The Priesthood and the People
The Priesthood and the People
Although we may not realize it as yet, the most desirable event in the creation of God is the development of a governing priesthood.
We may have placed attaining to residence in the eternal Paradise as our goal. We would discover, once we were in the present Paradise in Heaven, that we would be neither fulfilled nor happy.
Why is this? It is because the war between good and evil still is being waged. We now may be about halfway through the conflict and looking forward at this time to complete victory.
Until Christ and His Body, the eternal Royal Priesthood, have been brought to the fullness of maturity and are governing the creation with the rod of iron righteousness, there always will be sorrow, pain, confusion, sickness, tragedy, remorse, disobedience to Christ and God, and every other problem.
Consider the world today. Apart from the uproars of nature, the earth, with modifications, including the removal of all disobedience to Christ, would be an ideal home for mankind. Far, far better than the spirit Heaven. That is why Satan made haste to come down here.
"God saw all that He had made, and it was very good."
What then is wrong? It is disobedience to God.
How can this be corrected so we can enjoy the earth?
Only as God brings the members of the Priesthood to personal holiness and obedience, and gives them, under the Lord Jesus Christ, absolute authority and power over all God has made.
What part of the war against evil is being conducted in the present hour?
The issue at the present time is bringing to maturity those who have been chosen to be members of the Body of Christ, the Royal Priesthood, the Church.
So what is the plan?
The purpose of the two thousand years of the Christian Era is to select and train the members of the Royal Priesthood.
God's plan is to conduct an early resurrection, that which will occur when the Lord Jesus returns. At that time a firstfruits of the Priesthood will be changed bodily (resurrected) and be caught up to the staging area in the air.
When the army of saints and the army of angels are prepared fully, the host of Heaven will descend, with the Lord Jesus at the head, and install the Kingdom of God on the earth.
These saints, with the assistance of God's angels, will govern the earth with the rod of iron righteousness for one thousand years, giving the remainder of the Church an opportunity to come to perfection.
When the new Jerusalem, which is the Church, the Bride of the Lamb, the Royal Priesthood, is mature in Christ, God shall create a new earth. Then the new Jerusalem will descend from Heaven and be installed on the new earth.
Such is God's plan. Such is the Kingdom of God. Righteousness, love, joy, and peace, will increase forever.
One can see from this that all depends on the perfecting of the Priesthood, for it is they who will install and maintain Paradise on the earth. Bringing the Priesthood to maturity is our goal at this time.
To bring the current church-people to Heaven would be to bring our worldliness, sin, and self-seeking into the spirit realm. Nothing of value would be accomplished.
Think for a moment about the problems in the world today. Isn't it true that much of the problem comes from the leaders of the nations?
They are immoral, condoning the abortion of infants. The God of Heaven will send disaster on the earth while infants are murdered.
Then there is the practice of homosexuality, the reason God destroyed Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain. God will send disaster on the earth while any form of gender confusion is exhibited.
The worship of money instead of the worship of God will always cause tragedy of all sorts. Our culture is based on competition, but the new world of righteousness will be based on sharing.
The leaders so often are self-seeking, arguing among themselves about the ownership of land, and commerce. There never can be peace while the heads of state are arrogant, egotistical, putting their own welfare above that of the people whom they are supposed to be serving.
This is why a new holy leadership is absolutely necessary if we are to have righteousness, love, joy, and peace.
What would it be like on the earth today if Christ were at the head of the United Nations and His faithful servants were governing the nations of the earth with the rod of iron righteousness, perceiving themselves as the servants of their subjects? Our world would be a happy place indeed.
In order for the new world to be perfect, Christ would have to be formed to some extent in each citizen, young and old. Also, the Spirit of God would need to be very present among us.
In addition, Satan, Antichrist, the False Prophet, all fallen angels, all demons, and every person who would not do the will of Jesus Christ promptly, completely, and cheerfully, would have to be confined in the dungeons of the Lake of Fire.
Next Part Only then could Paradise be restored and maintained.