How to Prepare for What Is to Come, Part 2

One question will answer. The second one, what is Jesus Christ's plan for your success and future in His Kingdom? We talked some about that already, but we'll talk more about it. And again, we hope that understanding the answers to these two questions from the Bible and the magnificent news about the Kingdom of God will help educate and edify all of us. So again, we'll go on to this question, what is a major underlying crisis of our time? To learn the answer, we must go back into biblical history. In fulfillment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God established Israel as a nation for the purpose of bringing blessings to other nations. God was beginning with them, but those blessings were to flow out to other nations. Hopefully other nations would see what God was doing with Israel, and they would want to know the true God. That's the way it was supposed to work. So it was supposed to spread throughout the world. However, we know Israel didn't do their part. They didn't set the right example for the rest of the world. If the Israelites would have fulfilled their part of the covenant agreement with God, God would have made them the premier nation of the world. They would have rode on the high places of the earth, so to speak, and all nations would have looked to them for direction and guidance. But if the Israelites disobeyed, they would suffer the consequences as well. God told them other nations would take them captive. That was a prophecy that God had given them. Even their punishment was to be a lesson to other nations. Notice Deuteronomy 28, verse 37, speaking of Israel, "...you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations, where the Lord will divide you." This was a prophecy that if they would not obey God and follow His commandments, then they would become an astonishment, a proverb, a byword. In other words, they would be mocked by other nations. And isn't that true when we look back at Israel throughout history? Many nations hold them in scorn. They're persecuted above any other people on earth. It's largely because of their unfaithfulness and their disobedience to God in the first place. So nearly 3,500 years ago, God told H in Israel, in Deuteronomy chapter 4, verse 23, "...take heed to yourselves lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you." Remember, it wasn't long before they had a golden calf they were bowing down to.

And even after that, even after that calf was ground down and they had to drink it, they continued to make carved images.

For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, He is a jealous God. When you beget children, we'll continue on, when you beget children and grandchildren, and have grown old in the land, act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the Lord your God to provoke Him to anger. Remember, Israel and Judah had high places where they would bow before graven images. When my wife and I were in Jerusalem, we saw some of the images and some of the things that they would bow down at the high places and so forth. And God had warned them about this type of behavior. He says, I call heaven and earth to witness against you that the Lord will scatter you among the peoples and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. Now, we understand that Britain and the United States are the descendants of the nations of ancient Israel, the house of Israel that was scattered, the lost ten tribes of Israel. Of course, we have a booklet that details that. And if you haven't read it lately, then you ought to get the booklet out and read it yourself. With the restoration of Joseph's birthright promises to his descendants, Britain and the United States, the people of these nations have enjoyed unprecedented prosperity. There really hasn't been two nations that have had such a major impact on the world as much as the United States and Britain has, certainly in modern times.

Britain has had an opportunity to spread ethical, godly civilization to much of the world. Now, certainly they didn't spread God's truth, but they did bring some things about the Bible, about God and His Word to many people. At the height of their empire, the British people took the Bible into far-flung corners of the earth. They had many missionaries that went around the world. Yet today, religion is routinely ridiculed in Britain. It's ridiculed in the national news in Britain and entertainment media. Christianity is foundering there. It is mocked by many in Britain. A large majority of the British people show little or no interest in the teachings of the Bible today. And in a similar way, the United States, although it was founded by leaders who, for the most part, held the Bible in great respect and believed in God, now we see a large portion of our nation ignoring the teachings of the Bible and rising up against God and His teachings.

