The Return of the King

Now, brethren, many kings have come and gone upon the earth. Many human kings have lived and died. They've ruled. Undoubtedly, many of these kings, in fact, all true kings with kingly power, have made a huge impact upon their land and upon their subjects, upon their people. The better the king, the more blessed the people were. And, of course, the worse the king, the more cursed the people were. Of course, we realize that this day, this blowing of trumpets, this feast of trumpets, pictures the return of the greatest, the most powerful king of all.

Jesus Christ is coming back, and he truly is great, and his father is great. Of course, Jesus Christ was not accepted as king the first time around.

Christ said, My kingdom is not of this world. If it were of this world, my servants would fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But, of course, Christ was delivered to the Jews and handed over to the Romans, and he was crucified. He was resurrected, of course. We know that, and he's now at the right hand of God the Father. He makes intercession for us.

He goes to bat for us daily. He loves us. He gave his life for us.

But he is coming back, and make no mistake, he's coming back, and the sooner the better.

Certainly, we are nearer now than we've ever been to the return of Christ and the establishment of the kingdom of God and the government of God here on the earth, a time where Christ will rule to begin with for a thousand years. And then God's rule, the Father and the Son, will rule for eternity.

But let's talk about the return of Christ. What impact will the return of the King, Jesus the Christ, have on this world? Today, we're going to discuss five major impacts of Christ's return. We're also going to notice several parallels between the return of another king, of course, a much punier king, but this king is in the Bible. And so we're going to make some parallels between his return and the return of Jesus Christ. Now, King Amaziah was Joash's father. Do you remember the name Joash? He was seven years old when he became king.

Initially, he had to be hidden because his grandmother, the Queen Mother, Atholiah, immediately attempted to kill all of her son's heirs, her grandsons. There may have been a number of wives involved. The Bible doesn't really tell us a lot, but certainly even some of her own grandsons, her grandson Joash, among them. But thankfully, Joash was hidden. He was hidden in the temple, and somehow they kept him from her for seven years. The evil Queen Atholiah reigned, but Joash was hidden in the temple by his aunt Jehoshaphat and her husband Jehoedah, the priest. Atholiah reigned as Queen and Judah until Joash was crowned again at age seven. Now the land and the people had suffered greatly under the rule of Queen Atholiah.

Bail worship was promoted, and God's temple was greatly neglected under the evil rule of Queen Atholiah. Like Joash, the rightful king, we know that Jesus Christ had to be hidden from Herod, who tried to slay him as a child. I'm sure we can see also the parallel between Herod and, ultimately, Satan the devil, who tried to kill Christ. As a small child, it was Satan behind King Herod. And we can see a parallel between the evil Queen Atholiah, who was willing to kill her own grandson and many of her grandchildren so that she could reign.

The world has suffered greatly under the rule of bad kings.

And the worst of all, Satan the devil. Satan is the god of this world. We know that Christ is coming to dethrone him once and for all. He came the first time. He qualified to do that. He laid his life down. He showed what true love is all about. He's coming again. He's going to bind Satan the devil for a thousand years. So, Joash was not accepted as king the first time around as a baby. He wasn't accepted. He had to be hidden. But, of course, he did return later on and he was crowned king. Let's go to 2 Kings 11.

And let's notice something interesting here. 2 Kings 11. 2 Kings 11.

Now, when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts, because what had happened is that they brought Joash in and they were about to crown him as king. He's seven years old. And when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the Eternal. When she looked, there was the king, little king Joash, standing by a pillar according to custom. And the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. So they were blowing the trumpet that day. It was a day of blowing of trumpets. And the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. It was a time of great rejoicing. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, Treason! Treason! But who was truly the treasonous one? It was Athaliah. She was not the rightful queen or king. It was Joash. It was the king's son who was to become the king. But she usurped that authority and she calls out Treason, and Jehoa the priest. Jehoa again was Joash's uncle through marriage. And Jehoa the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, take her outside under guard and slay with the sword whoever follows her. So this was a huge coup.

Her reign was about to end, and anyone who would follow her was also about to end.

