Ultimate Easter Egg Hunt: Reaching Hidden People Groups

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:44-49

The Ripple Effect

• Jesus’ resurrection unleashed the unstoppable advance of His Kingdom: Luke 24:44-49; Matthew 28:18-20; Revelation 7:9.

• Scripture is clear that the End (really…the Beginning) will not come until God’s sheep from among every people group on earth have been gathered: Revelation 5:9, Mark 13:10, Matthew 24:14.

• For 2,000 years, we have been in the “last days” where God has been pouring out His Spirit upon all nations, building His Church, gathering His scattered sheep purchased by the blood of Jesus from every tribe and tongue: Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:17, Acts 12:24.

The Remaining Task

• In 2008, our breath should be taken away! Evangelical Christianity has more followers than any other religion or society in the history of the world! Since the Resurrection, over 10,000 people groups have been reached with the Gospel! (www.joshuaproject.net) That is, they have Scripture translated into their languages, they have the Gospel preached clearly among them, and they have their own native churches. What started as a small mustard seed has now grown & flourished into the largest tree: Matthew 13:31-32. Wow!

• However, there still remain approximately 6,000 “unreached people groups” in the world: ethno-linguistic groups of people (“nation” in the NT is from the Greek word “ethnos,” lit. “ethnicity”) who do not have Bibles or believers or churches, and in some cases (approx. 1,500 of them) not even any outreaches of any kind.

• Most of these unreached peoples live in what has been termed the “10/40 Window.” North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and especially Central Asia make up the Final Frontier of world history!

The Role of the Local Church

• Pioneer missions is not our only task, but it certainly is a primary and fundamental reason for our existence! Do we burn for this?!

• God will not call every one to actually, physically go overseas; but He does call each of us to actively pursue the finishing of His task!

• Educate & Incubate a pioneer mission heartbeat among the flock: teaching, regular & strategic mission trips, worship atmosphere).

• Send & Support those God has told to go (Acts 13:1-4, Titus 3:14).

• Pray & Ponder with zeal and creativity. E.g., consider the huge, eternal impact one little church could wield by “adopting” one particular unreached people group for long-term focus & outreach!

~~posted by Jack

Global Conquest: Missions, Ambitions, and New Year Resolutions

Set your sights higher. Instead of diets and disciplines, why not resolve to conquer the world this year? Say no to Atkins and yes to armies.

Alexander the Great. Genghis Khan. Napoleon. You.

Why not? You don’t have to be some sick megalomaniac like Nero or Hitler to pursue global conquest. After all, despite much fanciful propaganda to the contrary, Genghis Khan himself—who conquered twice as much of the world than any other individual in human history—proved to be quite modest and benevolent, as far as world dictators go.

Shortly before his death and subsequent burial into an unmarked grave (by his request), the quiet, pensive Great Khan openly revealed his lifeblood motivation: a burning desire to “unite the whole world in one empire.”¹ Genghis Khan’s harsh and brutal upbringing in a world of warring tribal clans and marauding, murderous thugs did much to whet his raging appetite for justice, equality, diplomacy, and world peace.

Stretching from Korea to the Crimea, from Beijing to Baghdad, from Siberia to Sri Lanka, the Mongol Empire of the 13th Century erupted from a passionate aspiration, that “by the power of the eternal God the whole world from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof shall be at one in joy and peace.”² History affirms the overall authenticity of their aim.

Which begs the question: Should wanting to dominate and unite the whole world be looked upon as an evil thing? Must the thirst for conquest be anathematized? Is it sinister or intrinsic? Wrong or noble?

Ancient Mongolian history might be interesting, but it’s not authoritative. What does Scripture teach? Isn’t uniting the world a bad thing only attempted by bad people? Are Jesus’ followers in the Colonial business?

Jesus answered Pilate: “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world…” (John 18:37). Whatever else this Holiday season means, Jesus’ only mention of His birth underscores His absolute Kingship and utter, universal authority.

Chief, czar, duke. Khan, king, prince. And over every other title that is given in heaven and earth—past, present, future—Jesus reigns eternally supreme as the only “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19:16)!