Paradoxically, the United States is one of the most prosperous nations of the world, and yet it is one of the most immoral. So we've been very prosperous. We've been blessed because of Abraham. But we're also an immoral people that will have to pay a price for our sins against God. As an ancient Israel, immorality runs rampant in the United States today and also in the nations that once formed the British Empire. The number of broken homes and fatherless households has continued to skyrocket, even as national prosperity has increased. And we talked about many of these sins in the first section today. So what is this major underlying crisis that we have in this country? Frankly and simply, it is contempt for God and His laws. We hold God in contempt in this nation. We hold His laws in contempt individually and also as a nation. And God is not pleased with withholding Him in contempt. You know, God is a jealous God. He doesn't appreciate the fact that He is our Creator and that He has a wonderful plan of salvation for us. And yet we are so ungrateful and we don't even recognize God and many people don't believe in God.

And it's only because of man's sins that frankly people don't believe in God. Because of mankind's sins. If people had not sinned, then we would all believe in God. Because God's presence would be so evident. Because of man, because of the sins of mankind, we have hidden ourselves from God. And if we would just humble ourselves and yield God and begin to obey Him, then we would see who God truly is. The disregard and neglect of God's commandments causes significant suffering, pain, and distress throughout all societies on earth today. This is a monumental problem, not just in the United States but around the world. It was a monumental problem for ancient Israel when they held God in contempt and did not obey Him. So let's go back in history once again to the time of ancient Israel to learn more about the iniquities that caused the nation's ultimate downfall. There were two major sins that are listed in the Bible that are linked directly to captivity. And those sins are idolatry, breaking the first and the second commandment, and the third commandment along with that, taking God's name in vain. That's another sin against God and an act of idolatry against God. But the fourth commandment also is Sabbath-breaking. Sabbath-breaking and idolatry, the first and the fourth commandment primarily.

That's why ancient Israel went into captivity. Notice Ezekiel chapter 20 beginning in verse 12. Moreover, I also gave them my Sabbath. And this is referring not only to each weekly Sabbath, but also to the annual Sabbath, which frankly people have disregarded. They look at them in contempt as the Jews, the feasts of the Jews. But the Bible clearly says, these are my feasts. That's what God says. They are His feasts. Of course, the Jews were to be a chosen people to represent God. It's always been the people's problems. It's never been God who's brought about these issues that people have against God. It's always been the people. It's never been God. God's always been perfect. God's always done His part.

So again, this is a sign between God and His people. Now in this verse, it shows that it was Christ's custom to keep the Sabbath. This is what Christ did. It was His custom. It was His practice. He believed in the Sabbath. He observed the Sabbath. And yet, we know in the world today that people have very little respect for the seventh day, the Sabbath day. Again, there's just a small handful of people observing the Sabbath today. Now that's true not only in Oklahoma City, but around the world. Obviously, we should all be keeping the Sabbath day. And yet, Christianity teaches many things in regard to the Sabbath.

Some believe that the Sabbath was completely done away with, or that all of God's laws were done away, and that we no longer have to be concerned about keeping God's commandments. Christ nailed them to the cross, and we no longer have to be concerned about that. Some believe that Christ came to the earth to do away with His Father's law. Makes very little sense, but that's what people believe. Others argue that Christ in all of the Ten Commandments, but nine of them were reinstituted in the New Testament. And yet, the Sabbath was the one that was not. Everything except the Sabbath. Some people believe that Jesus replaced the Sabbath with Himself. This is one of the more deceptive teachings that I heard back in Pittsburgh in 1994, when I heard a minister that I believe once was a minister of God who was teaching falsehood and error, telling lies.

Now, the Sabbath is still in effect today. The Sabbath hasn't changed. It's still holy time. It was sanctified at creation, and it will remain sanctified.

Some believe that there is no Sabbath at all today, that every day is alike, and they twist the Scriptures to believe that lie. But regardless of the various arguments, an overwhelming portion of traditional Christianity believes that Sunday is the Lord's Sabbath, that it has replaced the seventh day of the week. The first day is now the day of worship. Of course, we understand that's not true, that the Catholics were the ones. The Catholic Church was the one who changed Sabbath to Sunday, and the Protestants went right along and accepted that.

