The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Heavenly Jerusalem, #4

Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:10,11)

The above passage seems to point toward the working of the Lord with His people—particularly during the thousand-year Kingdom Age:

The setting of the above passage appears to be the thousand-year Kingdom Age in that the Lord Jesus has come with His "reward." Christ feeds His flock at this time, gathers the "lambs" with His arm and carries them in His bosom, and gently leads the nursing ewes.

This may be a picture of the Lord working with His people at all levels of spiritual maturity. "His arm" may refer to the victorious saints to whom He gives the responsibility and opportunity to teach and guide the weaker members of the Church. It is a Kingdom principle that the strong assist the weak wherever possible.

Notice that the coming of the Lord (we believe in one coming, not two) will bring healing to those who are sick:

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2)

As to the different levels of spiritual maturity, and the Lord's attitude toward those of lesser growth:

We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar. (Song of Solomon 8:8,9)

Speaking of the two immature levels of spiritual development, the sixtyfold and the thirtyfold, the Spirit of Christ indicates that such will be strengthened and fortified. The immature will become a "palace of silver," or "barricaded with planks of cedar."

When the overcoming life in Christ is preached, the question often arises: "What happens to the Christian who is not an overcomer?"

Our answer is: the non-overcomer will be judged. The Christian who does not achieve victory through Christ over the world, Satan, and his lusts and self-will, will be judged according to his actions in the world. If Christ judges him to be worthy of eternal life he will be taught the righteous ways of the Kingdom of God—perhaps by his fellow saints who did overcome while serving Christ during their pilgrimage on the earth.

The ministries given by the ascended Christ will continue to operate until the whole Church has come to the fullness of the Lord.

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of [maturity as measured by] the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:13)

To be continued.