THY KINGDOM COME – DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
THE CORONATION OF CHRIST JESUS
Every true Christian who has any understanding of Scripture and mature love for Christ, longs for His return. The Second Coming is the culmination of the life and work of our Lord Jesus. It is His exultation. It is where Jesus sets aside His long humiliation and is exalted before the whole world. We desire the time when Jesus will return in all His Majesty and in all His glory to rule and reign over the entire earth for 1000 years (Rev. 20:6).
“Thy Kingdom Come” embraces that final eschatological event when the Lord will return to earth. We live as believers in expectation. We’re continually aggrieved at the way the Lord is treated in the world and we want Him to be vindicated. We want him to be exalted and we want Him to take what is rightfully His. We want Him to break the seals of the scroll as it tells us in the book of Revelation (5:6-10); to take back the title deed to the earth, for He is rightfully King of kings and Lord of lords. We want Him to break the back of the usurper Satan and all his demon hosts. We want Him to take over the kingdom of this world from Satan and make it the kingdom of our Lord. But we understand now from the study of the Word of God over these past few weeks that there are two phases or two aspects to our Lord’s rule – to our Lord’s kingdom. The first time Jesus came, He came to establish His spiritual kingdom which He continues to save one soul at a time, one person at a time embracing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is the only way the kingdom moves forward. Daily, people are being added to the body of believers (His church) who are being saved. There is only one way the kingdom advances and that is through personal salvation one soul at a time.
It is invisible today, the majority of people in the world can’t see it, and they don’t know it. The glorious manifestation of the children of God has not yet occurred. And so, the world does not see us for whom we really are. Sadly, there are many people who go to churches, who claim to be Christians but who are not at all Christians – born-again with the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. They skew peoples understanding of what the kingdom of God really is. But the kingdom advances invisibly in the hearts and souls of those who are of those who truly are regenerated and converted through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The kingdom will continue to expand and grow until the time Christ Jesus comes for His bride, the church, at the Rapture, “when we shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and so will be with the Lord forever (1 Thess. 4:16-17).”
The next time Jesus comes, the kingdom will be worldwide. Jesus will establish a visible, universal, and earthly kingdom. Jesus will return from heaven with his saints (His bride). And so, there will be glorified saints living with the earthly tribulation saints and only those who belong to God will be in this earthly kingdom to start the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on earth.
The promises of the return of Jesus Christ to establish His glorious kingdom are not vague, they are not obscure, they’re not hard to understand, they’re not complicated, they’re not mysterious, and they’re not hidden. They are straightforward, clear, factual, and historical just like everything else recorded in Scripture. The book of Revelation should be interpreted by the same normal principles of interpretation, as you would interpret any book of Scripture except leaving room for what is obviously figurative. The Bible means exactly what it says, no matter what the particular subject on which it is speaking.
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is a cardinal doctrine of Christianity. The return of Jesus to be glorified before His saints and all the nations of the world is one of the persistent themes of Old Testament prophecy. This is what God has revealed to us. And the final glory of Jesus Christ matters. It is not a lot of mystery to which you can give just any interpretation. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is the end of the story. It is the final exultation of our Lord and Savior. It is the glory of Christ Jesus that is at the end of this story and it matters a lot.
That’s why the book of Revelation, which some people think to be a hopeless mystery, God says this: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear (understand) the words of this prophecy and keep those things that are written in it (v.3).” We have to remember that the book of Revelation was given to seven pastors of seven Churches in Asia Minor. It was to be read to seven congregations who weren’t some kind of spiritual scholastics but who were normal folk, just like us. Five of the seven churches were on the brink of extinction because of their sinfulness. And these were just people, like people in all eras of the church’s history, who were required to read it, understand it, and heed it.
To abandon in practice, or interpret the promises of Christ’s Second Coming is to diminish the Word of God and to diminish the glory of Christ. This is the most glorious moment in Scripture – that’s why it’s the end. This is the most glorious moment and event in the life of Christ. The end of the story matters, matters more than anything else. We thank you Lord Jesus that You have laid it all out for us, in Your revelation to us.
If you look at the book of Revelation, you see the church on earth in chapters 1 to 3. You see the church in heaven in chapter 4 and 5 gathering around the throne. How did the church get to heaven? Raptured! “Caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:17).” Then in chapter 6, when we, the church, look back down on earth, what do you see happening? We see all hell breaking loose in a series of judgements. We see God’s wrath being poured out on the earth which is known as the great Tribulation. Matthew 24:21-22 confirms it: “For then there will be great tribulation, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now, and never will be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect (tribulation saints) those days will be shortened.” So, in chapters 6 through 18 you have all those judgements; God’s wrath being poured out on the earth, and there’s going to be carnage the likes of which the world has never seen nor will ever see again. According to the book of Revelation well over half of the world’s population will be decimated – 4 billion+.
Then in chapter 19, the church re-appears (Marriage Supper of the Lamb – v. 7-10). And in chapter 19, Christ comes out of heaven with the armies of heaven following Him (v. 14). The beast (Satan) and the kings of the earth and their armies gather to do battle with Christ – Armageddon (v.19-21). And then in chapter 20, Christ binds Satan and sets up His kingdom on earth. This kingdom on earth with King Jesus reigning is for a thousand years. When the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations. Shortly afterwards during Satan’s final rebellion he gathers up those individuals born during the millennial kingdom who have rejected Christ Jesus and attempts to make war against God, but God sends out fire from heaven and destroys them (v. 7-10). Then we find in chapter 21 that God destroys the whole universe and creates a new heaven and a new earth.
Chronologically, it is all laid out, simple and straightforward. Take the Bible literally. Take it exactly for what it says and leave it at that. When it makes sense, seek no other sense. Don’t be deceived into allegorizing and spiritualizing the Scripture and falling into Satan’s trap.
Jesus will come in power and glory. He will set up His kingdom on earth and reign for a thousand years. This is not a minor theme. This is the story of Jesus at His greatest moment. This is Christ’s high hour. Lord, be glorified. Lord, be honored. Lord, be exalted. Lord, You are worthy.
I believe Revelation 20, verses 1 to 7, will be literally fulfilled. About this I have not the slightest doubt. Jesus will return literally and bodily and by His presence, His kingdom will be established on earth. After the great Tribulation and the battle of Armageddon, Jesus Christ will literally reign on earth for a thousand years and the saints will reign with Him. How do I know that? Because Jesus taught us to pray: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10).” Amen!
PS…SONG OF THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN DURING THE TRIBULATION
“You (Jesus) are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by your blood.
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH.”
(Revelation 5:9)
Oscar Leske
F/B – Signs Of Our Times
Understanding The Signs Of Our Times .com