The Throne of My Father David

It's titled, The Sermon Today, The Throne of My Father David. The throne of my father David. Are you ready to sit on your throne in the kingdom of God? If you're in the first resurrection after the events of the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement, after those events are fulfilled, you will sit on your throne in the kingdom of God. Paul meant what he said in 1 Corinthians 2, verse 9, I have not seen, here have not heard, neither has it entered into the hearts of men what God has prepared for those who love Him. We can just get a glimpse in some ways of the glory, the splendor, the wonderment of the wonderful world tomorrow, and what we have been called to. Indeed, we are witnesses to the most chaotic times in human history in which the stage is being set for the unfolding of the cataclysmic, climatic end of this present evil age. Secular knowledge is being increased. Men and women are running to and fro, and every wind of doctrine is being aired abroad. But with the increase of secular knowledge, there is increased confusion and doubt as to what is true. The truth of God has fallen into the streets, and the fear of God is taught by the precepts of men, just as the prophets prophesied. So what can we believe? What can we hold on to?

The reason why the world is in the shape it's in is because men are embracing, the women are embracing, the knowledge of men, and the people have rejected the knowledge of God. They have no sure anchors for the soul, and their soul being their life essence, their very being. They're indeed being taught to and fro by every wind of doctrine, ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Christ states in Matthew 24, verse 24, if it were possible, if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived. And each one of us should ask ourselves today, each one, to ask ourselves, are we one of the very elect? The false prophet and the antichrist will deceive all but the very elect as they feign the return of Christ in their attempt to establish a time of peace and prosperity in the world. And apparently for a short period of time, they will succeed to some degree.

And behind all of this is Satan the devil who continues on his insatiable quest to be the object of worship. So at this critical crucial time in human history, we need all the knowledge and understanding that we can possibly glean from God's Word, and we need to close the gap between what we know and what we do. So we won't be deceived, and so we will be among the very elect, one of the very elect. So we can make our calling and election sure. Let us note Paul's warning to the young evangelist Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 4. It's an admonition to the ministry and a warning for us all in 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 1. In the previous chapter, Paul had stated that all scripture is given of inspiration of God and is profitable for instruction and for doctrine, to reprove correction, instruction, and righteousness. 2 Timothy 4 verse 1, I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom. Preach the word, be instant, end season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine and teaching. Doctrine means teaching, really. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. Brother, we don't want to be among those who are turned to fables. We hear over and over again that Christ is coming again. Where will Christ rule from? Well, virtually everyone in this audience should be able to answer that. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 2. Isaiah chapter 2 verses 3 and 4.

The time is coming when the nations will go up and keep the feast in their seasons. We get a glimpse of this here in Isaiah chapter 2. Verse 2, it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountains of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains. And God's government, I'm paraphrasing and ad-libbing, anyhow, shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. Many people shall go 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. We will walk in His paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Eternal from Zion, or from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations. He shall rebuke many people. 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. So we know that the headquarters for God's government over the earth will be in Jerusalem. We, the Bible, also describes, as you know, the New Jerusalem. Before Christ sets up His government, you would now turn to Daniel 11, where we have the picture of the willful king, Daniel 11, the willful king who sets out to do what he wishes to do. Daniel, just before the mine of prophets. We'll pick it up in verse 43. This one is the beast system. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, over all the precious things of Egypt. And the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him. Therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas, between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, and the glorious holy mountain in Jerusalem. So this false system that is going to come up on the earth will deceive everybody but the very elect. And Christ said, if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived. Yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. Before Christ returns with ten thousands of his saints, as Jude writes in his short epistle, before Christ returns with ten thousands of his saints, this false one will sit in the temple of God claiming that he is God. Let's note his 2nd Thessalonians. 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2. In 1st Thessalonians, Paul writes as if the return of Jesus Christ was very imminent, even at the door. But by the time that he writes 2nd Thessalonians, he learns that the return of Christ is probably not going to be in his lifetime. But there were people who were even writing letters as if from Paul that Christ had returned. Note 2nd Thessalonians 2.1, Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Paul is saying, I've not written such a letter, but apparently there were letters circulating. You know, the things that we face today, they're not new to the Church of God. There has been chaos, confusion, unrest, upset through the ages.

