An Oft Misunderstood Text

This is one of the most misinterpreted texts in all the bible. Part of the problem is with the above translation. This verse is not saying that if godly parents raise their children in the way of the Lord, then they will not depart from it, even when they are old. But, it does not reflect reality and cannot therefore be the right interpretation. The fact is, many godly people in the bible who trained up their children in the right way, still had children who did not follow in that way throughout their lives and died in that state. 

Josh Niemi, in a recent Internet article (see here) wrote the following on this oft misinterpreted text (emphasis mine):

"Proverbs 22:6 is not a promise that your children will return to the Lord if you raise them right. It's a warning that if you coddle your child's sinful tendencies, you will raise a financial fool."

I totally agree with this proposition.

He says further:

"Proverbs 22:6 stands as perhaps one of the most beloved of all parenting verses in Scripture, stating, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” This verse has been used to provide hope for an untold number of parents who find themselves grieving over a wayward son or daughter, as it is understood to be a promise that their child will ultimately return to the Lord. And who wouldn’t want such encouragement? The grief of seeing anyone far from the Lord is heartbreaking enough; it’s compounded when it’s your own son or daughter. 

 

But here’s the truth: Proverbs 22:6 also stands as one of the most misunderstood and misused verses in Scripture, right up there with Matthew 7:1 (“Judge not!”) and Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all things!”). With so much emotional and spiritual weight hanging on this one proverb, it’s worth setting the record straight. After all, not only should we strive to glorify God in our handling of His Word, but we also want to make sure that our lives can profit from this verse—which means we need to get it right. 

 

So, what is this passage actually telling us? And how should we train up our children in light of it?"

Agreed.

He says further:

"The question then becomes, What kind of instruction is given to the child? This is where most of the misunderstanding is.

Survey most English translations and you’ll see the phrase “…in the way he should go” as the basis or standard of instruction. But, as Dan Phillips points out, a literal translation would actually say “on the mouth of his way,” which is a Hebrew way of saying “according to his will.” That’s because the dictates of the mouth express the desires of the will (cf. Matt. 12:34, Luke 6:45). In fact, if you check the footnotes of the New American Standard Bible, you’ll see the translators note that the phrase could be rendered “according to his way.”

In addition, though, we see that a vast majority of English versions put the modifier “should” in front of the word “go,” which implies a moral quality to the instruction. Here again is a problem.

Dan Phillips addresses this:

This flaw is nearly fatal, all by itself. It is simply this: Solomon provided no modifier beyond the pronoun. That’s right. There is nothing in the Hebrew text—not one word, syllable, jot or tittle—that corresponds to or justifies the “should go” that most translations insert. The only word that modifies “way” is the pronominal suffix meaning “his” (darko). This is a simple fact of reading, not an interpretive assertion.[6]

In other words, this passage isn’t about raising a child according to the way he “should” go. Solomon wasn’t talking about the way a child ought to be trained up (which would obviously be in accordance with God’s Law). It’s unfortunate that the translators felt comfortable inserting that word when it weighs so heavily on the interpretation. With that in mind, the next question you might be thinking is, Then according to whose way was Solomon speaking? With only one person preceding the pronoun “his,” we can conclude that Solomon was speaking of training up a child according to the child’s way (in grammatical terms, “child” is the nearest referent/antecedent).

So, what does it look like to train up a child according to the child’s way? Truth be told, it doesn’t take much searching of Scripture to determine what a child’s way is like. In fact, in the exact same section—only nine verses later—Solomon said this: “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child” (Prov. 22:15). Using the same Hebrew word na’ar, he described a child’s heart just as we would expect it to be as a result of the Fall: depraved, sinful, naive, and ultimately… foolish.

Taken together then, Solomon essentially said, “Train up a child according to his own foolish way…” From that phrasing alone, what’s clear is that this is not intended to be a heartwarming proverb, but a heart-warning proverb. Rather than soul-settling, it’s soul-sobering. The conditional clause makes it clear that this is the beginning of a caution, not a comfort. Whereas the biblical parent raises his child according to God’s way, the negligent parent goes along with his child’s way."