But King Jesus also has a Kingdom.³ And His Kingdom is destined to advance triumphantly throughout all of history⁴ and eternity itself.⁵

Though not “of this world”⁶, there remains a global Christian conspiracy after all!⁷ Captain Jesus calls His followers to call all nations to surrender. The stakes are high. The battle is fierce. But victory is sure.⁸

The global mission of Christ is to establish, first beachheads, and eventually whole civilizations of Spirit-filled imitators in every land who obey His commands, living as one-world-Body for the praise of His glory. These subjects of the Great King come from all races and walks of life, but labor together with a Blood-anchored, all-encompassing oneness.⁹

So, it is noble to conquer and unite the world, if we “conquer” the Gospel way. In other words, as long we fight not by killing, but by being killed.¹⁰ We fight not with swords and guns, but with holy truth and tender love.

At the end of the day all evil rulers pitifully foreshadow, while the more noble warriors of history more clearly prefigure, the global conquest of Jesus Christ. History really is His Story of winning the worship of a numberless mass of multiplied millions won from every tribe and tongue.

The only problem with pursuing world peace and dominance is that, apart from Jesus and His Gospel way, it just doesn’t go deep enough. The most chivalrous of the earth’s conquerors stop so stunningly short of true success because their honor is so empty and so fleeting. Their wisdom too limited. Their power too shallow. Their agendas too earthly.

The Eternal Son of God is the only glory durable enough and dazzling enough to do the job. His Gospel is the only message true enough and glad enough and strong enough to unite the masses forever. And His Spirit is the only force great enough, deep enough, and wild enough to genuinely convert whole peoples and cultures, let alone individual rebels.

So as 2008 dawns, why not set your sights higher? You only live once.

The ordinary Joes and Julius’s of this world are inspired to radical ventures of global conquest for far lesser motives! They risk life and limb, family and fortune with wide-eyed wonder. What about you?

You’ve failed in the past? Think you’re too bad or too weak to be a world warrior for God? Quit looking at you! Like middle-aged sinful Samson, it doesn’t matter how you start—it’s how you finish that counts (Hebrews 11:32). So, like him, cry out to the Lord, take a fresh, firm grasp on the two pillars (the Cross), and burn out your last chapter in wild abandon to the cause of God (Judges 16:28-31). Remember: He selects the foolish and unlikely people of the world to do His work (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).

Where’s your wanderlust for the Kingdom?! Why not dream a really big dream this New Year? Not Yoga, but Yemen. Not the South Beach diet, but the south beaches of the Aral, the Caspian, and the Mediterranean. Not exercise but evangelism. Not saving money but serving the Mission.

Up then! From the sofa to the saddle! Seize the unreached peoples for the Name of Jesus! Lay your life down! Get greedy about God’s domain!

Be a Genghis Khan for Jesus in 2008! A mission-minded Mongol!

Go conquer the globe.

—————————————

Footnotes:

1. From a letter written by Genghis Khan to a Taoist monk in China c. 1226. Weatherford, Jack. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. THREE RIVERS PRESS, New York, 2004, p. 130.

2. From a letter written by Mongke Khan to France’s Louis IX in 1254. Ibid., p. 175.

3. Colossians 1:13-14, “For He has rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.”

4. 1 Corinthians 15:25, “For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.” Mark 13:10, “The gospel must first be preached to all the nations.” Romans 15:20-21, “And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; but as it is written, ‘They who had not news of Him shall see, and they who have not heard shall understand.’” Acts 12:24, “But the word of the LORD continued to grow and to be multiplied.” Revelation 5:9-10, “And they sang a new song saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom ad priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.’”

5. Isaiah 9:7, “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace…”

6. John 18:36, “Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm’” Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness…”

7. Matthew 28:18-20, “…All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

8. 1 Corinthians 15:24-25, “Then comes the end when He [Jesus] hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.” Matthew 24:14, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Revelation 11:15, “…The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever!”

9. Acts 2:44, “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;” Romans 12:5, “So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:14, “For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.” Philippians 2:2, “Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” John 17:23, “I in them and You in me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as You have loved me.” John 15:17, “This I command you, that you love one another.”

10. Romans 8:36-37, “Just as it is written, ‘FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE ARE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”

Pictures borrowed from the following Wikipedia articles: Genghis Khan, Mongol Empire.

