All at Oneness with God

Happy Feast of Atonement, brethren! That's better. A few more smiles there. It's a privilege for my wife Mary and I to be here with you. We were here, I don't know, maybe a decade ago. I forget how long. There was a wedding in town, and we were able to come to services that day. Always wanted to come back, and it's nice of your pastor, Mr. Smith, to invite us back. We used to serve sort of next door to each other in the Cincinnati and Portsmouth area back in the 90s and maybe thereafter.

It's great to see them again. Nice to see some of you as well. This is an exciting time of the year for all of us. We're all bubbling and excited about the festivals, and here we are today. No coffee, no food, looking a little weak.

And maybe this isn't our favorite festival, but maybe it should be. I don't know. You know, throughout human history, there has been a single missing element. From Adam to the beast power, Armageddon at the end, from Genesis to Revelation, there's been one missing element in the global humanity. Do you know what that element is? We've sung about it today. We have really gotten on our knees and even devoted our minds today to that missing element. And that missing element is God's rule.

That's the missing thing. I want you to think for just a moment about all the problems in the world. You know, we spend a lot of mental energy trying to solve everything out there, whether it's crime, whether it's pollution, whether it's dictatorships, bad politics, economies, you know, all types of debt and various issues, warfare and injustices.

All of those are solved, really, by a single thing. Let's find that single solution. It's Deuteronomy chapter 28 and verse 1. Deuteronomy chapter 28 and verse 1. And this is something that you and I are dedicated to, need to be spending our time even more dedicated to. And really, this Feast of Atonement speaks to this particular passage in a large way. Deuteronomy chapter 28, verses 1 and 2. Now it shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God. Well, there it is. There's the rule of God, diligently obeying the voice of the Lord your God.

That is what repentance, that's what fasting repentance is about. It's finding that we have deviated from that and come to recognize that and say, okay, I want to obey the voice of the Lord my God. And to carefully observe all of His commandments, carefully observe, not generally observe, or skirtingly observe, or passively observe, but carefully observe. Not letting the terminology of those who don't want to obey God, yet be religious, sort of persuade us. You know, don't be a zealot, don't be a Pharisee, don't be all of these things, you see.

God says, no, be careful, be very careful to observe all of His commandments. That's an entire Bible full of directives, which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth, setting us high as the bride of Christ, setting Israel the first nation who will repent high above as a model nation. Verse 2, and all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.

I don't know if you noticed, but repeatedly over and over, including in the beautiful special music that we just heard, was a devotion to God as our ruler, a devotion to God and obeying God and submitting to God as our King, as the one who directs our lives. And that's what's missing in the world today. But it shouldn't be missing in our personal lives today. The solution is coming. For you and me, it's been a pleasant solution, as it were.

When God opened your mind, you said, this is wrong. This is not right. I need to have a regime change up here. I need to get rid of the God of this world. I need to get rid of my old father, the selfish, directive one. And I need to get the new father in, the new mindset, the agape mindset. And that's a lot of work, and that's what you and I need to be working on.

But there is a time coming when all humanity will be invited to the same process. Doesn't mean they're going to want to do it, but they're going to be invited to the same process. And we're celebrating festivals that proclaim that invitation to another group, to future generations, to those who have not yet embraced God and Jesus Christ as their King, their Lord, their Supreme Authority, embraced living their laws, pushing back against the influences of Satan.

In Revelation 11 and verse 17, we find that for humanity, not for the church, but for humanity, there is this time of regime change that's coming. There is a regime that's been in power now for thousands of years, and it's corrupt, and it's brought mankind all sorts of misery.

But we're going to have a new government introduced. In Revelation chapter 11 and verse 17, the blowing of the seventh trump, things are said here. We give you thanks. Who's we? It's those who have already embraced God fully as the Lord, the Master, the King, the Ruler. And we give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was and who is to come, because you have taken your great power and reigned.

So there is a reign that's coming from the kingdom of heaven to the earth, this rulership. God the Father is from the kingdom of heaven, sending his Son, who will be the Ruler, replacing the Ruler of this world. Now let's notice some things. Verse 18, how is this received? The nations were angry. Humanity does not like this rule of God. In fact, your selfish carnal human nature and mine don't like, doesn't like the rule of God. And so we have this altercation, we have this back and forth, we have this war going on that we need to conquer.