Of course, during the days of the Apostolic Church in the first century, you had people like Peter and John and Paul and the Apostles writing letters, setting people straight.

Brethren, we have, we don't have those apostles on the scene today, necessarily, but we have, as Peter says in 1 Peter 1, a more sure word of prophecy. Where until we do well to take heed? Verse 3, Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come an apostasia. Falling away is not a good translation. Apostasia means false teaching. Basically, that false teaching is that Christ has returned. The peoples of the world will be deceived by it.

This one is called the man of sin. He will be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or what is worshiped, so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. There is no doubt from the Scripture that this system is going to deceive the world into trying to believe that Christ has returned. You have all of these movies today about extraterrestrial beings and aliens coming from outer space and intelligent life somewhere out there. Perhaps this intelligent life will one day reveal to us how the universe was created and all of that nonsense. Knowledge is being increased in the physical sphere to a large degree, but the knowledge of God has fallen into the streets on the other hand. We pick it up again in verse 8, "...and then shall the wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." That system will be destroyed when Jesus Christ and the saints return as this day pictures. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. Of course, you read in Revelation 13 how that the false prophet from the sight of the beast performs great miracles and signs, calling fire down from heaven. And by these miracles, the peoples of the earth are deceived. So we know that just the ability to perform miracles does not necessarily mean that it is from God. "...And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved." Brother, don't let this love of the truth fall on deaf ears. It means exactly what it says. And the price for not loving the truth. In hiding the truth of God in our hearts and minds and living by it, the price is a dear price. For this cause, what cause? That they receive not the love of the truth, for this cause shall God... See, God is going to close their hearts and minds of understanding. And when you begin to flirt with Satan and his teachings, then you are on the road to deception and searing of the conscience. You know, it says in 1 Timothy 4 and verse 1 that in the last days that Satan is going to deceive a lot of people, seducing people, and having their conscience seared with a hot iron. "...because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved, and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie." Now, there's no indefinite article in Greek. It is the lie. The lie that so many are going to be deceived, obviously, is that Christ has returned. The beast and the false prophet are there. And see, when the two witnesses are killed, the peoples of the world are going to rejoice and send messages of congratulations and greetings and celebration and all of that because of the two witnesses. And I guess worldwide television will show the bodies of the two witnesses lying in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

So we see one sitting on this throne. But who has the right to the throne? Remember the title, The Throne of My Father David. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 9. And this would be, of course, the shortcut to the answer to that. But we have much to say about it because even sometimes our understanding is clouded by various things. In Isaiah 9, verse 6, For unto us a child is born, and to us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

The hair on the nape of your neck would stand up when you hear Handel's Messiah. In the Hallelujah chorus, Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it, to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform it. Now we go to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1 will be changing a lot of scriptures that are very important in this thread that we're going to cover here today. In Luke chapter 1, there have been many pretenders to the throne of my father David. And of course, the devil has his plan for deceiving the world. And everybody but the very elect is going to go for it, will be deceived according to Christ. Christ says if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived. In Luke chapter 1 verse 32, Luke 1, 32, And he shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the highest, speaking of Jesus Christ, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.

The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. This is the Word of God. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Now this is the Word of God. Now time after time in the Gospels, Christ is referred to as the Son of David. Even the demons sometimes address, What do you have to do with us, O Son of David?

