World Government Under Jesus Christ

Well, good morning to everyone. So good to see all of you on this beautiful, special Sabbath day with the blessing of the little children. I hope everybody is doing well and feeling well. Yes, thank you for your prayers from my wife. She is doing so much better. Not quite fully recovered from this yet, but she's coming right along real well. Thank you so much for that. I don't know if you watched Thursday night the presidential debate, or if you've even been aware that there's something going on in our country, a presidential, congressional, and local elections, determining government for the next months and years ahead of us.

Our mind is on government. Certainly the Feast of Tabernacles directs us toward government. When God's kingdom and government is going to be set up on the earth, and with what is going on all around us in our country, we certainly are thinking about government. So I'd like to speak about government. Government is not a dirty word. I'd like to quote from Carl Curtis, a U.S. senator from Nebraska many years ago. He's probably deceased by this time. This goes way back about 40 years or 50 years ago.

Carl Curtis wrote in U.S. News and World Report magazine November 10, 1969.

I'd like to just quote some of what he said about government. He said, there would be chaos in the world if there were no government. I admit that governments make mistakes and that oftentimes we have too much government. Nevertheless, government is necessary. I am referring to the government that man sets up. Government is based upon law. These laws govern the conduct of men in their relationship to each other and in their relation to society as a whole.

Government is our means for keeping order, removing violent offenders from society, settling disputes between individuals, and providing community services. Without government and without law, there could be no civilization. Government and law were given to man by God. Our entire system of law emanates from the Ten Commandments. So it's quite an insightful article here about government from Mr. Curtis. I'd like for us to think about government in the message this morning. But it's not government, as we know in our country, whoever is elected president, they're not really going to be able to solve the problems that our nation is facing. Whoever the world leaders are, the governments of the world are not really capable of solving the problems that exist because the problems only continue to get worse. What is needed, and what I'd like to really focus on mainly, is that God is going to bring a government that's going to really solve the problems. I'd like to have one more quote from this is from Otis Mitchell's book, A Concise History of Western Civilization. And he writes near the end of his book, it has often been stated that the best solution to avoid constant international hostility is to build a world government. The United Nations, he goes on to say, is far from a world government. It is unlikely any workable supranational government could exist.

This makes the present a fearful time in which to live. There is the ever-present threat that thermonuclear war will wipe out governments and govern. But even the threat of nuclear holocaust has thus far failed to alter the pattern of nation against nation that has developed over the centuries. According to the scriptures, we might read that scripture later on, conditions in the world are not going to improve in the days ahead. They will instead worsen. Mankind desperately needs good government. He desperately needs actually a world government that can bring safety and peace in a troubled world. It is, as Mr. Mitchell said, a fearful time in which to live.

Rogue nations like Iran and North Korea, various terrorist groups, we need a world government that can enforce good behavior. Wouldn't it be great to have a government that is able to deal with escalating world problems and solve the problems of war and bloodshed and terrorism and corruption, hunger and poverty? A perfect government. What about with a 100% approval rating? I'm not sure exactly what the government presidential and congressional approval rates are right now, but I think they are pretty low. I think Congress was even lower than the president. Seems like maybe in the teens, somewhere in the mid-teens, the congressional approval rate, and the president was somewhere pretty low as well. But what about a government that has 100% approval rating? Such a government is coming. It's going to be a strong and just government, and it will serve the public in a just and fair way. So today's sermon title is world government under Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is going to bring just and equitable and fair and righteous government to the earth. Let's read a few verses beginning in Isaiah chapter 9. These will be verses we're familiar with, but I'll tell you what, they very much apply to the world, to the solution, to the problems that we the world is facing today. Isaiah chapter 9 beginning will read verses 6 and 7. Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. This is talking about Jesus Christ. And the government will be upon his shoulder. You know, this government upon the shoulder of Jesus Christ is not something the world in general thinks about. I'm with the church 15 or 16 years of my life, but with my parents to a Sunday keeping church. But I never once heard a sermon on the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God, I learned from reading literature from the church of God, from Mr. Armstrong. Never heard one sermon on the kingdom of God, and never heard one message that Jesus Christ was going to set up a government on the earth. But here we read about government. The government will be upon his shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end upon the throne of David over his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice. And we could go on righteousness and equity and fairness from that time forward, even forever. The zeal, I like the end of verse 7 here, is it going to happen? The zeal of the Lord of Host will perform this. You can count on it. Young people who are tuned in, I hope you will stay tuned in because this message actually is for you as well because your future is going to be affected by God's kingdom being set up on the earth and bringing a solution to all the problems we see all around us.

