The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Judaic-Christian Salvation, #25

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:6)

Disobedience in a priest of God is an abomination. Men will burn with fire the members of the elect who have been disobedient to God.

Men will gather them. Men will cast them into the fires of torment. In the last days the ten kings who give their power and strength to the Antichrist will burn the whore, the great worldwide religious organization, with fire (Revelation 17:16).

The thousand-year Kingdom Age. "And shall reign with him a thousand years." The Lord Jesus and His firstfruits will govern the works of God's hands in accordance with the original Divine edict concerning the role of man in the universe (Psalms 8:6).

Let us think now about the thousand-year Kingdom Age. What is its significance? What part does it play in solving the problem of disobedience? Why is it necessary to insert this period of time before we can enter the glory of the new heaven and earth reign of Christ?

The term Millennium may be employed to denote the Kingdom Age mentioned in Revelation 20:6. However, this writer tends to avoid the word Millennium because it has come to signify a time of great happiness and prosperity for people. During the Kingdom Age there indeed shall be peace and glory such as the world never has seen. But the peace and glory will come about only as the nations are taught obedience; and the nations of the saved will be taught obedience by force, by the smashing of their will to resist Christ, and then by their being instructed in the laws of God. They will be required to strictly obey God's King, Christ in all matters, and Christ will govern them through His saints.

As we understand it, the Kingdom Age is to be considered as one "day." It is the spiritual fulfillment of the Levitical Day of Atonement. It is the "third day," during which the Body of Christ will be brought to perfection.

Reconciliation to God. The word atonement means reconciliation. The Day of Atonement is the Day of Reconciliation to God. In order to be reconciled to God we must learn obedience at the deepest level of our personality. The Judaic-Christian salvation includes the reconciliation to God of His disobedient children.

We think that the Kingdom Age is the spiritual fulfillment of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27), while the new heaven and earth reign of Christ is the spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus, Chapter 23:34).

The Kingdom Age will be a "Davidic" reign, including much warfare, bloodshed, and conquest—especially at the beginning. The Kingdom Age will terminate in a world-wide rebellion against the saints. The new heaven and earth reign of Christ will be a "Solomonic" reign of peace and glory—a peace and glory made possible by the wars and conquests of the preceding "Davidic" rule of Christ.

To be continued.