Christ is the Son of David after the flesh. Thus, the prophecy that David would never want for a descendant to sit on his throne is fulfilled in the ultimate sense by Christ Jesus, the anointed one who humbled himself on the stake. And I know that sometimes you read Jesus Christ, and other times you read Christ Jesus. Christ is the anointed one, the exalted one, and Jesus is the one who humbled himself and paid for our sins the death on the stake. David means beloved. The Messiah is truly God's beloved Son. Let's notice Matthew 3 verse 17. Matthew 3.17, after Christ was baptized. Of course, at this particular time, he had not been exalted and seated by the right hand of his Father in the heavens, but he was fulfilling all righteousness as it says, setting us an example that we should follow in his steps. Of course, baptism has to do with crossing out the flesh completely and totally buried in the watery grave of baptism, then raised to newness of life.

And Jesus Christ went through that, and he did cross out flesh totally and completely, living perfectly. Matthew 3.16, when he was baptized, went up straight way out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him. And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him, and lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Then he was led away into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan the devil, and the great temptation there was, are you really the Son of God? But you notice in the last part of verse 3 where Satan begins his temptation, if you be the Son of God. A voice from heaven had declared that he was the Son of God. And then in these three temptations by Satan, it's preceded by, you know, if you be the Son of God, then do this or that or the other. The sure mercies of David are given to Jesus Christ.

The sure mercies of David have to do with the promises made to him. Let's go to Isaiah 55. Isaiah 55 and verse 3. In Isaiah 55 and verse 3, incline your ear and come unto me here, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Verse 4, Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

Behold, you shall call a nation that you know not. Of course, 1 Peter 2 verse 9. The Apostle Peter calls the Church of God and Holy Nation, the people that didn't have a name up until that time, but now we are the people of God. We are Loamim. We are Lo-ru-ham-ah. I'm sorry, we are Ami, the people of God, and we are Ru-ham-ah, having obtained mercy. Behold, you shall call a nation that you know not, and nations that know not you, shall run unto you because of the Yahweh your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for he hath glorified you. Who hath God glorified? He has glorified the Son, and the Son is now seated at His right hand. In Acts chapter 13, the Apostle Paul, giving one of the great summary sermons of the Bible, Acts 13, will break in somewhat on the thought in Acts 13, where the Apostle Paul is bearing witness to the detractors of his day. In Acts 13, we'll begin with verse 29. Acts 13 and verse 29.

And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, talking about all the events that surrounded the crucifixion of Christ, perhaps I should say Jesus, the one who humbled himself. And they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead, and he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the fathers. Now, one thing, it's sort of a summary thing that you could keep in mind, that all of the offices that were like a typical, a type of, that which was to come, all of the offices basically accept one. That is, the office, of course, of God the Father. But the office of King and Priest and Prophet, and all of those offices, are fulfilled in Christ. Jesus Christ is a King. He's a Priest. He's our High Priest. He's a Prophet.

We declare unto you glad tidings how that the promises which were made unto the fathers, God had fulfilled the same unto us, their children. And that He has raised up Jesus as He has also written in the second Psalm, You are my Son, this day have I begotten you. That word is ganal, oh, and ganal, oh, depending on the action of whom the action is by, is by the mother, is to be born, if it's by the Father, to beget. But in the case of God the Father, He begets us and He brings us to birth. I'll say it again. God the Father begets us and He brings us to birth. By the same Spirit, and I'm quoting right now Romans 8-11, by the same Spirit that He raised Jesus from the dead, He will also make alive our mortal bodies. Several places Paul talks about that Christ was raised from the dead by the Father.

Also in Revelation 1 verse 5, let's go quickly there. Hold your place there. Let's just very quick. We want to read Revelation 1 verse 5, and we'll see here some people talk about, well, is resurrection. Can resurrection be equated with birth? Well, this will show that it can be, and that it is in the Bible. In Revelation 1 verse 5, and from Jesus, who is the faithful witness and the firstborn of the dead. That Greek word is prototokos, prototokos, prototokos, the firstborn of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. So back in Acts 13, you are my son this day, this very day. Have I born you? Have I brought you to birth? In fact, in Psalm 2, if you go look at the Hebrew words where this is quoted from, you'll see that that's exactly what it means there, too. And it's concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more return to return to corruption. He said on this wise, I will give you, I will give you Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus, the sure mercies of David. Just what we read from Isaiah 55 verses 3 through 5. There is no question that many of the messianic prophecies concerning David refers to Christ Jesus being the one who fulfills the role of being a king forever on the throne of David. Now we go to Acts 2, and here we'll get the testimony of David himself. Now, to find these exact words in the prophets will be difficult.

