Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Category: God’s Kingdom (Page 3 of 6)

Blog posts about God’s Kingdom.

the next president and THE COMING KING

October 30, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #194 ~

Never in my life have I seen people so passionate about an election. All this money that’s being spent, all these ads, mailers, debates, signs, and tweets, and all this campaigning and commentary, and for what? Yes, the person who gets elected will affect this country in some small ways, but as Christians, we must keep things in perspective. An earthly leader cannot solve the problem of sin and death, cannot meet our need for love, joy, and peace, and cannot bring real peace to this earth. What the world really needs is a Savior and a King!

A long time ago, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to this earth. He lived an absolutely perfect life, continually taught the truth, did all these amazing miracles, and then died on a cross to pay for people’s sins. Whoever repents and believes Jesus Christ died to pay for his sins and then rose from the dead, is forgiven and becomes a child of God. Indeed, Christ is the one person people need to know, the gift people need to receive, the life people need to have, and the reason people need to live. “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” Phil. 1:21

Shortly after Jesus rose from the dead, He talked with His disciples about the kingdom of God. It was obvious they wanted Him to stay and set up His kingdom on earth, but that was clearly not God’s plan at that time. Jesus reminded His disciples what He had told them before, that they were to be His witnesses to the world – and then He ascended into heaven. As they gazed into the sky an angel told them that Jesus would be coming back, and they knew that meant He would be returning as a King. In the meantime, the church is to do the work of being a witness to the world and spiritually building the kingdom of God. Matt. 6:33, 28:19-20

So here we are in 2020, and quite the year it has been with the impeachment, the pandemic, sickness, death, lockdowns, riots, fires, hurricanes, and now this election. But as Christians we’re not to be fearful and get sidetracked, we’re to be sober-minded, we’re to stay focused on Christ and on the work He wants us to do (1 Thess. 5:4-9). That we live in the end-times means Christ will soon be coming back to earth. Should we not be excited about this? Should we not be diligently working for Christ while we are patiently waiting for Him. Should we not know that life on earth will dramatically and wonderfully change when He returns?

Christ is longing to come back, and when He does, you will see Him in action – without delay, He will rapture the church, transform the bodies of believers, pour out His wrath on the world, redeem a remnant of Jews, defeat the Antichrist, bind up that evil devil, and begin His reign on a restored earth. You ought to be thinking about these things, that the King of kings will return to this world, take charge, and then rule like no leader has ever ruled before. What the world needs is a Savior, and now, more than ever, a King. “‘Behold, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come Lord Jesus.” Rev. 22:21

This theme of Jesus Christ being the King of the world is seen throughout God’s word:
* 2 Samuel 7:12-13 – “I will raise up your descendant after you… and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” Jesus, our eternal King, is a descendant of king David.
* Psalm 2:6 – “Yet, I have set My king upon Zion, My holy mountain.” God the Father gave the world to His Son, and the authority and power to be King and rule over it.
* Psalm 45:6 – “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.” Jesus Christ, the most righteous King, will reign forever and ever.
* Psalm 47:7-8 – “God is the King of all the earth… God reigns over the nations.” Jesus is God and He will be King of the entire world, over every single nation on the earth.
* Psalm 48:2– “Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great King.” Jesus, our King, will be reigning from the city of Jerusalem.
* Isaiah 9:6-7 – “A Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us… there will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over His kingdom.” Jesus will perfectly govern, His kingdom will keep growing, and there will be peace.
* Daniel 7:14 – “To Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all peoples and nations of every language might serve Him.” Everyone in the world will serve King Jesus.
* Micah 5:2-5 – “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” The coming King, the One who is eternal, is also a man, for He was born as a baby in Bethlehem.
* Luke 1:31-33 – “Do not be afraid Mary… behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus… and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary was the mother of the Son of God, the King of kings.  
* 1 Corinthians 15:24-25 – “Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” One of Christ’s purposes during His millennial reign is to defeat death, His chief enemy.
* Revelation 11:15 – “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” Jesus Christ will officially become King of this world at the end of Daniel’s 70th week, at the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
* Revelation 19:16 – “On His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.” Christ the King, the One with authority over all kings, will defeat the Antichrist.
* Revelation 20:6 – “They will be priests of God and will reign with Him forever and ever.” Christians will reign with Christ the King, and not just for 1000 years, but forever and ever.

There’s great turmoil in our country, and with that, great difficulties; and in the near future, there will be great tribulation for both Jews and Christians. But don’t be sad, upset, or fearful. Get your eyes on God, and think how blessed you are, for you have been saved from sin and death, have eternal life, and now and forever have the honor of worshiping and serving Jesus, your Savior and King.

It won’t be long before you leave this earth and then you will see Jesus. Soon after that you will be back on earth, again worshiping and serving Him, and more than that, reigning with Him over this world. Just imagine how magnificent and gloriously wonderful this will be? This is no made up story, no dream – this is the truth, your future, that you will happily live forever with the King of kings. “To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood – and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.” Rev. 1:5-6

P.S. Psalm 146 instructs us not to “trust in princes, in mortal men,” but to put our hope in the Lord God. Always remember that God is the answer, not men or women. And this is true today, and especially as we think about this election. Here is a related post that tells my own story on this subject – “Politicians, Judges, and Jesus, Our Coming King.”

A New Earth for the Kingdom Age

October 9, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #191 ~

What’s going to happen to this earth? Will there ever be a nuclear holocaust that affects the whole world? Will a massive meteor shower suddenly wipe out the world? Will there ever be climate change so severe that it results in the destruction of this earth? Will a huge geomagnetic storm wreck the entire planet? Will this physical earth stay like it is, or will it somehow and someday dramatically change, or be changed? I am sure many of you have thought about questions like these. In this blog post, I usually focus on the future of people, but what about the future of this planet? What does God have to say about this? This is what He tells us:

Romans 8:19 – “The anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” This word “creation” isn’t referring to mankind, but rather to this physical earth, to animals, plants, rivers, seas, fish, plains, mountains, heavenly bodies, etc. Figuratively speaking, the creation is longing and waiting for that time when believers are revealed and seen by the world, and then everything will change for the good.

Romans 8:20 – “The creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope…” Why is creation anxiously longing? Because it was subjected to futility, to vanity, to emptiness. That is, the creation does not presently exist as God intended it to be. A long time ago, when Adam and Eve lived in the garden of Eden (Gen. 1-2), everything was good, and in fact, everything was perfect. Then Adam and Eve sinned, and they spiritually died, and all creation was cursed (Gen. 3). The world was no longer perfect, and it was not creation’s fault, it was man’s fault. But God was sovereign over man’s sin, for his sin and its consequences are part of His eternal plan for mankind and creation.

Romans 8:21 – “… the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Because of Adam and his sin, the physical earth has been corrupted. There is decay, disease, and death. There are forest fires and fire ants. There are tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. There is pollution and there are poisons. Animals fight other animals, and birds sing in a minor key. And when I was recovering from back surgery this past June, my garden rapidly filled up with weeds. These are just a few examples of a world that has been cursed and corrupted because of man’s sin.

