From a Small Village in the Kingdom of God

Today I'd like to take you on a journey into the future in the sermon titled, From a Small Village in the Kingdom of God, Contemplating the Past, Envisioning the Future.

We all know that Bible prophecy reveals that humanity will experience momentous developments prior to, during, and after the second coming of Jesus Christ. To imagine how these events could conceivably transpire, let's examine a conceptualized story set in the future involving a family in God's church. Well, this is a hypothetical scenario because we don't know when or how these events will actually transpire. It is based on Scripture, so you don't have to worry about that because we're going to take a look at this subject through the Scriptures.

Its purpose is to help you better prepare mentally, emotionally, and especially spiritually for what lies ahead. Momentous developments are ahead for the church and the world.

Well, it was a beautiful early spring morning, many years after the second coming of Jesus Christ. Grandpa Michael and his grandson Andrew were sitting in the yard of Andrew's parents' home outside of, well, outside their small village, which was actually located only a few miles from Jerusalem. The fruit trees were budding, and the seedlings in the garden were pushing up green shoots through the soil after the previous evening's gentle rain. Birds sang in the trees, as 17-year-old Michael said, Grandpa, I'm happy that you could sit down with me today to help me with my upcoming school report. As I mentioned recently, the assignment is to write about what someone experienced, what they faced before, during, and after Jesus Christ set up His kingdom on the earth. His grandfather replied, he said, I'm pleased to be of help, Andrew, and I hope what I tell you will be beneficial. I would like to begin by saying that it was a spring day, not unlike this one, many, many years ago, when I heard the news about the severe financial collapse that occurred in my country, the United States, which served as a major catalyst for troubling events that would soon follow in the world. When it began, when this all began, I'd been working as an apprentice structural engineer at a firm in North Carolina following my college graduation.

I was age 23, and your grandmother, Kristin, was 21 at the time, and we had been married for less than two years with a baby daughter, your grandmother, your mother on the way. During our courtship and in the early days of our marriage, we talked about our hopes for the future, such as building our dream home, and due to the economic collapse, those plans completely evaporated. But, Andrew, I need to pause just for a moment, since I need to back up briefly in the story. As you know, both your grandmother and I grew up in the church, since our parents had been called by God several years before we were born.

While they were very dedicated disciples of Jesus Christ, we, as young people at that time, seemed to take the church for granted. And many of God's blessings that way. We had not been baptized, but hoped to someday when we were more secure and better established, as we would tell ourselves. Now, returning to the story of the economic disaster, it came as a shock to us and millions of people. But it really shouldn't have, since financial mismanagement and fraud and wasteful and astronomical debt levels in the United States and other countries made that catastrophe predictable. Besides that, and most importantly, the majority of people had forsaken God as their creator and sustainer and had refused to obey His laws, which He had designed for their perfect benefit. As they conducted themselves in selfish, immoral, and corrupt ways, it generated an enormous cost in terms of broken homes and crime and mental illness and countless other tragic outcomes. In those days, many of God's inspired prophetic warnings regarding the terrible results of sinful conduct tragically came to pass.

For instance, in Romans 1 verse 21 says, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened. Also, as Hosea 13 verse 6 says, that when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot Me. In addition, Christ prophesied in Matthew 24 verse 37 to 39, as the days of Noah were so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So also will be the coming of the Son of Man.

People's lawless, rebellious attitudes and actions ultimately led God to withdraw His abundant blessings and protection. So then, what happened when that financial collapse began on that spring day? World stock markets began to plummet and continued deteriorating, which spawned the worst losses ever recorded. Also, the world's central banks found it increasingly difficult to control downward, spiraling fiscal events, which ultimately resulted in a global economic depression. Over the next weeks and months, banks, large and small, could no longer function effectively. In ever-growing numbers, loans to businesses and individuals were called for immediate remittance. Being incapable of paying debts, companies and factories filed for bankruptcy and, in many others, operations simply ground to a halt, which resulted in the dismissal of multiple millions of employees. As global unemployment climbed to stratospheric levels, rent and mortgage obligations went unpaid, which resulted in multiple millions of evictions and foreclosures.

The inability to obtain credit caused massive disruption in supply chains of food and medical supplies and other goods, since trucking, railroad, maritime, and airline companies halted deliveries due to nonpayment of services rendered.