~~posted by Jack

Immanuel & Islamabad

A Meditation on Isaiah 9:7

The “increase” of Jesus’ domain, we are told, will have no end. So chew on this: Christ’s kingdom is not merely eternally existing, but eternally expanding. The rule of the Holy One infinitely and exponentially spreads and grows and conquers.


The dimensions of Christ’s domain—though universal and absolute from the divine perspective—are greater and more glorious in 2007 than in 1907. From the historical angle of God’s redemptive purpose, there is an amazing and unstoppable progress to the spread of the Gospel around the world.


For two thousand years, the Holy Spirit has been applying the affects of the Atonement at an alarming rate. The global advance of the Church is nearly complete. The Great Commission will soon become the Great Completion. And Immanuel will return to feast and dance with his Bride upon the New (and ever-expansive) Earth.


So every Christmas we get closer to that Day. Every Christmas we get nearer to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Every Christmas we move forward, not backward, in the great global conquest of our Christ.


Because of the manger, there is a mission. Because of the Cross, there is a cause. And because of the sovereignty of our King, it is certain. All peoples will be reached. Worshippers will arise from every tribe and tongue (Revelation 5:9).


And His purpose is as serious as it is sovereign. Which means: His followers refuse to wallow with their Godless counterparts in the seasonal frivolity and waste. Especially at this time of year, they set their faces (and their finances) like a flint toward Jalalabad, Juba, and Jakarta. They invest deeply and personally in the furtherance of the Kingdom. They scream “Get behind me, Satan!” to the endless materialistic allurements of nicer clothes, newer cars, or neater golf clubs.


Christmas calls us to the Caucasus. The manager Babe beckons us to Baltistan and Baluchistan. The Incaranation trumpets us triumphantly towards Ingushetia.


Watch out, Islamabad: Immanuel is coming to town!

~~posted by Jack

Isaish 54-60: The Great Effects of Christ's Great Success (part 2)

continued from Friday’s post

A Call to True Religion (Chapters 56-59)

Beginning in chapter fifty-six, Isaiah exhorts the people of God to true religion. Only those whose inward hearts are characterized by true godliness will experience the great covenant blessings which Christ has secured for his people. Chapter fifty-seven underscores the seriousness of this command by relating the great terrors which are reserved for hypocrites and the rest of the ungodly. Oh, let us be humble before our God, that we may be among those whom God, for Christ’s sake, will heal; and not among those whom he will appear to destroy utterly. Chapter fifty-eight emphasizes again how useless the mere outward appearance of religion is. The Israelites as a whole were intent to observe the feasts, fasts, and other ordinances of God’s law. But their lives showed that they had no true knowledge of God: they did not help the poor and needy, and only afflicted themselves outwardly before God. But no one whose heart is not right before God can call upon him in peace. This prophecy was likely given in the days of Hezekiah’s great revival. We would do well to learn that the outward appearance of religion – faithful attendance at church, following all the outward practices that are expected of Christians, and so on, are absolutely meaningless unless by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit our hearts have been awakened to Christ; and unless by faith in him we have been justified before the Father. Chapter fifty-nine relates the cause for God’s seeming lack of hearing the pleas of his people: they are still in their iniquities. Oh, how hopeless is our condition until the gospel breaks through! For Isaiah goes on to relate what God accomplished when no one was able to stand as righteous before him: ” He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor. Therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him; and His righteousness sustained Him. For He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head. And He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was covered with zeal like a cloak (Isaiah 59:16-17). This work of perfect righteousness, accomplished by God himself, in the person of the Lord Jesus, became the grounds for a covenant of pure grace. When we could not save ourselves, Christ saved us, even changing our hearts, and putting his words in our mouth.

Conclusion: Victory is Certain! (Chapter 60)

The ultimate conclusion of all this is that, even though no man may stand before a holy God in peace to experience all the blessings of a favorable relationship with him, yet, at the conclusion of history, a whole band of saints from all over the earth will indeed stand before him in just such a condition. This is because Christ accomplished for us what we could never have done ourselves. Human impossibility and helplessness plus Christ equals eternal triumph and joy in an eternity of fellowship with God upon a restored earth. Chapter sixty gives us another foretaste of the unspeakable glories of our eternal existence in the new earth. And this is all because of the great accomplishment of Christ, of which we read in chapter fifty-three. All praise to the Name above all names! The final outcome of Christ’s mighty victory may be seen in these words of the Lord to his true Zion, in Isaiah 60:21: “Your people also will all be righteous; they will inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, so that I may be glorified.”