Romans 8:22 – “We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pain of childbirth until now.” The creation is in an impossible situation, for it is still enslaved to corruption, and therefore is groaning and grieving. Though this verse was written about 2000 years ago, the creation is still suffering the pains of childbirth. But God is faithful to His promise, and that He has gathered a great number of Jewish people back to Israel means we now live in the end-times, and it won’t be long before the birth of a renovated and remodeled earth.

Here are some important things to know about you and planet earth:

1.People living on earth should be good stewards and, environmentally speaking, take care of this earth. We should do what we can to keep the air and water clean. We should not be wasteful, but conserve and reuse what God has given us. Gen. 2:15
2. The problems in our physical world are partly because people are not good stewards, but primarily because of Adam’s sin resulting in God’s curse upon this planet. Gen. 3:17-18
3. Even though the earth is physically corrupted, we still see the beauty, goodness, and glory of God. The creation is a visible testimony of God’s power and divine nature. Psalm 104, Rom. 1:20
4. Man should not worship the world, but only the One who created the world. Rom. 1:20-23

5. As much as we should be good stewards, man must realize that he cannot fix this world, he cannot reverse the curse and the resulting corruption. For example, during this age, there will always be spring and summer (life) followed by fall and winter (death). Rom. 3:23, Gal, 1:4
6. Neither man nor creation will bring ultimate destruction to this world. The destiny of this earth is not in the hands of man, but in the hands of God. Eph. 1:9-11, Rev. 8-9, Rev. 21
7. After believers are glorified, the world will be set free from the curse of sin, and the corruption we now see and experience (Rom. 8:21). This occurs at “the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:20), which will happen at the beginning of the next age. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Col. 3:4  
8. Man’s restoration to righteousness will result in the restoration of the earth. Rom. 8:17-25

Acts 3:19-21 – “… and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things.” When Christ returns from heaven, He will restore, will set in order all things, which includes the creation. In Matt. 19:29 we read, “… you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” The word “regeneration,” used in Titus 3:5 to refer to the new birth of Christians, is used here to refer to the rebirth of the earth at the time of Christ’s second coming. As Jesus told the apostles, this will take place when God is “restoring the kingdom to Israel.” Acts 1:6

What will this new earth be like? “Although it will not yet be a totally new earth (Rev. 21:1), it will nevertheless be wonderfully superior to the present fallen and unredeemed earth.” (John MacArthur’s commentary on Matthew 19:28 – p. 204). This earth will be dramatically different during the 1000-year kingdom age, when Christ reigns over the world, the twelve apostles rule over Israel, and the believers reign over the rest of the earth (Rev. 5:10). Indeed, this present earth is “waiting eagerly” for the “revealing of the sons of God.” Rom. 8:19

The Old Testament describes what this restored earth will look like. Psalm 65:8-9 – “You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy. You visit the earth and cause it to overflow; You enrich it greatly.” Psalm 67:6 – “The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us.” Psalm 96:11 – “Let the heavens be glad and the sea rejoice.” Psalm 98:8 – “Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.” Isaiah 35:1, 7 – “The wilderness and the desert will be glad, and the Arabah will rejoice and blossom… The scorched land will become a pool.” Isaiah 55:12 – “… The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before You, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Isaiah 65:17 – “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.” Isaiah 65:25 – “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.” Joel 3:18 – “In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah will flow with water.” Habakkuk 2:14 – “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” This is great news! The creation really has something to look forward to, but so do the Christians. Rom. 8:23 – “Not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

P.S. It is so wonderful to know that we have a future, and that this earth also has a future. There is much in the book of Psalms about what God has in store for us, the Jewish believers, and this planet. You can learn a lot more about this by reading my three articles on Psalms and how it relates to prophecy – here is one of them: “Prophecy Psalms for the Jews and for You – Part 2.”

Clear and Compelling Evidence for the Coming Kingdom

September 4, 2020 /

IMPORTANT NOTICE: WE HAVE NOW ADDED THE ABILITY TO DOWNLOAD ALL BLOG POSTS, ALL ARTICLES, AND / OR PROPHECY CHARTS AT ONCE! I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THIS! FOR DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS, CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK: DOWNLOADS

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #186 ~

There’s a great deal of information in the Old Testament about God’s plans for the Jewish people. Yet, many believe these plans are null and void, and have been invalidated because of the Jews’ rejection of Christ in the 1st century. But when you examine the New Testament, you discover all these verses that do not deny but rather confirm God’s plans for the Jews. You can’t miss them, you can’t skip over them, you can’t redefine them, and you sure can’t say they have already been fulfilled. And as a Christian, you need to know them, for they relate to the great and glorious future God has for you and the church. In today’s post we will look at many verses that speak about the coming kingdom age, when Jesus Christ is ruling the world.

1) Acts 1:6-7 – “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed…” The disciples want to know from Jesus if He was going to start the kingdom at that time. By what Jesus says, He assures them that there would be a future kingdom on earth, one in which He would be King of the Jewish people, and King over the entire world. But first, they had a job to do, for they, which means the church, were to be Jesus’ witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (vs. 8). As Jesus ascends into heaven, two angels tell the disciples that He would be coming back, and it would be then that He would bring into being His earthly kingdom.

2) Acts 3:20-21 – “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away… and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things…” People repenting and returning, and being forgiven of their sins, is referring to the church age, after which time God would send Jesus from heaven to restore, to renovate all things on earth. The Jews had learned from the Old Testament prophets about this kingdom age, and that the Messiah, the Christ, would be King, but now they knew when this would take place, that it would be at the end of this church age.

3) Acts 15:16 – “After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild it’s ruins, and I will restore it.” James was talking to Jewish leaders about Gentiles being saved, and how it would be after “these things,” after this church age, that Christ would return to rebuild and restore the tabernacle and other ruins, referring to the temple and Israel. This message about the future kingdom age is being repeated in the book of Acts, and why? To convince you that Christ will return to set up His kingdom on earth after this church age is over.

4) Acts 28:23 – “He was solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus…” Eight times in the book of Acts, there’s the word “kingdom.” (Acts 1:3, 1:6, 8:12, 14:22, 9:18, 20:25, 28:23, 28:31). The apostles weren’t just preaching the gospel, they were also testifying about the kingdom of God, the entirety of God’s plan for His people, which would include the coming millennial kingdom. As Paul said in Acts 20:27, “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” The book of Acts is the history of the early church, and here in the beginning days of the church age, God wanted both believing Jews and Gentiles to know with certainty that Christ’s kingdom would be established on earth.

5) Luke 19:11-27 – “They supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately… Do business with this until I come back.” During Jesus’ ministry, some believed that the kingdom of God would soon be set up on earth. To help people understand what would be happening, Jesus shared a parable. This is the meaning: Jesus, the king, was going away (to heaven), and from there He would be given a kingdom (on earth). His slaves on earth were to be working, doing business with the money He had given them during the time He was gone (the church age). Then He would come back and reward them for their work, and start up His kingdom on earth. We now live in the end-times of this church age, and it won’t be long before Christ returns to rapture the church and reign as King of this world.