Furthermore, consumer panic buying of food and other goods resulted in huge shortages of remaining supplies, which led to great hunger and terrible distress and stupendous price inflation, which affected entire populations, especially in large metropolitan areas.

These and other issues proved catastrophic, as economic, political, and social chaos increased in nations around the globe, resulting in escalating protests and violent confrontations with law enforcement. In addition, military clashes among nations spread further contention and anguish among much of humanity.

As your grandmother and I personally lived through these and other events, which the Bible described as the beginning of sorrows, we were fully awakened to the urgent need to become more spiritually focused and motivated.

We deeply repented of our half-hearted approach to Jesus Christ and what He had expected of His disciples. Soon we were baptized and received God's gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands by His ministers. We prayed, fasted, and studied the Bible as never before, and did everything possible to honor God and stay very close to Him while serving our fellow brethren. We recognized that God was our only resource, our only resource.

We became steadfastly dedicated to seeking His will and accomplishing it fully.

Despite the numerous trials we encountered, such as the loss of my employment, financial struggles that led to poverty, and other hardships and adversities, we poured ourselves into fulfilling what Matthew 6.33 says, which is to seek first the kingdom of God. All these things will be added to you. But beyond what we personally endured during those days, which of course included your mother as a little girl by that time, many additional events were triggering significant anxiety in people's lives around the world. For instance, due to the intensifying global chaos, the anxious leaders of ten European nations willingly turned their political and economic decision-making responsibility over to a single charismatic leader, which the Bible described as the Beast.

As Revelation 17 verse 13 stated, these leaders are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the Beast. This charismatic tyrant, who was strongly swayed by Satan the devil, together with a great religious prelate of the universal church, which scripture described as the False Prophet, gave assurances that economic calm and prosperity would soon be restored to the world. Furthermore, the False Prophet also labeled the lawless one, manifested enthralling displays of power and supernatural phenomena, such as calling fire down from heaven, which led millions of susceptible people into terrible deception, distress, and ruin. As 1 Thessalonians 2 verse 9 stated, the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perished, because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. Being as despicable as these two men were, they built their authoritarian governing structure on deceit and intimidation and brutality and murder and slave labor. As a result of these atrocious methods, the devil's insidious influence, the beast's empire grew. It grew rapidly into an enormously powerful and economic military superpower. Its rising financial strength and military dominance soon overwhelmed the weakened and incapacitated and dysfunctional United States, Canada, and United Kingdom, which God's Church had often described as modern-day Israel.

Indeed, the beast's armed forces further ravaged these formerly great nations, reducing them to insignificance, poverty, and national captivity. These and other dreadful actions utterly astounded many nations during that traumatic time, frightening them into either allying themselves with the beast or increasing their defensive capabilities against it.

As these events occurred, additional distressing tensions and pressures were intensifying among the nations and regions of the world. This included actions by a coalition of nations in the Middle East led by what the Bible described as the King of the South that attacked the beast's European empire, which is self-labeled in Scripture as the King of the North. To retaliate, the beast sent his powerful military forces against them rapidly and violently, conquering large areas of the region, including the state of Israel, subjecting it and much of the region for three and a half years.

Daniel 11, verse 40, prophesied all this by stating that at the time of the end, the King of the South shall attack him. The King and the King of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall enter the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown. Furthermore, in Luke 21, verse 24, Jesus Christ stated that these countries would fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. It was such a horrendous period of time that, as Christ also prophesied in Luke 21, verse 26, that men's hearts failed them from fear and the expectation of those things that were coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Yes, Andrew, tremendous fear and anxiety gripped people everywhere on earth as they also observed never-before-seen events in the skies.

Indeed, the heavens convulsed violently due to God's anger being poured out upon malicious men and nations, which he executed through chastisements in Scripture called the Seven Trumpets. The first five trumpets brought God's wrath upon sinful rebellious humanity through powerful hailstorms, intense heat from the sun, polluted drinking water, penetrating darkness, and grievous sores. The six trumpets brought utter destruction upon the beast's military personnel, and those of the 200 million-man armed forces of the Eurasian power bloc that originally gathered at Megiddo north of Jerusalem to fight each other for world dominion. However, they quickly joined forces to combat what appeared to them as an alien invasion from outer space. But it was, in fact, Jesus Christ, accompanied by His angels, His holy angels, returned to earth at the seventh trumpet in a brilliant authority and majesty of the eternal God to save humanity from utter destruction. I'll come back to there some day, some time. Well, as Zachariah 14 verse 12 revealed, this shall be the plague, and this is very gruesome, but this shall be the plague which the Lord will strike all people who fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths. Indeed, it took mere seconds for Jesus Christ to defeat the shocked and dunfounded forces that were facing an adversary they had no idea how to confront. Shortly thereafter, the beasts and the false prophet were cast alive into the lake of fire and brimstone, while the devil and the demons were imprisoned in the blackness of darkness, the bottomless pit, which brought their horrendous reign of terror on earth to a bitter end.