~~posted by Zioneer

Isaish 54-60: The Great Effects of Christ's Great Success (part 1)

Introduction

Jonathan Edwards, in his beautifully Christ-centered biblical theology, The History of the Work of Redemption, argues that all of history was planned out by God for the purpose of accomplishing his mighty work of redemption. Accordingly, he divides history into three basic epochs, demonstrating, “(1) That from the Fall of man until the incarnation of Christ, God was doing those things that were preparatory to Christ’s coming and working out redemption, and were forerunners and earnests of it. (2) That the time from Christ’s incarnation until his resurrection was spent in procuring and purchasing redemption. (3) That the space of time from the resurrection of Christ to the end of the world is all taken up in bringing about or accomplishing the great effect or success of that purchase.” In our last lesson we spent all of our time in Isaiah fifty-three, meditating on the actual accomplishment of redemption that should occur when Christ came to take on human flesh, suffer for our transgressions, and rise again victorious over death and sin. As we move now into chapter fifty-four, we see the necessary effects of Christ’s perfect victory, as Isaiah looks ahead to that third great epoch of redemptive history, in which the success that Christ has already accomplished grows and spreads until it embraces all the nations. This is the epoch in which we live today. And the reason we are still alive on this earth is to labor for the sake of our Savior, so that the effects of what he has done for us might overspread the earth. Let us, therefore, be intentionally applicational as we look for the Spirit to teach us the truths that he has for us in this text. Let us be continually asking ourselves the question, “How can I be involved in seeing these prophesied realities come to fruition?” We have no greater honor than to be laboring for the growth of the kingdom of Christ. And this honor is ours indeed, if in faith we seize ahold of the opportunity that God’s grace offers to us.

Christ’s Victory Flourishes (Chapter 54-55)

Chapter fifty-four begins with the command for those who were previously barren to rejoice at their great fruitfulness; because the tents of salvation were about to be mightily expanded. In the days of mere shadows of redemption, the tabernacle of Israel was the tent in which God’s presence dwelt. In the days of gospel-realities, God’s presence, through the Spirit of the victorious Christ, would cover the earth, ushering the Gentiles, together with Israel, into blessed fellowship with God (cf. John 4:21-26; Ephesians 2:11-22). Paul explicitly relates this prophecy of her who was barren to the Gentile peoples, in Galatians 4:27. Isaiah goes on to affirm that, because of Christ’s victory, his church would no longer have reason to fear; for God has married his people, and he will not divorce his wife. Christ loved his bride and gave himself for her; and therefore, we are eternally his (Ephesians 5:25-27). Even though, in the history of Israel, God cast off his people for a time, yet, when he receives them back again, he will nevermore put them away; this simply because the exile of Israel was a type of God’s forsaking Christ. When God raised up Christ from the dead, the entirety of his wrath had been eternally exhausted. He will never again forsake his Son, because he was fully satisfied with his sacrifice. And so we, his church, who are in him, will never be forsaken either. What strong consolation Isaiah draws from these reflections! Just as in the days of Noah God promised never again to flood the earth, so because of Christ, God has promised never to forsake his people. His covenant is eternal and unbreakable (cf. Romans 11:29; Hebrews 6:16-20). Instead of being cast aside, the new tabernacle of God’s presence (his Church) would be beautifully adorned forevermore. No enemy would be able to overthrow this dwelling place of God on earth: God, who made all men and governs the works of their hands, will not permit any weapon forged with the intent to destroy his Church to have success. This is all true only because the righteousness of the saints comes from God. When we trust in Christ’s righteousness alone, we can never be moved! In Chapter fifty-five, Isaiah issues the gospel proclamation that must follow the recognition of such marvelous gospel truths. All the ends of the earth are summoned, hungry, helpless and hopeless as they are, to drink the eternally-satisfying waters of salvation for free. How foolish it is to try to spend that which is not money to buy that which is not bread! But all of us, before the Spirit opens our hearts to the gospel, are laboring to do this very thing. We are attempting to earn our own notion of salvation (infinitely less satisfying than the true salvation offered in Christ) with our own price of good works – which can never have any bargaining power with God. Praise be to God that this gospel call will be effective, so that men from every nation will come to Christ, who will be given to them as their true David, their gracious King for all eternity! Even though the wicked will never naturally forsake his ways, yet, because God’s word is not like ours – it is always effective to accomplish his intent – when his gospel word goes forth, it will accomplish his purposes of spreading the effects of Christ’s great success until all those whom the Father had given him from eternity come and fall before him. And then, the earth itself will be restored by his mighty work, and will once again be fruitful for all eternity. to be continued…

~~posted by Zioneer

The Blood of the Martyrs (part 2)

…continued from yesterday’s post.

