Copyright © 2006 Trumpet Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved

---

In order for us to grasp the Divine plan of redemption we must understand the design. God is creating a Kingdom that consists of His Seed, who are His elect, and then nations of saved people who are to be governed by the Lord’s elect. All the desires and purposes of the Lord God, including bringing the nations to Himself that they may be blessed, will be fulfilled through the holy Seed.

The Seed of Abraham is Christ and those who are in union with Him. Each member of the Seed is predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus and then to deliver, rule, and bless the nations of the earth. The Seed is God’s eternal Servant. The Seed is called out from among the peoples of the earth in order to reveal the Glory of God to the nations. If the nations obey the Divine Glory they behold, repenting and being baptized, they shall be saved. Those who are disobedient will be judged by the Lord.

---

Table of Contents

The Seed Is Chosen
Two Different Kinds of Separations
The Promises to the Seed
The Various Roles and Tasks of the Seed

---

THE SEED AND THE NATIONS OF THE SAVED

And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:16-18)

“I will multiply thy seed.”
“Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.”
“In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”

In the beginning God was living on the earth with His children, Adam and Eve. Because of rebellion, God withdrew from the earth. Soon human beings multiplied and the nations of the earth were brought into existence.

From that point forward a situation has existed that is not in keeping with God’s desires or purposes. God is invisible, dwelling in the spirit realm (Heaven). Man is attempting to survive on the earth. Mankind is spiritually blind and dead and in the chains of bondage to corruption and demon spirits. This is not God’s desire and purpose. It is God’s will that righteousness and praise prevail among the nations, that the earth be filled with the Glory of God.

God’s desire and intention is to be visible and approachable on the earth among the nations He has created, which indeed are His offspring.

God’s method for bringing the nations back to Himself in order that they may be blessed is to create a holy Seed. All the desires and purposes of the Lord God will be fulfilled through the Seed.

In order for us to grasp the Divine plan of redemption we must understand the design. God is creating a Kingdom that consists of His Seed, His elect, and then nations of saved people who are governed by the Lord’s elect.

God called Abraham out of Ur in order that he might be the “father” of the Seed—the Seed through which the nations can be saved.

Israel was chosen from among the nations of the earth to be a firstfruits to God of all mankind, a kingdom of priests, a ruling nation among nations of saved people, God’s witness to the remainder of the peoples of the earth.

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19:5,6)
For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. (Isaiah 60:12)
Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. (Isaiah 43:10)

We can see from the above passages that God’s calling of Israel does not mean Israel is to be saved and the other nations are to be lost. Rather, Israel is to be the head of all the nations of the earth and the witness of His Glory.

The bringing of Israel, the Kingdom of God, the Divine Seed, into the earth and the resulting blessing of the nations is a primary topic of the Scriptures.

The Christian Church is the true Seed of Abraham and the true Israel of God.

And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29)
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:16)

This does not mean God has deserted the physical Jews, for the Jews have been and continue to be favored of God. The Gospel of the Kingdom began with Jewish Apostles. The Gospel always is to the Jew first. After the full number of Gentiles has come into the family of God, God will turn again to the physical people and land of Israel and salvation will be brought to the chosen nation.

There is no such thing as a Gentile Church. The concept of a Gentile Church is not found in the Scriptures. The new covenant is made only with the house of Israel. In order to become part of the Israel of God, the Gentile must be cut out of the wild Gentile stock and grafted on the root of Abraham, becoming a true part of Israel, of the Divine Seed.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ. (Galatians 3:28)

There is only one true Israel of God, and that is Christ and those who are part of Christ. The Divine invitation to be part of Christ is to the Jew first and after that to the Gentile.

The Seed of Abraham (the Seed, singular) is Christ and those who are in union with Him.

Christ, Head and Body, the Lamb and His Wife, the new Jerusalem, the Christian Church, is the true Israel of God. The members of the Body of Christ have been called out of the world. They no longer are part of the world. They are not of the world just as Christ is not of the world. Christ gives to them eternal life—the Life that He Himself Is—in order that they may overcome all corruption and reign with Him now and throughout the ages to come.

These are the chosen priests and rulers of the creation, living and ruling in the power of an endless life.

