January 2001

The kingdom of God is first and foremost a spiritual kingdom. To change us and the world all around us, the kingdom of God, which is the Spirit and power of God, must come from Heaven, or from the realm of Spirit, to the earth. When the Pharisees asked Jesus "when the kingdom of God should COME, he answered them and said, THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMETH (but) not with observation (Lu. 17:20). And when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a borrowed colt to demonstrate His kingship, the multitudes honored Him, proclaiming, "Blessed be THE KINGDOM of our father David, THAT COMETH in the name of the Lord" (Mk. 11:9-10). Therefore, the kingdom of God is that Spirit-power that COMES from Heaven, or from the realm of the Spirit of God, to the earth! And His kingdom comes to the earth in the Name of the Lord!

When we say the kingdom of God comes to the earth, we are also saying that Heaven comes to the earth. Or, some part of the realm of Spirit comes to the earth. Either way, we are saying the same thing. The coming of the kingdom of God to the earth is also the coming of the Spirit and power of God from Heaven to the earth in a greater way, and it is beginning to change things in this world. We will also see and understand, by the wisdom of the mind of Christ, that the kingdom of God comes to the earth progressively and in stages, beginning with Christ the Seed, and continues with the coming of the spiritual realm of our Father's throne to the earth.

We also understand that there are various levels of power and purpose in the one, great Spirit of God. The anointed Word of the Lord refers to that one, great Spirit as "the seven Spirits of God" (Rev. 1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6). Those seven Spirits are described in Isaiah chapter eleven, verse two. John, in the Spirit and by the Spirit, saw those seven Spirits before the throne of God, which shows that those seven Spirits are working, doing all our Father's will in the earth. Just as there are seven Spirits of God, each with a distinct purpose to fulfill in the kingdom of God, according to Father's will, so also are there various parts to the kingdom of God. Each portion of the kingdom of God has a distinct function to perform, as the sovereign purpose of our Father for the earth is being fulfilled. That sovereign purpose is to bring forth a new earth gloriously redeemed and wholly transformed; it is a new earth freed of man's corruption and of all sin and death.

Since the kingdom of God is the heavenly realm of Spirit, and consists of many parts, we may also see the kingdom in terms of the Heavens and its parts. In the heavenly realm, there is the new Jerusalem city of God. That spiritual Jerusalem is called "new," for it is patterned after the old city, and then raised above the lower, earthly plane to become heavenly or spiritual, yet retaining the typical parts of the old city. As the old city had its Mt. Zion, which also included the throne and the temple, so the new Jerusalem is similarly equipped, yet much more powerfully so because of the Spirit of God.

As the old city had a wall surrounding it, so the spiritual new Jerusalem "city" has a spiritual wall with twelve foundations, "and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Rev. 21:14). The Apostle Paul confirmed this truth. He told us the temple in the new Jerusalem realm of Spirit is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:20-22).

We become citizens of the new Jerusalem by being conceived of the Spirit and brought into the family of God, by the workings of His Spirit within us. When we become a part of the family of God, we also become living stones in the house or temple of the Lord, which is within the new Jerusalem "city" of God. Our spiritual lives are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets of the Lord, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner Stone. We are built upon a sure and firm foundation in the Spirit! And He Who is the chief corner Stone sustains this "house," and all the "living stones" of it, keeping them all together with the binding mortar of the Love of God!

The old city had gates for exit and entrance. The new Jerusalem "city" also has its "twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel" (Rev. 21:12). Therefore, the gates of the new Jerusalem "city" are the twelve tribes of Israel, who have been transformed to become manifest sons of God. Through Israel, or through those "gates," which they are, all the rest of the people of the world shall come into the kingdom of God. And all the overcomers, who come in through the "gates" of that new Jerusalem city, only ENTER through those "gates." Those spiritual "gates" are not designed to be used as an exit, for those overcomers "shall go no more out" of her (Rev. 3:12). All who enter those "gates" will remain within that gloriously adorned, spiritual "city" of God, to partake of the abundant riches and blessings of the kingdom of their Father.