We are graced with the ministry of a necessary, bloody witness to the nations, so that all of God’s children, from every people, tribe, tongue, and nation, might be gathered together to God. By God’s design, the blood of his Son is the only source of life for the Church; but the blood of the martyrs is the seed by which the Church grows. It is the blood of the martyrs that gives an undeniably powerful testimony of the truth of Christ’s life, joy, and peace, operative no matter how adverse the circumstances. It is the willing, joyful self-sacrifice of the martyrs that God uses as the primary means of evangelizing the lost and dying regions of a world opposed to him. By their suffering, which is a following in the footsteps of Christ’s suffering, God has chosen to apply what Christ accomplished. The blood of the martyrs truly is the seed of the Church.

Practical Applications

If this is indeed the case, it must have a tremendous impact on our attitude towards the means by which we hope to spread the gospel to the nations. If one were to search the annals of the history of missions, he would find that rarely, if ever, has the gospel spread to an unreached people group when it had not first been planted and watered by the blood of the saints. God is intensely committed to making much of the work of Christ’s sacrifice of himself on the cross. One way in which he does that is to re-tell in picture form the story of what happened on Calvary. There, Christ willingly died an unjust death at the hands of the wicked. When his servants willingly die an unjust death, then the power of their word is joined to the power of their example, and the result is a living faith which turns the world upside down, and facilitates the mighty spread of the kingdom of God. In this century, it is more vital than ever that we be committed just as much to the bloody portrayal of the gospel as we are to the verbal proclamation of the gospel. Christ left us with a great commission which has thus far been two thousand years in fulfilling. The great delay must not harden our hearts, but rather spur us on to the final completion of our task. In such broad expanses of time, it is easy to lose sight of the truth that world history is moving definitely toward a goal which cannot be stopped: the goal that the Lamb will have the worshippers he deserves from every people group under heaven. The entire story of man is moving towards a certain conclusion. That conclusion of all of history, indeed, the goal for which the world was created in the first place, is the Christ-exalting joy of a great band of worshippers eternally pouring out their hearts before him in wonder and praise. Let us never lose sight of this certain end! Let us be laboring now as never before! The Church is poised and ready to fulfill by her blood the task left for us by Christ. Let us take heart and know that victory is certain! I leave us with two final admonitions.

Let us be ready to embrace suffering and death for the sake of the kingdom.

It is an unfortunate reality that the modern perspective on missions would encourage us only to labor where it is “safe”. The gospel never spread to unreached areas by people committed to safety. It never will. Let us be eager and willing to lay down our lives for the sake of the One who gave up his own precious life for us. Let us be ready to give up our possessions, our safety, our families, and our lives to see the gospel spread and the Kingdom increased until the great commission is finally accomplished, and Christ comes in all his glory to reward us eternally for our light and momentary affliction!

Let us be earnest in partnering with the persecuted church across the world.

God never intended for every Christian to be martyred. It is no shame to live a life of radical commitment to the gospel which never ends in extreme persecution or martyrdom. We are a body, and have different functions and callings. But whether we are called to lay down our lives in martyrdom or to lay them down in a long, wearisome service that sees no bloody end, let us strive to be vitally connected to the worldwide Church. God has raised up a mighty band of believers in China, South Korea, Africa, and other places who are persecuted intensely and who desire intensely to be used of God to spread the gospel throughout the unreached regions of the world, no matter the cost. We may never face persecution of this sort in America: but let us be earnestly praying for our brothers who are chosen to spread the gospel through their martyrdom! Let us be partnering with them financially! Let us be learning of their needs and sacrificially contributing in any way that we can! Let us, as the worldwide church, embrace God’s call to suffering and spend our lives in the passionate pursuit of spreading the gospel throughout the world, for the sake of him who is worthy of all!