In Acts 2, verse 29, command and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried. And his sepulchre is with us unto this day. You know, Jesus Christ himself said that no man has ascended into the heavens except the Son of Man who came down from heaven. It's repeated here that no man has ascended into heaven. David's dead and he's buried. Therefore, being a prophet, David was a king and a prophet, David a type of Christ. Therefore, being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. Now, you won't find a prophecy that says, that uses the word of Christ, that he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne, but it's implied. And are we taking here the word of the inspired words of the Apostle Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, when he says of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. He, seeing before, spoke of the resurrection of Christ. That his suké, his life essence, was not left in Hades, the grave, neither his flesh did seek eruption. This Jesus, the one who humbled himself and gave his life for us, hath God raised up whereof were all witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God, exalted, and having received with the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has shed forth this which you now see and hear. The Father is the source of the Holy Spirit, says clearly in John 15 and verse 26, that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, and it is shed on us through Christ. Exactly how that happens, I don't know for sure, but that's what the Bible says. In 2 Samuel 7 verse 11, we read where this promise of David having one to sit on the throne of his seed, and of course it's according to the flesh, as it says here, because Jesus Christ is the Son of David according to the flesh. He is the Son of God by, as we shall see, beguile and resurrection, the only begotten Son who was resurrected. In 2 Samuel chapter 7 verse 11, He has since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people, Israel, have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also, the Lord tells you that He will make you an house. And when your days are fulfilled and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, which shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish His kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. I will be His Father. He shall be my Son. If He commit iniquity, I will chasten Him with a rod of men, with the stripes of the children of men. But my mercy shall not depart away from Him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. We read from Luke 1.32 and 33 that He will be given the throne of His Father David. See, the throne of David is God's throne from the beginning. The nation of Israel is a type of what is coming, the kingdom of God. If you would go to 1 Chronicles 29, I'll show you that. Solomon admits where he's sitting is on God's throne. God allowed it. In Colossians 1, it talks about that all things were created and consist through Jesus Christ, whether there be thrones, principalities, powers, visible, invisible. In 1 Chronicles 29, verse 23, then Solomon sat on the throne of the Eternal. He sat on the throne of Yahweh.

As king, instead of David, His Father had prospered, and all Israel obeyed Him. Solomon's reign was a type of the millennium. The word Solomon, if we would now go to 1 Kings 4.25, 1 Kings 4.25. The word Solomon means peace. We read from Isaiah 9, verses 6 and 7, that the government shall be on His shoulder, mighty counselor, the Prince of Peace. In 1 Kings 4, verse 25, And Judah and Israel dwelt safely every man under his vine and under his fig tree. Very similar to the language to read about in Isaiah and Malachi, about the time of the wonderful world tomorrow and the millennium. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, from north to south, all the days of Solomon.

See, that throne is God's throne. He gives it to whomever He pleases. Of course, He gave it to Jesus Christ, and He's going to give the throne to you. And you're going to sit on the throne in the Kingdom of God if you make it in the First Resurrection.

In Psalm 2, the king is identified. Psalm 2 is like a summary of world conditions today, and a warning to all the peoples of the world. Why do the nations rage? And we see the nations raging today. Why do the nations rage? And the people imagine a vain thing. The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the eternal and against His anointed. Christ means the anointed one, against His anointed. You see, at the end of this age, when things really get tough for the beast in His system, as you read in Revelation 16, verse 12, that the beast, false prophet Satan, go out to make way for the kings of the east to come for the battle of the great day of God Almighty. And they're going to come and try to defeat Jesus Christ in returning saints.

The nations right now are banding together, at least they're trying to. They've got a ways to go before they can enforce their worldwide system, worldwide dictatorship, worldwide political and military power, and one world religion.

