the Word of God - A Survey of the Bible - Part Seventeen - B Sep 08, 2019 by: John Herbert | Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Audio Study Notes PDF https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T005_20190908.mp3 Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. We will today look at the heavenly inheritance that comes with the 'better' resurrection. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday September 8th 2019 The Word of God A Survey of the Bible – Lesson 17B ‘What More Shall I Say?’ 1). Heb 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. We had seen last time that there are a number of OT saints, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who are recipients of both a heavenly and an earthly calling. And these OT saints who had received and believed that which God had said with regards to an earthly and heavenly inheritance during the 7th Day, set the course of their lives towards the heavenly inheritance which God had promised – Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Abraham along with Isaac and Jacob dwelt in the earthly land, the land of Canaan that they are to receive as an inheritance. a). But even though this land was covenanted to them and God will be faithful to give it to them, they dwelt there ‘as in a foreign country’, as ’strangers and pilgrims’, because it was not this land on which their heart was set, but the better country, the heavenly country with the’ city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God.’ b). And for this heavenly city and this heavenly country they were prepared to wait and continue to wait even now – Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. How great then is this heavenly inheritance that these individuals would turn their backs on the world and all that it could offer them and would happily embrace their physical death in the certainty that God would be faithful to His promise no matter how long they would have to wait for it – Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. And then we are told of other OT saints who patiently endured the most horrific affliction, torture, destitution and even death that they ‘might obtain a better resurrection’. c). For all who have physically died, bodily resurrection will be the most extraordinary experience, but for these OT saints they looked to attain something better still. They knew that they would die without receiving God’s promises and would have to wait for the time when they would be realized, and they knew they would have to be resurrected in order to receive them, but they also knew that there was something beyond bodily resurrection which was so great that they would endure anything to attain it. d). And we had also seen last time that the ‘better resurrection’ and the promise of a better country, a heavenly country go hand in hand. e). The better resurrection is intimately connected to the heavenly inheritance, the very thing that God had spoken at various times and in various ways to the fathers by the prophets. f). This is the same heavenly inheritance that the Lord had offered to the nation of Israel at His first advent, but for that generation the heavenly inheritance was neither prized nor valued. g). Whereas some OT saints embraced death rather than lose it, this wayward generation of Jews embraced God’s wrath rather than accept it. h). Consequently, as we know, because of the nation’s rejection, the heavenly inheritance was taken from national Israel for all time – Mt 21:43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. Beyond the removal of the Kingdom of the Heavens from national Israel, the nation can never again have access to this realm of the Kingdom. It has gone from national Israel for all time. i). Even though the Jewish nation that will come alive out of the Great Tribulation will be counted as faithful, being both cleansed and restored, they cannot have access to that which had been previously taken from the nation. j). But those OT saints who embraced the heavenly inheritance prior to Israel’s rejection cannot be denied it. Faith will always receive a just recompense of reward and God is not a man that He would lie or a son of man that He would repent – 2 Cor 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. And so we saw that beyond the bodily resurrection of all the OT saints, both faithful and unfaithful, in fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits and the regathering of all those resurrected and those coming alive out of the Great Tribulation, in fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets at the wilderness of the peoples, there would be judgment where the faithful will be separated from the unfaithful – Eze 20:37 “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38 I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. The faithful will then be taken into the land covenanted to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And having returned physically to the land neither the OT saints nor the Jews coming alive out of the Great Tribulation would be strangers and pilgrims in the land. It will no longer be as a foreign country, but the land of their inheritance. k). For the OT saints though, also in possession of a heavenly inheritance, the earthly land will not be their final destination. Having received the earthly land as their inheritance in fulfillment of God’s promise Ge 13:14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. These OT saints will then be removed from among the rest of the faithful into the heavens, experiencing the better resurrection to which their lives had been dedicated, to receive their heavenly inheritance. l). And this inheritance, as for faithful Christians, is a position of rulership from the heavens over the earth during the Millennial