The gospel of the kingdom of God
INTRODUCTION by a friend:
As many perceived from the book of Ezekiel, many expected the Messiah to enter through the East gate, or Eastern Gate. Understanding this prophecy, certain invaders, sealed the Gate, so the Messiah could not get in! LOL, I could hear the Lord even laughing at that maneuver!
If the East gate is open, it is now a sign that the Messiah has returned, and is reigning from the Throne of the Father. Something most Jews would not be happy to hear, being dispensationalist, they were and still are looking for a future Kingdom, but not recognizing His current reign, even as they failed to recognize Him in His Earthly sojourn prior to His Death on the Cross!
Then they even stoned Steven, when he announced that he saw Jesus, the Son of Man standing at the right hand of the Father! The Jews were upset with his ministry of the Name of Jesus, and commanded him to stop, but it was only with the vision that they were driven into blind fury.
Even so many Christian Dispensationalist look for a future Kingdom, but do not want to acknowledge that He is King now, and forever! Even so they are often times driven into a blind fury themselves when they are shown to be deficient in their understanding of the OT prophesy, the Revelation, other NT prophesy, and historical events. This is sad because it can break up threads of fellowship.
But the bottom line is always the same, they say Lord Lord, but will not have this man rule over them!
We say Lord, Hallelujah, come and reign, and rule over us, for thy rod thy staff they comfort us. We rejoice to be your servant, your slave, because only then can we be free in Him. When He is Lord, and in residence in the Kingdom, then we are safe in Him. We are not threatened by His Lordship, we are exalted by it! We rejoice when we hear, The East gate is open, the King is in residence! Whomsoever will, may come in!
Hear the Word of the Lord all you people, and clap your hands in Joy! The King is in residence in His Holy Tabernacle! A Tabernacle not made by the hand of men, but by the Hand of God!
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The Gospel
Come, let us reason from scripture. Let's start with the "when?", when the kingdom was to come. JESUS revealed:
(KJV) Mark 1:14-15 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The TIME IS FULFILLED, and the kingdom of God is AT HAND: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
It is sad the full gospel is not preached widely today, "the gospel of the kingdom of God", that is!:
*[Mat 3:1-2] In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
*[Mar 1:14-15] Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
*[Mat 4:23] And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
*[Mat 9:35] And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
*[Mar 1:15] And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
*[Mat 24:14] And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
The "kingdom of God"- KJV Dictionary:
Mat 6:33; Mat 12:28; Mat 19:24; Mat 21:31; Mat 21:43; Mar 1:14; Mar 1:15; Mar 4:11; Mar 4:26; Mar 4:30; Mar 9:1; Mar 9:47; Mar 10:14; Mar 10:15; Mar 10:23; Mar 10:24; Mar 10:25; Mar 12:34; Mar 14:25; Mar 15:43; Luk 4:43; Luk 6:20; Luk 7:28; Luk 8:1; Luk 8:10; Luk 9:2; Luk 9:11; Luk 9:27; Luk 9:60; Luk 9:62; Luk 10:9; Luk 10:11; Luk 11:20; Luk 12:31; Luk 13:18; Luk 13:20; Luk 13:28; Luk 13:29; Luk 14:15; Luk 16:16; Luk 17:20; Luk 17:21; Luk 18:16; Luk 18:17; Luk 18:24; Luk 18:25; Luk 18:29; Luk 19:11; Luk 21:31; Luk 22:16; Luk 22:18; Luk 23:51; Joh 3:3; Joh 3:5; Act 1:3; Act 8:12; Act 14:22; Act 19:8; Act 20:25; Act 28:23; Act 28:31; Rom 14:17; 1Co 4:20; 1Co 6:9; 1Co 6:10; 1Co 15:50; Gal 5:21; Col 4:11; 2Th 1:5;
All this talk about "the kingdom of God"! The Pharisees [demanded] an answer now! His people were convinced the Messiah was to establish a physical kingdom and earthly reign, the Pharisees were very intimidated by Jesus, they thought He was going to boot them off their little chairs called thrones. They alerted the Roman authorities that Christ claimed to be a king, hoping to provoke jealousy. This verse says a whole lot, but for now, notice what the LORD said about the kingdom of God this time:
*[Luke 17:20-24] And when he (JESUS) was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is [ * within ] you. And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
That is the answer as to when the kingdom of God would come, from the Word of God himself. They would not know when it came, because it would not come with observation. When the kingdom of God come, it would not be seen here or there, but would be manifest within you.
Just as the lightning shines from east to west, so too is the kingdom of God. Not here or there, but everywhere! "Jesus, He reigns in the kingdom of God, the kingdom is inside of me". The kingdom of God, what a mysterious thing! "The kingdom is inside of me"...What does that mean?
*Strong's Concordance-[G1787 ἐντός entos en-tos' - From G1722; inside (adverb or noun): - within.]