Let's also read from Isaiah 11. This talks about the nature of the government that Christ is going to head. Christ is going to be, then is going to set up his government on the earth, his kingdom that will reign forever, and the increase will be no end. Isaiah 11 in verse 2, The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, again talking about Christ, spirit of wisdom. We've never needed real true wisdom more than we need it right now. Understanding the spirit of counsel and might, and the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight, the delight of Christ, will be the fear of the Lord. And he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes, nor by the hearing of his ears, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. So there will be decisions to be made.

Jesus Christ will be right out front leading in the way events happen all over the earth.

It goes on the same verse. Verse 4, He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth. Does he come back with power? Yes. And with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. He will use power though as needed. And verse 5, Righteousness shall be the belt of his loins, and faithfulness the belt of his waist. So Jesus Christ is going to set up a world government. I'll tell you, I'm not voting 10 days from now. I look to God to influence the direction that he wants the election to go, but my vote is there for God's kingdom. It's there for the government of God to be set up on this earth, the real solution to the problems that we are facing.

Let's also read just a few other verses in the book of Daniel that relate to the government of God being set up on the earth. A government. Something that is not really understood in the world. That Christ is going to come back. This world is so locked in to people going to heaven and all the righteous going to heaven and being up there. What they do up there, you know, is, well, there's nothing spelled out. It would get kind of boring after a while, wouldn't it? What are all the righteous? Of course, many people feel like there won't be all that many righteous. Most of the people are down below in the hot place, but those who do go to heaven, what do they do? There's nothing spelled out at all in the Protestant world.

Let's go to Daniel 2 and verse 44. We're going to read in just a few minutes that those who do enter God's kingdom, those who do make it into God's family, are going to have plenty to do.

Daniel 2 and verse 44, In the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. It is that kingdom we pray for daily when we pray, thy kingdom come. When we pray, thy kingdom come, we are praying for God's government to be set up on the earth, for Christ to come back and reign as king in that government. The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. The kingdom will not be left to other people, other humans. It's been mishandled by humans all down through history. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and stand forever. Let's also read from Daniel 7, a similar passage beginning in verse 13. Daniel 7 and verse 13, I was watching in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He came to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given. So this is Christ coming before God the Father.

And this is something that is going to happen just before Christ returns. He will be given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people, nations, and languages should serve him all over the earth. It's going to be a world government. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away in his kingdom, one which will not be destroyed.

All nations all over the earth, every nation, is going to come under the authority of the government of Christ. Is Christ qualified to be a world king? He's the only one that is Jesus Christ.

And most people don't realize in the world, don't realize he's coming back to set up a government and to be king over that government, to be the leader at the very top. But what I'd like to begin to get into now is that that's where we enter the picture, brethren. Because Jesus Christ is coming back to be world king and to set up a government, all right? But he's not going to govern alone. All down during 6,000 years, God has been preparing a team of rulers, co-rulers, with Jesus Christ. It's amazing to think about a team down through the different ages is going to become one team at the time of Christ's return, and they are going to assist Jesus Christ in the government that he will set up. Let's read about that here in chapter 7 of Daniel, verse 21. I was watching, and the same horn was making war with the saints, and prevailing against them, until the ancient of days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High.

And the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. The saints of God are going to be given then a responsibility to ensure the world government that Christ will set up, the righteous saints. That's where we come into the picture. We don't many times think about reigning with Christ as much as perhaps we should. It's good to be reminded of our calling and what we are preparing for. Righteous saints. And you know, I begin to understand this myself. Around the age of 15 or so, I read articles. I began to take the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course.

I began to understand about God setting up a kingdom on this earth, the righteous not going to heaven. I began to be a believer around age 15 or 16. So I know that our young people who are in their teens can begin to understand about the kingdom of God. They can understand about the government of God and that they actually have an invitation to be a part of it. A part of the government that Christ will set up right here on the earth.

Going on down to chapter 7, in verse 26, the court, the King James Version has judgment, shall be seated and they shall take away his dominion and consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.

