The Kingdom We Represent

Well, happy feast, everyone! Just before I stepped up here, Mr. Fred Keller has told me to break a leg. Probably the first time in my life I will not follow his advice. It's always been sound, but I appreciate the messages that have gone before and the tone that has been set for the feast already. Our festival coordinator, Mr. Jones, amazes me because for those of you who are here on Friday, you know, you're down to crunch time.

It's the last hour and everything's coming together and, you know, everyone wanted a piece of our festival coordinator. I would describe it almost as, you know, in the book of Job, the first man didn't finish speaking before the next one came up and then he didn't finish speaking before the next. It was Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones, right up about to the moment he stepped up here and then he said, peace.

And I think that set the tone for the feast and where it is we've all come from and the year that it's been. So it's wonderful to be here together at the Feast of Tabernacles. And again, especially in light of all that's occurred over the course of the last year in our country and in the world and specifically in the last number of months as well, it's wonderful to be in this atmosphere of peace.

Again, a tranquility and the opportunity to step away from what actually isn't reality so that we can be immersed into things that truly are reality as God has commanded. And we can rejoice together and we can fellowship. We can encourage one another. For me, the fall holy days are like an oasis in the middle of the desert. You know, it's the coconut-laden palm tree by a cool spring of water that rejuvenates and refreshes the soul after a long, hot, dusty, smoky trek through the summer of 2020. But we're here.

We're here to observe a spiritual high point of the year. We're here to observe a time which clearly reminds us of what God has purposed not only for our lives but for the lives of all of mankind because His holy days outlined for us God's plan of salvation for all of mankind. And what a wonderful thing it is as we look in the world around us today and consider what is happening.

I was talking to someone before church and I said, it's like the Apostle Paul when he describes death and the resurrection. He says, we don't grieve as those who have no hope, but we do grieve when we lose someone close to us. You know, as we come up to the end of the age in this world, we're not distressed to those who have no hope, but we still sigh and cry for our world, for our nation, for our fellow people. But we rejoice in the hope that God has put before us.

And that's what we're here to reflect on and remember at the Feast of Tabernacles this year to have our vision reignited as to the awesome blessings that are one day are going to flow out across the whole earth and be a blessing for all nations as we heard in the first message today. So from that perspective, these days are exciting for us and they give us hope to grab hold of as we finish up the eight days we walk back out into the world.

We take that hope and that rejuvenation with us. And so for my message today, what I'd like to do is encourage us to keep the vision of the coming kingdom of God in our focus at all times. I'd like you to pay close attention to each and every message that's given here at the Feast because that is the focus, the kingdom of God. And that is the kingdom that we've been called to represent. And so that's my SPS. That's my title today, The Kingdom We Represent. And I appreciate very much Mr. New, the note that he wrapped his message up on, because I'd pretty much like to just springboard off of what he wrapped up with our responsibility in our place in all of this.

The kingdom we represent. Again, the months leading up to the Feast this year have been particularly difficult on a number of fronts. There's been the coronavirus pandemic that's wreaked havoc on global peoples, global economies far and wide and close to here at home. There's been the civil and the social unrest that followed on the heels of these things. And also in the mix as well, there's politics in this nation of a political election year.

You know, we're gonna walk out of the door of the Feast right into the politics of this world and, if I can use the term kindly, the media circus that is surrounding it all. And it's a different world than what we're representing here today. And so it's not too hard to find circumstances in this world that are now more polarizing than they've ever been before. People in completely opposite camps. There's not unity, there's not harmony, there's not peace, but as the tone has already been set, that is what we're representing by these days.

So, brethren, if you feel like you've staggered into the Feast of Tabernacles this year, maybe a little more beat-up than you have before, I'll just say, trust me, you're not alone. You know, this is the world we're living in, and it's going completely in the opposite direction of the ways of God.

And yet, even though we're God's people and God is with us, in many ways we're along for the ride. And so I think we come into the assembly thinking, now I need this Feast, I need this Rejuvenation. And again, you're not alone. You and I are living in the world that's rapidly distancing itself from any agreement with the ways of God. This isn't social distancing that's happening around us, it's spiritual distancing, right? The truth of God and this world farther and farther apart, and yet we're God's people living in the midst of this. There's increased tension, there's increased effects of these things, and it's why we maybe feel battered and bruised at times as we walk through this time and up to the end of the age, because we start to feel the tension that is a reality of a world that has become spiritually distanced from the Almighty God.