The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the eternal, against His anointed saying, Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us. He that sits in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath and vex them in His sword as pleasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. And we read from Isaiah 2, verses 2-4 that the nations are going to come to Zion and to Jerusalem. The law of God is going to go forth from there. I will declare the decree, The Lord has set unto me, You are my son. This is what we read from Acts 13, verse 33, verses 33 and 34. Paul quotes this, You are my son. This day have I brought you to birth. Ask of me, and I shall give you the heathen, the nations for your inheritance. Brethren, as we shall read in a few minutes, that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. The nations for your inheritance in the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O kings, be instructed the judges of the earth. The great warning, of course, it will go unheeded except for the very elect. Serve the eternal with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish from the way.

Now this half-hearted dabbling in the church of God, and of course you read about the 10 virgins in Matthew 25, the church of God consists of all of those who have God's Spirit. Kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are they that put their trust in him.

The kingdom of Israel in the flesh was but a type of what was to come. The kingdom of God begins with the Israel of God, the church of God. Paul calls it the Israel of God in Galatians 6, 16. It's the only place that particular phrase, Israel of God, is used in the Bible. Of course, Peter says in 1 Peter 2, 9, that we are an holy nation. We used to hear from time to time from a person who said the church of God is the kingdom of God and embryo. It is in the embryonic stages. Once again, the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant rests on the shoulders of Christ, for unto us a son is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called a wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end. There was a little flurry short of the type of the kingdom of God during Solomon's reign. Of course, Solomon eventually went astray and Israel after his death was divided into two kingdoms. If his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, upon the kingdom to order it, and establish it with judgment, with justice, from henceforth, even forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform it. In our zeal to exalt the physical, sometimes we ignore the spiritual. The kingdoms of men will not last forever. We just read that from Psalm 2. The only kingdom that lasts forever is the kingdom of God. When Christ comes again, the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of God and his Christ. Let's go to Revelation 11, and this is what it clearly says. Revelation 11, verse 15. Revelation 11, verse 15. And the seventh angel, Selma, of course the shofar is blown by the Jews on this day, the feasts of trumpets. This introduces their new year, the civil year.

The seventh angel sounded. Of course, it talks about the resurrection in Thessalonians, verse Thessalonians 4, and 1 Corinthians 15, about at the last trump. Revelation 10, about the seventh angel sounding. The seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. So all the kingdoms of the world are going to come under the government of God. Christ is the born Son of God by resurrection from the dead. Let's go to Romans chapter 1.

Now, consider how great this mystery is that we're talking about. I think oftentimes it goes over our head, because in Hebrews it talks about this Melchizedek without father, without mother, without end of days, who lives forever, who is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, showing that he has no origin, that is, there's no point in what we call time. He's eternal.

The Father and the Word existing in eternity. In the beginning was the Word existence, and the Word was with God relationship, and the Word was God.

But God and the Word planned out this great plan of salvation at some point in time in which the Word would humble Himself and give up His glory, not His divinity. As we read about in Philippians 2, He gives up His glory, humbles Himself even to death on the stake. And God somehow, He overshadowed Mary, and Holy Spirit came upon her, and Jesus Christ after the flesh was begotten in the womb of Mary. But He didn't give up His divinity. He lived in the flesh. He was crucified, and He was raised as a glorious, radiant, life-giving Spirit being, according to 1 Corinthians 15. In Romans 1, verse 3, Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Revelation 1.5, as we've read, prototichos the first born from the dead, by whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name, among whom are you also the called of Jesus Christ.

The begotten and born sons of God. Let's go to Romans 8, now, Romans 8, verse 14. We get a further glimpse of what is in store for us at the resurrection. In Romans 8, 14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

I'm sorry, yes, that's correct. Verse 14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship, not adoption, because Christ is of the same essence as the Father that is the Holy Spirit, and the same Spirit that is in God is in Christ as in us. And by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, He will raise us from the dead. But you have received the Spirit of sonship, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children then heirs, heirs of God, join heirs with Christ. See, heirs of God. We're going to inherit what He is in the state of existence. We're not going to be God, and sometimes we know what we mean. Hopefully when we say, God is God is God, obviously no one's going to take His place, have His office. But we'll be on that same plane of existence, and joy heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom.

