Longing for the Kingdom

[lauriellen]

Every year, without fail, as the summer days wind down, the nights start to cool down and the first signs of fall begin to show, my heart begins to fill with such a longing for the Kingdom of God, that it feels as if my heart will burst. I can only attribute this to my childhood being raised in WWCOG and the anticipation and excitement that always came with the fall Holy days, especially the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day, and the hope for all mankind that they represent. Although I understand that we are not required to 'keep' these days, I do miss the symbolism they represent, and I miss the excitement of listening to what a 'wonderful world tomorrow' we had to look forward to. In those days, we thought the Kingdom was so near, meaning it would not be long before Jesus returned to rule and reign on  earth. Now, it seems so far away, and unlikely to happen any time soon, that I can not help but be discouraged and depressed. I am tired, I am weak and I am worn (to quote a favorite song, lol). I LONG for the day when:

Mic 4:2  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Mic 4:3  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Mic 4:4  But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
and
Isa 11:6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Isa 11:7  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Isa 11:8  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
Isa 11:9  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

I know that God is perfect in all of His ways, His timing is perfect, and it is selfish of me to wish this would all happen SOON, but I can help to earnestly pray THY KINGDOM COME, Thy will be done.

[lilitalienboi16]

Lauri,

I know the feeeling. Just yesterday as I was in the library studying I was overcome by the same desire and longing. I've shared this song before but its one of the reasons I'm so fond of it. Ill share it again incase you havnt heard it yet. I do believe His return is very near. At least the fig has began putting forth her leaves.

http://youtu.be/jxTl3SrS5mg

I often times find myself with the very same yearning you do. I believe its the spirit of adoption crying out, "Father, Father..."

God bless,
Alex

[lauriellen]

Wow. That is beautiful. Thanks Alex. 

[Kat]

Hi lauriellen,

I think every single generation of the elect must surely have hoped that they were the last generation. We know that even the Apostles thought that Christ was soon to return to them and reign on earth. Maybe many of the elect down through the centuries had good reason to think they were in the last days with some of the horrible plagues and wars they experienced.

But is our day any different that we should have more reason to hope that the day of Christ's return could be near? There is this Scripture in Daniel.

Dan 12:4  "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

We certainly are running "to and fro" with all the mass transit on land air and sea. But this "knowledge shall increase" what does that mean? Well here is a brief review of what has happened just in my lifetime, the last 50 years have been replete will technological advanced, so very far beyond anything else accomplished in our recorded history, over thousands of years, to date.

There is no question that the computer has changed the world so much, that now we say we are now living in the computer age. In was in 1975 that IBM becomes the first commercially available portable computer. Since then computers are now used daily by millions and have transformed the way things are done, to a great degree and in virtually every area of life.

Certainly it is because of the computer, but now it is the Internet that far supersedes the computer in order of importance. It stores an unimaginable immense amount of knowledge and is available, to some degree, to just about everybody in the world. Our daily lives have dramatically changed as we rely heavily on the internet for information gathering and research, shopping, news, and all sorts of communication from around the world. There is no doubt that the Internet is not only the greatest advancement of the technological world, but in history.

I have thought about how great this knowledge we have at our fingertips is and what that means... we are able to pull information together from vertically everywhere on earth in mins. This strikes me as being so profound that all the people of earth are now able to share their knowledge with everybody else on earth this easily. No real language barriers anymore either... I have a translator that pops right up on my computer and puts the page in English for me. So this has lead me to a comparison of sorts.

Gen 11:5  But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
v. 6  And the LORD said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.
v. 7  Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."
v. 8  So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.
v. 9  Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

It seems to me that the computer has pretty much again restored us with one language. Does this have anything to do or indicate these are the last day, well I don't know, but it sure is interesting.

I guess what I am saying is that you have no reason to think Christ's return "is so far away," it could be any day the way I see it. And also something I'm very conscious of, there is no certainty of our next breath, life is a short and fragile thing. And His return and kingdom will be reality, in the next moment of awareness, after we take our last breath.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[lauriellen]

Thank you Kat. I agree. I don't think any of us really know. Some say near, some say far. I tend toward near, but that may just be my wishful thinking. I think Ray was wise not to put an emphasis on end times prophesy and stick to how we should be living now. I have also thought a lot about how the internet has allowed THIS gospel to be preached into all the world as a witness, probably on a greater scale than ever before.

[Kat]

Hi lauriellen, I would agree that our primary concern should be "how we should be living now" to all those striving to learn and obey these truths.

Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Yes the internet is a means for "this gospel to be preached to all the world as a witness," but actually this has been a intense mission of the church through the centuries, and if you think how they have carried the Bible into many parts of the world. If you think about what this gospel is technically the literal account describing the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth found is Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The New Testament Bible is the "witness" - attests to the fact or event, telling the story of Christ Jesus. I might add in many cases it was done in anything but the spirit of love, per se the crusades. Their motivation may have been to 'save' people, but in actuality they have accomplished getting the gospel out around the world.