And so that's why I'm calling the Feast an Oasis, right? Because it's our reprieve from this world. It's a time to come together as God's people and be reminded that there is a better way coming. So we need the Rejuvenation of these days, and we need the fellowship, we need the interaction and the encouragement, and I'll just... it's a major understatement, but I just say God is so smart when He designs these things for His people, because it's not only for the future, but it's for our lives and our sanity today. It should remind us clearly that as the day is approaching, we must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

The Apostle Paul told us not to do so, and the fact is we will come to need each other more and more as the end of the age draws near. This is a time of encouragement, a time of strengthening, a time of lifting one another up in our common calling from God, and the Feast reminds us that the best solution for this world lies yet ahead.

Right? We may be distressed, but we're not distressed as those who have no hope. We understand that the best solution for the world lies yet ahead at the return of Jesus Christ and the role that we will have to play as His bride. And so I want to start out by turning to a Millennial Prophecy. I appreciate Mr. Keller's going through some of our favorite Millennial prophecies, and to me we could read these things every single day of the Feast.

I'd like to turn to Isaiah 11 and just catch a glimpse for us of encouragement into the solution that God has in store for all of mankind, and we'll see why it will be so wonderful. Again, immerse yourselves in this, brethren, because this is the kingdom we represent. Isaiah chapter 11 and verse 1, familiar words to us, Isaiah 11 verse 1, There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Of course, that was a prophecy pointing forward to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to come. Verse 3, it says, Delight is in the fear of the Lord, and he shall not judge by the sight of the eyes, nor decide by the hearing of his ears. But in righteousness he shall judge the poor, and he shall decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Verse 5, Righteousness shall be the belt of his loins, and faithfulness the belt of his waist. You know, everything that Jesus Christ will do to establish the kingdom of God will be done in the faithfulness and the righteousness of Almighty God. And it's the same attitude, it's the same character that you and I are to reflect today.

Verse 6 shows us the beautiful results of this action. Verse 6, The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. Since the cow and the bear shall graze, their young one shall lie down together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den.

We're talking about a time of unparalleled peace and harmony that's going to permeate this whole world. Everywhere we turn, things will be different. How man, how animals function together will be different. The animal realm is a reflection of the fact that the nations will be at peace and at harmony as well. In the millennium, the skunks will spray potpourri. Yeah. Doing our speakers meeting, Mr. Jones said, please don't engage in wild speculation. That's as wild as I'll get. But in the millennium, the skunks will spray potpourri. That's one of my childhood visions of the world tomorrow, what it will be like.

Maybe we'll invite them into the house to freshen up for this habit day. My wife showed up on Friday evening at sunset one time a number of years ago having been sprayed by the skunk and we couldn't even let her in the house. So God's plan is perfect and it will be good. But all this blessing that will take place, peace, abundance, prosperity. Verse 9 of Isaiah 11 says, they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain and I want you to notice specifically why, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Just as there's not a dry place in the midst of the ocean, there won't be a dry place on the face of the earth that doesn't know who God the Father and Jesus Christ are and their plan and purpose for mankind and what it means to live in peace and harmony. And that effect of the kingdom of God will go everywhere. The knowledge of the Lord immediately is going to flow out.

It's going to begin with Israel. They'll see the example, the world will see the example, and ultimately the way of God and truth of God will spread to all nations and this peace and harmony will abound. Everything about human existence will change.

