Hi.
If Jesus said his kingdom is not of the world, if He said he goes to prepare a place (somewhere else)?, why do people say the Kingdom will be here?
I know about the 'millenium' but many believe this means the time (thousands of years) when the Gospel of Christ was spread throughout the World...(This good news of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come).
The End - 2nd Peter 3, (The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night...everything will go up with a roar and the elements will melt in the fervant heat)?
Hi, I'm somewhat of the same mindset as hammerstone, in that the Lord was saying that the present kosmos, or world system under the government of man since Noah's day, will be replaced by the millennial reign of Christ on earth. He will rule supreme and Israel will indeed inherit the earth as Kings and Priests as He promised them.
There is a good deal of confusion how that relates to us, the Body of Christ, with many people believing and teaching that it pertains to us. It does not include the joint-body that came into being with Paul's prophetic and priestly ministry to the Gentiles. While the Kingdom on earth is not yet in existence, due to Israel being locked up right now by God in stubbornness, the Kingdom of the Son of God's love, in the heavens, is now already being inhabited by us, with us being seated with Him, Christ Jesus, in heavenly places. That's why we are told to mind the things above, not what is on the earth. It does not pertain to us, the Gentile/Jewish Body of Christ. We are a spiritual, new humanity, being prepared to take upon the image of Christ Jesus when He returns.
The faithful saints of Israel, who belong to God as His peculiar people on earth will be raised up from the dead, His Spirit written on their hearts and minds, and for a thousand years rule out of Jerusalem over the nations, bringing healing and life to all.
He has always ruled from the heavens, He has yet to rule on the earth He created. The Day(as a thousand years) of the Lord will come.
We are not designated for that realm, as Gentile believers through believing Paul's evangel of grace. We will never live in earthly bodies again once we die. Should we be living when He returns, we will be changed in the blink of an eye; deathless, spiritual beings residing in the celestial realm, not the earth.
It is a bit odd to me that for so many years I was unaware of the fact that the Lord while on earth with His disciples, said many many things that are for them only. I always assumed that what I was taught was true, that everything in the bible pertains to me. It does not. Only those things that the Lord taught Paul to give to us have any value for divine service today. All else belongs to Israel.
By believing Paul, you have entered into a race, with a heavenly prize.
fivesense