How Christ Will Rule the World Tomorrow
The
Good News, in conjunction with the Correspondence Course Department,
presents brief excursions into the study of the Bible, delving into
topics relevant to the development of future members of the God Family.
Bible study is one means by which Christians are renewed daily (II Cor.
4:16), so let's refresh ourselves with more of the precious truths of
God's Word!
Instructions: The format of these mini-studies is
similar to that of the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course.
Look up and read in your Bible the scripture references given in answer
to the questions. Comments following the questions elaborate on the
scriptures lust read. That's all there is to it! (These studies are
based on the King James Version of the Bible, unless otherwise stated.)
Great
statesmen and leading scientists have openly stated that man's only
hope for world peace lies in world government — one universal
government wielding supreme power and authority over all nations.
But
these same leaders also admit that the nations
could never bring about a world ruling government Agreement
on who would rule and how would be utterly impossible.
Yet Bible
prophecy tells us that world government will soon be established. Jesus
Christ is coming again to restore and administer the government of God
on earth. And a veritable Utopia will result!
Exactly how will
God create and maintain world peace once Christ returns? This study
will answer that question, as we review several basic scriptures
describing what Christ's government will be like in the world tomorrow.
1.
Where did Jesus Christ go after His resurrection? Acts 1:11, Rev. 12:5.
Will He come again? John 14:3, Acts 1:11.
2. How long will Christ remain in heaven before He returns to earth? Acts 3:20-21.
Will
He come with great power and glory? Matt 24 30, Rev. 19:11-16. How will
Christ begin to rule the earth? Rev. 19:15.
The
glorified Christ is coming to restore the rule of the government of God
over all the earth. God's government was taken away from the earth when
the archangel Lucifer (now Satan), whom God had made ruler over our
planet, rebelled. Satan attempted to dethrone and replace God as ruler
of the entire universe (Isa. 14:12-14).
In previous
ministudies we covered the dramatic return of Jesus Christ and the
awesome, earth shaking events of the "Day of the Lord," which will
precede Christ's return. We learned that earth's inhabitants will
refuse to yield to Christ's authority when He returns. Therefore Christ
will have to powerfully subdue the world and force mankind, at first,
to submit to His rule.
Christ will use a "rod of iron,"
symbolizing absolute authority. He will rule with power, not hesitating
to use it when necessary. Men, influenced by their old habits and
attitudes formed in this present evil world of the devil (II Cor. 4:4,
Eph. 2:2), will have to be forced to learn the positive fruits of
living God's way.
3. Will Christ rule supreme in the
corning government of God? Rev. 19:16 Where
will His throne —- His headquarters — be? Jer 3:17.
The
coming government of God will not be a democracy. Government will be
from the top down, with Christ reigning supreme From His headquarters
at Jerusalem, Christ's rule will spread over the entire earth.
4.
Will the born again sons of God — those Christians who voluntarily came
under the government of God in His Church and proved their loyalty to
God during their mortal lives — assist Christ by reigning with Him in
the world tomorrow? Rev. 2 26 2/, 3:21, 5:10, 20:4 What did
God inspire Daniel to
prophesy? Dan. 7:13-14, 18, 22, 27. Will
many also be rulers over cities? Luke 19:16-19.
5. How will these immortal spirit rulers serve the people? Rev. 1:6, 5:10, I Cor. 6:2.
In
the United States today, the executive, legislative and judicial
branches of government are separate. Then there is the teaching field,
which, in democratic countries, is separate from (though in most cases
overseen by) the government.
In God's coming Kingdom on earth,
however, these four functions will be united. The God Family
establishes the laws (the legislative function). The God Family will
enforce the laws (the executive function). It will also interpret those
laws and judge cases concerning them (the judicial function). And the
God Family will be responsible for the educational function — it will
faithfully teach the people God's law, which is the way to peace,
prosperity and happiness.
Each divine ruler will serve his subjects in genuine love and concern (I John 4:16), never acting selfishly.
6. How much power will each ruler exercise, under Christ, in his own area? Rev. 2:26-27.
Absolute
and definite authority will exist on the spot in all parts of the
world. Yet all governmental policies will be based on the pattern laid
down from world headquarters by Christ Himself, and each ruler under
Christ will be responsible directly to Christ. God's government will be
perfectly organized, devoid of useless red tape and excess-baggage
bureaucracies.
7. Will this divine government be permanent? Dan. 7:14, 18.
No
time or money will be wasted on campaigning and elections. There will
be no politicians to cater to special, organized groups or classes to
get votes. In the world tomorrow God will appoint His resurrected
saints as the rulers and educators, and no lobbyists or other pressure
groups will be able to unduly influence or corrupt them.
There will
be no insurrections, no rebellions — God can't be overthrown. Satan's
failed coup proved that! Nor will any member of the God Family ever
turn into another adversary (I John 3:9).
8. Will
the nations finally begin to seek Christ and ask for instruction in
God's way of life? Mic. 4:1-2. Will people learn the way to peaceful
productivity? Verse 3.
Notice again that in God's pattern for
world rule, religion and government are not separate. In addition to
ruling as supreme king over all the nations, Christ will also be
supreme educator.
To bring mankind to repentance, Christ will
reeducate the world in His way of life — the way of God's law of love —
so people may, of their own free will decide to follow His way to
physical and spiritual blessings.
9. What will happen to
those nations that refuse to be reeducated in God's way? Zech.
14:16-17. And if they still won't obey? Verses 18-19.
Christ
will start immediately to reeducate the people of the world through His
Holy Days. The world will come to know that Christ is the Lord, and
that God's master plan teaches the way to physical blessings and
spiritual salvation. Those who stubbornly refuse to keep the Feast of
Tabernacles will suffer from drought and plagues until they submit to
God and keep the Feast.
10. Will God's spirit teachers
take a personal part in bringing about complete comprehension of God's
law, and in directing people to take right action? Isa. 30:20-21.
God's
spirit-born children will be able to appear suddenly or speak as if
from nowhere — lawbreakers will freeze in the act and potential crimes
will be prevented. Thus, with proper guidance from Christ and with
Satan's sinful influence restrained (Rev. 20:1-3), violence and crime
will be stamped out.
11. How successful will the
priest-teachers be in teaching the knowledge of God's way to the world?
Jer. 31: M, Hab. 2:14, Isa. 1 1:9. As a result, will the Millennium
become like one continual Feast of Tabernacles — one great feast of
rejoicing? Isa. 25:6-7.
During the Millennium no religious
confusion will exist because Satan will have been restrained at
Christ's coining. Humans will then be teachable — their eyes will be
opened to God's revealed truth.
People will begin to live God's
way of love — the way of giving and outgoing concern for others — the
way of 1rue values — the way of peace, of happiness, of well-being, of
joy and, ultimately, spiritual salvation.
Next month we'll study
conditions on earth after all nations have been reeducated to God's way
of life. We'll learn what utopia will really be like.