We have these spirits, Ephesians 6, verse 10. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and spirits in high places. The spirits of disobedience. And Ephesians 2, verse 2, in which we once walked according to the course of this world, according to the sons of disobedience, being led by this influence, by the spirit of the power of this age, this present evil age. So you and I are in this sort of battle, this sort of contest, but we're winning. We're overcoming. We're winning. We're conquering. And what this day portends is us assisting Jesus Christ in introducing the concept to society at large and saying, hey, you do it too.

It's time for you to have a new ruler. It's time for you to repent like we did. It's time for you to change. Change the rulership. Change the mindset. Now we find right here that they're angry about that. And so God's wrath has come. And the time of the dead that they should be judged, that you should reward your servants, the prophets and the saints, and those who fear your name, small and great.

So that resurrection we find in 2 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians 15, we find that resurrection at the last trump for us who have been doing this already. And now we're going to help humanity under Jesus Christ through that process. It concludes, and that you should destroy those who destroy the earth. So part of what we're celebrating today in this transitional period of trumpets and atonement, before you get into a wonderful world tomorrow, is this change of rulership. Jesus Christ came and set us an example of living as a human, being bombarded by Satan, and yet conquering Satan, conquering sin, shedding blood, being persecuted, actually being tortured to death by Satan, and yet coming through it well.

And then we are to join him as first fruits and help him through this period of the trumpet reign, of the conversion, as it were, the discipline first, the correction that must take place, and the humility that humanity, the remnant of humanity, must go through to be finally at one with God, to reconcile with God, to come out of that mindset that's hostile, that's enmity against God.

And that's a huge process. I think sometimes if we just sort of skip through the holidays and say, oh, chumper, it's Jesus comes, oh, atonement, you know, Satan's gone, oh, millennium, happy days are here. We don't see the process of how that baby gets born, as it were, if you want to call the humanities relationship with God being at one, the baby. That's what we're looking for as the end product.

You have all the pregnancy, then you have the childbirth, and you have all the pains of delivery. That's a big, big deal. This is sobering time for us. Today we think about perhaps our own sins, yet we have a Passover for that.

It talks about in our Holy Day booklet that the Passover really is the focus of those saints who are being called in this current evil age. And then the days of unleavened bread, that's our feast. When we say the feast, really, that ought to be what we're focused on, that changeover of getting the leaven out and preparing for the Festival of Harvest, the firstfruits harvest we call Pentecost. Those are our feasts. That's our focus. And for those who are successful and resurrected, now we assist Jesus Christ through this big, huge, age-changing process.

Today I want to carry on from a sermon I gave recently called Age-Changing Festivals. In this age-changing process, that's a huge thing, and it doesn't go smoothly. But for you and me, that should have already taken place.

That conversion should have already taken place. And like Jesus Christ, then, is ready to reign. We are ready to assist Him. The purpose today is to encourage us as we see the day approaching, the day of the Lord approaching, to encourage one another, to love in good works, to encourage one another, to really be preparing, so that during this transitional phase for the world, which is going to be resisted basically by all parties, that we are there to fulfill what our calling is, which is to be the bride of Christ.

To be the bride of Christ, as we'll see, that is our calling.

The title of the message today is, All at Oneness with God. All at Oneness with God. Jesus Christ, in His model prayer—no, Jesus Christ in His prayer to the Father, John 17, said He had such a great desire that we would be one with Him as He is one with God. And ultimately, God wants a oneness, a state of oneness of total unity with all that are in His kingdom, when it is finally that divine kingdom. And that's a process. That goes through several phases, several ages. We have the current evil age, we have the end time transition, we'll have the age of the millennium and the second resurrection without Satan, then we'll move into that last phase, the eternal phase of the kingdom of God, in which only righteousness dwells with new heavens and new earth. But that whole process is something that we are the first fruits in it with Jesus Christ, and we're expected to be in all phases of it. You're expected, your presence is expected in this age, in the next age, the one after that, the one after that, and the one after that. All with Jesus Christ. Right now, we're with Jesus Christ in the body of Christ. We're going to be first fruits resurrected with Christ, reigning with Christ, reigning for a thousand years with Christ, reigning over the second resurrection with Christ. And then as the bride of Christ, on the throne of Christ, we see the new Jerusalem heavily related to the bride of Christ, for all eternity. So this is a very, very exciting calling that we have, and it's important that we are focused on it, and sort of not just sort of daydreaming about somebody's future with lions and lambs and missing what we're supposed to be doing in serving at that time. So let's look at some things here today. Let's go back to Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 11. We have a first fruits calling, and as we, as we, I want to build a little background today about your role in what this festival of atonement is intended to be. It's a very important role that you and I have with Jesus Christ. So let's set a little bit of a background here. Ephesians chapter 1 will begin in verse 11 and read through verse 13.

Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 11. In him we, that's the church of God, those called now, have obtained an inheritance. This is really an important calling, an inheritance. Verse 13. In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth. The gospel of your salvation. Yes, they'll hear a gospel. They'll hear the news. They'll hear the declaration of who God is and what his laws are and what we're supposed to do. But we have first heard, we have first trusted, this gospel. You know the word gospel comes from the Greek word euangelon. And if you look in Bible dictionaries, you'll find that the definition is reward for good news. Well, we often say good news. Gospel is good news. The definition is more reward for good news. In other words, there's a responsibility in that message. It's not just good news. It's, oh, that was nice. When you hear it, you're supposed to be responsible for it. We're supposed to obey that message. You know, when the angel in Revelation chapter 14 goes out to the whole world preaching that everlasting gospel, he says to all people on earth, he says, fear God, you know. You need to accept the new ruler. You know, obey God and submit to him who created the heavens and earth. Oh, the world thinks that there is no creator. Somehow they've created it all. So that's a huge new concept for a world that's just gone astray and gotten rid of any concept of God, and they just believe in evolution and nothing about God's laws. That's a big, big message for them, but not for us. It's the gospel of our salvation. In other words, there's a responsibility there that we have taken on, and we recognize God and his laws and his ways. Going on here in verse 13, in whom you also, having believed, you know, faith with works, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. We see these things coming to future generations, especially in the Second Resurrection, but they've come to us now so that we can assist Christ with them. Let's drop down to verse 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling. What is the hope of his calling? It's not just living eternally. The hope of his calling. What are the riches? See, as the bride of Christ, you inherit what your husband has, and he has everything, everything. The riches of the glory. He is glorified, shining bright. He says those who are with him in the kingdom will shine bright like the sun. Going on. In the saints. Not to everyone, but this special calling that we have. Verse 19, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe? We're not here by ourself. He had God the Father with him when he was wrestling Satan. We have Jesus Christ living in us. He said, I'll never leave you or forsake you. He says, I will come. I will be in you and with you. So we have his power. If you want more of that power, just go to Ephesians 6 and verse 10 and put on the whole armor of God. I mean, it's there. He is offering us that same power to defeat Satan that he was given.

Toward us who believe. According to the working of his mighty power, which he worked in Christ, what he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly places. And what does Jesus say to us? He says, I'm going to resurrect you and you're going to sit at my right hand in the heavenly places. We have this wonderful calling, but it's because we are recognizing who our Lord is. When you were baptized, you were asked, do you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord? Meaning of that word, that Old English word, supreme authority. Do you accept him as your supreme authority? You're a master. You're a king. And we say, yes, I do. So we have that. And we have his forgiveness. And we are striving and working. And that is good. And the goal here is that we would be seated at his right hand in the heavenly places. Verse 21, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the age which is to come. So you and I have just an incredible opportunity here. And let's see how this rolls out. In Romans chapter 8 and verse 16, we find that we are to follow his challenging path to glory. It's not easy, but it's very doable. It's not something that we should worry about. It's something we should just be busy about. Romans chapter 8, beginning in verse 16 through 18.

For as the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

And if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him. Now that's important for us to grasp. Jesus suffered. Everyone who lives this way of life in Satan's evil age will get pushback from society. They just will. Plus you'll be a target of Satan's. So Jesus suffered, we will suffer in some way. We'll have some limitations. And those sufferings will grow as the church is gradually given over into the hand of Satan. As the power of the holy people in Daniel 11 and 12 speaks of is completely shattered. But if we're joint heirs with Christ and suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. See all the togethers that happen with Jesus Christ and his bride, the firstfruits. He was the first of the firstfruits, and yet we are to be firstfruits with him as well.

In Revelation 3, verse 21, it says, To him who overcomes, the meaning of that word overcome, by the way, is conquer. You remember one of the horsemen that rides comes conquering into conquer. Oh, it's the exact same word. He could have said, he comes overcoming into overcome. If you take that word overcome in your Bible in the New Testament and just change it to conquer, you'll have probably a better understanding of what we're here for. Jesus says here, To him who conquers, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my father on his throne. Now, there are several things to conquer. There's human nature, there's addictions, there's sin, there's Satan, etc. Jesus Christ didn't have most of those, but he did have Satan as an adversary. He did have temptation from Satan, and he conquered them. So we need to conquer with him.