6) Luke 20:34-36. “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God.” The “resurrection” is referring to believers being glorified, receiving bodies like the angels, which occurs at Christ’s coming. The “age” is speaking of the next age, the millennial kingdom age, when Christ is ruling the world and believers are reigning with Him.

7) Luke 21:31 – “So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.” This chapter lists a number of events taking place in the end-times before Christ’s return. Those who actually see these events things taking place will know that the redemption (rapture) is drawing near (vs. 28), and that the kingdom is drawing near (vs. 31). This kingdom can only be referring to Christ’s 1000-year kingdom on earth.

8) Luke 22:18 – “I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” The night before His death, Jesus was with His disciples and instituting the ordinance of communion. Jesus made this statement to reassure His disciples that He would rise from the dead, and also return to establish His earthly kingdom, at which time He would once again celebrate the Passover with them. Ezekiel 45:21, 1 Cor. 11:26

9) Matthew 19:28 – “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit on upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Jesus’ disciples knew He would be the King of this world, but they wanted to know how they would be rewarded for their work on earth. Jesus refers to the regeneration which is the “restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21), and this occurs when He returns, sits on His throne, and sets up His kingdom. That’s when these disciples would be given their own throne and be reigning with Him.

10) Revelation 11:15 – “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever. And the twenty four elders… fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, ‘We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who are, and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.’” It’s at the end of Daniel’s 70th week that Christ will become King on this earth. We should extremely excited and looking forward to this time when there will be righteousness, peace, and love on this earth like never before!

11) Revelation 20:6 – “They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6). “… Satan, and bound him for a thousand years” (vs. 2). “… he (Satan) would not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were completed” (vs. 3). “They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (vs. 4). “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed” (vs. 5). “When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released…” (vs 7). We learn some important information about this coming kingdom age – and one thing we know for sure is that it will last exactly one thousand years.

12) 1 Corinthians 15:24 – “Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.”1 Cor. 15:20-28 covers a time period that, I believe, will be close to 3000 years. Let me summarize what has happened and will be happening. 1) Jesus was raised from the dead. 2) At Christ’s coming, at the end of this age, believers will be made alive, will be glorified. 3) Christ will set up His kingdom on earth, one that will last for 1000 years. 4) During this millennial kingdom age, Christ will be the supreme King, abolishing all rule and authority. 5) At the end of this age, Christ will finally and forever defeat death (“Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” – Rev. 20:14). 6) “Then comes the end (of the millennial kingdom age) when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father.” 7) “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” Revelation 22:1

God has given us clear and compelling evidence that this coming kingdom age is not fantasy or fiction, but a future reality. In a very little while, everything will change, and Christ will begin His 1000-year reign over this earth. Then we will be wholeheartedly worshiping and serving Jesus, our King, and O, how wonderful and glorious this will be! Let’s keep praying: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10

P.S. I am very thankful that God has told us all about this coming kingdom age. Yes, we should focus on our work for God at this time, but we also need to see ahead to what He has in store for us. Here are two other posts that give us more valuable information about the kingdom of God. “Kingdom Instructions for the Church” and “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”

The Coming Kingdom Age, 1000 Years of Glory

August 28, 2020 /

IMPORTANT NOTICE: WE HAVE NOW ADDED THE ABILITY TO DOWNLOAD ALL BLOG POSTS, ALL ARTICLES, AND / OR PROPHECY CHARTS AT ONCE! I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THIS! FOR DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS, CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK: DOWNLOADS

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #185 ~

This famous prayer will soon be answered by God, and that’s because we now live in the end-times! It won’t be long before we see “the summing up of all things in Christ” (Eph. 1:9-10) during the millennial kingdom, when Christ will righteously, powerfully, and lovingly be ruling this world – and as Christians, we will be reigning with Him. The New Testament gives us a little information about this kingdom age, but the Old Testament goes into great detail about what will be taking place. Though the Old Testament prophecies focus on God’s plans for the Jews, Christians need to know what they say, for our future is directly related to the future of the Jews (Psalm 37:29 – Matt. 5:3). Today I want to summarize some of the key features of this glorious kingdom, what you can expect, and what you can be looking forward to. 

1. Jesus Christ will return to earth to establish His kingdom! “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Rev. 11:15; Dan. 7:27, 9:24). The millennial kingdom is soon to begin, a new and magnificent age, a 1000-year period when Christ is King over the entire world. “The Lord will be King over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only One” (Zech. 14:9). “God is the King of all the earth” (Ps. 47:7). Then Christ’s home will be in Jerusalem. “The Lord is there” (Ezek. 48:35). “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised… in the city of our God… the city of the great King.” Psalm 48:1-2

2. Jesus Christ will be greatly feared! “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods” (Ps. 96:4). “Let them fear You while the sun endures…” (Ps. 72:5). “The Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over the earth” (Ps. 47:2). Jesus Christ will be an awesome, majestic, and powerful King! “How awesome are Your works! Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You” (Ps. 66:3). “The nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory.” Psalm 102:15

3. A large remnant of Jews will be saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week! “Israel has been saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation” (Is. 45:17). “There is forgiveness with You… He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities” (Ps. 130:8). “They will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, for I will forgive their iniquity” (Jer. 31:33-35). “All Israel will be saved… the Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from them” (Rom. 11:25-27). During this kingdom age, all Jewish believers will be with Jesus and will live in Israel. Ezek. 37:27-28

4. The Jewish people will be the most blessed people in the world! “His lovingkindness is great towards us” (Ps. 117:1). “He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel” (Ps. 98:3). “He subdues people under us and nations under our feet” (Ps. 47:3-4). “God blesses us so that all the ends of the earth may fear Him” (Ps. 67:7). “The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever” (Ps. 37:29). “How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts” (Ps. 65:4). The promises God made to Abraham will all come true! “I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so shall you be a blessing… in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Gen. 12:2-3

5. Jesus Christ will lovingly, wisely, and righteously be ruling over the world! “The Lord reigns.” (Ps. 97:1). “You will judge the people with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth” (Ps. 67:4). “He will have compassion on the poor and needy… He will rescue their lives from oppression and violence” (Ps. 72:12-14). “The Lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations” (Is. 61:11). The world will be ruled perfectly by the King of kings and the Prince of Peace. “There will be no end to the increase of His government, or of peace… over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice…” Isaiah 9:6-7

6. The whole earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord! “Indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord” (Numb. 14:21). “Blessed be His glorious name forever, and may the whole earth be filled with His glory” (Ps. 72:19). “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14). Can you imagine what it will be like when God’s glory is beautifully displayed and seen all over the world? “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3

7. The truth about God and salvation through Christ will be proclaimed to all the earth! “Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples” (Ps. 96:3-4). “God be gracious to us and bless us… that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations” (Ps. 67:1-2). Yes, the church is to preach the gospel to all the nations, but in the kingdom age there will be the proclaiming of the gospel and the salvation of souls like never before! “God has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God” (Is. 52:9-10). “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” Psalm 98:3

