A Contrast in Kingdoms
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33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
Introduction.
Introduction.
Dedicate Theo White
Pilate represented the highest authority in the known world at that time, the Roman Emperor.
Pilate was born in Italy, probably in Rome, he was not Roman by ancestry, he was a Samnite, who were the last tribe to really challenge the supremacy of Rome in the Italian Peninsula hundreds of years before his time.
Samnites were not originally born into Roman nobility they had to work their way up. Pilate had learned the hard way that decisions must be based on power and might, not justice. He would have known the story of his ancestor, Gavius Pontius, who defeated the Romans at the Caudine Forks and in an act of mercy took their weapons and let them go home. Gavius Pontius was captured by the Romans thirty years later, they killed him. Rome became Rome by showing mercy only when it benefitted them.
Pontius was the family name, the name Pilate came from his or his father’s ability with a javelin.
He would have been born into a big house, a great party would have been thrown, the Romans loved producing heirs to the family name.
Pilate would have been born in a family with high expectations, he would have been required to do his best to lead the family into becoming Senators or maybe even marrying into the Imperial Family.
He would have been surrounded by the splendor of the eternal city, in awe of it’s temples and government buildings.
When he was 18 he went into the military, going in as an officer because of his family name.
When he was back in Rome after a campaign he would have been in a social class, which would have allowed him to be rich enough to own two good sized homes.
He probably became a member of the Praetorian guard, who were fanatical bodyguards who worshipped the Emperor as deity. We know he was a close friend of the head of the guard, who had influence with the Emperor Tiberius.
He was probably in his 30’s when he came to Judea, about the same age as Jesus. Unlike Jesus, we know he was married.
He had a cruel streak, and he was hated by the Jews for it.
1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
He understood military power and political power.
He arrived in Judea in AD 26, ready to project the power of Rome to the unruly Jews.
His kingdom represents power, war, cruelty and force.
Political force and religious force.
This idea was not original, it originated with Nimrod.
8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.
He founded Babel, Rome is the second Babylon.
Now, there is nothing in the Bible that would type our modern organizations, except Babylon. That’s the only type in the Bible of our modern organization, organized religion, because it was founded by Nimrod and a forced unity amongst religious people. And that’s what the creeds and our denominations do today, force unity, “You either belong to this or you’re out!”
And we’re coming now, as we can see, to a forcing all into one great unity of it. But that is a mechanical made advice by a man, and it cannot stand. It is not God’s will. It is not God’s program. No matter how people try to say it is, it is not. It can’t be.
It’s just impossible, for it to be. God wouldn’t put His Name in such a thing as that that denys His Word. How can God live in something that denys His Own Word? He cannot do that. 65-0425 — God's Provided Place Of Worship
Pilate only understands force.
We don’t get people to come to church by force.
I went to some of them, “The first day you’re there, they’ll approach you, ‘Join our church.’ If you don’t do it, you’re not welcome.” See? See? It’s a forced thing, it’s forced upon you, see, and that’s Babylon. But in Christ, you come in by election; not by force, your heart pulls you in. 65-1128M — God's Only Provided Place Of Worship
This system of force filtered down into the early church.
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
Nikao which means to conquer, and Lao which means the laity. Nicolaitane means, “to conquer the laity.” Now why is this such a terrible thing? It is terrible because God has never placed His church in the hands of an elected leadership which moves with political mindedness.
(He chose David, the people chose Saul)
He has placed His church in the care of God-ordained, Spirit-filled, Word-living men who lead the people through feeding them the Word. He has not separated the people into classes so that the masses are led by a holy priesthood.
It is true that the leadership must be holy, but then so must be the whole congregation. Further, there is no place in the Word where priests or ministers or such mediate between God and the people, nor is there a place where they are separated in their worship of the Lord. God wants all to love and serve Him together.
Nicolaitanism destroys those precepts and instead separates the ministers from the people and makes the leaders overlords instead of servants. Now this doctrine actually started as a deed in the first age. It appears that the problem lay in two words: “elders” (presbyters) and “overseers” (bishops).
Though Scripture shows that there are several elders in each church, some began (Ignatius among them) to teach that the idea of a bishop was one of preeminence or authority and control over the elders. Now the truth of the matter is the word “elder” signifies who the person is, while the word “bishop” signifies the office of the same man. The elder is the man. Bishop is the office of the man.
“Elder” always has and always will refer simply to a man’s chronological age in the Lord. He is an elder, not because he is elected or ordained, etcetera, but because he IS OLDER. He is more seasoned, trained, not a novice, reliable because of experience and long standing proof of his Christian experience.
But no, the bishops did not stick to the epistles of Paul, but rather they went to Paul’s account of the time he called the elders from Ephesus to Miletus in Acts 20. In verse 17 the record states, “elders” were called and then in verse 28 they are called overseers (bishops).
And these bishops, (no doubt political minded and anxious for power) insisted that Paul had given the meaning that “overseers” were more than the local elder with official capacity only in his own church.
To them a bishop was now one with extended authority over many local leaders. Such a concept was neither Scriptural nor historical, yet even a man of the stature of Polycarp leaned toward such organization. Thus, that which started as a deed in the first age was made a literal doctrine and so it is today.
Bishops still claim power to control men and deal with them as they desire, placing them where they so will in the ministry. This denies the leadership of the Holy Ghost Who said, “Separate Me Paul and Barnabus for the work whereunto I have called them.” This is anti-Word and anti-Christ. CAB-05 — 5 - The Pergamean Church Age
The prisoner facing Pontius Pilate, represented a different Kingdom.