We with Jesus Christ have a human existence. He was flesh and blood like you and me.

We are ruled by God. He submitted totally to God, to the laws of God. We are doing the same. We are called. We are given God's Spirit. We are conquering Satan. We are doing right according to God's Word. It's called righteousness. Just take the end part of that word off, and you've got right. We're supposed to do right, and we're supposed to be right in God's eyes. And Jesus was that. We need to be raised from the dead. Raised from the dead. In 1 Corinthians 15, round about verse 20, it says, Each one in his own order, first Christ the firstfruits, then those who are Christ at his coming. There we are, raised from the dead with him.

Jesus said in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 21, Notice, To him who conquers I will grant to sit with me on my throne. I conquered and am sat down with my Father on his throne. That's your calling. That's your place. That's your residence. That's your purpose. Never forget what your purpose is. As you go through the days and the years and the end times, if that comes during your life, don't forget what your purpose is. You are called to be seated. You are called to reign and rule with Christ. All that other stuff, all that other stuff we'll deal with in the future. But right now, what you and I can do daily is to submit to the rule of God, obey him, keep his commandments. Jesus said, If you want to have eternal life, keep the commandments. That's our focus. That's not the world's focus right now. In Revelation 14, verse 4, we see the final thing that we have in common with Jesus Christ. Revelation 14, verse 4, we're going to break into the middle of this verse. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. That's the first time firstfruits is used with regards to the saints. We have a festival of the firstfruits that speaks to this harvest. When a harvest is harvested, then you can have fruits. Right now, you can think of wheat out there in the fields. There's no firstfruits in those wheat fields. There's just wheat in the fields. There's no fruits yet. It's just wheat in the fields. When somebody goes out there and cuts a little bit, now you have actually harvested the firstfruits. We are in the body of Christ, and we are growing in the field. Jesus talks about seeds and growth taking place. We are growing in the field. But when we are resurrected, those who are resurrected, they are redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and the Lamb. In their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

That's our calling. That's where we are headed, brethren. Don't forget that. As the day approaches and there are trials and troubles, don't forget that's where you are intended to be and who you are. Our calling, then, and our purpose is to already be living the life that we will teach in the future, that we will encourage others to live in the future. Then we will rise to assist Jesus Christ in helping him with that transition to oneness for all people. The rulership has been taking place for quite a while. We go to Matthew chapter 28. When Jesus was resurrected, he came back to his apostles, just to his apostles. He makes a very interesting statement. Matthew 28 verses 18 through 20.

That's an interesting statement to say that 2,000 years ago. Yet Satan has been ruling this earth ever since. Do you know why? As near as I can reckon, he's waiting for you to join him in ruling. He's waiting for you to join him. Notice what he says here. All authority has been given to me in heaven and earth. Therefore, because of this, his next statement, verse 19, is, Go make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey or observe all things that I have commanded you. So he has been ruling, but only over the church in preparing a bride. Ephesians 5 talks about him giving himself for the bride and setting us an example. 2,000 years of preparation for that seventh trumpet rule so that we can be caught up with him and we can reign with him. We can assist him. I think sometimes we might not understand as clearly how excited God is, the Father, to have completed making a bride for his Son. You know, it's the Father who creates the bride for the Son. It's the Father who will give the bride to his Son. There will be a wonderful ceremony for that. But we are already betrothed to Jesus Christ through baptism. We are already married in that sense of betrothal, of possession. We've been claimed. We've been given the Holy Spirit. That's the advance, that's the dowry, as it were, for the possession that will be then given to Jesus Christ.

Teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age. So Jesus is with his bride that is developing to the end of this age. We are getting ready for something that is really, really exciting. Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 22, we find he has been the King. He has been the ruler. He has been the supreme authority all these 2,000 years for us, for us and our forefathers in the faith. Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 22, And God the Father put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body. I am sure Jesus Christ is very excited as he grows the body, as he cleanses the bride, as he develops a relationship with you and with me and with others before us and that will come after us, who are part of this body that will assist him. We don't have the skills. We don't have the talents. But when we are resurrected as God, being shining bright and given infinite wisdom and knowledge and understanding and linked to the very mind of God, we will be brothers and sisters, as it were, like Christ. It says in 1 John chapter 3, verse 1, We don't know what we shall be like, but we know we shall be like him.