Kingdom. m). Unlike Christians however, the rule of these OT saints will be over the land of their earthly inheritance – the land of Israel. They will rule from the heavens through counterparts in the land of Israel on the earth. n). Heb 2:5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. The inhabited world in the age to come will not be in subjection to angels. Michael is the chief angel over the nation of Israel at present – Da 10:21 But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince. And even though Michael and those with him did not rebel with Satan – Rev 12:7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, It still holds true that in the age to come it will be men and not angels who will rule from the heavens. o). These OT saints will be the ones who will rule in the place of Michael and his angels and there are others who will also occupy these positions with them. 2). Lk 13:28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. We see in Luke’s Gospel, just as we had seen in Matthew’s, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the heavenly realm of the Kingdom, the realm from which national Israel has been ‘thrust out’. a). We also see along with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Luke, ‘all the prophets’. And so, all the OT prophets are to be counted among the OT saints who will receive the heavenly inheritance – 1 Pe 1:10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. Now with the prophets in mind let’s turn to Acts Chapter 2 – Acts 2:29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, King David was a prophet as well as a king and as such he will have a place of rulership in the heavens. But if we go to Ezekiel we also see the resurrected David as king in Jerusalem – Eze 37:23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 24 “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. 25 Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. As we can see the Scriptures clearly place David in both realms of the Kingdom, ruling over Israel from the heavens and ruling among Israel from his own throne in Jerusalem on the earth. b). This duality of rulership is something we also see in relation to Christ, who will rule from His own throne in the New Jerusalem and from David’s throne in the earthly Jerusalem – Lk 1:32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. Re 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. It is clear then that David will exercise rulership with Christ within both realms of the governmental structure of the Millennial Kingdom. And given what is recorded about David’s rule in the Kingdom Age, it would seem that he will come directly under Christ, but over the other rulers over Israel. c). Mt 19:28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. According to Matthew’s Gospel the 12 Apostles will also rule from the heavens over the nation of Israel. It would seem that the 12 will receive their authority from the Lord, presumably through David who will rule directly under Christ. d). So then, with respect to rulership over Israel from the heavens during the Millennial Kingdom their seems to be a specific order. e). The Christ of course rules over all – then comes David who will also rule from both realms of the Kingdom. After David come the 12 Apostles and after the Apostles the OT saints. Such is the way that the government of Israel from the heavens appears to be organized. 3). There will also be a similar governmental structure from the heavens over the earth with respect to the Gentile nations. And those that we will be most familiar with in respect of this are Christians – Re 2:26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations 27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels’—as I also have received from My Father; Re 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. And as we know, those Christians who qualify for these positions of rulership will occupy various degrees of authority as pictured in – Lk 19:17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ 19 Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’ Christians are not the only ones who will rule from the heavens over the Gentile nations – Re 12:5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. From our previous weeks of study, we will remember that the ‘male child’ is the 144000 Jews sealed as a result of the ministry of the 2 witnesses in Jerusalem during the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation. These are the ones who will preach ‘this gospel of the Kingdom’ to the Gentile nations during the 3 ½ years of the Great Tribulation. a). And we can see from Revelation 12:5 that this group is to ‘rule all nations with a rod of iron’ – all nations being Gentile nations as Israel is not to be reckoned among the nations. b). The 12 Apostles who proclaimed the gospel of the Kingdom to Israel for approximately 3 ½ years at the Lord’s first advent will occupy positions of rulership, as we have seen, over Israel. The 144000, 12000 from each tribe of Israel, who will preach the gospel of the Kingdom to the Gentile nations also for approximately 3 ½ years immediately prior to the Lord’s second coming will occupy positions directly under Christ over the Gentile nations. c). We may also include the Tribulation Martyrs in rulership from the heavens over the Gentile nations of the earth – Re 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the same ‘great multitude which no one could number’ previously seen in Revelation Chapters 6 and 7 who had been slain for ‘the word of God and the testimony which they held’ as a result of the ministry of the 144000. d). The scene in Revelation 20 is in heaven and this group is clearly said to ‘reign with Christ for a thousand years.’ What we see in Revelation Chapter 20 is all that is said about their rule but, given the setting, it would be likely that they will rule from the heavens, but this is not specifically stated. e). The counterparts to the Tribulation Martyrs who come alive out of the Great Tribulation are the ones seen at the sheep and goats judgment recorded in Matthew Chapter 25 and the faithful from this group are told to ‘inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’. As this setting is earthly and inheritance is the focus, it would seem likely that these individuals would hold positions within the Gentile nations on the earth, being the counterparts to the Martyrs in the heavens. f). And on the earth it will be national Israel who will hold the preeminent position at the head of the nations, with all the nations now subject to Israel and seemingly subservient to Israel – Isa 14:1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. 2 Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors. Isa 60:10 “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings shall minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I have had mercy on you. 11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, And their kings in procession. 12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined. Isa 61:5 Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And the sons of the foreigner Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6 But you shall be named the priests of the Lord, They shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, And in their glory you shall boast. Israel will go forth in the antitype of Jonah to be God’s witness to the ends of the earth and in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham all the nations will be blessed as God’s blessing passes through Israel to the nations. Blessings that have neither been witnessed nor experienced as yet. g). Such then will be the nature of the governmental structure with respect to the heavens and the earth during the Millennial Kingdom. h). Christ will rule over all and qualified rulers with Him will rule from the heavens through counterparts on the earth over both Israel and the Gentile nations and on the earth redeemed and restored Israel will rule at the head of the nations with the nations blessed through them. i). And in anticipation of this future rule the Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews offers us great encouragement – Heb 11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. God has provided ‘something better for us’, better even than that promised to the OT saints. And these OT saints will not be brought to completion, God’s promises to them will not be realized ‘apart from us.’ What an extraordinary responsibility and an incredible privilege God has afforded us. But we will have to continue with this next time – if the Lord is willing. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. the Word of God - A Survey of the Bible - Part Seventeen - B Sep 08, 2019 Speaker: John Herbert Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Category: Sunday Morning https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T005_20190908.mp3 Download Audio x
Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. We will today look at the heavenly inheritance that comes with the 'better' resurrection. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday September 8th 2019 The Word of God A Survey of the Bible – Lesson 17B ‘What More Shall I Say?’ 1). Heb 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. We had seen last time that there are a number of OT saints, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who are recipients of both a heavenly and an earthly calling. And these OT saints who had received and believed that which God had said with regards to an earthly and heavenly inheritance during the 7th Day, set the course of their lives towards the heavenly inheritance which God had promised – Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Abraham along with Isaac and Jacob dwelt in the earthly land, the land of Canaan that they are to receive as an inheritance. a). But even though this land was covenanted to them and God will be faithful to give it to them, they dwelt there ‘as in a foreign country’, as ’strangers and pilgrims’, because it was not this land on which their heart was set, but the better country, the heavenly country with the’ city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God.’ b). And for this heavenly city and this heavenly country they were prepared to wait and continue to wait even now – Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. How great then is this heavenly inheritance that these individuals would turn their backs on the world and all that it could offer them and would happily embrace their physical death in the certainty that God would be faithful to His promise no matter how long they would have to wait for it – Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. And then we are told of other OT saints who patiently endured the most horrific affliction, torture, destitution and even death that they ‘might obtain a better resurrection’. c). For all who have physically died, bodily resurrection will be the most extraordinary experience, but for these OT saints they looked to attain something better still. They knew that they would die without receiving God’s promises and would have to wait for the time when they would be realized, and they knew they would have to be resurrected in order to receive them, but they also knew that there was something beyond bodily resurrection which was so great that they would endure anything to attain it. d). And we had also seen last time that the ‘better resurrection’ and the promise of a better country, a heavenly country go hand in hand. e). The better resurrection is intimately