If we properly understand that the kingdom of God is the power of God to redeem, restore and change, we will then also see that the Lord loses nothing and no one in this earthly process of the growth or increase of the kingdom of God. All the people of the twelve tribes of Israel in history are included in His kingdom. All those Israelites in history, who sinned, rebelled against the Lord, and rejected His Son, are now accepted in the beloved. All who are living now or who are in the grave, and who are without God in their lives, will also be changed and accepted among the beloved, for the Lord made provision for every one of them. All those who lived in the era before the cross of Christ have had the gospel preached to them while in the "prison" of the Lord's corrective judgments.

Thus, it is written, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he (Christ) went and preached unto the spirits in prison" (1 Peter 3:18-19). The Psalmist described that same event this way: "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive" (Ps. 68:18). And Paul also wrote to tell us, "Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth"(Eph. 4:9)?

In other words, Christ descended to the lower realm of the earth, or to the "prison" where the unredeemed souls were, that He might lead them out of that bondage and redeem them from their unbelief and from all their sins. The souls of all those people who died before the cross and without God in their lives, were not yet saved, for Jesus had not yet died on the cross for their salvation. So Christ, in the Spirit and by the Spirit, descended to the lower parts of the earth; He went into "Hades," which is the place or state where the departed, unredeemed souls were, and preached the Gospel to them. He did this in fulfillment of the sovereign plan of salvation, which was set forth by our Father before the foundation of the world. Those who heard that Gospel message and believed (vs. 14), were delivered of their sins and iniquities and set free from that "prison."

The first thing Christ did after the cross and while His earthly body (Jesus) was still lying in the grave, was to descend to the lower parts of the earth, that He might lead those captive people out of the bondage of that captivity. And since Christ descended to the lower earth (Hades), and preached to those bound and imprisoned captives, we know He was successful in leading them out of that bondage! In my spirit, I sense that the same Spirit of Christ is even now "preaching" the Gospel to all those departed souls who are now in that "prison" house of Father's corrective judgments. And He is setting those once-bound captives free, all those that is, who have been appointed to hear and believe His message of Good News, each in his own time, according to their due order in God (1 Cor. 15:23).

Paul wrote to the Romans, telling them about the need for the Gospel to be preached to all mankind. He then indicated that all have heard the Gospel, when he wrote, "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound (of those preaching the good tidings of the Gospel, vs. 15) went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world" (Ro. 10:18). This is the power and the glory of the kingdom of God! It is the same redemptive, restorative, kingdom power by which God shall ultimately save all mankind! Amen and amen!

In its/His first coming to the earth, the kingdom of God was planted as a seed within the hearts of the Lord's people (Lu. 17:20-21). Christ, the King, was planted as a Seed within us to bring us under the dominion of His Kingship and the power of our Father's throne. The purpose of that kingdom seed (Christ) being planted within our hearts was that we might come under the reign and dominion of Christ, the King. It is that we might be changed and made fit to reign with Christ in His kingdom. Christ reigns within us to change us. Contrary to man's erroneous opinion, He does not change us so He can reign within us. Throughout the two thousand years of the church age, it was our Father's declared purpose to prepare His elect remnant to rule and reign with Christ from His heavenly, spiritual throne.

During that time, the Lord made no attempt to save the multitudes of the world. Contrary to the false teachings of the preachers of the church system, it never was God's purpose during the previous ages to save the whole world. His only purpose during the church age was to take out a remnant from among the nations for His name, to serve His kingdom purposes in the earth (Acts 15:14-17). Through that elect remnant, the Lord will eventually save all mankind. Now, the Lord has that chosen and elect remnant set apart unto Him and His eternal purposes for the earth. Those elect ones have committed their lives to doing only and always the perfect will of their Father in all the earth.

The kingdom of God is a realm in God that comes from Heaven to the earth in the Name of the Lord. This means that the kingdom comes with all of Father's authority, all His holy purposes, as well as all His ability and power. All this comes spiritually from the Father out of Heaven to the earth, in the power and glory of the throne of His kingdom, to transform or to change everything everywhere. And since the kingdom of God is a spiritual power, or a power in and of the Spirit, that kingdom, with all its inherent power and authority, must come from Heaven to the earth to begin to change things. And let there be no doubt; this earth and everything in it and of it, must be and will be changed or transformed, to become the promised "new earth."

