World Peace Is Coming!
All of us would agree there are more Christian denominations around the world than you can “shake a stick at.” As the old saying goes, “More than China’s got rice.” And yet, regardless of the important fact that Christ came preaching about the Kingdom of God––this enormously significant and distinctive event is minimized. It’s just incredible the traditional Christian world simply seems to ignore this detail! Notice: “Now after that John [the Baptist] was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel [the Good News] of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15 KJV).
Furthermore, Matthew mentions: “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23). The Kingdom of God was an important topic within the ministry of Jesus Christ. He even labeled it as “the Gospel.” Unquestionably, He came to die for mankind and to sacrifice His life for His creation as a fulfilling component to the sacrificial law––and that too is definitely Good News; but that segment of His mission does not dismiss the reason for His sacrifice.
What Most Don’t Recognize
The Christian world today is myopic when it comes to what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is. They are so enamored and obsessed over the crucifixion that the vast majority of denominations just ignore the comprehensive richness of the complete Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Don’t misunderstand; “Christ crucified” is a crucial dimension to the Gospel. No one denies that, or would ever dare minimize that sacrificial act of selflessness, which resulted and validated the Messiahship of Jesus Christ––because that is the foundational building block of the Christian movement.
He is the Chief Cornerstone! Paul solidifies this point when he said, “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are in Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes [Christ crucified]; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:15–16). And in addition he says, “For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:22–23).
Scripturally, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is unquestionably instrumental in this program of salvation for Christians––but that’s not the whole Gospel! Christ’s mission included a variety of objectives that define a far broader, more extensive and far–reaching Gospel message that includes the very mystery of how God is actually reproducing Himself and for what purpose––which is a critical ingredient to this salvific process He has undertaken.
Clearly, He’s doing it because He’s setting up a Kingdom. The Kingdom portion of the Gospel is the very reason for the crucifixion. It describes humanity’s future destination of what eternal life is for––it goes beyond this physical life and points us to where salvation is located; but is underscored by the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. That is indeed what makes it possible for entry into this God Family Kingdom. Yet this segment, the Gospel of the Kingdom, has been de–emphasized throughout Christianity. There are far too many who claim Christ as their Savior who have no idea He is on a “countdown” from heaven, expected to return to earth and set up this Kingdom of God He came to describe, explain, and announce!
Why is it that so many have overlooked this extremely important solution for solving humanity’s overwhelming problems? How did the fact of Christ’s return to this earth actually become ignored as the underpinning answer to mankind’s troubles? What contributed to this unfortunate oversight?
The Mysterious Reason Is Solved
Notice how Paul brings us into the essences of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen” (Romans 16:25–27).
Interestingly enough, Paul mentions in passing how the prophets “manifested” this key information about this mystery. The reason is quite plain when you realize they had a lot to say about the coming Kingdom of God. Whether it’s Isaiah 2:1–4, or Micah 4:1–6, and in so many more areas, they all made mention of this Kingdom from God that would be established on earth, not in heaven! Notice what Daniel says to King Nebuchadnezzar in the course of interpreting his dream. As he gets to the end, he mentions the following: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44). Some years later, Daniel is given his own dream and vision and is shown essentially the same thing, confirming what he was shown years before.
Notice, “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even for ever and ever” (Daniel 7:17–18). There is no doubt, after reading these prophecies, that you can conclude the Kingdom of God was an important component to their overall preaching and warning to the kings of their day. The prophets were inundated with dreams and visions, including direct communications and visitations from angels about this Kingdom of God. But unfortunately, in today’s alleged Christian churches, the Old Testament is reduced to just “stories” in many cases, or simply illustrative of historical events that have no real contemporary value or meaning for us today––sad, but true! The Gospel portion of the Kingdom of God gives us the REASON for our calling.
It is the defined clarity of God’s vision of how He intends to share eternity with a family made after His own image. It’s the objective of His plan He devised before the world was. Notice, “Be not you therefore ashamed of the testimony [Gospel] of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be you partaker of the afflictions of the gospel [testimony] according to the power of God; Who has save us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose [objective] and grace, which was given us [designed] in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest [understood] by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light [to our understanding] through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:9–10).
What we’re being told is, this Gospel of Jesus Christ has provided us knowledge and understanding by means of His visitation, of just how immortality can be obtained and for what reason. The prophet Zechariah makes an interesting connection with another cause for why this idea of the “Gospel of the Kingdom” has been minimized. Notice what he says: “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain” (Zechariah 14:16–17).
Why Is This Important?
If you will read Zechariah 14:1–15, you will see that it is a description of the return of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He subsequently lands on the Mount of Olives and sets Jerusalem up as His capital city to commence His 1000-year rule of earth (Revelation 20:4). Interestingly, this event and the re–establishment of the city is directly connected to the Feast of Tabernacles, giving us good logical reason to make the link of this seven-day Festival period to God’s Kingdom. The point is, due to the abandonment of the Holy Days listed throughout the Bible and which Jesus Christ Himself observed, this has greatly contributed to the cause of this de–emphasized segment of the Gospel.
If the Christian church observed the Holy Days today, the true Gospel, in all of its far reaching and comprehensive meaning, would be clearly understood. But unfortunately, not everyone has recognized the importance of this spiritual benefit in the Bible for our edification and appreciable Christian enhancement!
So, as we gather this year throughout the world, let us who observe the Feast of Tabernacles be particularly encouraged that there is a solution to this very sick, corrupt, and perverted world we find ourselves in. And let us be thankful we are merely pilgrims passing through in temporary tabernacles, but with an exciting future that will provide us opportunity to really change the world with our Lord and Savior empowered from Jerusalem. The day is coming when we will rule and reign as kings and priests in the Family Kingdom of God! The question is: Will you be ready?
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