Well, I couldn't have said it better myself. This is what I am sure is the right interpretation of the text.

He says further:

"So, how does Solomon’s warning end? What will happen if a parent raises a child according to the child’s own sinful tendencies? 

 

“…Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

The phrase “even when” represents a hypothetical situation, better understood as “even if…”[7] According to Solomon, since fools often die young, it’s rare that one manages to live to old age (cf. Prov. 10:21, 11:19, et. al.). Next, the pronoun “he” once again refers back to the child, indicating the same subject is in view. Finally, the “it” (a neuter feminine pronoun) refers to the situation in the first clause: living according to his own foolishness.[8] 

Putting it all together: Even if the child manages to grow old, he will not depart from his own foolish way.

If a child is trained up according to his way (raised how he wants, a way that coincides with his natural fallenness), Solomon warns us that the child will not simply “grow out of it,” but will instead maintain his futile thinking on into adulthood. (Prov. 29: 15)" 

Well, amen. People need to know that this is the right interpretation of the text.

Our author concludes:

"In any area of life, if you let your child’s immature heart pilot the ship, don’t be surprised when it capsizes."

What think ye?

When Stones Speak

 As we come to a most solemn time of year, the time of year when Jesus would carry the largest burden anyone has ever carried, I was reading in Luke 19:40, where Jesus had entered Jerusalem, in what we call Palm Sunday. For some reason, I had never connected the dots as to the literality of Jesus' words.

Jesus had entered the city with the crowds waving palms, welcoming Him as King as he rode on a donkey. The Pharisees rebuked Jesus and told him to rebuke his disciples for their adoration and praise of him. Jesus made a curious statement saying, "I tell you, that if they remain silent, these very stones would cry out". While Jesus was talking about the events of that specific day, I believe he was talking about the future as well. There was coming  another time later that week, where there would be silence from his disciples, and the crowds that had praised him, would also be silent. What began with praise would soon turn into condemnation. The next few days Jesus was where we have all been at one time, between great joy and on the way to great sorrow.

Behind him was his sermons, in front of him his suffering.

Behind him his parables, in front of him his passion.

Behind him his suppers of fellowship in front of him his supper of betrayal.

Behind him the delights of galilee, in front of him dark gethsemane.

Behind him raising of  palms, in front of him the ridicule of a purple robe.

Prophecy would now become practice.

But what about those stones Jesus spoke about? In Matthews Gospel in chapter 27, he tell us that when Christ died, the earth shook, the rocks split open, and the tombs of many saints were opened. Keep in mind that tombs were made of stone. So had Jesus actually predicted the earthquake that occurred when he died? I believe so! His disciples were silent and hidden. The cheering crowds had disappeared. The greatest miracle that had ever come to this planet had just happened, the miracle of God's overwhelming love, and undeserved grace  had just been shown to the world. The world rejected it, so the very stones had cried out! Some stones cried out in mourning as rocks were split, while other stones cried out in victory as tombs were split open, giving resurrection life to saints that had died. Three days later, another stone would cry out amid darkness and silence, the very stone that had sealed Jesus in the tomb, for it was rolled away like lightning, as the Roman guards fell down like dead men!

So do stones speak? I believe they do. The sad thing about that, is that when they speak, it's because we are silent. When they speak, it's because we have become hard in our heart. I am reminded of something Charles Spurgeon once said. When speaking of Christ's death he said "Yet they were rent at the sight of Christ's death. Men's hearts did not respond to the agonizing cries of the dying Redeemer, but the rocks responded. He did not die for rocks. Yet rocks were more tender than the hearts of men, for whom he shed His blood."

When that stone cried out in praise, as it was rolled away from the tomb, there were no disciples there to hear it. The only ones who heard, were the ones who were there to keep the stone in place, the Roman guards. What a shame that the only ones to hear that stone cry out and roll away, were there to keep it from crying out. This tells me, that I don't ever want to hear any stones crying out! For when they do, it means I have been silent!

                                                                                                   

Carry The Blessed Gospel

Recently I posted a link to a singing video of a good song by the Mylon Hayes family (see here). Well, here is another by them, one which I sent to a few others by email (as I regularly do), and one which my Hardshell brothers need to hear as respects the message. 

