One of the evidences we have that the Ancients Worthies will represent the visible earthly ruler-ship of the kingdom and not simply all who make a profession or who survive Armageddon is found in the words of our Lord in Matthew 7 and Luke 13. Here the Lord was speaking about the narrow way and with what difficulty it would be to enter the kingdom of heaven (the spiritual phase of the kingdom). Although he was addressing the nominal spiritual leaders at the time the same principle applies likewise to our day and to the professing church today.
“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matt 7:21-23)
No matter how great the works (or the love which motivates them), nor how loud or sincere our professions we will not enter in unless we follow the rules, the prescribed method for entry into the heavenly phase of the kingdom. Unfortunately for the vast majority of believers they will be in for a rude awakening when they find themselves amongst those expressed in the text below. They will have missed the way, why? Because rather than consult the Word of the Lord on the matter they put their faith in the “blind guides” who know not the way, who teach that all that is require of spirit begettal and a heavenly inheritance is a mere profession of faith.
“Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door (to the high calling), and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from me, all you evildoers. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.” (Luke 13:25-28)
In the foregoing text it is this last statement highlighted which we would like to point out. The Lord was not suggesting that the religious leaders would not be in the kingdom at all (as subjects), obvious they would be there if they could see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets there, no what the Lord was saying was that they would not be “in the kingdom” in the since of being in the ruler-ship positions of that kingdom, that they would not occupy the positions which they had imagined should be theirs as the religious leaders and guides of the people a part of the ruling or governing phase of the earthly kingdom. Instead this position would be given to the worthies of the past who lived and died before the high calling was opened up, viz. Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets (from John the Baptist all the way back to Abel). All who all died before the ransom was paid, and therefore were not called to a place in the spiritual phase of the Kingdom, the "better thing for us." (Heb. 11:40)
Notice when the Lord stated that they would see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets there in the earthly phase of the kingdom no mention was made of them seeing Himself or any of the Apostles nor any of the Saints for that matter. Why is this? Because they are now all spiritual beings, part of the spiritual phase of the kingdom and therefore invisible to the human eye. The Kingdom itself will be invisible to men, but its earthly representatives will be visible and known to all mankind.
“There is only one Kingdom per se, and that is the Church; but it will have servants and representatives which to the world will be its visible Kingdom or direct government.”
“The world will never see Messiah even as he so stated, “Yet a little while, and the world shall see me no more.” (John 14:19) Our Lord having been highly exalted is now the express image of the Father’s person who dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has ever seen or ever can see (1 Tim 6:16). Recall the results of Saul’s brief encounter with the highly exalted and glorified Lord and how just a mere glimpse of his glory nearly blinded him.
No the only way in which the world will ever see him is as they see (perceive) His mind, His disposition, His character, through these earthly representatives, resurrected to human perfection and made samples of what all mankind may attain. In each one of these Ancient Worthies God will be manifest in the flesh (Just as He was once manifested in the flesh of Christ Jesus our Lord when he walked the earth). The glory and perfection of these Ancient Worthies will be an example and incentive to men to strive to attain the same.”
“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matt 7:21-23)
No matter how great the works (or the love which motivates them), nor how loud or sincere our professions we will not enter in unless we follow the rules, the prescribed method for entry into the heavenly phase of the kingdom. Unfortunately for the vast majority of believers they will be in for a rude awakening when they find themselves amongst those expressed in the text below. They will have missed the way, why? Because rather than consult the Word of the Lord on the matter they put their faith in the “blind guides” who know not the way, who teach that all that is require of spirit begettal and a heavenly inheritance is a mere profession of faith.
“Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door (to the high calling), and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from me, all you evildoers. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.” (Luke 13:25-28)
In the foregoing text it is this last statement highlighted which we would like to point out. The Lord was not suggesting that the religious leaders would not be in the kingdom at all (as subjects), obvious they would be there if they could see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets there, no what the Lord was saying was that they would not be “in the kingdom” in the since of being in the ruler-ship positions of that kingdom, that they would not occupy the positions which they had imagined should be theirs as the religious leaders and guides of the people a part of the ruling or governing phase of the earthly kingdom. Instead this position would be given to the worthies of the past who lived and died before the high calling was opened up, viz. Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets (from John the Baptist all the way back to Abel). All who all died before the ransom was paid, and therefore were not called to a place in the spiritual phase of the Kingdom, the "better thing for us." (Heb. 11:40)
Notice when the Lord stated that they would see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets there in the earthly phase of the kingdom no mention was made of them seeing Himself or any of the Apostles nor any of the Saints for that matter. Why is this? Because they are now all spiritual beings, part of the spiritual phase of the kingdom and therefore invisible to the human eye. The Kingdom itself will be invisible to men, but its earthly representatives will be visible and known to all mankind.
“There is only one Kingdom per se, and that is the Church; but it will have servants and representatives which to the world will be its visible Kingdom or direct government.”
“The world will never see Messiah even as he so stated, “Yet a little while, and the world shall see me no more.” (John 14:19) Our Lord having been highly exalted is now the express image of the Father’s person who dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has ever seen or ever can see (1 Tim 6:16). Recall the results of Saul’s brief encounter with the highly exalted and glorified Lord and how just a mere glimpse of his glory nearly blinded him.
No the only way in which the world will ever see him is as they see (perceive) His mind, His disposition, His character, through these earthly representatives, resurrected to human perfection and made samples of what all mankind may attain. In each one of these Ancient Worthies God will be manifest in the flesh (Just as He was once manifested in the flesh of Christ Jesus our Lord when he walked the earth). The glory and perfection of these Ancient Worthies will be an example and incentive to men to strive to attain the same.”