Take her outside, slay with the sword whoever follows her. For the priest had said, do not let her be killed in the house of the Eternal. So they seized her and she went by the way of the horse's entrance into the king's house, and there she was killed. Sad story in some ways, but it needed to be done because she was evil. She needed to be removed, and the rightful king restored. Thankfully, Joash was spared and he was saved, and he returned from hiding and was crowned the king.

Now, what is now known as the Feast of Trumpets has no title or an explicit reason given for its observance in the Bible. It doesn't really give us a lot of detail. It is simply called the Day of Blowing or a Remembrance Blast. Leviticus chapter 23 verse 24 says, you shall have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation, a commanded assembly. That's why we're here today because we believe it is a commanded assembly. This is one of God's high days. It's a holy day. It's a time to come and to worship the king. So we're here worshiping the king. We're here worshiping Jesus Christ, worshiping God the Father, and we're looking forward to Christ's return to this earth. In Numbers 29 verse 1, here it says, for you it is a day of blowing of trumpets. So it's only appropriate that we blow a trumpet, right? A shofar.

So I just happen to have one right here. Now, I have not been practicing.

I'm going to admit it, but, you know, I don't care whether you like it or not. I'm still going to do it because it's becoming tradition. So let's bear with me. See, I don't really mind embarrassing myself. My wife hates it, but... We got a little bit out of it anyway. You don't have to clap.

That's fine. That's not much to clap for. You know, actually, the blowing of the trumpet was to cause fear at certain times. That was really not all that frightful, was it? Now, some people can really blow this well, and I really do need to learn to practice and do it so I can do a better job, but it hasn't been the highest priority this past year. Maybe I'll move it up the scale for next year, and maybe I will really bring dread and fear into your hearts next year. Of course, it's also a time of rejoicing, too, when you blow the trumpet. So there can be all kinds of emotions depending on what's happening. It can be a call to war, which is obviously a dreadful time to think of war. It can be a frightening time, or it can be a time of rejoicing when a king is crowned.

Now, most Jews don't even realize that this day of trumpets pictures the return of the king of kings, do they? Well, at least they don't believe in that Christ ever came the first time. They don't believe the Messiah's showed up yet. They rejected Him. The Jews did. So they're not looking for the return. They're looking for His first coming. So it's important to understand that.

It went right over their heads. They rejected the Messiah. They're still looking for Him to come.

Now, when young Joash was finally made king, his servants had to fight for him. I already read where they took Atholiah and all of her supporters out and killed them. They had to fight because she didn't go down easy. Atholiah wanted to continue to reign. So they fought along with Joash and with Johoah to the priest. She didn't have a lot of supporters at this point, though. Everyone was pretty much behind the king at this point. She was a bad queen. She was a bad ruler, and they were glad to get rid of her. Only a few that were probably emboldened by her power being close to her, being given favor because of her. Only they would have been her supporters, and I bet they abandoned her very quickly. So again, we see a parallel. We will fight with Christ at His return. When the rightful king comes back, there will be thousands and thousands, tens of thousands of angels, and the firstfruits, those who have become born into the family of God, will fight along with Christ to be sure that He's established, not that He's going to need any help, because He's plenty powerful enough on His own. So let's talk about these five major impacts that will take place when Christ returns. First of all, rebellion will be squashed. It will be smashed. It will be eliminated.

There will be a great war at Christ's return.

Of course, when Christ returns, He will make war Himself, but again, He will have others along with Him that I've already mentioned. Let's go to Revelation 11. And I find these verses very encouraging, very inspiring. Revelation 11, verse 15. Revelation 11, verse 15. Then the seventh angel sounded, and 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 17, talks about the trumpets blowing and the return of Jesus Christ. Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. And the 24 elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying, 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 power, your great power, and you have reigned. The nations were angry, and your wrath has come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged. Those who were faithful, called chosen and faithful, they will be judged at that time. The first resurrection will take place. Those who have died in Christ or those who are alive in Christ will be judged, and they will become born into the family of God as the first fruits of God. Christ being the very first of the first fruits. But the nations were angry, and they're going to fight against Christ.

It says, And those who fear your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth. Satan the devil is going to be very angry. He's going to have lots of minions who will follow him. And they're destroying the earth. And of course, God's wrath is also being poured out upon a sinning world. Satan's wrath as well, upon God's people. It's going to be some very tumultuous times. I don't believe we can even fathom just what it's going to be like.