It is titled "Carry The Glorious Gospel" (listen to it here). I hope you practice what is preaches.

"How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, 

and bring glad tidings of good things!"

(Romans 10: 14)

Prayers Needed

My wife still needs your prayers since she came off ventilation in January. I also particularly need your prayers as I am in bad shape with enlarged heart and chest pains. The doctors are running many tests to find out what is going on. I am losing weight quickly, and I have no appetite. I stay in bed nearly all the time and is the reason for my not continuing my writing. More tests are ongoing. Pray that they find the cause. I had a heart stress test done and it shows low probability for another coronary blockage. My blood pressure is being addressed. Having some kidney problems (just like father). 

If I die of congestive heart failure, I want all to know that I will be waiting on the other side of Jordan for all of you, and I will be with Jesus. Hallelujah. 

NAGALAND : FROM HEADHUNTERS TO BAPTISTS

 Several years ago I heard about the nation of Nagaland. It is situated between India and Burma, and although a "protectorate" of India, it considers itself a sovereign nation, with its own constitution, laws, police and schools. The people are from more than 18 different tribes, with none of them being related to Indians ethnically and each having their own language. So what makes this place worth writing about?

In 1859 Edward Clark was ordained a Baptist minister, after marrying his wife, Mary in 1858. He had an encounter with Christ at age 14, received baptism at a Baptist church, declaring at an early age that he would follow wherever Christ would lead him. In 1871 he went to Nagaland with his wife, after losing their only child, a daughter. They would remain in Nagaland for the rest of their lives.

In 1872, Clark baptized 15 converts, the first Christians of any type in Nagaland. The country was made up of indigenous tribes, all of which practiced some sort of animist religion, and  practicing headhunters. So why was Clark the first Christian missionary to go to Nagaland? It is because he was the first brave enough to go! At that time Nagaland was technically a conquered territory of the British Empire, but the Anglicans declined to evangelize the area because of how remote and dangerous it was. Any foreigner ran the risk of losing his head, and the heads of a white person was prized above all others, as it was thought to give the warrior special power. Those 15 converts were marked for death by the local tribesmen, as they had abandoned the religion of their ancestors. God's providence prevailed, and Clark gained more and more converts, baptizing 190 in 1905. Headhunting was still practiced by some as late as the  1960's,  but after 1970 all 18 tribes had become more than 90% Christian. After the Baptists had made Nagaland safe, other groups filtered in, but none gained a strong foothold among the people. Today 90% of Nagaland is Christian, and more than 80% are Baptists. Think  of these statistics. The U.S. state Mississippi  is 55% "Baptist", while Nagaland is over 80%, and all this happened in a span of less than 100 years!

When Nagaland declared its independence, it  affirmed in the preamble to its Constitution, the sovereignty of God and the entrustment of the nation to Him. If by the grace of God, southeast Asia and China ever rids itself of communism, Nagaland is poised and praying to "conquer" the hearts of the people for Jesus! Nagaland has the largest Christian church of any kind , with a weekly attendance of over 10,000, the Sumi Baptist Church in Zunheboto. Many churches in the remote regions, still sing with no instruments, and sound amazingly like an old country Baptist church here in the USA. 

What do I want us to see in this? I want us to see what a truly Christian nation looks like. Not a theocracy by law, but a Monarchy of Grace! See this video made during the lockdown of COVID. The capitol city's police force stand in the streets singing, "When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder I'll Be There" and "Are You Washed In the Blood"! See here,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYfFyUqn3Ak. In the next video, you can watch a news story of Easter celebrations in Nagaland. Notice how respectful the reporter is, even referring to the Savior as "the LORD Jesus Christ"! Also notice the woman who actually declares the Gospel in her prayer, without being censored. Do you think any newscast in the USA would ever show that kind of respect? Watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHrIMJejpDk

In closing, let us be reminded that God will always have a people. We are nothing special, and if we abandon God, as current trends suggest, He has "others not of this fold". Praise the Name of the Lord!