8. The whole earth will worship the Lord! “All nations whom You have made will come and worship before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name” (Ps. 86:9-10). “All the earth will worship You and will sing praises to You” (Ps. 66:4). This is amazing and so wonderful, to think that the whole world will be praising God! Even the unsaved will be bowing down to Christ. “At the name of Jesus every knee will bow… and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11). “All the families of the nations will worship before You” (Ps. 22:27). “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people… Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, let all the peoples praise Him” (Rom. 15:10-11). “O clap your hands, all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy.” Psalm 47:1

Jesus told His disciples, and us, “all things which are written about Me in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). I hope you now realize that many of the prophesies about Jesus, and the Jews, will be fulfilled during the millennial kingdom – you should be encouraged by this for it relates to your future as a Christian. Picture this magnificent kingdom age, when Christ is ruling, and you are reigning with Him, and helping Him and the Jews to carry out God’s purposes and plans. More than ever before, there will be peace on earth, love for one another, joy in people’s hearts, and true justice, for Christ will be a perfect and powerful King, and all to the glory of God. “Then comes the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father” (1 Cor. 15:24). “To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:36

P.S. There is not that much being said or written about the coming kingdom age, but might you be learning about it and tell others about it. I just put up a new post (9/4/2020) on this subject – “Clear and Compelling Evidence For God’s Kingdom.” And here’s another good one to read – “The Present Church Age and the Future Kingdom Age”.

God’s Plans for the Jewish People – Romans 11

July 31, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #181 ~

What about the future of the Jewish people? Has God nullified His promises to them about giving them land, a King, and salvation? (Ezekiel 37:24-28)? Has God, because of their rejection of Him, rejected them? Have His promises to the Jews been given to the church? What are God’s plans for them during this church age? Romans 11 answers these questions, with a specific emphasis on His plans to save a remnant of Jews.  

Romans 11:1-10. “May it never be!” In the strongest of words, Paul tells us that God has not rejected the Jews. He wants us to know that “there has also come to be at the present time a remnant,” this remnant referring to Jews who would be saved during this church age. This remnant is comprised of Jews whom God foreknew, those He planned to save from eternity past. Paul makes it clear that their salvation is by God’s grace, not by their works, so that all Jews who are saved, are saved, because of God’s “gracious choice.” Ephesians 1:4

What about the Jews who are not saved? “The rest were hardened,” for they did not repent of their sins and believe in the Messiah – and God hardens the hearts of all those who do not believe, who willingly harden their hearts against Him. A great majority of the Jews rejected Jesus, not just in the first century (Acts 13:44-52), but throughout the centuries. So there’s this partial hardening of the Jews, but the good news is that it’s not a complete hardening, for this remnant is still being saved. Not only that, but this hardening is temporary, for at the end of Daniel’s 70th week, “all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:25). Indeed, God will keep His promise to His chosen people! “He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His name.” Psalm 111:9

Romans 11:11-16. Paul speaks of the Jewish people as ones who stumbled, but did not fall, meaning that God’s plan for “all Israel to be saved” is now on hold, but as I just noted, only for a time, for after this age is over, after the rapture of the church, they will be fulfilled. But why did God allow the Jews to stumble? He did it for the sake of the Gentiles. The sin of the Jews, their rejection of Messiah, is resulting in a large number of Gentiles being saved during this church age, and Paul, “an apostle of Gentiles,” was thankful for this. Paul also knew that when the Gentile-hating Jews saw Gentiles being saved (Gal. 3:6-14), they would be jealous, resulting in some of them, that is, this remnant, trusting in the Messiah and being saved.

Paul then shares with us the bigger and eternal picture, that all this will turn out, not just for the present good of the Gentiles, but for the future good of the Jews. “How much more will their fulfillment be?” “What will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” Throughout the years, millions of Jews have rejected Christ, but all Jews alive at the end of Daniel’s 70th week will accept Him, and “all Israel will be saved” (Dan. 9:24). “Israel has been saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation” (Isaiah 45:17). Their salvation sets the stage for Jesus’ 1000-year glorious reign, when all these newly saved Jews will worship Him and be ruling with Him! Hebrews 11:10-16, 39-40

Romans 11:17-24. Paul, being a Jew, knew how much the Gentiles hated Jews, and how they might get deceived, thinking they were saved because they were better than the Jews. So Paul says to these Gentiles, “and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in” and were partakers of the “rich root.” He wanted them to know that it was because some Jews were broken off due to their unbelief that they would be grafted in, would be saved during this church age. This “rich root” refers to God’s unconditional promise to Abraham – “And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). Not only that, but their God-given faith in Christ was the same kind of faith Abraham had. (Gen. 15:5-21, Rom. 4:9-25). Only because of God’s promise, power, and grace would these Gentiles be saved. To make doubly sure these Gentiles knew it wasn’t just about God’s love for them, Paul reminds them that God will graft the Jews in again, which will happen at Christ’s 2nd coming. “This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days… I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” This leads us to the next verses:

Romans 11:25-32. In no way does God want us “to be uninformed,” to be ignorant about His plans for the Jews. He wants us to know that this “partial hardening” of the Jews, which has been happening for close to 2000 years, will not continue. Now that the Jews are back in their land, we know we are living in the end-times, and that it won’t be long before this age comes to an end, and we will say, the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” – and “all Israel will be saved.” Once all the Gentiles whom God has chosen to save, are saved, then all the Jewish people whom God has chosen to save, will be saved, will be forgiven of their sins. “There is forgiveness with You… and He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Psalm 130:4, 8

As Gentile Christians, we may think the Jews are our enemies, but we need to see them as ones loved by God, and so we are to love them too. We read that “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable,” which means God won’t go back on His word, but will keep His promise to save the Jews. God does not lie or change His mind, and He has not cancelled His people – He will be true to His word! In the near future, this partial and temporary hardening of the Jewish people will come to an end, and “all Israel will be saved.” Just like God was merciful to us when we were disobedient, so too God will be merciful to this remnant of Jews. “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.” Romans 9:15

Romans 11:33-36. In the first 11 chapters of his letter to the Romans, we see God’s holiness, wisdom, power, and sovereignty. We read about His righteousness, and how we are righteous in Christ, and are loved and forgiven. Here in Romans 11 we understand God’s present and future plans for the Jewish people. As we dwell on the character, work, and ways of God, we cannot help but be overwhelmed, for we realize how awesome and magnificent He is, that He alone is holy and supreme. Then think how Jesus Christ humbled Himself so God could save us from our sins, bring us into His presence, adopt us as His children, and give us eternal life. Might we be humbled, and give God all the praise, glory, thanks, and honor that He deserves. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

P.S. As Christians, we must understand the and plans God has for the Jewish people. Many believe that God has forsaken His people, but that’s not true. I have written five articles carefully explaining what God wants us to know about His present and future plans for the Jewish people. Here is the first article: Replacement Theology: It’s Not True – Part 1.

Your Hope, Your Future, Your Reward

July 10, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #178 ~

THE SHORT VERSION:

1. It’s being with Jesus Christ.
2. It’s not being affected by any fleshly, worldly, or devilish thing.
3. It’s having a brand-new body.
4. It’s perfectly loving God and Jesus Christ.
5. It’s having a heavenly home.
6. It’s being with loved ones and others who are believers.
7. It’s receiving an incredible inheritance.
8. It’s being greatly rewarded.
9. It’s having a satisfying and God-glorifying purpose.
10. It’s seeing the glory of God displayed in heaven and on earth.
11. It’s having fullness of joy and experiencing pleasures forever.
12. It’s knowing God and Jesus Christ more fully.