Sometimes we don't get that, I think. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50. Let's go there. Maybe if we read it and not just hear it quoted, it'll be more indelibly imprinted on our minds. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus Christ told Nicodemus this in essence in John 3. Nicodemus misunderstood about being born again. Said, could he enter into his mother's womb a second time? He applied it physically, but he understood that it had to do with a new birth.

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Sometimes I think we focus so much on the physical with regard to the millennium that we escape the spiritual, the plane of existence that we're going to be in.

The restoration of Israel and other nations during the millennium obviously means that the spiritual kingdom of God will rule over the physical kingdom. The purpose of physical life continuing in the millennium and beyond. We talk about the Second Resurrection. It's to bring sons and daughters in the kingdom of God, the spiritual kingdom, those who've never heard of his fame and his name. The only name, according to Acts 4.12, given under heaven whereby the sons of men might be saved.

The millennial reign is not for the purpose of exalting one nation over another. It's for bringing all nations into a relationship with God and Christ to be a part of the Israel of God. Let's go now to Zechariah chapter 6.

Back several years ago, a lot of attention was given to the book of Zechariah because Zechariah speaks to the two witnesses. Zechariah speaks at the work of Zerubbabel and Joshua with a high priest. And various conjectures were given with regard to who is Joshua and who is Zerubbabel.

Zerubbabel was building the Restoration Temple along with Joshua and the two prophets were among them, Haggai and Zechariah. Of course, this was a physical building. Haggai chapter 2 says, The glory of this latter house shall exceed that of the former. So, it was in a way symbolic of that which was to come, that is, the Church of God. Now, various people have labored in this building of this temple, the Spiritual Temple, through the ages. Christ said that in Ephesians 2, that the Church is built upon the foundation of Christ, the prophets, and the apostles.

So, a lot of people have built in this, but Matthew 16 verse 18 says Jesus Christ is the one who builds his church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against him. So, Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of the office of Zerubbabel. Look at Zechariah 6, 12. And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaks the Lord of Hosts. Behold the man whose name is the branch who is identified in the Bible as Jesus Christ. He shall grow up out of his place. He shall build the temple of the Eternal. Even he shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne. And he shall be a priest upon his throne. And the counsel of peace shall be between them both. That is, between king and priest. The offices of king and priest combined, church and state. It will be a theocracy. If we would go to Hebrews 8.1, in the wonderful world tomorrow, a theocracy is going to rule and reign. And, brethren, we, as we shall see, we're going to be a part of that theocracy. Hebrews 8.1. We just read that he will be a king and priest upon his throne. No. No priest in the Old Testament was a king. The kings were not priests. But notice this king in Hebrews 8.1. Now the things which we have spoken, this is the sum. We have such a high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens. So Jesus Christ is already sitting there with the Father on his throne.

Now we go to Revelation 1, and we shall see what's in store for us. In Revelation 1, Revelation 1, Revelation 1, beginning in verse 4. John to the seven churches which are in Asia, Revelation 1.4. Grace be unto you, and peace from him which is, which was, which is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is a faithful witness and the firstborn of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. And to him that loved us, washed us from our sins in his own blood, and have made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. And he hath made us kings and priests to his Father, Revelation 5 and verse 10. And Revelation 5 and verse 10.

And he hath made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. It's as clear as it can be in the scriptures. In Revelation 3 and verse 21. In Revelation 3 and verse 21.