Beliefs about the Afterlife (LIII)

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, 

and I will be his God and he shall be My son." 

(Rev. 21: 7)

"the promise of eternal inheritance" 

(Heb. 9: 15)

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" 

(Matt. 5: 5)

The kingdom is essentially connected with the new heavens and earth and with the time when the children of God receive their inheritance, which as we have seen, occurs after the rapture of living believers and the resurrection of the bodies of the saved dead. This is when saints receive their full inheritance and "inherit all things." This is also when the kingdom of God and heaven have fully come. Needless to say, these are fascinating things to muse upon! 

Not until the present heavens and earth are destroyed by fire, as previously focused upon in this series, will the new heavens and earth come into being. The fire is intended to purge the heavens and earth. The inheriting of the earth, mentioned in the above texts, is obviously yet future. Further, the new heavens and earth of the first age of the ages of the ages (i.e. the thousand years of Revelation chapter twenty) is not the new heavens and earth of Revelation chapter twenty one, but rather are the new heavens and earth of Isaiah and the prophets (as we have previously seen from scripture). 

When Christ comes he will end this age, and this earth and heavens, and make great changes to the environment, to nature and to the physics of things. It will be the time when the dead bodies of all the saved will come forth from the dust and be regenerated or made to live again, as we have seen and upon which we will have more to say. It is when they will become immortal in their entire being and be in an immutable and blessed holy state from which they will not be able nor desirous of changing. 

This kingdom of heaven on earth will be in many ways a magical kingdom in that many displays of supernatural power will be at work in the millennial age and in the ages that follow. But, more on that later.

Children of God will inherit everything? How great an exaltation for sinners is that? That has not yet occurred, as we will see. Believers in Christ do receive a "partial payment" or "deposit" in the receiving of the Holy Spirit, but it is only a small portion of the whole, as we will see.

The Inheritance of the Saints

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (I Peter 1: 3-5)

The Apostle Peter affirms a number of things about the inheritance of the children of God. 

First, he says that the inheritance is for those who have been born again, i.e. for people who are born to it. So Paul wrote, saying "the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children." (II Cor. 12: 14 kjv) God the Father likewise has laid up a great inheritance for his begotten children, begotten by being united to Christ by faith and repentance, or by evangelical conversion. This is in keeping with the teaching of Christ to Nicodemus, in John chapter three, who likewise taught that one must be born again of the Spirit in order to see or enter the kingdom of God, or inheriting it, together with the earth and heavens, yea, of all things, with which it is connected. (3: 1-7) 

Second, he affirms that the inheritance is "incorruptible" (not perishable) and "undefiled" (without pollution, either moral or physical; the Greek word is only used here), and "does not fade away" (Greek word only used here; the inheritance will not rust, erode, or in any way deteriorate). The inheritance is secure and cannot be lost. The idea is that the inheritance will last forever. It will not be able to be squandered as the Prodigal Son did his inheritance. (See Luke 15: 11-32)

Barnes in his commentary on the meaning of the inheritance being "undefiled" says: "it will not be such as will corrupt the soul, or tempt to extravagance, sensuality, and lust, as a rich inheritance often does here; it will be such that its eternal enjoyment will never tend in any manner to defile the heart." 

Third, the inheritance is viewed as not yet received, being viewed as yet future, the believer now having a down payment. The inheritance is "reserved in heaven." It will be "revealed in the last time." 

Fourth, the inheritance stored up in heaven is what is given equally to all those begotten of God. However, there are greater treasures and rewards for those believers who did "lay up treasures in heaven" (Matt. 6: 19-21) as they lived their lives for Christ. 

Fifth, the inheritance is "reserved in heaven"; The word "reserved" is from the Greek word "tēreō" and Vine says it means "to keep, to guard," is translated "to be kept in charge," in Act 24:23; 25:4, RV (AV, "kept")." The idea is that the inheritance is secure, protected, and cannot be lost. It is the same idea that Jesus had in mind when he said:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matt. 6: 19-21KJV)

The Bank of Heaven is the safest place to put spiritual treasures. Direct your thoughts and longings toward heaven. All activities for Christ bring lasting reward, over and above the inheritance common to all God's children. If all the children receive the same inheritance, then no one has more reward than another? No, the rewards will be in addition to the common inheritance. They will add nothing to the inheritance, but will give those rewarded greater recognition and trophies. In earlier chapters we saw how each believer will receive his own reward according to his own labor, as the scriptures testify. (I Cor. 3: 8) 

In the following text, the apostle Paul speaks of reward in the same breath as inheritance.  

