The Daily Word of Righteousness

Four Aspects of the Kingdom of God, #2

Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. (Psalms 98:7-9)

The coming of the outer Kingdom was announced by the Hebrew Prophets:

When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord. (Psalms 102:22)

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 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. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:2-4)

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

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)

The coming of the inner Kingdom was proclaimed by the Lord Jesus and His Apostles:

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:23)

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, (Galatians 4:19)

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)

The parables of the Lord Jesus describe the inner Kingdom (such as the parable of the sower—Matthew 13:3) and also His return in the glory of the outer Kingdom (such as the parable of the talents—Matthew 25:14).

A willingness to suffer and the determination to overcome all opposition are required of all who are elected to rule in the Kingdom of God. If we suffer with Him we will reign with Him. All the rulers must drink the cup of suffering, must be imprisoned until all self-rule has been destroyed out of them, and must be baptized with the fires of Divine judgment.

To be continued.