The Presence of Christ
When Adam and Eve sinned, the Presence of God withdrew from the Garden of Eden. God indeed had walked there, enjoying the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8).
Because of sin, God withdrew from the company of those whom He had created. God never will abide where there is sin and rebellion. The only reason God can walk in fellowship with us today is that the blood of Christ covers our unrighteousness, our uncleanness, and our disobedience.
God separated Himself from mankind. People soon recognized that we humans cannot live without the Life and help of God. Men began to "call upon the name of the Lord" in prayer, just as we do today (Genesis 4:26). Mankind discovered that it is not difficult to lose God’s Presence but it can be extremely difficult to receive Him back again.
In the Day of the Lord, however, God will be able to draw near to the earth through His Church, His living Temple. Mankind will walk under an open Heaven. People will be able through the Church to see God and hear His voice. Death will be driven from the earth along with sin. Those who accept the rule of Christ over them will eventually have access to the Tree of Life.
We can observe the Kingdom Age operating in the Life of Christ on the earth. In Christ, all people could see and hear God. Jesus cast death out of several people while He was here. Men, women, boys, and girls had access to God through Him. Each person who received Him as Lord and Saviour received eternal life.
It always is God’s will that we receive more of the Presence of the Father and the Son in ourselves. As we do we are able to bring, to each person who chooses to receive it, the Divine Life that is in Christ.
We must seek the Lord so He will command us to bring His Presence into the world today.
And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 25:7,8)
The Church will bring forth the fruit of Christ now and throughout the thousand-year Kingdom Age.
He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. (Isaiah 27:6)
The authority and power of Christ in His saints will enable them to purge the earth of all unrighteousness.
And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. (Isaiah 28:6)
The Millennial Jubilee will be a Pentecost of Pentecost's.
Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. (Isaiah 32:15)
The preceding verse means the Presence of the Holy Spirit will be so abundant and widespread that those who are weak spiritually will grow and flourish and those who are strong spiritually will become towers of glory and strength in the Lord.
Sickness and sin will be driven from the earth during the Jubilee.
And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. (Isaiah 33:24)
Nature will be touched with Divine Glory.
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. (Isaiah 35:1)
Holy conduct will be established in the earth.
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. (Isaiah 35:8)
The above aspects of the Kingdom of God become increasingly true concerning us as we press into Christ. The Kingdom is at hand and the diligent and courageous are laying hold on it. You can too.
The Lord Jesus Christ does not change. His Presence is the Day of the Lord. Christ Himself is the Divine Standard, the Plumb Line, the Divine Pattern. All mankind must be brought into conformity with His desires and He must become central in all creatures, things, and activities. His laws, ways of doing, likes, and dislikes are to be taught throughout the earth. Rebellion against Him ultimately shall be crushed.
There will be no hesitation during the Kingdom Age when it comes to bringing to pass the will of the Almighty Christ. He comes to us now in gentleness, wooing us, inviting us to go His way. In many instances His representatives suffer at the hands of those who desire to force their own will and way on people.
At the onset of the Kingdom Age Christ will spring on the leaders and the rich of the world, striking terror into their hearts.
Even those closest to Him will stand back in astonishment. When the Apostle John, who was as close to the Lord Jesus as most men, and who wrote, "perfect love casts out fear," saw Christ in His Glory, he promptly "fell at his feet as dead" (Revelation 1:17).
One does not come flippantly into the Presence of the most dreadful Power in the universe, assuming that He is pleased with all that we are doing, saying, and thinking. It is best that we work out our own salvation "with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12).
There is a spirit of lightness and of over familiarity with Christ among the Christian people of our time. This attitude is not seemly, it is not realistic, it is spiritually dangerous.
Christ is not some acquaintance to whom we say, Hey, Jesus when we want His attention.
The Lord Jesus is loving and does not turn away the presumptuous new convert, just as a ruler of today does not drive a baby from his presence because the baby does not show proper respect and subservience. Nevertheless it is not a good idea to come before the supremely powerful Emperor of the universe without showing due respect. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
It is encouraging to know that Christ will not become discouraged, He shall prevail ultimately. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:4)
At the last trumpet the victorious saints will be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air in preparation for His entry into the earth in avenging fire. We shall return with Him and the nations of the saved will come to us to be judged, delivered, and taught.