His kingdom, his government then, is an everlasting kingdom or government, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. So the righteous saints are going to rise up to meet Jesus Christ at his return, Matthew 24 brings that out very clearly. Let's go to Matthew 24 and just quickly read a few verses. I know we're very familiar with many or maybe all of these verses that we're reading, but just quickly a few verses here in Matthew chapter 24. We know it's talking about the time of the end and events that are beginning to happen even now and it's leading toward a time of trouble like this world has never had.

We're rapidly, it seems, moving in that direction until, in verse 21, there would be great tribulation like this world has never seen. And verse 22, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved. And nuclear weapons then, there would be, well, there are articles that came out not so much anymore. Back in the 70s, 80s, there were articles, I have some in my file, about nuclear winter, how if enough nuclear weapons are dropped on the earth, it would shroud the earth in clouds, it would be a nuclear winter, plants would not be able to to to reproduce or make food or to grow.

And it brings out that mankind would destroy himself in this nuclear winter. So that's what this is talking about here. No flesh would be saved at all unless those days were cut short by the coming of Christ. And it goes on down to, say, in verse 29, that immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun would be darkened. The heavenly signs take place. And then in verse 30, the sign of the Son of Man appears in heaven. All the tribes of the earth mourn, and they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

In verse 31, he will send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. You know, that prophecy in Matthew 24, the Olivet prophecy, and the same thing in Mark and Luke in their account, breaks short of saying what happens next to the elect. The elect rise up in the air to meet Christ. They're gathered up to meet Christ at his return.

What do they do after that? The Olivet prophecies do not actually say. It then gets into the parable of the fig tree and watching and being on guard, being ready for the coming of Christ. So Matthew 24 does not answer the question on what happens to the elect after they meet Christ up in the air. The Olivet prophecy doesn't answer that. We have to go to other scriptures in the Bible to see what happens. And let's turn on over to Revelation chapter 2, and we begin to find out what happens. Revelation chapter 2. And we'll read verses 26 and 27.

He who overcomes and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.

So the righteous saints are going to become a part of that government that Jesus Christ will set up right here on the earth. And they will be given power, which is authority over the nations. He shall rule them with a rod of iron. As the potter's vessels, they shall be broken to pieces, as I also receive from my Father. So the saints are going to come right down to this earth. Other scriptures show that Jesus Christ... Well, let's go to real quickly to Zechariah chapter 14.

When Jesus Christ returns, His feet are going to light upon the Mount of Olives, it says here.

Zechariah chapter 14, first few verses talk about the day of the Lord coming, all nations being gathered, the Lord going forth and fighting. And then in verse 5, yes, you shall flee. The latter part of verse 5, as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Isaiah, King of Judah. Thus the Lord, my God, will come. This is that coming of Christ. And by this time, the saints have met Him, the elect have met Him up in the air. And it goes on to say, the Lord, my God, will come and all the saints with you. So the righteous saints will be with Jesus Christ, and they will be ready to begin reigning over the nations, given that rod of iron, which means they will have power to control what happens. Of course, we'll know that Revelation 20 brings out that the saints of God will become priests of God and reign with Jesus Christ for 1000 years. Revelation 20 and verse 6. So the saints become co-rulers in this government that Jesus Christ will set up. You know how different this is from what the world believes, that the righteous go up to heaven. And what do they do? That is very unclear. Apparently, it might be pretty idle up there. We get very bored. But the saints are not going to get bored. They have a lot to do right here on the earth, helping and assisting Jesus Christ. Let's talk a little bit about this government that Christ is going to set up on the earth. As you might expect, there will be structure in the government that Christ will set up. That structure has been built in the ones that God has been calling and working with for 6000 years. There are only 14 positions that are specifically given to individuals. Only 14. You know what they are? Well, let's go to Zechariah.

Well, we're in Zechariah, aren't we? Chapter 14 and verse 9. One of those positions, the one at the very top, the Lord shall be king over all the earth. In that day it shall be the Lord is one and his name one. So Jesus Christ is going to be at the very top of this government. He will be a world king. Again, is he qualified to be world king? He's the only one that is qualified to be world king. I would not be, you would not be, no human being, Abraham would not be. No one is qualified, but Jesus Christ is qualified to be world king. He will know just how to use power, just how to judge righteously and perfectly. He will know just how to be completely 100% righteous in his government. So that position is taken by Jesus Christ, world king. There's one other position given to an individual in Ezekiel 37 and verse 24.