Human existence today doesn't result in peace erupting. It doesn't result in harmony erupting because it's not ordered according to the principles of the way of God. There are some good things that man does and man comes up with and there are good things that we even enjoy as the people of God in this world. There's good things that we can contribute to and share in, but we don't ever want to confuse the good of this world with the righteousness of God and the kingdom of God because you see there is the tree of life and there is the tree of knowledge of good and evil. You can pick the good fruit but it could still be the wrong tree. It's not like we as the people of God are seeking to save the good of this world. It's the wrong tree. We're seeking for the tree of life in the ways of God's kingdom to be established and that is the kingdom we represent. The Feast of Tabernacles represents a complete solution to what mankind is facing and you know it's not a vaccine. It's not the perfect presidential candidate that will turn the tide of human existence. You know this world may be able to apply patches. It may be able to apply a Band-Aid that slows the bleeding, that maybe gives a bit of a course correction for a time, but something that I've noticed and maybe you've noticed as well, mankind's solutions aren't true solutions. They're not true fixes to the problem. Again, they might just be a Band-Aid. Mankind's solutions comes with disclaimers and you've all seen the commercials. The couple are riding their bicycle through the park on a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the grass is green, the tree leaves are green, the flowers are blooming beautifully and suddenly side effects may include, as the commercial goes. Your problems for this, that, or the other thing can be solved. Just this injection, this pill, this item, and I'm not giving medical advice. Some legitimately need that help for a time, but my point is this. Man's solutions so many times include side effects. Then you need a solution for the side effect that then leads to another effect. That's generally how mankind works. You know, liver failure, heart attack, stroke, but your complexion will be clear. That's the solutions that this world has to offer. But again, I think we understand their band-aids, their patches, they're not true solutions. We represent a kingdom that will bring true solutions to mankind and to the difficulties of this world. So this kingdom of God is what we're called to represent today. The evidence of that kingdom and the way it functions needs to be evidenced in our lives today. By example, by the example of those who have committed themselves to the kingdom of God now. And so, as we've come here today as a body, we are, as has already been mentioned, the Church of God. Right? We're the body of Jesus Christ and those who have come under the waters of baptism and have come into a covenant relationship with God, we are already today living under the reign of the kingdom of God. Which means its principles, its values, its standards are what reigns supreme in our life. Not the standards of this world as people who live under the reign of the kingdom of God. This is the kingdom that we're called to represent to this world today. We're to be a reflection of it in action. Colossians chapter 1 verse 12, if you join me there.

Colossians chapter 1 verse 12, again, our life must be a reflection of that perfect kingdom in action. Apostle Paul writing here, Colossians chapter 1 and verse 12, breaking into the thought, he says, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. For he has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. And so what God has done through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is to redeem us from slavery. Right? Slavery to the kingdom of darkness. It's a kingdom that's a counterfeit kingdom. It's a kingdom that's ruled over by Satan the devil, the God of this age. And He's taken us from under the authority of that kingdom and He's established us under the authority of His soon-coming kingdom. And the kingdom of God isn't literally here yet. It's not literally raining on the earth yet, but brethren, it must be raining in our lives.

Our relationship with God, how we conduct ourselves, this kingdom must be actively and actually raining in our lives. And you and I today have been called to be a reflection of that kingdom to this world. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17. 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17, again the Apostle Paul, he says, Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new one.

Old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new. There were ways that we used to live according to. There were principles that we used to uphold. But once you commit your life to serving God, to being a part of the Church of God, and under the reign of the kingdom of God, now there's new principles, there's new values, there's new standards.

The old have passed away. All things are becoming new. Verse 18, Now all things are of God, who is reconciled to us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. It's a gospel of peace, right? It's a gospel of the separation in relationship between you and God doesn't have to continue.

The ways of this world don't have to continue. Repent, be reconciled to God. That's the word of reconciliation. You know, the kingdom is coming. Jesus Christ came, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. And what did he say? Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and you can be a part of it. That was his message.

You can be a part of it. Repent and believe in the gospel. But that kingdom is coming, and reconciliation will be possible for all of mankind, but you and I get to be the forerunners. We get to be the ones who got us called out of this age into His service. We get to have the opportunity to hopefully represent Him well. Verse 20 says, Now then we are ambassadors for Christ.

As though God were pleading through us, we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God, for He made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. And so Paul says, we're ambassadors for Jesus Christ. And that's a very high calling. It's a very specific calling. Because you see, ambassadors are representatives.

They represent another kingdom, another government, in the midst of other nations. And you and I have been called to represent the kingdom of God on this earth today. And so this place is a high accountability on all of us, individually and collectively. Because you see, it means our house must be in order right here. It's not enough to simply preach the gospel, to say the kingdom is coming.

It's not enough to say God's way works. Because we can say it all day long, God's way works, God's way works, but we have to demonstrate that it works. Because it's working in our homes and in our families and in our marriages and among one another in the Church of God. We have to demonstrate to the world that God's way works, that we can have reconciliation not only with Him, but one another. And that when there are differences and disagreements, that we as God's people with His Spirit can resolve those things and move forward in harmony.

