Collapse of Human Government (7) -The Kingdom Emerges
Daniel saw Jesus’ ascension into heaven.
One like a Son of Man was coming,
Jesus is the Son of Man, but this is not a description of the second coming, because Daniel saw him arriving in heaven. Daniel saw the ascension and enthronement of Jesus, not the second coming. After Jesus came into the presence of the Father in heaven, he was given the authority gained by his death and resurrection. This huge victory made the defeat of the political powers on earth inevitable.
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom (Dan 7:13,14).
The democratic empire that accumulates vast political powers in a vain attempt to resist God’s shaking of the world will collapse into such a mess that the people of the world will not trust human political power again. Daniel traces the cause to heaven.But the court will sit for judgment,
Christians do not need to fight against human political empires, because God will come in judgment against it. He will annihilate the ultimate human government, killing the credibility of political power forever.
and his dominion will be taken away,
annihilated and destroyed forever (Dan 7:26).
Whens human political power is smashed, the Kingdom of God will emerge.
His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom,
When human governments cease functioning,a huge power vacuum will exist on earth Those who have trusted in democratic government will be desperate for something different and better. With the ultimate human government crushed by events it could not control, people will be desperate for a Saviour who keeps his promises. The Kingdom of God will be very attractive.
and all rulers will worship and obey him (Dan 7:27b).
God will replace human rulers with local judges applying his law.Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms
Political power will be chopped up, pushed down and spread around to ordinary people who trust and obey Jesus. Justice will be administered by local, voluntary, wise judges applying God’s law. Jesus will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints,
the people of the Most High (Dan 7:27a).The kingdom of the world
The kingdoms of the world will disappear and be replaced by the Kingdom of God. Human government will be replaced by godly justice.
has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign for ever and ever (Rev 11:15).
People will not need a government to tell the how to live, because the gospel enables them to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and obey him. Faith in Jesus destroys allegiance to human authorities, who demand authority for themselves and give it to principalities and powers. The gospel gives people freedom to walk in the Spirit, which robs the spiritual powers of influence.His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (Eph 3:10).
God will use the church to defeat the spiritual powers of evil by taking authority off political authorities and giving it back to ordinary people walking in the Spirit.
3 comments:
"Faith in Jesus destroys allegiance to human authorities". Amen...and it brings on a very personal question. In one year we become eligible for citizenship here in NZ, and to do so we must either swear or affirm allegiance to the monarch. I can't and won't swear; but even affirming allegiance I can only do conditionally. Don't think that's an option though....thoughts?
When you are born here, you never have to swear allegiance, unless you join the military. We do not have to salute the flag. Voting is a sort of allegiance, so I avoid it.
When Paul and Peter said to submit to rulers, this was not a moral duty, but being pragmatic to allow Christians to get on with preaching the gospel, ie keep your head down and get on with your true calling. You have no choice about it, so keep your head down, so you can get on with your calling. See Submitting.
Yes, being from the U.S. many were offended that we do not vote or 'pledge allegiance' to the flag, or even sing the national anthem. We don't have to trumpet it to be noticed...any more than if we avoid partaking 'communion' in questionable assemblies where their god seems not to be our God. Our allegiance is to One alone.
But if you are not born here...you have to perform the ceremony if you want to be a citizen. Guess we'll ask God what He wants us to do; it is not a question that should be deduced.
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