THE LONG VERSION:

Do you want to be all that God wants you to be? Do you want to be a growing and godly Christian? Do you want to be a positive, forward-looking person? Do you want more joy and peace? Do you want to love God more? If so, one thing that will help is having hope. Many Christians are lacking in hope, and don’t even know what they are missing. They are focused on the present, on what is happening today, but they are not thinking about the future God has planned out for them. And they don’t see that having this hope, that being excited about God’s plans for their future, will help them be more fruitful and successful in the present.

How do we define hope? Hope is not a present reality but an expectation of a future reality. Hope, as a noun, is what you need to know about your future and, as a verb, it’s what you need to believe about your future. It’s knowing and seeing, by faith, God’s plans for your future. It’s what you don’t have now but are confident God will give you in the ages to come. It’s believing that God will continually show you His great love after you leave earth and are in heaven. 

What exactly is this hope?
1. It’s being with Jesus Christ. “… thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). Jesus, like no one else, has loved you and will always love you. He died for you and rose again, saving you from your sins, from the clutches of Satan, and from death itself. He’s your Savior and Redeemer, Lord and King, Brother and Friend. He can’t wait to be with you, and show His love and glory to you, and in ways you could never imagine – it won’t be long before you are literally with Him. Just think what it will be like when you first see Him, and He talks to you, and you talk to Him, and He tells you that He loves you. Job 19:25-27; John 14:3, 15:9, 17:24

2. It’s not being affected by any fleshly, worldly, or devilish thing. “He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning or crying or pain; the first things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). There will be no more sin, sorrow, sickness, death, trials, conflicts, worries, enemies, or persecution – how freeing and wonderful to not be affected by these things! Life can be hard, stressful and painful, but your hope is that everything and everyone in the future will be good, loving, and a blessing. Yes, there will be sin and evil during the millennial kingdom but it won’t personally affect you. Rev. 7:15-17

3. It’s having a brand-new body. “… the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Phil. 3:20-21). Your body is weak, sinful and mortal. Yes, it’s good enough for your life on earth, but it’s not at all adequate for your life in heaven and for eternity. Therefore, God will give every believer a new body, a powerful, immortal, glorious and spiritual body – and this will happen when Christ returns to rapture the church. Then you will be physically saved, and your salvation will be complete, and you will be fully able to eternally worship and serve the Lord, and give Him great glory. 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 2 Cor 5:1-8, 1 Thess. 5:23

4. It’s perfectly loving God and Jesus Christ. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). This is the great commandment! But now your love for God is sporadic, it’s not always wholehearted, it’s interrupted by sin, it’s definitely not what it should be. But not long from now you will be glorified, and with rapturous joy, you will more fully know and be filled up with His love for you. Then and forever, you will perfectly and continually love the Lord in a personal way and with others, and how God-exalting and soul-satisfying that will be! Psalm 145:1-2, 1 John 4:19, Rev. 5:13

5. It’s having a heavenly home. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). You now live in an earthly dwelling. It may be small or big, plain or lavish, cluttered or neat, but it’s temporal and wears out, and has to be cleaned, kept and maintained. But Jesus has made a home perfectly suited for you. It’s beautiful, spotless, furnished, practical, the most comfortable and relaxing place you could ever imagine. There you will be able to worship the Lord, fellowship with saints, have a meal, and live forever. Your home will be part of the new city, the heavenly city, one that will bring eternal glory to God and Jesus Christ. Psalm 84:1-4, Heb. 12:22-24, Rev. 21:10-23

6. It’s being with loved ones and others who are believers. “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exaltation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?” (1 Thess. 2:19). One of the great blessings on earth is being with other Christians, especially ones you love and who love you. One of the great blessings of heaven is being with them again, and for all eternity. And so, don’t grieve too much when loved ones and friends leave this earth and go to heaven, for you will soon see them again. Your relationships with believers on earth continue in heaven, but then they will be perfect, with perfect love, communication, and fellowship, and all centered around Christ. You will also meet and enjoy the company of millions and millions of believers, like Moses, David, Esther, Nehemiah, Mary, Paul, Luther, Edwards, Spurgeon, etc. How wonderful and encouraging this will be! 2 Sam. 12:22-23, 2 Cor. 4:14, 1 Thess. 4:13-14

7. It’s receiving an incredible inheritance. “… to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away…” (1 Peter 1:3-4). None of us can fathom how much God wants to bless us in the future. Good parents give good things to their children, but that’s nothing compared to what God will give you in the future. Money, land, jewelry, and keepsakes are earthly inheritances, but our heavenly inheritance is infinitely better (1 Cor. 2:9). This inheritance, guaranteed to all God’s children, cannot be destroyed, is perfect, and will never lose its magnificence. We don’t know the exact nature of our inheritance, but it will be an expression of God’s gracious and perfect love for us. Not only that, but it’s “reserved in heaven for you.” Our inheritance, now kept safely in heaven, will be given to us at Christ’s coming. What a kind and generous Father we have! 

8. It’s being greatly rewarded. “He who plants and he who waters are one, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8). God gives each believer an inheritance just because he is His child. But your reward is more than an inheritance, for it relates to your work for Him. Jesus tells us the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30), that God gives you money and abilities you are to use to serve Him. This reward in heaven, your heavenly pay, relates directly to the quality of your work on earth, and how you faithfully used what God gave you. Do not forget, God will reward you for everything you say or do for Him. Part of this reward is the actual work you will be doing in the future. Hear what the master told his slave – “Do business with this until I come back… Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing – be in authority over ten cities.” Luke 19:13-17, Col. 3:23, Rev. 22:12

9. It’s having a satisfying and God-glorifying purpose. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand” (Eph. 2:10). You won’t be just sitting in heaven playing a harp. God has specific plans for your life in the ages to come. You will be working for God, serving Him, doing what He wants you to do, and what you love to do. During the millennial kingdom, your work directly relates to reigning with Jesus Christ over this world. Exactly what this will look like, we don’t know, but it will be perfect, satisfying, and effortless work, that which will be good for others and a glory to God. Rev. 2:26, 5:10, 20:6

10. It’s seeing the glory of God displayed on earth. “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Habakkuk 2:14). We now live in an evil world controlled by the evil one. But the next age, the millennial kingdom age, will be one in which Jesus Christ will reign over the world. Then, with great satisfaction and joy, you will see the righteousness, peace, and glory of God. “God is the King of all the earth… God reigns over the nations” (Ps. 47:7-8). “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for Thou will judge the nations with uprightness, and guide the nations on the earth” (Ps. 67:4). “In His days, may the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace till the moon is no more” (Ps. 72:7). “Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing together for joy” (Ps.  98:8). This is a small sampling of what the future, and your future, will look like. Just think – we will soon be reigning with Christ, and seeing His glory on earth! Psalm 150, Isaiah 6:3

