What If? – Part 1
Is it panic time yet? The Covid-19 virus has turned our world upside down?
What use to be is no more, what was the “norm” is now social distancing, what play dates and family get togethers are now video chat, what visiting your dying relative in person is now viewing that person outside the window, and what meeting fellow Christians at church is now a drive up service in a car or by the computer.
We have shows on television to help cope with our spouses and children in these troubling times. We have the daily dose of news on the amount of deaths in our countries, what states have the following openings and closings whether it be for business or pleasure and what we need to expect in the coming weeks to prepare us.
Who would have thought? Restaurants closed, hospital employees furloughed, giant retailers filing bankruptcy, grocery stores out of everyday items, food hoarding, limits on meat bought, the airline industry near bankruptcy, car industry sitting on massive inventories and offering extended terms and no payments for three months, banks not extending credit to buy property, no sporting events, no entertainment events and the government providing the bailout to families in the form of a stimulus check.
Here in the USA, we thought 2001 was the time to panic with the attack on the twin towers, pentagon and possibly the white House. Things calmed for the next few years and then 2008 rolled around with the collapse of our financial network. Wall Street, the government and financial institutions fell and fell quickly with the looming possibility of the next depression.
Now fast forward to 2016 and the years of prosperity, a sense of security and growth with very little unemployment and then bang! 2020 and the COVID-19 virus. Yes, this virus has affected each person socially, physically and economically and will make life as we knew it, a thing of the past. But what if?
What if there was a place that supplied perfect peace, no wars, divine healing, a great increase in wealth and ending of crime, a scriptural money system, private property, knowledge will abound, the world as we know it will be physically transformed with no pestilence or crop failures.
What if man could live in harmony with man and love his neighbor as himself? What if man could pet a lion, leopard or rattlesnake and not be attacked? What if all people had a house to live, food to eat and lived safely with no crime? What if there was no cancer, colds, COVID-19, plagues, heart attacks and no doctors or nurses? What if there was no blindness, no deafness, no loss of limb, no loss of the senses? What if there was a place where everyone got along, loved one another, worked together and were filled with joy and happiness?
No, I’m not talking about the song, “Imagine” by John Lennon but a place that is real and is yours if you want to live there. Ah, you must be talking about Heaven, is that correct?
Well, kind of, but I’m talking about Heaven on Earth and I am providing the setting that is in the Bible of what Heaven on Earth will be like. Heaven on Earth will have the following:
- A King.
- A land or territory administered by the King.
- People who are citizens of the Kingdom.
- A code of law by which the affairs of the people of the Kingdom are administered.
Turn with me to Daniel 7:13-14 (FF) as we establish the what if one by one: “ I continued watching in the vision (Daniel) of the night, and saw in the clouds of heavens one who was like a Son of Man, who advanced to the SPLENDOR OF TIME, and was introduced to him, and he gave him a Dominion, and Glory, and Kingship; and all Nations and Peoples and Languages bowed to him. His Dominion will dominate forever, and not pass away, and his Empire will not be destroyed.”
As a double witness, turn to Micah 4:3 (NIV) He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide; They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
The world, as we know today will—Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15: 24-26 (NIV) Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
As the result above this what will happen: Isaiah 45:23 (NIV) By myself I have sword, my moth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. And again the double witness: Romans 14:11 (NIV) It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’”
Exciting News to each of you reading this column—There is no “What if” but when our Saviour comes to receive his kingdom here on earth. Make no mistake that Jesus is coming to establish his kingdom but to receive his kingdom.
Sounds confusing, no, stop and think for a moment—Go back to the Old Testament and follow the progress of the kingdom people where they were blessed by Jacob in Egypt, laws to be governed were given to Moses, throne established when David was anointed King and people were identified when Abraham was told his seed would inherit the earth. The complete history is there in the Old Testament.
Folks, we have established the first criteria of Heaven on Earth which is having a King and that King is Jesus Christ. Turn with me to Isaiah 9: 6-7 (NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, And he will be called wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Truly, in the midst of chaos and fear, we have the Rock and Savior to cast our troubles away and not worry about the what if, for we know that Jesus will soon be here to receive his kingdom.
As you are “social distancing” or staying inside, take time to read the Bible and learn about the riches of God. The next column will tackle the land or territory administered by the King.
We have established who the King is and what the king will do in 1 Corinthians 15:24-26—But where will the King return?
May God Bless you and may bless God in all things, for God is ALL in ALL.
Jeff