Now I'm not talking about the gospel (literal/physical message) as the truth (spiritual message) here, not at all, the truth is accomplished by a whole different means. Anyway just thought I would add this to the conversation.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[John from Kentucky]

Well I absolutely disagree that the Church has proclaimed the Gospel.

The Church is a great evil.  As Ray has written, and as shown in the Book of Revelation, it is Satan who rules in the Church.

Jesus walked among the seven candlesticks, which signified the Church, but Jesus did not rule in the Church.  Satan rules the Church.

Satan is a liar and the father of lies.  Satan cannot speak the truth because the truth is not in him.
Satan will not allow his followers in the Church to speak truth.

As Ray said, the Church does not even teach one truth.  Some will say that the Church teaches that Jesus died for our sins.  But that is a lie.  They do not believe that Jesus actually died.  They believe that Jesus had an immortal soul that did not die.

Also, the Church does not proclaim the Gospel.  They do not know what the Gospel is.

The Scriptures tell us what the Gospel is.

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." Galatians 3:8

Later on in the Book of Galatians Paul teaches the truth that neither Abraham or Isaac are important.
The Seed of Abraham is One Seed and is not Isaac, but Jesus.

The Great Anointed One, the Almighty God, the Seed Jesus will bless and save all nations.  No one will be left out.  That is the Gospel, the very Good News for all mankind.

But the great false Church teaches a lie.  They teach that some will be saved and others will be punished in eternal hell fire.  This Church lies.  This Church follows its leader Satan.

This is why Jesus' message to His called out ones in the Book of Revelation is, "Come out of her My people".

We need to follow Jesus, the Great King, and follow Him, and His Words in the Scriptures.  We need to reject anything not from Jesus.

[zvezda]

Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Yes the internet is a means for "this gospel to be preached to all the world as a witness," but actually this has been a intense mission of the church through the centuries, and if you think how they have carried the Bible into many parts of the world. If you think about what this gospel is technically the literal account describing the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth found is Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The New Testament Bible is the "witness" - attests to the fact or event, telling the story of Christ Jesus.

Hi Kat, Mat 24:14 doesn't say "this gospel to be preached to all the world as a witness," it says "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all the world as a witness". What is the "gospel of the kingdom"?

Mat 4:23   And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Mat 9:35   And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Mark 1:14   Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God

The gospel of the kingdom [of God] is something Jesus preached to the synagogues. Did He preach about His own death and resurrection to the synagogues? Ray said no.

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html

Okay the single most pat and concise answer you will get in all Christianity, it is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I'm not saying there is no truth to that being part of the gospel, but let me ask you this, in reference to that. Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel, right, did He come preaching His death, burial and resurrection? I mean throughout His whole ministry. What I'm saying is Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, did He go around Judea and Galilee teaching His death, burial and resurrection? Can you show me that any where in the Gospels, that He taught that? No. So what is the gospel? He taught the gospel, He preached the gospel, but He did not go around saying I'm going to die, you're going to kill Me and I'm going to come back to life and then I'm going to save you. 

I don't think Mat 24:14 has been fulfilled by the church. I do think it's been fulfilled by the internet, since now people around the world can access bible-truths.com. Ray did preach the gospel of the kingdom:
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html

[Colin]

Replying to Longing for the Kingdom.......quote:I know that God is perfect in all of His ways, His timing is perfect, and it is selfish of me to wish this would all happen SOON, but I can help to earnestly pray THY KINGDOM COME, Thy will be done.


Whenever we watch the news and see the plight of people of all ages suffering from the ravages of war and fleeing for their lives, or see the squalor in which many eke out an existence on garbage piles, such sights give rise to an aching for an end to all this world's troubles.   Many, who have not the level of understanding we have been given, tend to turn their eyes away and seek relief in more pleasant and distracting activities that are less upsetting to them.   
Paul drew a distinction between the experiencing of the calamities by the world in general, and our hopes.
Two different Greek words - sustenazo and stenazo - are used in Romans 8:22, but each has become "groaning" when translated into English.     
The original Greek conveys, the entire creation is experiencing calamities and having birth pangs.
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth [sustenazo] and travaileth in pain [sunodino] together until now.

Paul then mentions those who have more understanding of the Spirit.   
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan [stenazo] within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

This Greek word, I read, includes the meaning of praying as we groan, sigh.  It differs from simply being burdened and feeling hopeless. 

Because we have been granted to know what is guaranteed to happen, we wait......for our change and the subsequent stages of God's plan for this planet and its inhabitants.