But the Scripture never condones the observance of Sunday, which was the main worship day for the Son, the main sun god. So obviously the world has gone astray when it comes to God's Sabbath.

We cannot find support for Sunday keeping in God's Word. Christ didn't keep Sunday. He doesn't expect us to keep Sunday. In light of Jesus' clear teachings on the permanence of God's laws, what do we find when it comes to His attitude toward the Sabbath? In the Gospels, we see the Sabbath mentioned nearly 50 times, so we have an ample record of Christ's approach toward the Sabbath day. The first mention of the Sabbath is right here, Luke 4, verse 16.

As far as the life of Christ, Jesus came to Nazareth where He had been brought up, and as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read. He was just a child, and He stood up to read. So it was His custom, it was His practice to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Again, this was not an isolated incident. He would later continue to teach in the synagogue on the Sabbath, as we can find in Mark 6 and also in Luke 13. Immediately, Jesus began to use the Sabbath to proclaim the coming Kingdom of God and to manifest His miraculous power as the Messiah, because most of His healings were done on the Sabbath day. The recorded healings in the Bible were done on the Sabbath. Notice here in Luke chapter 4, verses 31 and 32, He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. He was teaching them on the Sabbath. They were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. He knew what He was talking about, and people recognized it. And all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. Every one. And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, You are Christ, the Son of God. And He rebuking them did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ, they knew He was the Messiah, the anointed one. The one sanctified Him, they knew He was the Son of God. So as the Savior, Jesus understood the purpose of the Sabbath, that it was a perfectly appropriate time to bring His message of healing, of hope and redemption to humanity, and to live that message through His actions. And healing on the Sabbath was one of those ways to do good on the Sabbath. Also, we understand in the Scripture, supports that the apostles also followed Christ's practice. It was also their practice, it was their custom to keep the Sabbath. The book of Acts shows in a number of places that the apostles kept the Sabbath day. It was Paul's custom to worship and teach in the synagogues on the Sabbath. Remember, just about the whole city came out the next Sabbath. Not on Sunday, but on Sabbath to hear the truth that Paul was teaching.

So Paul, nor Jesus, never even hinted to their listeners that they ought to worship on a different day. It was always the Sabbath day that was the day of worship. Where many people jumped to wrong conclusions about Jesus and the Sabbath is in His confrontations with the scribes and the Pharisees. That's where a lot of the misunderstanding comes from. Yet these confrontations with the Pharisees were never over whether to keep the Sabbath. They recognized that they should keep the Sabbath. In fact, that's why the Jews kept their identity, because they were keeping the Sabbath. The problem was in how they kept the Sabbath. Many of them went overboard in observing the Sabbath. They brought burdens that God did not intend in regard to the Sabbath. Jesus boldly challenged the Jews concerning their interpretation of Sabbath observance by performing healings on the Sabbath. That was something that they said was medical attention that should not be given to anyone unless it was a life-or-death matter. Christ would heal a lame person on the Sabbath, someone who could not walk their entire lives. They were 40 years old. For the very first time, they were able to walk and to leap. The Pharisees were envious of God's power. That's the biggest problem that they had with Jesus healing on the Sabbath, because they couldn't do it themselves. So they picked the Sabbath as some way to get at Jesus Christ, to claim that He was breaking the Sabbath. They were out to kill Jesus Christ from very early on, and so they used the Sabbath as part of some kind of trumped-up charges against Christ. In this regard, Jesus exposed their hypocrisy in that they saw nothing wrong with working to rescue an animal that fell into a pit on the Sabbath day. That was okay. But to heal someone and to restore their limbs to life, they condemned Christ for that, for helping a human being whose worth is much greater than that of an animal on the Sabbath day. Christ was rightfully angry at their inability to see that they placed their own traditions and interpretations over the true purpose of Sabbath observance. Yet they were so spiritually blind that they hated Christ for exposing their distortions of God's commands. On one occasion, Jesus' disciples, as they walked through a field on the Sabbath day, remember, they picked handfuls of grain, so they had something to eat. They weren't harvesting the field. The Pharisees claimed they were harvesting the field. They were just taking a few heads of grains. They were grabbing a quick snack to take care of their hunger. But the Pharisees insisted that this was lawful. They insisted that Jesus broke the Sabbath, and that his disciples broke the Sabbath day. Christ never broke the Sabbath. Christ always observed the Sabbath. Jesus used an example from Scripture to show that the Spirit and intent of the law were not broken and that God's law allowed for mercy. That's in Mark chapter 2. We're not going to take the time to go there, but actually we'll go to Mark 2 verse 27, where it shows that the Sabbath was made for man. Just before this, it showed that the Sabbath was fine to do good on the Sabbath, not to work on the Sabbath, because the Scripture clearly says, six days shall you labor and do all your work. The Sabbath was made for man. It was a time of rest. It was a time of worship. It was a time of spiritual rejuvenation and also physical rejuvenation. So the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Pharisees had reversed the priorities of the laws of God. They had added so many meticulous regulations and traditions to the Sabbath commandment that trying to keep it as they demanded had become an enormous burden for people. Rather than the blessing that God had intended, God says we should look at the Sabbath as a delight, call it a delight, and honor God on that day.

