Kingdom of Light

Ezra 9:8–9 “And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.”

The Big Escape

Quiet Desperation

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation

Henry David Thoreau

We have an escape problem in this life;

People try to escape their problems, themselves, their life

Through Alcohol, love, lust, sin, LGBT, sports, entertainment, celebrities, vicarious life. Men choose to escape with sports, hobbies, hunting, outdoors, work. Women escape by living for children, gardening, family, career, looking for a covering.

We are not created to thrive in this sinful world, we were not designed for this. and we try our whole lives to escape the best we can. We are designed to respond to God. He is our Refuge . Without this hope “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”

David was assured his position was secure

Psalm 40:1–2 “I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.”

Hebrews 2:3 “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,”

Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.”

Psalm 61:2 “From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Exodus 33:21 “And the Lord said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock.”

Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 31:3 “For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me.”

Psalm 62:6–7 “He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.”

Psalm 78:35 “Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer.”

Psalm 89:26 “He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’”

2 Samuel 22:2 “And he said: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;”

2 Samuel 22:47 ““The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation!”

Romans 9:33 “As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.””

1 Peter 2:8 “and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.”

Continuing with the 33 things given upon salvation as recorded in Salvation by Lewis Sperry Chafer

XI. Justified

1. “Therefore being justified by faith”

Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Romans 3:24 “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

Romans 8:30 “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

Titus 3:7 “that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

XII. Forgiven All Trespass

1. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins”

Colossians 1:14 “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

Colossians 2:13 “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,”

Colossians 3:13 “bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

Ephesians 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

A distinction is necessary here between the complete and abiding judicial forgiveness and the oft-repeated forgiveness within the family of God. See 1 Jno. 1:9).

XIII. Made Nigh

1. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ”

Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

With this there is a corresponding experience; see

James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Hebrews 10:22 “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

XIV. Delivered from the Powers of Darkness

1. “Who hath delivered us from the powers of darkness”

Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,”

Colossians 2:13–15 “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

XV. Translated into the Kingdom

1. “And hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”

Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,”

XVI. On the Rock Christ Jesus

1. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ”

1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 2:20 “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,”

2 Corinthians 1:21 “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God,”