The Lord has a plan whereby He shall bring forth the new heavens and a new earth, and also to restore His people. The Lord said through His prophet, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed" (or, his sinful life will be cut off by judgment unto correction, Is. 65:17-20). Of course, this is a reference to the new Jerusalem, not to the old city of history.

The Lord will create or recreate those of the new Jerusalem realm, so they will be a joyful and rejoicing people, because of His Life that will be within them in fullness. Everything of old Adam will be removed from them, including the mournful, negative, unbelieving, soulish state of mind, for they shall all have the mind of Christ in fullness. Death in them will be vanquished, allowing them to live the Life of Christ in fullness! And when the Lord's people are all restored to live the Life of Christ, the whole creation shall be delivered of the curse of sin and death and the new heavens and the new earth shall then come forth.

One of the Lord's precious, believing, trusting saints of God, John the apostle and friend of Jesus, was among the first disciples along with his brother James to be called by the Lord (Mt. 4:21). John declared that he had already seen those new heavens and the new earth. He himself said, by the Spirit, "And I SAW a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John SAW the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven" (Rev. 21:1-2). John saw all this in the Spirit, and with the eyes of the Spirit. What did John see? He saw the new heavens and the new earth. He also saw the new Jerusalem - that whole realm of the redeemed saints of the Lord - descending from God out of heaven.

As that kingdom realm descends or comes down from God out of heaven to the earth, the whole earth will be changed by that mighty, dynamic, Spirit power. And if John could see it then, we may also see the same glorious, heavenly scene today. But we must see it in the Spirit and by the Spirit as John did. Then, like John, we will rejoice and be glad in that which our Father is creating! Our Father has created the new Jerusalem, which is the spiritual realm of His kingdom. And that Spirit-realm is coming "down" from God out of Heaven to change everything everywhere in all the earth.

Multitudes of God's people are waiting to see things change and improve drastically in the world around them. Then they will believe that the kingdom of God has come to the earth. But we must first see the work of the Lord in the Spirit. Like John, we must see the new heavens and the new earth, along with the holy city of God, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven; and we must see it first in the Spirit and by the Spirit. Then, having seen the kingdom of God in the Spirit, we will also see His wonderful, redemptive work taking place in all the earth. God's plan is the opposite of man's plans, opinions and expectations. The Lord does not change the world first so He can establish the throne of His kingdom in the earth. Nor was it His plan to change us first before He established the throne of His kingdom within us. Father's purpose for the coming of His kingdom to the earth in the first place was to change us from within. Then, when His reign was established within us, the kingdom came to the earth in its second phase, to change the world all around us. The Lord predetermined and foreordained to do His creative work of transformation and change, both in us and in the world around us, by reigning!

At this time, the Lord has sent the kingdom of God "down" to the earth, in the Spirit and by the Spirit and without observation, to change the world. It was not a part of His plan and purpose to change the world first before He sent the kingdom of God to the earth. That there are even small, positive changes in this present world order is an indication that the kingdom of God has come from Heaven to the earth. The kingdom of God is beginning to change things in this world! And it is our Father's plan and purpose to change everything in and of this earth, so that all of it will harmonize and agree with the ultimate plan of God, which He set forth for this earth in the beginning.

When the ultimate and perfect plan of our Father for this earth has been fully carried out and fulfilled, by the awesome and mighty power of this completed Christ, as He "sits" on the eternal throne of the kingdom of God, "righteousness shall be the girdle of his (this Christ-man) loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child (the manchild company) shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Is. 11:4-9).

What a glorious and wonderful era awaits the whole creation! And what an anointed and powerful service to God all the elect shall have as kings and priests in the kingdom of their Father! It is a hope and promise we should cherish hourly and daily, as we go through our processings unto kingdom Life! Let the hope and promise of the new heavens and the new earth undergird us as we walk humbly before our God! Let us continually fix our spiritual eyes on the vision set forth by the anointed prophets of God, and we will never stumble, nor will we ever settle for anything less. Our hope now is set on new things in the Spirit, for yesterday's manna has lost its appeal!

