DIVINE
ENCOUNTER (RENEWAL FELLOWSHIP)
P.
O.
BOX
3625
WARRI,
DELTA
STATE
,
NIGERIA
.
TOPIC:
THE SIGNS OF THE LAST DAYS TEXT:
II TIM. 3:1
PART
10
CHRIST
- THE SIGN FOR THE NATIONS AT THE LAST DAYS
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times shall
come" 2Tim.3:1 KJV.
In Acts Chapter 4, Peter and John were brought before the council and
warned not to teach or preach again in the name of Jesus because they have
healed a lame man at the beautiful gate (Chapter 3). When they got back to the
brethren and told them what warnings have been handed down to them, they offered
the following prayers "...Master, you created heaven and earth, the sea and
everything in them. And by the Holy Spirit you spoke to our ancestor David. He
was your servant and you told him to say, `why are all the Gentiles so furious?
Why do people make foolish plans? the kings of the earth prepare for war. and
the rulers join together against the Lord and His Messiah (Christ)'. Here in
Jerusalem, Herod and Pontius Pilate got together with the Gentiles and the
people of Israel. Then they turned against your chosen Messiah. They did what
you in your power and wisdom had already decided would happen. Lord listen to
their threats! We are your servants. So make us brave enough to speak your
word." Acts 4:22-29 CEV. This quotation was the initial fulfillment of
Ps.2, which actually portrays the nature and plans in the heart of man
continually - wars and the hatred for the true Church of the Lord.
MAN'S
IGNORANCE OF GOD'S PLAN- - HIS GREATEST PROBLEM
Why man has continuously engaged himself in schemes against one another,
nation against nations and the terrible hatred for the true
church
of
Christ
is lack of knowledge. Paul said "...when I am among mature Christians, I do
speak with words of great wisdom... not the kind that appeals to the great men
of this world, who are doomed to fall. Our words are wise because they are from
God, telling of God's wise plan to bring us (mankind) into the glories of
heaven. This plan was hidden in former times, though it was made for our benefit
before the world began. BUT THE GREAT MEN OF THE WORLD HAVE NOT UNDERSTOOD IT.
IF THEY HAD, THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY" 1 Cor.2:4-8
TLB.
The major Plan of God, which is hidden from men, is the age of peace,
which the death, crucifixion, resurrection and the release of the Holy Spirit is
bringing to pass. The word says "For unto us a child is born, unto 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. Of the increase of His Government and peace there shall be no
end..." Isaiah 9:6-7. So while the Child (Jesus) was born in a stable and
taken to a manger (Lk.2:12), the Spirit Son (Matt.
16:16
)
took residence in that body (Heb.10:5). Now the government of the world shall be
upon the shoulder of the Son. The body of the Son is the church, which came into
existence with the release of the Holy Spirit. "And 'God' hath put all
things under His (Christ) feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to
THE CHURCH, which is HIS BODY, the fullness of HIM that filleth all in all
"Eph.l:22-23. This is what is meant by the Lord shall laugh at them. Ps.2:4
for not only attempting to loose themselves from the government of the Son but
also crucifying Him without realizing that in so doing a corporate Son will
arise out of Mt Zion to judge the Mt of Esau (the world of the earthy) Obadiah
21. See also John 12:24, "For God sent not His Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved" John3:17.
In other words, it is through the Spirit of His Son sent forth into our hearts,
whereby we cry Abba Father (Gal.4:6, 1:4) that the world is being saved, even as
the saints become the judges of the world (1Cor.6:2). This is the result of what
"...the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" has achieved and
is achieving "by wicked hands" in crucifying Jesus. Acts
2:23
,
4:2628. And yet in so doing "...God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye
have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts
2:36
).