~~posted by Zioneer

Firstfruits from the Nations 1

This post marks the first in a series exploring glimpses of missions from the Old Testament. The Gentile converts from the Old Testament, truly are the firstfruits from the nations.

The Queen of Sheba

“And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD,there was no more breath in her.” 1 Kings 10:4-5

”The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” Matthew 12:42

It was anticipated and prophesied by the prophets of old that Jerusalem would become the center of the world and the destination of seekers of God from the ends of the earth. “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths’” (Isaiah 2:2-3). The prophet is unmistakably looking forward here to something eschatological; and ultimately, it is not to be understood geographically, but Christologically. That is, Christ is the true temple (John 2:19-21), and it is He that the nations recognize as glorious and flock to in the last days.

Yet the glad reality Isaiah describes had a brief foretaste in the history of Israel under the reign of Solomon in a day when surrounding kings and peoples did take notice of Jerusalem and her wise and righteous ruler. Solomon’s early reign (before his heart drifted away from God and his kingdom split in two) was the high point of Israelite history, riding the crest of David’s successes. It was during this happy era that “people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom” (1 Kings 4:34).

The most notable and recognized of these foreign visitors was the Queen of Sheba (probably modern Ethiopia) whose story is briefly recorded in 1 Kings 10:1-13 and 2 Chronicles 9:1-12. Let us consider this brief account and how it anticipates the ingathering of Gentile nations in the last days.

“Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions” (1 Kings 10:1).

Notice first that she came, initially, as a skeptic. She apparently did not go up to Jerusalem with the intention of admiring Solomon’s wealth and wisdom, but of disproving it. She came to “test him” with “hard questions” — riddles that would stump the king and question his reputation as a wise man. Yet as she saw the array of splendor on display in Jerusalem and listened to Solomon answer her every question, she was compelled to adore. In the words of Scripture, “there was no more breath in her” (1 Kings 10:5). She recognized that this degree of blessing could be from no other hand than the Lord’s. “Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness” (10:9). Whatever her theology previous to her pilgrimage, she came now, at least in this moment, to recognize and worship the one true King who had established the son of David on His throne. The wealth and wisdom of Solomon suddenly commended itself to her in a way she could no longer deny.

Notice as well that she brought something to Solomon. She presented the king with “120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon” (10:10). Given her own testimony concerning the abundance that was in Jerusalem, we should not imagine that the queen felt Solomon was somehow in need of her goods, so that she gave them out of pity. Rather, her gift served as a token of her respect and awe for so influential a man and so great a kingdom. In a picturesque scene from Revelation, we find the kings of the earth bringing their unique glories into the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:24), again as a symbol of allegiance and honor. International variety was part of what exalted the kingdom of Solomon, and what will exalt the kingdom of Christ. Even today, luxury is partially denoted by an exotic diversity of items from all over the world. Wealthy manors may have mahogany from Africa, silk curtains from China and carpets from Persia, together testifying to the owner’s connectedness, diversity of tastes and obvious financial means. Jerusalem under Solomon was home to precious stones, animals, lumber, and other goods from all over the known world – objects of import or gifts from heads of nations which magnified the glory of the city beyond its natural resources (see 2 Chron. 9:13-28). God delights in diversity. His kingdom is made up of people from every tribe, and each brings a unique contribution – a new perspective on the prism of the manifold glory of God. Of course, they add nothing to His glory, but they accent it and become pointers to it. Christ would not be content if he had the allegiance of every individual from one nation and no others, for He would be too small of a King. He demands and will receive praises from all the nations through their unique languages and customs (Rev. 7:9-10).

Notice furthermore that the queen received a blessing from Solomon. “And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants” (v. 13). Out of his abundance, Solomon granted his guest all that her heart desired, and she went back full. God promised Abraham that through him a blessing would come to the nations, of which this story is a type. This Gentile woman was drawn from the ends of the earth (Matt. 12:42) to see the glory of Solomon, and she was blessed for it. The New and Greater Solomon – the Lord Jesus Christ – is full and over flowing with every kind of spiritual bounty – forgiveness, inheritance, joy, hope, righteousness – for those from every nation who come to Him (Eph. 1:3; John 1:16).