It's going to be unlike any other time on the face of the earth. Anything that's ever happened in the past, and there's been a lot of bad things that have happened in various pockets around the world, this will be everywhere. So rebellion is going to be squashed. It's going to be eliminated. In Revelation 17, it talks about 10 nations or kings that are going to bind together at that time. Revelation 17, verse 13, and we are going to go through a lot of verses in Revelation today. Revelation 17, verse 13, these are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. The beast's power will rise up. People will turn to the beast. There will also be a false prophet, and they will be allied together for a time. And these will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them. For He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are called chosen and faithful. Those are the first fruits that will be with Him at that time.

So 10 nations or kings are going to give their authority to the beast, and there's going to be a world-ruling power, an evil power under Satan the devil, under the beast power, under the false prophet. But when Christ returns, He's going to destroy all of that. Let's go to Daniel chapter 2 and see how this ties in. The book of Daniel, right after Ezekiel, Daniel. Daniel chapter 2.

Notice this dream of Nebuchadnezzar's. Verse 44, we're going to break into the dream.

And in the days of these kings, these kings that were to rise up to fight against Christ, in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.

And the kingdom shall not be left to other pieces. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms. All the nations of the world that will rise to fight against Christ are going to be destroyed. And they will be consumed, and this kingdom shall stand forever.

So Daniel prophesied about these 10 kings that were going to give power to the beast in the last days. In Revelation chapter 19, we'll see that salvation, power, glory, and honor belong to the returning Christ. Revelation chapter 19. Revelation 19 verse 1, and these things I heard, after these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Alleluia, salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God. For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, speaking primarily of a spiritual fornication, a great false religious system that will exist at that time and has existed, Babylon mystery religion that's existed throughout thousands of years, that also deceives the world today, a great false system, who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her. So there will be tremendous glory and honor given to Christ at His return. Dropping down to verse 11 of chapter 19, now 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. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns. 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. And the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him 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 we do need to realize that even though he will rule with a rod of iron, he will also rule with love, and with justice, and with equity. So it's very, very important that we understand that a rod of iron will be tempered as well with love, with true love, what real love is all about. And that's so important that we understand that he himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God. Yes, God is angry at sin. God hates sin. Sin killed his son. Sin is in the process of killing all of us. The wages of sin is death.

And that's frankly what we all deserve because we're all sinners.

But we know God has a wonderful plan of salvation. And it is based in love, God's love, true love, what real love is. And only God can show us what that is. Only God can open your mind to understand his love. It is a gift that God gives us to know the true love of God so that you can understand all of this because it can be overwhelming. I realize that. It can be overwhelming. But truly, God is love. And when you read the Bible, everything you read needs to be tempered with that understanding that God is love. And yes, God is going to come back. He's going to shake the earth terribly. There will be frightening times ahead. But God knows best. God knows best how to do this for us to think we know better than God. Obviously, a big problem with that.

So Christ is coming on a white horse, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

In Revelation chapter 19, verse 19, And I saw the beast and kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against him, who sat on the horse and against his army. 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. And they were burned up, as Mr. Bryce aptly pointed out.

They will be burned up at that time. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of him, Christ, who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. The vultures came, of course, and were filled with the flesh of people. Again, frightening times.

The beast and the false prophet will be dealt with quickly at Christ's return. I mean, really, there's no contest. God is supreme. God is almighty. God is all-powerful. We have nothing to fear if we're on God's side. If we love God, if we're His children, we'll have His protection. We'll have His blessing.

All rebellion against Christ that arises upon His return will be dealt with speedily and powerfully.

So the first point, again, one of the major impacts at Christ's return is that rebellion is going to be squashed. It's going to be smashed and eliminated. And, you know, brethren, now would be a good time to ask ourselves if there's any rebellion in us.

Is there any rebellion in you? I know there's some rebellion in me, so there probably is some in you as well. As long as we're in the flesh, we're going to have to fight against rebellion. The carnal mind is not enmity against God. It's not subject to the law of God. So we have to learn to walk in the Spirit. We have to learn to have the mind of Christ. And that's a lifelong struggle. It's a lifelong battle. And it's only through the sacrifice of Christ that we will be saved, only through accepting Christ as our Savior, and only by repenting of our sins, and being truly sorry for our sins. That's the only way that we will be spared. It's the only way that we will be saved. It's the only way that we'll be given eternal life.

