The Kingdom Is Our Rock!!!

Matthew 16

We are walking in today:  The Kingdom Is Our Rock!!! 

 Witness approach throughout the Bible:  H5066--nagash--to draw near, 

Num 4:19 But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach H5066 unto the most holy things: Aaron and his  sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and  to his burden:

   

The Torah  ...............
  Deuteronomy 20:2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach H5066 and speak unto the people,

 

The prophets  ..................
   2 Samuel 11:20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh H5066 unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?

The writings  ...........................
   Job 40:19 He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make  H5066 his sword to approach H5066 unto him.

Jeremiah 30:21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach H5066 unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach H5066 unto me? saith the LORD.

Matthew 16:13  When Yeshua came into the territory around Caesarea Philippi, he asked his talmidim, “Who are people saying the Son of Man is?”

THE FINAL KINGDOM

When Yeshua came, He spoke of the rock. One day He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matt. 16:13). After their reply, He got more personal.

Yeshua was using a play on words here. The name Peter, or petros in Greek, means “stone” as in a small rock. When Yeshua said “rock,” however, He used the word petra, which refers to a large boulder.

Yeshua Himself was the “rock” upon which His Church would be built. He Himself was the rock in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream that crushed all the kingdoms of the earth to dust. His is the Kingdom made without human hands that will last forever.

THE CHARACTER OF THE KINGDOM

Chapter seven of the Book of Daniel relates a dream and vision that came to Daniel himself that reveals the character and awesome majesty of the Kingdom of God. Daniel saw a procession of four frightening beasts rising from the sea.

These four beasts, and the fourth one in particular, represent the demonic and satanic forces that lie behind the power, wickedness, and corruption of many kingdoms of the world.

What follows assures us of both the certain defeat of HaSatan and the absolute triumph of the Kingdom of God.

Daniel 7:9-14
9 “As I watched, thrones were set in place; and the Ancient One took his seat. His clothing was white as snow, the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, with wheels of burning fire. 10 A stream of fire flowed from his presence; thousands and thousands ministered to him, millions and millions stood before him. Then the court was convened, and the books were opened. 11 “I kept watching. Then, because of the arrogant words which the horn was speaking, I watched as the animal was killed; its body was destroyed; and it was given over to be burned up completely. 12 As for the other animals, their rulership was taken away; but their lives were  prolonged for a time and a season. 13 “I kept watching the night visions, when I saw, coming with the clouds of heaven, someone like a son of man. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14 To him was given rulership, glory and a kingdom, so that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His rulership is an eternal rulership that will not pass away; and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

A PEEK INTO THE HEAVENLY REALM

The “Ancient of Days” in verses 9 and 13 is a reference to God the Father, eternal, without beginning or end. His white clothing speaks of His purity and holiness, while the white of His hair suggests the wisdom of the ages. Blazing flames and the river of fire also symbolize God’s purity and holiness, as well as His majesty and power.

The Ancient of Days took His seat in the midst of thrones —thousands of them. Thrones are for rulers, and these thrones were the seats of authority for the kingly citizens of the Kingdom, the King’s court. Daniel saw many kings, but then the King of kings entered, and all the focus was on Him.

Thousands attended Him, as befitted such a great King. These verses at least imply that those who occupied the thrones around the King were also among those who attended Him. Here was a scene unlike anything ever found on earth: kings attending the King; rulers taking care of the Ruler.

Earthly kings have servants and advisors attending them. The King of kings, the Ancient of Days, has kings as His attendants.

THE FINAL DESTRUCTION AND THE SON OF MAN

What this means for us is that, even though HaSatan and the forces of darkness are still around to harass us if we let them, their power and authority over us have been broken. They have already been judged. Their final destruction awaits the consummation of all things with the return of Christ, but it is as certain as though it had already happened.

This is why we do not have to surrender to defeat or despair or helplessness in our daily lives.

We can live in victory and walk in confidence because the power of our enemy has been broken. The Lord has given us authority over him. We are among those seated in judgment over him with the King.

“One like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven” approaches the Ancient of Days and is led into His presence. This is a direct reference to Yeshua, 500 years before He was born. Yeshua’s preferred title for Himself was the “Son of Man.”

Through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, Yeshua the Son of Man conquered satan and broke his power and authority forever.

With this victory He entered heaven triumphantly where He was given “authority, glory and sovereign power,” was worshiped by people of all nations, and ruled “an everlasting dominion,” a Kingdom that will never be destroyed.

THE SAINTS GET THE KINGDOM

Daniel 7:15-18 15 “As for me, Dani’el, my spirit deep within me was troubled; the visions in my head frightened me. 16 I approached one of those standing by and asked him what all this really meant. He said that he would make me understand how to interpret these things. 17 ‘These four huge animals are four kingdoms that will arise on earth. 18 But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, yes, forever and ever.’

Although the four beasts represented four human kingdoms that were to arise, that is not the most important point. What’s important is the promise in verse 18 that the saints—the children of God—will receive and possess His Kingdom forever, infinitely longer than the tenure of worldly kingdoms, no matter how great and powerful they may appear.

MAN FORFEITS THE KINGDOM

What did we (the human race) lose at the fall—heaven?

No. We did not come from heaven, nor were we created for heaven. We were created from the dust of the earth to rule over the earth. What we lost at the fall was not heaven, but the Kingdom.

Yeshua died on the cross and rose from the dead not so much to take us to heaven as to bring us back into possession of the Kingdom we lost. When we receive it, we will possess it forever and ever.

HaSatan will fight against our restoration and his loss of power with everything he’s got. This is the conflict that lies behind the rise and activities of the fourth beast.

As before, however, the focus of this passage is not on the oppressive power and cruelty of this beast, but on his certain and complete destruction, and the coming of the saints into the eternal Kingdom.

Verse 27 mentions three specific things that the children of God will receive when they come into the Kingdom:

• Sovereignty • Power and • Greatness.

When Yeshua restored the Kingdom to us, He did not give us a pretty façade with nothing inside. Along with the Kingdom He gave us power: power to overcome, prosper, live in victory, be joyful, and to fulfill our potential.

Finally, with the Kingdom comes greatness. Man was created in God’s image, the crowning glory of His creative activity, designed to rule over the earthly domain. As lost and fallen sinners, we still bear God’s image, but only a faint shadow of our former glory. When we are restored to the Kingdom, we are restored to greatness, because we return to the place and environment for which we were created.

CHAPTER SEVEN PRINCIPLES

• God’s scepter—the defining characteristic of His rule—is justice.

• We can live in victory and walk in confidence because the power of our enemy has been broken.

• Yeshua died on the cross and arose from the dead, not so much to take us to heaven as to bring us back into possession of the Kingdom we lost.

• As children of God, we receive three specific things when we come into the Kingdom: sovereignty, power, and greatness.

• Within the scope of our delegated sovereignty, we have absolute authority.

• When we are restored to the Kingdom, we are restored to greatness, because we return to the place and environment for which we were created.

“The greatest discovery is self-discovery.”

Shema Selah, our return to the Rock of Ages is our return to the Kingdom and principles of the King of Kings!! Ahyah Asher Ahyah!!