11. It’s having fullness of joy and experiencing pleasures forever. “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11). Your heavenly Father will make sure you are always full of joy and gladness. Every day, and for all eternity, you will experience God’s goodness, be with Jesus, see His glory, have fellowship with the saints, and enjoy the beauty and pleasures of the world. You will never feel sad or down or lonely. Every day will be a good day, a delightful day, a perfect day, a most wonderful day. Jesus said, “I came that you might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10). In the future, you will always experience Jesus’ life to the full – and you will be rejoicing with gladness, exulting before God, and giving Him the glory He deserves. Ps. 68:3-4, John 7:38, 1 Thess. 5:16

12. It’s knowing God more fully. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Eternal life is knowing God, having an eternal relationship with Him. In the ages to come, you will keep growing in your knowledge of God, for He will continue to reveal Himself to you. You will increasingly know more about His love, wisdom, power, goodness, holiness, sovereignty, etc. (You will also be able to look back at your time on earth and see how God was specifically working in and through your life). You will learn more from God’s word, the word we have now, but don’t fully understand. You will learn more about Jesus, more about the angels and saints, and more about the world we live in. You will never grow tired of spending time with Jesus and seeing His glory, for your soul will be fully and always satisfied by Him. As a result, you will keep growing in your love and affection for Jesus. John 17:24, Rom. 11:33

This is a detailed summary of your hope, of God’s great and glorious plans for your life, which will begin to be realized at Christ’s return and then continue for all eternity. Your life on earth is usually 70, 80, 90 years or so, but eternity is forever and ever. It’s vitally important for you to see the big picture, that God’s hope for you will be fulfilled after your time on this earth, and during your everlastingly-long heavenly life, covering billions and billions and billions and billions of years, etc., etc., etc. We spend so much time thinking about this life, but you must understand the details of your incredible future, this eternal life that God will give you. 1 Thess. 1:1:9-10 tells you, “serve a living and true God,” and “wait for His Son.” You are to work for God now but you are to also be looking forward, and excitedly so, to that time when your God-planned and perfect future will be fulfilled. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13     

P.S. This written post was my Sunday morning message for July 12, 2020. If you get time, I would suggest that you listen to it, for it was quite expanded, and I believe you will find it most encouraging and motivating.

P.P.S. One of my greatest desires with this blog site is that you would grow in hope, that you would be super-excited about the incredible future God has planned out for you. If you have not yet done so, I would encourage you to read the last two posts – “Important Lessons on the Hope God Has For You,” and “When Life Is Hard, You Need Hope.”

Don’t Get Mad at the Government – Trust God

May 22, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #171 ~

When we look at the world, we see the sinful ways of men and governments, and oftentimes we needlessly worry or get mad. But this is the evil age – what else can we expect? Isn’t this the way it has always been? Ever since the sin of Adam and Eve, we have been living in this evil age – “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (Gal. 1:4 1, John 5:19). The Old Testament chronicles the stories of nations, peoples, and kings who were opposing God. In Genesis 6, there’s a whole world in sin; in Genesis 11, there’s the tower of Babel; in Genesis 19, there’s Sodom and Gomorrah; and there are the devilish kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, Bablyon, etc. “The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart.’” Ps. 2:1-3, Rev. 12

When Jesus was on earth, it was the Romans fighting against God and ruling over Israel. Then the church age began, and this Roman kingdom continued, and for close to 300 years, it was greatly persecuting the church. It’s now the 21st century and it’s still an evil age, and nations are still raging against God and “devising a vain thing” (Psalm 2:1). Yes, God has established the governing authority “to be a minister to you for good” (Rom. 13:4). And sometimes we see countries with fairly good governments but, more often than not, we don’t. All over the world there are sinful countries with sinful leaders and sinful laws. Bribes, lies, corruption, abuses of power, payoffs, ill-gotten gains, and cruel injustices, are commonplace. Psalm 14:1 says, “They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.” Isaiah 5:20 talks about “those who call evil good, and good evil.” To see this happening in our own country sickens the soul – and to get righteously angry about all this sin is not wrong, but to focus on it, and feel we need to change it, is not how God wants us to think. 

As Christians we can easily fret or get angry when leaders and politicians say and do wicked and unethical things. Psalm 6:3 says, “my soul is greatly dismayed.” Psalm 37:1 tells us not to “fret because of evildoers.” Psalm 55:2 says, “I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted because of the voice of the enemy.” Psalm 73:3 says, “I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Isn’t it hard for you when it seems the wicked are getting away with their evil deeds, and are not being brought to account? But God doesn’t want you to set your mind on the things of this world, and be anxious and overly concerned about evil leaders, and their political schemes and earthly kingdoms.

Here are some truths to keep in mind as you live in this evil world, one that will get worse and worse until Jesus Christ returns to rapture the church and judge the world.
1. God is sovereign. Sinful people and rulers can only do what God allows them to do. Remember, their evil words and actions are part of His end-time plans, and will work out for the good of the church, and the glory of God. Acts 2:23-24, 4:27-28; Romans 9:17-18

2. “Do not fret because of evildoers… Cease from anger and forsake wrath… Depart from evil” (Ps. 37:1, 8, 27). It doesn’t do any good to get mad or worry and, in fact, it’s bad for you.  

3. God will defeat and punish all evildoers. “Evildoers will be cut off… Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more… The power of the wicked will be broken… He passed away and he was no more… Transgressors will be altogether destroyed.” Psalm 37:10, 15, 17, 36, 38

4. Do what God wants you to do. “Trust in the Lord and do good… Delight yourself in the Lord… Dwell in the land… Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him… All day long he is gracious and lends… The law of his God is in his heart.” Psalm 37:3, 4, 7, 26, 31

5. “Seek first His kingdom and righteousness.” We are not to worry and be troubled about matters that relate to this earthly kingdom, but we are to be excitedly and energetically building up the church, the heavenly kingdom of God. Matt. 6:33, Col. 3:1-4

6. Pray for those in authority, for the church, and for the coming kingdom: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Be thinking about the coming millennial kingdom when Jesus Christ will rule the world with a rod of iron, and there will be perfect and immediate justice. Isaiah 6:3, Rev. 2:27

7. Remember the example of Jesus and Paul. Jesus never talked about the Roman government or the politics of the day, but only to say, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s…” (Matt. 22:21). Jesus knew that the real enemy was not the Romans but the devil. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood… but against the spiritual forces of wickedness” (Eph. 6:12). The apostle Paul did not get involved in worldly matters, for his purpose was not to win some political debate, but to preach the gospel and win people to Christ. Acts 20:24

8. Remember the promise, that you will inherit the land (Psalm 37:9, 11, 22, 29, 34). Know that you will inherit the land, the entire earth. In the coming kingdom age, this earth will be your land and you, and all believers, will reign with Christ, and work with Him in establishing His spiritual and physical kingdom in this world. Psalms 47, 67, 72; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 5:10

Our present political climate in this country is hyper-partisan and polarized. We tend to take sides and pick the person or party we like best, but this is not what’s important. As Christians, we must view life as spiritual, and not political. Be careful about picking political sides, and remind yourself that you are on God’s side, and that people are either saved or lost. In the near future, the Antichrist will wickedly be ruling the world, and there will be great tribulation (Matt. 24:21), at which time it will be clearly obvious that there are only two sides, Christ’s and the Antichrist’s. There will be no political parties, no debates, no voting, but hopefully on our part, a zeal to obey Christ, to love the lost, preach the gospel, and make disciples of all the nations. Yes, we will be hated and, in many cases, hunted down to be killed (Matt. 24:9), but this will be our time, and it “will lead to an opportunity for your testimony” (Luke 21:12-13). Here is Jesus’ promise to us, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). Then there is the rapture, “and so we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:17

P.S. “Politicians, Judges, and Jesus, Our Coming King” is a post I wrote that describes how God helped change my thinking regarding my involvement in political matters. This past Sunday my message was “Psalm 23” – when you get time, listen to it, for I believe it will greatly encourage your soul.