The spiritually blind, who are unable to see this new kingdom Day and Father's purpose for it, will continue to walk the old paths of church order, for that is the way they are being led. But we have seen the glory of the kingdom of God as it/He comes to the earth, and we could never turn away from that glorious purpose in God. And we certainly cannot continue walking the old religious, church-order path of the past. We are called and chosen of our Father to walk out this new, kingdom path of Life. We are also called of our Father to reign with Him, and to have a part in filling the whole earth with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Our feet are set to walk out this holy thoroughfare, so that others also may find this new, kingdom highway (Is. 35:8). And our obedience to Father's will is the key that will set the whole creation free! Now, with the coming forth of the elect, whose only purpose is to do the will of their Father in the earth, the kingdom of God has come to the earth in the next phase of its earthly manifestation, to begin to change the world all around us.

The Kingdom Comes "Down" from Heaven to the Earth

The new Jerusalem is the spiritual "city" of God. It is the realm of our Father's Spirit power and dominion, which is seen coming down from God out of heaven. Thus, it is written, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, WHICH COMETH DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN FROM MY GOD: and I will write upon him my new name" (Rev. 3:12). The new Jerusalem is progressively coming "down" from God out of heaven to the earth. That realm of the kingdom of God does not come from heaven to the earth all at once. The kingdom realm progressively increases; it comes to the earth gradually, and in parts, segments or degrees. Only part of the kingdom came to the earth in its initial phase or manifestation, to fulfill a specific purpose for that distinct portion of God's kingdom.

The kingdom of God comes to the earth and grows or increases in stages. His kingdom grows from the mustard seed stage in its small beginning, and continues to grow and increase until it reaches its glorious and ultimate objective of fullness and completeness. That kingdom seed will grow to become the tree of life that fills the whole earth, the leaves of which are for the healing of the nations (Mt. 13:31-32, Rev. 22:2). But while only a portion of the kingdom, or of the new Jerusalem city, comes to the earth initially, it is that realm in God that increases with the increase of God.

Thus, the prophet wrote, "Of the INCREASE of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this" (Is. 9:7). Not only does the government of Christ and His kingdom increase in the earth, but so also does His peace, His righteousness, His judgment and His justice. It all increases in the earth gradually! God will order it to be so! And He alone will establish the fullness of His kingdom in all the earth, with true judgment and justice, from now to the eternal forever. "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." Amen!

The throne of the kingdom of God is the first portion of the new Jerusalem city of God that comes to the earth, after the Seed of Christ has brought the Lord's elect under the full dominion of Christ, our sovereign, reigning King. The divine order is, Christ must first reign fully in our own lives before He can reign anywhere else in this world. This is taking place now in the lives of the elect. Christ is reigning within us now to defeat all the enemies within us. The elect have been thoroughly disciplined and made subject to the rule of our King, by the power of the Seed of Christ within us, thus preparing the way for the next portion of the kingdom to come to the earth in its succeeding phase of fulfillment.

Before anything else can take place concerning the kingdom of God and His purposes for this earth, Christ must first take His throne to rule and reign in our individual lives. Then, He may reign everywhere else in all the earth, which He is doing now. The elect of the Lord are now under the full dominion of Christ, their King. They are fully committed to the Lord and to doing only His perfect will in the earth. And now, the throne of the kingdom of God has come to the earth spiritually, in its next phase, to change the world all around us.

We should also realize that whether we say the throne has come to the earth, or Christ has taken to Himself His great power and is reigning, we are saying the same thing. The throne of the Lord must come from heaven to the earth, or Christ must reign over all the earth, to defeat all the enemies of Christ and His people, and put them all under His feet. Then, when this initial, Davidic phase of the kingdom of God is fulfilled in the earth, the next phase of the kingdom, which is the Solomon phase, will come from Heaven or from the realm of Spirit, to the earth, to bring forth and establish true peace and righteousness everywhere in all the earth. More on this later.