And it's your choice. And it's my choice. God gives us the choice to make. And all people will be faced with that choice. Ultimately, all people. God's very merciful. Billions will be resurrected. And they'll have that choice. They'll understand. They'll come to a knowledge of the truth of God's way. God knows what He's doing. He really does. But He allows us to make our choice.

He's not willing that any should perish. And that's God's will. He wants everyone to repent. He wants everyone to see the light. He wants everyone to repent. But He's not going to force us to repent. God looks on the heart. He sees your heart. He knows what makes you tick, how you think.

It's important that you examine your heart and your mind, and you turn to God with repentance. He will grant repentance when He sees a repentant heart. When He sees a heart that truly wants to serve Him and obey Him and become like Him. And He will grant you that repentance. And you shall be saved. So the first point again, rebellion is going to be squashed. It'll be eliminated when Christ returns. Secondly, along with that, a new world government will be established.

A new world government, the beast power is going to have a world government, but it's an evil one like Queen Atholias.

A new world government under Christ will be established. Now, Joash was far from perfect, and all these parallels, you know, they fall apart because Joash was human. Christ is God.

Christ is perfect. Joash was not perfect. And we'll see that very clearly as we go along. But there are some interesting parallels. In 2 Kings 11, let's go back and look at this for a moment. 2 Kings 11, we'll start reading in verse 17. 2 Kings 11, verse 17. Then Jehoiada the priest made a covenant between the eternal, the Lord, the King, and the people, that they should be the eternal's people, God's people, and also between the King and the people. And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal, and they tore it down. This was an abomination to have a temple of Baal in the land of Israel, in God's land, in the Promised Land. So they tore it down.

They broke it in pieces, its altars and its images. They broke it thoroughly, and they killed Matan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed the officers over the house of the Lord. So that rebellion was put down. Just as when Christ returns, rebellion will be put down. Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, and escorts, and all the people of the land. And they brought the King down from the house of the eternal, and they went by way of the gate of the escorts to the King's house. Then he sat on the throne of the Kings. Now, I don't know if you noticed, but there's a crown right down here, so you should notice that. We will be kings and priests. We will rule with Christ. Christ will be crowned with many crowns.

So he sat on the throne of the Kings. Joash sat on the throne, seven years old. So all the people of the land rejoiced. There was great rejoicing in the land because the rightful King now ruled. And the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the King's house. Jehoa Ash, and it's spelled differently, Joash or Jehoa Ash, was seven years old when he became King.

Now, obviously, he needed some guidance at age seven, right? No seven-year-old could really reign and rule. It was Jehoa the priest was the power behind the throne. Jehoa the priest, a faithful man of God. And when Joash was a child, and when Joash was alive, then Joash listened to his counsel. He gave very good counsel, and there was peace in the land. And Joash ruled for 40 years. But we'll talk more about that as we go on.

So a new world government will be established when Christ returns. There was a new government in Judah, a much better government after Athaliah was killed. In 2 Kings 12, verse 2, 2 Kings 12, verse 2, 2, it says, Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoa the priest instructed him. Notice that. He did right as long as Jehoa was instructing him, and he was willing to listen and to learn and be taught and follow Jehoa. He did what was right, and not many kings did what was right in God's sight, but Joash was one who did at least for a while. Now in 2 Chronicles, let's go to a companion chapter here. 2 Chronicles chapter 24, companion to what we read in Kings. 2 Chronicles chapter 24, verse 12. So it was, I'm sorry, verse 12, the king and Jehoa gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the Eternal. And they hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord. As I mentioned before, the house of the Lord, the temple, was greatly diminished during Athaliah's reign. It had become dilapidated, not just during her reign, but I believe her father, see, Athaliah's father, I believe was Ahab. Jezebel may have been her mother, I don't know for sure, but certainly influenced her. So you've got Ahab, you've got Jezebel, you've got all that going on. So the temple was in great disrepair. It needed a lot of fixing. So they were beginning to do this under Joash's reign.