connected to the heavenly inheritance, the very thing that God had spoken at various times and in various ways to the fathers by the prophets. f). This is the same heavenly inheritance that the Lord had offered to the nation of Israel at His first advent, but for that generation the heavenly inheritance was neither prized nor valued. g). Whereas some OT saints embraced death rather than lose it, this wayward generation of Jews embraced God’s wrath rather than accept it. h). Consequently, as we know, because of the nation’s rejection, the heavenly inheritance was taken from national Israel for all time – Mt 21:43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. Beyond the removal of the Kingdom of the Heavens from national Israel, the nation can never again have access to this realm of the Kingdom. It has gone from national Israel for all time. i). Even though the Jewish nation that will come alive out of the Great Tribulation will be counted as faithful, being both cleansed and restored, they cannot have access to that which had been previously taken from the nation. j). But those OT saints who embraced the heavenly inheritance prior to Israel’s rejection cannot be denied it. Faith will always receive a just recompense of reward and God is not a man that He would lie or a son of man that He would repent – 2 Cor 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. And so we saw that beyond the bodily resurrection of all the OT saints, both faithful and unfaithful, in fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits and the regathering of all those resurrected and those coming alive out of the Great Tribulation, in fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets at the wilderness of the peoples, there would be judgment where the faithful will be separated from the unfaithful – Eze 20:37 “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38 I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. The faithful will then be taken into the land covenanted to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And having returned physically to the land neither the OT saints nor the Jews coming alive out of the Great Tribulation would be strangers and pilgrims in the land. It will no longer be as a foreign country, but the land of their inheritance. k). For the OT saints though, also in possession of a heavenly inheritance, the earthly land will not be their final destination. Having received the earthly land as their inheritance in fulfillment of God’s promise Ge 13:14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. These OT saints will then be removed from among the rest of the faithful into the heavens, experiencing the better resurrection to which their lives had been dedicated, to receive their heavenly inheritance. l). And this inheritance, as for faithful Christians, is a position of rulership from the heavens over the earth during the Millennial Kingdom. m). Unlike Christians however, the rule of these OT saints will be over the land of their earthly inheritance – the land of Israel. They will rule from the heavens through counterparts in the land of Israel on the earth. n). Heb 2:5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. The inhabited world in the age to come will not be in subjection to angels. Michael is the chief angel over the nation of Israel at present – Da 10:21 But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince. And even though Michael and those with him did not rebel with Satan – Rev 12:7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, It still holds true that in the age to come it will be men and not angels who will rule from the heavens. o). These OT saints will be the ones who will rule in the place of Michael and his angels and there are others who will also occupy these positions with them. 2). Lk 13:28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. We see in Luke’s Gospel, just as we had seen in Matthew’s, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the heavenly realm of the Kingdom, the realm from which national Israel has been ‘thrust out’. a). We also see along with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Luke, ‘all the prophets’. And so, all the OT prophets are to be counted among the OT saints who will receive the heavenly inheritance – 1 Pe 1:10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. Now with the prophets in mind let’s turn to Acts Chapter 2 – Acts 2:29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, King David was a prophet as well as a king and as such he will have a place of rulership in the heavens. But if we go to Ezekiel we also see the resurrected David as king in Jerusalem – Eze 37:23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 24 “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. 25 Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. As we can see the Scriptures clearly place David in both realms of the Kingdom, ruling over Israel from the heavens and ruling among Israel from his own throne in Jerusalem on the earth. b). This duality of rulership is something we also see in relation to Christ, who will rule from His own throne in the New Jerusalem and from David’s throne in the earthly Jerusalem – Lk 1:32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. Re 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. It is clear then that David will exercise rulership with Christ within both realms of the governmental structure of the Millennial Kingdom. And given what is recorded about David’s rule in the Kingdom Age, it would seem that he will come directly under Christ, but over the other rulers over Israel. c). Mt 19:28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. According to Matthew’s Gospel the 12 Apostles will also rule from the heavens over the nation of Israel. It would seem that the 12 will receive their authority from the Lord, presumably through David who will rule directly under Christ. d). So then, with respect to rulership over Israel from the heavens during the Millennial Kingdom their seems to be a specific order. e). The Christ of course rules over all – then comes David who will also rule from both realms of the Kingdom. After David come the 12 Apostles and after the Apostles the OT saints. Such is the way that the government of Israel from the heavens appears to be organized. 