Ezekiel 37 and verse 24. He's talking about the Israelites being restored from national captivity. When God brings Israel out of captivity and back to the land of Palestine.

You can read these verses right before. In verse 23, when the Israelites do come back, they'll become just one kingdom, no longer two kingdoms. Verse 23, they shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols or with their detestable things. God's going to clean up America and Britain and all the Israelite tribes, nor with any of their transgressions. I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned and will cleanse them. They shall be my people and I will be their God. Look at verse 24. Now, David, my servant, shall be king over them, and they shall have one shepherd, and they shall also walk in my judgments and observe my statutes and do them. So, King David, is he qualified to be the king over the 12 tribes of Israel all during his lifetime? He's well qualified. A man that wrote so many of the psalms, a man after God's own heart. And so, when Jesus Christ reigns, the Scriptures reveal he will be in Jerusalem. There will be a temple there described in Ezekiel 40 through 48, a temple with living water coming out from that temple. That's where Jesus Christ will be. I don't really picture Jesus just sitting. His throne will be there. Just sitting there all the time. I picture him getting out and about. He might go visit over in China or Russia. We'll have to see how that works out. He is able to manifest himself to be visible. We know that. All of the ones who rule with Christ will be visible. They will be able to be seen. They won't be invisible, phantom-like beings. So Jesus Christ will have his throne there in Jerusalem. I pictured King David having also a throne there in Jerusalem, a lesser throne than that of Christ. Will his throne be in the temple or in the temple area? Just how will that be worked out? We don't know exactly. But King David will be the king of the 12 tribes of Israel, which will now be restored back to the land of Palestine out of captivity, serving God and being cleaned up. So King David. There are two positions that are taken already. You cannot have those two. Jesus is World King. David is King over Israel. And 12 other positions are given in Matthew 19.28. Let's go to that. Matthew 19 and verse 28. So God has been structuring a government during this time. He is still structuring that government right now. You and I will get I'm getting ahead of the story, but we are to be structured into that government right now. That's what preparing a people means. God is preparing us to be structured into this government that he has been developing.

In Matthew 19 and verse 27, Peter said to Christ, See, we have left all and followed you.

You know, haven't we as well? I know I left my close family and basically was far away from them from age 18 forward. So haven't we also left all? See, we have left all. You know, we've devoted ourselves fully to this way of life and following Christ. We've left all and followed you. Therefore, what shall we have? Jesus said in a way, Don't feel too bad for yourself. You've left everything. Yes, don't feel too bad. I say to you that in the regeneration when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. So each of those 12 apostles will sit upon a throne. I picture them out and about. Maybe one will be in Jerusalem there. That may be where the tribe of Judah is. Will that be Peter? Could be. We don't know for sure who that might, which one of the 12 that might be. But the other 12 apostles are going to be in tribes that are around or in that land that God has given to Abraham's descendants to the tribes of Israel. By the way, you can also find the same scripture that the 12 apostles will be over the 12 tribes of Israel in Luke 22 in verse 30. On the very night before Jesus died, he reminded them again that they would be reigning over the 12 tribes of Israel. So those 12 positions are also taken. So those are the 14 positions that are spelled out. Jesus Christ the King, over all the earth, and King David over all of Israel, and then the 12 apostles over the 12 tribes of Israel. We see a little structure developing. There are Christ at the very top of the government and then over the nation, Israel, King David, and then under King David, the 12 apostles, and maybe under the 12 apostles, others that will be reigning over cities. But you know, those 12 positions are defined. There's no doubt who will be in those positions of government. But there are thousands and thousands of other positions to be filled. Who will be over all the Gentile nations? We've speculated. Maybe Daniel will play a role there. He worked in two of the Gentile empires, Babylon and Persia.

Will he be assisted by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Possibly so. Will the Apostle Paul have a leading role with the Gentile world because he went to the Gentile nations? What about Abraham Isaac and Jacob? We wondered if they might be like a top vice presidential team right under Christ, who might be right there in Jerusalem. We speculated. We cannot say for sure because the Scriptures don't state. Joseph, could he, we wondered, his name is almost synonymous with prosperity. And could he oversee the world's economy? Noah, since he gave birth, through his three sons, gave birth to all the races and nations. Could he help in racial and national affairs?

