View source for The City of Peace, Finally!

'''[[Greatest Phrase Ignored]]'''
----
'''Back to [[1The Bible’s Greatest Prophecies Unlocked!]]'''
----
The capital city of the modern Jewish  nation of Israel is Jerusalem. Though this  city has known nothing but war, strife and bitter division throughout its  history, its name means &ldquo;<em>city of peace</em>.&rdquo; This is because Christ  will return there to establish His kingdom. The&nbsp;<em>Prince of Peace</em>&nbsp;will  rule from the&nbsp;<em>City of Peace</em>.  Beginning in this single city, peace will spread around the world (Isa.  2:1-4;&nbsp;Micah  4:1-4). Eventually, it will &ldquo;break out&rdquo;  everywhere!<br>
  
Final, true—permanent—world peace and  prosperity will come in your lifetime. It is as certain as the Word of God! In  the end, the world will&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;be disappointed! Awesome news lies  ahead.<br>
  
Most assume that God is trying to save  the world now—that&nbsp;<em>today</em>&nbsp;is the only opportunity for salvation  for all mankind. The whole world has been deceived about salvation and the most  important questions and answers of life. Most people have no idea&nbsp;<em>why</em>&nbsp;they  were born—<em>why</em>&nbsp;they were put on Earth. No wonder they do not  understand why man cannot find peace, happiness, health and abundance on his  own.<br>
  
We must ask: When Jesus  establishes His world-ruling government, who else might be part of the  structure He establishes? If the governments of men require the efforts of  many, who assist a supreme leader, is God&rsquo;s government different? No!<br>

<strong>Daniel</strong><strong> Is Plain</strong><br>
Let&rsquo;s examine some of what the prophet Daniel recorded about God&rsquo;s kingdom.<br>
  
Just before Jesus&rsquo;  Return, God officially grants Him the authority to rule the world to which He  is returning. Notice: &ldquo;There was&nbsp;<em>given</em>&nbsp;Him dominion, and  glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve  Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and  His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed&rdquo; (Dan 7:14).<br>
  
Again we ask whether Christ  rules alone, or are others to rule with Him? Exactly&nbsp;<em>how</em>&nbsp;does  God intend to manage all the peoples and nations of Earth?<br>
  
More verses in&nbsp;Daniel  7:1-28&nbsp;are critical to understand:  &ldquo;But&nbsp;<em>the saints</em>&nbsp;of the Most High shall&nbsp;<em>take the  kingdom</em>, and&nbsp;<em>possess the kingdom</em>&nbsp;forever, even forever and  ever&rdquo; (Dan 7:18).<br>
  
Believe this  verse for what it says! The ultimate calling of Christians is  to join with Christ to share rulership in the kingdom of God over&nbsp;all&nbsp;nations and&nbsp;all&nbsp;peoples.  Truly, Christ will be &ldquo;King&nbsp;<em>of kings</em>and  Lord&nbsp;<em>of lords</em>&rdquo; (Rev. 19:16).<br>
  
These other kings and lords can be you  or anyone willing to accept God&rsquo;s terms for entering His kingdom.<br>
  
What could be plainer? No wonder Jesus  stated, &ldquo;And he that&nbsp;<em>overcomes</em>, and keeps My works unto the end, to  him will I give&nbsp;<em>power over the nations</em>: and he shall&nbsp;<em>rule  them</em>&nbsp;with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be  broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father,&rdquo; (Rev.  2:26-27), and, &ldquo;To him that&nbsp;<em>overcomes</em>&nbsp;will  I grant to sit with Me&nbsp;<em>in My throne</em>...&rdquo; (Rev 3:21).<br>
  
Luke 1:32&nbsp;revealed Christ  will sit in Jerusalem  on the Throne of David. When Christ Returns, the saints will rule&nbsp;<em>with</em>&nbsp;Him—<em>on  Earth</em>!—as spirit-composed beings in the kingdom of God.<br>

<strong>How Much Longer?</strong><br>
All want to know&nbsp;<em>when</em>&nbsp;Christ will return. This is why the disciples asked Him,  &ldquo;What shall be the sign of Your coming?&rdquo; (Matt. 24:3).<br>
  
Just a few weeks later, in&nbsp;Acts  1:1-26, prior to Jesus&rsquo; final ascension back  into heaven, the disciples proved they still did not either understand or  really accept His previous explanation. So they probed further. Notice:  &ldquo;...they asked of Him, saying, Lord, will You&nbsp;<em>at this time</em>&nbsp;restore  again the kingdom to Israel?  And He said unto them,&nbsp;<em>It is not for you to know the times or the  seasons</em>, which the Father has put in His own power&rdquo; (Ac 1:6-7).<br>
  
But this book has removed all doubt of  whether time is&nbsp;<em>very</em>&nbsp;short!<br>
  
Think. The New Testament Church was to  be established just&nbsp;<em>10 days</em>&nbsp;after this encounter (read&nbsp;Acts  2:1). Why would Jesus  answer, &ldquo;it is not for you to know the times or the seasons&rdquo; if God&rsquo;s kingdom  was to be the Church—as so many millions believe!—which was to be almost  immediately established on Pentecost just&nbsp;<em>10 days later</em>?<br>
  
The same is true for us today. We  cannot know&nbsp;<em>exactly</em>&nbsp;when Christ&rsquo;s  kingdom will come, but we can now know a very close approximation. At the end  of Luke&rsquo;s long prophecy that parallels&nbsp;Matthew 24:1-51, Jesus stated, &ldquo;<em>When</em>&nbsp;you see these  things come to pass, know you that the kingdom of God is [near] at hand&rdquo; (Luke  21:31).<br>
  
