingdom made up of temporal governments displaced by the glory and majesty of a Kingdom which has no end. We see Jesus, eternal in the heavens, and are being made ready for His coming and the culmination of the age. The Authority of the Kingdom of God Prior to the New Covenant the legitimate, God recognized governor of the earth was Satan. Though he had usurped that authority, obtaining it by underhanded means, yet because mankind represented by Adam and Eve had freely given it to him, God abided by that transaction. Satan, according to the sovereign rule of God, was the legal, rightful ruler of the planet. Then came resurrection day; the turning point of history. Jesus Christ rose from the dead, having defeated death, hell and the grave, and returned as the triumphant God-Man to His heavenly throne. And at that time, as His foot crossed the threshold of heaven, an extraordinary event took place, something that had never happened before and will never happen again. There was a war in heaven; there was a battle, there was a clash of swords, there was a struggle of wills and a conflict within the very throne room of God (Revelation 12:7 & 8). And what was this about? Why was there a struggle in heaven? This contention occurred because there was a change in government. The then ruler of the earth had lost his right and authority to rule. Satan was being evicted from heaven. Up until then he had a legitimate right to be there. Now he was deemed a traitor, a renegade, an enemy of God and of His creation, and was forcibly removed from his seat. Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, has won back for mankind the governorship of the earth. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore... Matthew 28:18 & 19 Jesus could say "Go" because He is the only one with the legitimate right to do so. He has been since that day the rightful governor of the earth. All authority has been given to Him. The only reason any earthly, temporal government can exist at all is because Jesus, in one form or another, has chosen it to be so. He is the rightful ruler of the planet even over governments that are in opposition to Him. He holds the very authority over which they govern within that opposition. And Jesus has no desire to rule alone. He shares His authority and His power with the redeemed. And it is interesting that, within that authority given to Him whereby He says "Go," that the directive is not to run governments. The government of the Kingdom is already established. His authority on the planet will not be affected by the takeover of carnal governments, those establishments built by man. The authority and the Kingdom of God will only increase and fully come as we truly answer the directive to "make disciples," and then "teach them," thus harkening back to the point and purpose of His authority as seen in the establishment of ministry, to build up the body of Christ until that body reaches full adulthood, arriving at full stature (read Ephesians 4:1-16). The authorities and governments propagated by fallen man will crumble, as the Church of Jesus Christ on this planet and in this country takes Her appointed place with Her Bridegroom and Lover, and they rule together first for a thousand years on this earth, then forever in the eternity to come. So, though we certainly can have a big part to play in national politics, it should not be our primary objective. We are called to a much higher realm. And we must be careful not to judge the fidelity of a Church based solely upon the earthly government that is ruling nor upon social morality. In fact we are told prophetically that it will be in the time of darkness, when "thick darkness" is blanketing the earth, covering, distorting and perverting lost humanity, when the Lord will make His move, and the transformation of His Church, Her maturity and arrival at full stature, will be completed (Isaiah 60:1-3). So if our hope is set upon temporal governments we will certainly be discouraged, because it is likely that they, influenced by the enraged enemy who knows his time is short, may grow quite worse. Yet we can be encouraged by this, since we have an eternal hope. Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever." And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,
"We give thanks to thee, Lord God Almighty, who art and who wast,
The nations raged, but thy wrath came,
"Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. [Revelation 19:6-8] |
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