Church of False Assumptions- Pt 5
Revelation- A Message to the Churches • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 38:19
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The Promise to the Overcomer
The Promise to the Overcomer
21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Revelation 1–7: An Exegetical Commentary Exegesis and Exposition
The genuine Christian, the one who overcomes by faith and is victorious over the world (cf. 1 John 5:4–5) (Walvoord), will join Christ not only in the great eschatological supper, but also will sit with Him on His throne to participate in ruling the world.
The Central Theme of All Holy Scripture
The Central Theme of All Holy Scripture
Michael J. Vlach, He Will Reign Forever: A Biblical Theology of the Kingdom of God
Alva J. McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom
What is the grand central theme of Scripture that encompasses all other biblical themes?
There are many great themes in the Bible—“covenant,” “promise,” “glory of God,” “the holiness of God,” “salvation,” “law,” “people of God,” etc. But is it possible to identify a central theme of Scripture that functions like a hub or center in which other important themes are connected?
“The Kingdom of God is, in a certain and important sense, the grand theme of all Holy Scripture.”
“Old Testament and New Testament thus stand together as the two acts of a single drama. Act I points to its conclusion in Act II, and without it the play is an incomplete, unsatisfying thing. But Act II must be read in light of Act I, else its meaning will be missed. For the play is organically one. The Bible is one book. Had we to give that book a title, we might with justice all it ‘The Book of the Coming Kingdom of God.’”
“In focusing on the kingdom of God we are really looking at a key element that gives biblical theology its coherence.”
Why is the kingdom of God the central and unifying theme of Scripture?
1. The kingdom is a thread that runs from the first chapter of the Bible through the last
1. The kingdom is a thread that runs from the first chapter of the Bible through the last
Genesis 1 begins with God as Creator/King of the universe and man as God’s image-bearer who is created to “rule” and “subdue” the earth for God’s purposes and glory (see Gen 1:26–28).
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Then the last chapter of the Bible (Rev 22) shows God and the Lamb on the throne and God’s people ruling on the new earth:
3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.
5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
As the Bible begins, man is in God’s presence with a kingdom to reign over (see Gen 3:8). At the end of the Bible, redeemed mankind is again in God’s direct presence as God’s people reign over the earth forever and ever.
Kingdom Program
Creation (Gen 1-2)
Fall (Gen 3)
Promise (Gen 3:15 — Mal)
Redemption (Gospels — Epistles)
Restoration (Revelation)
The kingdom theme in the five parts of the Bible’s storyline can be summarized:
1. First, the kingdom is present with creation as God the King of creation tasks His image-bearer, man, to rule and subdue His creation.
2. Second, the fall marks man’s failure to rule God’s creation; both God’s image-bearers (humans) and the creation come under the devastating effects of the fall.
3. Third, the promise plan guarantees the seed of the woman will eventually succeed over the power behind the serpent (Satan); the fall will be reversed and man will effectively rule over creation.
4. Fourth, Jesus the King brings redemption through His atonement, and His death is the basis for the kingdom and reconciliation of all things.
5. Fifth, with the restoration of all things God’s kingdom plan is fulfilled as Jesus successfully reigns over the earth; this kingdom merges into the perfect kingdom of the Father.
The Bible’s storyline shows how the kingdom created goes to the kingdom fallen, which then leads to the kingdom restored. This storyline is centered and anchored in Jesus the Messiah.
2. The kingdom permeates OT history and prophecy
2. The kingdom permeates OT history and prophecy
In addition to the kingdom mandate of Genesis 1:26–28, God assembled His chosen people Israel to become a kingdom (see Exod 19:5–6).
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
With the Abrahamic Covenant Israel was chosen to be the means of bringing blessings to the families of earth (see Gen 12:2–3).
Abraham will be the father of a great nation, Israel, who will serve as the platform for bringing blessings to all nations.
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
The Davidic Covenant shows that the ultimate King will be a descendant of David who will rule and bless the entire world from Israel.
The New Covenant explains how God will change the hearts of His people and grant His Holy Spirit so they will always obey Him.
Each of these covenants works together in harmony to guarantee that God’s kingdom purposes will be fulfilled. Dwight Pentecost is right that “God’s kingdom program” is “the outworking of His eternal and unconditional covenants.”
How much of the rest of the OT focuses on and looks forward to the coming kingdom?
11 “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old,
12 that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this.
13 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.
14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.
15 I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
III. The kingdom of God was central in the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus
III. The kingdom of God was central in the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,
6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
IV. The Focus of NT eschatology is on the second coming of Jesus and His kingdom reign
IV. The Focus of NT eschatology is on the second coming of Jesus and His kingdom reign
31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
Jesus’ return in Revelation 19 is followed by a thousand-year reign mentioned in Revelation 20:1–6, followed by the final form of the kingdom in the eternal state (see Rev 21–22:5). One could argue the entire book of Revelation describes how the kingdom of God dramatically replaces the kingdom of Satan. Thus, the claim that “kingdom” is the primary theme of Scripture is well supported.
The Promise to the Overcomer
The Promise to the Overcomer
21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”