Even if there's times where there's maybe a slight difference of opinion, we know in the end God resolves all those things. But He's called us as a body to demonstrate His kingdom and action today. And so we're to be a living gospel. We're to be that example that people look at and say, well, I guess that way really does work. And your God really is true. As ambassadors for Jesus Christ, we're not called to simply keep our heads down when society turns away from God.

You know, we're not called to be dodging opportunities. We're not called to just not make waves. I'm not encouraging us to be disruptive in this world, but I am encouraging us for the fact that there will be times and increasingly more so where we have to stand up for the ways and the truth of God and the world that is going completely the opposite direction. And it will not be popular. It will not be easy. And Christ said it will bring persecution. For some, it may even bring death. So slipping under the radar all the time just because we don't want to make waves, it isn't what we're called to do.

There's a day that we're going to have to stand up and acknowledge, am I His or not? In the words that always come back to my mind is that Jesus Christ says, those who deny me I will deny before my Father in heaven.

And I have to admit that scares me a bit. That makes me a bit nervous to think about that. We certainly don't want to deny Him or His Father or the kingdom that is coming. We've been called to represent these things to the world today. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 9.

Notice, you are a chosen generation. This is talking about you and I and there's a purpose for it. You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light, who were once not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. This is a big part of the reason we've been called into the Church of God today and that our time is today so that we may proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

To tell the people of this age about God the Father and Jesus Christ and what they're doing in this world. That the kingdom is coming and the solutions are coming and that, you know, it's not just if you're in the world of God. It's not just if you tweak this or tweak that a little bit about this world, it'll be okay. I think we all sigh and cry over the age we live in and desire to be a part of the solution today.

And there are things we can do as good neighbors, as good members of our community, as representatives of the kingdom today. There are things we can do to bring good to this world. But we remember, as trumpets portrays, when Jesus Christ returns, it's not a remodeling project of this system. It is going to be wiped clean. It is going to be rebuilt from the foundation up. And that is the kingdom that we represent. You and I must not fail, brethren, in this commission. You recall that when God established ancient Israel in the Promised Land, they were to be a model nation to the world. Living His ways, His standards, and the nations around were supposed to look at them and see their example and say, Wow, who is this God you worship?

Why is your land so prosperous? And why do things work in your family? And you mean that was your grandparents' property and that still in your family? Well, have you ever heard of a jubilee? The point was this nation was to live it, be a beacon to the world, and people would inquire after their God. But you see, they failed, and God ultimately removed them from the land.

But again, they were to be the light in their age. You and I must not fail to be the light in the age in which God has called us today. He's called us to be the spiritual model nation and shine forth as a light out of the darkness, to give hope and encouragement, to give instruction to the world that there is a better way. Many people in this world are lost. Again, spiritual distancing, they've distanced themselves from the truth of God so far that they don't even know what this book says and what it promises.

And because they're lost and things are beginning to happen, they're afraid. So what did we see sweeping ahead of this pandemic? There was a wave of fear that preceded it. And I'm not looking to minimize the COVID-19. Okay, it's a real virus. It's killed real people. But when you are lost, then you don't understand the purpose and the plan of God. Fear precedes these things and Satan builds and plays on fear. And we need to be a people who are not afraid. We need to be a people who stand immovable in the truths of God and who represent, okay, there is a better way coming.

Fear not. So people are lost, but you know what? The Church of God has been given the answers. And these are the scriptures we're reading and these are the messages that we're hearing throughout the feast. And I don't ever want us to minimize the precious truth that God has given us. Because you see, even our children understand things and know things that world leaders don't understand. And they know what makes life work. They know that there is a kingdom coming and there is peace coming. And that is a precious truth that we should never take for granted or be ashamed of or put the light under a basket.

We should put it on the table where it gives light to the whole house and encouragement to this world, even in this age. Indeed, the Bible shows that following the return of Jesus Christ, God will once again re-establish a remnant. He's going to bring a people through the Great Tribulation, through the Day of the Lord. He's promised that remnant. And as we've already heard in this feast, he's going to regather them from the corners of the earth, resettle them in their land, and they will be that model nation to the world that they should have been from the beginning.