So when they saw that there was much money, so they collected money in verse 11, and then the king and Jehoa gave all this money to do the work of the service of the house of the Lord. They hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, and also those who worked in iron and bronze to restore the house of the Lord. So again, this is symbolic, isn't it? When Christ returns, He's going to restore true worship.

Joash was doing this. The temple was being restored. A lot of parallels between Joash's time and the return of Christ.

So the workmen labored, and the work was completed by them. They restored the house of God to its original condition, and they reinforced it. When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoa, and they made from it articles for the house of the Eternal, articles for serving and offering spoons and vessels of gold and silver, and they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoa the priest. So true worship was back on track. The temple of Baal had been destroyed. The priest of Baal had been destroyed. Times were much better in the land of Judah. Now, there was no separation between church and state under Joash and Jehoa. The king ruled, and there was true worship in the land. The high priest was guiding and directing the king. There was tremendous unity and cooperation during that time. Now, in Revelation chapter 1, we'll go back to the book of Revelation now, Revelation chapter 1. And this is in greeting to the seven churches in Asia. And of course, Revelation is a prophetic book. It's an apocalyptic book, and it makes good sense to believe that what's in there is prophetic. Like these letters that went to the churches, they were prophetic. You know, whether or not you believe in church eras and how you believe in that, just remember that this is a prophetic book. So, in Revelation chapter 1, verse 4, Revelation chapter 1, verse 4, John to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead. Again, God the Father and Jesus Christ are in total harmony and in total unity. They're at one. They're basically at one in the way they think, in the way they work together, the unity that they have. They set the perfect example for all of us. So grace to you and peace from him, the Father, and also from Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth, to him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Clearly speaking of Christ and has made us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with clouds and every eye will see him, even they who pierced him. Those who repented of piercing Christ. You know, there were some on the day of Pentecost who repented of being a part of the mob that killed Christ. They're going to be there. Well, they're going to... Christ is returning. Then they're going to be resurrected. They're going to see him returning. It's all going to happen very quickly when Christ returns. Those who are in the graves will come out. Then those who are alive will be changed in a moment. They'll see Christ returning. It's going to be a glorious time.

The nations will mourn, for they will see Christ coming as a threat to them. The other kings, the other nations, those who are following Satan, they're going to mourn because they won't see Christ coming as it truly is. They'll see it as a threat. That's why they'll rise up against Christ. In Revelation 2, verse 25, here it says, "...but hold fast what you have until I come, and he who overcomes and keeps my works until the end." Now, this is Christ's instruction to the church at Thyatira. It's wise to look at all of these churches and ask, what can I learn from Christ's instruction to each of these churches? Because these attitudes that are extant in all of these churches are also extant within God's people. In any given time period, there are many things that we have to repent of.

So, I say to you and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden, but hold fast what you have until I come, and he who overcomes and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations. One world-ruling government, Christ at the head and those who are the firstfruits, ruling and reigning with Christ. There's a number of verses that tell us that.

He shall rule them with a rod of iron, and they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels. There is a duplication in the scriptures because this is important that we understand it. It's said a number of times. Christ tells the church in Thyatira that those who overcome and keep Christ's works until the end are going to be given power over the nations. They will rule under Christ with great strength, with great capabilities, because their strength is in Christ and is in the Father. In Revelation 3, verse 11, here it says, Behold, I am coming quickly. Hold fast what you have. Brethren, are you holding fast? You wouldn't be here if you didn't want to hold fast, would you?

You wouldn't be here today if you didn't have a desire to hold fast. But are you living by every word of God? Or are you picking and choosing? Are you being faithful to God every day of your life? Or are you picking and choosing when you will humble yourself and do what is right, or when you will rebel and go against God's will and desire for you? God gives us plenty of time to repent, but we have to do it. We have to be sorry for the things that we do that are contrary to God and His will and His ways.

But God is very merciful and God is very loving. And if you're here today, you do want to be in God's kingdom. And you will be in God's kingdom if you will continue to turn to God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind and your mind as much as you can muster. And God will give you more. God will grant you more, but you do need to trust Him and step out in faith and walk in faith. And don't be wishy-washy about your faith.