We shall be like him. And how exciting it will be for the God family to suddenly have how many? We don't know. Too few, for sure, but more God beings shining bright, powerful, to assist Jesus Christ, to be there with him. God is counting on it. It's not something that is sort of extraneous or an add-on. For some reason, it's needed in God's mind, in God's eyes. He didn't say, maybe if somebody shows up, we'll try to see if we can fit him in somewhere. Oh, Jesus, I go to prepare a place for you, and I will bring you to myself that you will be with me wherever I am. And that preparation is underway.

In Revelation chapter 19 and verse 6, we see the fulfillment of those of us who take it seriously, that we need to have God as our ruler now, have his laws as those that we subscribe to and obey, those who say that my citizenship is in the kingdom of heaven. That is my country. My citizenship is the kingdom of heaven. My God, my ruler is God. My laws are there. That's what I'm about. Like Hebrews chapter 11 brings out. And so in Revelation chapter 19 and verse 6, those who have gone the same course that Jesus Christ did in this present evil age, and have been successful in becoming Christ-like, this is said, and I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude. Now what he's saying here, he's trying to tell you how loud something is. Take all the people you can imagine and have them all yell at the same time. Maybe a million people. The biggest gathering you can get them to have them yell. Well, that's kind of the noise. Or, as the sound of many waters, well maybe take, I don't know, the Niagara Falls and Victoria Falls and any other falls you've got, put them all together and stand at the bottom and just hear all the noise. Okay? Or that doesn't work for you. How about the sound of mighty thunderings? Take a bunch of those lightning storms and put them together and have a whole bunch of lightning make thunder. He says it's kind of like that. And they were all saying, Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. See, all the ones here who are saying this, declare that God is the ruler. Declare God's rule. Declare His ways. Declare it right. And we need to really be doing that daily now.

Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come. His wife has made herself ready. That's our job. You want to know what the work of God is? The work of the church is for the bride to make herself ready. And also, let others know that they can come under the rule of God, too. Why don't you come under the rule of God? We'll give you the gospel message. God's the ruler. God's the creator. It's God's laws that work. They don't want to hear it. Most people don't want to hear it. Not too many people want to fill the seats today and come under the rule of God, under the reign of Christ, obey the laws of God, and fight the mental aspirations of the God of this world.

But that is our focus. In verse 8, to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright. Notice, for the fine linen is the right or righteous acts of the saints. They have been doing this, their life. They have been submitting to the rule of God, keeping the commandments of God, and they are doing right in God's eyes. Then he said to me, right. This next word in the Greek has a lot of energy to it. It might be, oh how supremely blessed! See, that word blessed isn't sort of blessed. No, it's, oh how supremely blessed are those who are called to. What's your calling? What are you called to? Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. That's your calling, brethren. That's what you and I are called for. We are called to join Christ and be the bride of Christ. And oh how supremely blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. At some point we see in the Bible that they went into the marriage supper and the door was closed. We don't know what goes on in there from the outside. They go in and the door's closed. We have to show up. We have to be there. But it's really, really good. It's really blessed. Don't be one standing on the outside knocking, let me in, let me in. Jesus has so many parables about coming up short. We need to be serious about our calling. Now what does this all have to do with the Day of Atonement? Well, as I said, we need to be prepared to assist Him in what this day pictures and what the future festival is that we are celebrating picture. Remember that missing element down through time is people submitting to the rule of God. People keeping the commandments of God. People having the love of God's mindset. Those who live it now will assist in bringing humanity and at one meant with God in the future. And God is depending on you. Depending on you and me to step up and perfect that now so that we can teach it later.

Society at that time will continue to reject God's law. We have to just come to grips with that's the way it is when you're under Satan's sway. And for some time after that, in fact, the Bible indicates that there will be resistance or a lack of interest in that. In Matthew 24, verse 30, when Jesus gave the Olivet prophecy, one thing He mentioned was this. Matthew 24, verse 30, Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming. So there's a resistance. We know about the battle of Armageddon, the gathering there, and the ultimate battle for Jerusalem, or the battle to get rid of God. That's going to be sort of a universal concept at that point in time. But Jesus Christ, who is readied with a bride's assistant, then has a powerful team, a powerful family group of husband and wife to go out and begin, then, to begin the process of reconciliation. And that process isn't instant. It wasn't with you and me. It certainly won't be at that time after so much back pressure.

In Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11, we back up here. Now, I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.

This is just after the bride and the marriage of the Lamb up in verse 7-8. Now, next, I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And he who sat on him was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness, he judges and makes war. That indicates what the response will be. We say, oh, be at one with God. Well, here's the response. We're going to make war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written that no one knew except himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. So our husband, Jesus Christ, has a name as well, and it is the Word of God.