For whom do they serve as priests? Over whom do they rule? The answer is, the nations of saved peoples of the earth. This is the meaning of, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”

It is not true that the Seed is predestined to be saved and all other people are to be hurled into the Lake of Fire. Rather, each member of the Seed is predestined to be changed into the image of Christ and then to deliver, rule, and bless the nations of the earth.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; (I Peter 2:9)

Notice the distinction between the new Jerusalem, which is the Christian Church, the Wife of the lamb, and the nations of saved peoples of the earth:

And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. (Revelation 21:24)

Each member of the Body of Christ is undergoing the most exacting transformation of his personality. The end purpose of such transformation is that the saint may be able to perform successfully the numerous roles and tasks God has assigned to the Divine Seed, the Vine, the Israel of God.

We are being created the Presence of God, the Hand of God in the earth. For eternity we will bring to all God’s creatures the Presence, the will, the knowledge, the healing, the blessing of God Almighty. This is our calling. To this end we have been born, called, justified, sanctified, trained, and glorified (Romans 8:30).

Until we can perceive the difference between the Seed and the nations of the saved, our understanding of the Scriptures, of God’s eternal purpose, will remain quite shallow. Also, we will complain bitterly over the many tests and suffering that we experience, not recognizing we are being perfected for the purpose of serving God among the nations of the earth.

If we perceive our salvation as a ticket to playing a harp beside a river in the spirit realm we will not cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He creates us an eternally inseparable part of the Divine Seed.

The Seed Is Chosen

There have been some doctrinal disputes about whether people are predestined to be saved. The Scripture teaches that God is not willing any be lost but that all be saved. Every human being is welcome to come to the cross for salvation.

But the members of the Divine Seed, the royal priesthood, are predestined according to the foreknowledge of the Father. Predestination operates on those who have been called to be the brothers of Christ.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be changed into the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

God knew each member of the Seed, of the Body of Christ, before He created the heavens and the earth. God predestined each member in terms of that foreknowledge. Our life on the earth is being guided with exactness. We therefore must lay aside all else and devote our entire attention in order to grasp that for which we have been grasped. Otherwise we will not fulfill our calling.

The election of the Seed always remains an opportunity. Each of the elect has the opportunity to rise to the throne of Christ. But in order to attain this marvelous destiny he must overcome the world, Satan, and his own lusts and self-will. Total victory is possible through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

John, Chapter 17 reveals the power of election operating on the destinies of God’s elect, and also the tremendous wall that separates the Seed from the nations of the earth.

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (John 17:2)

The saints, who are a firstfruits of God’s creatures (James 1:18), will be the first to receive the Life of God in Christ. The elect will receive a double portion of eternal life and then will bring that life to the saved of the earth (Romans 8:21).

Notice that Christ prays for the elect rather than for the nations of the earth:

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. (John 17:9)

The elect are not part of the world.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:16)

The elect have been called to be an eternal part of God.

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21)

From the moment Abraham was called out of Ur of the Chaldees, continuing through the separation of Israel from Egypt to the present hour, the Lord Jesus has been and yet is drawing His elect to Himself. The Divine Seed, the Holy Nation, is being separated from the world and reconciled to God by the Lord’s grace and by a response of faith and obedience on the part of the called individual.

Meanwhile the nations of the earth are awaiting the Day when Jesus will return from Heaven with His saints and establish the Kingdom of God on the earth. Then righteousness, peace, and joy will be brought to the nations.

I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles [nations]; (Isaiah 42:6)

The Servant of the Lord is Christ—Head and Body. One of the tasks of the Servant of the Lord is to bring justice and peace to the nations of the saved, to the nations that remain after Christ judges the nations of the earth.

He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment [justice] in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:4)
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. (Zechariah 14:16)

“Every one that is left,” the surviving nations!

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (Matthew 25:32)

The preceding verse often is preached as though the elect of God are the “nations” and they are saved by ministering to the needs of people in distress. The elect should always minister to the needs of people in distress. But the elect are not saved by ministering to those in need but by entering the salvation that God has provided in Christ for the royal priesthood.

The elect are not the nations gathered before King Jesus. The elect are the “brothers,” of verse 40. The people of the nations will be judged on the basis of how they treated Christ’s brothers, Christ’s witnesses.