Too many people are way too wishy-washy about their faith. We should be single-minded when it comes to our faith. God is revealing Himself to us. Christ is revealing Himself to us. And we need to be single-minded in our faith. And follow God wholeheartedly and stop making excuses for why we don't. Because one day there will be a day of reckoning. It's far better to repent now.

Far better to repent now.

Revelation 3, verse 11, Again, Behold, I am coming quickly. Hold fast what you have, and that no one may take your crown. Satan would like to take your crown. Satan's minions would like to take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and I will write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. We all have to respond to God's Holy Spirit. God's Spirit works with us. It dwells in us. It works with us. And we have to humble ourselves and yield to God's Spirit and learn to walk in His Spirit, to walk with God. Revelation 3, verse 19, to the church at Laodicea. Revelation 3, verse 19, As many as I love, I rebuke, and I chasten. For whom the Lord loves, He chastens, and scourges every son He receives, every daughter He receives. We will be corrected because we all need it. But will we take the correction? Will we learn? Will we humble ourselves? Remember, rebellion is going to be put down. We need to deal with it now. So as many as I love, I rebuke, and chasten. Therefore, be zealous. Be zealous. Be wholehearted and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, that is anyone. Anyone who hears and opens.

Christ knocks. We have to open the door. We have to answer His calling. I will come in to Him, and I will dine with Him, and He with me. I will be your God, and you shall be my son and daughter, is what God says. To Him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne. As I also overcame, Christ overcame everything that was thrown at Him. He overcame Satan's temptations. He overcame all of those temptations. He was tempted and tested in every point as we are, yet without sin. The perfect example and the perfect sacrifice for us. So just as He overcome, He will give us strength to overcome. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

That is what we all need to believe to the depth of our being, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. No matter what it is, nothing is too hard for me because Christ is with me and Christ strengthens me and Christ will never leave me and He will never, never, ever forsake me. If you have that strong single-minded belief, you're going to be fine.

If you have that kind of faith and trust, you're going to be fine.

To Him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Again, He who has an ear, let Him hear.

Revelation 5. Verse 9, they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll. Only Christ was worthy to take the scrolls. And to open its seals, for you are slain, and you have redeemed us to God by your blood, by your shed blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And you've made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. That's what this day pictures. It pictures the return of the King.

He's coming back, and we shall reign with Him. If you are called chosen and faithful, you will reign with Christ at His return.

In Revelation 14, then I looked, and behold, a lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 having His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang, as it were, a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one could learn that song, except the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth. They were resurrected from the earth. They came out of the graves. They were changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. It's talking again spiritually that they've repented of their sins. They've become pure and white and clean, like virgins. For they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Wherever He goes, they follow. They're humble. They're submissive. They're repentant. There is no rebellion there. They've surrendered to God and to Christ.

These were redeemed from among men. Only then will we be perfect when we are changed into spirit. As long as we're in the flesh, we'll have to fight the flesh. But once we become spirit, we're no longer corruptible. We have become incorruptible. We have become immortal, like God and like Christ.

And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God. And we will become blameless at that time. Our sins forgiven, washed clean. What a glorious time! What a wonderful time to fathom, to consider.

Revelation 15, verse 3, They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are your works. Lord God Almighty, just and true are your ways. O King of the saints, the sanctified ones, those who have been set apart and called out at this time, You shall not fear, who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name. For you alone are holy, for all nations shall come and worship before you. We know the scripture tells us that Christ is coming back, and those who will not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles and worship Him as the King, He will withhold rain from them. They will repent or die.

Revelation 19, verse 6. Revelation 19, verse 6.

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of mighty thundering, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. We heard about that. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. A couple of years ago, I talked about the ancient wedding, and the symbolism of the ancient wedding, and what God is doing. We are to become the Bride of Jesus Christ. Clean and bright for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then He said to me, Right, blessed are those who are called to the married supper of the Lamb. And He said to me, These are the true sayings of God. These are the true sayings. You can believe in these sayings. They are true.

Revelation 20, verse 4. Revelation 20, verse 4. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. So we are talking about people sitting on thrones, kings. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus, and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. God is going to protect some in a place of safety, but there will be others who will not be protected who will have to lay their lives down, and will do so. But they will be resurrected, and they will certainly rule and reign with Christ.