Notice in verse 14, And the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, that is us. That is the bride. That is the armies or the group, the assembly in heaven. They follow him, again, they're with him, wherever he goes, on white horses. Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations, and he himself will rule them with a rod of iron. Now you can go to chapter 2 and verse 27, and it says that those who are faithful now in the church will rule with a rod of iron. He will give them that rod of iron, as he also has been given. So once again, now we are co-bringing in, let's say, repentance. We are bringing in some justice, things for people to learn from and say, this, what you're doing and your resistance to God is wrong. You need to be humbled. Talk about a day of humbling. That will be a day of humbling for humanity. When they are humbled by God's destruction and his fire and actual death. Too many.

In verse 16, and he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. When you see King of kings and Lord of lords, what the commentaries say is that just means, above all, in rulership or authority. It's not naming a bunch of kings and other lords, but rather saying, he is the king above any kind of king, Lord or supreme authority above any kind of authority.

Now we move into verse 19. We see what the response is. And I saw the beasts, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him, who sat on the horse and against his army. I don't see the huge contest here from our view, because when you have God-level beings making war with human beings, you know, it's not much of a contest. But to them, you can see the intent of their heart is to get rid of this kingdom, this rulership. And they're gathered to make war against him and against his army, against the bride, against the saints. So you can picture yourself involved initially in bringing oneness to humanity in this type of a conflict.

Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet, who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone. So you begin here, then, taking the mindset, the leadership, those who are advocating this war, those who are advocating this hostility to God. You can't do anything with them, so they're cast into the lake of fire. The rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. Now, there's a lot that probably goes on there, a lot of detail. Not every human being is killed, but certainly those armies who would not repent. Maybe they were given more opportunity during that time. Some may have softened. We hope so. But in large part, the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse.

In verse 20, this continuing with the removal of the mindset is so important. Like today, you want to go out and fix things, you can't, because you can't remove the mindset. You know, you find all the evil people and shoot them. Okay, great. Right behind them, a new bunch of evil people come up. That's happened down through history. You take the worst people in the world and you execute them. Right behind them, the worst are people in the world. Why? Because you haven't gotten rid of the source, the father of lies, the father of murders, the father of evil.

So then, like there's no break here between chapter 19 and 20, then I saw an angel coming down from heaven having the key of a bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand, and he laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who was the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal on him so they should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. But after these things, he must be released for a little while. You know, you can think about the removal of Satan, and as far as the Feast of Atonement goes, that a zozel goat, one was Jesus Christ sacrificed, the other is the zozel goat taken out and let go. So we see this mindset, this false mindset. He's taken to a far area in a wilderness, categorized here by a bottomless pit, which is like a grave in other places in Scripture, and there he deceives nobody. We've removed the main mental, shall we say, influencer, and that's progress. There's a lot of progress that's made at that point. A lot of progress that's made at that point. It's very, very essential. Now, in verse 6, other than gods, Verse 6, Here we have a priesthood rolling out the right way to live, the directive as to how that will be done in a very organized way, and these will be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him for a thousand years. We are needed. You are needed. You are not incidental. You are important. But so is your responsibility important to fulfill so that you can be there.

Atonement speaks to this transition of leadership. If we go to John 12, verse 31, we'll see Jesus Christ speak here of how this oneness comes about. John 12, verses 31 and 32. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. We've just read about that, how the ruler of this world will be cast out. He's been being cast out of you and me in the church, but now the judgment of this world, which we've just read about there in Revelation 19, that judgment, the correction, the humility of society, the bringing down of Babylon, the bringing down of everything that this world has built that's wrong, suddenly collapses and those who are left are really in a world of, let's say, humility. You've heard of sometimes these disasters that come through. People before the disaster have been pretty proud. They're on the seafront about what they own, what they do and everything. Afterward, when there's nothing there, everything's desolated, they've lost it all. They just say, wow, wow, this is humbling. All this stuff that we had that we thought was our integrity is just wiped out. And so it will be. In John 12, let's continue. In verse 32, And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, if I am crucified, notice, here's his goal. I will draw all peoples to myself. That's what you and I are here for. Once we clear it, get rid of the false government, people are humbled, systems of the world are all leveled in that sense, now Jesus can draw all peoples to himself, to the family of God, to God the Father, through his bride and the assistance of his bride. We'll have a big, big work to do. Fasting and repentance. Those things are important when you're looking at a change of choice of ruler. This is not a prideful event for anybody. This is a humble event. When you repent, I'll bet it was a humble event. I remember well the time God gave me repentance. And I grew up in the church. I grew up at the feet of Herbert Armstrong, literally a baby on the carpet at first. And I was a good kid. I kept God's laws and I didn't eat pork. One day God gave me a little view of my human nature and carnality and how selfish I was, how self-centered I was. And I just wanted to throw up. I even said, I don't think there's any purpose for me to live just this egotistical, vain, pompous teenager of 18, 19 years old that's just been all about me. God can do that to an individual. And when he does it, wow, then we can repent and we're humbled by it. And we then begin to give God the glory for everything that is done because we of ourselves really can't do anything but mess stuff up.