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." (Col. 3: 23-24)

So, is the inheritance a reward? Is it earned by serving the Lord as the context suggests? John Gill in his commentary wrote (emphasis mine):

"...and besides, there is no manner of proportion between: the best services of the saints, and eternal glory: to which may be added, that eternal life is the free gift of their heavenly Father to them, and is here called an inheritance, which never becomes the property of servants in a way of merit, but is the portion of children, from their Father's good pleasure. Wherefore the heavenly glory is such a reward as that it is an "inheritance"; or, as the Syriac version renders it, "in an inheritance"; it lies in an inheritance, an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fades not away, reserved in the heavens; and which is not got by industry, or obtained by the works of the law, nor bought with a price, but is a free bequest of God as a Father to his children; for an inheritance is peculiar to children, and this to the children of God, as these believing servants were; and which comes to them by and through the death of the testator; and it may be called an inheritance, because the heavenly glory is substantial, it is substance, a better and a more enduring substance than any inheritance in this world; and is a very plentiful possession and estate, it consists of all things, yea, God himself is the portion of his people, and they that are his children are heirs of God; there is not only a glory, but riches of glory, a plenty, a fulness of it in this inheritance; the way in which they come by it, is receiving it from Christ; "of the Lord ye shall receive it". It is in a way of receiving, and so by gift, as a man can receive nothing but what is given him; and as all grace is in a way of receiving, and therefore boasting in it is excluded, so glory is enjoyed in the same way, and from the same hands, even from Christ, the righteous Judge, that will give it; it is in him they obtain this inheritance, and are in him chosen and predestinated unto it; it is by his resurrection from the dead, and in consequence of it, that they through the power of his Spirit and grace are begotten unto it; it is his grace that makes them meet for it; and he has it in his hands for them; he is a feoffee in trust on their behalf, and is able to give it to them; and will at the last day introduce them into the full possession of it." 

Yes, it is a reward for being a child of God. It is a reward that Christ earned for his people and freely gives to them who believe in him. In one sense, it is reward, for it is given to those who are the servants of Christ, and is what makes all duty for Christ worth it all. However, in another sense, it is not reward, for it is all a result of God's gifting, workmanship, and grace. 

"Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14: 12-14 nkjv)

Heaven, and eternal life and bliss, makes all labors for Christ and for righteousness worth it all. So Paul reasoned with the persecuted Christians, saying: "for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven." (Heb. 10: 34 nkjv)

Though there is loss of reward, and of goods and possessions, in this life, yet not in the life to come. The Greek word for "substance" is "yparxis." It is used only two times, once translated as "goods" (Acts 2: 45) and as "substance" here. It denotes "possessions, goods, wealth, property." Strong says it means "existency or proprietorship, i.e. (concretely) property, wealth:—goods, substance." They represent the totality of "things which God has prepared for those who love him." (I Cor. 2: 9)

The texts at the heading of this chapter speak of the magnitude of the inheritance of the children of God. Everything belongs to them. They are "joint heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8: 17 kjv). Since he, as the Son of God incarnate, and as risen from the dead, is "the heir" (Matt. 21: 38, Mark 12: 7), "the heir of all things" (Heb. 1: 2), those who are his, by birth of the Spirit, are also "heirs of all things." 

So, we may conclude that eternal bliss and wealth comes from being united to Christ by a living faith, and which is symbolized in being married. When a wife marries her husband, all that he owns becomes her's by virtue of her betrothal. So they say to each other "With this ring, I thee wed, and all my worldly goods I thee endow." All the "goods" the believer will possess and enjoy throughout eternity are a result of this union and of the fact that Christ, the husband of every believer, is infinitely rich.