Romans 8 :26  CLT  Now, similarly, the spirit also is aiding our infirmity, for what we should be praying for, to accord with what must be, we are not aware, but the spirit itself is pleading for us with inarticulate groanings [stenagmos] ."
Another Greek word is used here and carries the meaning "sighings".

I left out verse 25, so as to have it concentrate on how we are to wait, until Christ's return.
Romans 8:25 KJV  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

We can find many verses containing the word "patience" in the New Testament.     It is a requirement in our being modelled into the "image of God".   
Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
The development of patience is taking a lifetime for me ...it is not something we can "work up" by ourselves... I still have a long way to go.   As we practise it toward one another, it helps us to patiently await the next age that we yearn for.     

When I read what Paul wrote to Titus, one of his latest letters, I wonder if Paul reflected that it had taken him some time to be patient, just as I, (now an old man) look back and see how long it has been, while being moulded to become (somewhat) patient.

Titus 2:1  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2  That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Thank you all for being patient with me, until I work out how to become more proficient at this forum.

[santgem]

.............................the gospel is this message that Jesus Christ is going to raise the dead, heal the spiritually sick, give spiritual sight to the spiritual blind and be a blessing to all nations, all of these things...........................................   

[indianabob]

Hello friend Colin,
Thank you for the interesting and helpful input. There is much to stimulate further study.

The development of patience does take a lifetime, plus a miraculous change.
God does not expect us to attain perfection in this life. It is enough that we have regular small successes to encourage us to continue the struggle to overcome and to keep the vision of full membership in the family of God in mind.
1 John 3:2-3

Thanks for your contribution, Indiana Bob

Replying to Longing for the Kingdom.......quote:I know that God is perfect in all of His ways, His timing is perfect, and it is selfish of me to wish this would all happen SOON, but I can help to earnestly pray THY KINGDOM COME, Thy will be done.


Whenever we watch the news and see the plight of people of all ages suffering from the ravages of war and fleeing for their lives, or see the squalor in which many eke out an existence on garbage piles, such sights give rise to an aching for an end to all this world's troubles.   Many, who have not the level of understanding we have been given, tend to turn their eyes away and seek relief in more pleasant and distracting activities that are less upsetting to them.   
Paul drew a distinction between the experiencing of the calamities by the world in general, and our hopes.
Two different Greek words - sustenazo and stenazo - are used in Romans 8:22, but each has become "groaning" when translated into English.     
The original Greek conveys, the entire creation is experiencing calamities and having birth pangs.
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth [sustenazo] and travaileth in pain [sunodino] together until now.

Paul then mentions those who have more understanding of the Spirit.   
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan [stenazo] within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

This Greek word, I read, includes the meaning of praying as we groan, sigh.  It differs from simply being burdened and feeling hopeless. 

Because we have been granted to know what is guaranteed to happen, we wait......for our change and the subsequent stages of God's plan for this planet and its inhabitants.

Romans 8 :26  CLT  Now, similarly, the spirit also is aiding our infirmity, for what we should be praying for, to accord with what must be, we are not aware, but the spirit itself is pleading for us with inarticulate groanings [stenagmos] ."
Another Greek word is used here and carries the meaning "sighings".

I left out verse 25, so as to have it concentrate on how we are to wait, until Christ's return.
Romans 8:25 KJV  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

We can find many verses containing the word "patience" in the New Testament.     It is a requirement in our being modelled into the "image of God".   
Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
The development of patience is taking a lifetime for me ...it is not something we can "work up" by ourselves... I still have a long way to go.   As we practise it toward one another, it helps us to patiently await the next age that we yearn for.     

When I read what Paul wrote to Titus, one of his latest letters, I wonder if Paul reflected that it had taken him some time to be patient, just as I, (now an old man) look back and see how long it has been, while being moulded to become (somewhat) patient.

Titus 2:1  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2  That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Thank you all for being patient with me, until I work out how to become more proficient at this forum.

[Kat]

Hi Kat, Mat 24:14 doesn't say "this gospel to be preached to all the world as a witness," it says "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all the world as a witness". What is the "gospel of the kingdom"?

Mat 4:23   And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Mat 9:35   And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Mark 1:14   Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God

The gospel of the kingdom [of God] is something Jesus preached to the synagogues. Did He preach about His own death and resurrection to the synagogues? Ray said no.

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html

Okay the single most pat and concise answer you will get in all Christianity, it is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I'm not saying there is no truth to that being part of the gospel, but let me ask you this, in reference to that. Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel, right, did He come preaching His death, burial and resurrection? I mean throughout His whole ministry. What I'm saying is Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, did He go around Judea and Galilee teaching His death, burial and resurrection? Can you show me that any where in the Gospels, that He taught that? No. So what is the gospel? He taught the gospel, He preached the gospel, but He did not go around saying I'm going to die, you're going to kill Me and I'm going to come back to life and then I'm going to save you. 

