The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Eternal Purpose of God, #23

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

The thousand-year period is, as we understand it, the time of the spiritual fulfillment of the Day of Atonement, the Day of Reconciliation, the Year of Jubilee. It is the day of union, the day of the Marriage of the Lamb.

The union of the firstfruits with Christ is not limited to a feeble attempt on our part to please Jesus. It is to be a total union, an integration developed in the hottest flames of Divine love and cross-carrying obedience, bonded for eternity by every possible combination of difficulties, pain, faithfulness, patience, and Divine Glory.

Since it does not appear likely that such an arena of temptation and testing exists in the realm of spirits, it may be true that the greater part of the Church, which we think will be brought into a more perfect union with Christ during the thousand-year period, will never experience the intensity of union with Jesus, or the strength of rulership, that are capable of being developed during the discipleship of the saint on the earth.

We know from the last chapter of the Song of Solomon that the Bride has immature sisters who are in need of assistance. But the Apostles of the Lamb are not immature sisters who are in need of assistance. The Apostles of the Lamb will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. It is obvious that there are markedly different levels of inheritance in the Kingdom of God depending on one's diligence in responding to the invitation of Christ.

He who overcomes shall inherit all things. (Revelation 21:7)

God is not satisfied with the intensity of our union with Himself until every atom of our personality and behavior is found in God and God is found in every atom of our personality and behavior. Such total union results in a loss of our individuality and an enhancing of our identity.

We are becoming one in Christ in God just as Christ and God are One. The name of God will be engraved in us. The name of the city of God will be engraved in us. The new name of Christ will be engraved in us.

How will we appear to the nations of saved peoples of the earth? We will appear as the priests of the Lord, as the covenant of the Lord with man, as the revelation of God Himself.

It always has been God's desire that Israel, His elect, be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests. God wants us to be separated to Himself and to be holy and pure.

God is making every member of Body of Christ a servant, a witness, a king, and a deliverer.

To be continued.