So God knows what he's doing. They will die, but very shortly they will live again.

So if we're willing to die for God and for Christ, we shall live again. I think it would be better to be protected in the place of safety, but either way, we'll be there.

So a New World Government is going to be established, and you have an opportunity to be a part of that New World Government under Christ, a perfect government. It won't be, you know, it's not going to happen overnight. Not everyone is going to humble themselves. In fact, we know that Satan is going to be loosed after the thousand-year period, and many will follow Satan. They will be deceived by Satan the Devil when he is loosed after that thousand-year period. But we can be faithful and true now, and we can rule and reign with Christ and live forever with him. So the second great impact is that a New World Government is going to be established when Christ returns, and we'll be a part of that government. Thirdly, world peace is going to be the ultimate result. Ultimately, after Satan is destroyed, he's going to be bound for a thousand years, and there's going to be tremendous peace and prosperity during the Millennial reign of Christ. Human nature will still, obviously, exist. It will be human beings. There will be sin, but there will also be repentance. There will be God's guiding hand. And others who will be guiding you will be guiding other people to repent, to accept Christ as their Savior, to be born into the family of God. We're going to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. It's going to picture all of this. It's going to be wonderful. Seven days during the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day, and we're going to talk about our future. I'm excited about the feast, going to the feast. This is an exciting day, the Feast of Trumpets.

So world peace will be the result of Christ's return. Now King Joash reigned for 40 years in the land of Judah. And during most of that time, while Jehoa the priest still lived, there was relative peace and justice in the land. You know, not as peaceful as it's going to be when Christ returns. It's going to be awesome when Christ returns, but there was a lot more peace under Joash as long as he listened to Jehoa the priest.

Now in Isaiah chapter 9, we'll go there. We'll probably hear this during the Feast of Tabernacles as well. Isaiah chapter 9, very powerful couple of verses here. Isaiah chapter 9 verses 6 and 7, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called wonderful. Counselor, mighty God. Christ is God, clearly. He is also called the Everlasting Father because, as the Word, as the Logos, he has lived forever with the one who became that we know as the Father.

Well, in a sense, the Word was also a Father. They worked together to create. So he is the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end.

Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Eternal of Hosts will perform this. It's going to happen because God is a zealous God. He gets the job done. So there will be peace. That's the third major impact, something to look forward to, a peace that none of us have ever experienced, ever.

None of us have had the kind of peace that's coming. It's going to be a glorious time. Again, the Day of Atonement will picture the binding of Satan the Devil becoming at one with God. There will be peace. A fourth major impact is that God's law will be the standard and will go forth throughout the world. God's law is going to be the standard.

In 2 Kings 11, notice this, 2 Kings 11, in the crowning of Joash, 2 Kings 11, what did they do? What did Jehoedah do here? 2 Kings 11, remember he's only seven years old, but Jehoedah is making sure of something here. 2 Kings 11, verse 12. And he brought out the king's son, and he put the crown on him, and he gave him the testimony.

Notice the testimony is capitalized. The testimony is talking about the law of God, the Torah, the law of God. He gave him the testimony, the Ten Commandments, the first five books of the law of Moses or the law of God. And they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands, and they said, Long live the king. And the king had the law of God, and he was to read it and to live by it and to set an example for all of his subjects, all of the people in the land, the testimony of the law.

Atholiah, you can bet, was not following God's law. She wasn't reading the law. Satan the devil isn't intent on reading the law and following it, is he? But Christ is. God is. God wants us to keep his laws. God's law will be the standard and will go forth throughout the world. In Isaiah 2, we see that God's law will go forth out of Zion. Second Kings chapter 2, another verse that will likely be read during the Feast of Tabernacles, Isaiah 2, verse 1.

The word that Isaiah the son of Amos saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, now it shall come to pass in the latter days, in the days that are coming, these last days, before Christ returns, and as Christ returns, and right after Christ returns, that the mountain of the Lord's house, the Eternal's house, shall be established on the top of the mountains, and they shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it.

Many people shall come and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord. Mountain is symbolic also of the government of God, the rule of God. Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.