To see the kingdom of God and the realm of the Spirit as it really is, we might see that realm as a massive, moving cloud of pure white Light. That massive cloud of heavenly Light and glory, which the kingdom of God is, is increasing and moving progressively from the heavenly realm to the earth. The word "down" does not describe the only direction of the Spirit. The realm of the new Jerusalem is moving from heaven to the earth. That heavenly realm of Spirit may move up as well as down, to the left as well as to the right, so that it/He covers everything everywhere, changing everything in its/His path and turning all darkness everywhere into endless Day.

The original Greek word for "down" is "katabaino," and means to descend. The word "kata," which is the first portion of that compound Greek word, means down in varied relations, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution, or intensity (from Strong's). The kingdom of God is indeed in direct opposition to all evil, darkness and death. As the new Jerusalem realm of the kingdom moves from the heavenlies to the earth, it/He opposes all evil, darkness and death, not merely in a negative sense, but also in a very positive and aggressive way. That Spirit power of God and of His kingdom will increase everywhere to eliminate all evil, darkness and death. Our Father also distributes the righteousness, glory, power and authority of His kingdom before Him, as He moves progressively into every area and segment of both the heavens and the earth. He does this thoroughly, and with the intensity of all the divine resources of the Spirit of the living God! And nothing shall ever escape the transforming power of the kingdom of God!

We might see the realm of Spirit, including the new Jerusalem portion of the kingdom of God, as a massive, moving cloud of pure white Light. That massive, spiritual cloud of the light and glory of the Lord is even now moving from heaven to the earth, changing everything in its/His path. The heavens, especially the lower heavens, have been purified and cleansed of all evil and darkness. This progressive, onward movement of the new Jerusalem Spirit has cleansed the heavens so that Satan has already been cast down, as lightning, from heaven to the earth (Lu. 10:18). And as that cloud of pure, white Spirit dominion, power, glory, light and life moves progressively into the atmosphere of the earth, that kingdom power will continue to drive out Satan. Then "he" will no longer be "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2). Thus, by the reign of Christ this earth and everything of it is being cleansed and purified of all evil, darkness and death.

When that pure, white cloud of kingdom Spirit, power and glory has fully enveloped the earth and everything of it, there will be no evil, darkness, death, or any of its influence, left anywhere in the earth. But everything everywhere in all the universe will be as pure and clean as the driven snow! Also, we are more identified with the heavenly realm of Spirit than we are with this earthly realm. We are the first among all mankind to have been cleansed and purified by that pure white cloud of Father's heavenly presence, power and glory, for we are the firstfruits of all the rest of God's creation. And as a firstfruits of God's creation (Ja. 1:18), we are laying down a path to the fullness of the kingdom of God, which all others shall follow.

The elect, who also are overcomers, are uniquely identified and associated with the throne and the temple of the new Jerusalem, which are parts of the kingdom of God. To fully understand the kingdom of God, we should know that God's kingdom is made up of many parts, each with a distinct purpose to fulfill. As we pointed out on page two, the new Jerusalem is called that for it is the spiritual realm that is patterned after the old, literal city of Jerusalem. The old, literal city of Jerusalem was the center of all Jewish, religious and spiritual activity under the old, previous covenants. So the new, spiritual Jerusalem is the more glorious center of all spiritual activity, authority and power under the greater and more dynamic new covenant.

The old city of Jerusalem was located on a ridge in the hills of Judea, overlooking parts of Israel's first promised land of Canaan. Sometimes Jerusalem is referred to as Zion, for Mt. Zion was the place of the throne and the temple in the old city. The Psalmist described it this way, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King" (Ps. 48:1-2). While the old city may have had a beautiful situation or location, it cannot possibly compare with the location, the glory, and the beauty of the new Jerusalem, the spiritual "city" of God, which is the realm of our Father's throne and temple in the heavenly realm of Spirit.

The spiritual new Jerusalem is a glorious realm in God, far more glorious and spectacular than anything of this earth has ever been. It is the free "city"; it is our true, spiritual "mother" (Ga. 4:26); it is the "city" of our new, spiritual birth, which we shall yet experience in fullness when we are truly and more completely born again of the Spirit. And when the new Jerusalem realm has come from God out of heaven to the earth in fullness, with all her glorious, kingdom parts fully established and spiritually fulfilled, she shall indeed be, in truth and in fact, "the joy of the whole earth."