So, Andrew, all of this happened, but I realized that you would like to know more about how these events, these troubling events, affected the church, the church brethren, including your grandmother, myself, and your mother, who was a young child, as I mentioned during those times.

Therefore, let's back up in the story, Andrew, to a period immediately before the forces of the beasts attacked and overran the Middle East. As noted earlier, nations around the world were impacted enormously by the economic crash and the ensuing global depression, which weakened and impoverished them as no other time in history. When the United States collapsed economically, poverty, homelessness, and hunger increased monumentally. As crime skyrocketed, food riots erupted, and inflation soared. And when that happened, the president declared martial law, which of course refers to military control over the civilian population. He did this to contend with overwhelming civil unrest, vast lawlessness and social chaos, and many other nations did the same, since they were in the same situations, the effect that affected their citizens and their governments. As living conditions deteriorated, people looked for scapegoats in their local community to blame for their escalating miseries. Among targeted groups and individuals were religious minorities, which included members of God's Church, who were falsely accused of causing distress and anxiety due to their unconventional beliefs. Persecution against our brethren rose in the United States, and in Canada, in Australia, in New Zealand, where many of our members lived, as well as other countries where scattered brethren resided. As Jesus Christ starkly warned in Matthew 24 verse 9, they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.

As a result of this mistreatment and food shortages and homelessness and lawlessness, the love of many, sadly, many church members grew cold, as Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24 verse 12. Sadly, again, these disciples abandoned God, turned against fellow brethren, and even their only own physical family members, to the point of delivering them into the hands of unjust authorities for denunciation and persecution.

These extremely trying times were, sadly, again, the impetus for many brethren to give up the precious hope of eternal salvation for once they eagerly sought. Conversely, however, other brethren, other disciples, refused to capitulate to all pressures because their faith in God and His promises were deep, strong, and steadfast, even while they endured condemnation and persecution and, yes, even martyrdom. Because of their inspiring loyalty, God provided His perfect guidance in marvelous ways during that particular difficult time, and He honored His promise to make a way of escape so they would not be under pressure beyond what they were able to bear, as it tells us in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13.

As one example of God's awesome protection, He opened a miraculous door for the church brethren and their families to flee on the wings of a great eagle to what the Scripture described as Her Place, meaning the mountainous wilderness east of Jerusalem to be nourished for three and a half years.

In this regard, Revelation 12 verse 15 stated, So the serpent spewed out of his mouth a flood after the woman, meaning, of course, God's church here, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. These might be soldiers or something. They're coming after the church brethren here. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood, which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Other brethren elsewhere in the world endured tough times. Since, as Revelation 12 verse 17 states, the dragon was enraged with the woman and went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Well, under assault, these faithful disciples took comfort in Christ's words in Matthew 28 verse 20, which states, I am with you always even to the end of the age. Throughout the world during that terrible time, one of the most important times of war, where warfare raged through conventional, chemical, biological, space-based, drone, and nuclear weapons, all of which resulted in the starvation and death of billions of people and the vast destruction of cities and farmlands across the globe.

In addition, earthquakes furiously rocked the planet while tsunamis pummeled coastlands and meteors impacted cities and rural areas. But in the midst of all that devastation, Jesus Christ upheld His promise to return to earth to save humanity from utter annihilation. He said in Matthew 24 verse 22, unless those days were shortened, no flesh will be saved. But for the elect's sake, meaning God's devoted disciples, those days will be shortened. When Jesus came to earth in awesome power and glory at His Second Coming, the faithful dead in Christ, as well as those who remained alive, were transformed into spirit beings, into God's divine family.

As 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 16 stated, For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Plus, as Daniel 7 verse 27 stated, The kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole earth, shall be given to the people, the saints of Mo-Moth's High.