Truly, most people don't know God's ways. Very few people are keeping this day today. Very few people are humbling themselves on the feasts of trumpets, getting off work, and coming here to worship the King. Out of billions that live upon this earth, only a small handful are faithfully keeping the law. You are among that. It's because of God's grace that you've been called and chosen. There's tremendous responsibility that comes with that. Don't take it lightly. Do not take God's calling lightly.

For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Eternal from Jerusalem, and he shall judge between the nations, and he will rebuke many people, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war anymore. God and Christ are all about peace. That's what they want. They are peacemakers, and that's ultimately what they're going to do, is make peace. And it's going to come upon all people, and it's a glorious time that's coming.

So, the fourth major impact is that God's law will be the standard when Christ returns. He's bringing the law with Him. Number five, the last impact. Certainly not the least, perhaps the most important. It all ties in together, and that is something I've talked about some already. The love of God will be spread abroad throughout the earth. It's all about God ruling in love and justice and equity and making peace. No doubt that under the guidance and rule of Joash and the priest Jehoedah, there was much more love and compassion shown than under the evil queen, Athaliah. You can be sure of that. Now, Christ teaches us in His Word that we are to turn hatred into love. We're to turn this human hatred and the hatred of Satan the devil into love. We are to become love. We are to turn sadness and discouragement into joy, a fruit of God's Spirit. We are to be a joyful people.

We are to turn strife and fighting into peace. We are to turn anger to patience, to long suffering. We are to turn meanness into kindness. We are to turn evil thoughts into good thoughts and actions.

We are to turn immorality and idolatry to faithfulness. We are to turn harshness into gentleness. We are to turn lack of discipline into self-control, godly control.

Those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

That is our calling, brethren, to become like God. And God is love. It is a high and a holy calling.

We must always keep that as our goal to become like God, to have the love of God, and to humble ourselves before God, to truly be His children and His servants. Everyone is going to learn to love God's law eventually, or they will not exist. God's law is perfect. It's holy. It's right. It's good.

The problem has never been with the law. It's been with the people. But people will come to repentance, and they will change. And they'll become spirit. The flesh will no longer hamper us. There is an entrance that will be supplied to us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Now, brethren, the parallels that we've talked about break down quickly as Joash becomes corrupt. Joash dies. I don't have time. My time's up. Joash dies. I'm sorry. Yes, Joash, yes, he will die. But first, Joash dies. The one who counseled him, the one who is in some ways symbolic of the Father.

Joash, in certain ways, is symbolic of Christ. Christ always listens to the Father. Christ always hears his counsel.

Joash turned away when Jehoa had died.

He turned away from God. And that can happen to us.

God must be our guide. We must allow God the Father to always guide us. He'll never leave us. He'll never forsake us. Joash listened to the other counselors after Jehoa had died.

They led him astray. He was not faithful. He was not buried with the kings because of his unfaithfulness. You can read about it. I don't have time. It's a sad commentary.

But thankfully, we can trust in the Father and in his Son. We know that it will turn out just fine with them.

Today has been a marvelous day so far. We're only half through. A day of blowing of trumpets, heralding the return of Christ, the King of Kings. Christ is going to put down all rebellion. He's going to put down all strife and hatred. He's going to establish a new world order, a new world government. There will be true peace throughout the land, and all people will come to know God's law.

As it goes forth from Zion, from Jerusalem, from the King's mouth, people's hearts and minds will be turned to God as the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts and as they become love themselves.

Brethren, the next 10 days that lead up to the Day of Atonement are referred to as the days of all by the Jews. Let's think about these days. It really is an awesome thing that God has called us. So let's not forget our calling these next 10 days up to the Day of Atonement when we will become at one with God. This is also a time to repent. I've given a sermon on the Feast of Trump. It's about a call to repentance. If you need to repent, use these next 10 days to do that. To draw nearer to God, you'll get far more from God's Holy Days on the Day of Atonement and during the Feast of Tabernacles if you'll do this and if you'll turn to God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, and with all of your might. These should be days of reflection. These next 10 days, they should be days of repentance and preparation for the Day of Judgment that is pictured also by the Day of Atonement. So, brethren, let us rejoice and let us thank God for the richness and the meaning of these wonderful Holy Days. These days that God has sanctified and set apart. These days in which we worship God the Father and Jesus Christ the Coming King.