Questions

1. Does this mean that there will be no private property in the ages to come?

2. Will any have his or her own private domiciles or estates?

3. Will there be privacy of any kind? 

4. Being so rich, what will keep saints from being corrupted by heaven's treasures?

These are questions that deserved further investigation as we progress in this study.

Earnest of the Inheritance

"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." (Eph. 1: 11-14 KJV)

Notice from these inspired words what is said about the future eternal inheritance of believers. First, it is viewed as future, although an "earnest" of it is received in the lives of believers. Second, the greater part of the inheritance waits "until the redemption of the purchased possession" (full inheritance and full redemption are received in the resurrection day).  

Other translations render "earnest" as:

"who is a first installment of our inheritance" (Nasb) 

"the down payment of our inheritance" (Holman) 

"who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it" (ESV) 

When people sign a contract to buy a piece of real estate, they will give to the seller a down payment, or earnest money, to be held by the seller as a guarantee that the buyer will complete the deal by paying the full amount at a future specified date. The buyer agrees that if he does not pay that amount at such time, then the earnest money is forfeited to the seller. In the text above, God is the one acting as a buyer, or guarantee (surety), in his promises made to believers. He promises the believer an eternal rich inheritance and to guarantee its fulfillment he gives the believer the Holy Spirit, as a pledge that the inheritance is safe and reserved for each believer.

In the same chapter Paul speaks of "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints" (vs. 18). In the ages to come, God's redeemed people will be rich lords, judges, priests, and kings. They will rule and they will enjoy. Elsewhere he also speaks of "the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1: 12-14)

People of Adam's fallen race partake of the inheritance of the saints in light by having been converted, saved, and born again. This is when they were initiated into the Kingdom, a kingdom which is mostly yet future. This is a description of the eternal state of those who have been fully redeemed in the day of redemption when Christ returns. 

What we have established is that "inheriting the kingdom" and obtaining "eternal inheritance" at the resurrection and return of Christ are bonded together. What we are investigating is what all is included in this great inheritance.

Everyone who enters the coming millennial age under Christ in the kingdom of heaven and of God will spend part of their time in worship of God and communing with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. No doubt there will be stated times for various groups to meet for time of praise and worship and for a time to learn more of the ways of the Lord. 

There will also no doubt be times when the redeemed are able to do whatever they want in pleasurable pursuits. Whether this involves enjoying the arts, sports, games, or physical pleasures, yet awaits further investigation and musing.

There will also be times for them to perform their duties to the nations as God ordained priests, kings, lords, and judges. They will be the rulers, and be served by the nations over whom they rule. They will serve and be served when they enter into the joy of eternity. Of these things we will have some more to say in upcoming chapters. 

In a recent chapter in this series, we began with a list of questions about the new heavens and earth. One of them, number nine, queried - "Where will the resurrected children of God live in the new heavens and earth?" Answer: In the new heavens and earth, but specially in the New Jerusalem. About that we will have more to say. We will also look further into the question already queried which asks "How will they be involved with the ongoing human race?" 

To answer these questions requires some amount of time to inquire deeply into the scriptures that are connected with the subjects of those fascinating questions. Stay tuned as we ascend higher in our contemplations of life in eternity for the redeemed.

An Inspiring Song

"When Morning Sweeps the Eastern Sky" as sung by the famous Mylon Hayes Family. (Listen here)

This song affirms what I have been affirming from scripture in my series on the afterlife and on life in eternity. Here are the words. 

Christ is coming back to reign upon the earth again,
The saints are looking forward to the morning by and by.
We will have no Satan and no sorrow, fear, or pain.
When morning sweeps across the eastern sky.

Oh happy day in glory when morning sweeps the sky.
I'll bid the world and its sorrow goodbye (Oh, hallelujah)
Saints that are here will be caught up in the air
When morning sweeps across the eastern sky.

I'll be in the rapture with the ones who are supreme (or set free)
The saints to the morning glory by and by
What a happy meeting, what a mighty jubilee,
When morning sweeps across the eastern sky.