Jesus claimed to have authority to say how the Sabbath should be observed because, frankly, the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath. Christ was the one who created the Sabbath in the first place by resting. Scripture clearly shows that it was Jesus Christ who made all things that were made, including the Sabbath, by resting on that day.

It is clear by biblical evidence that Jesus carefully observed the Sabbath as a day of rest and a day of worship. We, too, therefore should carefully follow his example. We have a booklet called Sunset the Sunset, God's Sabbath Rest. If you haven't read that one in a while, it would be good to read it.

So that answers our first question. Again, the first question, what is this underlying crisis? It's idolatry and Sabbath-breaking. That's what's going on on the earth today. That's why the United States and Britain will eventually go into captivity, because we are the descendants of the children of Israel. We are not keeping these laws, these basic fundamental commandments of God. The second question, what is Jesus Christ's plan for your success and future in the Kingdom of God?

Salvation through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection is central to the gospel message. Salvation does come through Christ's sacrifice. It is central to the gospel message. Of course, his resurrection to life is central as well. Christ died, was buried, and was resurrected so we could all inherit eternal life in his Kingdom. The astounding part of the gospel, that is, the entering into the Kingdom of God is the aspect that so few people understand.

They don't talk much about entering God's Kingdom. They may speak about Christ's return, but they don't really fully understand his Kingdom that's coming, that he's going to establish at that time. Many people feel the Kingdom of God has already been set up. Some believe it's the Catholic Church, that it's in us, that it's something in our hearts. But Christ reveals the truth regarding his Kingdom. And frankly, salvation is synonymous with entering the Kingdom of God. The only way you'll have salvation is by entering into God's Kingdom. That is salvation.

You will be saved when you enter into God's Kingdom. None of us are saved, and none of us have yet entered into God's Kingdom. Now, we are on the road to eternal life, but we're not yet there. We haven't arrived. When Christ returns, then we will have arrived. We will be changed into spirit at that time. We will be saved. We will have salvation as we enter into God's Kingdom. So what will salvation, eternal life, and the Kingdom of God really mean to all those who receive it?

You see, salvation is the transformation from a physical, mortal human to an immortal Son of God. That's really what salvation is. We are saved when we're rid of this flesh. We talked about human nature and the problems of human nature in the first part. That the heart is deceitful above all things. It's desperately wicked. That the carnal mind is enmity against God. It's not subject to His laws. So we have to get rid of the flesh in order to enter God's Kingdom. We have to be changed. Now, there will be some who will live into the Millennium who will be human beings. They will be flesh.