Therefore, just like some others here in Israel, your grandmother and I have the remarkable ability to appear in physical human form whenever we need to, just as Jesus Christ appeared to His disciples following His resurrection from the dead. So, as kings and lords of lords, Jesus Christ, along with his team of newly divine famile members, immediately began the epic task of restoring a horribly wrecked planet and comforting and reassuring its few remaining human survivors who were in an utter state of shock and misery.

It's the first thing they did. We did, Andrew. In addition, the humble and repentant survivors of European slavery were brought to this land where many of them are now your neighbors, living peacefully in nearby villages. As Jeremiah 30 verse 10 says, Therefore, do not fear, O my servant Jacob, says the Lord, nor be dismayed, O Israel, for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity.

Jacob shall return, have rest, be quiet, and no one will make him afraid.

In fulfilling this promise, Jesus Christ gave every family, including your mother and father, their own property. As Amos 9 verse 14 stated, I will bring back the captives of my people Israel. They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them, and they shall make gardens and eat the fruit of them. As Isaiah 65 verse 21 reveals, they shall build houses and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

And they shall not build and another inhabit. They shall not plant and another eat.

Isaiah 65 verse 23 says this, they shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth children for trouble.

For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. And he is comparing that old world to this new world.

Families, including couples with children, along with grandparents and neighbors, participated in building and renovating while planting crops and fruit trees on their land that God had given them. Also, other families restored abandoned farmlands and rebuilt old structures to make them functional and beautiful. Jeremiah 31 verse 12 says, therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the Lord for wheat and new wine and oil. For the young of the flock and the herd, their souls will be like a well watered garden, and they shall soil no more at all.

So now, living in their own land, these enormously grateful people began growing and harvesting bounteous crops and producing healthy children and, well, I should say animals here, with children too. Besides enjoying abundant food and loving their growing families, everyone increased in wonderful spiritual knowledge while honoring God and following His way of life. Contributing to this spectacular condition was the fact that warfare had been utterly abolished everywhere on earth. As Isaiah 60 verse 18 prophesied, violence will disappear from your land. The desolation and destruction of war will end. Indeed, training for war and the production of military weapons has utterly ceased as people's energies are directed exclusively toward peaceful purposes. As Micah 4 verse 3 says, they shall judge between many peoples, and 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. Humanity will never again suffer fear, cruelty, devastation of war, since contention between nations has been eliminated, and former enemies are now working harmoniously with each other. For instance, as Isaiah 19 verse 24 states, in that day Israel will be one with three, with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless. Isaiah 11 verse 9 says, states this, it says, they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Indeed, all people today, Andrew, experience excellent well-being as God's loving care and leadership fully comforts the hearts and minds of every person in every nation. As Isaiah 52 verse 10 tells us, the Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. With all this having been said, Andrew, let's focus on your stunningly beautiful village and your entire community here and how it functions for the benefit of all the area's residents. The village center is filled with shops and businesses and schools and recreation fields and bicycle paths. I know, Andrew, you've written on those yourself at times. And the roads reaching out are like spokes on a wheel, so everyone can come to the center to enjoy each other's company. There's administrative offices there with marvelous facilities for Sabbath services and Bible studies, which is also used for baptisms, Sabbath services, weddings, and other occasions.

It's many educational, recreational, and social activities provide everyone with excellent opportunities to enjoy fellowship together. Jeremiah 13 verse 13, 31 verse 13 states, the young women will dance for joy, and the young and old will join in the celebration.

I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.

Your entire community and others throughout Israel are excellent examples of perfect peace and prosperity and joy. Seeing and experiencing all of this is especially valuable for visitors who come from elsewhere in the world to learn more about how Jesus Christ and his family of spirit beings, like myself and your grandmother, can help them develop productive and peaceful communities. As Isaiah 2 verse 3 states, many people 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 shall walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

People who come from distant lands also see how the world capital, Jerusalem, which in past ages had been a place of division and contention, has been completely restored to spectacular beauty and serenity. As God prophesied in Matthew in Isaiah 33 verse 20, he says here, Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts, your eyes will see Jerusalem a quiet home, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down. Now one of its stakes will ever be removed, nor will any of its cords be broken. Also, as Zechariah 8 verse 5 says, Jerusalem will now be so peaceful and safe and secure that it is full of boys and girls playing in the streets. Also, the Scriptures foretold how people would rejoice when seeing the amazing transformation from what were formerly dry, barren areas around the world, which are now beautiful and turning that way. Perfect beauty. Isaiah 35 verse 6 to 7 says, Water will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert, the burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs, and the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. Much of this transpired because shortly before Jesus Christ's coming, powerful earthquakes generated enormous changes in the earth's surface so that mountain ranges were brought low and valleys raised. As Isaiah 40 verse 4 states, every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low. The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth.