The fullness of times has come. Zion is no longer just a city in Palestine, it is wherever Jesus Christ is reigning and receiving worship (Hebrews 12:22-24). Under the sway of His Spirit, the peoples of the earth are flooding in to know and be blessed by the Lord of the Nations. No longer, however, are God’s people simply waiting for the nations to come, they are going forth to invite and compel (Luke 14:16-23). As citizens of the New Jerusalem, we labor, in these final days, to see the Kingdom of Jesus Christ made famous among all the peoples of the earth.

~~posted by Ambassador

Our Key Text

[Continued from yesterday’s post about our blog name, Kingdom Surge.]

So what does all this have to do with Habakkuk 2:14? Let us note four elements of this text which underscore its connection with our name and purpose.

First, the reality spoken of in this verse is Kingdom-saturated. When man fell from paradise, his ultimate loss was the knowledge of God, and fellowship with him in his very presence. From that time on, the promise of the Kingdom has always been cast in terms of restoring this one great loss. The basic message of the covenants of God, by which Kingdom-citizenship was extended to mankind, was only this: “I will be your God, and you shall be my people” (cf. Genesis 17:7-8); this one promise included the reversal of every evil effect of sin: death, sickness, pain, corruption – every unpleasant thing in the history of man derives from a loss of the presence of God. The restoration of that lost knowledge of him is the sole substance of every Kingdom blessing. Hence, the promised King is ultimately called “Immanuel” (God with us), and the epic climax and great fulfillment of the Kingdom promise is summed up in these words “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and he shall be God with them, their God” (Revelation 21:3). Therefore, when the prophet says that the earth will be filled, not just with the glory of the Lord (for the earth is already filled with the glory of the Lord), but with the knowledge of that glory; he is saying that the earth will be transformed into the Kingdom of God, as people from every nation are brought into fellowship with God through Immanuel, the King.

Second, the reality spoken of in this verse is message-driven. Knowledge comes through the proclamation of truth. And God has so ordained that the truth which is able to bring men into his Kingdom, the “Good News” of who Jesus is and what he has done (i.e. the gospel), be announced through people. “How shall they hear, without a preacher” (Romans 10:14)? Our ultimate task as Kingdom citizens, and the only effective way in which to see the Kingdom “surge” across the remaining unreached peoples, is to bring them the joyful message of Jesus. No social activism, welfare program, etc. (as good and helpful as those things are), will ultimately be able to facilitate the spread of the Kingdom. The Kingdom only spreads where the gospel is preached. And in this age, as well as every age before it, the most fundamental need of those still in bondage to the kingdom of darkness is to hear the beautiful story of Jesus the Savior.

Third, the reality spoken of in this message is hope-filled. The prophet does not waver in speculations or naïve desires. He speaks with solemn authority and certainty: the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. The task before us appears daunting indeed. Many centuries have not yet sufficed to complete the Great Commission, and apparently insurmountable obstacles loom up ahead of us. What makes us think that this generation will be able to accomplish so great a task? The utter certainty of this and a great many other prophecies should succor us in the most trying times. Ultimately, it is God who makes his Kingdom grow. The gospel is powerful through the limitless strength of the Holy Spirit, and the unfrustrateable will of God stands behind each gospel proclamation. Why do we waver? God still has many people in the cities of this world, and he will call them out indeed. Let us take heart! This is really going to happen, for the outcome is not contingent upon us, but upon an all-powerful God, who has made promises in which we may rest assured.

Fourth, the reality spoken of in this verse is world-inclusive. It is hard to imagine a more poignant analogy of universal expanse than the relation of waters to the sea. Show me where there is sea, and I will show you a place covered by the water. It is manifestly impossible that the sea should be otherwise. In the same way, the plan of God for the advance of his Kingdom is absolutely unstoppable. The Kingdom will spread over all the earth, and the life-giving, joy-sustaining, worship-inducing knowledge of the all-glorious God, revealed in the face of Jesus Christ the Savior, will inundate every nation with its waves of grace and peace. This is the future of the Kingdom. Brothers and sisters, let us rise up and labor, for the outcome is sure and the reward is great!