Elijah and Moses will have high governmental positions if we don't know exactly where. But where might you and I be? You know, we don't know for sure, but we might be given a city.

We have speculated that, you know, there will be regional leaders and there will be leaders over cities and communities. In Luke chapter 19, let's turn to Luke chapter 19. So the government of God is going to be, is being structured now, and when Christ comes back, it will quickly come together. It will coalesce as one unit, one team, that is going to begin to set up the government of God all over the earth. In Luke chapter 19 and verse 17, to him, the one whose mina had earned 10 minas, verse 17, he said, Well done, good servant, because you've been faithful and a very little have authority over 10 cities. And the second came, Master, your mina has earned five minas. Likewise, he said to him, you also be over five cities. So could it be here, could Jesus be indicating that there will be those who will be given authority over several cities, even 10? Some may be over five, maybe some just over one. How would you like to reign in a city?

Maybe in Israel, under David. Then if you look, if you reigned in a city in Israel, it would be under David, and maybe under Peter, it would be under one of the apostles. That'd be quite exciting, wouldn't it? What Jesus did say on the night before he died, in my father's house are many mansions. In the word there means many rooms, many places of abode. And he said, I go and prepare a place for you. So a place is being prepared for us. You and I are being prepared. Right now, we're being fitted into the structure that God has been working out down through the ages. And we will have a job. There won't be anybody without a job. Let's get a little bit to the job description. What would that be like? Let's see how is our time going. So what do we need to go to? About 11 30, something like that, and save time for... Okay, I've got about 10 more minutes then, at least.

Let's get to the job description. What is your job description?

Let's go to Revelation chapter 1 and verse 4. It's good to have a job description.

When somebody is applying for a job, there's a job description that goes with it. And they know what they're going to be doing. When they're given that job, if they earn or are given the job, they know exactly what they are going to be responsible for. In Revelation chapter 1 and verse 4, speaking to the seven churches right from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, in verse 5, the firstborn witness, the firstborn from the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth.

Jesus is going to be world king, ruler over all the kings of the earth. To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. And verse 6, has made us kings and priests to his God and Father. So those who are cleaned up and become members of God's church are being made. I like the word made there. We're being shaped and formed into kings and priests. It's not really something we participate in it by our prayers, our walking with God, our desire to do God's will. But God is working in us through his Spirit. He is making us into something. And it's a king and a priest. Also, we read that in Revelation chapter 5 and verse 10 as well. Revelation 5 and verse 10, has made us kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth. There it is clearly defined. King and priest. Okay, let's define what this is talking about. What does a king do? Well, I think we know a king is a supreme ruler or sovereign over a nation or territory, maybe over a city. A king provides leadership. He rules. He governs. He's part of a government. So we're going to be given a responsibility of being a king. What does a priest do? A priest is a minister. A minister is a religious leader. A minister is a teacher of spiritual knowledge. A minister is one that looks to the needs of people. But you know there's another responsibility outside of king and priest. I'd like to say that there are three basic aspects to the job description we will have for our job in the government of God.

King and priest. But let us also say something else in 1 Corinthians 6. 1 Corinthians chapter 6.

And verse 1.

1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 1. Dare any of you having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? You know, if we have a disagreement among ourselves, we should not have to go to law. Take a brother to law. We should be able to sit down and work it out right here in the church. Brother to brother or maybe possibly a brother or maybe possibly the ministry of the church involved. But we should be able to resolve it among ourselves. And he goes on this to justify that we should be able to handle it ourselves. He says in verse 2, Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know we shall judge angels? So, you know, in the millennium when we are given a job in the government of Christ, we are going to have the responsibility of being the king right out front. A king, a leader that is out front and has responsibility and power given to him. And that of being a priest, a minister, a servant to the people, but also a judge. Right now, we know that being a judge is very much in the news. This lady that is to be selected seems like a very top one. Mr. Trump has really done well. They can't find anything big that is wrong with her. So, we're going to have that responsibility. What does a judge do? A judge is a public official vested with authority to hear and determine legal matters in a court of law. A judge hears a complaint or situation and settles matters of controversy and applies the law to render a just decision. We will be called upon to do that. We may have matters of controversy if, say, we're given a city. We may have areas of controversy or disagreement among some of our citizens in our city that we will have to sit down and make a judgment, a righteous judgment. A righteous judge must take then whatever circumstances and correctly apply God's laws to make a right decision on what to do.