The old city of Jerusalem was divided into different parts, each with a distinct purpose to fulfill. So also is the new Jerusalem "city" divided into several spiritual parts, each with a distinct function to perform. The throne in Jerusalem was the place of the rule and dominion of the kings of Israel. From that throne on Mt. Zion, King David, as a type of Christ the greater King, ruled over united Israel. David defeated Israel's enemies and established peace in all the land. But King Solomon, also as a type of Christ the greater King, ruled Israel in more complete peace, and in greater prosperity and harmony.

Therefore, the reigns of both David and Solomon signify and represent the reign of Christ over all the earth, when His righteousness, peace, justice, and prosperity shall exist in glorious fullness everywhere in all the earth. Also, all the old temples in the original city were buildings of wood and stone located in old Jerusalem. They were centers of all the religious or spiritual activity in Israel under the old covenant. The new, spiritual Temple in the greater, spiritual new Jerusalem is not a building of wood or stone, but consists of all the sons of God. That new, spiritual Temple is the dwelling place of God, by the Spirit, and is totally governed by the higher and more perfect principles of the new covenant (He. 8:10-13).

The reigns of both King David and King Solomon on the throne of David in old Jerusalem are types of Christ, the greater King. Their earthly reigns are as patterns or examples, given to us and for us to show a greater fulfillment in the kingdom of God. King David was a warrior king who regularly went to war to defeat Israel's enemies. By David's reign, all of Israel's enemies were eventually defeated and peace was established in all the land for every person in Israel (see 2 Sam. 3:18). David's purpose and calling in the kingdom of God was to unite Israel and defeat all their enemies. But because King David was a warrior king, whose divine purpose was to defeat all the enemies of Israel, he was told that he would not be allowed to build a house or a temple for the Lord (1 Ki. 5:3).

David thus becomes a type of the first phase of the reign of Christ on earth. That first phase of the earthly reign of Christ on earth has already begun, in the Spirit and by the Spirit. The purpose of this first or beginning phase of Christ's reign on earth is to defeat all His enemies and put them all under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25, Rev. 2:26-29), beginning with the enemies within us. This fulfills the example of David's reign (see 1 Cor. 10:11). This first phase of Christ's reign was inaugurated and continues by seeking out and defeating all His enemies everywhere, beginning with those that are still within us! When every enemy within us is put under His/our feet, we shall stand perfect and complete, showing forth His glorious image and likeness!

The reign of King Solomon on Israel's throne in old Jerusalem followed the reign of King David, and is a type of the second phase of the reign of Christ in all the earth. Solomon's reign continued and progressed from God's purpose for David's reign, to His greater purpose for Solomon's reign, which was to establish more perfect and complete peace and prosperity for every person in Judah and Israel. When peace was fully established in all Israel and every enemy was defeated, Solomon could then build a house for the Lord (see 1 Ki. 5:4-5). It is written of Solomon's reign, "he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon" (1 Ki. 5:24-25).

What a time of peace and prosperity that must have been for all Judah and Israel! But Solomon's reign, and the benefits of his reign then, was confined to Judah and Israel. Solomon's reign, as wonderful as it was then, was only a foretaste of the wonderful era of true peace and prosperity, which shall come upon all the world during the second, and greater, phase of the reign of Christ over all the earth! Christ is the perfect and more honorable and righteous King of kings and Lord of lords! When every enemy is defeated and put under the feet of Christ in all the world, during the era of the first or Davidic phase of the kingdom of God on earth, universal peace, righteousness, justice and prosperity shall then exist in all the world. Then, the pattern and example given in Solomon's reign shall be gloriously fulfilled by the greater and more perfect reign of Christ in all the earth!