From Earth to Heaven and Back Again

October 18, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #140 ~

Do you see where you are going, where you are headed? Do you know the future God has planned for you? I am not just talking about going to heaven. If you are a Christian, it’s true that you are heading to heaven, but that’s too simplistic, for there’s much more than that. Here’s your future – you’ll be on earth until you die or are raptured, and then you will be in heaven, but only for a short while, for then you will come back to earth to reign with Jesus Christ during the millennial kingdom age. Let me explain this further:

We now live on this earth, but it’s not for long. That’s because we live in the end-times which means it won’t be that many years before the end of this age and the rapture of the church. We couldn’t say this 1000 years ago or even 200 years ago, but the fact that the Jews are back in their land gives us a whole new perspective on what God is now doing on this earth, where things are headed, and His timing in all this. No one knows exactly when Christ will come back, but with all that’s happening in the world, it’s not going to be centuries, but more like decades, whether that’s 10, 20, 30 or 50 years or so. That we live in the end-times means you may not have a normal life-span of 70-80-90 years. You may even suffer a martyr’s death or be one of the raptured saints.

God-prophesied events will be taking place, and increasingly so, and this means the Day (of Christ) is drawing near (Hebrews 10:25), and with that, the rapture and the age to come. In the meantime, there’s work for you to do, God-ordained work, eternal work, which relates to the lost, the church, and Christ’s return. And remember, you will not die, or be raptured, until all the work God wants you to do is completely done. Acts 13:22, 36

Then we will be in heaven, which will be so wonderful, being with Jesus and all the saints who have gone on before us; but we won’t be there for long. If you’re raptured, you will be in heaven for less than four years. That’s because the rapture of the church occurs sometime during the 2nd half of Daniel’s 70th week, a 7-year period. One half of 7 years is 3½ years, and that plus the 75 days (Daniel 12:11-12), is less than four years. I couldn’t figure in the length of the great tribulation, for it’s duration is unknown to us, but it will make it much less than four years. (This tribulation time starts soon after the midpoint of this 70th week.) What I am saying is that raptured Christians will have a very short stay in heaven before they head back to earth for the start of Christ’s kingdom age.

The other possibility is that you will die and go to heaven before the rapture ever takes place. Because we live in the end times, you won’t be in heaven very long before this age comes to an end and the church is raptured. But you will come down to the skies above the earth for the rapture, and then immediately head back to heaven with Christ and the raptured believers, staying there for a few more years until the start of the kingdom age. But whether you die or are raptured, the fact that you live in the end-times forces you to conclude that you won’t be in heaven that long before you head back to earth to begin reigning with Christ. Think of it this way: you are not going to be in heaven that many years compared to Martin Luther (473 years as of now), Paul (~ 1950 years as of now), Abraham (~ 3900 years as of now), and billions of other believers.

Then we will be back on earth. Revelation 3:26-27, 5:10, 20:6 all tell us that we will be reigning and ruling with Christ on earth. This doesn’t mean you won’t ever head back to heaven for visits, for I believe you will. But your life during the millennial kingdom, that glorious 1000-year period, is focused on earth, worshiping Christ, and helping Him fulfill His purposes. It will be like nothing you have ever seen or imagined, having a brand-new body, enjoying fellowship with saints, perfectly doing the work God wants you to do, and seeing His plans for the Jewish people being carried out. What an amazing and incredible time that will be!

That’s your future, and a future, for many of you, that will come sooner than you think. That’s because the length of time between now and when you get to heaven, plus the length of time you will be in heaven before you head back to earth, is not as long as you may think. Let me say it this way: the time between now and the end of this age, plus the time between the end of this age and the start of the next age, is a relatively short period of time. Daniel 9:24-27 (Daniel’s 70th week) and the book of Revelation help us to understand when all this will take place. Revelation 6:1-11 tells us what happens in the years leading up to the end of the age; Revelation 6:12-17 describes the signs that will occur immediately before the end of the age; Revelation 7:9-14 is in reference to the rapture, which takes place immediately after the end of the age; Revelation 8-9, 16, 19 tells us about the interval between the ages; and Revelation 20 gives us some information about the next age, the millennial kingdom age.

In conclusion, you need to be thinking about Christ’s coming, and being in heaven, and being back on earth, and that it won’t be long before all this takes place. A whole lot needs to happen from now to the start of the next age – wars, famines, earthquakes, global gospel preaching, the Antichrist ruling, great persecution, apostasy, abomination of desolation, the rapture, the Day of the Lord, the salvation of the Jews – and it’s all going to take place in a short time-frame. But for now, God has important work He wants you to do before Jesus Christ returns, and begins His reign over this world. “Behold, I am coming soon.” Revelation 22:7, 12, 20

P.S. I don’t know if you have taken the opportunity to look at all the charts, but there’s much there that will help you better understand the timing of future prophetic events. I want to encourage you to go over them, for I am convinced they will give you more clarity about the future God has for you. The position of the person in each of the charts is to help you see that there isn’t much time left before the end of this age and the coming of Christ.

A People-Blessing, God-Glorifying Kingdom

September 13, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #135 ~

I love Psalm 67, another promising passage that speaks about the future. As Christians, we can apply parts of this Psalm to our lives, but the main focus is on the Jewish people, and God affecting the world through them, especially during the millennial kingdom. But you ask, was this not applicable to the Jews during the Old Testament times? Of course, God’s desire for the Jews was to be a witness to the Gentiles so they too would worship Him, but that happened in a very limited way (2 Chronicles 9:8). This Psalm is primarily speaking of the coming kingdom age when Jesus Christ is King, and ruling and reigning over the world.

Psalm 47, which we looked at last week, was a command to the peoples of the world to praise God, but Psalm 67 is a prayer for the peoples of the world to praise God. Verse 1 starts out as a prayer for God’s mercy and grace, for His face to shine upon “us”, the Jewish people. “God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us.” God wanted to bless the Jews, to give them what they didn’t deserve. But why? Verse two gives an awesome, far-reaching answer. “That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations.” It’s so God’s way and purpose would be made known around the world, with the result that salvation, mercy and deliverance from sin, would be experienced by the Gentiles, by unbelievers in all the nations.

Psalm 96:3-4 amplifies on what will be taking place during this kingdom age: “Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among the peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.” With Christ ruling the world, and a large number of Jews and glorified believers proclaiming His gospel message, I am convinced we will have the greatest evangelistic effort ever, with great multitudes turning to Christ and being saved.