I don't have time to go through it all. I gave the South Church a handout on this maybe over a year ago with regard to the message to the seven churches that the outline of how this is constructed. Some people talk about, well, if you're in Philadelphia, you get this reward. If you're in Laodicea, you get this reward. If you're Ephesus, you get this reward. All the rewards here are given to everybody that makes it. Okay? You might want to debate that, but we don't have time to prove it now. But anyhow, Revelation 3 verse 21. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne. Even as I also overcame and am sat down with my father in his throne. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. Now quickly to Revelation chapter 20. In Revelation chapter 20. In this last 15 minutes, we have still some very important information to go. We are not in the process of concluding just yet. Understanding that it is vital to not being deceived. In Revelation 20.

Remember I said after the events of this day, an atonement are fulfilled. And I saw an angel come down from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. The day of atonement picturing, binding of Satan. And cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him. He should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled. And after that he must be loosed to little season. And I saw thrones. And I saw thrones. And they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, from the word of God, which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image. Neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Yes, brethren, we are going to be made kings and priests in the kingdom of God. Those who claim they're clearing off the physical throne of David, preparing for the return of Christ, are in fact, or they could be a part of the deception that is coming on the world.

If the returning Christ were to sit on a physical throne, which he is not, that is buried somewhere in the rubble of the ruins of the city of David, he surely doesn't need anyone to clear it off for him. He's perfectly capable of that.

If you notice in Matthew 19, it's more of the same to some degree, but let's go there. Matthew 19, before we go to another important point here.

In Matthew 19, in Matthew 19, verse 27, Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed you. What shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that he who has followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one, every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lambs, for my name's sake shall receive a hundred fold, and shall inherit eternal life.

Now to Zechariah 14. Zechariah 14, at the return of Jesus Christ, as we shall notice here, Zechariah 14, verse 1, at the return of Jesus Christ, the Mount of Olives is going to be split in two. Now interestingly, the Jews deny Jesus Christ has come. They're still looking for a Messiah, but yet at the same time, the Jews want to be buried on the Mount of Olives.

In this recent terrorist attack, in which I guess it was Hamas who killed two Israelis while these peace talks were going on in Washington last week, sort of a distraction from that, those two were buried on the Mount of Olives if you were listening to the news. Zechariah 14, behold the day of the Lord comes, and your spoil shall be divided in the midst of you. I will gather all nations against originally to battle, and the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, the women ravished.

Half of the city shall go into captivity, the residue of the people shall be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. Remember, we read from Revelation 11 verse 15 that the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God and His Christ. Verse 4, "...and His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is there on the east side of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east, toward the west.

There shall be a great valley, and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half toward the south. And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountain shall reach unto Israel. Yes, you shall flee like as you fled before the earthquake in the days of the Messiah, King of Judah.

And the Lord, your God, shall come, and all the saints with you." All the saints with you. So exactly what the topography of Jerusalem will be after that event is a matter of conjecture. Now, there is one in particular splinter group of the former worldwide Church of God that quotes Amos 9-12 to try to assert that the tabernacle of David is the throne of David. You would go back a few pages here to Amos 9. Hosea Joel Amos chapter 9 verse 8. Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom.

I will destroy it from the face of the earth, saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, says the Lord. For lo, I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like his corn is sifted in the sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

God knows those who are his. He is not forsaken Israel, but the restoration of Israel now is a geopolitical kind of restoration, and it is not that which is spoken of in the Bible. All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword which say the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us. In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that has fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up the ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom.

Some commentaries and some commentators say that this should be translated Adam instead of Edom. It is translated as Men. The word Adam, Men, is almost identical to Edom except the vowel points. And in Acts, as we'll see, it's quoted as Men, that they might possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations which are called by my name says the Lord that does this.

The tabernacle of David is not the throne of David. Moreover, the tabernacle of David is not limited to any ethnic group. Christ possesses the key of David, and only he can provide the knowledge whereby you can dwell in God's holy tabernacle forever. In Isaiah 22 and verse 20, back a few pages, Isaiah 22 and verse 20.