We are now in that phase of the reign of Christ in the earth, which has as its purpose to put every enemy under the feet of Christ, according to the pattern of David's reign. As the reign of Christ increases and grows, from putting all His enemies under His feet (David's reign), to establishing universal righteousness, justice, and peace everywhere among all mankind (Solomon's reign), the prophetic word of the Lord shall then be fulfilled. Then all men will enjoy the greater peace and prosperity of the kingdom of God, which was fully established by Christ the King and His co-kings with Him. Thus, the promise is given, "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow into it.

"And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit EVERY MAN UNDER HIS FIG TREE, and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it" (Micah 4:1-4).

In this new, kingdom Day, a new house is being built! It is not another "house" patterned after the many religious, church houses of man, but this new "house" is made like unto the heavenly pattern (Heb. 8:5). The churches of man's creation, perhaps for the last forty-five or fifty years, have drastically deviated from the heavenly pattern, to become expressions of the carnal mind of man. But in His great wisdom, our Father has called for an end to man's ways, and is doing a new thing in the earth. He is bringing forth a new and more glorious spiritual house, which is designed after the heavenly pattern. Do not look for a new temple to be built in the old city of Jerusalem. God is building this new temple in the more glorious new Jerusalem, the blessed "city" of His greater presence and glory.

This new "house" is built on the spiritual Mt. Zion, which is called, "the mountain of the house of the Lord." This new "house" is being established "in the top of the mountains," above all other "mountains," or systems of man, "and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow into it." The Lord is NOT doing the same old thing He has done in years past, but He is doing A NEW THING NOW, by His Spirit. The new thing God is doing in the earth now is this: He is leading His elect out of the old, obsolete church order and into the new and greater, kingdom order, by His Spirit. That which our Father is doing now in the realm of the Spirit and also in the earth, will eventually lead to the full salvation of the multitudes of all the nations of this world. The gate of the Holiest of all in the heavenlies shall be opened wide during this great Day (see pages 10-11 of our October, 2000 booklet), allowing entrance into the "city" of the Lord for the multitudes. And when the invitation to enter it is given by the Spirit, those multitudes shall come flocking into the spiritual new Jerusalem "city" of God to receive of His so-great and abundant salvation.

Then, "MANY NATIONS shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob." The invitation will be given to all people of every kindred, tribe and nation on earth, by the Spirit. It is the Lord Himself who will invite them to come; and in hearing the invitation, they will come in by the multitudes. Entire nations will come to the new Jerusalem "city" of God. When the multitudes come into the "city" of the Lord, the Lord Himself "will teach us (them) of his ways, and we (they) will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Notice that it is the Lord Who is doing the teaching in this prophecy, not carnal man. And it also is the Lord who obviously will give all those people the ability to walk in His paths. Imagine the change that will take place in this world and among all the nations when His pure word and the righteous principles of the kingdom of God are proclaimed, taught and sent forth out of Zion, or out of the spiritual house of the Lord, which we are!

Zion represents the place of the Lord's house and throne in old Jerusalem. But in the Spirit, Zion represents the very heart of God, the "place" from which His Life and Glory originates and flows forth to every member of this body, and eventually to all mankind. When the principles of the kingdom of God, along with the pure word of the Lord, goes forth out of Zion and new Jerusalem, that Living Word will create a new earth, with newly restored people dwelling in every area of His new earth. His pure, anointed law/word shall bring forth and create a new earth; it will be a new world filled with righteousness, peace, justice, prosperity, the joy of the Lord, and His truth, light and life. That new earth will be a world manifesting all that is opposite to that which we now see in this old world under man's dominion. It will be a new world order with Christ as the true and honorable, fully recognized, King and Lord of all, to the glory of our Father.

"And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." The reign of Christ in all the earth and over all nations will bring forth His righteous judgments. He will judge the people righteously and will rebuke strong nations, causing them to cease making weapons of war. Instead, the nations will use their manufacturing ability and their resources to make implements used for agriculture and other peaceful purposes. Then, a nation shall not raise a sword, or any other weapon of warfare, against another nation, neither will they continue learning about war.

