Previous Lesson -- Next Lesson
4. The Fulfillment of the Mystery of God in the Second Coming of Christ
Jesus Christ is not only the Head of His church, but also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. All authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). His Father, who has seated Him at His right hand on His throne (Revelation 3:21), gave Him authority “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:20-22). God has put all things under the feet of Christ (Psalm 110:1; Philippians 2:9-11 etc.). Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15). “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (Colossians 1:13)
John, too, testified to Christ's victory over all powers of this world and the next. The Lord will first send His two witnesses to Israel in order to call all of the citizens there to a comprehensive repentance (Revelation 11:1-14). After that, this segment of history involving Israel and the world will be completed. John writes: In the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets (Revelation 10:7).
Following that, great voices will be raised in heaven and speak:
The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever! (Revelation 11:15).
We read further of another strong voice in heaven, that speaks: “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:10-12).
This verse is the last verse of the Bible that speaks of the kingdom of God. It testifies to us of the final victory of Christ, in which His followers are involved.
Christ Overcomes the Kingdom of Evil: Our existence consists in two fundamentally different areas. The internal shelter in our being is the sphere of the church of Jesus Christ (Psalm 23:4-6), while the outer sphere is encompassed by the visible and invisible enemy powers of this world. Jesus is Lord over both areas. The meek Lamb of God will rule throughout eternity over all dominions and spirits (2 Samuel 7:12-14; Isaiah 9:5-6; Daniel 7:27; Matthew 5:5 etc.).
Islam, too, has developed a teaching involving “two dominions”. In the “House of Islam” (countries in which the Sharia rules) there reigns an “Islamic peace”. But in the “House of War”, Muslims must, little by little, subjugate all enemies of Islam and all non-Muslims, either by intrigue, or by force. Islam means not only voluntary submission to Allah and Mohammed, but also forced subjugation. It intends, here on this earth, to construct a religious-political state. Islam recognizes no spiritual renewal, neither in this, nor in the next world. It's power is built on weapons, bacteria, poison, oil and Islamic spirits (jinn).
The apostle Paul wrote of a comprehensive spiritual renewal. God gave to him a further, special revelation, which he shared with the church: Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
The evangelist John, too, knows this mystery of transformation:
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God – and we are! Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:1-3; John 17:24; Romans 8:17; Colossians 3:4 etc.).
The transformation of Christians at the rapture is, however, not the last step in the unfolding of the mystery of God. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth of a prophetic view in his chapter dealing with the resurrection: Then comes the end, when He (Christ) delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. (Psalm 110:1) The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. ... Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).
Christ, the Lord and King of heaven and earth, is humility and meekness in person (Matthew 11:29). He is the Victor over the kingdom of evil, over Satan and his followers. The Son of God, however, will not keep His power and honor for Himself, but rather, out of love and thankfulness, give back to the Father Himself and all that He has acquired.
The last enemy that the God-King will subdue is death. Christ, however, is life. He permitted the enemy of God to kill His body; for therein it became visible, that His life never dies. Jesus is the source of life. His Father gave Him the right to have life in Himself, just as the Father is the source of life (John 5:25-30).
With the overcoming of death the mystery of God will be completed. The Son will have acquired, cleansed, sanctified and enlivened the spiritual kingdom for His Father. The Son Himself will be subjected to Him, so that we might be able to say with every creature: For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13)
PRAYER: Holy God, loving Father, we magnify You and worship You because the kingdom of Your Spirit continues at the second coming of Christ with its last developments, and Your Son overcomes Satan and death when we had been raptured to You, and no evil power remains in the world. At last, He delivers us and Himself to You that You may be all in all and we practically experience the blessed fellowship with You, in the love of Your family and the holiness of our communion with You.
QUESTION:
- What did you understand from the mystery of the kingdom of God?