3). There will also be a similar governmental structure from the heavens over the earth with respect to the Gentile nations. And those that we will be most familiar with in respect of this are Christians – Re 2:26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations 27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels’—as I also have received from My Father; Re 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. And as we know, those Christians who qualify for these positions of rulership will occupy various degrees of authority as pictured in – Lk 19:17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ 19 Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’ Christians are not the only ones who will rule from the heavens over the Gentile nations – Re 12:5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. From our previous weeks of study, we will remember that the ‘male child’ is the 144000 Jews sealed as a result of the ministry of the 2 witnesses in Jerusalem during the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation. These are the ones who will preach ‘this gospel of the Kingdom’ to the Gentile nations during the 3 ½ years of the Great Tribulation. a). And we can see from Revelation 12:5 that this group is to ‘rule all nations with a rod of iron’ – all nations being Gentile nations as Israel is not to be reckoned among the nations. b). The 12 Apostles who proclaimed the gospel of the Kingdom to Israel for approximately 3 ½ years at the Lord’s first advent will occupy positions of rulership, as we have seen, over Israel. The 144000, 12000 from each tribe of Israel, who will preach the gospel of the Kingdom to the Gentile nations also for approximately 3 ½ years immediately prior to the Lord’s second coming will occupy positions directly under Christ over the Gentile nations. c). We may also include the Tribulation Martyrs in rulership from the heavens over the Gentile nations of the earth – Re 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the same ‘great multitude which no one could number’ previously seen in Revelation Chapters 6 and 7 who had been slain for ‘the word of God and the testimony which they held’ as a result of the ministry of the 144000. d). The scene in Revelation 20 is in heaven and this group is clearly said to ‘reign with Christ for a thousand years.’ What we see in Revelation Chapter 20 is all that is said about their rule but, given the setting, it would be likely that they will rule from the heavens, but this is not specifically stated. e). The counterparts to the Tribulation Martyrs who come alive out of the Great Tribulation are the ones seen at the sheep and goats judgment recorded in Matthew Chapter 25 and the faithful from this group are told to ‘inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’. As this setting is earthly and inheritance is the focus, it would seem likely that these individuals would hold positions within the Gentile nations on the earth, being the counterparts to the Martyrs in the heavens. f). And on the earth it will be national Israel who will hold the preeminent position at the head of the nations, with all the nations now subject to Israel and seemingly subservient to Israel – Isa 14:1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. 2 Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors. Isa 60:10 “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings shall minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I have had mercy on you. 11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, And their kings in procession. 12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined. Isa 61:5 Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And the sons of the foreigner Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6 But you shall be named the priests of the Lord, They shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, And in their glory you shall boast. Israel will go forth in the antitype of Jonah to be God’s witness to the ends of the earth and in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham all the nations will be blessed as God’s blessing passes through Israel to the nations. Blessings that have neither been witnessed nor experienced as yet. g). Such then will be the nature of the governmental structure with respect to the heavens and the earth during the Millennial Kingdom. h). Christ will rule over all and qualified rulers with Him will rule from the heavens through counterparts on the earth over both Israel and the Gentile nations and on the earth redeemed and restored Israel will rule at the head of the nations with the nations blessed through them. i). And in anticipation of this future rule the Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews offers us great encouragement – Heb 11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. God has provided ‘something better for us’, better even than that promised to the OT saints. And these OT saints will not be brought to completion, God’s promises to them will not be realized ‘apart from us.’ What an extraordinary responsibility and an incredible privilege God has afforded us. But we will have to continue with this next time – if the Lord is willing. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button.