How do we prepare to be a righteous judge? We must, certainly, first of all, know God's law. We must know how to apply God's law. And, you know, brethren, I know this. We look at ourselves and say, I don't know if I could ever be a king. I don't know if I could ever be a priest. I don't know if I could ever be a judge. But guess what? Not even realizing it, you and I are being prepared for that even right now. We are being prepared, not even realizing it. As long as we stay with the program, God is the one that is doing it, working in us. But as long as we stay close to Him and let Him continue to work in our lives, we are being prepared. That is the bottom line of our seal, preparing a people. But God is the one that is doing the ultimate preparing.

Let's see. Time was. I got just a few more minutes and then I've got to sit down.

But I'd like to bring out two things here at the end that we can be doing ourselves. We must be very much aware of, number one, to be a king and a priest and a judge. A righteous king and priest and judge. We have to know our Bible and live by it. Turn to real quickly. Let's read Deuteronomy 17.

Deuteronomy 17 and beginning in verse 14.

Deuteronomy 17 and verse 14. When you come to the land that God gives you and you say, I will set up a king. Verse 15, you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses. Verse 16, he shall not multiply horses or try to enrich himself. Multiply wives. Verse 17.

Verse 18, it shall be when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book. The king is to write for himself the law of God in the book. From the one before the priest the Levites, he is to write his own copy of God's law. It shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right or the left, that he may prolong his days in his kingdom and his children, he and his children, in the midst of Israel. So, you know, we encourage knowing your Bible. No other church, I don't think on earth, encourages its members to study and know their Bible like we have done. So keep studying, keep reading, keep listening to coming and hearing sermons and learning and read our literature of the Beyond Today magazine. We come to really know and understand this book, because this is going to be the Constitution by which we will rule as king, serve as a priest, and judge as needed. We must live by this book. So, first of all, to prepare to be a king, we need to know the Bible and live by it, understand it, and how to apply it.

And the second thing that we should do, and just two things, this is the second one, to be a righteous king and priest and judge, is to become a servant to the people.

Now, I won't turn to that scripture, but who, Jesus was confronted by his disciples, who's going to be the greatest? We know in Matthew chapter 20 that he said, the one that serves.

So we must become a servant of the people. The saints must be true public servants, serving the people and their needs, teaching people the meaning and purpose of life.

You know, even in the world, there are those who have understood this, J.C. Penney began a store in Wyoming in 1902. Guess what that store was called at first? The Golden Rule Stores.

J.C. Penney didn't call it the J.C. Penney store. The Golden Rule Stores. He tried to treat his customers as he would like to be treated, and he built a multi-billion dollar empire. I think the store is in trouble in more recent times, unfortunately. And others have understood, as well, serve the important role of being a true public servant. So, what we should be doing, and that God be doing it in us, is know our Bible and live by it, and to be a servant of mankind. So, brethren, I'm going to bring this to a close. I think the point has been made, though. God is going to set up a government. He has been preparing personnel to assist Jesus Christ at his return. We are part of that personnel. What a high calling it is, indeed. What a high calling.

Our calling is humanitarian. Have you ever wished that you could turn things around in the world, help to stop abortions, help to stop same-sex marriages, help to stop divorce from happening?

All the other evils and bad things, stop bloodshed, stop crime and warfare. You know, we have that opportunity to help Jesus Christ. Our calling, as a king, priest, and judge, is to be a public servant to help Jesus Christ. It's going to be very rewarding.

There's nothing greater than being able to help a fellow human being, to live a better life a good life here and now, and also prepare for the ultimate meaning and purpose to be in God's kingdom. Our job will be to assist Jesus Christ. And I'll end with a quote of this scripture. We won't need to turn to it, but Proverbs chapter 29 and verse 2 says that, when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. Today, under the government of human beings, the world is not rejoicing. People are not rejoicing. We are going to turn with helping and assisting Jesus Christ. We will be able to turn that around and help the people to rejoice.

Our job is going to be rewarding and it's going to be interesting.