The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Heavenly Jerusalem, #15

Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, from whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. (Luke 8:35)

When evil spirits leave an individual he has a normal desire to be near to his God. It is only those who are bound by Satan who do not enjoy the Presence of God in Christ.

Do you remember the effect on the Gadarene of his deliverance?

The man of Gadara is a type of the nations of the earth. When the nations are released from the oppression of evil spirits, at the revealing of the sons of God (Romans 8:19), they will desire to "go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob."

The people of Gadara were afraid of the man when he was possessed and afraid when he was released. So it is that the world is a place of fear because of the spirits of sin and rebellion that oppress our flesh. When the power of those spirits is broken, our natural desire is to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His word.

As soon as Satan has been bound and cast from the earth, the nations will desire to be in the Presence of God and receive His blessing.

God's Presence and blessing will be available to all the peoples of the earth through the saints, the members of the Body of Christ.

God is bringing into unity and maturity the Body of Christ so the nations of the earth may have a light by which to see, a deliverer to rid them of the yoke of the oppressor, and a righteous government that will enable them to live in righteousness, peace, and joy on the earth God has given them.

. . . he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: . . . . (Isaiah 2:3)

God through Christ through the members of the Body of Christ will teach the peoples of the earth. The nations are the inheritance of Christ and of the coheirs with Christ. We shall be kings and priests among the nations of the saved, teaching them the ways of the Lord, healing their sicknesses, bringing the Life of Christ to them so they may live in the Presence of God. Such is the destiny of God's saints, His elect. The members of the Body are part of Immanuel—God's Presence among people.

Notice the converted will of earth's people: "We will walk in his paths." God loves a cheerful giver. No one, including the Lord, enjoys working with people who despise what they are doing.

The governments of the earth reject God today because Satan is working in them. As soon as Satan has been cast from the earth the nations will choose to serve the Lord.

God's "paths," in which the nations choose to walk, were announced by the Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew, Chapters Five through Seven). The paths are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

. . . for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)

We understand about parallelism in Hebrew poetry. Nevertheless it may be true that Zion is associated especially with the law, the government, of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Out of Zion shall go forth the law."

To be continued.