The Greek word used for "within" in Luke 17:21 means "inside".
Did you know you are a Temple of God? There are many within, with the Kingdom being within many, who are not even aware! And many aware that are not within, because righteousness is the path that leads to the door, and Christ is the door. Nobody can open this door but He!
Timing is everything!
This is the timing of the vision of the fourth kingdom, when the "Son of man" (The Son) WENT TO the "Ancient of Days" (The Father). When Christ ascended to the right hand of the power of God, Christ was given dominion and glory and a kingdom:
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given 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.
Glory and Dominion:
1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. [11] To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Amen.
On the cross:
Luke 23:42-43 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
With the kingdom being given when Christ ascended unto the Father, the fullness of the kingdom coming to mankind was still to come, because Christ was to come, in His kingdom having His reward with Him, putting all enemy's behind Him, even those who pierced Him, and even the devil.
The timing of the fourth kingdom, being the Roman Empire further comfirms the timing of the Kingdom of God come, and the fulfillment. Jesus said that the time was fulfilled, that the kingdom of God was at hand. Daniel had spoke of this kingdom to come:
Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
Dan 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
The time of fulfillment had come!:
*[Mat 3:1-2] In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
*[Mar 1:14-15] Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
*[Mat 10:7] And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
The kingdom was to come soon:
Mat 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Mar 9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
The kingdom of God was not to come with observation, although many thought from the prophecy of Daniel that it was to come with observation. The Pharisees asked Jesus about this, remember? :
*[Luke 17:20-24] And when he (JESUS) was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is [ * within ] you. And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
His kingdom is not of this world:
Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
The kingdom of God, It grows! :
(KJV) *[Mark 4:30-32] And he (JESUS) said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
Seek the kingdom of God before anything else, and everything else comes. Even when reading the Bible!
So when did the kingdom of God come, how? Please read the rest of this, I may have not perfected the manner in which to present it, but if you let the Word of God speak for it's self, you may find this interesting.
PART TWO - THE NEW JERUSALEM:
(KJV) *[Hebrews 12:22-24] But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
This "new Jerusalem" has many "Ambassadors" on earth, and all who have the light of Christ shine within this kingdom even as they live, many nations and people bringing their light unto the kingdom of God, a new heavens for man that is free of veil, right here upon earth, and a new earth age in Christ for all mankind:
(KJV)*[Gal 4:22-26] For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which engendereth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
The following verse is great, The writer of Hebrews uses this comparison in the first century of that "age". The writer of Hebrews was referring to how the old covenant, the old Jerusalem and temple as the abode of God was to be made low before "she", the "new Jerusalem" could come. Jesus first put away the old way for the remission of sins, and after a time for repentance, the temple in Jerusalem was to be put off. Just as the veil of the temple was torn in two when Jesus gave up the Spirit, this symbolic gesture of putting off the old covenant and abode of God was much more than meets the eye. ( This Siege of Jerusalem happened rouighly 66.5 - 70 A.D ) :
(ESV) *[Hebrews 9:8-9] By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing, (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper...
First, before the new age that Jesus spoke of could come, Jesus commanded His disciples that the gospel of the kingdom of God was to be "preached to every creature under heaven", and it WAS "preached to every creature under heaven", in the first century by 69 A.D, as Paul reveals.
Second, the old temple in Jerusalem was symbolic of the old covenant, and it HAD to be put away, no more sacrificing animals! As this representation of the old covenant was first to fall, all others would follow. It all makes sense too, there was a reason, she had killed all the prophets God would send to her, the apostles, and even the King. JESUS said enough was enough, the temple was to be made desolate.
THE PUTTING OFF OF THE FORMER ARRANGEMENT, for the new age to come (Heb 9:8-9, 2 Pet) :
Some amazing events took place as recorded in "Wars of the Jews" recorded 74/75 AD By Flavius Josephus. He was a Jewish priest and historian. (You can download "Antiquities of the Jews", and "Wars of the Jews" as FREE add-ons to the e-sword software, a FREE e-Bible that offers many translations and tools.... www.e-sword.net)
By 70 A.D. the Romans had sieged Jerusalem. It was much more than just a war. It was an act of God.
HISTORICAL EVENTS OF THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM
-For seven years leading up to 70AD, 1,337,490 perished
-Forty two months was the siege, roughly 66.5 - 70 A.D
-A star appeared in the likeness of a giant sword in the sky
-A comet was seen, lasted a week
-There was a massive earthquake, more than 8000 died
-The sea roared and bodies of merchants washed up for weeks
-An army of horsemen appeared in the sky!
-Visions of angelic beings were seen all over Judea
-A frightful noise was heard, a pop that sounded like the universe exploded
-A heifer gave birth to a lamb on the temple grounds
And as the Temple was made desolate:
-A voice was heard born from heaven saying "LET US REMOVE HENCE!".