I don't think Mat 24:14 has been fulfilled by the church. I do think it's been fulfilled by the internet, since now people around the world can access bible-truths.com. Ray did preach the gospel of the kingdom:
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html

Hi zvezda,

Here is more from the conference to add to what you posted 'What Is The Gospel Of The Kingdom?'

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html --------------

Acts 10:36  You know the Word which God sent to the sons of Israel, preaching the gospel of peace by Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all!);
v. 37  that word which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
v. 38  how God anointed Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good, and healing all those who were oppressed of the Devil, for God was with Him.
v. 39  And we are witnesses of all things which He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. Whom they slew and hanged on a tree;

This is all part of the gospel. He is teaching this now to Cornelius.

v. 40  but God raised Him up the third day and showed Him openly,

This is part of the gospel. Christ was crucified, was dead, rose from the dead.

v. 41  not to all the people, but to chosen witnesses before by God, even to us (Peter was a witness) who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
v. 42  And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and the dead.

Oops, how did that slip in there? Did you notice that? Did you notice what the gospel is? Jesus Christ is "the judge of the quick and the dead." That is the gospel. This takes us all the way down to Rev. 22, doesn't it. It certainly does. This thing of judgment is part of the gospel... "Judge of the quick and the dead." Now John says that as Christ is, so are we. Christ is the judgment. Guess what? So are we.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

There are Scripture that say as much.

Mark 1:1  The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Rom 15:19  in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

1Cor 9:12  If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.

There are a number of Scripture that speak of "the gospel of God," as well Rom 1:1; 1Thess 2:2; 2:9; 1Tim 1:11, and of course we know that Christ is, was and always will be God.

Matt 1:23  "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

The gospel is also called "the gospel of the grace of God" in Act 20:24, "the gospel of peace" in Eph 6:15 and "the gospel of your salvation" in Eph 1:13, all attributed to Christ. Here is another interesting Scripture.

2Cor 4:3  But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
v. 4  whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

Yes it is also referred to as "the gospel of the kingdom," and as Ray pointed out in that conference, the kingdom will be made up of the elect, the body, and who is the Head of the elect/body? Of course Christ.

Col 1:15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
v. 16  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
v. 17  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
v. 18  And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

The gospel is Christ! He is the subject of it, the object of it, and indeed the very life of it. Everything was "created through Him and FOR Him," it's all about Christ. All of course this is only accomplished by the will of the Father through Him.

Col 1:19  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
v. 20  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[lauriellen]

Thank you for all the great replies. I was just thinking that in the preceding chapters, Jesus had been upbraiding the Pharisees and seemed to be comparing the government/authority of the established church system to the government/authority of God. He was more or less saying 'this is how YOU do this, but in Gods government, it will be done THIS way'.....so following the context, when we come to Him saying 'THIS' gospel would be preached, it seems to me that it is directly referring to the subject of all the previous chapters. Jesus seems to be giving a great outline of what His government will look like and how it will function. He went about teaching (department of education)....He healed ALL of their diseases and resurrecting the dead (department of health and welfare) and He appointed apostles (government officials) who He gave authority to bind and loose, of whom it was a job requirement to be humble and perfect.
My point being, all I ever hear being proclaimed by the current 'church' system is 'make a decision to accept/invite Christ to be your Lord and Savior or face eternity in hell." To me, that is not the gospel.
The internet has allowed the 'true' gospel of the complete sovereignty, the total successful accomplishment of Gods will to bring all men to repentance and salvation and the coming government of God, to the whole world, perhaps for the first time in history. Christ is the gospel, but not just the name, but the true nature and purpose of Him.
We don't seem to talk much here about the coming government of God. I think it is a very exciting and interesting subject to explore.
thanks again for all the input.

[judy]

Dear lauriellen and lilitalienoi 16, thank you. I enjoyed the video so very much and I cried. When one gets as old as myself the longing to stay and the longing to go pulls against each other. I think someone even wrote a song on the subject but not in the context of which we are speaking. The longing to go "home" is actually painful but my pleas to God are that i be able to finish my work here which i am trying to wrap up and have a smooth transition for all my children and grandchildren and even great grandchildren. I call on His mercy because my husband is blind and being human I worry about how he will endure because he hasn't (it seems) a shred of faith. But i do believe he is sanctified by me being a believer.(thanks be to God) (I am not good at finding too many verses in the bible but I know this one is in there somewhere. Was raised Catholic, funny) I thought maybe I was just depressed but hearing the two of you sharing that 'longing' has made me realize it is a spiritual matter. This comes as relief to me because sometimes when you are old you wonder if you're just a bit touched. thanks again, judy