In Jeremiah chapter 30, let's turn there and read a little of what this process for humanity is going to be like. Jacob has been turning his back on God for, I don't know, 3,500 years or so in various waves, mostly against God, but occasionally there's been some recognition. So correction to them is coming first because they were the first ones to be called the people of God. His intent is for them to be a model nation that helps roll out in a physical way the oneness of God and the obedience to God, coming under the rule of God and receiving the blessings of God. In Jeremiah chapter 30, beginning in verse 4, and we'll read down to verse 22, he says, Ask now and see whether a man is ever in labor with child. So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins? It's good for us to fast on the day of atonement. I hope you're a little afflicted. I thought this morning I was having a heart attack. You know how it is. When you're not eating, you don't take something to fix everything, like a cup of coffee. And I'm thinking, I should eat something. Maybe I'm having indigestion. Probably just slept funny. Maybe I should do something else. Drink a bunch of water. Get that system moving. You can't. So you just ache a little bit. You have maybe a headache. Maybe you feel weak. Well, that's good because why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor? Alas, for that day is great so that none is like it. It is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. God wants him to go through repentance. He wants the twelve tribes to go through repentance. For it shall come to pass in that day, says the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from your neck, burst your bonds. Foreigners shall no more enslave them, but they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. Therefore do not fear, O my servant Jacob, says the Lord, nor be dismayed Israel. For behold, I will save you from afar and your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have rest and be quiet, and no one shall make him afraid. For I am with you, says the Lord, to save you, though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you. Yet I will not make a complete end of you. Yeah, Jacob's trouble, he'll be reduced at least to a third, if not more. But I will correct you in justice and will not let you go altogether unpunished. For thus says the Lord, your affliction is incurable, your wound is severe. There is no one to please your cause, that you may be bound up. You have no healing medicines. All your lovers have forgotten you. They do not seek you. For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with a chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of your iniquities, because your sins have increased. You see, God is having to bring about correction, first to Israel, and then be the first to encourage them to repent, and those who do repent, to establish them in an at-one situation with Him, and then be able to bless them, which we will celebrate during the Feast of Tabernacles. Why do you cry about your affliction? Your sorrow is incurable, because of the multitude of your iniquities, because your sins have increased. I have done these things to you.

So, in verse 18, the Lord says, Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob's tent and have mercy on his dwelling places. So you can read on through there, and you'll find that God does have a plan. And correction comes first, followed by repentance. And then we'll find that those who do turn to God, they will have a great relationship with Him. In Ezekiel 36, in verse 17, Ezekiel 36, in verse 17, The Son of Man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds. To me, their way was like the uncleanness. Therefore, I poured out my fury on them, for the blood they had shed on the land. So I scattered them among the nations. Verse 20, When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned my holy name. Verse 21, But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, wherever they went. So we see here, this process is repeated in God's eyes. He wants them to repent. He wants to bring them back within His realm. In verse 25 of Ezekiel 36, Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You shall be my people, and I will be your God.

There is the process once again. And God wants you and me to be there, having gone through this process ourselves, knowing well what it is, knowing how to be at one with God. And then be able to teach them and then others how to do this. In Isaiah chapter 30 and verse 20, it gets more personal for you and me. Isaiah chapter 30, and we'll read verses 20 and 21. Think about how much God needs you is depending on you. This isn't a kind of a, well, I'll either be in the kingdom or I won, or I hope the day of salvation comes and then I'll be in the kingdom. No, you have a role, a responsibility that God is and Jesus Christ are developing for you and counting on you for. Let's look here. Isaiah chapter 30 and verse 20 and 21. Speaking here to those of the nation of Israel at that time.

Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left, we need to be expert teachers who know what to say when they turn to the right hand or to the left. We need to be fully experienced in knowing when to turn God's way as opposed to perhaps our own way or when certain circumstances arise that are very intriguing. If I just do it this way, it could work out well for me, you see? That's the way of carnal human nature. So the point is, you and I are expected to be there first to assist the nation from Jerusalem going outward and then to work with that process expanding to all nations. In Jeremiah chapter 3 and verse 17, it speaks of God's intent for oneness across the planet.

Jeremiah chapter 3 and verse 17.

So we finally arrived at the point in time when all nations look to God as their Lord, their authority. They don't look to their other ideas, but they're obeying God. And eventually, then, this millennial reign turns into a wonderful world tomorrow with ever-increasing blessings that go out, as we read in Deuteronomy chapter 28. You know, if you carefully obey God and do what He says, then these are the blessings that will come upon you. And Deuteronomy 28 goes into detail about what those blessings are. Blessings on the family, blessings on the land, blessings on the crops, on the animals, on the relationships. Wonderful blessings. And that will roll out around the world for those people. And then, at the end of that thousand years, following that thousand years, we have a second resurrection. Guess what? We should all be very, very ready for 60 to 100 billion people to be resurrected and come up and be told, This is God. There's your new ruler. Here's your new laws. And be ready to go back through that all over again. Until, with God's Holy Spirit, everyone, everyone who will, everyone who will, will be at one with God.

You and I, brethren, have a wonderful opportunity right now to have this relationship with God. And I'd like to conclude by reading what we call the model prayer outline in Matthew 6, verse 9. Because Jesus gives this to you and me as an outline for our daily focus. And our daily focus here is one of claiming who our ruler is and claiming who our enemy is. It is a declaration of allegiance that guides you and me every day, if we'll use it this way, to know who our God is, know what we're here for, to be involved in fulfilling our purpose, but also to declare that we want nothing to do with the ruler of this world.

Let's walk through this before we conclude here.

In Matthew, chapter 6, beginning in verse 9, it says, It says, our Father is not the Father of the world right now. It's not the Father that's of this age. They have a different Father, Jesus said. Our Father. That statement is a choice we make when we say those words. Our Father. We are claiming you as our Father. It's a choice we make. Our Father in heaven. We know where our citizenship is.

Howlowed be your name. I'm choosing to make something here that's important to me, that is right to me, that is good to me. I'm choosing your name. Our family name. The God family name. Verse 10, Your kingdom come. The word kingdom primarily means rulership or sovereignty. Your rule come. Today, now, I choose you as my ruler, you as my sovereign God.

I also choose you as the ruler of the world tomorrow. I pray that your Son, Jesus Christ, will come and rule. His rule come. I pray that your rule will come at the second resurrection. I pray that you will rule over everything for eternity. And the new heavens and earth. All of those, including what I can actually deal with today, is choosing your rule in my life. I want your rulership. Your will be done today.

Your will. As it is in heaven.

Now in me, now in us, in the future, I want your will to be done as we assist Jesus Christ. Help us to have your rule done on earth, second resurrection, etc., etc. We're going to need so much work and help at that time in making that take place.

Give us this day our daily bread. Us, the Church, our bread, Jesus Christ. Give us your Holy Spirit, Christ in us, our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation. That's a declaration that I love your law. I don't want to be tempted to break your law. See what's hiding in there when you say, don't let us be led into temptation? Temptation for what? To do something that is not right in God's eyes. To do something that is not right in God's eyes. I want to do right. I love your law, David said. It's my meditation all the day. Help me not to be deceived or tempted to break it. But deliver us from the evil one. Wow, there's a declaration. We just called Satan evil. We know who the evil one is. We know who is good and right, and we know who is evil. We know who our God is, we know who our opponent is. For yours is the rulership.

Both the rulership, the future territory, all of it, the kingdom. The kingdom of heaven, and the power and the glory forever. You know, brethren, when we get up and we start forming our prayers daily like that, it really changes the day. It really fortifies us to begin the day knowing who our God is. Knowing what we're going to be doing today, what our purpose is. Knowing who's going to influence us. Knowing who we're going to be resisting. Knowing who we're giving our allegiance to. God loves that. And if we ever get up and just, well, I'm kind of busy today, I think I'll just float into a day. Maybe see what happens. See what pops up. See what looks interesting. See what ideas pop up. Wow, we would just be naked out there. We would be naked. In conclusion, then, God's autumn festivals that we're celebrating herald His future oneness with all of humanity. We need to bring those elements into our daily focus now so that we can assist Jesus Christ in bringing all future citizens of the kingdom of God in the future.