-The huge-massive door to the temple swung open welcoming the invaders.
-Tens of thousands were killed without discrimination in Jerusalem and all Judea.
-Not one stone of the Temple was left upon another because there was gold between each one.
Whoa! Ever heard of the "wailing wall"? That's why they wail, still to this day. Many Jews weap because they see it as a reminder that the wrath of God did befall them, so yes, they see the events of 70AD as an act of God. Also, the surviving wall is a part of the outer wall, not a wall of the Temple, which Jesus said there would not be one stone upon another, which was fulfilled to the tee by 70AD.
Please, hear every word JESUS ever spoke. I cannot tell you how important it is to hear everything JESUS said, every single word! Jesus did indeed reveal all things, and spoke better things than Abel, than Solomon, than Peter, than Paul, than any man...Jesus was the Word of the Lord God made flesh, the speaker for God, the strong arm of the LORD. Jesus never spoke of the whole wide world literally being burned up with fire and all flesh dying, but his kingdom would be cleansed!
Jesus spoke much of a new age to come where the righteous would "shine" forth as the sun...this is JESUS revealing the very same thing Peter was speaking of, the greatest mystery of all! :
( English Standard Version )
Mat 13:34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.
Mat 13:35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world."
Mat 13:36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."
Mat 13:37 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
Mat 13:38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
Mat 13:39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.
Mat 13:40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.
Mat 13:41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,
Mat 13:42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Hear His parable. The offenders were to be cut off, the whole house, the whole people, and even the works, trodden, trodden out of His kingdom. Then Jesus said "THEN the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." A region was to be cleansed, "dirty deeds done dirt cheap" were consumed, even the "works" of the Temple, even the Temple, and with fire, but ALL flesh did not die!
Jesus also spoke of His coming with His reward in this manner:
Mat 24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:28 For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Only the dead are in need of resurrection, and only the dead are judged. His reward was with him. His coming was a day of vengeance and judgment. And it is interesting to note that "his elect" were gathered "from the four winds", not necessarily "living" people on earth, but even from the grave...
(Darby-Mat 24:31 ) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the one extremity of the heavens to the other extremity of them.
THE KINGDOM COME!
The great book of Revelation is a book of symbols, and it is not beside what Jesus said and did, but goes hand in hand with what the Son of God said and did, before and after His ascension, a masterpiece of poetic symbolism that truly can be thought of as the "Testimony of Jesus Christ", because it is "the testimony of Jesus Christ"! A book of symbols that describe His coming into power and bringing the kingdom of God unto all mankind.
Consider what is written of the Book and when. The things written were to "SHORTLY COME TO PASS". It is the time of fulfillment for Daniel's book. Daniel's book was sealed for the "end times", and Revelation was not sealed because "the time was at hand for all to be fulfilled" . Jesus also said "these are the days of vengeance to fulfill all that is written" , and Jesus did not say this yesterday, but in the first century. And the New Jerusalem IS "the kingdom of God and the Lamb"! The Revelation IS the testimony of Jesus Christ!
Can the Kingdom of God be compared to the bride of Christ, the new Jerusalem, as revealed in Hebrews presented above, or a new heaven, as revealed in the Revelation presented below? This promise of a "new heaven" and "new earth" is truly the most profound promise God had ever made, and it was made many moons before Christ was sent!
(ESV) *[Rev 21:1-2] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The bride of Christ is the general assembly of His Church, the new Jerusalem. She is the mother of us all, her children being born of spirit, not of a woman. These are the true seed of the bridegroom and the true bride. Just everyday folks, like you and me!
The gospel of the kingdom of God is all about SALVATION, not doom and gloom!
(KJV) *[Rev 21:24] And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.
All people and nations who have the light of Christ bring their light into this kingdom, and the will of God is done on earth as it is in heaven. Pray that it will be!
This is The Way, this is the path, this is the golden brick road:
(KJV) *[Rev 22:14] Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Come, drink of the living water right now, you do not have to wait:
(KJV) *[Rev 22:17] And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
(KJV)*[John 4:13-14] Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
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There was a new world and everything was perfect? Did all flesh die? "Who let the 'dogs' out"! He that is unjust, go ahead, remain that way if you want to, but you are outside of the kingdom of God, and There is no life out there!
(KJV) *[Rev 22:11] He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
There is liberty, and justice, and for all:
(KJV) *[Rev 22:15] For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
So, There was a new earth age in Christ, and all flesh did not die! The "new Jerusalem" IS the "new heaven", IS the "kingdom of God.