But they will not yet have salvation. We're only saved when we actually are changed into spirit. That's when we'll be saved. Let's notice Hebrews 2 in this regard. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering, both the one who makes men holy, speaking of Christ, and those who are made holy, speaking of human beings, repentant and converted human beings.

They are of the same family. So we must all repent of our sins, the breaking of God's laws. We must overcome, put sin out of our lives. Those who enter the Kingdom of God are all of the same family. They're all part of God's family. All are God's children. They're all brought to glory. They're all brought to a glorified state of immortal spirit. We will have immortality when we are changed into spirit.

This is what salvation is all about. Those who enter the Kingdom of God will share even God's divine nature. We will become like God. We will become like Christ. We will see Christ as He is. We will become like Him. We will finally have the mind of Christ. We will no longer sin.

As long as we're in the flesh, we're going to sin. Because the flesh is weak. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. So we have to be rid of this flesh. Those who enter the Kingdom of God will share God's divine nature. God will make those who enter His Kingdom fully like His Son, Jesus Christ.

Now we know that Christ never sinned. He was perfect even in the flesh, unlike any of us. We've all fallen short of the glory of God. We've all fallen short of the glory of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle John is explicit about this in 1 John chapter 3, where he says, Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when Christ is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. We're going to be like Him. In other words, we are now flesh as He was flesh. He was resurrected. He became Spirit. He's at the right hand of God. He's all-powerful, and we shall become like Him. We shall be changed into Spirit, just as Jesus Christ was changed into Spirit.

Human beings who enter the kingdom of God will be given the glorious honor of being like the resurrected, glorified Jesus Christ. Notice here in Romans 8, the Spirit itself bears witness with our human spirit and man that we are the children of God. And if children, then we are heirs. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. In other words, we're going to inherit the same thing that Christ inherits. Now, of course, Christ is not a created being. Christ was there in the very beginning with God the Father. But we will be joint heirs with Christ in that we shall be changed into Spirit. Christ divested Himself of His divine nature when He came in the flesh. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and by virtue of that, He was perfect without sin. He had the Spirit of God from the very beginning. He also yielded to God. He was God's Son. Unlike, of course, any of us, He's completely different and unique in that way. But we will be joint heirs with Him according to this Scripture. If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. So we have to be willing to suffer as Christ suffered in the flesh. We must be willing to be persecuted in various ways and still stay faithful to God's truth. So this is the awesome potential of all who receive eternal life as members of the family that God is creating. The promised reward of the saints or salvation, as it is often called, occurs at the resurrection from the dead. Now, mainstream Christianity will have us believe that we're already in heaven.

But that's not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that we will be resurrected to life at Christ's return. Those of us who have died in Christ will be resurrected and will become spirit beings at the return of Christ. The promised reward of the saints or salvation occurs at the resurrection of the dead. At Christ's return. This takes place when Christ returns at the last trumpet. And the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of our Savior, Jesus Christ, according to Revelation 11. Those who are resurrected from mortal life to immortality will enter His kingdom. As we know, they will assist Christ in a 1,000-year reign here on the earth. And then that kingdom will be established forevermore. The holy city will come out from heaven. The New Jerusalem will come down from heaven. And God the Father will then dwell with men, changed men into spirit beings at that time. The gospel of the kingdom of God reveals that Christ will set up His kingdom on the earth with His resurrected saints to give everyone the opportunity to have eternal life. God's desire is for you and everyone else to inherit His kingdom, each in His own order or in His own time, as the Scripture tells us. The true gospel reveals that the saints, the faithful followers of Christ, resurrected to eternal life at His return will be actively involved in ruling with Christ. See, that's where the firstfruits come in. We will have an active role in the government of God from the very beginning. When it's established here on the earth, we will be raised to spirit beings who will rule and reign with Christ. Prophecies in the book of Isaiah reveal that Christ will begin working with the human beings left alive after His return to teach them His ways. And again, that's where we will come in. Christ's faithful followers, who now have eternal life, will assist Him as kings and priests in His kingdom. We'll have a big job because there will be billions of people that will need taught God's truth in God's way, and relatively few of us to take care of billions of people.