THE
ADVANCEMENT OF THE KINGDOM ON HIS SHOULDER
"...I saw the arrival of a man - or so he seemed to be - brought
there on clouds from heaven; He approached the Ancient of Days (God) and was
presented to Him. He (Christ) was given the ruling power and glory over all
nations of the world. So that all
people of every language must obey Him. His power is eternal - it will
never
end; His government shall never fall". Dan.7:13-14 TLB (Rev.5:1-10). As
Daniel continued in the revelation of the ten horns and what shall befall them
at the end, and the last one that shall speak great swelling words against the
most High, (which is actually prophetic of the rage of man, and his system at
the end), he said "...But then the Ancient of Days (God) will come and open
His Court of justice and take ALL POWER from this vicious king. (The beastly
nature in man) to consume (gradually) and destroy it until the end. Then every
nation under heaven, and all their power, shall be given to the people of God;
and all rulers shall serve and obey them" (The Saints) Vs. 26-27
GOD'S
UNIVERSAL KNOWLEDGE AT THE END
The universal knowledge of God's righteousness shall come forth as a
result of the righteous judgment of the Saints as shall be manifested by the
same anointing that was and is in the head of the Church - Christ the King. The
word says, "A new branch will grow from a stump of a tree so a new King
will come from the family of Jesse. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon that
King. The Spirit will give Him wisdom and understanding, guidance and power. The
Spirit will teach Him to know and respect the Lord " (These are the seven
Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth from the throne of God (Rev. 5:6)
which the Saints of God will manifest as judges). This King will be glad to obey
the Lord He will not judge by the way things look or decide by what He hears
(Jn.5:30). But He will judge the poor honestly, He will be fair in His decisions
for the poor people of the Land ("...He will judge the nations He does not
fight nor shout; He does not raise His voice; He will end all conflict with His
final victory. And His name shall be the hope of all the world" Matt.
12:18
-21
TLB). At His command, evil people will be punished, and by His words the wicked
will be put to death (Those that oppose the way of truth and that of the Lord
e.g. Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5:1+ and the antichrist spirit claiming himself
to be God in man. 2Thes.2:8-12). Goodness and fairness will give Him (them)
strength, like a belt around His (their) waist: Then wolves will live in peace
with Lambs, and Leopards will lie down to rest with goats. Calves, lions, and
young bulls will eat together and a little child will lead them ... a baby (that
which speaks of innocence even as we are converted as the little ones (Math.
18:3) we shall be able to subdue all beastly nature in us and eventually in
others) will be able to play near a cobra's hole and a child will be able to put
his hand into the nest of a poisonous snake. (And so Jesus will say to His
disciples, as the reality of this prophesy "...I have given you authority
over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you!" Lk.10:19
TLB. Again let us realize that man's rebellion against God - (Gen. 3:17-19) has
broken the harmony between man and nature and between man and man - Cain and
Abel. Therefore war and oppression became the resultant effect for the
punishment of sin. Now Christ's ministry is to deal with the sin question
thereby restoring harmony back to creation). They will not hurt or destroy each
other on all my holy mountain, (the
Mount
Zion
,
the house of God, the church to which the nations shall flow into Isa.2:2-3).
The reason why there will be harmony and peace is because the earth will be full
of the KNOWLEDGE of the Lord as the sea is full of water, (for this is the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the
Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; ...And
they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother saying,
know the Lord; for ALL shall know me, from the least to the greatest"
Heb.8:10-11. This is plain enough that God is going to cause His mind to be made
known to all men for "...ALL MANKIND SHALL SEE THE SAVIOUR (SALVATION) SENT
FROM GOD" Lk.3:6 TLB). At that time the new King... will stand as a banner
(a sign) for ALL PEOPLES. The nations will come together around Him and the
place where He lives (His temple, the corporate body) will be filled with
glory... God will raise a banner as a sign for ALL NATIONS" Isa.11:1-12a
NCV. And in the words of Jesus as touching His death as the sign for all men, He
said "...I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto
me" Jn.12:32. People of God, the life and power that is delivering all men
from the realm of separation from God was released through the Cross of Jesus.
For that is the place where sin and its power was judged. "Now (talking
about His Cross) is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this
world be cast out" Jn.12:31. Now, the way back to the father is open to
all, for the power that held men captive has been destroyed. And so "...
The Kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ
and He shall reign for ever and ever" Rev. 11:15.-So the invitation is
"come, behold the works of the Lord. What desolation He hath made in the
earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow
and cutteth the spear in sunder. He burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still
and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted
in the earth" Ps.46:8-10.
To
be continued OGAGA (). DAVID.