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, give up; and to the south, keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. (Isaiah 43:5-7)
Speaking of the time when God will bring His whole Church into unity and maturity (and each believing saint into victory now), Isaiah proclaims:
Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. (Isaiah 44:23)
The preceding verse is referring to the release of the creation at the manifestation of the sons of God. Yet, these promises are true for us today as we press into Christ, into the Kingdom of God.
Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. (Isaiah 49:8-13)
The governments of the earth are to be brought into submission to Christ in His Church.
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. (Isaiah 49:23)
Nature rejoices when the Lord God returns to the earth.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12)
When Jesus comes, the curse of thorns and thistles (the things that plague the inhabitants of the earth) will be lifted and the earth will become the paradise that God intends it should be. We may suffer for a season as God is perfecting us. Eventually, however, righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit will prevail in our life. This is the coming of the Kingdom of God.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. (Isaiah 55:13)
Isaiah, Chapters 60-62 portrays the coming and characteristics of the Kingdom of God. The darker our environment becomes the greater is the opportunity for the light of God’s Glory to arise on us.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:2)
Christ will come "suddenly from heaven." The rule of peace will descend with Christ and His army. The righteousness of God bringing redemption with it will be brought down from above and imposed on the earth.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:1)
The Light of Christ coming on a church or an individual results in an ingathering of souls into the Kingdom:
Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles [nations] shall come unto thee. (Isaiah 60:5)
It is God’s will that every member of His household conduct himself in a righteous and holy manner; that there be no more sin and disobedience in His Church.
Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. (Isaiah 60:21)
The anointing of the Holy Spirit on Christ and on the members of His Body brings about the redemption of the peoples of the earth, and the deliverance of the earth itself. The release always is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit and will commence with the members of His Body. Jesus announced this fact two thousand years ago:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,... (Isaiah 61:1,2)
At this point Jesus stopped because now He must wait "until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth" (Micah 5:3). The Body of the Deliverer must be created before the Day of Vengeance of our God can be brought to pass in the earth.
As soon as "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 the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13), the remainder of Isaiah, Chapter 61 can be announced:
. . . and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:2,3)
Chapter 61 proceeds to describe the work of restoring the "former desolations" and the "waste cities." God’s elect, the living stones of His Temple, have become "trees [oaks] of righteousness." The peoples of the earth will refer to the Christians as "the Priests of the Lord," "the Ministers of our God."
And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles [nations], and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. (Isaiah 61:9)
The following verse is the response of the Christian to his being clothed with his "house from heaven,"
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)
The Seed of Christ is being sown now throughout the earth. In every corner of the world, missionaries have brought and yet are bringing the Life of Christ to all who will receive.
The past two thousand years have been a period of sowing. However, there will come a day when the Seed of Christ comes to harvest. As harvest time arrives, all evildoers and every vestige of their person and ways will be driven from the Kingdom of God.
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (Matthew 13:40) For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:11)
Our response as Christians to the vision of the coming Jubilee should be a giving of ourselves wholly to the King who rules the Kingdom, to do His will at every moment, day and night.
For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. (Isaiah 62:1)
And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem [the Israel of God, the Christian Church] a praise in the earth. (Isaiah 62:7)
The proclamation has come from Christ:
Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. (Isaiah 62:11)
The Kingdom Age will be a thousand years of the righteous rule of God in Christ in and with the saints over the nations of saved peoples of the earth. As we understand it, the nation of Israel especially will be blessed. During the Day of the Lord the meek will receive back their inheritance in the earth. The receiving of their inheritance will be possible because the Redeemer—Christ, Head and Body—will plead their cause.
The Word of God will issue from the mouth of Christ and His Body under such an anointing of the Spirit of God that it will carry unlimited authority and power.
The Word of Christ contains in it the force that created the galaxies of stars in their positions in outer space. When the Day of God arrives, the Word of God coming from the mouth of Christ and His brothers, the conquering saints, will impose control over the activities of the peoples of the nations. Any individual who resists the Word of Christ in that day will be overcome, just as Ananias and Sapphira fell dead before the servants of Christ.
The Word of God when uttered in the Spirit of God has the force to move everybody and everything in front of it. Who on the earth will be able to resist the word of command that roars from Christ in His Church?
The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. (Joel 3:16)
The judgment of God against wicked spirits, and against people who yield to the unclean spirits, proceeds from Christ and His Bride. This has been true throughout Church history, is increasing in power today, and will increase in scope in the future until the full expression of the authority and power of judgment is exhibited at the installation of the Jubilee.