This is beginning to take place now! Several years ago, the Lord brought an end to the Soviet Union, thus eliminating a strong nation and its war-making ability. The greatest victory during these times was the deliverance wrought by our omnipotent Lord and King in Eastern Europe. All who have the mind of Christ will joyfully honor Him and praise Him for the victory He has already achieved in this world. As those in old Jerusalem praised and honored our King when He rode triumphantly into that old city on a borrowed colt, even so should we praise and honor Him as our reigning King now, and rejoice in the wonderful victory He has achieved in this present world. We have seen some small signs to show that God is beginning to bring an end to war, and to man's ability to continue making weapons of war. As this new Day progresses from the present night time to the glorious dawning of the new kingdom morning, more and greater victories will take place in the kingdom of God, thus showing that Christ, the King, is bringing an end to war, and is establishing universal peace and righteousness everywhere in this world.

As the old city of Jerusalem was made up of different sections, or parts, so also does the spiritual new Jerusalem have its unique parts, such as the throne, the temple, and the city, each with a distinct purpose to fulfill. Each realm or order in God has its citizens, who are priests of the Lord, called to work for Him according to the sovereign purpose of God for that realm. Each order, rank, or realm of the new Jerusalem "city" of God is made up of those who are called and chosen to serve the Lord in those various orders. God's people are not all called to serve Him in the same order or rank, whether it be the order of the throne, the order of the temple, or the order of the city. Our Father has a place for each one of His people, and He wisely leads us to serve Him according to His call on our lives. As each of us yields to the holy, perfect, and sovereign will of our Father, and is obedient to His will, there will be perfect order and harmony everywhere throughout the vast and glorious kingdom of our Father!

But it is to the elect and chosen saints of God to whom we write. All others are comfortable in the old church order, doing things as they have always been done for generations and for centuries, according to the traditions of the elders of the dead past. Only the elect of the Lord can see this wonderful, new kingdom Day, and Father's purpose for it. The elect have a distinct place to fill in the kingdom of their Father. They and they alone are called to sit with Him on His throne, to rule all the nations of the earth with a rod of iron. They are a part of that throne realm of the kingdom of God that is even now to be seen in the Spirit, coming down from God out of Heaven. Christ, the King, rules completely in the lives of His elect, for His glory. By His reign, these elect are being led of their King to surrender their lives completely to Him. The reason for this surrender is that they might present their bodies to Him as a living sacrifice (Ro. 12:1-2), so their old bodies may be replaced with their new bodies of Heavenly, resurrection Light and Glory. But before they may be transformed, these elect are being led to ascend their mount of transfiguration, which is the holy hill of the Lord, to partake of the mysteries, truths, and glories of that high realm of Spirit. When they have partaken of those glories in kingdom abundance, the elect shall experience that instantaneous, in-a-moment, in-the-twinkling-of-an-eye, transformation, giving them their new body and setting the whole groaning and travailing creation free.

Before universal and true, spiritual righteousness, peace, joy and prosperity can possibly come to the earth to bless all mankind with the wonderful, liberating principles of the kingdom of God, according to Father's plan and purpose, every enemy must first be dethroned. This is the initial purpose for the Davidic reign of Christ at this time! Christ is reigning now in the earth, after the pattern and example of David's reign, to put every enemy under His/our feet! The enemies of Christ includes the old Adamic man of the flesh within us all (see Ro. 7:14-25). We have already reckoned that old man within us to be dead. But now "he" must be thoroughly and completely defeated and removed from within each and every one of us, by the Spirit. Then we shall be free at last of the man of the flesh; we shall then be free indeed to live the Life of Christ in glorious fullness!

"Two women shall be grinding together (in one body, as one person); the (carnal, Adamic) one shall be taken, and the other (the spiritual man) left. Two men shall be in the field (in one body, as one person); the (carnal, Adamic) one shall be taken, and the other (the spiritual man) left" (Lu. 17:35-36). When this word is fulfilled in us, we shall be released from our prison houses of sin and death, which these bodies are, and we shall live with the Lord in all His glorious fullness. And when Christ has made every enemy subject to Him, by the power of the reign of Christ; the next part of the kingdom shall come to the earth from God, to continue fulfilling Father's unfolding, kingdom purposes for all the earth. The next event may be the transformation of the saints! Are you prepared to see Him and be changed?

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