Heavenly Crowns
PRAISE - COMMENDATION
In His parable of the talents, the Master said to his first two servants, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21, 23).
POSITION -CO-RULING
God’s solution to this crisis was to promise a redeemer who would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). The rest of the Bible, from that point onward, looks to the coming of this promised one. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies and promises of His coming, and the Gospels tell us about the arrival of the promised One, Jesus Christ, and His death and resurrection to atone for sin and redeem fallen people and creation.
The Bible is clear—a man will rule over the earth as God intended from the beginning. God is determined to fulfill His purpose for this world and mankind. What was lost will be gloriously regained when Jesus comes to defeat Satan and his final imposter, the Antichrist, at Armageddon (Revelation 19:11-21).
When Jesus takes the inheritance and establishes His reign over the earth for 1,000 years (phase 1 of the kingdom), then continues to rule forever in the eternal kingdom (phase 2), we will reign with Him.
• “If we endure, we will also reign with Him” (2 Timothy 2:12).
• “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21).
• “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth” (Revelation 5:10).
• “There will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).
Should we be excited that God will reward us by making us ruler in his Kingdom? Absolutely. Jesus said, “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12).