"Message About Government

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This chapter will explain the “government” aspect of the kingdom. Other chapters (with many other of my books) primarily address the “salvation” aspect.

Recall that prior to the birth of Jesus, an angel appeared to His mother, Mary. These verses describe this encounter and what she was told: “… the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto … Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, you that are highly favoured.… You shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall REIGN over the house of Jacob forever; and of His KINGDOM there shall be no end” (Luke 1:26-33).

We saw Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom [government] is not of this world.” Pilate asked, “Are you a king then?” Christ responded, “You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world” (John 18:36-37). Jesus Christ was born to be a KING!

Here is what we saw Isaiah prophesied about Christ: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the GOVERNMENT shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, THE PRINCE OF PEACE. Of the increase of His GOVERNMENT and PEACE there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon HIS KINGDOM, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever” (Isa. 9:6-7).

When Christ establishes God’s government on Earth, it will usher in peace for all nations!

All God’s Prophets Preached the Gospel

Earlier, we saw that Peter made an amazing statement of Bible history. He spoke of a time “… when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution [restoration] of all things …” (Acts 3:19-21). Of course, heaven has received Christ “until” the restoration of all things. But this restitution has not yet happened—hence, the word “until.”

In Chapter Two, we discussed that every one (it said “all”) of God’s true servants has preached that the time is coming when Christ will return and “all things” shall be “restored.” Prior to Satan’s rebellion, God’s government was present on Earth.

For thousands of years, God’s servants have foretold the details of its restoration to Earth. You have already seen that all of the Old Testament prophets and others announced, in one fashion or another, the coming of the kingdom of God and the “restitution of all things.” Here is an account in the New Testament, referencing just one of God’s Old Testament spokesmen.

Recall that Jude’s account records the preaching of Noah’s great-grandfather Enoch. This is a direct account of what was spoken almost 4,500 years ago—even before the Flood. Consider the incredible SCOPE of more of this passage: “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly … of all their … deeds which they have … committed, and of all their hard speeches … sinners have spoken against Him” (Jude 14-15).

Get the clear meaning of this passage. The saints (all true Christians) are coming with Christ to judge the world—to judge “all” according to their conduct.

The Bible has much more to say about the kingdom of God than you have supposed. Once again, the truth is absolutely astonishing—even shocking—and you need not be ignorant of it.

Daniel Understood

Just as Enoch understood that the kingdom of God was a literal government that would one day rule over real people and real nations on Earth, so did the prophet Daniel. He held no illusion that the kingdom was merely some kind of “sentimental fluff” or “warm feeling” set up in the “hearts of men.” Through a series of dreams and visions (Dan. 1:17), God used him to explain much special understanding about how and when His kingdom would come to Earth.

All that Daniel was shown was to be “closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (Dan. 12:9). We are NOW in the time of the end—and there are many proofs of this. His message is for us, today! Daniel reported big—TREMENDOUS!—news that will affect you in your lifetime! Earlier, we saw that Daniel also understood and spoke the same gospel Jesus preached—and it is critical that we understand what he said.

Daniel recognized that he was simply a mouthpiece through whom GOD was revealing His Master Plan. In chapter two, he was speaking to the Chaldean (Babylonian) King Nebuchadnezzar about matters that had come to the king in a dream. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of a vast empire that he had ruled approximately six hundred years prior to the time of Christ.

The king’s court magicians were not able to reveal what God could reveal through His prophet Daniel. It was God’s purpose to reveal, through that worldly human king, that there is an Almighty living God who rules the entire universe and all kings, governments, and nations on Earth are ultimately subject to Him. The humanly-wise King Nebuchadnezzar had no knowledge beyond the existence of other human kings and their many false gods. It was the true God’s intention to reveal the existence of HIS government and that it rules the entire universe. He also intended to make plain His SUPREME PURPOSE of bringing that government to the earth “in the latter days.”

Take time to carefully read Daniel 2:28-44. This astonishing and detailed prophecy reveals many things about God’s intention to restore His government to Earth—including the time sequence in which this will happen.

The first several verses describe the image of a giant man. Dan 2:32-33 state, “This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay” (Dan. 2:32-33).

This is obviously an image of a man, but one constructed of four distinct parts. Dan 2:34-35 then describe a supernatural “stone that smote the image [and] became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Dan. 2:34-35). Note that Dan 2:34 states that this stone “was cut out without hands,” because God, not men, had formed it.

The “stone” shattered the image and replaced it, going on to eventually encompass all nations—“the whole earth.” This can only be a description of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD coming to Earth. Daniel is merely announcing the same message of the gospel of the kingdom that Christ preached.

You do not need to believe me, because this is precisely what your Bible states. No one needs to “interpret” this series of verses for you. Just notice Dan 2:37. It plainly states, “You, O king, are a king of kings: for the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory” (Dan. 2:37). Dan. 2:38 clarifies, “Youare this head of gold” (Dan. 2:38). Remember, we must always let the Bible interpret the Bible.

Dan. 2:39-40 go on to describe three successive kingdoms that would follow the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon. These verses show an historic succession of WORLD EMPIRES depicted by different metals of which the giant image (statue) was made. These were literal kingdoms: (1) The Chaldean-Babylonian Empire of gold, (2) the Medo-Persian Empire of silver, (3) the Greco-Macedonian Empire of brass, and (4) the Roman Empire, made of iron mixed with clay in its final appearance. The message from history is that these four kingdoms (empires) ruled, and the fourth kingdom will once more rule and influence the world until the kingdom of God is established on Earth.

God expressly reveals to us now that He is the one who establishes and removes—and establishes and removes, again and again—earthly governments (kingdoms).

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