With mountains and hills reduced greatly in size, earth's weather patterns were altered, which resulted in former wilderness areas being transformed into well-watered lands.

Due to these marvelous environmental changes, multiple millions of formerly unusable acreage have now been available for human settlement and cultivation. Besides having rain on a dependable basis, water bubbles up from the ground, creating clear sparkling streams to irrigate the land.

As Isaiah 35 verse 1 states, the wilderness and the dry land will be glad. The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose. The land of Israel and areas around the world are in the process of being completely renovated into productivity and beauty. As Psalm 65 verse 13 states, the meadows are filled with sheep and goats, valleys overflow with grain, and echo with joyful songs. People everywhere live in perfect safety, raise their children in fine homes, on gorgeous, well-maintained, highly productive land. As Isaiah 32 verse 18 states, my people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. As Micah 4 verse 4 states, everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

To be sure, God's blessings are astoundingly spectacular, abundant, and widespread. For example, Andrew, as an awesome prophecy has taken place whereby God has changed the very nature of animals, so they are now completely harmless.

Isaiah 11 verse 6 says, the wolf and the lamb will live together. The leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child shall lead them all. Yes, Andrew, wonderful scenes such as children leading formerly wild animals are happening here in Israel and in other areas around the world. Just like you did a few years ago, Andrew. Therefore, parents are now free from any worry knowing that their children are safe in every situation, in every location. Indeed, Isaiah 11 verse 8 states, the nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain. So, Andrew, these and countless other prophecies have come true. They've come to pass. So while the physical aspects of God's civilization is simply amazing, there's something even more magnificent happening since it encompasses the spiritual lives of all people in that Jesus Christ has provided his perfect spiritual and moral instruction. Indeed, Jerusalem is a global center of education and inspiration. Assisting Jesus Christ in this vital teaching responsibility are his resurrected, faithful, and wise divine saints who serve as spiritual educators, administrators, judges, and leaders. As Isaiah 30 verse 20 prophesied, your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, for your eyes will see your teachers.

Truly, as Revelation 5 verse 10 states, you have made kings, leaders, meaning leaders, and priests teachers to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. The members of God's divine family instruct and guide everyone in God's perfect way of life, the foundation of which is the Ten Commandments, which of course includes the keeping of the weekly Sabbath and God's holy days, his annual holy days. Now, if anyone drifts away from following God's laws, they will be firmly, yet caringly corrected. Isaiah 30 verse 21 states, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, this is the way. Walk in it. Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.

By obeying God's teachings, Andrew, people everywhere have a solid foundation of what is right and wrong as they care for their families and other people. Our great Heavenly Father has made all of this possible by giving everyone the wonderful gift of his Holy Spirit upon repentance, which instills in them a spirit of real love, deep love, and care for him and deep concern for others. Ezekiel 36 verse 27 tells us that, I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will keep my judgments and do them. With God's Holy Spirit guiding everyone, they have become living examples of the words of Ephesians 4 verse 32, which says, Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God and Christ forgave you.

With each person's human spirit joined with the Holy Spirit, they have profound love for God while offering caring service to their neighbors. To be sure, Andrew, since people are no longer burdened by Satan's corrupt influence, they are now cooperating together in harmony and wonderful happiness. People see that the knowledge and application of God's commandments result in wonderful blessings and perfect peace of mind. So again, Andrew, I hope what I covered today gives you an ample material for your school report. I hope it helps you better understand what led up to the wonderful times that we enjoy today and also what the future holds. Although your grandmother and I must leave now for an appointment with Jesus Christ and other spirit beings on the other side of the earth, we'll be back this evening since your mom and dad invite us to have a backyard barbecue with the family tonight. But before we go, there's one more scripture I'd like to mention that gives the promise that the tragic ways of the past will never ever return. Isaiah 9 verse 7 says, the increase of his, this is Jesus Christ's 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 forevermore. As a result of this, we can give our Almighty Heavenly Father awesome thanks and praise for everything he has done, is doing, and will do for people everywhere, including those who live in and around your small village here in the kingdom of God.