What else is being prayed? Verse 3 says, “Let all the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.” This too will be answered, for the result of people repenting of their sins and receiving God’s mercy is that they will be praising Him. Isn’t that God’s primary purpose in life, for people to praise Him? Yes, yes, people are to love, worship and praise God with all their heart. “Sing praises to our King, sing praises” (Psalm 47:6). This will definitely take place during the millennial kingdom, for it will be a good and glorious age when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Habakkuk 2:14), and people all over the world will be worshiping the Lord like never before. 

The glory God receives from His people goes hand in hand with the blessing they receive, which is what verse 4 tells us: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.” This again is a prayer, a prayer that God will answer. All over the earth, people will be glad-hearted and singing for joy, joy springing from the fact that they know God’s mercy and soul-satisfying love. Not only that, but they are seeing and experiencing God’s righteous rule on earth, “For You will judge the world with uprightness.” Christ will be completely in charge, and through His servants, He will be leading and judging the nations. Lawlessness will not be the way of the world anymore, for Christ will be quickly executing true justice. Just think what it will be like to be serving our Savior and King during this time. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3

The prayer continues with verse 5, which repeats verse 3, and for good reason, to emphasize God’s main purpose, that He be whole-heartedly praised by all the people. “Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.” With this verse, the prayer is completed, and during this millennial kingdom it will finally, and fully, be answered, and we will witness Christ’s wonderful and God-glorifying work.

Psalm 67:6 gives another result of Christ’s amazing and perfect work, that “the earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us.” Now we’re talking about agriculture, for the blessings during this kingdom age are not just spiritual but also physical. Psalm 65:9-13 tells us, “You visit the earth and cause it to overflow… You prepare their grain, for thus You prepare the earth… The meadows are clothed with flocks.” The creation, being freed from its slavery to corruption (Romans 8:19-22), will be both picturesque and productive, a beautiful display of God’s work, a glory to God and a blessing to us. “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all it contains; let the fields exult, and all that is in it.” Psalm 96:10-12

The last verse assures us that this prayer will be answered, for “God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.” God will bless both Jewish people and glorified saints, for their good, and so the world will fear Him and give Him glory. Can you imagine being with Jesus Christ and fellow believers for one thousand years? Wow! What a great, God-glorifying time this will be! “Every knee will bow… and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11  

P.S. I cannot say it enough, that as Christians, we need to have perspective if we are to rightly live for our Lord and Savior. Here are two previous posts that will help you see the big picture of your life, and of God’s working: “Jesus Christ, the Savior, Judge, Redeemer and King,” and “This Age is Coming to an End, and Then a New Age Will Begin.”

Worshiping the KING – The Greatest Celebration Ever

September 6, 2019 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #134 ~

You have been to celebrations, birthday parties, weddings and graduations. They are joyous and exciting events, giving recognition and honor to a particular person or two. But they cannot compare to the millennial kingdom, when Christ will be King over all the earth, and when you will be part of the greatest celebration ever. Psalm 47 describes this most important aspect of the coming age, the glorious praise that will be given to our great God and King, and the reasons why He will be receiving this praise.

Verse 1 starts off with a command given to the entire earth, “O clap your hands, all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy.” The whole world, every single person, is to be greatly rejoicing, celebrating, giving wholehearted praise to God. Verse 2 tells us why, “For the Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.” It will be clearly evident that God is the Lord is the King, and in fact, the greatest King; and finally, He is on earth, ruling over the world, over every square inch, and over every living creature. In all the earth, He is the Most High, the One to be feared, respected, and given glory and praise. Not only is He God, but He is Jesus Christ, the One who was victorious over sin and Satan and, therefore, has the right to rule over the world. Revelation 5:1-9

Verses 3-4 give us another reason why Jesus Christ is to be honored and praised. It is that He, the great King, the Lord Most High “subdues people under us.” And who is “us”? It’s the Jewish believers living in Israel during this kingdom age. Because of God’s special love for Israel, God subdues peoples and nations, choosing them to be Israel’s inheritance, that is, the glory of Jacob. The privileged prominence and place of the Jewish people will be obvious during this kingdom age, for during this time, Israel, along with glorified believers, will be ruling over the world (Revelation 5:10). And like the Jews and the believers, these people and nations, are to praise the Lord. Psalm 117 also tells us this: “Praise the Lord, all nations; laud Him, all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us.” Romans 15:10 repeats this truth: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”

Psalm 47:5 continues with the exaltation of Christ, telling us, “God has ascended with a shout, the Lord, with the sound of the trumpet.” Christ the King will have ascended to His throne, most likely, at the beginning of this kingdom age. Psalm 48:1-2 gives us more details: “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great King.” You see, Jesus is in the city of Jerusalem and, as the King, has triumphantly gone up to His throne, for everyone in the world to see. There’s also the trumpet blast, the “shofar” having sounded forth for everyone in the world to hear.

Then what happens? Five times, I am telling you, five different times it says, “Sing praises.” “Sing praises to God… sing praises… sing praises to our King… sing praises… sing praises with a skillful Psalm” (verses 6-7). One of the themes of this Psalm is that we are to worship the King, to glorify Him, and here, the people are instructed to sing to Him. Can you imagine what this will be like? I don’t believe we know for sure who will be singing. But nevertheless, it will be an awesome experience, a most majestic and glorious time, as we sing to the King. It says with a skillful psalm, which means the music and words of this praise song will be wonderfully and perfectly suited for our King.

The main theme of this Psalm is stated again: “God is the King of all the earth.” Yes, God is presently the King of the whole universe (Daniel 4:34-35). But during this millennial kingdom age, Jesus Christ will be King in a direct, visible, powerful and more glorious way, and the whole world will know that He is the King. Christ will be sitting on His throne in Jerusalem and, with absolute authority, He will be reigning, making loving, righteous and wise decisions, sovereignly working through His people, which includes the Jewish believers, and us, and all the glorified believers. Psalm 47:7-8

Some of these people Christ is ruling with are described in verse 9. They are “princes,” the noble ones, the willing servants of God, gathered together in Jerusalem. They are “shields,” God’s royal guard, some of the King’s armed forces, and they are attending and assisting the King (perhaps these are the 144,000 Jews spoken of in Revelation 7:4-8). This Psalm fittingly concludes, “He is highly exalted.” Indeed, Christ will be exalted on His throne and exalted in people’s hearts, for He is the “great King over all the earth.”

Might this picture of our future, of this most exhilarating and Christ-exalting celebration, fire up your heart, and fill you with extreme joy and hope, knowing that you will be on the earth at this time, worshiping and serving our Savior, Lord, and King. And remember, it’s all about the King and His glory, and even now, during this age, He is “greatly to be praised.” “Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised.” Psalm 145:2-3

P.S. I just finished a two-part sermon series on how you are to love God: “Loving God” and “Loving God With All You’ve Got.” When you get time, I would strongly encourage you to listen to them, for it is the Great Commandment. And here’s a previous post that relates directly to this theme of Jesus Christ receiving all the praise and glory: “The Glory of God – The Most Important Thing of All.”

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