The “nations” are the nations, but the “brothers” are the Lord’s witnesses from every age. They are the saints of God. The saints will not be called before Christ at His appearing and judged on the basis of how they treated Christ’s brothers; rather, the saints, God’s holy ones, are judged in this life on the basis of how faithfully they respond to the Divine call that abides on them.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ. (Philippians 3:12)

Two Different Kinds of Separation

Abraham was summoned from Ur of the Chaldees and invited to follow the Lord. Lot was dragged out of Sodom. There is a difference between these two kinds of separation.

We are somewhat familiar with the “Lot” type of calling, of separation. It is a separation from the “city of destruction,” a salvation from the wrath of God.

And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. (Genesis 19:12,13)

The story of Lot is one of the strongest types of salvation from wrath. Before God destroys a “city” He warns us to forsake our sins and uncleanness. We must come out of the city of lust and covetousness. When God goes moves to destroy the city it is too late to repent.

Today God is requiring of all believers that we “come out” of the sins of civilization. We must live a holy life, not touching what is unclean. We must purify ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (II Corinthians 7:1). As soon as God begins exercising His wrath on the sinful cities of our day it will be too late for us to repent. We shall be destroyed with our city.

Every human being is required to believe in Christ, to repent of his sins, and to be baptized in water. This is the Divine means of salvation from God’s wrath.

There is another kind of separation. It is not a salvation from wrath but a separation to God Himself. It is this second separation that is required of each member of God’s elect, His holy priesthood.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: (Genesis 12:1)

How different this is from the separation of Lot from Sodom! Yet, both callings required obedience on the part of the called.

Lot was not called to the ranks of the elect. His was a separation to survival.

Abraham was not called out of Ur because the wrath of God abode on Ur. The angels of God were not going to destroy Ur. Ur was a center of civilization, but it is not written that “the cry of it” was coming up before God (Genesis 18:21).

Abraham was not called to flee from the wrath of God. He was called to leave his country and his father’s house and go to a land God would show to him. Lot was called to forsake the city of sin. Abraham was called to forsake the familiar and to enter the purposes of God—purposes that will culminate in a redemption so glorious that to this day we are aware only of its outlines.

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:2,3)

Such is the Divine blessing abiding on Abraham and on every member of the Seed of Abraham. He who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than any person who is not part of Christ, of the Divine Seed. The feeble member of the Seed will be as David (Zechariah 12:8).

To be called to be a saint is a full-time calling. Many are called but few show the single-mindedness toward Christ that is necessary if we are to pass into the ranks of the chosen. The chosen are tested repeatedly, as was Abraham, until they have been proven beyond doubt to be faithful to Christ unto death. They love not their lives to the death. These make up the firstfruits of the Church. They are a firstfruits to God and the Lamb and for eternity they will follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

From the refined Seed will flow the fullness of the Glory of God until the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. The sons of God will minister judgment and deliverance to the creation.

We hear believers speak of the overcoming life as though we have a choice whether to live victoriously in Jesus or whether to drag along in unconfessed sin. It is important for each Christian to understand that none of us is judged in terms of the callings and gifts of any other individual or group of individuals. The callings of God are totally unique, totally individual.

The person who has been called, as was Abraham, to forsake home and kindred and invited to become part of the Divine Seed, will not be judged on the same basis as members of the nations of the saved. He cannot say to himself, “I do not feel like rising to meet the demands God is placing on me. I will be content with just being saved from wrath.”

He cannot change the call on his life. Either he obeys God or he disobeys God. Whoever disobeys God is committing willful sin and will be judged severely. He is guilty of stubbornness and disobedience.

To whom much is given, of him will much be required. To whom little is given, of him will little be required.

Lot was not called upon to offer his only son (or daughter) to God as a burnt offering. Lot was not judged on the basis of Abraham’s calling; neither was Abraham judged on the basis of Lot’s calling.

The saints are required to present their bodies a living sacrifice to the Lord. The nations of the saved are required to assist and comfort the Lord’s brothers. God will bless those who bless the Seed of Abraham.

There were many liars and thieves in Israel in the days of the Apostles. But Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead by the Spirit of God because of the unique expectations associated with their lives.

Each individual on the earth is obligated to respond to God’s will for his life. If we are called to be a saint, a king and priest of God, a member of Christ’s Body, we cannot complain because God deals endlessly with us. We cannot look at a “Lot” and complain that he is not going through the same ordeals as we.