Jesus&nbsp;<em>did</em>&nbsp;want His disciples to know  that &ldquo;you shall receive&nbsp;<em>power</em>, after that the Holy Spirit is come  upon you&rdquo; (Acts 1:8)—but&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;to  know&nbsp;<em>precisely</em>&nbsp;when the kingdom would arrive. The same is true  for all who are converted today. They&nbsp;<em>can</em>&nbsp;know that they will  receive&nbsp;power&nbsp;now to  grow and overcome—and to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God,  until He does return.<br>
  
False teachers almost universally  proclaim that the kingdom   of God is&nbsp;<em>now</em>&nbsp;on  Earth. They contradict the Christ they profess to  follow.<br>

<strong>Not Activists</strong><br>
True Christians are not activists  seeking to &ldquo;make&nbsp;<em>this</em>&nbsp;world a better place&rdquo;—thereby bringing  God&rsquo;s kingdom to Earth. They have their &ldquo;<em>feet shod</em>&nbsp;with the  preparation of the&nbsp;<em>gospel of peace</em>&rdquo; (Eph.  6:15). They walk through life having their  &ldquo;feet&rdquo; covered with the knowledge of how the true gospel spells the&nbsp;<em>only  way</em>&nbsp;to final world peace. They understand with certainty that the kingdom of God—bringing &ldquo;government&nbsp;<em>and  peace</em>&rdquo; (Isa. 9:7)—<em>is</em>&nbsp;coming. They know what  lies ahead for this world. They do not go off to serve and kill in the endless,  futile wars of men and nations—or participate in the affairs of failing, doomed  governments.<br>
  
They do not take matters into their own  hands, and try to supposedly &ldquo;spread the kingdom&rdquo;—or, the more popular term,  get involved in &ldquo;kingdom-building&rdquo;—thereby attempting to neutralize God&rsquo;s  purpose, which is to show man that he is not capable of governing himself!<br>
  
How can one spread what is not yet  here?<br>
  
All who understand the truths of this  book are no longer in the dark about God&rsquo;s Plan—or their awesome potential role  within it. A new world order&nbsp;<em>is</em>&nbsp;coming—but it is far from  what&nbsp;<em>men</em>&nbsp;are planning.<br>
  
Citing&nbsp;Isaiah  52:7, Paul  also recorded, &ldquo;How beautiful are&nbsp;<em>the feet</em>&nbsp;of them that preach  the&nbsp;<em>gospel of peace</em>, and bring glad tidings [good news] of good  things.&rdquo; He further cited Isaiah: &ldquo;But they have not all&nbsp;<em>obeyed</em>&nbsp;the  gospel. For Isaiah said, Lord,&nbsp;<em>who has believed our report</em>?&rdquo; (Rom.  10:15-16).<br>
  
Sadly, most people will&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;believe  &ldquo;God&rsquo;s report&rdquo; of what lies ahead for civilization. They will&nbsp;<em>not </em>believe  that they are unable to bring world peace through human effort. Many will shout  &ldquo;Peace, peace&rdquo;—and most will eagerly continue believing their false predictions,  even in the face of abject failure.<br>
  
The professing Christians of this world  will continue desperately striving to bring about the kingdom of God  and world peace through organizations and efforts of men. Deceived religious  leaders will tell them that this is their &ldquo;Christian duty.&rdquo; Vast numbers will  see this as the sole mission of their church.<br>
  
I repeat, this is not God&rsquo;s world! The  devil governs a vast realm of fallen spirits. Together, they deceive, confuse  and exert far-reaching influence over&nbsp;<em>all</em>&nbsp;the governments and  activities on Earth, including the many religions of men. Get this! These  governments cannot be fixed or improved. They must be removed!—by God!<br>
  
But understand. True Christians never  disobey—or resist—civil authority—unless that authority directly instructs them  to disobey the higher authority of God (Acts 5:29). Christians&nbsp;<em>never </em>participate in  protests or demonstrations, even non-violent ones, never mind violent ones—or  participate in&nbsp;<em>any</em>&nbsp;form of war, which is of course always much  more violent. Not ever! Remember Jesus  said, &ldquo;My kingdom is&nbsp;<em>not of this world</em>: if My kingdom&nbsp;<em>were</em>&nbsp;of  this world,&nbsp;<em>then</em>&nbsp;would My servants fight, that I should not be  delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom&nbsp;<em>not from hence</em>[meaning,  from&nbsp;<em>here</em>—this world]&rdquo; (John 18:36). But understand. Participating in the governments  of men and obeying or submitting to them are entirely different matters.  Christians do not confuse the two! They yield to—as very&nbsp;<em>models</em>&nbsp;of  obedience—men&rsquo;s governments at&nbsp;<em>every level</em>.&nbsp;Romans  13:1-7, among other scriptures, explain what  God expects.<br>
  
Millions are looking for peace and security  around every corner—but they will be bitterly disappointed—in the&nbsp;<em>short  term</em>. This is because world conditions, leading into a final devastating  period of worldwide calamity, will get&nbsp;<em>infinitely worse</em>&nbsp;before  they ultimately get better.<br>
----
'''[[Greatest Phrase Ignored]]'''
----
'''Back to [[1The Bible’s Greatest Prophecies Unlocked!]]'''