Oh happy day in glory when morning sweeps the sky.
I'll bid the world and its sorrow goodbye (Oh, hallelujah)
Saints that are here will be caught up in the air
When morning sweeps across the eastern sky.

Friends, I hope you can rejoice in these things.

Beliefs about the Afterlife (LII)

In the preceding chapters we spoke of what it means for Christ to be here on earth and welcomed as king and when his kingdom is realized in new heavens and new earth in the ages to come, including the coming Millennial age of Revelation chapter twenty. We showed that the miracles and supernatural works that Christ performed while on earth, during the time of his public ministry, are miniature examples of what life will be like in the coming ages. 

The Kingdom's Presence On Earth, in the person of King Jesus, will effect the very things that Christ was doing through his many miracles. 

Some of the miracles of Christ involved healing of every sickness and disease. To the extent that people were healed to that extent the kingdom was realized. In the Millennial age, and in the ages that follow, healing and excellent health will be the norm. On that we will elaborate further as we study more on civilization in the Millennial time of the kingdom and in the ages following in John's vision of new heavens and earth, particularly on picturing the lives of the glorified redeemed in the city of God, New Jerusalem. 

Some other miracles involved raising the dead. This too is what awaits the coming of Christ when all the righteous dead will be raised and their bodies, made glorious, will be reunited with their spirits, and have bodies incapable of infirmity or weakness or death. On that extensive part of this study, in upcoming chapters, we will study how resurrected believers will have immortal bodies and supernatural gifts and powers. 

Other miracles of Christ involved wonderful manifestations of omnipotence in the physical world, turning water into wine, multiplying loaves and fishes, cursing a fig tree, walking on water, etc. These abilities will be at work in the ages to come. The natural and the supernatural will not be so separated then as now. 

Further, other miracles of Christ involved the casting out of demons, of rebuking them, and controlling their doings. In the cleansing of the heavens they will be rid of every evil spirit. To the extent this work of Christ was advancing while he was here on earth, to that extent the kingdom of God had literally come. Christ's miracles were demonstrations of what the kingdom of God being present on earth will mean for the earth and for its occupants. This we showed earlier in this series. 

J.A. Seiss in "The Apocalypse" (Lecture forty eight - see here; emphasis mine)

"The regeneration is the making of Christ’s miracles universal. The miracles of Christ were the preintimations and beginning of the great Regeneration to come, and the new creation is simply those miracles carried out into universal effect."

It is in the Millennial Age that the saved of all the nations (up to the time of Christ' return) will see such a renewed world, one being exemplified in the miracles of Christ. 

In upcoming chapters we will explore this fact even further, especially when focusing on the abilities of the glorified immortal bodies of the resurrected believers.

Just as there are old testament singular prophecies of the coming Messiah that have a dual fulfillment (1st and 2nd comings), so too of the prophecies of new heavens and earth (Millennial and the ages thereafter), and of the prophecies of the coming of Elijah (John the Baptist and Elijah personally).

Amillennialists will often cite scriptures from the new testament which state that believers are said to be in the kingdom, and the kingdom in them, by their being incorporated into the visible church, or body of Christ, or else enjoying in some way the kingdom now. But, as we will see further, there is both a present aspect, or initial fulfillment of the kingdom of God, in the lives of Christians and their assemblies, and a future aspect. But, to say that such a present limited enjoyment of the kingdom nullifies a larger future fulfillment of the prophecies being fully realized on earth and in the heavens when Christ comes and begins the Millennial Age is untenable. 

Notice these words of Christ: "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you." (Matt. 12: 28 nkjv) Christ did not, however, cast out all the demons from our world, from the heavens, when he was here the first time. That will not happen till he comes the second time and binds the chief wicked spirit, Satan, the Old Serpent the Devil, as we saw from Revelation chapters nineteen and twenty. The "kingdom of God" was present with people in the person of the King, Jesus the Son of David and "the second Adam." 

