Luke 22
Luke 22:29 Just as my Father gave me the right to rule, so I give you an appointment, 30 namely, to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom and to sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Isra’el.
ENTER THE KING AND THE KINGDOM--THE BIRTH OF THE KINGDOM ANNOUNCER
Matt. 3:1-3 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him’”.
John 1:23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord’”
Please note that John’s message was not about a religion, but the Kingdom of heaven. Why does John hold such a prominent position among the prophets? Because all the prophets before John spoke only of the coming of the Messiah King and the coming of the Kingdom, while John had the privilege of announcing, presenting, meeting and baptizing the King of the Kingdom.
UNDERSTANDING OUR ROLE AS KINGS
The birth of Yeshua was announced as the birth of a king, not a priest. This is very important because it emphasizes the primary focus of the mission of Yeshua and His purpose for coming to earth.
John 18:37 Yeshua answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me”.
John 19:12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Yeshua free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar”
Luke 4:43 But He said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent”
WHAT WAS THE MISSION AND PURPOSE OF YESHUA?
The greatest tragedy in life is not death: It is life without a purpose. The most important discovery in life is the discovery of purpose. Purpose is defined as the original intent or motivation for something. Purpose is also defined as the reason or desired result for the initiation or an action of production of a thing.
Without a clear understanding of purpose, life becomes an experiment. Where purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable. Without purpose, activity has no meaning and time and energy are misused.
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
This is why we must seriously and carefully consider, when discussing the most important subject of God’s purpose and plan for humanity, that we revisit the purpose, message, and assignment of Christ.
THE ORIGINAL MISSION OF YESHUA
His first public statement was made at the beginning of His earthly mission, when He was 30 years old, after being baptized by His cousin John the Baptist, and completing 40 days of fasting, during which He overcame HaSatan’s temptations to compromise His assignment:
From that time on Yeshua began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt. 4:17).
In other words, His first declaration was the introduction and arrival of a kingdom, not a religion. In essence, He brought a government to earth.
The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law (Luke 16:16-17).
I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it (Luke 18:17).
As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt. 10:7).
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you (Matt. 12:28).
Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants (Matt. 18:23).
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Matt. 24:14).
But He said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea (Luke 4:43-44).
This is in direct contrast with the focus on religious activity and religion’s preoccupation with going to heaven. It seems as if the message and priority of Yeshua was the occupation and reclamation of earth, rather than designing an escape hatch to heaven for mankind.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5).
It is interesting to note that the promise is for the inheritance of earth rather than heaven. Also His dominion of earth and its environment was declared by Yeshua as the return of the Kingdom of God to earth.
The message proclaims the opportunity for all mankind to regain its lost dominion over earth and its environment through the reception of the Holy Spirit of God and, consequently, the reconnection of earth with heaven. This is why it is called “good news” or gospel.
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you (Matt. 12:28).
To all those who believed in and followed Him, Yeshua restored their citizenship rights in the Kingdom of heaven and imparted His Spirit, so that they could represent Him and the government of heaven on earth.
To all those who believed in and followed Him, Yeshua restored their citizenship rights in the Kingdom of heaven and imparted His Spirit, so that they could represent Him and the government of heaven on earth.
HEAVEN’S AMBASSADORS ON EARTH
am·bas·sa·dor-
1. an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country:
synonyms: envoy · plenipotentiary · emissary · (papal) nuncio · representative · high commissioner · consul · consul general · diplomat · legate
2. a person who acts as a representative or promoter of a specified activity
synonyms: campaigner · representative · promoter · champion · supporter · backer · booster
God chose to communicate the message of His Kingdom throughout the earth: not through religious people, but through personal representatives. God’s chosen strategy for proclaiming His Kingdom was to employ ambassadors.
An ambassador is a political appointee whose job is to represent and speak for his or her home government before the rulers of other countries. In the eyes of those rulers, the word of an ambassador is the word of the government that he or she represents. Good ambassadors never speak their personal opinions, but only the official policies of the government that appointed them.
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN AMBASSADOR
• Appointed by the king, not voted into position;
• Appointed to represent the state or kingdom;
• Committed only to the state’s interests;
• Embodies the nation-state or kingdom;
• Totally covered by the state;
• Is the responsibility of the state;
• Totally protected by his government;
• Never becomes a citizen of the state or kingdom to which he is assigned;
• Can only be recalled by the king or president;
• Has access to all his nation’s wealth for assignment;
• Never speaks his personal position on any issue, only his nation’s official position; and,
• His goal is to influence the territory for his kingdom government.
Wowww!!!!! All of these qualities and characteristics are embedded in the message and ministry of the Kingdom of God and are perfectly exemplified by our Chief Ambassador (Secretary of State) or Messiah Yeshua!!
All of these also apply to each citizen of the Kingdom of heaven who has been appointed by the government of heaven to represent heaven on earth.
Yeshua said to them, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5:17).
Yeshua gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does (John 5:19).
Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me (John 6:57).
THE KINGDOM AND THE REPUBLIC:
de·moc·ra·cy
1. a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives:
synonyms: representative government · elective government · self-government · government by the people · republic · commonwealth
Democracy is an invention of man; it did not come from the Bible. For the same reason we also frequently have difficulty understanding the Bible, because the Bible is not about democracy. Since we live under a democratic system of government, we tend to assume that God is democratic.
The Bible teaches about a Kingdom ruled by God. A kingdom is diametrically opposed to a democracy. Living successfully in the Kingdom of God will require of us a complete mental reversal. We cannot be effective citizens of the Kingdom of God and continue to think democratically.
Shema Selah, let us reverse our democratic minds to the restored understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven!! https://www.facebook.com/fiveam.prayer/videos/1504929189585192/?l=1120552284242812658
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