James and John had asked if they could sit at Jesus right hand in His Kingdom.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
His kingdom was different.
1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Poor means beggarly. Needy.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Those with self-control.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
None of these things would get you ahead in Roman society.
46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
This would be a different kind of Kingdom.
They were so used to the other kingdom that He had to speak to them in parables.
He said the Kingdom of Heaven was like “a mustard seed”. (Matt 13:31)
The least become the greatest. (False church)
The Kingdom of Heaven is like “leaven”. (Matt 13:33)
The Kingdom of Heaven is like “treasure hid in a field” (Matt 13:44)
The Kingdom of Heaven is like “a merchant seeking goodly pearls” (Matt 13:45)
The Kingdom of Heaven is like “a net cast into the sea” (Matt 13:47)
51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
They didn’t.
52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
This is a strange Kingdom, to their minds.
He told them of 11th hour workers and a wedding feast in the Kingdom of Heaven, and He set His face to go to Jerusalem.
They thought they would crown Him King, but He would become King, by becoming a sacrificial lamb.
No kingdom of the earth is started by a king who hands himself over to the enemy to be executed, but this one did.
The culture of this Kingdom is sacrifice. It is a kingdom of lambs.
God is a holy God. And when a man is born of the Holy Spirit, he’s a candidate. He’s not only that, but he’s a king, he’s a prince. He’s from another Nation. His Kingdom is Above. He’s filled with God’s Power, God’s Presence. The woman that does that, puts on clothes. The man lives decent and true to his wife. The wife lives true and decent to the husband.
They want nothing of the world. Their affections are set on things Above. They’re finished with the things of the world. They are new creatures in Christ. And they’re holy, live it; not them holy, but the Holy Spirit govern them. They don’t have their own mind. The Holy Spirit moves in them. That’s the reason they act crazy, to the people of the world, because they’ve moved by a Spirit of another Kingdom. 60-1218 — The Uncertain Sound
A lot of times women say to me, “Brother Branham, it’s my American privilege if I want to dress the way I want to dress.” That’s right. Men say, “If I want to take a sociable drink, they sell it out there and there’s no law against it. That’s my American privilege.”
That’s right, but as a Christian you’ll forfeit your American rights if you’re a lamb. If you’re a goat, you won’t, but if you’re a lamb you’ll forfeit your rights because you’re of another Kingdom. The Dove is leading you. 60-1126 — Why?
We don’t tell them they have to do it. We just give them the pattern. Tell them what the Bible says, and if they are born of a Heavenly Spirit, then their spirit is no more Americanized, it’s no more Germanized. It’s Heavenly-ized, where, the Kingdom of God. Because, we are in another Kingdom, a Kingdom of God, where decency, holiness, and power exists.
We have access to our King. We have an interview with Him whenever we want to call upon Him. We have no other intercessors, no other mediator between the King and us, but that one Man, Christ Jesus.
(We don’t need a patron, like Pilate did)
So we are living in a Kingdom. And It is called, in the chronology of the Bible, “the Messianic, Messianic Kingdom.” In other words, where the Messiah rules in every life in His Dominion, ruling the lives of His people, a called-out people from every walk of life, gathering them together in a group, and calls It, “His Church,” or “His called-out Ones.” 60-0911E — Five Definite Identifications Of The True Church Of The Living God
That’s what makes us so much different to the world. You’re from Above. You are born. You’re a citizen of another Kingdom. You believe it? That’s what the Holy Ghost is, is to make you a citizen of the Kingdom of God.
Then, if you are a citizen of the Kingdom of God, how does It make you act? Like God does in His Kingdom. Now, what does God do in His Kingdom? It’s holiness, righteousness, purity of thought, purity of mind; Power and love, going to the lost, healing the sick, performing miracles, doing great things.
Then, to the world you look crazy, and they say, “Them guys are off at their head.” See? But you are a citizen of the Kingdom. 59-1217 — What Was The Holy Ghost Given For?
A Kingdom of Lambs
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
The representative of Rome and the representative of heaven stood and faced one another.
(Dramatize)
Pilate knowing he would be recalled to Rome and lose his authority if the Jews rioted again, took water and washed his hands, and made a political decision to crucify Jesus.
In this hour, the representatives of the Roman system and the representatives of the Kingdom of Heaven stand facing one another, and the Roman system crucifies Christ afresh.
The crucial hour is here again. What is it? “Crucify Him! We can’t all make them all Methodist; we can’t make them all Baptist; we can’t make them all Oneness; we can’t make them all Trinity; we can’t make them all this, that, or the other; but we can have a council.” Where, you disagree as far as the East is from the West, and the whole thing is wrong. It’s a satellite to Rome. That’s exactly right.
Now, as an individual, I’m going to ask you. What will you do with this anointed Word which is the Christ, the Word that was promised for this day? You, as an individual?
Pilate never got It off his hands. You know that. He screamed, cried, and every scheme he could do. He failed to do it.
(Switzerland legend)
He is on your hands. The works is done, the Bible is preached, the Holy Ghost has identified It. Any sinful man, dare you to say It isn’t so, the Holy Ghost in this last days! And the Words that’s been spoke, said It would come to pass, and here It is right before us.
Don’t try to do it. Don’t let your end be like Pilate. No. He should have accepted Him in his heart. That’s the only way you can get Him off your hands, is take Him in your heart. 64-0126 — What Shall We Do With This Jesus Called Christ?
Conclusion
Conclusion
All that is left of Pontius Pilate is a single stone with his name on it and a few small coins. The Kingdom of the wolf and the eagle is broken apart and gone. The kingdom of the Lamb is eternal.
The Angel said to Mary:
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