And it shall come to pass in that day that I will call my servant Eliah, the son of Healkiah. I will clothe him with your robe and strengthen him with your girdle, and I will commit your government into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And this one is also a type of Christ. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder, so he shall open and none shall shut. He shall shut and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring, the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups even to the vessels of flat ends. Now we go to Revelation 3, and we see what it says here. In Revelation 3, each message to the church, the seven churches in Revelation, starts off with characteristics of Christ and what he is and what he can do. In Revelation 3, verse 7, and to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, write these things, says, He that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that opens and no man shuts. The key opens up a passageway. How do you enter therein? How do you enter into the kingdom of God? In Matthew 16, let's go there, Matthew 16. Who has the keys to the kingdom? Who did Jesus Christ give the keys of the kingdom to?

The key of David that opens and no man shuts. How do you become a member of the kingdom of God, the family of God, to rule and reign forever upon the throne of my father David?

In Matthew 16, 13. When Jesus came to the coast of Caesarea, Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? And they said, Some say you are John the Baptist, Son of Elijah, others Jeremiah, one of the prophets. He said unto them, But whom say you that I am? Who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjono, for flesh and blood, and not reveal it unto you but my Father who is in heaven.

And we have read how that Jesus Christ is the one who builds the temple, that builds the spiritual temple from Zechariah 6, verses 12 and 13. And I say unto you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build the church and the gates of hell, and the Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be bound in heaven. The tabernacle of David began to be raised up on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was sent to the New Covenant Church. The tabernacle of David consists of all nations, tongues, ethnic groups, all people. God is not a respecter of persons. To this day the religious people do not understand the promise made to Abraham, out of your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Paul explains in Galatians 3, 15, 16, that this seed is through Christ. It is through Christ that all the nations of the earth be blessed. And if you are in Christ, as Paul writes in Galatians 3, the last two or three verses, 25, 26, 27, if you be in Christ, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. The blessing is not through a nation, even though one nation may be blessed more than other for their obedience. Salvation does not come through a nation or the Constitution of the U.S., contrary to what Glenn Beck might say.

That is dangerous what he is doing. I know what we identify with a lot of the points he makes. From the days of Abraham, through the patriarchs, the judges, the kings, to the time of Christ, the great seal of the covenant was circumcision in the flesh. This controversy became so heated in the New Covenant Church that a great conference was called the Acts 15 Conference. Now we go to Acts 15 where this conference is taking place. Paul and Barnabas had gone through Asia Minor. There had been hundreds of converts, but there were those in Jerusalem who were upset because Paul was not requiring them to be circumcised. So they called a conference to settle this matter.

Paul spoke and Peter spoke, and there was much disputing. The elders were assembled together. Eventually, in Acts 15, 13, after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, listen to me. Simon had declared how God at first had visited the Gentiles and taken out of them a people for his name. To this, agree the words of the prophets, as it is written. And guess where James's sentence is taken from? Amos 9, 12, and 13.

After this, I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David. See that tabernacle of David, as I said, began with on the day of Pentecost, and God calling out eventually people from all nations, races, kenders, and tongues, to be a part of the Israel of God, which has fallen down. And I will build again the ruins thereof, and will set it up that the residue of men, in Amos 9, 12, or 13, it says, Edom, we talked about the vowel points, that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does all these things.

Satan is so clever, if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect. But if you love the truth, and you're willing to search the Scriptures daily whether these things be true, if you have a perfectly teachable heart, and you're willing not to be bound by traditions and fables, you can know the truth. If you're willing to continue in the Word of Truth, then you can be set free indeed. If you don't love the truth, as we've read, you'll be sent grand delusion. All but the very elect will believe that the Antichrist is sitting in the temple of God, claiming that he is God, and fulfilling the prophecies concerning a son of David, sitting on the throne of his father, David. We have seen clearly from the Bible how that is going to be fulfilled, and your role in it, that you're going to sit on a throne in the Kingdom of God. We are made kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 5.10. If you love the truth and you're called chosen and faithful, you will be there on your throne in the Kingdom of God as a king and a priest. He who hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. And I hope you have a happy feast season.