Since the kingdom offer was rejected by the Messiah's covenant people, i.e. the Hebrews, in their rejection of him as their Messiah and King, the offer of the kingdom was withdrawn for the time and postponed until another time, to the time of Christ's return. The Jewish nation, by her leaders and by the majority of the people, said to their Messiah "We will not have this man to reign over us." (Luke 19: 14) Notice also these words of Christ:

"42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” 45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they [h]perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet." (Matt. 21: 42-46 nkjv)

The "nation" to whom it was given are described by the apostle Peter who wrote:

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (I Peter 2: 9-10 nkjv)

This chosen generation, royal priesthood, is the same as "holy nation," and in this text does not refer to "Israel after the flesh." (I Cor. 10: 18) They are those who have believed in Christ and made their calling and election sure (II Peter 1: 10). They were not of the people of God before they were called to the Christian faith.

Israel's widespread national acceptance of Christ did not occur at Christ' first coming but will at his second coming. Many prophecies point to a mass conversion of the Jewish nation to Christ when he appears the second time.

"25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own [f]opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be [g]saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy." (Romans 11: 25-31 nkjv)

This text clearly teaches that an end time conversion of the whole Jewish nation is to be expected, and that it will occur "when the fullness of the Gentiles" has been reached. So, Jesus said: "For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Matt. 23: 39 ESV)

Obviously then, there is a sense in which "the kingdom of God" (or "kingdom of heaven") was a present reality when 1) Christ the King was on earth, teaching, healing, etc., and 2) was a reality for individual Christians (Jew and Gentile) in the church or by the gospel. Christ declared the following things in support of this:

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." (Matt. 11: 12)

"The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it." (Luke 16: 16)

These texts show that the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God was in existence during the time of John's and Jesus' ministries. Certainly, as we have seen, it was truly present in the presence of King Jesus and present in the miracles and wonders he performed.

"Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 14: 16-17 nkjv) 

So, we can affirm, whether we be Amillennial, Postmillennial, or Premillennial, that since we have, to some degree, as believers in Christ, "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" we must therefore have also the kingdom within us and we within the kingdom. But, the error of some is to think that the present aspect or blessings of the promised kingdom of heaven in the lives of Christians and churches exhausts all that is promised to exist when the kingdom is fully come on earth. This is another case of dual fulfillment. Some kingdom blessings are enjoyed by believers in their lives on earth, in the assemblies of the saints, and in their private walk with the Lord. But, the kingdom blessings received in life by the child of God are only a foretaste, a sample, of what is to come. The best is yet to come when the kingdom of God is fully realized on earth in the lives of the redeemed. 

Future Kingdom

"And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5: 9-10 nkjv)

"And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." (20: 4) 

Amillennialists affirm that this reigning on earth with Christ as kings and judges by the saints is what is being fully experienced in the church or in the lives of believers. But, that is clearly a gross and false opinion. The reigning of the saints spoken of in these texts occurs after the resurrection of the bodies of the saints. That alone is enough to show that the idea of a present fulfillment of the reign of saints in the churches and lives of believers is all there is to it.

"25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I [k]shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we [l]may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire." (Heb. 12: 25-28 nkjv)

If one says that this prophecy of the saints "receiving a kingdom" is completely fulfilled in conversion, and in the present Christian life, the above text refutes it. The kingdom is not received till the time of the shaking of the heavens and earth, and that is future. 

The present tense verb of the words "are receiving" is a present tense participle. It is I believe what is called a "futuristic present tense." But, even if not, it is still true that believers do receive many things pertaining to the kingdom promised to the little flock in their lives for Christ, and yet will receive the greater part when they reign on earth a thousand years. 

Questions

1. So, what does it mean by the Lord "giving the kingdom"? 

2. Who is the "little flock"? 

3. Are they the only ones who are given the kingdom, or are there others? 

4. When is this kingdom given and when is it received and fully realized? 

5. Who will be the citizens of that kingdom?

6. How is the kingdom of God or Heaven related to the new heavens and earth?

7. How is the kingdom related to receiving the "eternal inheritance"?

8. Where will the resurrected believers live?

9. What will resurrected believers do?

10. What about their individual personas and unique identities?

11. How will glorified believers socialize and rule over the nations?

12. How will lust and natural depravity (original sin) be dealt with?

Some of these questions we have addressed already. Others will be answered in the next chapters.