The Last Days
Anita Clark – Pastor
Carbondale, Kansas
“Thus saith the LORD...It shall come to pass, when they days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his throne for ever. He shall build me a house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. ... I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established forevermore” I Chronicles 17:7, 11, 12, &14.
The date of this pronouncement from God to David, King of Israel was about B.C. 1042. Many years later (BC. 7) God brought forth His Son upon the earth, (Who had always been with Him in the glory), born of a woman, whose name was Mary. Luke 1:30 tells us that the Archangel Gabriel sent from God announced to her concerning the child that would be conceived in her by the Holy Spirit, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father, David. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.”
Today, we in the U.S.A. are anticipating again he election of our president. There is so much uncertainty. Is this one the best or that one? God has already declared that He is ultimately in control. In Daniel 4:17, God declares this, “...to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” Daniel 5:21, speakinig of Nebuchadnezzar, the prideful king of Babylon, “...God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever He will.” You see - “Our God Reigns.” Commit all to the Lord. He will work it out according to His master plan. It may not seem that the one who comes to power is the best one, but remember time is short on this old earth. The Bible declares that there will be a one world government in the endtime and the “basest of men” will be in charge, the Antichrist. We are living in the last days. Very soon Jesus Christ will return and set up that everlasting throne declared to King David.
We look for that kingdom of the Dear Son of David. We know there are two kingdoms mentioned in the Bible which both pertain to the Lord Jesus Christ. The word “kingdom” in the Greek means “royalty, rule or realm.” Apostle Paul spoke of the “kingdom” sixteen times in his writings. In Colossians 1:12, &13, Giving thanks unto the Father... Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.” In other words when we receive Jesus Christ, God places us into the spiritual realm and into the “heavenly kingdom.” In the Gospels, Jesus spoke often of the “heavenly kingdom.” Later, Paul said in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” We are a heavenly people belonging to a heavenly kingdom and celestial realm.
Right now though, we are still earth bound, Christ should be allowed to reign in our hearts as King (supreme ruler). God’s grace has given us a place with Christ to rule and reign with Christ on His glorious throne. We see that taking place in Revelation 4, where at the beginning of the tribulation Jesus will take His place in heaven, ruling on His throne. Read this glorious chapter. As Sister Mary Bodie brought out so many years ago in Prophecy Class at Grace an Glory Bible School, “For the Antichrist to rule in the tribulation as the counterfeit Christ, Christ Jesus the true king has to be reigning in heaven. There cannot be a counterfeit without the true king in His place.”
THE EARTHLY KINGDOM - Some Christians think that believers today will be part of the earthly Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. They even teach that we all will worship Christ in the earthly Jerusalem someday. One even said, “I haven’t been able to get to Jerusalem in my lifetime, but I will get there later when Jesus comes.” Notice, that the Scripture speak of “... a new Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven “ (Rev. 20:10). This is where the believers of the Church Age will be dwelling. Remember, I Thessalonians 4:13-18 - Jesus Christ will sound the trumpet and the dead in Christ will rise from their graves, and those living and remaining will be caught up to be with the Lord in the air and SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD.”
I Corinthians 15: 24-28 explains how that Christ Jesus will reign on the throne during the Kingdom Age (also called the Millennial Age) on the earth. The believing Jews who have endured through the tribulation will continue to live on the earth during that time as well as Gentiles who believed on Christ and managed to endure through the seven years of judgment. They will still be in their human bodies. Many Old Testament Scriptures detail life here during that time. It will be Utopia on earth. Wild animals tame, everyone living in harmony and enjoying the beautiful earth, which will bloom like a rose. It will be an agricultural society, with plenty for everyone. Industry will have been destroyed during the tribulation. Life will be simple. People will be occupied with worship of God and their beloved King Jesus. All will go up to Jerusalem to worship. What a time that will be. Again, we of the Church Age will dwell with Christ in heaven. Our part will be so much greater than being earth dwellers.
Daniel 7:13-14 says, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven... And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
To summarize this truth: Jesus will begin His reign in heaven just previous to the tribulation of seven years. Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel to protect them for seven years (Daniel 9:27.) Revelation 4 shows Christ ruling in the heavens with His overcoming believers (Rev. 4 - 5:6). God’s wrath will be poured out especially in greater measure the second half of these seven years. All the believers of the Church Age will be with the Lord in heaven. Christ and His bride will be united toward the end of this time of wrath (Rev.19). Christ and His heavenly army (no doubt His bride - overcomers of this Age) will descend to complete the final judgment of the tribulation (Rev.19:11-20). “He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet” (I Cor. 15:25). Rev. 20 tells of Satan being cast into the “bottomless pit” for one thousand years. The millennial reign on earth will begin here with all the prophesies fulfilled. Israel (those remaining after the great purge of the tribulation) will be the dominant nation on the earth, ruling with Christ on the earth. The twelve disciples will rule “... on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:28). It will be a time of peace and blessedness.
After the thousand years Christ will reign in another capacity because the Scripture states His reign will be “forever.” During this one thousand years it is not made clear if we will come down with Christ to the earth. We know that the Bride of Christ will be with her beloved Husband. We also have the Scripture, I Thess.4:17 “... And so shall we ever be with the Lord.” The overcomers of the Church Age will rule and reign with Christ. They are seen in Rev. 19: 11-16 descending with Christ as He carries out the final judgment.
We’re looking forward to that time of being with Christ, our Lord ruling and reigning with Him.
He will come very soon. All the signs in heaven and earth show that the time until He arrives is very short. “...Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the Author and the Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the joy cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2).