The “Lots” will be saved if they are willing to flee from the city of sin, but the “Abrahams” are required to surrender their “Isaacs” to God. They are to do so obediently, faithfully, and in the fear of God.

Each member of the Divine Seed has been called to inherit the fullness of God and to be a blessing to the nations of the earth. Each member of the Divine Seed is required to present his body a living sacrifice to God so God’s will may be accomplished perfectly and completely in his life. Nothing short of total, utter consecration is acceptable when one has been called to be a member of the Wife of the Lamb.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1,2)

The Promises to the Seed

The Divine promises to the Seed began with the word given to Abraham in the twelfth chapter of Genesis and continue through to the last chapter of the Book of Revelation. The Spirit of Christ spoke to the elect through the Prophet Isaiah:

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. (Isaiah 41:8,9)

Compare:

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: (I Corinthians 1:26)

This does not mean the “chief men,” the “wise men after the flesh,” are necessarily lost—doomed to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. The goodness or wickedness of the chief men is not at issue here just as the goodness or wickedness of Ur was not in question when Abraham was brought forth.

The Seed is God’s eternal Servant. The Seed is called out from the peoples of the earth in order to reveal the Glory of God to the nations. If the nations obey the glory they behold, repenting and being baptized, they will be saved. When they resist the members of the Seed they are resisting Christ. When they resist Christ they are resisting God Almighty who sent Christ.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; (I Peter 2:9)
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10:40-42)
Having your conversation [behavior] honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:12)

Jesus sends forth the Seed in order to disciple the nations of the earth. The people that obey will be saved. Those who are disobedient will be judged by the Lord.

Go ye therefore, and teach [disciple] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Matthew 28:19)

God desires that the people of the nations of the earth be saved; but in order to be saved they must understand that God has sent Christ and that God loves His elect as He loves His only begotten Son, Christ.

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23)

God walks with His chosen servants as they perform His will in the earth.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

God defends the Seed from their enemies.

Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. (Isaiah 41:12)

God protects His elect from danger, delivering them with supernatural assistance.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:2)

These promises are not given to us because we have been saved from wrath but because we are part of Israel, God’s chosen, God’s Servant.

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. (Isaiah 43:10)

The Abrahamic promises are made to only one Person—the Lord Jesus Christ. They apply to us only as we are part of that one Seed—Christ. The physical Jews are not the recipients of the promises made to Israel, to the Servant of the Lord.

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Galatians 3:16)
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. (Galatians 3:19)

The Various Roles and Tasks of the Seed

To bear witness of God’s Person, will, and ways to the nations of the earth.

I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange God among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. (Isaiah 43:12)
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:15)

To be the eternal House of God, the Temple of God, the place of God’s rest.

Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. (Psalms 68:18)
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (II Corinthians 6:16)
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)

To be the Wife of the Lamb.

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (II Corinthians 11:2)
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. (Revelation 21:9)

To be the sons of God.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)

To be the brothers of Christ.

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17)
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be changed into the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Hebrews 2:11)

To be God’s heirs.

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12)
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29)
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)

To be God’s rulers under Christ.

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Isaiah 32:1)
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:27)
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:6)

To be God’s priests.

And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19:6)
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; (I Peter 2:9)
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)

To be the Body, the fullness of Christ.

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22,23)
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (I Corinthians 12:27)
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (Ephesians 5:30)

To be God’s judges.

Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7:22)
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? (I Corinthians 6:2)
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw 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 his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

To execute the Divine vengeance on sinners and their sin.

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen [nations], and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalms 149:6-9)
And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 4:3)
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 1:14,15)

To be God’s deliverers.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (Isaiah 61:1)
And saviours [deliverers] shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s. (Obadiah 1:21)
Because the creature [creation] itself also shall be delivered [by the revealed sons of God] from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)

To bring justice to the nations of the earth.

Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment [justice]. (Isaiah 32:1)
He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment [justice] in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:4)
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. (Isaiah 11:4)

To teach the nations of the earth.

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. (Psalms 25:9)
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19,20)

To be the servants of the Lord.