~~posted by Zioneer

Kingdom Surge

As we launch this project, by which we hope in the grace of God to contribute something profitable for the ongoing expansion of the Kingdom of Christ, we are poignantly aware of the need for specificity in our purpose and clarity in our expression: what is it precisely that we hope to accomplish in this forum, and how might we best communicate that precise intent from the beginning stages? Although other posts will be soon forthcoming (Lord willing), in which we will address in more detail what we mean by “facilitating and finishing the Great Commission,” as well as the nature of the Great Commission itself, we thought it best at the outset to explain what we intend to communicate by our name, “Kingdom Surge”; and why we chose as our key text Habakkuk 2:14: “Because the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea”.

Our Name

As our name suggests, this blog is ultimately about a kingdom; and as the basic content of the blog should make apparent, that kingdom is the Kingdom of God, who reigns over every nation of man, and who is working out all of history for his own purposes (see Daniel 4:34-35). This means that our subject matter is as long as time itself and as broad as all the earth; it is the central reality undergirding and giving meaning to everything that has happened or will happen in every people-group under heaven. Of course, this makes it a little difficult to define concisely! But we will at least give a few basic descriptors of what we hope will come to the mind of every reader, whenever he comes across the term “Kingdom”.

First, the Kingdom of God is a redemptive kingdom. History was designed, ultimately, to glorify God by displaying his marvelous character (e.g. Isaiah 43:6-7). But there is only one person in history who has ever been able to display the character of God in such a way that he becomes “visible” to mankind. This means that the life and accomplishment of this one person is the central event of divinely-arranged history, and that which infuses it with meaning and purpose. This one person is, of course, Jesus the Messiah; and the one great accomplishment toward which the entire course of his life was directed was the work of redemption, that is, the purchase of a people to be a holy nation to the Father, by his death on the cross as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), the Lamb who was “slain from the foundation of the earth” (Revelation 13:8). The Kingdom of God is ultimately a kingdom of them who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and made a “royal priesthood” to God the Father (I Peter 2:9-10). It is a kingdom, not of proud nobles and conquerors, but of humble wretches delivered from bondage to sin and to Satan, and transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of the beloved Son of God (Colossians 1:13). It is a kingdom of them who conquer by being afflicted, despised, and hated by the world, who overcome all obstacles by patient endurance, and so follow in the footsteps of the Lamb, who won the battle by submitting to death, and so gaining the victory over death, sin, and all the forces of evil, forevermore. It is a kingdom of those who conquer by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11).

Second, this Kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. History began with a devastating fall, resulting in bondage to sin and the Serpent (Genesis 3); but the promise of God was immediate: a King and Conqueror would arise to defeat the Serpent and restore mankind to the paradise from which he had been cast out (Genesis 3:15). From that point on, all of history unfolded as the saga of that glorious King, and the epic story of the winning of his Kingdom. The times until the birth of this promised King, the Messiah, were all taken up with preparing the way before him, through prophesying and foreshadowing his coming through the scriptures and the history of his people Israel. The time of his actual life on earth was taken up with the accomplishment of redemption, and effected the actual in-breaking of the long-awaited Kingdom on this earth. The times from the ascension of this King until his coming again in glory are taken up with the spread of that Kingdom throughout the earth. And when the Kingdom has spread to every nation, the King will come again, rescue his Kingdom-citizens from all who oppress them, and bring them into a beautifully-recreated and perfectly restored “new Heavens and new earth,” in which all the effects of the fall will be forever done away (Revelation 21:1-5).

Third, this Kingdom is a universal kingdom. The Lamb was slain to redeem for himself a people taken from every kindred and tribe and tongue and nation (Revelation 5:9); and he is worthy of the worshipers for which he died. The Kingdom is unstoppable in its unending increase (Isaiah 9:6-7), and will continue to spread until all the nations have heard the gospel (Matthew 24:14), and all who were purchased by the blood of the Lamb are brought to him indeed. Before the return of our great King and Savior, Jesus Christ, the gospel will “surge” across the face of the earth, flooding the peoples with the knowledge of the glorious God, a knowledge they were made for, and in which is their eternal life (see John 17:3), but which they lost in the great Fall of Adam. “Kingdom Surge” exists because of that sure and glorious hope.

[Tomorrow we shall continue with a look at Habakkuk 2:15.]

~~posted by Zioneer