The trials can become severe. Kings are not made in paradise. Even the Lord Jesus, the Greatest of all, was perfected and learned obedience in the fiery furnace of earth.

How much more then shall we suffer as the self-will is beaten out of our personality and we come up out of the wilderness leaning on our beloved.

So few, it seems, are willing to wait on the Lord and trust Him to this extent. Yet these, and these alone, are qualified to return with Him and go about the business of installing the Kingdom of God on the earth.

Conclusion

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6,7—NIV)

We are heading toward a Kingdom so glorious we cannot imagine the least part of it. Each believer who overcomes will inherit all this glory. Overcoming is a matter of grasping the truths of the Scriptures and choosing to obey them in the Spirit of God. Overcoming is not a matter of power. Christ retains all power. It is a matter of choosing truth and living it with the help of the Lord.

The rewards for choosing to obey God's truth are assuredly not within my ability to convey even if I knew them all. But I do know that those who have set aside their own joys and hopes, have taken up their own cross, and have followed the Master patiently day after day, year after year, to the very end, will awaken to glory that cannot be imagined today.

"To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given." This alone is what is important. Man has made a religion of Christianity. The Christian religion (when it is not opposing the Son) is nothing more than a scaffolding that shall be done away in time.

All that matters is the Son. He who has the Son has all the things of God. He who does not have the Son has nothing of eternal value.

The government is on the shoulders of the Son. Eden demonstrated what will inevitably take place when Paradise is not guarded by righteous government. This is why there is a wall surrounding the holy city. This is why we who trust God suffer throughout our lifetime. It is so the self-will of Satan may be destroyed out of our personality and stern obedience to the Father created in its place.

There must be a righteous government of iron determination and strength that rules all the works of God's hands for eternity.

The government of Jesus Christ will increase for eternity. As a result, peace will increase for eternity.

There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5—NIV)

The saints, under Jesus Christ, will govern God's creation forever—ages without end.

To be continued.