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. (Isaiah 41:8)
And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, (II Timothy 2:24)
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (Revelation 22:3)

Let us look once more at these roles and tasks. They are the roles and tasks of the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore of the members of His Body, of the elect, of the Seed of Abraham. As the Father has sent Christ into the world, so has Christ sent His chosen into the world. As Christ is, so are we in the world. Each member of the elect is a coheir with Christ of the Kingdom of God, and is called:

• To bear witness of God’s Person, will, and ways to the nations of the earth.
• To be the eternal House of God, the Temple of God, the place of God’s rest.
• To be a member of Wife of the Lamb.
• To be a son of God.
• To be a brother of Christ.
• To be God’s heir.
• To be God’s ruler under Christ.
• To be God’s priest.
• To be a member of the Body, the fullness, of Christ.
• To be God’s judge.
• To execute the Divine vengeance on sinners and their sin.
• To be God’s deliverer.
• To bring justice to the nations of the earth.
• To teach the nations of the earth.
• To be the servant of the Lord.

As we consider these roles and tasks we can see it is necessary we be changed into the image of Christ and be in perfect union with Him; otherwise it would not be possible for us to fulfill the roles or perform the tasks.

We can see also that some of these roles are for God’s benefit while others extend to the nations of the earth. The mature saint is delivered from self-centeredness. He learns that the greatest joy any individual can experience is to give himself totally and completely to Christ, and then to other people as the Lord directs.

One of the poisons in current Christian teaching is the concept that Christ and God are our servants; that the purpose of salvation is to make us happy, to supply our needs, and to enable us to find self-fulfillment and realize all our potential as an individual.

The Scriptures teach that we are being created the servants of the Lord, the means through which God and Christ will accomplish Their goals. Today the opposite point of view is being stressed. The present-day emphasis on what we can get Christ to do, what we can get from God, proceeds from Satan, from Antichrist. This part of modern Christian teaching is in error, not only in doctrinal particulars but also in its spirit and outlook. It is man-centered.

The greatest harm any member of the Seed of Abraham can do to himself is to save his own life, not being willing to surrender his individual preferences to God’s interests and purposes. It may be noted that the main promises of God concerning Abraham’s Seed are associated with the “slaying” of Isaac (Genesis 22:15-18).

The Christian believer who saves his own life cannot possibly fulfill the roles or perform the tasks of the Kingdom. His religious life will be restricted to the activities of the lukewarm churches.

There are roles we have been called to fulfill and tasks we have been called to perform. None of them is possible if we attempt to preserve our own way before God.

These roles and tasks are eternal, beginning now as the Lord leads and enables us. We are being created God’s eternal servants (Revelation 22:3).

If the destiny of the members of the Body of Christ, the Seed of Abraham, were that we go to the heavenly Paradise, play harps, enjoy our “mansions,” having neither definite roles to fulfill nor definite tasks to perform, it would not be necessary for God to deal with us endlessly concerning the sin and self-seeking in our personality.

If our destiny were to go to Heaven, there to bask forever in the beauty and wonder of Paradise, it would not be necessary for us to be changed into the image of Christ; it would not be necessary for us to enter total union with God through Christ; it would not be necessary for us to be perfected in faith, in hope, in trust, in patience, in the knowledge of the Lord, in absolute obedience to the Father. All these personality developments would be desirable but not absolutely necessary for residence in Paradise.

The reason many of the Lord’s people do not grow into spiritual maturity is they do not know of the roles and tasks that are the inheritance of the Seed of Abraham. They have been taught that the goal of their calling is the attainment of eternal residence in Paradise.

The needs of God and the nations of the earth cannot be met by people who merely are saved and baptized with the Holy Spirit. The needs of God and of mankind can be met only by people who have been delivered from sin and from self-will and who are in union with God through Christ. It is only as we are crucified and Christ lives in us that we can fulfill our role as the Servant of the Lord.

God promised Abraham, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” We who are members of the Body of Christ have the responsibility of cooperating with the Holy Spirit until we are able to fulfill all the roles and tasks God has ordained for the Seed of Abraham.

The Kingdom of God is not waiting for the nations of the earth to stop sinning and serve the Lord. Rather, the nations of the earth are waiting for the elect to lay down their lives so God can make them the instruments He has determined to use to deliver and bless the nations.

The peoples of the earth have been in a spiritual prison from the time of Adam and Eve. Only Christ working through the members of His Body is able to open the massive doors of that prison so the inmates can walk out into the glorious light of God’s Presence and blessing.

(“The Seed and the Nations of the Saved”, 3574-1)