They will become spirit. They will live forever. That is, those of us who are changed to spirit at Christ's return. This is God's incredible promise to them in Revelation 21, verse 7. He who overcomes shall inherit all things. I will be his God, and he shall be my Son. So again, what does this inheritance include? In Hebrews chapter 2, it indicates that our ultimate destiny is to participate in rulership over the entire universe as glorified, immortal sons of God. When we hear and understand the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, again, what does God expect us to do? He wants us to repent and believe the good news about His kingdom. His kingdom is something, again, we must all enter. Accepting Christ's command to repent and believe this message, this good news, is the first step. We're all on that road. Some of us have repented. We have accepted Christ as our Savior. We have been baptized. We have received the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God dwells in us, and that is what will change us into spirit, ultimately, at Christ's return. Those who refuse to live God's holy way of life will be refused entrance into the kingdom of God, and they will not be given eternal life. All people must come to repentance. And God is not willing that any should perish. It's not His will that any perish. But He won't force people to do the right thing. It has to be your choice. It has to be your decision. So to enter the kingdom, we must gain a proper outlook, a humble and teachable, childlike attitude, accompanied by real repentance, accompanied by baptism, and the receiving of God's Holy Spirit. Now, we have a booklet called The Road to Eternal Life. If you haven't read that one in a while, it would be good to read it. But seeking God's kingdom must become our highest priority, no matter what the difficulties that we will face in the future. Paul said we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. So, brethren, we have to be willing to face whatever comes down the pike, as the saying goes. Whatever befalls us, we must be willing to suffer any tribulation or any persecution. Jesus encourages us to overcome these difficulties by keeping the kingdom of God as our primary goal by seeking first God's kingdom. And Christ urges us to pray, thy kingdom come, each and every day of our lives. When our lives are devoted to seeking God's kingdom, then our outlook will be like that of the patriarchs that are recorded in Hebrews 11. Notice these inspiring words here in Hebrews 11.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises. Speaking of the patriarchs, those who have gone before us, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, these promises, they embraced them, they confessed, that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. We too are strangers and pilgrims. We are different, because we have made choices in our life to obey and follow God. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God. He's not ashamed to be called our God, because we have not rejected Him. We have not committed that great sin against God, where we hold Him in contempt. So many people hold God in contempt. We do not hold God in contempt. We acknowledge God as the great God of the universe, our Father in heaven, and Jesus Christ our Savior. So God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. The New Jerusalem is a city in which we will all dwell in God's kingdom.

In Matthew 24, it shows that we do have a job to do in the meantime.

This Gospel, this good news of the kingdom, will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations as a witness. We're here witnessing. Not anyone has come out to be witness to, except those of us who are being called of God now. We have had people. This is the first time we've never had anyone attend one of our kingdom of God seminars. This is the fourth one, and this is the first time we haven't had somebody new come with us. In Arkansas, we actually had three people. Two of them came to both seminars. They were so excited from the first seminar that they came to the second one in the same day. So they drove from Fort Smith over to Bentonville and went to both. So you never know. God is the one that does the calling, but people have to respond to the call. Whether or not they stick with it, that's between them and God. Our job is to preach the gospel. That's why we're doing this, because God tells us that we ought to preach the gospel, the kingdom of God. It's going to be preached to all the world as a witness, and then the end will come. We want the end to come. We're a little bit tired of this earth and this world and the struggles that we face. We want God's kingdom to come because only then will all people truly be happy. Again, in Matthew 6, 33, seek first the kingdom of God and God's righteousness. That is our goal in life. If you do this, Christ says it is His pleasure to give you the kingdom. It is God's good pleasure. This is what God wants to do.