And I want us to see how their identity will be acknowledged in the world. If you're an Israelite, if you're of the descendants of the tribes, if you're a Jew, how is their identity going to be acknowledged in that day? And I want us to consider it how it might apply to us. Zechariah chapter 8 verse 20. Again, this is a millennial prophecy. God's nations, His people of Israel have been regathered. Zechariah 8 verse 20. How will other people view that country and the people of that country? God's covenant people. Zechariah chapter 8 and verse 20.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, People shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities. The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us continue to go and to pray before the Lord and seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also. He says, Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord. You know, these people are going to understand and see that the law goes out.

The word of the Lord goes out from Zion and from Jerusalem, and that is where His presence is. And they're going to say, We need to get there. We need to be reconciled to Him. Because look at Israel.

It's working, and we want to be a part of that. Verse 23. Thus says the Lord of hosts, In those days ten men from every language of nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

You know, they're going to see this man traveling along, and they're going to say, That's one of the covenant people of God. They're going to grab ahold of Him. They're going to say, Take us with you. Bring us to your God. We know He's with you. His way is with you. Please. It's the way that works. Because the example has been set, and the law of God has gone out. And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Brother, you and I today have the opportunity to be the same kinds of representatives to this world today. A covenant people that carries a message of hope and reconciliation, and a knowledge of the solutions that God has in store. You know, do people grab hold of our sleeve in that figurative sense and say, Why are you going to this feast? What does it represent? How can you be at peace in all that's going on in this world? How is your life working when it's falling apart over here and over there?

As has already been mentioned, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Where does that come from? Do they see that in us? And do they ask? And do they inquire after our God? Indeed, I would hope they would by our example. Representing the kingdom of God means that we will often have to make personal life decisions along the way. Maybe even have to pass up promotion, certain opportunities. My wife and I, when we got married 25 years ago, made the decision we would never live anywhere that was out of range of the Church of God. You know, the employer said, we want to move you wherever.

You know, 10 times the salary. When you look at the map and there's not a Church of God congregation in range, it wouldn't even be considered an open door. 26? Oh! We've been married 26 years. And it works.

There's decisions we have to make along the way, aren't there? When I was a kid, my dad was in the Navy and my mom was in the Church. And I was about five, six years old when my mom started to attend Church. But I was kind of attracted to the Navy. You know, I thought that was pretty exciting. We moved often.

Whenever I had a chance, whenever the ship was in port, I would get a tour of the ship. When my dad was promoted from lieutenant to lieutenant commander, then I snapped his lieutenant bars on my collar and I walked around the house. Of course, a kid can't outrank his dad. It just wouldn't be proper. But I thought that's what I would like to do.

There was adventure. There was duty. There was service. There was world travel. There were things that the Navy represented that I thought were honorable. And you know what? There are honorable things according to this world. But there came to be a point where I realized as well in my teenage years that that was in conflict with the way of God. What he was calling me to. And I had to make decisions. Well, if you fast forward now, a few decades, now I have the opportunity to be a minister of Jesus Christ.

Something that was never on the radar as a young person. And yet, when I look back at what God has done in my life and the doors of blessing that he has opened, part of my responsibility in the church is to follow in Mr. Keller's footsteps. I'm currently senior pastor for English speaking West Africa, which is primarily Nigeria and Ghana. Mr. Keller's one of those who have gone before. And when I look at what I get to do in service to God today, it includes world travel.

It includes duty. It includes service. It includes standing up to represent principles that are honorable. Not in the eyes of man, but in the eyes of God. And so when I look at my life, I consider it amazing that God has allowed me to fulfill in his service those things that were attractive to me about a profession in this world. And so I try to share that with the young people whenever possible.

You don't give up on your dreams. You don't give up on what it is that you desire to be fulfilled in in this day and age just because you follow God. And you put God first and he can allow those best things to be fulfilled in your life as you serve him. Because this is the kingdom we represent and this is the way that works. Philippians chapter 3 verse 20, the Apostle Paul says, Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so when our citizenship is in heaven, what that means in a nutshell is that God's kingdom reign supreme in our lives today. And you look first and foremost to that kingdom as the governing principles for your life. And then you live each and every day accordingly. You make your decisions accordingly. And as a result, you demonstrate to the world the blessings of living under the reign of the kingdom of God today. The fact that this way really does work and that there is the greater scale of this solution that is coming.