She is a spiritual city, a "holy city", not a physical city sitting on a dirt hill on a new planet where all flesh died. There is no more sea of wickedness like there was in the first century. The foundations are not made of brick or rock, but Christ being the chief cornerstone, and the 12 Apostles are the twelve foundation stones, precious stones:
(KJV) Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
There was an old earth age, and there is a new earth age. An age that was in Jesus' time and before, and Jesus spoke of a new age that was to come, saying the time was soon for all to be fulfilled. Jesus spoke much of this new age, translated "world" in the KJV:
(ESV)
Mat_12:32; Mat_13:39; Mat_13:40; Mat_13:49; Mat_24:3; Mat_28:20; Mar_5:42; Mar_10:30; Luk_1:36; Luk_3:23; Luk_8:42; Luk_18:30; Luk_20:34; Luk_20:35; Joh_9:21; Joh_9:23; 1Co_1:20; 1Co_2:6; 1Co_2:8; 1Co_3:18; Gal_1:4; Gal_1:14; Eph_1:21; 1Ti_5:9; 1Ti_6:17; Tit_2:12; Heb_6:5; Heb_9:9; Heb_11:11;
So please compare translations, and use a Strong's Concordance if you can.
In this new earth age of Christ, there is righteousness, and there is still dogs, and there is still blasphemy, but remember:
(ESV) *[Mat 12:32] And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this *age or in the *age to come.
The Promise:
I know God will never again smite every living thing, He said so. Some say "God just said He will never again smite every living thing... with "water", but did God say that? Take a look, and reason! Will God say in His heart "I will never again smite everything, with "water", but if I do it with "fire" I AM cool with it"
No Way! :
(KJV)Gen 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savor; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
No Way! For the whole wide world to burn up would require all living things to die as the earth remained! And the whole point is that God said "for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth". It is about all mankind NOT being smitten, not the manner in which! God understands, that is why God sent His beloved Son! It really was a great thing, monumental! It changed everything!
Jesus mentioned a few signs to watch for before His coming in the kingdom of God, saying the kingdom of God would not come with observation, and because he would come as a thief in the night, He would not be "here" or "there". One was Jerusalem being trodden of the Gentiles, and the temple in Jerusalem was to be made desolate. ( But I am pretty sure that allready happenned in by 70 A. D. .) Jesus also said that after that tribulation "the sun shall be darkened, and the moon not give her light" before his coming. But I am pretty sure this is symbolic language, God even said day and night would remain as long as the world does.
Remember, In Jewish thinking in those days, and in the great book of Revelation, the "sun" is symbolism for the light of God, the "moon" reflects the light of the sun onto earth! And so it was in those last days after the tribulation, the sun (Father) refused to shine for a time, and the moon (Son) would not give her light upon the husbandmen. We are talking vengeance. Wrath.
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The wrap
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JESUS WAS BORN TO ESTABLISH THIS KINGDOM! IT IS THE GREATEST PROMISE GOD HAD EVER MADE!
What was spoken by the prophets of ol', Jesus and Paul, is the same thing Peter was speaking of, this "new heavens" and "new earth". Peter mentions this, yet the disciples of Christ being Jews of the first century knowing the symbolic nature of the "new heavens" and "new earth" understood what was revealed, not looking forward to a day of doom and gloom when the planet would catch on fire and all flesh would surely die, but a day that when righteousness would abound on earth through Christ, Peter said all that too!
(KJV) *[2Pe 3:13] Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth *righteousness.
*Strong's Concordance: G1343-"righteousness" δικαιοσύνη dikaiosunē dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay From G1342; equity (of character or act); specifically (Christian) justification: - righteousness.
Notice it does not say "only" righteousness! Just like Jesus said, and the "new Jerusalem" the deep thinker Paul spoke of, and the vision of John, there are dogs living outside the Kingdom of God.
Peter and the servants of Christ looked forward to not a day of doom for all mankind, but a day when the Almighty would abode not in a region, but among all men, (not just the Jewish nation or the Temple in Jerusalem), where "Righteousness" dwells; The character of Christ, the giving of each man his due. Justification through Christ, not works, Not like the old way and the way of the Pharisees who thought because of their works, because they were God's only chosen people that they could treat Gentiles and Samaritans; all other people, like dogs.
Jesus said "Love God, love other people", and that is what Christianity should be all about. And that is what Christ has done for us, all mankind- justification through Christ, not works. Salvation is "without works", but every person already saved, should be zealous of good works, not to be saved, but because he is saved!
So pray for peace in Jerusalem. She has received of the Lord's hand double for her sins. She was cleansed and pardoned. Those who come against her spirit are false prophets, and against her flesh, against the will of God. And a fair warning has gone out to those.
And so it is in this new age of Christ, if a Jew will call upon the LORD for salvation through Christ, having the right to enter into the Kingdom, that Jew will be saved from eternal death. Because eternal life is the promise, there is no more death.
Say it with me, please...
I pledge allegiance...To the God...Of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...And to the kingdom...For which Christ stands...All nations...Under God...Invincible...With liberty and justice for all.
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