And it's something that the whole world can rejoice in. Let's conclude today with one more millennial prophecy that highlights the real solution for this world, what it will look like. Again, I find these prophecies so encouraging because today they're a glimpse of what we're living under spiritually, but it's what the whole world will experience under the reign of the kingdom of God. Let's conclude in Micah chapter 4. Micah chapter 4 and verse 1, beautiful prophecy. Micah 4, 1, Now it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on top of the mountains, shall be exalted above the hills, and people shall flow to it.

You know, mountains and hills are symbols of nations and governments, and God's kingdom will be established above all governments and all nations. It will be the kingdom of the Most High, as we heard, and people will flow to it. Verse 2, Many nations shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.

He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And so the laws of God and the words of God will flow over the whole earth as the standard for living. People will seek after them. They will find them. They will live them. And it will be the solution that this world so desperately needs.

Look at the example of the result. Verse 3. He, speaking of Christ, shall judge between many peoples. He shall rebuke strong nations afar off. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war anymore. This is talking about a change of heart and spirit and character, as people begin to live according to the ways of God.

You can still kill someone with a pruning hook. It happens in tribal warfare all the time. There was a time in 2010, and we were with a group up in the Joss, Nigeria area, up in central Nigeria. It's a place you can't even go now because of Boko Haram and all the terrorist activity going on. But we were there in 2010 with the Young Adults Challenger program. We were in there for about 10 days. It was over the Christmas holiday time period.

Bombs were set off in Christian churches, just a short number of miles from where we were. And at our pickup point, just about a mile down the road, a suicide bomber had blown himself up as he was setting an explosive. So now all the villagers were on edge. It's villages, it's farming communities. They were all on edge. We're hiking out of the wilderness now. Everybody has a backpack on their back.

There's about 20 of us. And just believe me when I say we looked suspicious for that culture. And word started to spread among the people in the community and pretty quick. We saw coming over the hill about 30 men running in our direction.

And what they had in their hand were these little short-handled hoes.

And they bend over and they till their fields with them. And they were carrying them as a weapon.

These were peaceful people. These are loving people. But they were afraid and they didn't know who we were. And they were wondering, did they need to defend their families?

And ultimately, we had someone who could translate and I was able to be diffused. But the point is, you know, short-handled hoe, a pruning hook.

Just simply changing these implements of war isn't what changes things in the world tomorrow. It's a change of the heart and the people as they live God's way. And they seek the knowledge of the Lord.

And it covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. Verse 4, But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree. No one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

For all people walk each in the name of his God, Smulgee.

But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.

The millennial age at this feast pictures will be such a wonderful time because God's kingdom will reign supreme and the people of the earth will desire to have it reign over their lives.

They will submit to it.

They will live according to the ways of God. And as a result of those conditions, God's blessing will flow out over the whole earth.

It's a matter of cause and effect, right? Live according to the ways of God and the blessings follow.

You don't get fine print.

You don't get side effects may include.

You get blessing. You get life.

Living according to the ways of God.

As I read these prophecies, they remind me that this is the kingdom we've been called to represent today.

This is what we stand up for in this world.

We're going out the doors of the feast again into an incredible, ramped up election cycle with so many things attached to it. But brethren, this is the kingdom we represent, the solution. The solution that mankind so desperately needs. It's a kingdom of righteousness and justice and peace. It's a kingdom that will order men's lives in such a way that life will work.

Because God is working there, and He will be their God, and they will be His people.

This is the kingdom we represent.

By comparison, you and I today should be able to recognize that the way of life that will govern this world during the millennium and the world tomorrow is a way that governs our lives today as we submit ourselves to the reign of the kingdom of God.

So as long as you and I are willing to go up to the mountain of the Lord spiritually, to learn of His ways, to walk in His paths, as long as we are willing to do that, and as long as we have breath, brethren, God has given it to us to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ, representatives of His kingdom, and to not put the lamp under a basket, but shine the light to the whole world where it gives light not only to the house, but all the nations that all will know one day they can go up to the mountain of the Lord and learn His ways and walk in His paths, and the blessings will follow. Brethren, have a wonderful feast.